Mike Lombardi is a former personnel executive with the Broncos and Raiders.  He's a writer for the National Football Post and, as his bio says, he's worked with some of the greatest minds in football like Bill Walsh and Bill Belichick in his 23 years in the NFL.  Mr. Lombardi was kind enough to give us a couple quick hits on some questions about GMs.

I asked him for a few names of front office guys around the league that aren't getting much publicity as potential GM candidates but should be.  Here are the four names he gave me.

Reggie McKenzie

We know about McKenzie as he was part of our Getting to Know a GM series.  He's worked in the Packers personnel department for the last 14 years until he was promoted to Director of Football Operations in May of 2008.

John Schneider

Schneider was in the queue for our Getting to Know a GM series until all this Pioli news hit.  He was given the same title as McKenzie in the Packers organization and previously served as a personnel analyst to GM Ted Thompson.

Bobby DePaul

DePaul is the Director of Pro Personnel for the Chicago Bears.  He previously worked as an NFL assistant coach and in the Pro Personnel department of the Eagles.  He's involved in free agency, waiver wires and advance scouting for the Bears opponents.

Rushton Webster

Webster is the VP of Player Personnel for the Seahawks.  I've seen his name pop up sporadically throughout our GM coverage.

Arrowhead Pride has covered the Browns' GM search as much as the Chiefs it seems.  Mostly because each team appeared to have similar candidates for the job.  But the Browns went ahead and hired head coach Eric Mangini before they hired their GM. 

There's been much criticism about this move because most folks would say the GM should be hiring his own coach because he's ultimately the top executive.  Lombardi pointed out that the relationship between the GM and Coach is crucial.

The more important factor is for them to have mutual trust and respect for each other and share the same philosophy.

If you look around at the GM candidates we've covered, some of AP's favorite candidates have scouting backgrounds.  While a few of them have Pro Personnel backgrounds, we've clearly favored the draft guys (In a nutshell, Scouting is draft related and Pro Personnel is free agency/waivers related).

Which background is more conducive to success as a GM?

I think knowing the Pro game is critical, but teams seem to favor the college guys.  I believe if you know the Pro game it will allow you to know what you need and makes the college process much easier.

We've focused on draft guys but Lombardi makes an excellent point here.  Ultimately, you can't be a successful GM without being able to competently manage both aspects.

Finally, I asked him about the Chiefs.  Can they be the next Miami Dolphins?

They have much work to do on both sides of the ball to be a playoff team.  Remember, Miami had a veteran QB, who did not turn the ball over. 

Competent QB and not turning the ball over.  Completely agreed but as Kansas City has shown time and time again, that's much easier said than done.

Big thanks to Mr. Lombardi for taking time out of his busy day at the National Football Post to answer a few questions for us.

Romanowski played for the Raiders so his ability to manage people is unmatched by any other former player still alive today.   Photo via api.ning.com

As if the AFC West weren't bad enough, former Bronco Bill "Your Face Is About To Meet My Fist" Romanowski recently came out with this goldmine:

"For [Broncos owner] Pat [Bowlen] to do something like this, it would take him being a visionary, thinking outside the box," said Romanowski, whose coaching experience includes helping with his son's football team. "Him hiring me, it's a long shot. I understand that. I know that."

Seriously?

"This may be a complete fantasy and that's all right ... At the end of the day, nothing may happen from it."

He may want the job but he doesn't actually believe he's a better coach than guys that have dedicated their lives to coaching.  Wait, does he think he's the best candidate out there?

"I truly believe that I'd be the best person in the country for the job. That's me being confident in my abilities," Romanowski said.

He included a 7 page Power Point presentation detailing why he should be included in the candidates.

After I read this and got up off the floor and back into my chair from laughing so hard, I thought I could think of plenty of former Chiefs players that are future coaches.  The first one that pops into my mind is Trent Green.

I think making the transition from QB to coach is more seamless than any other position on the field considering how much information you need to pile (and process) into your brain.  Herm is a former defensive back coach and it shows in his drafting/coaching.

What former (or current) Chiefs player is going to be the next coach in the NFL?

For more information on Romanowski's coaching career, check out his blog.

Thanks to Adam Teicher at the Kansas City Star's Chiefs Blog for pointing out to us that the Chiefs are facing decision time with six unrestricted free agents.  Let's take a look at each of them.

DE Jason Babin

Age: 28

Drafted: 2004, 1st round (Texans)

I wouldn't necessarily mind Babin sticking around.  He's shown some ability since he signed with the Chiefs mid-way through the season.  Ideally, the pass rushing issue is addressed in the draft or free agency and Babin sticks around as a reserve.

LB Rocky Boiman

Age: 28

Drafted: 2002, 4th round (Titans)

Considering the play of the rest of our linebackers, Boiman was a slight surprise.  He was average in his playing time.  Like the pass rushing situation, the Chiefs will ideally address this position in the draft or free agency and Boiman sticks around as a reserve.

S Oliver Celestin

Age: 27

Drafted: Undrafted

Who?  Yeah, exactly.

OL Adrian Jones

Age: 27

Drafted: 2004, 4th round (Jets)

Another waiver wire guy.  He doesn't have a future with the Chiefs (unless Herm sticks around).

S Jon McGraw

Jon McGraw or the Royals' Zack Greinke?  You make the call.

Age: 29

Drafted: 2002, 2nd round (Jets)

McGraw's future may depend on Herm Edwards future.  While he's been a nice addition at times (considering his cost), he's not a staple of the defense.  However, he does play with intensity so I'd like to see him stick around.

LB Pat Thomas

Age: 25

Drafted: 2005, 6th round (Jaguars)

Thomas was a bust as a middle linebacker.  He represents more of the same for the Chiefs - below average performance.  Though he's familiar with the defense and relatively inexpensive as a MLB, he's not likely to stick around.

Because the Chiefs are so young they won't have too many problems retaining their free agents.  A player is a restricted free agent his first 6 years in the league so the Chiefs should be able to keep the guys they want for at least a couple years.

Who will stay and who will go?

via cache.daylife.com

610 Sports is reporting that the Kansas City Chiefs have offered Scott Pioli the job of general manager.  Sources to 610 Sports say the two sticking points include money and control over football operations, specifically the coaching staff.

Money

It's unclear how far off the two parties are at this point.  We don't know Clark Hunt's offer and we don't know Pioli's demands.  But, if turning this team around is as important to Hunt as he's indicated, and if Pioli is the GM everyone hopes/expects him to be, then this shouldn't be a deal breaker.

We do know that Pioli was offered a 5 year, $15 million deal by the Seahawks in 2005 despite never interviewing for the job.

Power

According to 610 Sports, Pioli is seeking more control over football operations, specifically more control over the coaching staff.  This likely means that he wants Herm Edwards gone if he decides to accept the job.  Or he wants the power to make that happen if/when he's hired.

Former Chiefs GM Carl Peterson used to give his head coach control over his own coaching staff.  Assuming Pioli does want Herm gone and Clark is fine with that, it's possible that the control over the coaching staff is referring to the freedom Peterson used to give his head coaches.

I can't imagine Clark Hunt will, after looking at the Chiefs the past two seasons, make this a deal breaker either.  He's previously said he will ultimately make the decision on Edwards but some reports say he isn't likely to saddle a GM with a coach he doesn't want.

Stick around here for the latest updates to the Chiefs GM search.

H/T Eric Allen in the comments.

Yesterday, former Chiefs GM Carl Peterson called talks of him going to the Miami Dolphins in some front office role "pure speculation".

Today, he was a little more decisive in his tone regarding the rumors that he was headed to South Beach.  Per the Associated Press:

"It's not going to happen," Peterson told The Associated Press on Wednesday. "I have a lot of good friends there, but I need to get away for a while. It's been 20 years of making decisions every day and I need a rest."

I think we all know King Carl well enough to know this isn't the end of the road for him and speculation about the Miami job.

Do you think Carl Peterson will be employed by a NFL team at the start of the 2009 season?