I think the ability for a GM to identify the "perfect fit" of a player, his coaches, his organization and his support network is probably more valuable than any measurable or on-field performance. I also think this talent is more rare than coaching a team to a Super Bowl win.
I think this is what truly separates the greatest GMs from great GMs. When you make a pick that doesn't consume more resources from your organization than the other 52 guys on the team, your coaches have more time to do the job they are best equipped.
I agree management abilities and player responsibilities exist within everyone in the organization and the player. But let's face it, many times a single player can destroy a team. Who brought him into the organization? There's the real problem.
I'm not saying every factor of acquiring Player X should be predictable. It's impossible. But the GREATEST GMs have the ability to realize Player X is more deficient in certain areas that will create a strain on the organization than Player Y. For all of the talent Player X may have, his tenure with the organization may be less productive than Player Y. And these are the GMs that build teams that are constantly competing for championships and have winning traditions.
On the field excellence is not about one guy. It starts at the top. Super Bowls, championships and real winning start with the hiring process. This is why most teams depend on talent and a few, very few have an organization that can win with just about anyone.
For all that he didn't deliver, Jimmy did build a great organization. It was evident in the fact it took Wanny several years to destroy the team. That's a sign there was a solid core and resources at every level.
Jimmy simply didn't have the desire to see his creation through to completion. So, in that regards, he wasn't great at what he did. And that too is part of it, dedication to a dream.
When occurrences like "Bully Gate" happen, it's not a condemnation of one guy. It's an indication of failure at many levels.
Hickey might be "the guy", but as of right now, Philbin has yet to prove anything to me. So it doesn't matter "how" you draft. If you don't know how to build a team, draft picks, draft value and player ability mean nothing.