Dolphins To Hire Reggie McKenzie

Former Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie will resurface as a member of the Dolphins’ front office. The Dolphins plan to hire McKenzie as a senior personnel executive, Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald reports (on Twitter).

McKenzie has not been connected with any teams since being fired from his Raiders post. He served as Oakland’s GM for seven years, though the final season saw the Raiders strip him of much of his powers and give personnel control to Jon Gruden.

McKenzie will join a revamped Dolphins front office. GM Chris Grier now has more decision-making authority than he did under the previous arrangement, with the franchise elevating him and demoting Mike Tannenbaum. The former vice president of football operations is not expected to be with the Dolphins after the draft. Former Bills scout Marvin Allen is now serving as Grier’s right-hand man. McKenzie will join that mix in advance of an interesting season.

Notorious for big spending in free agency, the Dolphins are expected to tamp down their March investments this year. The team is plotting a rebuild that may or may not be based on landing in the best position to secure a top 2020 quarterback prospect.

Inheriting a Raiders team with significant issues in 2012, McKenzie participated in a similar teardown in his last role. Gruden gutted much of McKenzie’s roster last year, but the Raiders — significantly aided by McKenzie’s impact 2014 draft and some big free agency deals — did go 12-4 in 2016 to snap their playoff drought. McKenzie earned executive of the year acclaim for overseeing that 2016 turnaround. The Dolphins have made the playoffs just once in the past 10 seasons and have not won a postseason game since 2000.