Two months ago, Brian Xanders and Josh McDaniels were strangers.
Now, the two men are sharing responsibilities and decision-making powers atop the Broncos’ organization, the 37-year-old Xanders as the new general manager and the 32-year-old McDaniels as the new head coach.
It’s a relationship Xanders said has already begun to flourish.
“We have a lot of similar personality traits,” Xanders said. “We have a lot of work-habit traits that we share. I think we both respect each other’s ideas, but I think when it comes time to disagree, we’ll disagree.”
In his first meeting with reporters since receiving his promotion from team owner Pat Bowlen last week, Xanders showed plenty of enthusiasm for his new job but offered few specifics about the direction of the team under the new regime.
“We’re going to find the toughest, smartest, most instinctive players we can find regardless of the position,” Xanders said. “We’re excited to go to this combine this week, and we’re ready for free agency and feel confident that we’re going to have a great offseason.”
Xanders said he couldn’t say whether the team would switch to a 3-4 defense — which would place a priority on securing a nose tackle and linebacker depth — or identify the top areas of need.
The team has released 12 players in the last week, including six players Monday after Xanders’ media session was over. The only clue Xanders gave to the impending shake- up was saying the team could not afford a player who costs an inordinate amount against the salary cap. One of the players released Monday, defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson, would have counted heavily against the cap.
“One person can’t take a huge burden of the existing framework and salary cap,” Xanders said. “We’ll try to spread it around and figure it out that way.”
Xanders, who was hired by the Broncos as an assistant GM last May, on Monday said he learned plenty about evaluating players — both in the college and professional ranks — during his 14 years on the staff of the Atlanta Falcons.
“I have a unique background from the fact I was on a coaching staff for five years,” Xanders said. “Then I was doing college evaluations since 1997 and every draft since then, and then worked on ‘pro’ for eight straight years. ”
Xanders said the Broncos will not hire additional personnel executives to assist him and McDaniels, though the team will fill at least two vacant college scouting positions.
