Chris Grier receives vote for least trusted general manager in NFL agent survey

In a new NFL agent survey, Miami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier was named by at least one agent as the least trusted general manager in the league.

Ben Standig of The Athletic offered the results of different questions that were posed to 26 agents, with Grier’s credibility being questioned by at least one agent.

“Others: Former [New York] Giants GM Dave Gettleman, Dolphins GM Chris Grier, [Arizona] Cardinals GM Steve Keim, [Jason] Licht, [New Orleans] Saints GM Mickey Loomis, [San Francisco] 49ers GM John Lynch, [Washington] Commanders GM Martin Mayhew, [Baltimore] Ravens organization, [Les] Snead, [Carolina] Panthers VP of football administration Samir Suliman, [Houston] Texans organization,” wrote Standing.

If it’s any consolation to Grier, Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman and the entire New York Jets front office garnered the most votes in the dubious category with four apiece.

The article offers no explanation about why Grier’s credibility might be considered suspect. Of course, general managers and agents are routinely in adversarial relationships, often related to intense contract negotiations involving a player.

One possible reason why Grier’s trustworthiness may have been challenged is because of the status of third-year quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

Tagovailoa was drafted by the Dolphins with the fifth overall selection of the 2020 NFL Draft and seen as a team leader for the future. However, less than a year later, trade rumors involving quarterback Deshaun Watson began to surface.

The rumors involving Watson continued to circulate into the 2021 regular season, which was when the Dolphins dropped seven of their first eight games. Watson was eventually dealt to the Cleveland Browns this offseason and will begin the 2022 regular season with an 11-game suspension.

Grier has attempted to make clear that the Dolphins firmly believe in Tagovailoa’s future with the team. Whether or not some agents believe him is open to question.

Another more direct reason as to why Grier’s credibility was debated may be because of his authority when it comes to making decisions in both the draft and free agency.

Agents of college players often speak with general managers in the months leading up to the draft to get a feel for a particular player’s status. Over the long history of this process, some general managers have been known to say one thing about a player and then draft someone else.

The same approach when it comes to free agents can result in a team’s apparent interest in a player disappearing for any number of reasons. Agents that rely on a general manager’s word no doubt remember such changes of heart.

Exactly why Grier made this list may never be known. For now, his credibility with Dolphins fans likely rests on how the team does over the course of the 2022 campaign.