NFL.COM: Mike Lombardi's comments on his time consulting in Denver

[Andre The Giant]

These comments are made as part of an overall article on the firing of Josh McDaniels.

"Having spent a brief time volunteering my services as a consultant to Mike Shanahan, I saw firsthand Denver's ridiculous spending on players, the failure to have a personnel department, and the constant approach to repair as opposed to rebuild. Therefore, when the Broncos fired Shanahan following the 2008 season and decided to change the course, eliminating the free-spending of the past, the move signaled to me that they wanted to try the Patriot Way, which centers on building a total team through the draft, cut spending in free agency and develop coaches and players from within."

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d81cba03b/article/mcdaniels-paid-price-for-broncos-lack-of-commitment-to-change?module=HP_cp2

Strong statements from Lombardi. Hopefully, he's wrong about Shanny's philosophy and we'll strengthen our scouting department in the off-season.

[Califan007 The Constipated]

Strong statements from Lombardi. Hopefully, he's wrong about Shanny's philosophy and we'll strengthen our scouting department in the off-season.

Well, on two of the three things he mentioned he's wrong about the Skins' version of Shanahan...we've done zero "ridiculous spending on players" and as far as I know we do have a personnel department, unless Lombardi is meaning something different than I am.

[onedrop]

not saying the guy is wrong but he lost me at "Having spent a brief time volunteering my services as a consultant to Mike Shanahan"

last i checked consultants get paid. volunteers at pro organizations are interns.

[Brandon Lloyd Christmas]

and man look how well denver is doing with the patriot philosophy!

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

Well, on two of the three things he mentioned he's wrong about the Skins' version of Shanahan...we've done zero "ridiculous spending on players" and as far as I know we do have a personnel department, unless Lombardi is meaning something different than I am.

I was about to ask who Shanahan spent big money on here. Not Dansby. Not Peppers. Not anyone.

[Chicken Fried]

Well he sounds like he knows next to nothing. McDaniels inherited an excellent offense...that Shanny built...and managed to destroy it. Shanny inherited a HORRIBLE TEAM ALL AROUND.

[TSO]

He rebuilt that Broncos offense the last couple years he was there. That core of Cutler, Marshall, Royal, Sheffler, Clady and any RB he deemed fit would've been scary right now in his system. Not sure you can call that a "repair", Lombardi. :doh:

[Warhead36]

Shanny's drafts in 06 and 08 were outstanding.

Shanny's biggest problem in Denver was his inability to field a consistently good D.

[Thinking Skins]

Well, on two of the three things he mentioned he's wrong about the Skins' version of Shanahan...we've done zero "ridiculous spending on players" and as far as I know we do have a personnel department, unless Lombardi is meaning something different than I am.

Well, there is the whole McNabb contract, then there's signing Philip Buchanan, Vonnie Holiday, and a bunch of other D-Linemen, there's that Kory guy on the O-Line and the RG guy who was just replaced by Montgomery. Then there's Galloway and Williams. Oh yeah, lets not forget Parker and Johnson. Then there's Grossman at backup QB. Thats all I can think of offhand.

While I don't think the 2010 offseason was a glaring condition of us going out and signing guys to lucrative contracts, we were still going the free agent veteran route as opposed to building through the draft and even the possibility of rebuilding.

[Gerald362]

Ask yourself honestly about rebuilding through the draft this year. Other than the McNabb deal, what picks did we really lose? How much did those moves cost the Skins in terms of building through the draft? There were only so many picks, and so many holes to fill. I have no problem bringing old FA's in to try to boost the team a bit, especially if they dont cost the draft picks that we have usually blown on them. As far as the McNabb deal, I would guess that in looking at the QB situation, the FO decided that there wasnt one on the roster who was worth keeping, and if McNabb had anything left in the tank, it would be a big plus.

There is absoultly no way that this team can be fixed in the next few years through the draft alone. There are just too many holes. Nothing wrong with grabbing a FA for cash and no pick.

Well, there is the whole McNabb contract, then there's signing Philip Buchanan, Vonnie Holiday, and a bunch of other D-Linemen, there's that Kory guy on the O-Line and the RG guy who was just replaced by Montgomery. Then there's Galloway and Williams. Oh yeah, lets not forget Parker and Johnson. Then there's Grossman at backup QB. Thats all I can think of offhand.

While I don't think the 2010 offseason was a glaring condition of us going out and signing guys to lucrative contracts, we were still going the free agent veteran route as opposed to building through the draft and even the possibility of rebuilding.

[redskins55]

I think what Lombardi was saying is the free agency spending that Shanahan started to do in Denver. He basically gambled everything on the Cleveland Brown's defensive line one off season and it bit him in the rear.

Geesh dont jump down the man's throat,he didnt say shanny was a bad coach. He simply told the truth that Shanny was fired because of some of the personnel decisions he started to make later in his Denver days. I actually thought it was a pretty good article about an unwillingness to stick with your decisions. And very telling..

Like the Gibbs debate we constantly have.. What have we done before or after Gibbs 2.0 Nothing! What has Denver done before or after Shanahan?? Nothing! There's a reason for this!

[jflow78]

Well, I bet the Broncos are thanking their lucky stars now, aren't they. Why, if they hadn't fired Shanny, they'd probably still have Brandon Marshall, a GOOD Jay Cutler, Peyton Hillis, and be in contention for the playoffs, instead of for the #1 pick.

Yeah, but great call Mike.

[ejay183]

Bruce Allen is the GM, so any big spending has to be run by him. Judging by some of the reworked deals he made this off-season, the man is about managing money correctly.

[Madison Redskin]

I'm actually sick of people saying good teams build from within, like the Patriots. The Patriots have signed a number of free agents, and traded draft picks away fro others. In recent memory, the Patriots have acquired key members of their team via free agency or trade, including Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Corey Dillon, Fred Taylor, Donte Stallworth, Jabar Gaffney, Adalius Thomas, Mike Vrabel, Roosevelt Colvin, Rodney Harrison, Junior Seau, and Leigh Bodden.

EDIT: I prefer to build a team around draft picks, and to supplement those picks with guys added through free agency and trade. I just think people pretend that the Patriots rarely trade away picks for players or sign free agents.

[Mursilis]

I was about to ask who Shanahan spent big money on here. Not Dansby. Not Peppers. Not anyone.

He paid a high price for McNabb (in draft picks). How's that working out?

---------- Post added December-8th-2010 at 08:16 AM ----------

Well he sounds like he knows next to nothing. McDaniels inherited an excellent offense...that Shanny built...and managed to destroy it. Shanny inherited a HORRIBLE TEAM ALL AROUND.

Denver's offense is still ranked 11th. I'd hardly called that "destroyed".

[authentic]

I'm actually sick of people saying good teams build from within, like the Patriots. The Patriots have signed a number of free agents, and traded draft picks away fro others. In recent memory, the Patriots have acquired key members of their team via free agency or trade, including Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Corey Dillon, Fred Taylor, Donte Stallworth, Jabar Gaffney, Adalius Thomas, Mike Vrabel, Roosevelt Colvin, Rodney Harrison, Junior Seau, and Leigh Bodden..

Absolutely!!! Thanks for making that point....Even look at the Ravens, another team who people say ONLY builds through the draft, yet they have Boldin, Housh.., Stallworth, Mason, Mcgahee, M. Birk, J. Wilson, F. Washington...all notable players aquired through FA.

[Califan007 The Constipated]

Well, there is the whole McNabb contract, then there's signing Philip Buchanan, Vonnie Holiday, and a bunch of other D-Linemen, there's that Kory guy on the O-Line and the RG guy who was just replaced by Montgomery. Then there's Galloway and Williams. Oh yeah, lets not forget Parker and Johnson. Then there's Grossman at backup QB. Thats all I can think of offhand.

While I don't think the 2010 offseason was a glaring condition of us going out and signing guys to lucrative contracts, we were still going the free agent veteran route as opposed to building through the draft and even the possibility of rebuilding.

Absolutely none of that would qualify as "ridiculous spending on players", though. Lombardi didn't merely speak of bringing in free agents, he talked of how much was spent ON the players brought in.

[Shanahanigans]

1. Michael Lombardi is a Raider Homer

2. Michael Lombardi is a Bill Belichick disciple

These things = hate for Shanny

I read this article on the Broncos board. It stinks. There were only 3 guys, the last three McD apologists left on the earth arguing the merits of the article. It's convenient how Lombardi made no mention of CHEATING being involved at all and the premise of the article is that McD is the same as Belichick.

Shanny spent a lot of money on FA during our SB years and trying to hold that team together for years with Ted Sundquist.

2006 - 2008 drafts were run by the Goodmans who also had family in the scouting department. That is the reason for Shanny's success in those years. They were on the same page, the Goodmans made it happen. The Goodmans were also unceremoniously let go after being part of the team to hire McDaniels, which was followed shortly thereafter by the Cutler scandal, a depleted scouting department and a VERY BAD DRAFT in 2009. You draw your own conclusions.

That's the truth.

[Fred Jones]

It will be nice when Brady finally retires and NE can go back to being an average team that struggles without a HOF QB leading them. You can add Indy to that list as well if you want.

[authentic]

2006 - 2008 drafts were run by the Goodmans who also had family in the scouting department. That is the reason for Shanny's success in those years. They were on the same page, the Goodmans made it happen. The Goodmans were also unceremoniously let go after being part of the team to hire McDaniels, which was followed shortly thereafter by the Cutler scandal, a depleted scouting department and a VERY BAD DRAFT in 2009. You draw your own conclusions.

That's the truth.

Speaking of the Goodmans....I wonder if these guys are still available. If they are, when will Shanny bring them on board?

---------- Post added December-8th-2010 at 09:48 AM ----------

It will be nice when Brady finally retires and NE can go back to being an average team that struggles without a HOF QB leading them. You can add Indy to that list as well if you want.

Indy will be pathetic once Manning leaves.

[Riggo#44]

He rebuilt that Broncos offense the last couple years he was there. That core of Cutler, Marshall, Royal, Sheffler, Clady and any RB he deemed fit would've been scary right now in his system. Not sure you can call that a "repair", Lombardi. :doh:

How about Peyton Hillis and Ryan Torain? The current Denver regime shipped Hillis out for Brady Quinn.

[ATLredskin]

This is in response to the Patriots and Ravens free agent pickups also responding to Tris thread comparing Shanny to Bill...

You see that is the difference between Shanahan and the other great coaches that can evaluate talent...Shanny is horrible at evaluating free agent talent. Look at all the horrible free agents he brought in this year. Galloway, Parker, LJ, Kory, etc.. He think all these AFC West guys that dominated when he was there still got it, but that is not the case. Tris compared draft records, but the free agents is wha really tells the story. Also when you are a contending team like the Pats and Ravens then you use free agency to get that one guy to get you over the top. Free agency is not a bad thing you just gotta know what you are doing which I laugh at Shanny for trying to trade for VJ when he is a injury prone player with attitude like Haynesworth that cares only about money. And you want to talk about establishing a culture by bringing that guy in haha...

[authentic]

This is in response to the Patriots and Ravens free agent pickups also responding to Tris thread comparing Shanny to Bill...

You see that is the difference between Shanahan and the other great coaches that can evaluate talent...Shanny is horrible at evaluating free agent talent. Look at all the horrible free agents he brought in this year. Galloway, Parker, LJ, Kory, etc.. He think all these AFC West guys that dominated when he was there still got it, but that is not the case. Tris compared draft records, but the free agents is wha really tells the story. Also when you are a contending team like the Pats and Ravens then you use free agency to get that one guy to get you over the top. Free agency is not a bad thing you just gotta know what you are doing which I laugh at Shanny for trying to trade for VJ when he is a injury prone player with attitude like Haynesworth that cares only about money. And you want to talk about establishing a culture by bringing that guy in haha...

Bro, there wasn't anything out there of note this past offseason. All of the desirable talent were Restricted FA. This offseason will be MUCH different.

[Shanahanigans]

Speaking of the Goodmans....I wonder if these guys are still available. If they are, when will Shanny bring them on board?

---------- Post added December-8th-2010 at 09:48 AM ----------

Indy will be pathetic once Manning leaves.

I don't know where the Goodmans are now, but I mentioned them in a post the last time I came around. They were amazing! They knew what Shanny wanted as far as skillsets for each position and they were sharp! With Bruce Allen in place, I'm not so sure how the Goodmans will fit in there, but if you can get the scouting department beefed up, you will have a good draft. Bruce Allen isn't really known for his drafting skills, that's for sure. He & Gruden made teams old.

In Denver, this was the most disappointing departure along with Mike Nolan post Shanny.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

When push comes to shove...I think we can all agree that the Broncos made a horrible mistake firing Shanahan to hire McDaniels. So, if nothing else, it makes me feel good that we have a known quantity here. Sure, on some level it would be exciting and exhilarating to identify the 32-year old version of Bellichick, but the odds are very long on that. As we've seen, McDaniels was completely overwhelmed in that capacity. To me, even though there is no guarantee that Shanahan will do GREAT, we have some comfort knowing that he's pretty damn good at what he does.