Tag: John Dorsey

Herman Moore headlines several former Lions nominated for College Football Hall of Fame

Moore is joined by Reggie Bush, Mark Carrier and others on a list that also includes a current Lions coach and another in the front office

The nominees for the College Football Hall of Fame class of 2023 are now finalized. Several players who spent at least part of their NFL careers with the Detroit Lions made the cut for the upcoming class.

Most prominent on the list is wide receiver Herman Moore, who dominated at Virginia en route to becoming the 10th overall pick in the 1991 NFL draft by the Lions. He is the only player who will be best-known for his NFL career in Detroit and not with other teams.

The remainder of the nominees with Lions blood in their NFL veins:

  • RB Reggie Bush
  • DB Mark Carrier
  • EDGE Dwight Freeney
  • CB Todd Lyght
  • QB Kellen Moore
  • DT Haloti Ngata
  • LB Matt Russell

In addition to those players, two current Lions administrators are also among the nominees. Wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El is nominated for his playing days at Indiana, while front office special assistant John Dorsey earned a berth for his playing days at UConn.

As a disclaimer, I am a voter for the Hall and will include Moore, Bush and Carrier on my ballot.

Surprised Browns Andrew Berry not as risk adverse on character as expected

Watson is the latest example but Berry’s short tenure with the Browns seems to show similarity with Dorsey and divergence from the man who brought him to the organization, Sashi Brown, in regards to character:

The myriad of front office personnel that has run through the Cleveland Browns over the past few years have left a mark. While leading the organization, each has had some interesting values that have led to many of their decisions. The last two, Sashi Brown and John Dorsey, were polar opposites in a lot of ways:

Sashi Brown

  • Athletic testing
  • College production
  • Young
  • No character/off the field red flags

John Dorsey

  • SPARQ scores
  • Big-name schools from big conferences
  • Looks the part
  • Character being less important

When Andrew Berry was brought back to the organization, many wondered how closely he would align with Brown, the man that brought him into the organization. While the biggest concern was related to building the roster, figuring out Berry’s values was going to be interesting.

Many pointed back to the famous “guardrails” leaked that were reportedly a part of Paul DePodesta’s plan for the organization when hired along with Brown:

 

In regards to character, a place where Brown and Dorsey differed greatly, the guardrails note things about “leadership,” “character,” and “psychology.” While “don’t draft a ‘red’ over a ‘blue’ could be in relation to character, we don’t have information to confirm that.

Finishing off his third offseason as the Browns general manager, Berry has shown that character risks are something he is willing to do. While Deshaun Watson will be the headline, he is just the confirmation from this offseason. So far Berry has added or retained the following players with significant off-field character concerns in their background:

To be fair, Berry has also brought in some high-level character players like John Johnson III and Anthony Walker Jr.

While the biggest difference between Brown and Berry is the latter’s aggressiveness in building the roster, their differences in how they seem to value character seem vastly different as well. Under Brown, character concerns would quickly be crossed off the list. Under Dorsey, it seemed character concerns (Signing Kareem Hunt cheaply, drafting Antonio Callaway later) were seen as ways to get value.

For Berry, it will be interesting to see if character concerns continue to, seemingly, have little impact on his decision-making or if each of the situations were unique and doesn’t set precedence. Either way, it has been surprising to see how divergent Berry is from Brown in this regard.

Opinion: Lions would be lucky to be on Hard Knocks in 2022

The Detroit Lions are 1 of 3 teams that could be on Hard Knocks in 2021 and it would be great if the Lions are chosen as the subject

Could the Detroit Lions be the NFL team featured on the 2022 edition of “Hard Knocks”? Fans can only hope so.

The Lions are one of three primary contenders to appear on the annual behind-the-scenes show through one team’s training camp and preseason. Along with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers, the Lions are one of just three teams who meet all the qualifications to be the subject of the popular HBO documentary series.

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I’m very hopeful the Lions are the chosen one. It’s a wonderful opportunity to observe and learn a lot more about the players, the coaches and how the organization goes about its business. Fans should be clamoring to see more of GM Brad Holmes, head coach Dan Campbell, special assistant Chris Spielman and the cadre of former players on Campbell’s staff in action.

Back in 2018, the Cleveland Browns were the subject team. I was there for much of training camp while covering the team for Browns Wire, and I got to see firsthand how beneficial it can be. In Cleveland’s case, it exposed the dysfunction in the organization. Head coach Hue Jackson’s tenuous grasp of control over headstrong defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and irritable offensive coordinator Todd Haley was something the fans needed to see to understand just how bad things really were inside the organization. The transparency provided by the omnipresent cameras and the dramatic editing choices helped lead to a much-needed in-season upheaval.

Lions senior personnel executive John Dorsey was Cleveland’s GM at the time, and the production did not flinch in highlighting his positive and negative moments. It was something the fans, and the broader football media, needed to see. Dorsey would likely object to being on the show again, though he’s no longer in a critical decision-making role.

The cameras and crew are everywhere, but they’re absolutely not a distraction. For those who haven’t been to training camp or an NFL practice, there are already cameras everywhere filming multiple angles of reps. It’s been that way for years. The players and coaches are used to it. It’s like wallpaper. After the second day of camp, I didn’t even notice they were a different camera crew from the regular Browns staffers working on the practice fields. That sentiment was shared by many.

It’s a no-lose situation. If Campbell and his crew are the real deal, as many fans want them to be, Hard Knocks will provide ample evidence of a well-run, competent organization. That would be a refreshing relief for long-suffering Detroit fans. Likewise, if the cameras reveal (like they did in Cleveland) that the staff is swimming in way too deep water, the exposure will help drown the hype. For the fans who think Campbell is a clueless meathead, Hard Knocks would be the proof in your pudding of negativity and foster change.

Beyond that, it’s a great way to get to know the players better. Hard Knocks does a fantastic job of finding interesting stories with the players. They dive deep into backstories. You’ll learn which Lions players have weird off-field hobbies, fun passions, inspiring charity interests or are just someone fans will really love. The players like that too, by and large.

So I’m hopeful the Lions land on Hard Knocks this year and the world can see what the Brad Holmes/Dan Campbell Lions are really all about.

The best general manager candidates for the NFL’s 2022 hiring cycle

Who are the names to know for potential general manager candidates during this NFL off-season?

While the head coach hiring cycle is sure to get a ton of attention, the general manager hiring cycle is also about to heat up. With David Gettleman expected to announce his retirement on Monday, there is at least one position open. Another position just became available, with the Chicago Bears firing Ryan Pace.

A third available position also comes from the NFC North, with the Minnesota Vikings firing Rick Spielman.

With all of these moves, who are some names to watch for general manager positions during this off-season?

GM candidates the Giants could consider if they fire Dave Gettleman

With the New York Giants likely to part ways with general manager Dave Gettleman, here are several potential options to replace him.

The New York Giants are likely to move on from general manager Dave Gettleman following the season. Whether he’s fired or retires remains to be seen but either way, Big Blue will be thrust into another GM search.

If the Giants are firm in their commitment to head coach Joe Judge, that may thin out their pool of options. It may also strengthen the likelihood of landing a new GM that has previous ties to Judge.

Is that good or bad? We’ll let you decide.

With a GM swap all but a certainty, here’s a look at several potential options who could replace Gettleman in 2022 and beyond.

Browns 53-man roster Andrew Berry era

Of the Browns initial 53-man roster, which front-office boss brought in who as we look at the roster turnover in the Andrew Berry era in Cleveland:

The much anticipated 2021 NFL season is almost upon us. There are so many things for Cleveland Browns fans to look forward to while some still hold a bit of dread that the “other shoe” will drop.

General manager Andrew Berry has done his best to make sure the team’s roster is set up for success even if a major injury hits. With depth across the board, the Browns initial 53-man roster looks ready to contend even with normal NFL attrition due to injury.

Berry has been given a lot of credit for the moves he has made in his first two seasons at the helm of the front office, for good reason. As we covered earlier this week, his drafting has mostly gone well so far. His free-agent work has been aggressive, as he promised, but hasn’t blown the future salary-cap space needed to sign some of the young guys.

While Cleveland’s roster has evolved over Berry’s first two offseasons with the team, he doesn’t get total credit for bringing in all of the players. His history with the Browns, however, makes breaking down the roster interesting as Berry was brought in under Sashi Brown and was kept under John Dorsey. His one year away in Philadelphia is the only time in the past five years he wasn’t involved with the Browns front office.

So let us take a look at the team’s initial 53-man roster, prior to Jacob Phillips going on injured reserve, and just how much of the roster Berry has remade in just two seasons:

Former Lions GM Bob Quinn hired by Browns front office

Quinn was fired by the Lions in November with a 32-47-1 record as GM

Friday morning’s Detroit Lions training camp practice became secondary news. Just as the payers began drills on the practice fields, news broke that former Lions Gm Bob Quinn has been hired by the Cleveland Browns.

Per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, Quinn will serve as a Senior Consultant in the Browns’ football operations department under GM Andrew Berry.

Quinn, along with handpicked head coach Matt Patricia, was fired last November after four-plus seasons in charge of making all the decisions for the Lions. The team went 32-47-1 under his reign.

The Browns already have a vast front office assembled by chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta and Berry, who is in his second season as the team’s GM. Berry’s predecessor, John Dorsey, now works for the Lions in the same capacity that Quinn will serve in Cleveland.

WATCH: Chris Ballard hangs up on John Dorsey mid-draft

Chris Ballard and John Dorsey continue their draft tradition

The NFL draft can be a stressful time for general managers, especially for one like Indianapolis Colts’ Chris Ballard, who has earned a reputation as one of the league’s best drafters.

But even during those stressful times in the draft room, there are chances to lighten the mood. This happens every year like clockwork with Ballard and current Detriot Lions senior personnel executive John Dorsey, who will prank call his protege while the Colts are on the clock.

Ballard, as he typically does, tell Dorsey, “we’re working.”

Ballard and Dorsey grew close during their years with the Kansas City Chiefs. Dorsey was the general manager from 2013-2016 while Ballard worked as the director of player personnel (2013-2014) and director of football operations (2015-2016).

Ballard and the Colts will be back at the draft on Friday night for Day 2 but will only have one pick coming at No. 54 overall.

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John Dorsey keeps prank calling Colts GM Chris Ballard when he’s on the clock during the draft

This is a pretty good goof.

Every year, Chris Ballard gets on the clock in the NFL draft. Every year, he gets phone calls that could change the complexion of the draft — and the league.

Except for one call.

For the last few years, there has been one call that’s completely worthless. John Dorsey, the former Cleveland Browns general manager and current Detroit Lions executive, has called Ballard for a few year running — just to say hello. Yes, it’s basically a prank phone call.

It’s fun to see goofy antics like this between general managers. This year during the first round, Dorsey called Ballard, who picked up to see if the Lions had a trade offer. They did not. It was just Dorsey goofing around.

I love it. Don’t take the draft too seriously. The pageantry has gone too far anyway.

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Mike Disner promoted to Lions’ Senior Vice President of Football and Business Administration

According to the Detroit Lions website, Mike Disner has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Football and Business Administration.

According to the Detroit Lions website, Mike Disner has been promoted from Vice President of Football Administration to Senior Vice President of Football and Business Administration as part of the team’s front office restructuring.

A Bloomfield Hills native, Disner has 12 years of NFL front office experience and is considered one of the “rising stars” who is “shaping the direction of the NFL”. He was hired by the Lions in 2018, after six years as the Arizona Cardinals capologist, and was tasked with heading up the player contract negotiations and handling the Lions salary cap.

Disner was also a member of the Lions search team that helped identify general manager Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell, and is someone team president Rod Wood and principal owner Shelia Ford Hamp praised at multiple press conferences.

Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer tweeted out the front office hierarchy, which matches a previous MMQB article from earlier in the month:

One other notable change is that Jimmy Raye III, senior personnel executive, is no longer listed on the team’s website.

John Dorey, who was officially announced yesterday, now holds that title.