Vikings’ George Paton Withdraws From Consideration For Browns’ GM Job

Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com is reporting that Vikings assistant GM George Paton has taken himself out of the running for the Browns’ GM vacancy on Friday. 

Paton had obvious ties to new Browns HC Kevin Stefanski from their time together in Minnesota. However, it appears as though Eagles executive Andrew Berry is the person to watch for the Browns’ GM job. 

Cleveland also interviewed Berry and Patriots director of college scouting Monti Ossenfort. Colts assistant GM Ed Dodds declined Cleveland’s interview request.

Paton got his start in the NFL as a scout with the Bears in the late 1990s before moving up to assistant director of pro personnel in 2000. Paton worked with the Dolphins for six years as their director of pro personnel before joining the Vikings in 2007, where he’s been ever since. 

Paton has been a popular name in GM searches over the past several years, but has declined to interview for a number of jobs to remain with the Vikings.

We’ll have more on the Browns GM search as the news is available.