Ranking the NFL's General Managers

As we approach the mid-way point of another NFL season, it is now time for my annual NFL column ranking the league's general managers. I'll be honest and admit that it doesn't take a rocket scientist to compile this column.

Some teams do an excellent job every year of drafting young players and bringing in the right mix of free agents and other don't seem to have a clue. You'll notice that the stronger teams in the league over the past few season - or ones that are clearly on the rise, are generally near the top of this list (I wonder why?). The teams that do a horrendous job in both the draft and free agency, populate the bottom half, which is exactly where they belong - especially after years of ineptitude.
At any rate, here are the league's best general managers - and in most instances - a combination of the GM and head coach.

New England Patriots Bill Belichick/ Scott Pioli
Simply put, the Patriots have been at the head of the class when it comes to building an organization for the long haul. The combination of Belichick and Pioli has been nothing short of masterful in molding the Patriots into the best team in all of football over the last half-decade. You would think a lot of other teas would emulate their formula for success, but then again, that's why the Pats are who they are.

Denver Broncos: Ted Sundquist/Mike Shanahan
I've got to give the Broncos front office a big round of kudos. They annually do one of the best jobs in the league at drating "unknown" players who amazingly come into the fold and turn out to be fine NFL players. Personally, I don't care who holds the GM title here, the Broncos organization as a whole - led by Shanahan - does a wonderful personnel job every year.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Kevin Colbert/Bill Cowher
Just like the Broncos and Patriots, the Steelers do one of the best jobs every years of drafting young players who turn out to be solid NFL players - if not genuine stars. It's not a coincidence that they've been one of the best teams in football during Cowher's long tenure in Pittsburgh.

Philadelphia Eagles: Tom Heckert/Andy Reid
Although Heckert was named the team's general manager in January of this year, it is Reid who has the final say on all personnel decision. While I don't necessarily agree with how they treat some of their veteran players, Reid has built the Eagles into a perennial double-digit win team for the last seven seasons. The Eagles also do an excellent job at drafting young players who turn out to be solid pros at some point in their respective careers.

Chicago Bears: Jerry Angelo/Lovie Smith
The Bears have done a wonderful job drafting young players who have quickly become some of the best impact players in the league at their respective positions. I also don't think it's a coincidence that the Bears have managed to turn around their performance on the field - and in the front office - since they hired Lovie Smith to be their head coach three years ago. Not only are the Bears probably the best team in the league right now, but it would appear that they have years of excellence ahead of them with an intimidating core of young players - especially on the defensive side of the ball.

Cincinnati Bengals: Marvin Lewis
Just like Smith and the Bears, Lewis has altered the entire mindset of the Bengals organization starting from the front office on down. Lewis has also drafted extremely well and has the Bengals in position to be legitimate Super Bowl contenders for years to come.

Tennessee Titans: Floyd Reese/Jeff Fisher
Make no mistake about it - Floyd Reese knows football talent. The Titans brain trust is rebuilding a franchise that, not too long ago, was one of the best teams in the league. Don't look now, but I expect the Titans to be back among the elite teams in the league inside of the next three years.

New York Jets: Mike Tannenbaum/Eric Mangini
Although Tannenbaum is only 36-years-old, he is another "football guy" who knows talent when he sees it. The combination of Tannenbaum and equally young head coach, Eric Mangini has already performed miracles this season in getting the rebuilding Jets to overachieve all season and better yet - play their hearts out in every contest, except one. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see the Jets back in serious playoff contention in the next year or two, tops.

San Diego Chargers: A.J. Smith
Smith has done a positively excellent job in building this team into legitimate Super Bowl contenders. The Chargers have drafted well on both sides of the ball and appear to be set at several key positions for years to come - thanks to Smith's amazing foresight.

New York Giants: Ernie Acorsi
Acorsi is as fine a football mind as there is in the game today. The Giants aren't necessarily overflowing with talent, but they have drafted fairly well under Acorsi and would appear to at least be in a position to be legitimate playoff participants for the next few years as well.

Carolina Panthers: Marty Hurney/John Fox
I know that Fox has a lot of say in the personnel decisions in Carolina and this combination of Fox and Hurney just seems to keep plugging along and pumping out quality players - especially on the defensive side of the ball.

Jacksonville Jaguars: James Harris/ Jack Del Rio
The Jaguars have also done a pretty good job of sustaining their moderate success by drafting young players who have come in and done a good job as NFL players - especially on the defensive side of the ball also. If the Jags can ever get their offense up to snuff, they could really take off some day. I will say that the combination of Harris and Del Rio, both former NFL players, seems to recognize NFL talent when they see it.

Dallas Cowboys: Jerry Jones/Bill Parcells
Let's be for real here. Jerry Jones may hold the GM title along with every oter title except head coach, but it is clearly Bill Parcells who is the more knowledgeable football man and the person responsible for bringing players like eMarcus Ware, Marcus Spears and both, Julius Jones and Marion Barber into the Cowboys' fold. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the "Tuna" will be around long enough to see these players really hit their stride in a couple of years.

Indianapolis Colts: Bill Polian/ Tony Dungy
If someone asked me before I began putting this column together where Polian ranked on the GM list, I wouldn't have thought it would be this low, but I have to say that his failure to build a legitimate defense has been shocking. Both Polian and Dungy should know defensive talent when they see it, but you'd never know it by the defensive product they keep putting on the field each season. To be honest about it, the only reason the Colts haven't won a Super Bowl yet is because their defense is absolutely eons behind their stellar offense. This pair had better get it together soon too - or the Peyton Manning/Dan Marino comparisons will truly be legitimate.

Buffalo Bills: Marv Levy
I know Levy is only in his first season in this new role, but the man obviously has an eye for talent. Buffalo has played very respectable football this year despite having a new head coach and a ton of young players who are still learning the ropes in the NFL. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see the Bills return to their former glory days with Levy in his new role - in a couple of years that is.

Atlanta Falcons: Rich McKay
McKay has been around the game for a long time and he knows football talent when he sees it. Unfortunately, Atlanta still hasn't figured out that their supremely athletic quarterback (Michael Vick) doesn't fit in well with their speedy wide receivers who need a pocket-type of quarterback to stand in and deliver the ball. I'm going on rcord right now to say that the Falcons backup quarterback, Matt Schaub, would be better suited to running this offense than Vick.

Seattle Seahawks: Tim Ruskell/ Mike Holmgren
I don't know why I have Holmgren's name next to Ruskell's on this list because he was absolutely atrocious in the GM role for years before finally relenting and giving up the title altogether.

New Orleans Saints: Mickey Loomis/ Sean Payton
Loomis is a huge reason why the Saints have been so resurgent this year. His decision to sign quarterback Drew Brees despite his coming off shoulder surgery made him look like a genius (and Nick Saban look foolish). The Saints also have some young players on their roster that are much better than you'd think. Simply put, this team is only going to get better with each passing game. Of course, it helps when a player like Reggie Bush drops into your laps unexpectedly.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Bruce Allen/Jon Gruden
The Buccaneers combination of Allen and Gruden has done some very good things (Cadillac Williams and Bruce Gradowski) and some not so good things during their time together in Tampa Bay. On the whole, the Bucs seem to make fairly knowledgeable personnel decisions, although they have taken a fairly sizeable step backwards this season.

Minnesota Vikings: Rob Brzezinski/ Brad Childress
Brezinski and Childress certainly seem to know exactly what it will take to move this team forward in the next couple of seasons. With a nice mix of veteran leadership and exuberant youth, Minnesota is going to be a team to be feared with this tandem at the helm.

St. Louis Rams: Charley Armey/Scott Linehan
After half a season, I'd have to say these two guys also have a tangible plan to move the St. Louis franchise forward into the next decade. The transformation from the "Greatest show on turf" to a more balanced offensive team - with a more aggressive defense - seems to be working like a charm.

Washington Redskins: Vinny Cerrato/ Joe Gibbs
Cerrato and Gibbs have not added much young talent to the Redskins roster in the three years that Gibbs has been back roaming the sidelines. Worse yet - the Skins appear to be going backwards faster than my brother's receding hairline (sorry Bro'). One other thing I want to know. Does Washington have any young defensive playerswith All-Pro potential? Didn't think so.

Miami Dolphins: Randy Mueller/Nick Saban
After his first season in Miami, many people (including myself) were hailing Saban as the greatest thing since sliced bread. However, his decision (and it was his decision and not Mueller's) to forgo Drew Brees in favor of Daunte Culpepper was very foolish. His selection of running back Ronnie Brown with the number two selection of last year's draft isn't looking much better - not to mention the fact that Miami's offensive line literally couldn't block their way out of a plastic Wal-Mart shopping bag. Mueller may hold the GM title here, but it is clearly Saban who is making the personnel calls in South Beach.

San Francisco 49ers: Mike Nolan
I can't rip the Niners Nolan just yet. San Francisco actually has some young players on the roster that would appear to have some promising futures. If the Niners can build on their talent base in the next couple of seasons, Nolan's general managerial stock will undoubtedly rise.

Kansas City Chiefs: Carl Peterson/ Herman Edwards
Carl Peterson was the man responsible for bringing many of the Chiefs talented players into the fold, but it has been a long time since he really helped this team with some good personnel moves. I mean, besides drafting Larry Johnson that is. The Chiefs need some defensive players in the worst way and Peterson has failed year after year to get them.

Arizona Cardinals: Rod Graves/ Dennis Green
The combination of Graves and Green has been almost as inept as any in the entire league. Were it not for their decision to draft Matt Leinart with the 10th pick in this year's draft, I'd say it's time for both of these guys to hit the road Jack. As it currently stands, Green will probably be gone at the end of this season anyway.

Cleveland Browns: Phil Savage/Romeo Crennel
The Browns haven't gotten much better with Savage's and Crennel's personnel decisions, although they do have some young talent on the roster. Maybe it's me, but have the Browns drafted any quality defensive players in the last few years? Nope, didn't think so. Unfortunately, when the s - -t hits the fan - it will be head coach Romeo Crennel who bears the brunt of the blame for the team's poor personnel decisions.

Baltimore Ravens: Ozzie Newsome
I'm sorry, but Newsome has been almost as bad as Casserly and Millen in his role as GM of the Ravens. Baltimore's offense is almost as atrocious as ever - and were it not for their outstanding defense, the Ravens would be outright doormats. Newsome's decision to re-sign quickly fading running back Jamal Lewis after he basically quit on the team last season - and after he signed free agent - Mike Anderson - just typifies the lack of judgment Newsome has shown in his tenure as the Ravens' GM. That - and not firing head coach, Brian Billick after last season.

Green Bay Packers: Ted Thompson/Mike McCarthy
It's a damn shame to say, but even the late, great, Vince Lombardi couldn't straighten out the mess the Packers have become. I hate to lay all of the blame at the feet of Thompson, because this team was in a downward spiral way before he ever took on the role of general manager.

Houston Texans: Rick Smith
The Texans made a wise move by hiring offensive-minded head coach, Gary Kubiak to straighten out their floundering franchise. However, I have to rip Smith and the Texans big time for passing on a sure-fire NFL talent like Reggie Bush in favor of Mario Williams. This foolhardy decision could go down in history as one of the biggest gaffes of all-time.

Oakland Raiders: Michael Lombardi/Art Shell
It really doesn't matter who holds the GM title for Oakland. The Raiders have been utterly inept with their personnel decisions for at least the last half-decade now. If anyone is expecting Lombardi or Art Shell to clean this mess up any time soon, they had better think again.

Detroit Lions: Matt Millen
Millen is hands-down, the most incompetent general manager in professional sports - not just the NFL. Maybe it's me, but I don't understand why he wasn't given the boot a long, long time ago.