The Miami Dolphins have settled on their new general manager.
The team announced Monday that Chris Grier, who had previously served as the team's director of college scouting, will assume the role of GM. Grier replaces Dennis Hickey, who was dismissed on Saturday.
As Jeff Darlington reported this weekend, the promotion for Grier further establishes a new chain of command in Miami following a season in which a "too many cooks" scenario hamstrung the team. Mike Tannenbaum, the team's executive vice president of football operations, is now positioned as the team's most important front-office figure under owner Stephen Ross.
Grier had aligned himself with Tannenbaum this season as a schism developed between Tannenbaum and Hickey. That loyalty appears to have been rewarded, though Tannenbaum will remain the key figure in the operation.
Darlington reported on NFL Network that Grier is a well-respected scout in league circles, but does not have experience on the pro side of personnel or with day-to-day operations of a general manager. Those responsibilities will fall under Tannebaum's purview.
If nothing else, the promotion of Grier should increase relations in the Miami front office. Darlington reported that Tannenbaum and Hickey rarely spoke, had offices on opposite ends of the team's headquarters and didn't sit together during games.
Tannenbaum is the big winner in this shake-up. Grier will serve a specific role while Tannenbaum pulls the strings as the all-encompassing football czar. Tannenbaum's next job is finding the Dolphins a new head coach. Ultimately, it is Tannenbaum's responsibility to dig the Dolphins out of their perpetual malaise.
