Report: Bears look to Saints again for GM candidate originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The Bears have dominated headlines on Tuesday with reports of a head coach interview requests. But amid all those head coaching candidates, the team has also reportedly reached out regarding several general manager candidates. The latest name to surface comes from New Orleans.
Ireland joined the Saints’ scouting department, right as former Bears GM Ryan Pace left for Chicago. New Orleans hired him in 2015 to work as assistant general manager and college scouting director. Ireland has had his hand in several great Saints draft picks, including Alvin Kamara, Marshon Lattimore, Ryan Ramczyk, Michael Thomas and Marcus Davenport.
Ireland has worked as a general manager before, in Miami from 2008-2013. Things started great, as Ireland hired Tony Sparano and the Dolphins improved upon a 1-15 record in 2007 before going 11-5 and winning the AFC East in 2008. But after that initial season the Dolphins went 35-45 and never made the playoffs again.
Ireland also hired Joe Philbin to be head coach in 2012 and oversaw other high profile acquisitions. Those include trading for Brandon Marshall, drafting Jake Long, Chad Henne, Vontae Davis, Mike Pouncey, Olivier Vernon and Ryan Tannehill. But Ireland also traded away Marshall and Davis, and took swings and misses with other high picks like QB Pat White, WR Patrick Turner and DE Phillip Merling.
Ireland has also worked with Todd Bowles, who the Bears have requested to interview as a head coach, in Miami from 2008-2011. Bowles was an assistant head coach and secondary coach, and was elevated to interim head coach in 2011 when Sparano was fired. But Ireland ended up hiring Philbin to be next head coach in 2012 and Bowles left for the Philadelphia Eagles.
In addition to Ireland, the Bears have reportedly requested interviews with Browns president of player personnel Glenn Cook, Browns vice president of football operations Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Colts director of college scouting Morocco Brown and Colts assistant GM/VP of player personnel Ed Dodds.
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