Being a General Manager in the NFL is one of the hardest jobs in sports, and that's evident in our power rankings ahead of Week 12. It's both the hardest and the easiest job, because all it often takes is just one player. Getting the franchise QB in the building fixes about 75% of an organization's issues.
A perfect, recent example of this is the Houston Texans, who were a dumpster fire in 2022 and in the playoffs in 2023. Hitting on CJ Stroud was the turning point for this franchise, and now we're looking at the Texans as being a disappointment this year a bit even though they are 7-4.
And another good example of this is the New York Giants, who doubled-down on Daniel Jones and are paying the price. We tried to power-rank all 32 GMs in the NFL ahead of Week 12, and we tried to use the 2024 results thus far as the biggest factor in their ranking.
NFL Power Rankings: Rankings all 32 General Managers ahead of Week 12
32. Joe Schoen, New York Giants
Alright man, enough is enough. I would be shocked if Joe Schoen was still in this role in 2025, as he has been a downright awful GM for the New York Giants, and Giants fans simply deserve better. The team doubled-down on Daniel Jones two offseasons ago and inked him to a four-year, $160 million contract.
It's turned into one of the worst contracts in NFL history, and earlier this week, Jones was demoted to the fourth-string QB. It's been a horrid stretch for the G-Men in recent years, and Schoen is the primary culprit here.
31. Trent Baalke, Jacksonville Jaguars
Trent Baalke fielded what appeared to be the best roster that the Jacksonville Jaguars ever had, but it's now turned into a 2-9 record and a head coach in Doug Pederson very much on the hot seat. Baalke himself may not survive into 2025 himself, and, while he's had no issues being aggressive with some of his roster moves, the Jags to still have a ton of roster flaws.
Baalke has not been able to unlock this team in the Trevor Lawrence era, and it may be time for a new voice to try and do that.
30. Tom Telesco, Las Vegas Raiders
Tom Telesco clearly failed in his first offseason with the Las Vegas Raiders, and the mistakes are already piling up. He made Antonio Pierce the full-time head coach, and he might just be the worst HC in the NFL. He overpaid for defensive tackle Christian Wilkins in free agency. He also overpaid for Gardner Minshew and failed to land one of the six first-round QBs in the 2024 NFL Draft.
With the 2025 NFL Draft not projected to be a strong QB class, where do the Raiders go from here? Telesco had a failed tenure with the Chargers and is on pace to again have a failed tenure with his second AFC West team.
29. Ran Carthon, Tennessee Titans
Ran Carthon was aggressive last offseason, but the QB position is a mess, and he seemed to throw all of his chips into Will Levis for 2024 at least. I do understand what he was trying to do - he loaded up the offense a bit and was giving Levis a decent shot to be the guy, and he isn't. With a first-year head coach in Brian Callahan, Carthon can't really be any higher on this list.
We'll see how they approach the QB situation in 2025.
28. Joe Douglas*, New York Jets
Joe Douglas has been fired, so that's why he's got the asterisk next to his name. It was a disaster for the Jets for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Douglas had a pretty decent tenure in building up the roster before taking a huge swing on Zach Wilson in the 2021 NFL Draft, but Wilson was a whiff. That kind of forced Douglas to get aggressive to find a QB seeing as they had a win-now roster.
And the only available option seemed to be Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers tore his Achilles just four plays into the 2023 NFL Season, and since returning in 2024, he's been an utter disaster. Head coach Robert Saleh got fired several weeks ago, and Douglas was the most recent firing.
He will latch onto a team as some sort of personnel guy, but it may be a few years before he gets another GM shot.
27. Mickey Loomis, New Orleans Saints
The "kicking the can down the road" has caught up with Mickey Loomis and the New Orleans Saints. They must blow it up at the end of the season, as their best players are old and on huge contracts. There really isn't much long-term stability with this team, and Loomis should take the blame for that.
Some have said that Sean Payton got out of New Orleans right before the bill became due, if you will, and that seemed to be the right move. Loomis should have embraced a rebuild as soon as Payton and Brees left, and these are the consequences of not doing just that.
26. Andrew Berry, Cleveland Browns
Andrew Berry and the Cleveland Browns swung a huge trade for Deshaun Watson a couple of years ago, and it's turned out to be the worst transaction in the history of the NFL. Watson was not only horrific in his time with the Browns, but he is on a fully guaranteed contract, which is even more damning.
Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski could be on their way out, and I would not blame the Browns for doing that. Andrew Berry definitely had some draft hits, but it's largely been a failed tenure.
25. Jerry Jones, Dallas Cowboys
It is time for Jerry Jones to step aside if you ask me, as the Dallas Cowboys are just not a viable team at this point. He toyed around with the contracts of Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, and the team is also just awful in the trenches, so the success is going to take some time to get back to.
Jones is stubborn as we all know, so I am not sure he is ready to hand this franchise over to someone else.
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?
20. Jason Licht, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jason Licht of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as done a nice job overall with this roster, but it’s clear that the Buccaneers need more help with their pass rush and perhaps their entire defensive unit overall. The unit has regressed since their 9-8 season in 2023, and now the Bucs sit at 4-6 and have a huge uphill battle to overtake the Atlanta Falcons.
Licht hit a home run with his free agency signing of Baker Mayfield a couple of years ago, and he’s always been good in the NFL Draft, but I am not sure he has done anything recently to put him any higher on these power rankings.
19. Chris Grier, Miami Dolphins
Chris Grier of the Miami Dolphins most definitely should have done more along the offensive line and with the backup QB situation. Tua Tagovailoa simply cannot stay consistently healthy, so if any team is to heavily invest in the backup QB spot, it’s the Dolphins.
I also believe the Dolphins could have tried to do more at tight end, and even if Tua Tagovailoa would have been healthy for the entire season, I am not sure the Dolphins would have a much better record than they do now.
18. Eliot Wolf, New England Patriots
Eliot Wolf is the de-facto GM of the New England Patriots and was left a giant mess to clean up. He may have struck gold with Drake Maye, but the offensive line and playmakers are just bad. Wolf does not get the blame for this in my opinion, as Bill Belichick made a serious of horrific NFL Draft decisions over is final few years that seemed to really set this team back.
Wolf still has a huge mess to clean up, but Maye has been a huge bright spot.
17. Terry Fontenot, Atlanta Falcons
Terry Fontenot made a bold move to not only sign Kirk Cousins this past offseason, but also by drafting Michael Penix Jr in the 2024 NFL Draft. Some disagreed with the move, but it does seem to be a good long-term play. However, the Falcons defense is among the worst in the NFL, and I am not sure they have one good phase of that unit. It’s been what has held them back this year.
16. John Schneider, Seattle Seahawks
John Schneider of the Seattle Seahawks is going to have to make a play for a rookie QB soon, as Geno Smith is just not that great and is obviously not going to lead this Seahawks team to anything more than a nine-win season.
The Seahawks have some talented players on defense, but getting the QB right and investing more into the offensive line are two huge items on his to-do list this coming offseason. Geno Smith started writing back in 2023, so time is ticking.
15. Les Snead, Los Angeles Rams
I had very high hopes for the Los Angeles Rams in the 2024 NFL Season, but injuries really pushed them off course, and the veteran secondary was just not cutting it. The Rams have dug themselves out of the hole and are now 5-5 on the season. If the Rams can stay rather healthy the rest of the way, they could find themselves back in the postseason and could make a run.
But the Rams just do not feel like that special team anymore.
14. John Lynch, San Francisco 49ers
The current San Francisco 49ers foundation is getting older and more injured. Guys like Trent Williams, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle, and Christian McCaffrey are all old, banged up, or have been banged up this year. Heck, some are all three! John Lynch clearly needs to turn the page on this current era and try to build for the future.
And to make matters worse, the defense has regressed, so the Niners don’t have that bite that they have had in recent years.
13. Eric DeCosta, Baltimore Ravens
Eric DeCosta has been one of the better General Managers in the NFL for multiple years now, but the Ravens do not feel like they are nearly as good this year as they were in 2023, but I guess that would be too unrealistic of a standard to have…?
I did not necessarily get the decision to let guard John Simpson leave in free agency and the decision to trade Morgan Moses for a stick of gum. The Ravens passing defense is also a huge issue, but that could be a scheme issue.
Overall, the Ravens are not a Super Bowl contender, and Eric DeCosta simply needs to figure out how to change that given that he’s got Lamar Jackson right in his prime.
12. Nick Caserio, Houston Texans
Nick Caserio hit a home run in the 2023 NFL Draft with CJ Stroud and Will Anderson Jr. The Houston Texans were a tire fire before he got there, and the Texans are just another example of a team that got the QB right. When you get the QB right in the NFL, as I have said before, most issues go away. However, the Texans have a clear deficiency along their offensive line, and that has been a huge reason why they just do not feel like a true contender this season.
Still, though, Caserio deserves a lot of credit for what he has done in such a short amount of time.
11. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Minnesota Vikings
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah would have been higher on this list if JJ McCarthy did not get hurt and was looking like a promising rookie QB for the Minnesota Vikings. The bright side here is that KAM has gotten most everything else on the roster taken care of, so when McCarthy is handed the reigns, hopefully in 2025, he'll be entering into a great situation.
But I do wonder if the Vikings would keep Sam Darnold around for another year or so if he keeps this play up.
10. Joe Hortiz, Los Angeles Chargers
This is only his first year on the job, but it's clear that Joe Hortiz knows how to draft. Joe Alt, Ladd McConkey, Cam Hart, and Tarheeb Still have all been notable year-one contributors for LA. It's probably considered a good draft if a team comes away with three-ish starters. The Chargers may have two above-average starters in Alt and McConkey and two other average starters in Hart and Still.
9. Brett Veach, Kansas City Chiefs
Brett Veach is not as high on this list as you may think, and while no one can predict injuries, it does feel like that Veach sometimes puts a bit too much faith in Patrick Mahomes. Even coming into the 2024 NFL Season, the Chiefs playmakers felt below-average at best, and now injuries have magnified that. Veach is still a very good GM, but I do believe he left a lot of meat on the bone this past offseason.
8. Brian Gutekunst, Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are now 7-3 and still alive in the NFC North. Jordan Love figured something out about midway through the 2023 NFL Season, and the Packers have not looked back since. Love does seem to have an interception problem, but he and the Packers are still in great standing. Green Bay and Brian Gutekunst have hit on a ton of draft picks in recent years, so this team is set for the long-term.
Let's not overthink this; Gutekunst has been a top GM in the NFL for years now.
7. Omar Khan, Pittsburgh Steelers
While the Pittsburgh Steelers do not have a long-term QB on the roster, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields have proven to be very capable. The Steelers are now 8-2 on the season and perhaps shockingly in first place in the AFC North. While the Steelers are most definitely not making a Super Bowl run and still do have a QB issue, Khan taking a shot on Wilson and Fields could at least turn into a solution in 2025 for a bit as well.
6. Monti Ossenfort, Arizona Cardinals
I loved the Arizona Cardinals as a sneaky-good team going into the 2024 NFL Season, and here we are. They are 6-4 and in first place in the NFC West. Ossenfort probably needs one more offseason to polish up this roster, especially on defense, but man, the Cards have totally turned their franchise around in just one season.
They won four games in 2023 and could easily double that total in the coming weeks.
5. George Paton, Denver Broncos
Hats off to George Paton and the Denver Broncos for this past offseason. He totally botched the Nathaniel Hackett hire and Russell Wilson trade, but has since hired Sean Payton and helped draft Bo Nix, who may be the best rookie QB in football this season.
The Denver Broncos are now the seventh seed in the AFC and control their own destiny. In fact, it would be hard to envision them not in the playoffs. The Broncos have the second-longest playoff drought streak in the NFL and could be set to snap it in 2024.
For all of the hate that came the Broncos way for this past offseason, they are trending upwards. Paton and the Broncos have also hit on some crucial draft picks like Jonathon Cooper, Pat Surtain II, Quinn Meinerz, and Nik Bonitto.
4. Adam Peters, Washington Commanders
I was wrong on the Washington Commanders. I had no idea what this team was trying to do when they took Jayden Daniels, and signed veterans like Zach Ertz, Bobby Wagner, and Austin Ekeler, who were all last good in 2017. Well, it seems as if this franchise had a clear plan, and it's been working. Daniels has arguably been the best rookie QB in the NFL this year, and Washington is 7-4.
While they probably won't win the NFC East this season, they are in a great position to make the playoffs and are going to be a problem for years to come. First-year GM Adam Peters hit the Daniels pick out of the park and is obviously already on the right track with this team for the present and the future.
3. Howie Roseman, Philadelphia Eagles
Howie Roseman has always been a top GM in the NFL, and that has again been the case this season. When is the last time that Roseman did not field a top-5 roster? It's been years. The Eagles went through some drama last season and stumbled into the playoffs with an 11-6 record, but that team was a lot closer to an eight or nine-win team given how closely they were winning games.
They seemed to have figure something out this year. They're 8-2 and Roseman is again going to take another Eagles team into the postseason. It's hard to not put Roseman near the very top of this list.
2. Brandon Beane, Buffalo Bills
Brandon Beane and the Buffalo Bills underwent a bit of re-tooling this offseason, and their roster just did not feel that strong coming into the 2024 NFL Season. Well, here we are. Buffalo is very much alive in the race for the no. 1 seed in the AFC and just beat the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 11.
Beane has been a top GM in the league for years now. And at some point, doesn't Buffalo have to make a Super Bowl run? Could it be this year? Perhaps.
1. Brad Holmes, Detroit Lions
Objectively the best GM in the NFL, Brad Holmes has built a Super Bowl team. The Detroit Lions are 9-1 and are the top seed in the NFC at this point, and I am not sure they will have much of a challenge keeping that top seed.
He's hit on a ton of draft picks recently like Aidan Hutchinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta, Brian Branch, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and many others. Holmes is cooking with gas and may end up winning some type of award this coming offseason.
And I would truly be shocked if the Detroit Lions did not at least make the Super Bowl this season. Where is their weakness?