The Dolphins’ transparency regarding their search for a new General Manager has its limits.
While willing to announce to the world the names of the candidates who have interviewed, the Dolphins aren’t sharing much more than that.
As a result, it’s not clear what if anything to make of the team’s apparent decision to conduct no interviews on Monday, after interviewing five candidates in three days.
Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports that Browns assistant General Manager Ray Farmer has been the “most impressive” candidate so far; others peg Farmer as the favorite for the job.
Jeff Darlington of NFL Network has recommended tapping the brakes. While he regards Farmer as a viable candidate, Darlington says the process continues. More candidates will be interviewed, and at some point a second round of sit-downs will commence.
“The Dolphins do not feel pressure to expedite a hire because of any outside factors/teams,” Darlington said Monday on Twitter. “They want to get this right rather than rush.”
Other interviews announced by the team have included Titans V.P. of player personnel Lake Dawson, Dolphins assistant G.M. Brian Gaine, Steelers director of football and business administration Omar Khan, and Cardinals V.P. of player personnel Jason Licht.
Per Salguero, other candidates to be interviewed include Eagles V.P. of player personnel Tom Gamble, Falcons director of player personnel Lionel Vital, and New York Giants V.P. of player evaluation Marc Ross.
Salguero also reports that the Dolphins have interest in former 49ers G.M. and current Seahawks exec Scot McCloughan, but that McCloughan has not yet decided to be interviewed.
Also remaining on the radar is a man whose name was mentioned last week as a possible football czar in Miami: former Jets and Browns coach Eric Mangini. Salguero points out that neither Mangini, currently a consultant with the 49ers, nor the Dolphins have ruled him out. Until that happens, it’s a possibility that the former two-time head coach will become a first-time General Manager.
As we currently hear it, the likely hire will be Farmer or Dawson, with either guy hiring former Chiefs executive Bill Kuharich as part of the new-look front office. Former Chiefs G.M. Carl Peterson is advising Dolphins owner Stephen Ross; Peterson’s connection to Kuharich makes Kuharich’s placement in the Miami more likely.
Regardless, the Dolphins seem to be in no rush. And so we’ll continue to wait for the press releases announcing who they’ve interviewed next.