NFList

Rams lead the way in Executive of the Year candidates

By Joel Buchsbaum, Contributing editor
As published in print Jan. 14, 2002

Rams head coach Mike Martz

We asked our panel of NFL insiders to name the teams and individuals who would have to be considered the front-runners for NFL Executive of the Year. All comments were made anonymously.

1. St. Louis Rams / Charley Armey, Jay Zygmunt, Mike Martz — "Great trades, great free-agent pickups, very smart drafting and key coaching additions enabled them to rebuild their defense in one year. Aeneas Williams has done for their defense what Marshall Faulk did for their offense and was the deal of the year. A perfect fit. And he is just one of eight new defensive starters. Lovie Smith has worked out extremely well as defensive coordinator, and the new position coaches have also helped."

2. New England Patriots / Scott Pioli, Bill Belichick — "Nobody got more from less. The Patriots brought in over a dozen low-cost free agents who have played extensively and had a great deal to do with the team’s success. They changed the entire chemistry of the team, with the Patriots going from a team filled with rich, overpaid and not very mentally tough players who found ways to lose to a team of hungry achievers with a passion for the game who could handle pressure. They also drafted Richard Seymour and Matt Light one year after taking Tom Brady."

3. San Francisco 49ers / Bill Walsh, Terry Donahue — "Two years of masterful drafting filled with deal-downs to add picks and the addition of some key free agents has allowed the 49ers to come back from salary-cap hell that appeared to have them doomed for years to come to (become a) solid contender."

4. Pittsburgh Steelers / Kevin Colbert, Bill Cowher — "Their one-and-two-bricks-at-a-time approach does not get headlines, but it works and allows them to manage the salary cap. Drafting NT Casey Hampton and LB Kendrell Bell gave them the strength they needed down the middle on defense. Hiring Tom Clements (QB coach) and Russ Grimm (OL coach), signing C-OG Jeff Hartings and promoting Mike Mularkey to offensive coordinator revitalized Kordell Stewart and the offense."

5. Chicago Bears / Mark Hatley, Bill Rees and Jerry Angelo — "Hatley, who is now in Green Bay, and Rees, who is now in San Francisco, are largely responsible for putting together the nucleus of the Bears’ roster. Angelo came in and added the missing pieces and touches, making some tough cuts to get under the cap and adding some lower-priced players who could do little things and really enhanced the team’s chemistry."

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