Washington Commanders’ assistant general manager Lance Newmark was named by Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated as a potential future NFL general manager. It is the second straight year he has made this list.
Breer collects the names of the hottest candidates by querying executives and scouts from all over the league. This year, he included 26 staffers, about half of whom are currently serving as assistant general managers.
Newmark was not in the top tier, which Breer labels “on the doorstep” of a top spot. The Commanders have regressed significantly from 2024, and the reputations of virtually everyone associated with the club have taken a corresponding hit. That could mean he is forced to wait before getting a top job elsewhere.
Commanders could lose Lance Newmark to a general manager position at some stage
In hindsight, the veteran scout and executive may have had his best chance at a general manager role last year, coming off the Commanders’ extraordinary turnaround. It was widely accepted that he would land the open job with the New York Jets before something still undisclosed caused the AFC East club to shift its focus.
The Jets ultimately hired Darren Mougey instead. He was one of three new general managers snapped up last offseason, joining John Spytek with the Las Vegas Raiders and Mike Borgonzi on the Tennessee Titans. All three came from 2024 playoff teams.
Newmark began his career working for Washington legend Bobby Beathard when the Chargers were based in San Diego. He then spent 26 seasons with the Detroit Lions, working his way up through the ranks to senior director of player personnel before Adam Peters brought him to Washington.
Despite being in Detroit through some very dark years, Newmark built a reputation as a first-rate talent scout. In his two seasons as the Lions' director of college scouting, the franchise chose seven players who are still in the league. Four of those players have made the Pro Bowl during their careers, including 2015 sixth-round pick Quandre Diggs, who was honored with three selections. Miles Killebrew, chosen with the 111th pick in 2016, was a first-team All-Pro in 2023.
As a point of comparison, of the 17 players Washington chose in those two years, only Preston Smith remains in the league. Only one — Brandon Scherff — made a Pro Bowl.
After his stint as head of college scouting, Newmark was promoted to director of player personnel, where he helped Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes assemble one of the most talented rosters in the entire NFL.
This season has raised questions about some of the personnel decisions Peters made in Washington. Draft picks like Johnny Newton and Ben Sinnott have yet to make a mark. Some of this year’s highest-profile free agents — Javon Kinlaw and Matt Gay — were major disappointments.
Still, there has been a lot of progress on a roster that essentially needed to be stripped down to the bone. That is why Newmark remains a name of interest to anyone seeking a new front-office leader.
How many spots will there be this season? We won’t know for sure until the year ends and non-playoff teams begin making moves.
The Miami Dolphins will be hiring — they fired Chris Grier during the season and did not hire a permanent replacement. General managers with the New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, and Cincinnati Bengals are all considered vulnerable. Even Chris Ballard from the Indianapolis Colts, whose top assistant is on Breer’s list as a prime contender, could be in trouble after his team’s epic collapse.
There will probably be several openings. Newmark may not be at the top of the list right now. But his name is known. His reputation is strong. And if any team owner out there is looking for extensive experience and a proven track record, he could be in line for some interviews.