Fangio Acknowledges Broncos New GM Hire Will Have Final Decision on Roster
Change is afoot for the Denver Broncos and it will see 10-year general manager John Elway and CEO Joe Ellis eventually relinquish their power. Elway has stepped up (down?) from GM duties and will hire someone to be the full-time guy while Ellis doesn't expect to return after his contract ends in 2022.
While Broncos Country speculates on who the team's next GM might be, it's worth remembering that whoever ends up with the job, that person will be in full control of all the chess pieces when it comes to the roster.
The Broncos' very own Game of Thrones episode is bound to captivate the fans who have once again been deprived of playoff football and with time rapidly ticking down towards the Senior Bowl and draft season, a quick hire is imperative.
Head coach Vic Fangio will be entrusted to participate in the process of interviewing and selecting the Broncos new GM, and that has surprised many, especially after compiling back–to–back losing seasons. Fangio is fully aware that he will have to be adaptable if he is to co-exist and get things done under the new GM, but that’s nothing new to the 62-year-old veteran coach.
“I feel the same. Moving forward, whoever we end up hiring here, I’m sure we’ll forge a good relationship,” Fangio insisted on Tuesday. “I’ve had experience over the years obviously working with many different general managers. I'd like to think I’m easy to work with, and I’m not sure who we hire will be a guy that’s a consensus builder, but ultimately be the guy that makes the final decision as it relates to the roster. I’m not really concerned about that.”
Most of the speculation regarding the new GM has centered around what it'll mean for QB Drew Lock. However, another traditional GM power play is to replace the head coach with a hire of his choosing. Right now, it appears Fangio's feet are quite comfortably tucked under his desk at Dove Valley.
Establishing a broad consensus and finding a workable middle ground is the immediate intention of Fangio, but inevitably, the time will come where the new GM's roster decisions will diverge from Fangio's wishes and create a debate. Such is the nature of the GM/HC working dynamic.
However, experience has taught Fangio that taking all the different viewpoints into consideration while remaining focused on the team's best interests provides the magic ticket.
“I don’t think you’re ever going to find, and it’s never been anywhere I’ve been, even where it’s been successful, that you’re going to find two people that agree on everything all the time,” Fangio conceded. “Just as long as there’s good conversation, a healthy hashing it out and coming to a decision for the Denver Broncos that we’re all on board with is the important thing.”
After another losing season, some might suggest that a butting of heads over the construction of the Broncos roster might be exactly the type of action required to turn the listing franchise around. All the internal changes point to the organization undergoing a sea change and heading in a different direction. Fangio wasn’t shy about identifying where the roster needs open-heart surgery.
“I think we got both sides of the ball that need attention,” Fangio said. “Obviously, we need to be better in the turnover-giveaway ratio. We turned it over too much offensively and we didn’t get enough defensively. Other than points on the board, that’s the most important stat in determining who wins and loses a football game.”
The issues might be easy to pinpoint for Fangio, but without a magic wand, the challenges that will confront the new GM considerable. Just knowing who will supply the energy injection and a fresh outlook on the problems at hand will provide some clarity soon enough.
As it stands, the Broncos have five interviews set up with carefully selected GM candidates to take place over the next three days.
Follow Keith on Twitter @KeithC_NFL and @MileHighHuddle.
