Rams to hire former Broncos GM Brian Xanders
By Ryan Posner
The Los Angeles Rams are expected to hire former Denver Broncos general manager Brian Xanders to a senior personnel role, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reported Thursday.
Tom Pelissero ✔ @TomPelissero
The #Rams are expected to hire former #Broncos GM Brian Xanders to a senior personnel role, source said. Had most recently been with #Lions.Xanders last served in a senior executive role with the Detroit Lions and was brought in by former Lions general manager Martin Mayhew in 2013 to work as an advisor to help enhance the team’s database technology. While with the Lions, Xanders also interviewed to become the Miami Dolphins general manager, and the vice president of player personnel opening for the Cleveland Browns.
Most of Mayhew’s staff was cleaned out when Bob Quinn took over as the Lions general manager in January 2016, but Xanders was retained until parting ways with the team in May.
Xanders served three years as the Broncos general manager before he and executive vice president John Elway mutually decided to part ways in 2012. Elway has since taken over as general manager of the team. Before joining the Broncos, Xanders spent 14 seasons within the player personnel, coaching and football operations departments with the Atlanta Falcons after a collegiate career at Florida State.
The Broncos brought in Xanders in 2008 and he was promoted to general manager the next year. Though the team had a rough 2009 NFL Draft, Xanders helped draft key players like Demaryius Thomas, Tim Tebow, Zane Beadles, Eric Decker, J.D. Walton and Perrish Cox in the 2010 draft. He was also part of the front office when the Broncos took Von Miller, Orlando Franklin and Rahim Moore in the 2011 draft. The Broncos also picked up defensive lineman Derek Wolfe in the 2012 draft right before Xanders’ departure.
Denver made one playoff appearance in Xanders’ tenure, reaching the AFC Division Round in 2011 led by Tebow. The team’s best finish in those three years was 8-8.
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