Insider Hints Lions May Pair Colts Executive With Top Coach Candidate

The Detroit Lions have been biding their time until the end of the NFL season to get more of their interviews in order, and a name to watch on that front could be set to surface in the coming weeks.

While several established names have been interviewed for the general manager gig, there’s been a holding pattern in recent days that could coincide with the fact that the Lions are waiting to get a shot to interview some candidates with teams still in action. One of those names could be Ed Dodds, a man that could be one of the hottest candidates of this coming cycle.

Recently, Sports Illustrated writer and insider Albert Breer appeared at halftime during games on Saturday and fielded rapid-fire questions from fans. One question had a Lions theme, and it revolved around the general manager search in Detroit. As Breer said, depending on what happens at head coach, Ed Dodds could be in the mix for general manager.

Breer says around the 10 minute mark of the video:

“If it’s Robert Saleh in Detroit, keep an eye on Ed Dodds as his GM.”

Saleh has been tied to Detroit since the beginning of this process, and the Lions will likely be interested in the coach while also finding a general manager that is compatible. To that end, Dodds could make sense given the pair did overlap in Seattle. San Francisco executive Adam Peters is another name that could pair with Saleh, but lately, Peters has been said to be more in the mix for the gig in Carolina by Breer and others.

Saleh and Dodds would be an interesting combination and arguably a potential home run combo for the Lions, who need a major turnaround on the field.

Ed Dodds Biography

Dodds has worked his way up the league ladder in his career and long been craved for potential general manager roles in the past but has elected to stay put. Would the Detroit situation entice him to make the jump? It’s possible it could be an interesting one and not a far move for Dodds just a few hours north from Indianapolis. Dodds has worked with Seattle before the Colts, and has developed a reputation as a great drafter and a key right hand man for a couple of elite general managers in John Schneider and now Chris Ballard. Often, he’s been credited for savvy free agency moves. To that end, he seems ready and primed to take over his own team which is something that the Lions should have the ability to understand.

Dodds has been considered for other jobs and may very well get strong consideration for the Lions as well, which should probably be the case given all he has accomplished in the league at this point in his evolving career.

How Ed Dodds Could Fit With Lions

If Dodds has someone in the mix in Saleh who he trusts, that could be an enticing situation for the executive. As Breer explained in another piece, the duo could be tied at the hip in this cycle, as they have been mentioned in other cycles as a potential pairing to watch. The Lions are looking for a symbiotic relationship between their coach and general manager, and given the ties between the pair, it could play out if they were to join forces.

Safe to say given how well thought of Dodds is, this could be the type of paring that appeals to the Lions and their fans. There’s still a long way to go within the process, but at this point, this could be one of the more ideal scenarios for the team and fans to remember.

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