In the last few days, the Green Bay Packers have begun to put forth a thorough search for their next general manager after Ted Thompson announced that he has stepped down from the position. One candidate was with the Oakland Raiders.
According to Jim Trotter of ESPN, Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie has decided to decline an opportunity to interview for the vacant position.
My understanding is that GM Reggie McKenzie’s role won’t be diminished with the arrival of Gruden. Proof: McKenzie declined a Green Bay request to interview for Packers GM job. #Raiders
— Jim Trotter (@JimTrotter_NFL) January 5, 2018
The addition of Jon Gruden as the next head coach of the franchise has changed the entire dynamic in Oakland as McKenzie will work closely with the 54-year-old moving forward. McKenzie has been the Raiders general manager since the 2012 season and has garnered stability with the position.
The 54-year-old has a strong connection to the Packers being employed by the organization from 1994 through 2012. During that span, he worked his way up from being a scout to becoming the team's director of player personnel then earned the role as the director of football operations. There had been some belief that he be a realistic candidate because of the firing of head coach Jack Del Rio immediately following the season finale loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
However, the Raiders have quickly resolved the situation with the decision to bring aboard Gruden on a reported 10-year deal that is could be worth $100 million. This could possibly lead to the organization working toward keeping McKenzie in the fold as well.
This now pushes the Packers to look elsewhere to find the replacement for Thompson, who held the position for the last 12 years. The fact that they had McKenzie as one of the early candidates shows that they want someone that not only has ties to the organization but has plenty of experience as an NFL executive.
Keep in mind, head coach Mike McCarthy had voiced earlier this week that he wanted someone that “has to fit” alongside him given that he would be working with that next general manager closely on a daily basis. For the time being, this eliminates one name from the list of possible candidates for Green Bay.
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