Adam Peters – San Francisco 49ers vice president of player personnel
Adam Peters is another name that has been linked to current San Francisco 49ers’ defensive coordinator, Robert Saleh. The reasoning for this is both are currently employed for the same organization, with Peters in the role of VP of player personnel.
In that role, Peters has had the privilege of learning under NFL great John Lynch. Peters was hired by Lynch in 2017, having spent the previous eight years with the Denver Broncos as a regional scout and eventually rising to the position of director of college scouting.
During his years in the Mile High City, he helped develop teams that won two AFC championships, a Super Bowl title in 2015, and helped construct a squad on the defensive side of the ball that were 2020 NFC champions.
Rick Smith – Former Houston Texans general manager
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Rick Smith was previously with the Houston Texans from 2006-2017 when he understandably stepped down to care for his ailing wife, who was battling breast cancer at the time.
Following parting ways with the organization, former head coach Bill O’Brien made many questionable roster moves, including trading away multiple-time Pro Bowl wideout DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals.
Smith is responsible for drafting Hopkins, quarterback Deshaun Watson and defensive end J.J. Watt.
Watt was the centerpiece of what once was a top-tier defense in the NFL. Defense has to be the highest of priorities moving forward if the organization ever has hopes of division titles or winning playoff games.
My choice for the Detroit Lions’ general manager job.
In my opinion, all of these gentlemen deserve a shot to be a general manager somewhere in the league at some point, but my choice for the Detroit Lions is Rick Smith.
Smith was the youngest ever to hold the title of GM when hired by Texas in 2006 and is still relatively young in terms of a front-office position 14 years later.
What’s most important is his ability to recognize talent on both sides of the ball and build a high-quality defense. The Lions will need help on both sides of the ball this offseason and really need a defense to right the ship of a team quickly sinking.
Let us know your preferred choice as the next Detroit Lions general manager in the comments below!