Sources: Broncos, Rams cut combine attendance
Broncos reporter Jeff Legwold describes the reasoning for several NFL teams limiting the number of coaches who attend the NFL scouting combine. (1:50)
In what could portend the wave of the future, the Broncos are not sending their assistant coaches to the scouting combine in Indianapolis this year because they believe they will make better use of their time by watching film in Denver, league sources told ESPN on Friday.
Additionally, the Rams are not sending their offensive and defensive coordinators, Kevin O’Connell and Brandon Staley, to the combine because they would rather have them in Los Angeles implementing the team’s new offensive and defensive schemes, sources said.
In a copycat league, the Broncos and Rams could be establishing a trend that other teams will follow, leaving coaches behind to watch the combine on television and do their own scouting work in the office.
Broncos coach Vic Fangio, who will attend this year’s combine in person, told ESPN he thought the assistant coaches’ time would be better spent study prospects on tape rather than in person.
The Broncos’ assistant coaches also will have access to the combine private interviews led by the personnel staff and Fangio in Indianapolis.
Rams coach Sean McVay will attend the opening days of the combine, fulfilling his obligation to speak with the media, before returning to Los Angeles to continue implementing his systems with his two new coordinators, sources told ESPN. The rest of the Rams’ coaching staff will attend the combine.
Both organizations believed there was better use of their time than to attend the combine en masse, sources told ESPN. Though it did not drive either team’s decision, there also is a hefty financial savings for each organization by not having everyone travel to Indianapolis.