Denver Broncos blog, news and rumors


FB

[hype it up!]
[Share with Yardbarker]

Published on 02/13/2009 at Fri Feb 13 07:39.
Tagged: ,,,,,.



A Few Good Men Out, Xanders In

Posted Fri Feb 13th by

Last evening the Denver Broncos announced that Brian Xanders was in as General Manager. 

Broncos owner Pat Bowlen said, “In evaluating the work of our football operations department over the past several weeks, it has become clear to me that Brian Xanders is the right person to step into our general manager’s job. I am confident he will work in tandem with Head Coach Josh McDaniels to re-establish our football team at the level we desire.”

Against this, the Broncos also dismissed both Jim Goodman and Jeff Goodman, Jim was the Vice President of Football Operations and Jeff shared the duties with Xanders as the Assistant General Manager. 

Xanders stated, “This appointment comes with unfortunate circumstances as I have enjoyed working with Jim and Jeff over the last year. Nevertheless, I am humbled by this opportunity and accept it as a great challenge on behalf of our fans, our community, Mr. Bowlen and the organization. I am excited to work together with Coach McDaniels and put our collective resources into winning football games.”

McDaniels contributed, “I want to thank Jim and Jeff for their contributions to the Denver Broncos. I’m excited for Brian and look forward to working with him hand-in-hand well into the future.”

Many believed when Bowlen announced earlier this year that his General Manager was, “Already in house,” he was referring to Jim Goodman. So the appointment of Xanders comes as a surprise. Xanders was hired in May of 2005 and is now in charge of all player personnel issues, including college scouting, pro personnel and labor negotiations.

  • http://www.ihatenatewebster.com Broncoireland

    I think this is a good move, only from the standpoint that everything associated with Shanahan is wiped out- theres no point half cleaning the house, if your going to clean house then do it properly and that means everything and every person associated to Shanny out. Wipe the slate completely clean as its clear Bowlen wants to go in a complete new direction, which is good as the organisation was stuck in a rut. How good a GM Xanders is, i don’t know, i guess we’re about to find out- heres hoping its a fruitful relationship for years to come

  • Richard

    Talk about Shock and awwgggh(?). McD and X are now married to each other. Can’t believe we send the goodmans to the senior bowl to scout, then show them the door right before Free Agency. I’ve suspected that Xanders was brought here last year because the goodmans weren’t up to speed with contracts, cap space, etc..Figured he was going to be the eventual GM. Don’t doubt that there was friction after Shanny’s demise, but the timing is just plain weird. What’s next, Ridley?

  • http://laprit@lycos.com AtomicLeo

    I don’t get this. Why wasn’t this move made weeks ago? Scouting for the draft is already under way and we get rid of two (supposedly) important members of the player evaluation team. I hope this isn’t a cost-cutting move by Bowlen.

  • KMA

    This move is a good one! no offense to the Goodman’s but this is the man they need to have working in tandem with Mc D. He did go along on the trip to the senior bowl so he was there. Also from friends in ATL that know how Xanders put things together down there, I think we should be in for a very successful draft and free agency period with X and Mc D. I say hold judgment until he has done something in his new spot. Mc. D put together a very solid staff and was shrewd enough to keep some of the key Broncos assistants in place. I have high hopes for good things!!

  • Jordan C

    Okay, so this will be off topic…Well, here’s my on-topic comment: “I”m disappointed since the Goodmans appeared to draft well the last few years, but I also understand getting rid of possible friction and ambiguity moving forward. Separately, are the Goodmans attached at the hip? Firing them both seems weird, but I guess keeping one and the other would be weirder.”

    Moving on to my off-topic thoughts. I’ve been bored without much Broncos news lately, so I’ve updated my offseason moves.

    I’ve watched some more video of Rey Rey and I’ve decided I want the Broncos to draft him. However, as kerry would agree with many exclamation points, the D-line has to come first. You just can’t justify taking Maualuga (in my mind, and kerry’s). Unless, unless they address the D-line.

    So I’ve figured out how to do that and here it is (a reasonable scenario):

    Trade away: C Bailey to the Browns for pick 2-4. D Graham to the Ravens for pick 4-23. M Thomas to the Colts for pick 4-27.

    Trade for: G Watson (NT, Cardinals) for pick 3-15 (maybe overpaying, but you do what you gotta do).

    Sign: C Canty (DE Dallas), M Wright (DE Pats), M Clayton (WR Bucs), J Page (FS KC), D Landry (SS Balt)

    In the process of the signings, the Broncos will lose a few draft picks because Page and Landry are RFA and I believe will get mid-range tenders for various reasons. So the Broncos give up pick 7-16 to KC and pick 5-13 to the Ravens. Small prices to pay for what you get.

    Then Draft Day looks like this:

    1-12 R Maualuga, ILB
    2-4 Paul Kruger, OLB/DE
    2-16 Victor Harris, CB
    4-14 Terrance Taylor, NT
    4-23 David Bruton, FS
    4-27 Travis Beckam, TE
    5-4 Kyle Moore, DE
    6-12 R Ohrenberger, OG
    6-23 G Harrell, QB

    CFA signings: Travis McCall FB/TE, James Holt, LB (the Wesley Woodyard of 2009)

  • Richard

    Jordan C I wouldn’t trade Champ for anything, but that’s just me. I would also keep Graham, especially if we want to improve the run game, he’s just too good a blocker.Canty and Watson are both on my radar(for whatever thats worth). But as far as Terrance Taylor s concerned, I’d take a pass on him, he’s 6’0″ has an inconsistant motor, is slow off the ball, and doesn’t have as much upside as Dorrell Scott from Clemson. Scott is 6”4″ 310 plus or minus a trip to McDonalds, is quicker, has played both Tackle and end, and can contribute from Day one.

  • Jordan C

    Richard –

    How much has Champ actually played the last two seasons?

    I’m on the fence about Graham, but I know that he didn’t fit well in the Pats offense a few years ago, so why would he now?

    I hear you about Scott, but I think he’ll be taken in Round 3. If he drops, great. Taylor will certainly be a project.

  • T-Money

    Jordan C –

    You never hear champs name because he is never challenged. He’s so good at what he does that you never hear his name. And just look at how he played agaist the Pats on MNF before he got hurt. Rady Moss had 1 catch for 4 yards. NOT TO MENTION he his the best run-stopping corner in the NFL hands down. He’s also the only one on our team that is a 100% sure tackler.

    Don’t tell me that he doesn’t play much because before last season he had only missed 2 games due to injury.

  • Jordan C

    T-Money –

    Whoa. No doubt Champ Bailey is awesome. Best defensive player on the team, hands down.

    He missed about 1.5 games in 2007. Honestly, I thought that is was more and didn’t look up the stats before just now. It felt like he was out more. Officially, he only played in 9 games in 2008. Plus he missed half the game in which he was injured and I think he played in another game when he tried to come back early, but I can’t remember. Assuming that that is true, he missed at least another full game (8 total) of playing time.

    That much time missed is not that too terrible, granted.

    Then you need to add in that he is getting older and his play may drop off (maybe not, but the likely-hood increases at the 3-0 mark). His getting older only increases the chance of another injury in 2009.

    Lastly, he’s entering the final year of his contract (I think). If the Broncos let him go after this year, they might only get a crappy compensatory pick. If they trade him, they get a great pick. I’m hoping for a first rounder, but realistically, probably not.

    Second to lastly (fooled you), trading Champ would save a ton of cap space. His cap number ($ 13 mil?) is mostly base salary.

    Can anyone confirm that?

    If that’s true, and they cut Robertson (and trade Graham) that’s a lot of new cap space and saved $$, which will be more than appealing to Bowlen.

    Again, I want the Broncos to keep Champ Bailey, but I think that it’s in the best interest of the team, especially looking ahead to the next few years, to pull the trigger now.

  • Riverscanbl&wme

    Ok first off I agree with those of you saying that the timing of this is weird. It’s not only weird it is straight up retarded. If Bowlen wants X man in charge that’s fine but he should have waited until after this years draft to release the people running his scouting department. Bowlen wants to hire somebody else for the scouting side of the personnel department and yet the combine is upon us and the draft only two months away. Great call Pat!

    Secondly, I like your idea of trading Champ if and only if you get a stud young corner like Macho Harris. Daniel Graham will fit fine into McD’ s offense and was only let go because the Patriots had to choose between him and Watson who is a freak of nature. The Patriots offense does a lot of tight end screens and double screens that can get a player as talented as DG the ball or let him block inside or out in space.

    . The bottom line is we need to get all stars on the line. The patriots invested all their first round picks on guys like Seymour and Wilfork who turned their defense into something special. Imagine if that front three had the Steelers linebackers. The patriots have had smart tough linebackers like Bruschi, Vrabel, and others and have only recently added special playmakers like Adalius Thomas. The trenches are where it is won and the D-Line is the one thing Shannahan has neglected and it eventually cost him his job. He has let players like Hayward, Pryce, and Bertrand Berry go only to try and replace them with former first round busts and outcasts. This team was soft built on speed from it’s talented linebackers. Now that Wilson is gone the whole concept has been exploited and no matter how talented our second level players are they cannot shine without a consistent pass rush and ability to stop the run on first on second down.

  • http://birty.blogspot.com mikebirty

    this is just as strange as the sundquist sacking last year. The last 12 months have just been total upheaval. If only someone would write some sort of behind the scenes, it’d be really interesting to hear about why all these changes have happened. There has to have been a massive row over the past few weeks.

    As for the promotion of professor x, i wish i knew enough about him to say anything good or bad. Although that worries me a bit that both the head coach and general manager are such unknown quantities.

  • Jordan C

    Yeah! New nickname. Professor X. Hopefully he lives up to the title.

  • Richard

    Riverscanbl&wme2 I wholheartedly agree with your assessment of the DLine. My ideal senario for our new and improved Dline would be Chris Canty DE from Dallas, Jackson DE LSU, and Scott from Clemson. All are 6’4′ or taller, all are quick off the ball(a necessity in a 3-4D), and would be coached by Nunnelly. For linebackers, think bigger than we’re used to; Brinkley from So Carolina, and a guy that starteed out at Iowa as a linebacker in Mitch King. Nobody in Enver would be asking “where’s the Beef?”.

    Professor X I like that. It should stick. Maybe Stan Lee could write a comic book about him.

  • CJ

    I hope the professor better do something about this defense. I dont think i can take another year of it. I think mike nolan can help alot. Just imagine Denver with a average defense! we would take pressure off the offense and especially Jay Cutler. All my Denver friends think im crazy for liking Maualuga but i think he would be a great fit for the 3-4 defense

    If we get Rey and some playmakers on the d-line it would take pressure of Champ and Dre.

    For safeties we need to fix some things well this is who i think we needs to find a new home on my opinion

    -Nic Clemson
    -Mario Haggen
    -Louis Green
    -Niko Koutouvides
    -Selvin young
    -Kenny Peterson
    -Marquand Manuel
    -Boss Bailey
    -Dewayne Robertson

    I think most of these players have had there chances
    selvin young was a real dissapointment this year
    Boss Bailey didnt live up to expectations and is an injury prone
    Dewayne Robertson Didnt put pressure on the qb once!

    Im not saying cut all these guys some of the bigger names should be traded. When you look at all the top defensive teams in the league there backups are top knoch to.

    I think denver should draft Rey Maualuga and im stickin with it if not him I like Bj Raji or Everette Brown

  • http://broncotalk.net Ian Henson

    Redskins claimed Anthony Alridge off of waivers btw..

  • http://brocotalk.net dee

    I’m fine with letting the good old boys go… they’ve had 2 good drafts … so letting the younger Goodman is strange… however PAPA Goodmen has been crap in his other 9 drafts so 2 out of 11 is not a good ratio.

    Xanders will be fine because his knowledge of the cap, and I do believe they will bring in a personnel person.

    The timing is amazing because we’ve let the Goodmens do the grunt work for the draft and now have cut them out, smart business move …

    The ultimate dismissal of the two Goodmen’s will be considered a mistake or correct based on how our draft and offseason goes … Jim Goodmen was on of Shanny’s boys so I’m not surprised he got the axe, his son had friction with X so he got the axe… 2 guys (McD and X) and possibly 1 good personnel man is all we need.

  • http://brocotalk.net (dee)

    Ian, hes too small and brittle… I had envisoned him as a Sporles type back, however maybe Mc D’s has someone else in mind?

  • MikeY55

    hey i’m all about keeping champ and alot of you guys seem to be pretty down on boss after his first season was cut short even though when he played he was fairly impresssive in my mind… buttt what would champ say if he saw his lil brother cut would he want out of denver or would he just say it is what it is

  • Broncoholic

    Jordan C: We wouldn’t save a ton of cap space by trading Champ. The penalty for trading Champ this year is around $9.5M towards the cap. It would definitely clear up cap space but not enough to justify trading Champ. DJ & Champ are the only bright spots on our horrendous D. Also I thought his contract was up after 2010 (not positive on that one, if anyone knows for sure, please tell).

  • troyn

    Pat Bowlen is behaving like a drunk at the wheel, no sense of direction with a lot of erratic moves. I hope for the best, but these moves all strike me as ego moves and not one’s meant to help the team.

  • http://brocotalk.net (dee)

    I would attempt to restruct Champ’s deal, also I would get him ready emotionally to the fact that we might cut his brother….that being said I wouldnt mind keeping Boss. He has the speed and didnt really get a good look with us this year.

  • Richard

    dee I think we keep Boss because he has some talent and would take a cap hit to release him,unless we reach an injury settlement with him. If he stays, the only thing he will excel at is being on top of the PUP list. Microfracture surgery on a knee is kiss of death for an athlete, ask Terrell Davis how well it went for him

  • http://brocotalk.net (dee)

    Perhaps Richard you are correct, I’m just trying to get in the heads of Mc’D. I think he will not cut Boss because of the backlash that may create with Champ. Overall I think Boss played decent and wasnt lost out there, hopefully he can make a full recovery however I think they best course of action would be to ensure there is sufficient depth at the lb positions in case Boss as he is prone to do goes down in the season.

  • kerry

    Jordan C:

    ok why in the world would you trade all those guys?? Bailey is a great CB, Graham is a great blocking TE. you wanna dump all those guys and trade for other guys and lose draft picks on RFA DT’s just so Rey Maualuga can be drafted?? that doesnt even make any sense. we have 9 picks now and with 30 million in cap space (before releases come and im expecting Robertson and Koutouvides to be released) we can upgrade the LB position WITHOUT using our number one pick and WITHOUT trading for RFA’s and WITHOUT losing draft picks for said RFA’s. guys like Bart Scott, Leroy Hill, Karlos Dansby and Terrell Suggs and Jonathan Vilma are available. maybe Julius Peppers if he isnt franchised. we can build the D-line through the draft and the LB core in free agency. seriously a LB isnt even needed in the draft. and if you wanna get technical this team has alot of LB’s already. Moss and Crowder are the typical 3-4 OLB and DJ and Boss can move to the middle. there are alot of guys already on the team that can play LB. the D-line is where we have to go. and not by trading away a ton of draft picks for RFA’s. we can upgrade the D-line without all that.

  • http://brocotalk.net (dee)

    I can’t wait till free agency opens and the offseason really gets going, I do expect another rounds of cuts beginning this week Feb 16-Feb 21.

  • NathanH

    I agree with this move ultimatly and hopefully it’ll pay off.

    As for Champ, I think he’ll be fine if we decide to(and should) cut Boss. He’s never been anything but a comsumate professional, and even in that certain situation where it would literally be his brother getting cut, I think he’d be able to look at it objectively and realize its a bussiness and it was what was best for the team.

    As for the draft, I don’t think Mauluga has the speed of an elite LB at all, and actually see his stock falling come the combine.

    My personal big board would be:

    1. Raji
    2. Maybin(i think he’s gonna be Merriman-ish)
    3. Trade down a few picks and take Peria Jerry and make him a DE

    Also, for those of you really into scouting the later rounds, what do you think about Sammie Lee Hill? I haven’t seen him play other than clips obviously but apparently he’s very coachable despite being a raw prospect.

    I’d love for us to steal him in the mid rounds for some depth at NT and hopefully a future star?

  • http://brocotalk.net (dee)

    I think we should go for the most NFL ready players, we can’t be waiting on guys or having to convert guys to other positions. We are a mess on defense, we need guys that will come in and make an impact right away…. tis just a feeling I have but I thin Rey will make more of an impact than Raji …. Raji may need a few years to develop into an all pro.

  • http://brocotalk.net (dee)

    As far as nicknames go here are my selections:

    Coach McDaniels aka Coach McDynamite
    Xanders

  • http://brocotalk.net (dee)

    disregard past post…im drunk

  • http://brocotalk.net (dee)

    and bored…

  • Richard

    NathanH Sammy Lee Hill has some talent but playing for Stillman makes you wonder about his level of: Coaching, competition, and real talent. He actually played D end at 325 lbs.! He may have developmant value for us in say the 6th round, but there is NO WAY he comes to training camp as anything but a BIG (pun intended) project. Hes a practice squad placeholder.

  • NathanH

    I think he’d be worth a 6th or 7th. I very much so understand that he’s a project type, but Senior Bowl coaches commented on how coachable he was and how quick he was picking up on the better coaching then he was used to.

    I also see the point of view that we need players that are ready to contribute, but the position that makes a 3-4 work is NT, and if we don’t get Raji or Brace, I’m hoping we take him late and sign someone that would be possibly willing to mentor him a bit.

  • http://BroncoTalk.net Mr.East

    Jordan C & NathanH,

    I like what you’re writing about for this offseason. You’re going to like some of the things I have prepared for the upcoming posts.

  • Richard

    Anyone know anything about a FB/H-back from Arkansas State named David Johnson? He’s 6’2″ 271, has some speed, is a monster blocker, and is very productive catching out of the backfield. Can you imagine the string of stretchers carting safeties and cornerbacks off the field after this guy springs Peyton Hillis into the secondary?

  • Richard

    Mr. East Bring on the Posts, I’m ready!

  • http://mrherculesrockefeller.blogspot.com hercules rockefeller

    I don’t know if anyone has pointed this out yet, but Xanders was hired last May. Not 2005.

  • Jordan C

    kerry –

    Giving up those picks is just a given assuming that those guys will be given mid-round tenders.

    What concerns me most about drafting defensive linemen early in the draft is that rarely do those players make an immediate impact. Whereas linebackers jump right in (eg Willis, Beeson, Mayo).

    To facilitate the quickest turnaround and conversion, they can bring is guys (not stars) who already know they system and can be effective (not stars) right away.

    Draft guys that are potential stars with lots of upside later in the draft and have them eventually replace the FAs that were brought in.

  • Patrick

    Alls I know is if the Broncos trade Champ I’m losing the best player on Madden ’09.