Miami Dolphins helmet during the second half against the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Bills beat the Dolphins 19-0. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
The Miami Dolphins are pretty much interviewing everybody available in order to try and fill their GM vacancy left by Jeff Ireland, who really wasn’t a good GM in the first place (reckless spender unless if he stubbornly decided that a player wasn’t worth it, which was a seemingly arbitrary process at times). Tennessee Titans VP of Player Personnel Lake Dawson, Cleveland Browns assistant GM Ray Farmer, and Detroit Lions excellent senior personnel director Brian Xanders have been identified as some of the most notable, realistic candidates for the gig. Farmer appears to be the favorite, but the Dolphins have cast such a wide net that it’s anyone’s game.
Per a source close to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Dolphins have called up the Minnesota Vikings asking if assistant GM George Paton, who previously worked under current Vikings GM Rick Spielman back when Spielman was with the Dolphins, would be available for an interview. However, Rapoport reports that it’s unclear if Paton will indeed interview with the Dolphins, so this is worth keeping an eye on.
Paton, who is most famous for his incredible leadership during World War II, is one of the most respective executives in the league and was a finalist for the St. Louis Rams GM opening before the Rams decided to hire Les Snead. The Dolphins interest in Paton is unsurprising, and we’ll see if Paton is amicable to a return to South Beach and if Spielman is fine with letting his buddy leave (I’m 95% sure he would grant the request if Paton is interest in pursuing the Dolphins GM opening).