Los Angeles Chargers have requested permission from the New Orleans Saints to interview Jeff Ireland, the Saints' vice president and assistant general manager of college personnel, for their vacant general manager position. Ireland has played a significant role in the Saints' draft process, drafting star players and transforming the team's draft strategy since 2015. The Carolina Panthers have also requested to interview the team's vice president of football operations and assistant general manager, Khai Harley.

Why It Matters

If Harley and Ireland were to leave, it would mean losing two critical assets to the New Orleans Saints front office. The Saints will also face the challenging task of finding replacements for these key roles and tackling the team's financials, especially with over $70M in cap space that must come off the books.

By the Numbers
  • Jeff Ireland has drafted star players in Alvin Kamara, Marshon Lattimore, Michael Thomas, Ryan Ramczyk, and Chris Olave since his arrival in 2015.
  • The Saints have over $70M in cap space that must be managed if they lose key personnel like Harley.
State of Play
  • Chargers have formally requested permission from the Saints to interview Jeff Ireland for their vacant general manager position.
  • Carolina Panthers have also requested to interview Khai Harley for a top managerial position.
What's Next

New Orleans will need to address the potential departure of Harley and Ireland, find replacements, and manage the team's financials in the event of their absence.

Bottom Line

The potential departure of critical front office personnel, such as Harley and Ireland, poses significant challenges for the New Orleans Saints, including the need to find replacements and manage the team's substantial cap space.