MOBILE, Ala. — The Falcons are set to add Phil Emery, the former general manager of the Chicago Bears, and Ruston Webster, former general manager of the Tennessee Titans, to their scouting and personnel department.
Emery worked for the Falcons from 2004 to 2008 as the director of college scouting. Webster was with the Titans was the former executive vice president and general manager for the Titans. He was previously the interim general manager of the Seattle Seahawks after serving as the vice president of player personnel under general manager Tim Ruskell.
Prior to joining the Seahawks, he was a member of Tampa Bay’s personnel department as a scout.
It’s not clear how the Falcons personnel department will be structured with the new hires.
Falcons general manger Thomas Dimitroff and head coach Dan Quinn just arrived at the Senior Bowl. Dimitroff declined comment about the pending hires.
The Falcons parted ways with director of player personnel Lionel Vital on Jan. 17.
Vital, who had just completed his third season in that role, agreed to part ways with the team on Sunday. He was offered another position, but felt it was best to move on.
“I just felt, we felt that it would just be fairer for the new guy, who is going to be doing that duty, to deal with fresh people,” Vital told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I don’t want to be staring at him and I don’t want him staring at me. I think it works out for both parties. The Falcons have been good to me. That’s how I want to leave it.”
The Falcons announced that they would reorganize the personnel department on Jan. 8. Here's a look at the scouting department before this move.
With the additions of Emery and Webster, the Falcons will have five former general managers in the front office. Assistant general manager Scott Pioli (Kansas City), scout Billy Devaney (St. Louis) and president Rich McKay (Tampa Bay and Atlanta) have all been general managers in the NFL.
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