24. Duke Tobin, Cincinnati Bengals
Duke Tobin is not GM-in-name but he is the de-facto GM for the Cincinnati Bengals, and Joe Burrow kind of fell into his lap in the 2020 NFL Draft. Burrow had the Bengals in the Super Bowl in 2021, but they have not been back since, and in 2024, the defense has bottomed out, and it seems like the offensive line is always an issue.
Tobin needs to hit on some defensive players in the NFL Draft, as his recent defensive draft picks have just not panned out, and Burrow is on a 4-7 team while having the best year of his career. This is a roster-building issue.
23. Ryan Poles, Chicago Bears
Ryan Poles probably should have reset the coaching staff after the 2023 NFL Season. The Chicago Bears kept Matt Eberflus and also hired Shane Waldron to be their new offensive coordinator, and it's likely that Eberflus is gone in 2025. Waldron has already been canned, and it's just an overall messy coaching situation, but the Bears OL has also not been great.
Poles' two biggest misses recently include the coaching staff and the lack of investment along the offensive line. Chicago does have a fine roster overall, but fixing the offensive line and hiring the right coaching staff are two huge problems that may not get fixed overnight, so there is some pressure mounting for Ryan Poles.
22. Dan Morgan, Carolina Panthers
Dan Morgan is the new GM in Carolina, replacing Scott Fitterer. It was an active first offseason for the Panthers. They spent a ton of money in free agency and do have a strong roster, but Morgan is going to have to figure out this QB situation, as Bryce Young is just not it.
But that isn't his fault. The Panthers are 3-7 and riding a two-game winning streak, and they have won two games in a row, so they have eclipsed their win total from 2023. The Panthers have been a tire fire for years now, so I would not be shocked if the fans did not have faith in this current regime to turn it around.
The offensive line seems to be solid, though, and that is a great start if you ask me.
21. Chris Ballard, Indianapolis Colts
I am not sure what the fascination is with Chris Ballard, who has been the General Manager of the Indianapolis Colts for years now. He just cannot get the QB position right, and there was an excuse those first couple of years after Andrew Luck shockingly retired, but we're now in 2024, and no one has a clue who the long-term QB plan is here.
Ballard is good in the NFL Draft, but that's really about it. The Colts are 5-6 on the season and clearly aren't a playoff team at this point. How long of a leash is Chris Ballard going to get?