STAFF WRITER

Peyton Manning and Russell Wilson: Seattle’s punishing defense and the juggernaut that is the Denver offense. The preseason favorites of the AFC and NFC are Super Bowl-bound and will meet in New York in a matchup that contrasts teams as well as any that the NFL has seen. Everyone recognizes these teams’ talent. Peyton’s potential targets are endless, and Seattle’s front seven and secondary are as skilled and deep as they come.

Elway was a major part of putting together the Super Bowl-bound Broncos. (Photo Courtesy of Flickr)

While Denver and Seattle are probably the two most talented teams in football, their talent alone is not necessarily what has put them one game away from football glory. For any championship squad, it starts from the top. It’s not just the players or the coaching, but the management that is the foundation to any championship squad. The Broncos and Seahawks are in the Super Bowl because they exemplify how front offices should collaborate with their coaches to build a team through careful drafting and judicious free agent signings.

The Denver and Seattle general managers, John Elway (de facto as Executive Vice President) and John Schneider respectively, had different approaches when building these star-studded teams, and their savvy management skills are the reason these teams are booking plane tickets to New York. Using the pieces Denver already had in place, Elway collaborated with head coach John Fox to bring in free agents who were not only talented, but would make the current players on his roster even better. Elway didn’t make the mistake many GMs do by overspending on numerous talented free agents (see Miami Dolphins) but instead prudently invest in players who, when brought in, could change the perception of the team’s roster, a la Peyton Manning and Wes Welker. Their signings in the last two years have helped to considerably elevate the play of others. Peyton makes average receivers good and good receivers great, and Welker draws so much attention that even when he doesn’t produce, it gives others a chance to get open. Demaryius Thomas, Knowshon Moreno and Julius Thomas have all taken significant steps forward because of these signings, and Elway’s smarts have helped maximize these players’ talents.

John Schneider’s approach to building Seattle’s roster contrasts Elway’s because he focuses on building through the draft and signing low-risk, high-reward free agents. This has been equally successful. Giving head coach Pete Carroll the final say over roster moves, Schneider carefully works with Carroll to draft highly athletic prospects and pluck free agents off the street for depth-building purposes.

Most of the team’s stars are home-grown, high-ceiling and mid-to-low round picks such as quarterback Russell Wilson (third round), Richard Sherman (fifth round) and Kam Chancellor (fifth round). To complement his excellent eye for drafting, Schneider has made a number of moves to make his already talented front seven the league’s deepest. He did this by signing the two top defensive ends this past offseason, Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett. With the abundance of free agent depth and talented draft picks, Schneider isn’t afraid to make bold moves either, like trading for Marshawn Lynch, Chris Clemons and Percy Harvin. Schneider does not have the same aggressive approach as Elway, but his strategy of building the deepest, most athletic team possible has proven to be a winning formula as well.

In the two weeks leading up to Feb. 2, people will be talking about what brought these two number one seeds to the big game: strong quarterback play, grittiness on defense and a well-coached abundance of talent. But, in order to reach football’s grand stage, it starts with management and smarts up top, and the Broncos and Seahawks are models of how NFL front offices ought to be run.

Categories: Football, Sports