(1) In a recent local NP article, 2 anonymous “insiders” from the Bowlen offices indicated that the beginning of the end for Shanny was when he recently asked Bowlen to build a new practice facility, leading to the first time Bowlen really said “No” to the Shan-man. I think Bowlen’s smart enough to not tinker too much, but does want be in better control of HIS team.

(2) I belivee that Bowlen is leaning heavily on JMcD in the personnel dept. At first Bowlen expressed what appeared to be full support in his presonnel guys (the Goodmans and Xanders). Now that JMcD has assembled his staff, probably decided on a direction and identity for the Broncos, and has been through some player eval, I’d bet he went to Bowlen and gave him an honest and blunt assessment of the quality- or lack of- on the Bronc’s roster- especially the D. Yes, the Goodmans had a part in recent draft victories, but they have plenty of blunders to account for, too- primarily in the FA arena. And the salary cap, especially on the defensive side, is not all that pretty, considering the low production of the last couple of years. And, so, out with the Goodmans (the last remnants of the Shanny era) and up with Xanders (who came on after last year’s draft).

Bowlen is a smart guy, and he’s already showing that , while he is in charge, he’s going to leave the football decisions to the two young men he’s brought in to transform the team back into a champion. And, he’s simply set up an environment with checks and balances and accountability- and where no one man can wrest the team from him again.

Was it really a slow news week for the Broncos? After my own initial shock, I’d say I’m not so worried – Bowlen is a fine owner and makes excellent decisions. He fired Reeves one year removed from a 3-point loss in the AFC Championship Game and without a viable replacement in wait, or so we thought at the time. As OB points out, Woody Paige alluded to Shanny requesting a new practice facility 4 years after a remodel – sounds like quite an example of hubris on Shanny’s part and it may just be the tip of the iceberg. I doubt it’s the last story we hear about the emperor’s undoing…

I love your mindset regarding free agent candidates. I’m not in the camp hoping for a bunch of major FA signings – the tune in Denver has been “Build Via the Draft” in recent years, and I’d like for it to remain so. Haven’t we all seen enough big FA busts to scare us away from that? Even Niko and Colbert…the Broncos will pay the price for them this year in cap space. I hope folks don’t think that poor FA choices was uniquely Shanahan, and that McDaniels has the magic formula. FA is a dangerous pool in which to go angling, and getting the biggest, most expensive fish is not usually worth the price. I’d like for folks to name the last true big-dollar signing the Titans, Steelers, Giants, Patriots or Panthers made (and which worked out). I can think of Plaxico in NY as the biggest recent signing, and that was actually not a big contract. The Pats have somewhat on Adalius Thomas and Rosevelt Colvin…

I agree with BornOrange – we all need to look at the Goodmans’ full body of work. Yes, it’s hard to say just whom they were responsible for, but I think the ’07 Draft was quite a dud and aside from Graham, how many good FA signings has Denver made in recent years? Casey Wiegmann counts, but he was a late off-season guy who fell into their laps.

The “Sky is Falling” approach some have taken on MHR has been really surprisiing to me. There is still a lot of Shanahan defenders out there who will defend his every move.
Heres the reality:
MIKE SHANAHAN LEFT OUR TEAM IN A SHAMBLES. HE WAS A GREAT COACH BUT A HORRENDOUS MANAGER.
I am honestly surprused there was any left overs from the Shanahan era. This was an under acheieving, stodgy reactive franchise led by bad coaching and bad player evaluation.
Lets not forget that the Goodmens, as well as being resposible for the 2008 draft which was great, but also had a big hand in BAD FA axquistions, bad player evelauation of players in 2007 and also had a hand in other questionable decisions.
Pat Bowlen stepped in because he had nop oither choice. NONE.
I think it is rather arrogant of us to question his business acumen, and decision making, and compare him to Jerry Jones or the Sun’s owner. He is neither,and when compared to most people, he is a uber-successful business man, passionate about his team, and well respected in the league.
All of a sudden, we are doubting him because he gets rid of 2 guys whos crowning glory was one draft! ARE YOU KIDDING ME????
The Broncos has the biggest, but worst, coaching staff in the NFL, had a dysfunctional front office and athletic hierachry and we want to get on Bowlen for fixing it, saving money, becoming more involved with HIS team (which was one of his flaws and a big reason this team is in a hole…his management by correspondence approach when SHanahan was in charge) and putting 2 of the smartest and youngest guys in the league in charge of our team. Yeah, Pat Bowlen sucks….how dare he get involved in saving his own sinking ship!
Can anybody out there honestly say that they dont like this coaching staff? Damn, I wish we had them last year…we may have gone to the play offs.
Good post TB, it will illicit a lot of comment, but I for one are sick of people double guessing Bowlen.
We let SHanny off scott free, and forget the mess he left it in, and now doubt the man who built this franchise.
Thats an interesting dycotomy for sure!
And rant is done!
Good list of free agents though. Low money high character guys.
Thanks.

Two thoughts:

(a) i’m torn on the Ramsey thing and voted C only because I have no idea what kind of a fit he will be in the new system. On the one hand, I can see that he seems to be an intelligent, experienced pro and that there may be some benefit to having him and Cut working through the new system together, learning together with the identical context of starting off together in the old system. (“Oh yeah, that play we used to call XYZ, we’re calling that FGH now, remember?”) One the other hand, bringing in a competing backup who is more experienced in the NE style offense could help even more. Ultimately, I’m guessing that Ramsey is bright enough to make the transition, but any competition from a QB more versed in the system would be an instant challenge to him.

(b) I’m not worried in the slightest that Pat Bowlen has suddenly changed stripes to become some sort of megalomaniac micromanager. I agree with the consensus that seems to be emerging that Pat was compelled to act, and I think he likewise is compelled to hold McJedi and X accountable for their actions, so it is natural that he will be watching them like a hawk. This is a very fragile moment for our favorite team. He understands that better than anyone, being so personally tied to the outcome.

So I believe what he’s doing is logical and natural, but that he is also not desiring this to be a long term arrangement — that he expects McJedi and X to live up to their promise. If they do, I bet he gets out of the way just as fast as he did with Shanny, especially if they start producing late-season runs and SB wins.

So while I do believe he’s learned a lot about football since becoming an owner, I don’t believe for a second he thinks he knows more than the guys he hired. He needs them, and they need him to give them the boundaries, goals, challenge, and identity they need. In other words, accountability.

1. I think Ramsey should go. With the current changeover, the timing is ideal. I don’t think Ramsey’s ever inspired confidence and he no longer “knows the system.” Of the two QBs you cite, I would favor Fitzpatrick.
2. I would vote no on Gaffney and Clayton. Gaffney because I saw him extensively in his years with the Texans down here and while I think he’s grown up during his NE stint, I don’t think his talent (separation issues and not a good blocker) supports pursuing him. And Clayton, while talented, thinks he’s a number 1 receiver and I don’t see a lot of team in his game. I think the bidding will exceed what we’re willing to pay for a #3.
3. While I agree that Bowlen is a better than average owner, maybe much better, it’s not like he’s incapable of mistakes and hasn’t made them in the past. I would point out that while the new Mile High is a pretty good stadium, it has yet to really replace the old Mile High. And others at this site should weigh in if they know the history better, but I believe Pat was head of the broadcast committee when the NFL awarded an exclusive contract to DirectTV for the Sunday Ticket package that continues to this day. Why wasn’t this split with PPV cable so that those of us (and there are millions) that do not have an unobstructed view of the southern sky or can’t post antennae for any reason, can still view our beloved Broncos when they don’t happen to appear on a national broadcast without having to resort to a trip to the local sports bar? Apparently you can get SundayTicket in Latin America and even Iran on cable, but not here in the U.S. Surely, the revenue stream could be even higher for the owners with greater exposure for the league.

Finally, I certainly hope this front office turnover was the right thing to do – only the future will know. Nice post again Ted – and I don’t understand NASCAR either.

The nfl.com has reported that the dust-up about the Goodman’s was a personnel difference between Xanders and Jeff, the younger Goodman. It got ugly, words were exchanged that made working together difficult and Jim, predictably, took his son’s side and/or supported him. Bowlen/McD decided that Xanders had a better perspective and the path was obvious.

I feel fine wondering about Pat. He feels that he’s learned that game, and perhaps he has. Anytime an owner changes his approach, there’s nothing wrong with a little discussion about it. The 2008 draft immediately followed the dismissal of Ted Sundquist, a man no one is willing to hire since then, which tells me something. That gave a lot of folks, including myself, the thought that the Goodman’s might know what they are talking about, as did watching interviews with Jim who is a very sharp cookie. It was clear, over the years, that Shanahan had huge input into decisions of personnel and would go off his ‘gut’ and/or a video someone sent him. Bad juju, bad business. I hope Xanders is as good as Pat thinks, like most do. The NE model is certainly a big upgrade over most approaches, and their record supports that.

Nice FA options, Ted, and as usual, a great post. Rec’d and buzzed – does anyone remember that buzz thing? I keep being the first or one of the few…Anyway, thanks, Ted

I admit I’ve felt a twinge of anxiety, but I agree with the consensus that your worries are premature. I read the same article as BornOrange and drew similar conclusions. Bowlen made a good choice before – he
has two superbowls to show for it – and has learned much in the meantime. That doesn’t mean he’s going to micromanage. That’s never been his style. Hopefully it means he’s learned enough to pick a winning head coach/general manager combo and provide an organizational structure in which they can succeed. Reporting
to Bowlen means being accountable, not getting marching orders. As implied in another thread Pryce, Berry, Hayward, and Warren would have given us effective lineplay while our youngsters were developing if they weren’t playing for Baltimore, Arizona, Jacksonville, arend Oakland. Maybe if we’d had better salary and personnel management in the front office they wouldn’t be.

As nycbroncosfan suggests, building through free agency is not only not risk free but is expensive. Even if the salary cap didn’t intrude Bowlen’s pockets are not bottomless.

While boydy2669 is surely right that the sky is not now falling, that insight doesn’t require that we go to the opposite extreme and assert that it was falling before Bowlen stepped in. One doesn’t have to be the last Shanahan holdout in a Pacific island jungle to recognize that he hasn’t been that bad. It’s not as if we were in imminent danger of entering (cue Jaws theme) . . . the Detroit zone. We just haven’t been as good as Bowlen wanted us to be.

About 45 minutes or so into writing this I see broncobear weighing in with some pertinent info about a dust-up between Xanders and Jeff Goodman. Apparently, in making a choice that was forced on him, Bowlen went for overall managerial capability over narrow expertise, assuming that the person with the former could reconstitute the latter. In making the choice in the first place Bowlen is signaling that he wants a team, which he apparently thinks Xanders and McDaniels can be.

As with drafting players, setting up an effective organizational structure and getting the right people for it (Xanders, McDaniels) is a crap shoot. But the fact that Bowlen, when he decided to make a change, picked off two of the hottest up-and-comers in the coaching and front office ranks, is not a bad sign. Bowlen strikes me as the kind of person who collects data and ponders for awhile, then acts decisively. The latter can be startling for those who thought he was merely passive. A good article typically engenders a fruitful discussion. Looks like this one has done so.

Bowlen strikes me as the kind of person who collects data and ponders for awhile, then acts decisively

I agree. The recent articles suggesting that Bowlen’s falling out with Shanahan started a year ago might be overblown, but looking at how this unfolded it’s clear that Pat had been considering it for quite a while. He had to fire a friend and a coaching legend to move on. He waited until the season ended, thought one more time and implemented the change.

Having run some smaller companies, I know that when yo make changes they tend to be contagious. Fire one employee and you are likely to have smoe additional turnover – people’s feelings are a real part of their professional life. Pat is going with younger men – and how much younger concerns me – but very bright, highly trained and well qualified younger men.

spock and others have poiinted out that shanahan isn’t leaving nothing – we have a tremedous base for growth. I honestly wondered if Mike the GM could build on it – I believe that the current structure can.

will probably be brought back as a back up. not what I want just what I see

I can’t think of a single team in NFL history that has always been great. There are only a few that have been consistently solid, which is a short list the Broncos have been on for the better part of 30 years. Broncos fans are a lucky bunch.

Just like with anything else, this type of success carries some negatives. For example, if you miss the playoffs for three straight years, your fans are going to gravitate towards doomsaying and pessimism. The fact of the matter is— even with Belichick, Gibbs, Holmgren, Shannahan, Parcells, etc, etc in the building, you are going to suffer the ebbs and flows of NFL reality. The odds catch up to you, and for every Eddie Mac, you roll the dice and it comes up Gardner. If failure, like success, comes in bunches, then all the sudden you have some holes. It the nature of a business that isn’t much unlike gambling for a living. Every play doesn’t result in more house money in your pocket. You lose sometimes. It’s playing through the cold streaks that set you apart, and with Denver’s offense, they have a great chance of coming through with money to play.

Long story short, it is hardly time to signal the horns of crisis in Dove Valley. In any other business, an owner seeking harmony and effeciency inside his organization is just attending to Business 101. It doesn’t mean he woke up one morning on the wrong side of crazy.

Ted, you’ve basically mentioned the reasons why I was so gung-ho for hiring McDaniels. He’s been trained to see personnel, schemes, on-field tactics as all of a piece. I really think this is invaluable. And after seeing Shanny draft all kinds of undersized and oddball busts, I can’t wait to approach personnel with a firm cut-off on going undersized. Hallelujah.

And then you bring up the Jets. I’m going to go on the record now as saying that Rex Ryan is as bad or worse a coach than his father. The guy is a petty tyrant who likes to talk tough, and he’s going to work for a seriously dysfunctional organization. He’ll be a prime example of the guy who’s great at X’s and O’s, lousy at running a team.

The difference between Bowlen and Woody Johnson is truly striking…..

…may I suggest the Nuggets?? Since you’re a die hard Bronco fan, it would make sense. Doesn’t hurt that this is the best Nuggets team that I have ever watched play (since the mid 80’s). Forget the Suns, come enjoy the Nuggets my friend!

although I believe defense is the starting point here. Yes, the offense can and should improve, but it is already unstoppable, provided they get better at hanging onto the ball.

The defense, however, could not stop anybody, and they could not seem to get the ball. The massive number of cuts is encouraging, yet I would like to see what is out there to replace them. I’m sure they have a lot of players in mind, but who?