The Washington Redskins let one longtime executive go this week. Does that mean a larger role for someone already on staff?
The conclusion of the NFL Draft brings lots of changes around the NFL. It is viewed as the beginning of a new year and teams make plenty of front-office changes. The Washington Redskins made one big change this week when longtime personnel executive, Scott Campbell, was let go after 17 years with the club (per Pro Football Talk).
Campbell held an assortment of titles over his 17 years with the Redskins. He was a scout, director of college scouting and finally, senior personnel executive in 2017. Campbell was largely responsible for setting Washington’s draft board in both 2014 and 2017, both of which were deemed successful drafts.
Reportedly, Campbell didn’t want to leave, but the Redskins chose not to renew his contract, meaning current director of college scouting, Kyle Smith, is gaining more power in the organization. Smith, much like former Washington offensive coordinator Sean McVay, is viewed as a rising star in the league.
Part of the reason the team promoted him last June was to keep him from leaving D.C.
To me, this is about Kyle Smith. That dude is a rising star. As I just talked about with @chaddukes, the view of him around the league is that he's a surefire future GM. #Redskins want that to happen here if it's gonna happen soon.
— Craig Hoffman (@CraigHoffman) May 9, 2018
Smith presided over the team’s 2018 draft and by most accounts, did a terrific job. Grading drafts just weeks after, of course, is an exercise in futility, but the Redskins did well in not only addressing needs, but finding value too. Players like Derrius Guice and Tim Settle could be steals for Washington.
Former Washington tight end, Chris Cooley, thinks another promotion is on the way for Smith. Cooley, who also works for the team-owned radio station as the team’s color commentator and hosts a show five days a week, believes Smith will likely soon be named the team’s general manager. Cooley is generally plugged in when it comes to his analysis of his former team.
.@thecooleyzone with more on @Redskins Director of College Personnel Kyle Smith - "There will be a push made internally to make Kyle Smith the GM...that would be my bet..."
— The Team 980 (@team980) May 10, 2018
Having a rising young executive like Smith in the organization is a coup for the Redskins. Washington has been criticized for years for not having a true general manager — minus the two-year reign of Scot McCloughan, which ended disastrously — and Smith’s role could soon increase to that title.
And the difference between him and McCloughan, Smith would be an internal hire who many of the most important figures in the organization (such as owner Daniel Snyder, team president Bruce Allen and personnel executive Doug Williams) strongly believe in.
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Washington lost McVay, but it doesn’t plan on losing another rising star. Unlike McVay, who the Redskins couldn’t keep once Los Angeles offered him a head-coaching job, they can keep Smith and they will.