Renck: Broncos Ellis wants Elway deal done sooner rather than later
Mar 28, 2017, 12:00 AM | Updated: 8:59 am
Since the first of the year, Denver Broncos general manager John Elway’s been a little busy.
The executive vice president in charge of football operations has had to deal with an outgoing head coach (Gary Kubiak), searching for a new head coach (Vance Joseph), build a strong, supportive staff around the first-time head coach (Mike McCoy, Bill Musgrave, Joe Woods, et al), and rebuild a roster that failed to make the playoffs for the first time in Elway’s tenure.
So, forgive him and Broncos CEO/president Joe Ellis if there’s not been time to sit down and hammer out a contract extension.
But, as the NFL Draft approaches and free agency hoopla wanes, Ellis told Denver 7 Broncos Insider Troy Renck that he hopes to get a deal with Elway done “sooner rather than later.”
“It’s just, there’s a timing element, apparently, of when they finally all kind of sit down and hammer it out,” Renck told 104.3 The Fan on Monday. “But I haven’t sensed any issue right now that would prevent it from getting done.”
Renck said Ellis told him he wants Elway “around for a long time” and that he’s “in the majority with that” thinking.
“He’s really grown into this role. I know there was a time when he took this job, there was a feeling not in the building but outside of that if he ever won a Super Bowl as an exec, he might move on to the next challenge,” Renck said.
“I’ve seen the exact opposite from him, that this feeds his competitive desire to the point where nothing else exists that could fit like the Broncos.”
Even if Elway left for another team, hypothetically, Renck said, “Nothing fits like the Broncos.”
“Elway has done magic with this team since taking over as an executive,” Renck said.
Since taking over in January 2011 for a team that went 4-12 the previous season, Elway has guided the Broncos to five AFC West division titles, two AFC Championships, and one Super Bowl victory.
In that time, only the New England Patriots have garnered more wins (83) than the Broncos (73).
“Elway’s put together a Hall of Fame-type resume as an executive,” Renck said. “So, it’s just something they’re plodding through. They didn’t get into particulars. But there’s no sense that anything would prevent it from getting done.”
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