Ex-NFL exec Mike Tannenbaum breaks down busy offseason, predicts top draft pick, talks career journey

The 2022 NFL offseason was one of many busiest in latest reminiscence.

A number of NFL stars have been on the transfer — Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos, Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders, Khalil Mack to the Los Angeles Chargers and Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins, simply to call a number of.

Mike Tannenbaum, the previous government vice chairman of soccer operations with the Dolphins and former common supervisor of the New York Jets, instructed Fox Information Digital in a latest interview the 2 groups that caught out to him essentially the most have been the Chargers and the Baltimore Ravens.

“A pair groups standout to me. One is the Baltimore Ravens as a result of they didn’t do a lot. I feel in the event that they’re wholesome, they’re going to be proper again within the thick of issues as a result of that they had an awesome basis, and so they have been decimated by accidents,” Tannenbaum stated. “The opposite group to me is the L.A. Chargers. I feel they’ve an awesome younger participant in Justin Herbert. They went out to attempt to fortify the protection and add gamers like J.C. Jackson, Khalil Mack. These are form of like two groups that actually stand out for me.”

The AFC West was one of many notable divisions that bought stronger. Solely three groups, in concept, may make the playoffs from a single division. A division winner and two wild card groups.

Tannenbaum instructed the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs are nonetheless the group to beat, regardless of the Hill commerce.

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“I feel the AFC West is traditionally nice. I wouldn’t be stunned in the event that they form of beat one another up. Look, so long as Patrick Mahomes is alive, the Chiefs are going to be viable even with out Tyrek Hill. I’d count on that if we have been having this dialog post-draft, they’ll add a minimum of one or possibly two significant receivers,” he stated. “I really like the Chargers. Russell Wilson is now a Bronco with an awesome protection, and we will’t ignore what the Raiders have completed including an awesome coach in Josh McDaniels and bringing over an awesome receiver in Davante Adams. To me, they’re a captivating group. In order that division is completely loaded.”

Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in motion towards the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Jan. 2, 2022 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Buccaneers defeated the Jets 28-24. 
(Jim McIsaac/Getty Photos)

Two of the league’s high quarterbacks determined to stick with their groups in spite of everything: Tom Brady with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Aaron Rodgers with the Inexperienced Bay Packers.

The Packers traded Adams even with Rodgers coming again. When requested whether or not Inexperienced Bay could have gone backward with their offseason strikes, Tannenbaum stated “probably.”

“I feel essentially the most receptions rookie receivers ever had with Aaron Rodgers is 38,” he stated. “Davante Adams was clearly somebody that had nice chemistry with Rodgers, and I feel they’ll be capable of add a great receiver. I don’t suppose there’s any query about that. I assumed it was simply form of inconsistent. If Aaron Rodgers is coming again, clearly he’s near the top, and to not maintain Davante Adams was slightly little bit of a shock to me.”

With Brady coming again to the Buccaneers, he stated Tampa Bay will at all times have an opportunity at competing for a Tremendous Bowl.

“He’s ageless. So long as he’s on the market, they’ve an opportunity,” he instructed Fox Information Digital. “They’ve some actually good gamers round him as properly. I feel they’re a group, so long as he’s taking part in, they’re going to have a great likelihood to. They’re not what they as soon as have been on paper. However I’d by no means guess towards Tom Brady.”

Tannenbaum on the NFL Draft

Defensive finish Aidan Hutchinson #97 of the Michigan Wolverines seems to be over the road towards the Nebraska Cornhuskers within the first half at Memorial Stadium on Oct. 9, 2021 in Lincoln, Nebraska.
(Steven Branscombe/Getty Photos)

The Jacksonville Jaguars might be on the clock when the NFL Draft begins in Las Vegas later this month.

The Jaguars addressed their quarterback state of affairs final yr by choosing Trevor Lawrence. And this yr, Tannenbaum instructed the group may go protection.

“I actually like Aidan Hutchinson. I feel he’s not solely an awesome pass-rusher, however I feel he’s an awesome teammate. If I’m Jacksonville, I feel he makes everyone round him higher. He’s somebody I like quite a bit,” Tannenbaum stated.

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The Michigan standout had 14 sacks in 14 video games for the Wolverines in 2021. He was the 2021 Huge Ten Defensive Participant of the Yr for his efficiency.

Tannenbaum stated David Ojabo is one other title to be careful for at the same time as he works his means again from a torn Achilles harm.

“I feel his teammate simply as a captivating story, his teammate David Ojabo would’ve been a first-round decide. He tore his Achilles on a professional day. I feel he’s nonetheless going to be a extremely good professional when it’s all stated and completed,” he stated.

Tannenbaum on journey from NFL government to TV to entrepreneur

Mike Tannenbaum talked to Fox Information Digital about the previous few weeks of the NFL offseason.
(Offered)

Tannenbaum had been within the NFL since 1995 when he broke into the league with the Cleveland Browns as a participant personnel assistant. He was with the New Orleans Saints in the identical place in 1996 after which was within the New York Jets’ entrance workplace beginning in 1997 because the director of participant contracts.

He labored his means up by the Jets’ group changing into the director of professional participant improvement in 2000 after which an assistant common supervisor in 2001. In 2006, he grew to become the Jets’ common supervisor and senior vice chairman of soccer operations. He took over because the Dolphins’ government vice chairman of soccer operations in 2015 earlier than he was reassigned by the top of 2018.

In 2019, he joined ESPN as an NFL entrance workplace insider. However other than that, he serves on the board of administrators for X2 PERFORMANCE and based The thirty third Crew — an NFL suppose tank. He additionally teaches a sports activities administration course as an adjunct professor at Columbia College.

“I’ve been very lucky to have labored within the NFL for a very long time over twenty years. I feel primarily based on expertise, I discovered the right way to run a enterprise and scale management and be an awesome listener. I used to be lucky sufficient to transition from the Dolphins to ESPN and mainly my position there’s to take folks behind the scenes and never inform what occurred however why it occurred,” Tannenbaum instructed Fox Information Digital.

For these attempting to observe in his footsteps, Tannenbaum stated the perfect factor anyone can do when attempting to interrupt into the NFL with a group or with the league is studying the right way to create worth.

“I feel a number of it’s about empathy and being an awesome listener. It’s straightforward to say be the primary one in and the final to go away, and naturally having an awesome work ethic is so consequential. However who do you create worth? What do you convey to the desk to make the boss’ job simpler, your consumer’s job simpler. You have to convey worth and be an issue solver greater than the rest,” he stated.

“I feel although it’s actually understanding the place you’ll be able to create worth the place the boundaries to entry are decrease. For me early in my profession, the wage cap was actually in its nascent stage within the NFL, so I used to be capable of simply form of work my means up fast due to that. When you have been trying to get your foot within the door on the earth of sports activities enterprise for instance, I take into consideration issues like NFTs, cryptocurrency or Metaverse, understanding of mental property and worldwide guidelines of working in several nations.”