After Buffalo Bills general manager Doug Whaley was fired the day after the 2017 NFL Draft, it was fair to assume that he might never rise to a similar position again. Unlike head coaches, NFL teams rarely hire GM retreads and Whaley’s 30-34 record with the Bills wasn’t going to do him any favors. That view may have been short-sighted however, as Whaley reportedly interviewed for the Cleveland Browns GM vacancy and, per Ian Rapoport, is expected to draw interest from the Green Bay Packers after Ted Thompson steps down.
As the GM interviews commence in Green Bay, one candidate expected to draw interest: Former #Bills GM Doug Whaley. He also interviewed with the #Browns. Perhaps receiving some credit for his draft picks and moves helping the #Bills end their playoff drought.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 3, 2018
By firing their incumbent GM before the season started, the Browns received a head start on the search for a replacement. The team eventually hired former Chiefs GM John Dorsey, but not before interviewing Whaley, once again according to Ian Rapoport.
The Green Bay position would appear to be the best fit for the former Steelers assistant general manager. Like the Steelers, Packers culture is predicated upon accumulating talent through the draft and re-signing that talent to keep them in the fold long term. We’ll know soon enough if Whaley made a good impression, as after interviewing him as well as several internal candidates, the Packers were hoping to finish their GM search by next week.