The Washington Redskins will trek through NFL free agency without a full-time general manager.
Hours after the start of free agency, the Redskins announced the dismissal of general manager Scot McCloughan. The Washington Post first reported the story.
"The Washington Redskins have released Scot McCloughan from the organization effective immediately," team president Bruce Allen said in a statement released by the team. "We wish him success in his future endeavors. The team will have no further comment on his departure. The organization remains confident in our personnel department as we execute our free agency plans as well as prepare for the upcoming NFL Draft."
McCloughan's absence comes after he didn't attend the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis because of a death in his family, Allen said. There also were multiple reports about dysfunction in the team's front office.
"He is not in the building today for free agency at all," Rapoport reported on Tuesday's edition of Free Agency Frenzy. "When agents are taking calls from Redskins, and there have been some, it is from Eric Schaffer (vice president of football administration)."
Rapoport said McCloughan was running draft meetings for the team last week, according to sources. He added that Redskins personnel were surprised to learn McCloughan was not in Indianapolis for the combine after they arrived.
Prior to landing in Washington, McCloughan served front-office executive stints with the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers. He served as the 49ers' general manager during the 2008-09 seasons.
The move comes at one of the busiest times of the year for NFL general managers and front offices as they focus on free agency and the draft. Like many teams, the Redskins are expected to be active in free agency. Before Thursday, they had roughly $34 million in room to work with under the $167 million salary cap, according to Overthecap.com.
