Sometimes being an NFL general manager is a thankless job, and some have shown more success than others
There are several people in the hierarchy of an NFL franchise. From owner to general manager, coach, director of player personnel, and chief financial officer, each has a specific role to play in growing a team into a winner and maintaining it.
Some of those roles are easier to judge than others, but an NFL general manager might be the easiest. His responsibility is to build the team on the field. That success can be measured in a lot of ways, but wins and losses top them all.
Les Snead
Les Snead
Matthew Stafford
NFL.com power ranked each current general manager in the NFL based on draft record, free agency, cap management, self-scouting, coaching hire, and even publicity. To qualify, a current general manager had to have at least one draft completed with his current team to be considered.
Where did the Rams' frontman Les Snead show up?
NFL.com placed Snead at No. 2:
Sean McVay's ability to develop Snead's mid/late-round gems into contributors is crucial, but there's no question that the Rams' approach to trade away all of their first-round picks since 2016 has worked. Since 2017, when McVay arrived, Los Angeles is second in total wins (including the playoffs), only behind the Kansas City Chiefs. Through trades and savvy cap management, the Rams are in a perpetual win-now mode that shows no signs of slowing down.
There's no question that Snead's "all or nothing" approach to last season helped the organization to its first Super Bowl championship in the city of Los Angeles. But the question is, how long can he sustain this success using that mold?
Von Miller
Odell Beckham Jr.
Aaron Donald
At No. 1 on the list is the Brandon Beane/Sean McDermott combination in Buffalo, and last place, at No. 22, is the Washington Commanders; and the general manager combination of Ron Rivera and Martin Mayhew.
At some point, contracts will come due and aging players will retire. Then, assuming Snead is still with the team, will come the true test of his abilities.