Tag: scott pioli

Former NFL GM Scott Pioli excited for Commanders, Adam Peters

Pioli and Bill Belichick gave Peters his first NFL job.

New Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters got his first NFL job back in 2003 with the New England Patriots. After one year as a graduate assistant at his alma mater UCLA, Peters joined the Patriots as a scout in 2003.

The man who gave Peters his first NFL job was Scott Pioli. In 2003, Pioli served as New England’s vice president of player personnel. Essentially, Pioli was the general manager, but that title belonged to head coach Bill Belichick. Still, Pioli was Belichick’s top personnel guy.

Belichick and Pioli built a dynasty with the Patriots. Not only did New England win multiple Super Bowls over two decades, but the Patriots also developed several future general managers.

Pioli was a guest on the “The Hoffman Show” on Team 980 Friday and discussed hiring Peters. Pioli said he and Belichick first met Peters on a scouting trip to UCLA while Peters was a grad assistant. Pioli remained in contact with Peters and later hired him.

The former Patriots executive and Chiefs GM explained that Belichick liked football players who were former walk-ons, such as Peters at UCLA. Belichick appreciated the work ethic and it showed that the player loved football, which was one of several reasons why Peters appealed to the Patriots.

As far as the Commanders hiring Peters, Pioli praised the move.

“Personally, I’m really excited for Adam,” Pioli said. “I’ve known him for so long, and I’m happy for him and his family. I am also excited for Washington. I have so much respect for that franchise,” he said while noting he grew up a fan of the New York Giants. 

“I’ve always loved the franchise,” Pioli said of Washington. “I’ve always respected the franchise. I’m excited and truly hopeful this works out well for everybody.”

So, what should Washington fans expect from Peters?

“He understands his role is to find and acquire talent,” Pioli said of Peters. “Draft it, sign it, get it under contract, and help the head coach develop it. I think Adam’s philosophy is he knows what wins in this league; he’s seen it in New England, he’s seen it in San Francisco. He also knows that the most important part of a general manager and someone who acquires talent is to humble themselves and make sure that they’re finding the talent that fits the head coach’s needs and what the scheme’s needs are.”

Peters has won with the Patriots, Broncos and 49ers. He’s won working for different head coaches, most notably Belichick and Kyle Shanahan. What the Commanders have lacked for years is a general manager and coach working together to draft and sign players who fit their schemes. The previous regime spent big free-agent dollars on a cornerback that didn’t fit their scheme, yet tried to make it work. It failed miserably. It happened years before with Josh Norman, too.

Don’t expect that from Peters. If the Commanders don’t sign the biggest-name free agent, don’t worry because Peters will be aligned with the coaches on bringing in the free agents who can best help the Commanders win.

A new day in Washington, indeed.

Ex-Falcons exec Scott Pioli: Jaguars got a steal in Calvin Ridley deal

Scott Pioli was a Falcons executive when the team drafted Calvin Ridley and he thinks the Jaguars will be very happy with their trade.

Scott Pioli spent nearly three decades working in NFL front offices, including a four-year stint as the general manager of the Kansas City Chiefs. The final stop of his career was a five-year stretch as assistant general manager of the Atlanta Falcons.

One of the players drafted by the Falcons during Pioli’s time in Atlanta was wide receiver Calvin Ridley.

Earlier this week Ridley — who was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars in October — was reinstated from his suspension, and Pioli joined NFL Network to rave about the receiver.

“I was there when we drafted him at the Atlanta Falcons and I love this young man,” Pioli said Tuesday on Good Morning Football. “He is a good person and a good player. I think the Jaguars got a complete steal here.

“They don’t have to do much to get him ready. All he has to do is show up and start working with Trevor Lawrence, get himself integrated into that locker room, which won’t be difficult because of the person he is, because of the worker he is. This is going to end up being a steal, I believe.”

The Jaguars will send a fifth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to the Falcons as part of the trade, and will send a second-, third-, or fourth-round selection in 2024.

Trading to acquire Ridley has looked like an even better move in hindsight, due to a lackluster crop of receivers in free agency and a relatively thin class at the position in the 2023 NFL Draft.

After his reinstatement Monday, Ridley said in a statement that he intends to show the Jaguars “exactly who I am and what I represent as a player and person.” Pioli believes the Jaguars are going to be very happy with that.

Frank Ragnow gets some serious love from a former NFL GM

Former NFL GM Scott Pioli believes Ragnow deserves a lot of credit for QB Jared Goff’s impressive play

The offensive line remains one of the biggest strengths of the Detroit Lions even as the team surges upward in the standings. Tackles Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell deserve a ton of credit for their strong seasons, and left guard Jonah Jackson merits a second straight Pro Bowl nod.

But the guy in the middle of it all needs some respect too. Center Frank Ragnow has played admirably all season despite a lingering foot injury that keeps him from practicing at least one day every week.

Football guys know Ragnow well. Take former NFL GM Scott Pioli, a diversly experienced football guy. Pioli sang Ragnow’s praises to the Good Morning Football crew at NFL Network this week.

“But to me, the guy that is making the difference for the Detroit Lions and their offensive line is center Frank Ragnow,” Pioli said, “Ragnow was picked in the first round back in 2018, he was one of my absolute favorite players in that draft. Because he’s smart, he is disciplined, he’s tough.”

Pioli elaborated on how much Ragnow’s intelligence and ability has helped Lions QB Jared Goff, too.

An excerpt from Pioli’s Twitter account,

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbx8sj47vkwrznr player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

Former Patriots exec compares Tua Tagovailoa’s arm to Tom Brady’s

He doesn’t believe it’s a big deal.

Since entering the NFL as a first-round pick out of Alabama in the 2020 NFL draft, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has had his arm strength picked apart and questioned every step of the way.

This offseason, that narrative had hit a peak with fans stirring into a frenzy after a clip of Tagovailoa at OTAs went viral on social media. That led to wide receiver Tyreek Hill defending his quarterback with his own video and eventual comments on his new podcast.

While everyone is talking about it, former New England Patriots director of player personnel Scott Pioli doesn’t believe Tagovailoa’s arm is a problem. In fact, he compared it to the arm of one of the best quarterbacks of all time.

“Tua’s arm strength will be just fine,” Pioli said in a conversation with the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson. “First five years of Tom Brady’s career, critics said over and over that he can’t throw the deep ball. It’s all dink and dunk. Brady was deadly accurate. He was being told to make high percentage throws, because that’s what he could do best at that time. As he got older, he got stronger.”

Obviously, like Hill wasn’t saying Tagovailoa’s arm is better than Patrick Mahomes’, Pioli isn’t saying it’s like Brady’s. He’s just showing that accuracy is a key part of a young quarterback’s game, especially when that’s what they’re being allowed/asked to do.

Arm strength isn’t something that has to be there right away. Right now, Tagovailoa is a very accurate quarterback, and that could still be enough to lead to a successful season.

[listicle id=450705]

Former Patriots exec: Dolphins have better chance at AFC East than Patriots

One team has gotten better, and the other has gotten worse.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbwhebtqp7ahdjt player_id=none image=https://dolphinswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

A lot has changed this offseason with the landscape of the AFC. A number of teams who were on both sides of the metaphorical line of playoff contention improved, while few teams, on paper, got worse.

In the AFC East, that conversation is open and fluid. While the general feeling is that the Buffalo Bills still sit atop the division, the next two spots seem to be up for grabs.

Former New England Patriots vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli, who is now an NFL analyst, shared who he believes has a better shot of winning the division between Miami and New England. Despite his loyalties to Bill Belichick, he sided with the team in South Florida.

“They had a solid core of players before,” said Pioli. “[They were] a good enough team to beat the Patriots. They also added a head coach who is really going to make a difference. The fact of the unknown and how they’re going to be coached and what they’re doing to do is going to be a bit of a factor.

“The new players all fit the system, scheme and culture that Mike McDaniel wants, the type of team he wants. This is the team that’s going to give the Bills a real run.”

Pioli makes a strong point. On the other side, New England has lost their offensive coordinator just one year into the development of their young quarterback. That’s never a good thing. Add in the fact that they lost their top cornerback and right guard, it’s tough to imagine the Patriots reaching the 10-win mark for a second season, never mind winning the division.

[vertical-gallery id=448971]

Former Patriots exec Scott Pioli explains what qualities Bill Belichick seeks in a 1st-rounder

Scott Pioli discussed what the Patriots want in a first-round pick, particularly for offensive and defensive linemen.

The New England Patriots have particularly high standards for their first-round draft choices. Not only do the Patriots feel like they need one of the draft’s best athletes with impressive statistics and a sharp mind — but New England also wants a player of high character.

That’s what former Patriots executive Scott Pioli relayed during an appearance on NFL Network on Thursday. Pioli discussed the importance of finding “clean” players in the first round — meaning the prospects will not only avoid problems off the field but also be an asset to the locker room.

“During those nine seasons, we made sure when we went in the first round — we took Richard Seymour, Ty Warren, Vince Wilfork and then Logan Mankins — every single one of those guys were not only big, physical and tough but they were extremely dependable,” Pioli said on NFL Network.

It’s no coincidence that many of the Patriots’ first-round picks have gone on to be captains. New England values leaders who can set an example for their teammates. In turn, the Patriots don’t just take the best talent they can find. They target players who — like Devin McCourty and Dont’a Hightower — are elite talents that will perpetuate Belichick’s culture within the locker room.

[listicle id=120831]

Scott Pioli sees blueprint with Patriots’ approach in free agency

Scott Pioli thinks the Patriots are not done making moves.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqby79hc76t2s390 player_id=none image=https://patriotswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Former New England Patriots executive Scott Pioli knows a thing or two when it comes to Bill Belichick and offseason planning. With New England taking a conservative approach to free agency, Pioli is urging Patriots fans to be patient.

He began his career with the Patriots as the assistant director of player personnel in 2000. He then took on the title of director of player personnel in 2001. Moving quickly up the staffing ranks, he assumed the role of the vice president of player personnel in 2002, and held that title until 2008.

With the Patriots spending $175 million in free agency last year, the quiet approach does not surprise Pioli, as transcribed by WEEI’s Alex Reimer.

“Player acquisition isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon,” Pioli said. “Just like the season. Last year the entire league was in a depressed market, so the Patriots went out and spent two years worth of free agency money and they received tremendous value. You look at the financial terms a year later and they look very good.”

“The first wave of free agency has ended,” Pioli said. “We’re now into this second wave. In this second wave, there’s a new free agency, because once players are signed, [other] players get cut. So now there are even more players [available]. After the draft, there will be more players cut. After the 53-man cut, there will be more players available in free agency. So building a football team and building a roster is something that takes a lot of work, a lot of time, and a lot of patience.”

With the NFL draft a month away the Patriots have holes to fill. With the wide receiver position being particularly deep, New England could fill a need given the depth at the position. The draft is only a piece of the equation, and it will be interesting to see how New England fills the rest of the gap.

[lawrence-related id=120359]

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.

Patriots set up ‘secret meeting’ with Corey Dillon before trading for him in 2004

Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli did their due diligence before trading a second-round pick for Corey Dillon.

Bill Belichick is known for being extremely thorough in everything he does.

The New England Patriots legend won six Super Bowl titles over the past two decades while juggling the roles of head coach and general manager — with a little bit of defensive coordinator as well. He puts on each hat when necessary and oftentimes relies on his trusted coworkers to ensure a job is done correctly.

Scott Pioli, who spent eight seasons as an executive for the Patriots, was one of those people he put his trust in. On Good Morning Football, Pioli told a backstory to a 2004 road trip that led both him and Belichick to a ‘secret meeting’ with Cincinnati Bengals star Corey Dillon.

The Patriots ended up trading a second-round pick for him and getting three solid seasons — including a Super Bowl win.

“It was about a week before the draft started. It was back in 2004, there was only a two-day draft, it was Saturday and Sunday,” Pioli said. “So about a week before the draft, Belichick and I get in my car and we do a little road trip down to Rocky Hill, Connecticut. At the Residence Inn in Rocky Hill, Connecticut we meet with Corey Dillon and his agent Steve Feldman.

“The Cincinnati Bengals were getting ready to trade him — they wanted to trade him — but Bill and I were in a situation where we wanted to spend time with Corey to make sure that he was going to understand our culture, understand everything that we did. So there we were in this little room in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, Feldman, Corey Dillon, Belichick and myself, and we’re having this conversation, trying to get to know Corey a little bit more than what we knew as a football player.”

Dillon had 345 rushes for 1,635 yards and 12 touchdowns that season — with a total of 37 rushing touchdowns over this three-year span with the Patriots.

“I’ll tell you, it was a match made in heaven,” Pioli said. “We left that Residence Inn that day feeling so good about it… That year Corey rushed for 1,600 yards, helped us to win our third Super Bowl in four years. He was a complete game-changer for that football team that year.”

[listicle id=104085]

WATCH: Former Patriots GM tells an awesome NFL draft story

Former New England Patriots general manager Scott Pioli pulled a fast one on the New York Jets during the 2001 NFL draft

The NFL draft process is full of subterfuge, as teams do their best to keep their intentions close to the vest.

Scott Pioli, former general manager of the New England Patriots, spent some time on NFL Network telling a fantastic draft-day story about making sure they could move up for their guy in the second round without a division rival finding out.

With the promise of secrecy from offensive line prospect Matt Light, Pioli made a trade to jump ahead of the New York Jets after Light told him he was on the phone with the Jets, who planned to pick him at their spot.

Trust no one this time of year.

[vertical-gallery id=626494]