What's NOT gray area is that guys like Gruden, Cower, Fisher, and the list goes on and on refused to work with Irleand because Jeff wouldn't give up control and final say over the roster. Not debatable. That is a fact.
Those guys would have wanted to bring their own GMs, not just have Ireland give up control. Doesn't mean the coaching staff didn't have significant input on who makes the 53 man roster.
Back to the original discussion, Chris Hogan ran with the twos and threes all camp and typically did not see the field in the preseason until the second half. And you could see he wasn't ready for live bullets when he did play in the preseason. Great practice player, but he wasn't ready to make the team at that point.
The comment that it was on Ireland is off the mark here.