The Colts’ decision to move on from Chris Ballard has immediately turned the general manager search into a wide-open race, and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic laid out a long list of names worth watching.
Ed Dodds is one of the clearest internal possibilities, with Rodrigue suggesting the Colts interim GM could handle the trade deadline and keep the team moving through in-season college scouting. From there, the candidates stretch across the league and into some familiar front-office pipelines.
Rodrigue notes that Browns assistant GM Catherine Hickman has worked under Eagles GM Howie Roseman and has been a “key figure” in Cleveland’s draft process. Eagles assistant GM Adam Berry is described as “entrenched” in scouting and another product of Roseman’s tree. Eagles VP of football operations Alan Wolking also gets a mention, with Rodrigue calling him a “key voice” for 16 years in Philadelphia’s front office.
Several other names come with strong personnel resumes. Bengals assistant GM Trey Brown has built a reputation as an “expert from college to pro to financial,” while Bears assistant GM Jeff King is labeled a “longtime scout and executive” who has played a major role in Chicago’s roster building. Giants assistant GM Brandon Brown, meanwhile, has a Colts connection from 2016, when he worked there as a scouting assistant, and he also has Eagles experience under Roseman.
Rodrigue also points to Seahawks assistant GM Matt Berry as someone with knowledge from Seattle GM John Schneider, which she sees as a “valuable place to look.” Rams assistant GM John McKay is tied to Los Angeles’ “draft, pro personnel and varied team-building approach,” while Broncos assistant GM Reed Burckhardt could attract interest because of his role in helping build Denver’s roster. Chiefs assistant GM Mike Bradway is another name on the list after overseeing a “partial rebuild” in Kansas City over the offseason, with Rodrigue noting the team did well to bring in RB Kenneth Walker and add young talent to its defense.
In Houston, Tank Dell is finally back on the active roster. The Texans activated the wide receiver from injured reserve, and he is set to play his first game since suffering a major knee injury in December 2024. DeMeco Ryans said he doesn’t have any “huge expectations” for Dell in Week 7, and made it clear the main thing is having him back on the field.
“I expect Tank just to be himself and just play the offense the right way,” Ryans said, via NFL.com. “No huge expectations from what he needs to do.
We’re all just going to be excited. I know me personally, I’m just going to be excited to see him just out there for the first time in over two years, just getting some game action.
I’m just thankful, grateful for him to have this opportunity to return. I don’t have any expectations.
I’m just happy to see him out there and that’s the only thing that matters.”
Ryans also said Dell still looks sharp and explosive. He called him “quick as ever” and said the receiver has been putting defenders in tough spots during practice over the past two weeks.
“As we all know, Tank is an explosive player, ” Ryans said. “He’s still quick as ever.
As our defenders who was covering him the past couple weeks, he’s been putting us in some tough matchups and practice the past two weeks. I expect him to go out on Sunday and do the same thing.
Really stress defenders and that’s what Tank is going to do with his speed, his playmaking ability. He’s going to stress defenders and you add them in a mix with all of the other guys that we have.
We just have a really good group of guys, a lot of guys who are capable of making big time explosive plays for us.”
Ryans also pointed to the flexibility of Houston’s receiver group, which includes Nico Collins, Jaylin Noel, Marvin Harrison Jr., Kayshon Boutte, and Dell. He said the group can move all over the formation, giving offensive coordinator Nick Caley more ways to mix up the play-calling. Ryans added that he likes the way the receivers have been winning contested catches, including Marvin Harrison Jr.’s first catch with the team, a tough one over the middle.
Tennessee, on the other hand, made a roster change after a serious incident. The Titans released defensive tackle Jordan Elliott after he reportedly went to his car for a handgun following a fight with OT JC Latham. Robert Saleh said Elliott’s background made the situation especially surprising.
“This is a young man that has never had anything happen in his past. When something like this happens you have to take a close look at why,” per Turron Davenport.
Saleh said the team and the league handled the matter well, but added, “rules are rules,” per Terry McCormick.
There was also a football decision attached to the fallout in Tennessee. Saleh said Alontae Taylor will “reset” after being benched in Week 6, and the Titans will continue working with him, via McCormick.
Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley still believes Taylor’s versatility makes him a valuable piece, and he expects him to play meaningful snaps going forward. Bradley also said Josh Williams will start again at corner in Week 7, though he wouldn’t officially lock that in yet and said Williams will play important snaps.
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That makes the next two weeks worth watching around players like Calvin Ridley, Tony Pollard and Cody Barton, all of whom could draw different levels of interest depending on what a contender needs. Ridley has been linked to the Rams, Pollard has been tied to the Bengals and Barton has been floated to the Bills, but those are only speculative fits for now, the sort of deadline chatter that says as much about where the Titans are headed as it does about where these veterans might land. [Read more 🡒]