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As the rumor mill swirls around head coaching and general manager vacancies, one name that has been floated around the Detroit Lions' GM spot is current Giants assistant GM Kevin Abrams.
Look for Giants assistant GM Kevin Abrams to be interviewed for Detroit GM job
— Greg Gabriel (@greggabe) January 3, 2016
Abrams is a much different candidate than the others we have profiled, but he could still be of good use for the Lions organization.
His resume:
Abrams started his NFL career with a bevy of internships: first in the corporate relations department in NFL Europe, then moving onto media relations with the Buffalo Bills. However, it was his internship with the NFL head office that truly led him on his career trajectory. There, he would help with labor issues, specifically salary cap and contract management. It was those nine months in 1999 where Abrams cut his teeth as a salary cap guru.
The Giants called his number shortly after, and Abrams served three years as the team's "Salary Cap Analyst." From there, he was promoted to the position he currently holds: assistant general manager. While Abrams really earns his keep as managing the money for the Giants, he has slowly worked his way into more personnel decisions, as well. Although Senior VP and General Manager Jerry Reese is considered the face of the Giants' roster management and draft preparation.
Career accolades:
Abrams managed to keep his job when the Giants transitioned general managers from Ernie Accorsi to Reese. While there may be concern that he wasn't promoted to the general manager position, the fact that he stayed with the team throughout the transition speaks to the job he has done.
The Giants always seem to have an overabundance of a cap space, and Abrams' cap expertise has a lot to do with that.
Pros:
The Lions have had some issues with the salary cap in the past, and their previous method of kicking contract hits down the road may have cost them a shot at retaining Ndamukong Suh last year. Abrams will have no problem managing the cap. If you're looking for someone who knows the ins and outs cap management, you won't find anyone more qualified than Abrams.
Cons:
Abrams' experience in the player personnel department is somewhat limited. Though according to the Giants' 2015 media guide, Abrams "also works with the College and Pro Personnel departments to evaluate players in preparation for the NFL Draft and free agency," it is pretty clear most draft preparations and personnel decisions are made by Jerry Reese.
Overall:
This isn't the home run candidate that many Lions fans are hoping for, but Abrams is absolutely the best option when it comes to contract negotiations and cap management. If the Lions were to go in this direction, they may be wise to consider hiring another manager for the personnel side of the business. Though the Lions haven't typically ran their front office in that manner, anything is possible with Martha Ford now at the helm.