Carolina adds to odd GM firings

The abrupt firing of General Manager Dave Gettleman by the Panthers surprised people in that organization and around the league. It is not the time of the year when GMs generally are dismissed, and the Panthers had been successful for most of Gettleman’s four-year tenure.

He was not liked by all, as the social-media celebrations of Gettleman’s exit by former Panthers Steve Smith and DeAngelo Williams demonstrated. But his job was not to be universally beloved. His job was to construct winning teams. And, for the most part, he did that. Remember, no one makes the tough, unsentimental roster decisions necessary for sustained success in the salary cap era better than Patriots coach Bill Belichick. Such moves must be made.

But Gettleman’s decision to rescind the franchise tag initially given last offseason to cornerback Josh Norman — allowing Norman to become a free agent and sign with the Redskins — was followed by a disappointing season on the heels of a Super Bowl appearance. Would keeping Norman have made a difference last season? Probably not. Too much else went wrong. But no one got the chance to find out what keeping that powerful defense basically intact would have meant for a potential Carolina Super Bowl encore.

Once the winning ceased, perhaps Gettleman’s lack of a deft touch caught up to him. Tight end Greg Olsen and linebacker Thomas Davis could be next in line for new contracts. Some people within the league wonder whether owner Jerry Richardson simply did not want to risk seeing Olsen and Davis go the way of Smith, Williams and Norman.

Odd GM moves

It was an offseason of oddly timed GM dismissals around the league.

The Redskins ousted Scot McCloughan as their general manager before the NFL draft. The Chiefs made a move to replace their GM, John Dorsey, in June. Now comes Gettleman’s exit with training camp at hand.

Checkbooks in motion

The 29 NFL teams that didn’t move will each collect $55.2 million over the next 11 years from the transplanted Rams, Chargers and Raiders, ESPN.com reported.

And you thought your moving expenses were excessive?

The Cousins chase

A very, very early ranking of the leading possibilities for Redskins QB Kirk Cousins’ team for the 2018 season: 1. 49ers; 2. Rams; 3. Browns; 4. Redskins; 5. Jets; 6. Cardinals; 7. Jaguars; 8. Broncos; 9. Bills.

Manziel, Kaepernick, Griffin

Training camps are opening, and there has been more recent talk about a possible return to the NFL by Johnny Manziel than about a team signing Colin Kaepernick or Robert Griffin III. Does that make any sense?

Johnson and Lions

The Lions were wise to invite retired wide receiver Calvin Johnson to training camp. They need to do everything they can to attempt to repair their fractured relationship with one of their greatest-ever players.