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Xanders says he'd welcome empowered GM role in Denver

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"Right now, everything's uncertain until the end of the year," Xanders said. "The organization's going through a lot of change, and I hope I can be here. I love being with the Broncos, and we'll see how it ends up." Xanders, 39, said he would "absolutely" relish the opportunity to become a GM with decision-making authority: "I'd like to be here for the long run," he said. "There likely will be a major investment on the defensive side of the ball in the draft and free agency in an attempt to get it to the top-10 level," Xanders said. Offensively, Xanders wants to build more consistency in what had been a Broncos staple for years: the running game. "I think in the NFL, if you build the right way, with a strong foundation in the draft and then supplement the roster with some impact free agents, then anything's possible," Xanders said. "The Saints went from 8-8 to the Super Bowl championship. The Falcons went from 4-12 to 11-5. The Chiefs went from 4-12 to competing for a title this year. "So it's proven if you build the foundation right and stick to the plan and have some consistency on both sides of the ball, whether it's coaching schemes or philosophy, and carry out the plan, then it can be turned around quickly."