Broncos give John Elway contract extension, GM title

John Elway led Denver to the Super Bowl faster as a front office executive than he did as a quarterback.

On Wednesday, the Broncos extended his contract, which was set to expire after this year, through 2017 and added general manager to his title of executive vice president.

Team President Joe Ellis lauded the work Elway has done so far, saying he’s “demonstrated great vision and leadership in his role, assembling a championship caliber team and positioning it for sustained success.”

Elway, who will speak publicly on Friday at the NFL combine in Indianapolis, said in a statement that he was grateful for the opportunity and “we remain relentlessly committed to delivering a world championship” to Denver.

The Broncos are coming off their first AFC title in 15 years but they were blown out 43-8 by Seattle in the Super Bowl, a result that was eerily similar to the first three of Elway’s five Super Bowls before he capped his Hall of Fame playing career with back-to-back titles in 1998 and `99.

Asked at his end-of-season news conference last week how long it took him to get over those losses, Elway said, “I’m not over them yet. I just added this one to it.”

The Broncos have gone 37-17 since Elway rejoined the team on Jan. 5, 2011, when owner Pat Bowlen brought him back to rescue a franchise reeling from a nosedive under Josh McDaniels that bottomed out with a 4-12 season, Denver’s worst in four decades.

::

Gregg Williams is returning to the St. Louis Rams as defensive coordinator for the first time since he lost his job in New Orleans as fallout from the bounty scandal.

The Rams announced the hiring Wednesday. A news conference introducing Williams will be Thursday. He will replace Tim Walton, who was fired in January after one season.

Williams has led five top-five defenses. He was defensive coordinator for the Saints when he was suspended for the entire 2012 season for the scandal. He was reinstated by the NFL in February 2013 and served as a senior defensive assistant for the Titans last season. Rams Coach Jeff Fisher originally hired Williams in January 2012, but dropped him after the scandal broke.

::

The New Orleans Saints made their first major moves of what is expected to be a challenging offseason on Wednesday, releasing strong safety Roman Harper, outside linebacker and defensive end Will Smith, and cornerback Jabari Greer.

General manager Mickey Loomis also says the club does not intend to re-sign free-agent linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who has been hampered by recurring knee injuries the past few seasons.