Where I work our year end evaluations have 2 overall components...It's basically, 1. What you do, and 2. How you do it.
The 'What you do', is the draft, trades, FA signings, etc...the parts that you're outlining. The 'How you do it' part would be, for example, how he handled "The Decision". Atkins completely removed himself from the situation. That's not what a leader does. No one under him is going to trust him going forward.
Let's say for, arguments sake, that it was completely Schneider's decision. As the GM, Atkins should still be protecting his people and taking accountability (especially if you plan on keeping them around). If Schneider was responsible, Atkins was accountable. That's how the hierarchy of power should work. Shifting all blame to Schneider, I guarantee you, has eroded any trust that existed between the two. And I'm betting the players are displeased as well at how their manager was sewered.