Colts' Ryan Grigson 9-8 Over Elway for Sporting News' Executive of the Year
 

Ryan Grigson’s eye for talent is easy to see, just take a close look at the Colts’ 2012 draft class. It is an impressive group.

Taking Andrew Luck with the first pick was just the beginning. Coby Fleener (second round) Dwayne Allen (third round), T.Y. Hilton (third round), Vick Ballard (fifth round) and LaVon Brazill (sixth round) were all part of a Colts’ rookie goldmine drafted by Grigson. All of those first-year players contributed immediately and the Colts become the NFL’s most surprising playoff team.

Give Grigson his props for making a strong first impression. He is Sporting News’ NFL Executive of the Year in a close vote (9-8) ahead of Denver Broncos executive vice president John Elway. Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider had three votes, followed by Washington Redskins executive VP/GM Bruce Allen and Houston Texans GM/executive VP Rick Smith with two apiece.

ABOUT THE AWARDS

Sporting News polled more than 800 NFL players, coaches and executives for our 2012 awards. Everyone voted for offensive and defensive player of the year, rookie of the year and comeback player of the year. Only coaches and executives voted for coach of the year, coordinator of the year, executive of the year and SN’s All-Pro team.

For the rest.. http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/stor...ve-of-the-year

I told you it was a 3 man race, and no one thought Grigson had a chance except me. I am surprised he beat out Elway, but not surprised with his work to date. He has been excellent and I can not wait to see what he does this year again. I still think I drafted better for him though ;D

I still think Elway gets it.

http://menversus.com/images/bertstare.jpg

...Grigson just got it. Are you expecting a recount?

There is no AP "Executive of the Year". SportingNews is the outlet that does this award.

John Elway won two Super Bowls and is in the HOF. I'm trying figure out why I should care.

Best movie, all time.

I can't believe they're giving him credit for Luck. Like anyone anywhere wouldn't have taken Luck. And honestly, if he decided to go with RGIII it would have been not that bad. He happened into a draft with good players and the first pick and suddenly he's "Executive of the year." What a bunch of crap.

Agree 100%

This year they wouldn't have solved crap

While Chuck's story is sad, I wonder if that motivated players to play over their talent level. Don't mind me. I'm just wondering...:sunshine:

Luck, Allen, Hilton and Ballard all had great rookie seasons for that team. The offensive overhaul they had in the draft is one of the reasons they were a playoff caliber squad this season. To seem them have that kind of success is pretty special. Add in Fleener and Brazil who did some good things and that is a good corps for the future. What they need is help on D.

Well, he also cleaned house, hired the coaching staff that's currently front runners for COY, etc.

A guy like TY Hilton had 860 yards as a part time rookie.
Vick Ballard had over another 800.

...where's our mid round picks playing like that? In fact, we haven't really had any significant impact from players of this year's draft.

IMO, if you write off selecting Luck because "anyone would have", then does the same logic apply to receiving the award just because you convinced Manning to sign on the dotted line?

This is something I'm curious to see next year.

No emotional back story and no Arians. How much do the Colts come back to earth?

Everything broke their way. They'll be hard pressed to make the playoffs next year.

I'm absolutely floored Elway isn't running away with these awards. He simply went out and signed Peyton Manning in the most competitive free agent process ever. He filled the roster with guys who all contributed. He drafted well...

Peyton Manning + Brooking + Wolfe + Trindon Holliday is executive of the year.

agreed, Manning was no slam dunk but pretty dang close considering we watched the guy workout.

Also considering they overhauled most of their roster including FA pick ups I dont mind Grigson winning at all.

Denver did make the playoffs last year and were already a good team, Peyton is what made them GREAT

That's not a good example. Manning could have gone anywhere - and arguably SHOULD have given the Niners are opening as favorites. Elway convinced Manning to come here. That's a definitive show of GM skill. Luck was the obvious number one pick before Bill Polian was even fired. And he HAD to play for whoever took him. Saying "oh look at how smart he is to draft Andrew Luck" is a bunch of crap.

I'll throw you a bone on some of the other pieces but when you factor the injuries and mid-season waiver claims and signings, it was Elway hands down.

Injuries? You mean Walton and Mays? I'd say both of those guys are the opposite of supporting examples for Exec of the Year...

I wanted Elway to get it, but from the worst team in football to 10 wins and the playoffs in one season is pretty spectacular.

Koppen and Holiday were a big reason we went 13-3. You could argue we lose to Cincy were it not for Holiday.

Dude, you are missing half the boat. He let Manning go and then drafted a rookie QB to replace him, instead of just drafting "Luck" and having him sit and learn behind Manning like Rodgers did with Favre.

He also made some damn good FA moves, decided to Keep Wayne but cut half the underperforming roster Polian's idiocy left behind including Saturday, Clark, Let Garcon go in FA, Gary Brackett, and Melvin Bullet. He made an in season trade for Vontae Davis to finally get one legit CB on the roster and then signed Darius Butler off waivers to replace an injured Jerraud Powers. He signed A new Starting Center in Satele, beefed up the DL with Cory redding, and helped Antoine Bethea with getting Tom Zbikowski at Safety. Then, he got an UDFA LB to come in third in the NFL in tackles this year in Jerrel Freeman.

The key though is he did not make any headscratcher moves or miss really on any thing he did this year. Heck, he even drafted the hands down Best NT in last years draft KNOWING he would have to sit the year in Alabama's Josh Chapman.

The Colts still have some roster Holes, but nothing like Bill Polian left them. He does deserve to be in the mix and even win.

I'm not arguing Ryan Grigson shouldn't be considered or that he's a bad GM. I'm saying Elway should have won.

You're really, really reaching here.

Not that it bolsters his case much, but both Warren and Hunter were penciled in as starters until they were injured. And Kuper and McGahee missed pretty good chunks of the season. But such is life in the NFL.

Executives are judged by what they do in April, not March. Elway won a popularity contest with Manning and everyone had a pretty good idea that whatever team got him would be a good team with him. So if any of the other GM's in that race were to sign a known HOF QB instead of Elway, should they get this award?

What has Elway done in the draft besides the DT this year?

If you're going to discount Luck, then Von gets the same treatment. Both were layup picks. It's not exactly rocket science to draft the player who was by far the most dominant pass rusher ever to go to the Senior Bowl and had everyone and their grandma say that he's the most dominant pass rusher who is a Derrick Thomas clone.

Grigson had a fantastic draft in almost every round that helped his team go from 1st pick in the draft to the playoffs. He earned it.

hate to agree but have to agree