Eagles GM Search: Three new candidates for Philadelphia's vacancy emerge

According to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter, three new names have emerged in the Eagles' search for a new general manager. These names include: Miami Dolphins director of college scouting Chris Grier, Jacksonville Jaguars' director of pro scouting Chris Polian, and Houston Texans director of pro personnel Brian Gaine.

Chris Grier

Chris Grier has been with Miami for 15 years. The last eight of those have been spent in his current position. He previously served as a national scout and the assistant director of college scouting. Grier began his NFL personnel career with the New England Patriots in 1994. Grier interviewed for the New York Jets' GM vacancy this offseason. Here's more information via the Dolphins website:

Chris Grier begins his 15th season with the Dolphins and his eighth as the team’s Director of College Scouting. He served as an area scout with the club from 2000-02 before being promoted to National Scout/Assistant Director of College Scouting in 2003. He joined the club after spending the previous five years in the personnel department with the New England Patriots. Grier started with the Patriots as an intern in 1994. He joined the club on a full-time basis the following year, and served as a regional scout until joining the Dolphins in 2000. Grier is a 1994 graduate of the University of Massachusetts-Amherst where he played football for two years before injuries ended his career. He spent his final two years there as an undergraduate assistant. Grier is the son of Bobby Grier, the former Vice President-Player Personnel with the New England Patriots who currently is the Associate Pro Personnel Director with the Houston Texans. Chris’ brother, Michael, plays for the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. A native of Holliston, Mass., Grier resides in Weston, Fla. with his wife, Paige, and their two sons, Landon and Jackson.

Chris Polian

Chris Polian is the son of former American football executive and ESPN NFL analyst Bill Polian. More on him from the Jaguars website:

Chris Polian, a veteran with 20 years of NFL scouting experience, serves as the Jaguars director of pro personnel after spending three seasons (2009-11) as vice president and general manager of the Indianapolis Colts. Polian spent the 2012 season with the Atlanta Falcons as executive scout. He first joined the Colts in 1998, where he served as director of pro scouting for three seasons (1998-2000). He held the title of assistant director of football operations from 2001-03, was promoted to assistant general manager/football operations in 2004 and spent five seasons (2005-09) as vice president of football operations.

From 1999-2009, the Colts earned a 128-48 regular season record, the best mark in the NFL by a margin of eight games, and earned playoff appearances in 10 of 11 seasons, including seven division titles and a Super Bowl championship in 2006. The club became the only team to win 12-plus games in seven consecutive seasons. Prior to joining the Colts, Polian worked with the Carolina Panthers for four years (1994-97). He was an assistant in the player personnel department for the Sacramento Gold Miners in 1993.

The New York City native earned a bachelor’s degree in management from John Carroll University in 1993. His father, Bill, is a former general manager of the Bills (1986-1993), the Panthers (1994-97) and the Colts (1997-2009) and is currently an NFL analyst for ESPN. His brother, Brian, is in his second year as the head coach at Nevada. His brother, Dennis, is an assistant director of football administration/Pro Scout for the Titans. He and his wife, Debbie, have three children, Jack (11), Caroline (10) and Kate (7).

Brian Gaine

Brian Gaine was hired by the Texans in February 2014 after the Dolphins fired him along with then-GM Jeff Ireland. Gaine served as the Dolphins’ assistant general manager for the final two years before leaving the organization. The Chicago Bears are reportedly interviewing Gaine for their GM vacancy. More on Gaines via the Texans website:

Gaine has 15 years of NFL experience and spent the last six seasons with the Miami Dolphins, serving as the team’s assistant general manager the last two seasons. Prior to his arrival in Miami, Gaine spent three seasons (2005-07) as the assistant director of pro scouting  for the Dallas Cowboys after six years (1999-2004) in the New York Jets’ Scouting Department, including serving as the Assistant Director of Pro Scouting in 2004.

ESPN's Adam Caplan ranked Gaine as the ninth best GM candidate available this offseason. (For what it's worth, Grier and Polian were not ranked.) Here's what Caplan had to say:

The veteran of 17 seasons with four teams, Gaine came over to the Texans after last season concluded. What should help him gain notice for general manager openings is his work with former NFL head coach and executive Bill Parcells during his stops with the New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins. Gaine, who previously was the Dolphins' assistant general manager, interviewed for the GM job that wound up going to Dennis Hickey. Gaine also interviewed for the Rams' GM job in recent years that eventually went to Les Snead.

Quick take: Grier seems qualified but not necessarily the most intriguing candidate. Polian had a hand in the downfall of the Colts organization so that's concerning. Gaine is probably the most noteworthy candidate here. He's only been with Houston for one year but Eagles fans know how the Birds just love former Texans players.

There are now seven names that have publicly surfaced in the Eagles' GM search. News of Philadelphia's request to interview the Packers' Eliot Wolf spread on Tuesday morning. Lions' vice president of pro personnel Sheldon White and Eagles' own assistant director of player personnel Ed Marynowitz are reportedly in the mix. Philadelphia also reached out to Kansas City Chiefs executive Chris Ballard but it appears he is not interested in the job.