INDIANAPOLIS — When Josh McDaniels left the Patriots at the end of the 2008 season to take over as head coach in Denver, there was a handful of players who followed him to the Broncos.

McDaniels meets the media this afternoon in Indianapolis. (DJ Bean Images)

Wide receiver Jabar Gaffney, running back LaMont Jordan, long snapper Lonie Paxton, offensive lineman Russ Hochstein and defensive lineman Le Kevin Smith all ended up moving from Foxboro to Denver before the start of the 2009 season.

Many new coaches like to filch players from their own address — it helps the transitional process, especially in the locker room. One of the reasons the Patriots were so successful so quickly after Bill Belichick became head coach was because he brought many of his own guys with him to New England from his stops with the Jets and Browns.

But McDaniels said Saturday afternoon at the NFL Scouting Combine that the reason he ended up with so many ex-Patriots on his roster this past season was not to make the transition easier, but because he believed they could all still contribute.

“I think it was helpful because they were productive players, for the most part,” McDaniels said. “I think anytime you can add a player who’s a productive player and can play a role for your football team and help you win, it’s a good thing.

“We didn’t bring those players to Denver just because they were from New England. We brought them there because we thought they could help us win.”