Denver Native (Carol)
10-15-2010, 10:11 AM
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_16341126
Today's question about the Broncos comes from Gary Pedraza. Send your question via e-mail to jlegwold@denverpost.com.
Q: Recently, I heard an interview with Josh McDaniels. A reporter asked how the contract negotiations were going with Champ Bailey. Josh said he had recommended that (the Broncos) re-sign him, but it's out of his hands. Is Josh McDaniels no longer taking part in player personnel decisions?
A: Gary, your question deals with an often-misinterpreted phrase throughout the NFL, including by many people in my profession.
Often coaches will take a job and strive to have "total control."
Josh McDaniels, like many other head coaches in the league, has final say among the team's football operations staff about hiring people on his coaching staff and the make-up of his roster.
McDaniels wanted to trade for running back Laurence Maroney and the Broncos did just that. McDaniels wanted to trade Alphonso Smith for Dan Gronkowski, and the Broncos did that too.
But the only person with total control of an NFL team is, and always will be, the person who owns it.
In the Broncos' case, that's Pat Bowlen. And these days, Bowlen, whose office is just down the hall from McDaniels', has chief operating officer Joe Ellis run the day-to-day operations of the Broncos with Bowlen's blessing.
And Bowlen, in the person of Ellis, can override any decision McDaniels or anyone else in the organization wants to make. Such are the perks of the title of owner.
In the case of the contract negotiations with Bailey, that train got knocked off the rails when Bowlen and Ellis decided there was too much uncertainty, given Bailey's age (32), and on the league's labor front, to do the deal now.
With a lockout looming in 2011 if no new collective bargaining agreement is reached, teams are fearful about their revenues next year, and in the current state of negotiations, teams don't want to look like they're throwing money around.
The Broncos informed Bailey's representatives that talks would be halted, even though the two sides were closing in on the final stages of an agreement.
That decision came from above McDaniels. So, McDaniels does have the final say on personnel matters and his coaching staff.
But final contract decisions come from down the hall — Bowlen's office.
Today's question about the Broncos comes from Gary Pedraza. Send your question via e-mail to jlegwold@denverpost.com.
Q: Recently, I heard an interview with Josh McDaniels. A reporter asked how the contract negotiations were going with Champ Bailey. Josh said he had recommended that (the Broncos) re-sign him, but it's out of his hands. Is Josh McDaniels no longer taking part in player personnel decisions?
A: Gary, your question deals with an often-misinterpreted phrase throughout the NFL, including by many people in my profession.
Often coaches will take a job and strive to have "total control."
Josh McDaniels, like many other head coaches in the league, has final say among the team's football operations staff about hiring people on his coaching staff and the make-up of his roster.
McDaniels wanted to trade for running back Laurence Maroney and the Broncos did just that. McDaniels wanted to trade Alphonso Smith for Dan Gronkowski, and the Broncos did that too.
But the only person with total control of an NFL team is, and always will be, the person who owns it.
In the Broncos' case, that's Pat Bowlen. And these days, Bowlen, whose office is just down the hall from McDaniels', has chief operating officer Joe Ellis run the day-to-day operations of the Broncos with Bowlen's blessing.
And Bowlen, in the person of Ellis, can override any decision McDaniels or anyone else in the organization wants to make. Such are the perks of the title of owner.
In the case of the contract negotiations with Bailey, that train got knocked off the rails when Bowlen and Ellis decided there was too much uncertainty, given Bailey's age (32), and on the league's labor front, to do the deal now.
With a lockout looming in 2011 if no new collective bargaining agreement is reached, teams are fearful about their revenues next year, and in the current state of negotiations, teams don't want to look like they're throwing money around.
The Broncos informed Bailey's representatives that talks would be halted, even though the two sides were closing in on the final stages of an agreement.
That decision came from above McDaniels. So, McDaniels does have the final say on personnel matters and his coaching staff.
But final contract decisions come from down the hall — Bowlen's office.