Panthers Request Interview With Saints Asst. GM Khai Harley & Raiders GM Champ Kelly

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the Panthers have requested permission to interview Saints VP of Football Administration and assistant GM Khai Harley for their GM vacancy. 

According to Mike Garafolo, the Panthers have also requested an interview with Raiders GM Champ Kelly.

Here’s the updated list of candidates for the job:

• Buccaneers assistant GM Mike Greenberg (Requested Interview)
• Giants assistant GM Brandon Brown (Requested Interview)
• Chiefs VP of football operations Brandt Tilis (Requested Interview)
• Eagles assistant GM Alec Halaby (Requested Interview)
• Raiders GM Champ Kelly (Requested Interview)
• Saints Assistant GM/VP of Football Operations Khai Harley (Requested Interview)

This is an interesting candidate, given that Harley has been a key part of the Saints’ roster building strategy over the last several years now. 

New Orleans has had the most challenging cap situation in the league annually and Harley is a big part of making all the pieces come together. 

Harley is in his 16th year with the Saints. He spent eight years as the team’s director of football administration before being promoted to his current role of Assistant GM/VP of Football Operations in 2014.

Kelly, 44, began working for the Broncos as a regional college scout in 2007 and eventually worked his way up to assistant director of pro personnel in 2011. He left the Broncos to join the Bears as their director of pro scouting in 2015.

The Raiders hired Kelly as their assistant GM a few years ago and promoted him to interim GM following the decision to fire Dave Ziegler.