ray agnew – Syndication Server

Two Lions execs represented in the NFL’s front office diversity program

Lions execs Ray Agnew and Mike Martin are represented in the NFL’s front office diversity program this week in Dallas

The NFL announced the roster of talent that will participate in the annual front office accelerator program for minority candidates. Two Detroit Lions staffers are among the rising and aspiring execs gathering in greater Dallas this week for the program.

Lions Assistant GM Ray Agnew and Director of Scouting Advancement Mike Martin are hoping to parlay participation in the program into higher-level jobs. For Agnew, that means becoming a general manager.

Agnew has already been receiving buzz as a potential GM candidate for the upcoming offseason. He came to Detroit from the Los Angeles Rams with Lions GM Brad Holmes.

Martin is also in his fourth season with the Lions. He was a well-respected scout for several teams, notably the Houston Texans, before joining the Lions. His role with the Lions is coordinating the pro and college scouting departments and staffs, a good precursory role for becoming a GM as well. That’s what Holmes did with the Rams before being hired in 2021 by the Lions.

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Lions assistant GM Ray Agnew believes Detroit ‘pretty well stocked’ at WR

Lions assistant GM Ray Agnew believes Lions ‘pretty well stocked’ at WR when talking about Isaiah Williams’ chances as a UDFA

Isaiah Williams is easily the undrafted rookie with the highest expectations as the Detroit Lions begin their rookie minicamp. Detroit signed Williams to a $225,000 base salary guarantee as a UDFA out of Illinois after the 2024 NFL draft.

However, Williams faces an uphill battle to stick in Detroit. At least that’s what Lions assistant GM Ray Agnew intimated on Friday in his pre-practice press conference.

Agnew noted Williams’ background coming out of St. Louis, where the Lions assistant GM played on the Rams’ defensive line for the final three seasons of his career. Williams was a quarterback as a youth and began at that position at Illinois before switching later in his time in Champaign.

He talked up the “playmaker” nature and mentality Williams brings, but that won’t ensure a spot on the Lions roster, not even with the hefty signing bonus and salary guarantee. Agnew noted that the wide receiver position is “pretty well stocked for us.”

That’s a statement that might catch some observers off-guard, though it’s been a consistent message from the offseason actions the Lions have taken all winter and spring.

After re-signing Donovan Peoples-Jones, a midseason trade acquisition in 2023, the Lions are running back the same receiving corps as in 2023, with the exception of Josh Reynolds, who signed as a free agent in Denver. Reynolds started 13 games and caught 40 passes for 608 yards and five touchdowns in the regular season. All were second on the team amongst wide receivers behind All-Pro Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Jameson Williams is expected to step up in his third season and the first without any offseason issues (injury, gambling suspension) occluding his path. Veteran Kalif Raymond (35 catches, 489 yards in 2023) is back as well. Peoples-Jones and 2023 seventh-rounder Antoine Green, as well as former Saints starter Tre’Quan Smith are all in the mix as well.

Williams joins that competition, along with another UDFA the team signed, Jalon Calhoun from Duke.

Aaron Donald draft evaluation has deep ties to the Lions front office

The Rams hit on Aaron Donald thanks to evaluation and advocacy by Lions assistant GM Ray Agnew

The wildly off-base scouting report on the now-retired Aaron Donald went viral last week. What was also discussed was how the Los Angeles Rams took a chance on an undersized defensive lineman after a dominant Senior Bowl performance.

The main reason the Rams took the Pittsburgh Panther? One talent evaluator pounded the table for him to be drafted.

That evaluator was Ray Agnew who was with the Rams at the time and would eventually become their Director of Pro Personnel. Agnew decided to move east when his friend and co-worker Brad Holmes would leave the Rams to become the general manager of the Lions. He now serves as Holmes assistant general manager and has helped craft some of the best draft classes in the entire NFL since they joined forces in the Motor City.

Coming off arguably the best draft class of their tenure, the Holmes and Agnew-led front office now hopes to have a strong repeat performance this April. The Lions currently have the 29th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and have seven selections in total.

15 possible candidates to replace former Panthers GM Scott Fitterer

Who’s next in line to lead the Panthers’ front office? Here are 15 candidates that could replace Scott Fitterer.

The Carolina Panthers didn’t wait long to make a move after wrapping up the worst record in the history of a 17-game season.

On Monday, the team announced they have parted ways with general manager Scott Fitterer. The decision puts an end to a bumpy three-year run, one that resulted in an overall 14-37 record.

So, who’s next for owner David Tepper?

Here are 15 possible candidates for Carolina’s new opening:

Lions assistant GM Ray Agnew mentioned as potential GM candidate for the coming offseason

While much of the long-term talk about Lions staffers potentially getting bigger and more prominent roles on other teams focuses on the assistant coaches, there is another candidate in the Detroit front office who could attract attention, too.

Lions assistant GM Ray Agnew has a compelling résumé to garner real interest as a potential GM hire in the coming offseason cycle. The veteran has done well as GM Brad Holmes’ right-hand man and primary evaluator of pro talent. Agnew earned a spot in Pro Football Focus’ list of top potential GM candidates in the next hiring cycle.

The 55-year-old Agnew is not the typical candidate, as PFF notes,

Agnew may not be the young upshot executive that teams seem to prefer recently for general manager hires, but his lengthy football career and clear trust from Lions general manager Brad Holmes should go a long way. The Rams built a Super Bowl winner largely with external additions during the time Agnew was the director of pro personnel, and we’ve also seen him now help Holmes build the Lions in a very different manner.

His considerable experience working in personnel evaluation for multiple GMs and organizations are Agnew’s biggest strengths.

48 days until Browns season opener: 5 players to wear 48 in Cleveland

In 48 days we will be watching Browns football again

Cleveland Browns training camp has officially begun ending the long off-season as the team is currently at the Greenbrier in West Virginia. The countdown clock to the season open has ticked down to just 48 days remaining. There have been a total of 23 different players to wear the number 48 for the brown and orange.

The first player to wear it was Ernie Blandin in 1946 who wore it that year as well as the 1947 season. The most recent note-worthy player to wear the number is likely the former fullback Ray Agnew. With only 48 days remaining until the season opens let’s look at a few players to dawn that number in Cleveland.

Hendon Hooker explains his conversation with Lions asst. GM Ray Agnew

Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker explains his conversation with Lions asst. GM Ray Agnew during the Senior Bowl

One of the most intriguing moments of the first day of Senior Bowl practices came right after the American team session ended on Tuesday. Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker, who is on the roster but not playing due to injury, made a beeline to Lions assistant GM Ray Agnew on the field.

The two warmly embraced and proceeded to talk for the entirety of the media period on the field, which lasts 15 minutes. Other Lions staffers joined in at various times as well.

In an interview from radio row on Wednesday morning, Hooker told the Detroit Lions Podcast that he and Agnew knew one another from being from the same home area of Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

“There’s something strong about the 336 (the region’s area code)”, Hooker said.

What did the duo talk about?

“We were talking coverages and protections, reading keys on the field,” Hooker stated. “Kind of going through how I’ve seen things going on and where my eyes go.”

Hooker indicated he is ahead of schedule already with his surgically repaired knee. He walked without a visible limp, though the left leg is heavily wrapped with a therapeutic brace. Hooker noted he’s doing rehab in his room with a portable device and he’s, “feeling very good, very positive.”

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Lions spend extra time with Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker at the Senior Bowl

Hooker isn’t playing due to injury but the Tennessee QB still sought out Lions assistant GM Ray Agnew for a lengthy chat

Hendon Hooker is not able to participate in the Senior Bowl this year. The Tennessee quarterback tore his ACL late in the Volunteers’ season.

But Hooker is here in Mobile, going through the interview process with all 32 teams and staying active in team meetings and on the sideline in practices. The talented prospect had an extra meeting with the Detroit Lions immediately after the American team practice on Tuesday.

Right after the late-afternoon practice ended, Hooker made a beeline directly to Lions assistant GM Ray Agnew on the field. The two shared a warm embrace, clearly having spent some time together before. They conversed for several minutes, with a couple of Lion staffers — including longtime long snapper Don Muhlbach — also joining in the conversation with Hooker.

As noted in the picture from Andy Morse of the Detroit Lions Podcast, Hooker’s leg remains heavily wrapped as he rehabilitates to get ready for the 2023 season.

Hooker was generally projected as a Day 2 prospect prior to the injury. He was a Heisman Trophy contender after elevating his game in his final year in Knoxville.

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Ray Agnew and Aaron Glenn will rep the Lions in leadership accelerator program

Ray Agnew and Aaron Glenn will rep the Lions in a leadership accelerator program put on by the NFL in the next league meetings

When the NFL holds its next set of league meetings in Atlanta next week, two Detroit Lions coaches will be involved in a promising new program to promote minority coaching candidates.

The “NFL Coach and Front Office Accelerator” will feature numerous development opportunities for minority candidates looking to climb the football ladder. The Lions will be represented by assistant GM Ray Agnew and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.

From the NFL’s press release,

The program will provide senior women and minority prospects with leadership development sessions with football operations experts and facilitators, as well as time spent networking directly with club owners. The effort is designed to continue building a diverse hiring pipeline for future head coach and general manager positions throughout the League.

Glenn’s participation is no surprise. He interviewed for head coaching positions this past offseason and is widely seen as a rising star in the coaching ranks. Agnew has proven himself a capable front office leader in a variety of capacities in his time with the Rams and Lions.

All 32 NFL teams will have at least one representative participating in the program.

Lions make it official, announce Ray Agnew and John Dorsey hiring to the front office

The Lions are rebuilding with several former NFL players in key positions

Ray Agnew is officially the new assistant general manager of the Detroit Lions. John Dorsey is also now on the payroll as a senior personnel executive.

The moves, first reported over the weekend, were made official on Wednesday by the Lions. It’s the latest part of the radical overhaul of the organization from the top on down.

Agnew comes to the team from the Los Angeles Rams, where he worked with new Lions GM Brad Holmes. Agnew was the Rams’ director of player personnel. Dorsey is a former GM for the Kansas City Chiefs and Cleveland Browns who most recently served as a front office consultant for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Both are former NFL players, as are new head coach Dan Campbell and his coordinators, Aaron Glenn (defense) and Anthony Lynn (offense).