GM Candidate: Ryan Cowden

[Toker Smurf]

54 minutes ago, Dunn said:

Crap here we go, another Wofford alumni, might as well mail it in.  This guy will be our new GM.

This, ha ha. 

[Saca312]

1 hour ago, thomas96 said:

Jesus Christ how did I not realize it until now. It all makes sense...

 

This was a necessary move to hire Brenton Bersin as our GM.

Makes sense.

After all, Bersin said you "can't cut me now" when he got his new contract. It's actually true!

[Ivan The Awesome]

Please don't leave us again. 

[Mr. Scot]

Here's a team site interview with both Jeff Morrow and Ryan Cowden.

The Panthers Scouting Process

[Jay Roosevelt]

He would be a good choice, IMO. I definitely want someone with scouting experience and the Titans have done a pretty solid job in the draft since he's been there. Obviously hard to say how much of that has anything to do with him, but still.

You certainly can't say they don't value the tackle position in Tennessee. They have maybe the best pair of them in the NFL in Lewan and Conklin.

My favorite choices for GM right now (admittedly after just a few hours of research) are Cowden and Mike Mayock.

[davos]

Yeah I'm cool with this guy.  

[Mr. Scot]

Quote from the above linked article:

“The all-star games with the Senior Bowl, the East-West, the NFLPA out in Los Angeles, that’s really our first time to be hands-on with the guys,” Cowden said. “So a major portion of it is on-the-field evaluation, going to practices, seeing them in the drills, being live and up-close with them. But the other part of that is you’re basically spending the week with these kids, from interviews to watching them interact. It could be as simple as they’re waiting to interview with another team and you’ve already interviewed him, but you’re just sitting out in a lobby with him, getting to know him. Not every time that you run into him is it a hard-core interview; sometimes, it’s just casual conversation.

“Especially if it’s an area scout and it’s a player in his area, he’s cultivating the beginning of a relationship with that player that will last through these months (leading up to the draft) and can really come into play even if a guy isn’t drafted and you go after him as a free agent. Forging that relationship with him really begins at the all-star games.”

[Mr. Scot]

Titans 2016 media guide doesn't have a bio page for him, but I was able to dig up the panthers guide from 2015 (link)

Ryan Cowden was named Assistant Director of College Scouting in June 2014. Previously, he served as National Scout/Senior College Scout since 2012. He had worked as a national scout for the Panthers since 2008. He joined the Panthers in 2000 as a scouting assistant and in 2001moved to area scout, where he was responsible for the Southeast area from 2001-07. Cowden was a standout strong safety at Wofford College in Spartanburg, SC, home of the Carolina Panthers training camp. He received a bachelor’s degree in finance in 2000. Cowden graduated from Lebanon (VA) High School, where he was All-District and All-Region at both quarterback and kick returner as a senior, as well as a member of the basketball and baseball teams. Cowden and his wife, Dana, have a son, Noah Dane, and a daughter, London Blair. They live in Simpsonville, SC.

Football scouting experience and a degree in finance is an interesting combo for a potential GM.

 

[FuFuLamePoo]

The new GM is going to be named Jerry Richardson, guys

[Eazy-E]

5 hours ago, *FreeFua* said:

So which one of these guys values the WR and tackle positions?

Maybe Cowden saw what it looked like for a organization to build around a young QB in his brief stint in Tenn if he comes back over here.

Cowden apparently does. Tenn's last two top picks were OT in 2016 and WR this year.

He is definitely on the top of my list for GM.

[Mr. Scot]

7 hours ago, thomas96 said:

Jesus Christ how did I not realize it until now. It all makes sense...

This was a necessary move to hire Brenton Bersin as our GM.

Ya know, Bersin winding up on the coaching staff is not that farfetched.

[Mr. Scot]

6 hours ago, NanuqoftheNorth said:

Did he graduate from the Hurney School of General Management?

Because, let's be honest here, that is what JR is looking for in his next GM.

WANTED:

Someone that lacks strategic long term thinking

Willing give out cap busting contracts to fan favorites in the twilight of their careers

No concept of how to properly manage a budget

Willing to relegate the franchise to years of mediocrity in order to have a feel good moment.

Lacks a spine, unable to say no, proud to be a yes man.

Degree in Finance...

[Mr. Scot]

My eye keeps getting drawn back to a certain phrase from Jon Robinson...

"Good managerial skills"

[Proudiddy]

Wouldn't be my preference, but I'd still be excited and optimistic considering the familiarity if it did come to fruition.  

That being said, I think he may difference between him and Beane regardless of similarities in resume, was that I think Beane was more of a "best of both worlds" kind of candidate.  Beane, IIRC, was regarded as a cap guru when he was appointed interim GM following Hurney's firing.  If the guy we bring in has predominant leaning towards the scouting side of things, which I would still love, I would like to know if we already have a guy in-house that purely studies and and manages the cap as well, and if not, I want to bring in one to complement whoever we hire.