Article content continued

“We have had some interviews this week,” said Rhodes, who isn’t putting a timeline on the hiring. “Going forward, that’s a very dynamic and fluid process.

“With any new candidate, my focus is on the mid and the long-term and I’m not looking at the person to come in tomorrow morning. We will find the right person at the right time.”

In the meantime, the entire Eskimos football ops have ganged up to tackle the day-to-day duties that still need to get done.

“Paul Jones and Jason Maas have been nothing short of phenomenal,” Rhodes said of the Eskimos director of player personnel and the head coach, who have led the charge in Hervey’s absence. “All the staff has really shown the team spirit and dedication to our club and they’re focused on all the deliverables in the short-term.

“We are in great hands when it comes to the (upcoming) mini-camp and the draft.”

After mentioning Maas and Jones – who has officially taken on the tag as interim GM – Rhodes took a moment to thank the efforts of a list of employees – by name – from the top floor of Commonwealth Stadium down to bowl level. But it’s the other list names currently seeking employment by the Eskimos that is garnering the spotlight during the five-week countdown to training camp.

While Rhodes remains tight-lipped out of professional courtesy, Postmedia has put together our own Top 5 list of potential candidates in line to be the next Eskimos GM:

1. a) Jeremy O’Day supposedly interviewed very well when the Eskimos hired Ed Hervey in 2012. The Saskatchewan Roughriders assistant vice-president of football operations has three Grey Cup rings: Two as an offensive lineman during a 14-year playing career spent mostly in Regina; and one as an assistant GM. He also acted as the Roughriders interim GM and v-p of football ops after the club got off to an 0-9 start in 2015.