Washington requests GM interviews with VP of Player Personnel Ryan Cowden(Titans) and Martin Mayhew(49ers)

The Washington Football Team has reportedly requested permission to interview Tennessee Titans Vice President of Player Personnel Ryan Cowden. He has been with Tennessee since 2016 Cowden served as the Carolona Panthers Assistant Director of College Scouting before going to work for the Titans.

Ron Rivera said that he plans to let team owner know his plans for GM, QB, and any other needs soon. As of yesterday he said that meeting hadn't happened, but with this report it sounds like Rivera and Snyder have met and are proceeding quickly with the GM search.

There are 6-7 teams that will be in the market for a GM which will limit the options for Washington. There have been few names linked to the search through connections to Ron Rivera, but the Cowden interview is the first request we've heard about.

Washington also still has Vice President of Player Personnel Kyle Smith in house, but it doesn't sound like they think he's ready for the GM role. Rivera has mentioned that GMs do more than scout talent, and there have been reports he might want to pair an experienced executive with Smith's eye for talent.

Ryan Cowden's Tennessee Titans bio:

Ryan Cowden is in his 21st NFL season and his fifth with the Titans. In 2018, he was promoted to Vice President of Player Personnel. He originally joined the franchise as the Director of Player Personnel.

Cowden oversees all areas of the scouting department, both college and pro, including advance scouting, free agency preparation, and evaluation of players in the NFL and all other professional leagues. In addition, he assists with college scouting and preparation for the NFL Draft.

He joined the Titans in 2016 after 16 years with the Carolina Panthers. In Carolina, Cowden last held the title of Assistant Director of College Scouting, a position he held for two years. Prior to that role, he served as the team’s National Scout/Senior College Scout for two years (2012-14) and was a national scout from 2008-12.

Cowden originally joined the Panthers as a scouting assistant in 2000. He became an area scout in 2001 and was responsible for the southeast area from 2001-07. During his time in Carolina, the franchise won two NFC titles, five division crowns and advanced to the playoffs six times.

Washington has also reportedly requested a GM interview with San Francisco 49ers VP of Player Personnel Martin Mayhew. This is another name that has been linked to the team's GM search.

Martin Mayhew's 49ers bio:

Martin Mayhew is in his fourth season with the 49ers and second as the vice president of player personnel. He spent the previous two years (2017-18) as the team’s senior personnel executive. Mayhew joined the 49ers after spending the 2016 season as the director of football operations/special projects with the New York Giants. In his role with the Giants, he worked all aspects of the salary cap, CBA compliance and player contract negotiations.

Prior to his time in New York, Mayhew spent 15 years (2001-15) in the Detroit Lions organization, including the final seven as the team’s general manager. Taking over as general manager following the team’s winless season in 2008, he aided Detroit’s ascent to a 10-win season in 2011. Mayhew was responsible for the draft selections of Pro Bowlers QB Matthew Stafford and DE Ezekiel Ansah, as well as 2010 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year DT Ndamukong Suh, who was selected to four Pro Bowls as a member of the Lions. He was also responsible for signing WR Golden Tate and S Glover Quin in free agency, both of whom went on to earn Pro Bowl honors in Detroit.

In 2015, Detroit had five players selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time since 2000 (WR Calvin Johnson, Tate, Stafford, Suh & Quin). The previous year, Mayhew constructed a Lions team that won 11 games for the fourth time in franchise history. That year, Detroit finished second in total defense and third in points allowed, led by their top-ranked rush defense that allowed just 69.3 yards per game, which stands as the ninth fewest rushing yards allowed per game in NFL history.

Mayhew first joined the Lions organization in 2001 as the senior director of football administration/staff counsel. In 2003, he was promoted to senior vice president of football administration/staff counsel and was appointed senior vice president and assistant general manager in 2004. In 2008, Mayhew was promoted to general manager.

Originally a 10th round selection (262nd overall) by the Buffalo Bills in the 1988 NFL Draft, Mayhew played nine seasons in the NFL. During his career with Buffalo (1988), Washington (1989-92) and Tampa Bay (1993-96), he appeared in 118 games (107 starts) and registered 473 tackles, 21 interceptions, four forced fumbles and 1.0 sack. In 1991, Mayhew started and was a member of Washington’s Super Bowl XXVI champion team.