Denver Turmoil - Gorillas in the Mist

Turmoil
Pronunciation: \ˈtər-ˌmȯi(-ə)l\
Function: noun
Etymology: origin unknown
Date: 1526

: a state or condition of extreme confusion, agitation, or commotion

Ever found yourself scratching at an itch? Minutes later you look down to see why that itch is burning to find a bug bit? When did it get there, why didn't you feel it, why is it throbbing so much and what are you going to do about all the swollen redness? That about sums up my 2007 Denver Broncos review.

In late February the Denver Broncos began their quest to take care of a couple of those scratches, any and every one of the Broncos fans can tell you; Out are troublesome players and veterans on their last leg.

A team that last year was one of the oldest, this year is one of the youngest, I don't agree with that transition year BS. In reality, there is no such thing as a transition year in the NFL, you're telling me that people's lives are on the line and a team's going to tell them that they're playing in a year that doesn't matter?

So Denver's defensive leaders include a man you'll hardly ever get a quote from in DJ Williams and a man who has redefined the corner back position, Champ Bailey. Could be a whole lot worse off. On the offensive side of the ball, we have future Hall of Famer Tom Nalen and the prodigal son himself Jay Cutler. That's two guaranteed Hall of Fame players, last years second leading tackler in the NFL and a man who is primed to, "Beast," this season, as the kids would note.

There are kinks and outside of Denver this is probably laughable, but inside of Denver fans know that whether Andre Hall, Michael Pittman, Anthony Aldridge or Selvin Young is carrying the rock- someone is averaging five yards plus a carry. Whether it is one player rushing for 150 yards per game or four players rushing for 150 yards per game it doesn't matter.

Worried about the offensive line? Ryan Clady looked a little shaky against Mario Williams last week? Too bad, Mario Williams is the next Julius Peterson and Ryan Clady is the next Gary Zimmerman. They've got years to go up against each other. My profound thought of the moment is that despite all of the trouble Williams gave Clady, Jay Cutler was still able to run around Williams' side for 15 yards and dive for a touchdown.

Are fans excited about names like: Wesley Woodyard, Christian Morton, LaMont Reid and Josh Barrett popping off over their 850 KOA's or the KCNC airwaves? Those are third and fourth stringers, a team is determined by their depth and if the upstarts want to shine, let them be bright.

I'm loving it and I'm loving Denver's chances. The best gauge we can possibly get this season is going up against the NFC's best attempt at a Super Bowl contender, next week in the Dallas Cowboys. I have to admit, that I ignored it last season when Dallas handed Denver their asses on a silver platter. This year it won't be ignored, the Broncos will most likely be without DeWayne Robertson, Tom Nalen, Champ Bailey and Boss Bailey this weekend, but those are four of the best starters Denver has. There are no excuses for losing this time. Wade Phillips and the Dallas Cowboys showed no mercy last preseason and I don't expect the Broncos to do the Cowboys any favors this season.

Preseason Football: Denver @ Houston: Observations

Please accept my sincerest apologies for being absent. Unless you'd like to field some questions on The Iliad, let's get to the first Bronco game of '08.

Quarterbacks:

Jay Cutler: 8-10-0, 60 yds, 1 att, 15 yds TD.
Patrick Ramsey: 8-13-2, 49 yds.
Darrell Hackney:5-8-0, 68 yds, 1 att, 16 yds.

Had Jay Cutler played the whole game, Denver victory. What do you want in a backup? A game manager or a guy who can make plays? Darrell Hackney is making a case for the latter. In the event Patrick Ramsey disappears from the roster, he might be going on a secret mission for the CIA; into Iran to overthrow the Ayatollah (who is always wide open).

Running Backs:

Andre Hall: 8 att, 45 yds, 5.6 avg., 1 rec, 0 yds
Anthony Alridge: 3 att, 20 yds, 6.7 avg, F (FR by Polumbus) 3 rec, 21 yds
Micheal Pittman: 6 att, 18 yds, 3 avg, 1 rec, 5 yds
Selvin Young: 4 att, 7 yds, 2 rec, 21 yds.

This would appear to be the committee. Their success is symbiotic with the offensive line which is brand new. Selvin Young and Andre Hall both ran behind 1st team offensive although I didn't notice if Hall was up against Houston's first-team defense the whole time. Ian predicted the emergence of Andre Hall [editors note: fist pump]. Anthony Alridge is super fast and Michael Pittman is tough inside and a capable receiver. Peyton Hillis needs to get well soon. Selvin Young needs to step up.

Wide Receivers & Tight Ends:

Tony Scheffler: 4 rec, 61 yds
Darrell Jackson: 3 rec, 18 yds
Eddie Royal: 2 rec, 13 yds
Nate Jackson: 1 rec, 11 yds
Samie Parker: 1 rec, 10 yds
Brandon Marshall: 2 rec, 8 yds
Daniel Graham: 1 rec, 7 yds

A wide receiver who didn't catch a pass, but made a big play was Cliff Russell who drew pass interference at the +3 giving the Broncos a scoring opportunity in the 4th quarter. He is still very fast as he was at Utah. Eddie Royal looked good. Tony Scheffler is a big part of the passing game as he has always proven to be. Darrell Jackson wasn't used effectively which is a coaching flaw, not his. Keary Colbert drew a pass interference penalty, too, but was otherwise ineffective. It's a good group of receivers who can give Jay Cutler a variety of players to whom to throw.

Offensive Line:

The starting line which played the first half has essentially two rookie tackles (i.e., the Ryans). Houston's upstart defensive lineman Mario Williams pushed Ryan Clady around which was a good experience for Clady. Ryan Harris drew four penalties only two of which he deserved. The illegal formation one could have as easily been given to the other Ryan or the guards. One holding call was a bogus flag thrown by a guy on the sideline who was seeing things. The false start and one holding were deserved. Not too bad; nothing that can't be fixed. In the event Montrae Holland returns and starts and Chris Kuper returns to right tackle, Ryan Harris is definitely the #6 offensive lineman. Casey Wiegmann did a good job as did Ben Hamilton. These guys need chemistry and that will only come with playing together. Stay tuned for what happens with Tom Nalen whose injuries are nagging him to the extent he is sidelined. Depth is good.

Special Teams:

Matt Prater was 3 of 4 on field goal attempts. His kickoffs mostly came down at the +5 to the goal line. Sam Paulescu's one punt was fielded 52 yards from the LOS and was returned. Brett Kern's one punt was fielded 42 yards from the line of scrimmage with more hang time and wasn't returned. Both held for extra points and field goal attempts. Eddie Royal had two kick off returns for 47 yds, Clifford Russell had one for 27, Anthony Aldridge one for 24 and Andre Hall one for 20. Glenn Martinez fielded one punt for two yards. The leading special teams tackler was Wesley Woodyard with three including the stop on Matt Turk who tried to advance a punt attempt for a first down and came up one yard short; ball over to Denver on downs-big play. Clifford Russell had two special teams tackles, and Michael Pittman forced a fumble which Cecil Sapp recovered.

Defense:

The only sack was shared by linebacker Jordan Beck and defensive tackle Steven Harris. There were no picks. Boss Bailey injured his bad ankle and his backup, Louis Green, injured his neck and suffered a concussion. The Broncos are extremely lucky to have Jamie Winborn who switched from DJ Williams backup to first team strong side linebacker and did a great job. That put Jordan Beck as DJ Williams backup where he played as weak side linebacker during the second half. Nate Webster had one tackle and two assists and a flying helmet. Niko Koutouvides and Spencer Larsen each had four assists. The most outstanding starter was Domonique Foxworth with three solo and two assists including a 5 yd tackle for loss. He is making his case. The defense was without DeWayne Robertson and Champ Bailey and very quickly lost Boss and Louis. The interior defensive line played well with Kenny Peterson logging two solos and Marcus Thomas had one. The defensive ends need to step up. I expect some shuffling/experimenting there. Ebenezer Ekuban had two solos and two assists and an offsides penalty.

The second teamers in the second half produced the leading tacklers:
Josh Barrett: 7 solo and 6 assists
Jordan Beck: 5 solo, 3 assists, 1/2 sack
Wesley Woodyard: 5 solo, 1 assist
LaMont Reid and Christian Morton had 4 solos each with the latter including a 7 yd sack.

Josh Barrett's detractors have described him as looking like Tarzan and playing like Jane. If so, Jane had a hearty meal of roast Texan Saturday night which was fresh-kill. He was in the box, often lining up over the TE in a 9 tech on the line of scrimmage. Having heard nothing about Wesley Woodyard from training camp reports, he suddenly exploded during the game making big plays on special teams and defense. On running plays these two totally attack the line of scrimmage. Josh Barrett came down the line of scrimmage several times and I didn't even notice him until he was the last guy to get up from the bottom of the pile. I had to pause the DVR and advance it one click at a time just to figure out where he came from. Wesley Woodyard and Josh Barrett also have great speed for guys their size. They seem to work well with Spencer Larsen and Jordan Beck. The linebacker depth and Jim Ryan's great coaching was very much in need and it all came through.

I expect to see more from the Broncos in next week's game with the Dallas Cowboys besides the vanilla O & D which they showed ... except not during practice ... with Dallas, that is.

CBS Channel 4 in Denver gets a C+/B- and an A for effort. The box guys need binoculars ... or bifocals. The director needs more monitors and helpers and to stop showing graphics instead of THE PLAY WE'RE MISSING. Also, how about more replays? But, hey, thanks for broadcasting the game. Do it again ... please?

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What to Watch?: vs. Houston

Throughout the preseason and possibly into the regular season we will feature a column called "What to Watch?" it will point out the inside stories that Denver fans should be aware of. Hopefully adding value (as if there needed to be) to the game the Broncos will be playing this week.

According to Mike Shanahan the following players will not suit: Champ Bailey, Tom Nalen, DeWayne Robertson, Hamza Abdullah and Dre Bly will only be out on nickel formations.

On Saturday the Denver Broncos will play at the Houston Texans, here is a few notes on potentially interesting sidebars.

Mario Williams vs. Ryan Clady: Mario Williams, the controversial number one draft pick from three seasons ago, held his coming out party last season against Denver, sacking quarterback Jay Cutler three times. Reversing many fans protests, who had previously felt that Reggie Bush may have been a much better choice with that draft pick. Denver fans are ready to proclaim Ryan Clady the next Gary Zimmerman, but the first quarter on Saturday will be the first challenge that Clady will face. Will, 'Sweet Feet,' hold true to his nickname and dominate Mario Williams or will he be rudely welcomed to the NFL by the future prototype at defensive end?

Eddie Royal: We've heard the reports and Mike Shanahan has given the start at wide receiver to the rookie Eddie Royal. Though Houston itself is young and very inexperienced in their secondary, they still have more experience than Royal and they will be looking to impress early. Denver is very heavy at wide receiver and a lot of players need to get looks at that position and Eddie Royal has veteran receiver Darrell Jackson breathing down his neck. It's an uphill battle and the rookie will probably only get a quarter, along with whatever opportunities that brings, to look good. That means perfect pass routes, blocking and hands. Dropped passes are a killer and can quickly lose a young receiver's confidence, along with the confidence of a quarterback and the coaching staff.

Selvin Young/Andre Hall battle: Selvin Young has proclaimed himself the number one back in Denver, but Andre Hall has been quiet and very impressive so far in training camp. As fans have seen neither lost an opportunity to shine when given the option last season. The battle is Young's to lose, but Hall will be facing less talented defenses. That being the case, Selvin Young will need to continue his 5.2 yard per carry average. Mostly where Young will win or lose the position battle is picking up blitzes in pass blocking and in catching the ball out of the backfield. Where Hall will need improve is in short yardage situations, we know that Hall can break a forty-yard run, we need to see constant four to six yard runs from him. Where both backs can prove their are the uncontested number one is in goal line situations. That's where the Denver Broncos were counting on rookie Ryan Torain to have an impact, his injury leaves a gap that either Andre Hall or Selvin Young will need to fill.

Jay Cutler: No, you'll find no mention of the quarterback's diabetes. Where Jay Cutler will need to improve is in his check offs. Yes, we've seen the, "No look pass," in training camp, but camp goers have seen that Cutler stares down a wide receiver. This doesn't work with Champ Bailey or Dre Bly in practice and it won't work for any of the lesser corners in the NFL. The expectations for Jay Cutler this season are sky high and the prophecy is that Cutler will help coach Mike Shanahan six-pete on quarterbacks having career years in their third season in Shanahan's offense.

Ryan Harris: There has been loads of disinformation on the internet regarding last year's third-round draft pick. Here will be Denver's first chance to see what the truth is. Ryan Harris will most likely get at least two-quarters this game.

Marcus Thomas: The second-year defensive tackle earned his spot on the first-team in training camp. Now he'll have to prove he deserves it and starting next to DeWayne Robertson might be the easiest chance he gets to do that. Robertson will draw double-teams leaving Thomas one-on-one with a guard. It wasn't easy for anyone to look good on Denver's defensive line last season, but this season there won't be any excuses. A year wiser, Marcus Thomas needs to prove that Denver doesn't need to target a highly regarded and highly paid defensive tackle (Albert Haynesworth) next off-season.

Niko Koutouvides vs. Nate Webster: Their two day rotation in training camp isn't exactly encouraging. Both are talented and all though Nate Webster started last season in Denver a lot of his impressive production was a due to the defensive scheme funneling backs to the linebackers. Niko Koutouvides has been a skull cracker on special teams his whole NFL career and has played the last several seasons in Lofa Tatupu's shadow. Early observations from camp show Nate Webster to play with reckless abandon, which allows him to light someone up, at the same time leaving him very vulnerable to missed tackles. Niko Koutouvides, appears to lack a bit of closing speed, but flourishes in pass coverage.

Dre Bly vs. Domonique Foxworth: Though this game will most likely not be the game to judge, as Dre Bly will reportedly not play outside of nickel formations. This opens up the door even farther of Domonique Foxworth, who can now go up against the Houston Texans first-team offense. With Champ Bailey out and Dre Bly seeing very limited action Domonique Foxworth, Karl Paymah and rookie Jack Williams will all see plenty of action in the secondary going against the very talented quarterback duo of Matt Shaub and Sage Rosenfeld.

Nate Jackson vs. Tony Scheffler: This has kind of been the quiet battle of training camp. Nate Jackson has been seeing more time with the first-team offense than Tony Scheffler, often times in practice Jackson is even split out as a wide receiver. When Denver resigned Nate Jackson this off-season, the strength of his contract put pressure on him to perform at a higher level than he has over the past three seasons. The casualty of that signing may have been Tony Scheffler, Jay Cutler's favorite target. Scheffler has constantly stepped up to the plate over the last two seasons though, no matter where he may have been on the depth chart. Both Jackson and Scheffler have been plagued by injuries over their time in the NFL and this may be Denver's way of insuring that no matter who it is playing their second tight end position, they are interchangeable.

Marquand Manuel & Marlon McCree: Marquand Manuel and Marlon McCree are known for their intense hitting ability, which at times borderlines on illegal. That alone makes them worthy of joining the incredible pedigree that his Denver's safety position. While Marquand Manuel is stepping in for the resting Hamza Abdullah, don't be surprised if he is able to push Abdullah down a roster spot. He is officially listed behind Marlon McCree on the depth chart, but will see time along side him this week vs. Houston.

Jarvis Moss: Another player that has been the subject of erroneous training camp reports is defensive end Jarvis Moss. Moss will rotate in at the defensive end position with the first-team defense on rushing downs and with the second-team he should see time during both passing and receiving downs. Fans should get the opportunity to see for themselves what type of player Denver has at defensive end.

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Denver Broncos Training Camp Day 11 (Morning) Report

Out of pads: Hamza Abdullah (groin), Tom Nalen (knee), Chad Mustard (hamstring), Champ Bailey (hamstring) and Montrae Holland. Don't stress about Champ Bailey, I think he was just sitting out to give his friend Domonique Foxworth an equal amount of first-team reps as Dre Bly.

• The absence of Champ Bailey also affected another corner backs first-team reps, Karl Paymah, forgot about him didn't you? That's because the Broncos spent a lot of their eleven-on-eleven drills in the nickel formation.

Eddie Royal takes on the entire Denver defense.

• Cracking into the first-team were Nate Jackson, replacing Tony Scheffler at tight end and as expected middle linebacker Nate Webster replaced Niko Koutouvides in the middle (continuing their two day rotation).
  
  
• Right tackle Ryan Harris is still on his upward slope as far as solidifying himself as the right tackle goes. He's miles ahead of where he was on day one or two of training camp.
  
  
• As Jarvis Moss continues to make his case as a legitimate threat at defensive end. Though he wasn't able to get past Ryan Harris, he continues to embarrass the second-time offensive line. At one point in the eleven-on-eleven he had notched what would have been a loss of yardage tackle and a would be sack on back to back plays.

Ryan Clady shows a defensive end how not to stunt like his daddy.

• It wasn't all good for rookie Ryan Clady, Elvis Dumervil beat him during team scrimmage for a sack on Jay Cutler.
  
  
• Backup quarterback Patrick Ramsey continued to bore, unless you're a defensive fan, then he was the most entertaining player on the field.
  
  
• The other backup quarterback Darrell Hackney connected with receiver Eddie Royal for a deep pass that ended with Royal being pushed out of bounds.
  
  
• Tony Scheffler made the best of his time with Jay Cutler, snatching a ball that went for a 70+ yards ending in a touchdown.
  
  
• Kicker Matt Prater answered the, "Toro," call fourteen times in a row. Prater was exhausted after kicking field goals consistently with never more than 20 seconds on the clock. Prater went 13 of 14, missing on a 58-yarder. However, fans of Denver should look forward to more last second heart attack field goals, should it come to that for the Broncos this season.
  

They're all in the bag...

Good friend Adam Schefter at NFL Network is reporting that the Denver Broncos have signed their first round pick Ryan Clady.

Terms of the contract appear to be: five years worth $17.5 million, with $11.5 of that million guaranteed.

The Broncos now have every draft pick signed and may look to add further veteran depth in the near future. Possibly free agent linebacker Takeo Spikes?

Broncos sign rookie corner Jack Williams

The Denver Post is reporting that the Broncos have just signed Kent State corner back Jack Williams.

This leaves just two players for the Broncos to sign before Thursday. First round pick and assumed starting left tackle Ryan Clady and second round pick wide receiver/kick-off messiah Eddie Royal.

Williams will make a very good push on current dime corner Karl Paymah. However, having signed a four-year contract, he will most likely emerge in his second season, as both Paymah and Domonique Foxworth will be unrestricted free agents this coming off-season.

The bad news for current Broncos with these two remaining unsigned rookies, is that we will most likely see two more cuts from the current Denver roster.

2008 Game by Game Preview: Week 7 New England, Week 8 Bye Week

With the NFL Preseason weeks away we here at Broncos Denver Broncos will be previewing the entire season ahead, two games at a time. This is all in fun, but in reality it will be our best effort at predicting how the 2008 season will actually shape up for the Broncos. It should be fun to look back in January or February and laugh...

So here goes any credibility that we have, hope that you enjoy and feel free to add, subtract or crack my orange tinted glasses in half. Just do it in the comment section:

Week 7 (Mon. October 20th, 2008)
at New England.

some facts: Denver and New England are tied for 2nd in the NFL for Super Bowl berths, with 6. Denver was the 6th team in the NFL to go to back to back Super Bowls, New England was the 7th. Denver was the only AFC team to do it in two decades, until New England joined them. Patriot's coach Bill Belichick and Mike Shanahan are the only active coaches to have won two Super Bowls and are members of an elite fraternity (12 coaches) to have ever won two Super Bowls. Since 1995 (under Shanahan) Denver is third (130-78-0) for most wins in the NFL, New England is first (135-73-0). In that same time span Denver is third in the NFL for points scored (5,079), while New England is fourth (4,883). Shanahan is 8-3 against the Patriots as a head coach, 4-2 at home and 4-1 at Foxborough. In the 2003-2004 seasons New England surpassed Denver's record of most wins in a two-year span (33), setting it at 34. Champ Bailey had one of the most dramatic interceptions in NFL Playoff history picking off New England's Tom Brady in the end-zone on January 14th, 2006, setting an NFL record for longest interception return not for a touchdown. Bailey's career was foreshadowed when he picked off former New England quarterback Drew Bledsoe in his first preseason game, returning it 46 yards for a touchdown. In 2005's regular season corner back Domonique Foxworth had 10 total tackles against New England (the second highest in his career). Denver tight end Daniel Graham was drafted by New England in the first round in 2002. Both safeties John Lynch and Marlon McCree's last interceptions took place against New England. McCree's best game in 2007 was played against New England (10 total tackles, 6 solo).

They're going to 'murdah' me for this one, but it is undeniable that Shanahan has owned the Patriots, whether it be in Denver or Foxborough. Actually the Patriots would probably be better off if this game were in Denver. Last year, as stupid as it sounded, the Patriots were lucky that they didn't have to play against Denver, with the way that teams were playing every game against them as if it were the Super Bowl (see the game vs. the Ravens or any game following week 7).

New England has the least difficult strength of schedule of anybody in the NFL (go figure) and partly because they're playing the AFC West. This is also likely the most difficult game that Denver will have all season, given the respect for the opponent coupled with the fact that the game is on Monday Night Football, the team should shine. That as well as the fact that the team has nothing to look forward to the next week except a well deserved break, following the most difficult stretch of their season.

Expect many players to step up in this game that haven't been necessarily heard from before. As always when Denver plays New England, fans will see formations on both sides of the ball that they haven't seen all season. Look at how great some of these match-ups will be, Champ Bailey vs. Randy Moss, Ryan Clady vs. Richard Seymour/Mike Vrabel, Tom Brady vs. Denver's Secondary, Boss Bailey vs. Ben Watson, Daniel Graham/Tony Schefler vs. Tedy Bruschi/Victor Hobson, Dre Bly vs. Wes Welker, et cetera...

New England for whatever reason, seems to never be able to defend against the safety blitz, when it comes to Denver (or even certain other AFC West teams). Denver had extreme trouble competing with teams that played the 3-4/5-2, the good news is this season, by this game, they will have already faced two of the best 3-4/5-2 defenses the NFL has to offer in Jacksonville and San Diego. So the Broncos offensive line will hopefully be ready for whatever it is that New England has to throw at them.

The scary part is on defense for the Broncos. Do they have what it takes to defend a full-on Brady attack? I think that they do, even with the likely emergence of Chad Jackson and Jabar Gaffney the talent in the secondary in Denver is going to be too much for anyone this season. Couple that with the fact that Brady will be avoiding joint rushes from Marlon McCree and John Lynch the whole game.

In the end, this will be the definitive game that makes the rest of the NFL take a look back and say, "Huh? These guys are really that good," and I'm looking forward to it. Got my tickets to Gillette Stadium already.

Denver emerges from Week 7, victorious 6-1, as they head into a perfectly timed Bye Week.

Week 8 (Sun. October 26th, 2008)
Bye Week.

Denver comes off the most difficult part of their entire schedule with a much deserved one-week vacation. Back to Denver to prepare for Miami and lick their wounds, in the upcoming weeks they face Miami, Cleveland (in Cleveland) and Atlanta (in Atlanta).

Denver is 6-1 with their sights set on Miami.

Camp Battles- Right Tackle: Ryan Harris vs. Chris Kuper vs. Erik Pears

Ryan Harris, coming out of Notre Dame was described as a 'finesse blocker,' on most scouting reports. He dropped to the Broncos in the third-round because he was considered under-sized. Which scares most teams, but with Denver it's almost a prerequisite.

Young Harris was injured in preseason and was forced to undergo surgery on his back. Which caused him to miss most of the preseason not have an opportunity to play until the game vs. Pittsburgh (which also happened to be the same game Chris Kuper got an opportunity to play).

For most of the season he played predominately on special teams (10 games), but saw time as a right tackle against Kansas City and auditioned at left tackle in the season finale against Minnesota. Prior to the team taking Ryan Clady in the first-round of this years' draft, Shanahan had mentioned Harris as the potential starting left tackle in Denver.

The Upside: We haven't even seen the best out of Harris, his learning curve was steep, missing preseason, where he would have gotten valuable experience. He's fast, and the fact that he's not 300 lbs. doesn't really hurt him with Denver's scheme. He started nearly every game as a left tackle for Notre Dame and put up very impressive numbers. He's also versatile, which makes him a very viable option, as Denver likes to suit as few as six or seven offensive linemen on game day.

The Downside: His health and his salary may force him to either make or break this season. He's not a bruising lineman, he won't be knocking anyone on their butt. He also doesn't have the professional experience that any of the other linemen competing for his position have. Denver did not have enough faith that he could be their starting left tackle and used their first-round pick in this years' draft to replace him.

Chris Kuper exper- ienced a trial by fire last season taking over for former Bronco Chris Myers, who was switched to center to fill-in for the injured Tom Nalen. Kuper played very well for Denver, on a line that had lost its' two best players very early in the season.

Kuper showed why he was a two-time All-American at the University of North Dakota, stepping up in his second season as a Bronco to help Denver once again place amongst the NFL's best in rushing yards.

Kuper is the leader early in the battle for right tackle, but as you can see faces stiff competition.

The Upside: He can play, last season he came in having only had experience blocking on special teams and immediately took over as left guard during the game against Pittsburgh. He has spent time with Denver playing four positions on the offensive line. He's certainly big enough to anchor that right side and can hold his own with out reinforcement from a tight end. This is only his third season and given his proven ability, he doesn't have to start this season to be a force for a long time in Denver.

The Downside: Kuper was also the starting Right Guard going into the training camp last season. However, poor performance led to him being demoted and Montrae Holland quickly took over and never let go of the position. Kuper's trying to take over a position that Erik Pears played the whole season in 2007.

Erik Pears a Colorado native was the starting right tackle for Denver in 2007. Pears is a monster listed at 6'8" 305 lbs. and has the ability to literally manhandle most of what the NFL can throw at him.

He was the undisputed starting right tackle in only his second-season as a professional. In 2006 he took over at left tackle for an injured Matt Lepsis and started 11 games. In 2005 Pears spent time on Denver's practice squad, but made the All-NFL Europe team, playing some tackle, but mostly guard for the Cologne Centurions.

Pears is also believed to be, if there is such a thing, the primary competition for Clady at left tackle as well.

The Upside: As I said, he's a monster, literally possessing the skills to dismantle an opposing defensive end or an eager outside linebacker. He's a "Denver lineman," in every aspect, with the exception that he is so big, but at 6'8", 305 lbs. he's still smaller than most NFL tackles. He's young and has never missed an NFL start due to injury and has been playing in Colorado his whole life.

The Downside: Pears has been a part of an offensive line in Denver that has got progressively worse over the last five years. In both rushing and sacks allowed Denver has went from top 5 to lower top 10. The sacks can be attributed a lot to quarterback Jay Cutler's insistence on playing from the pocket and inexperience, but you can also point directly to a tackle like Pears and scratch your chin a little.

Broncos Denver Broncos Training Camp Battle Winner: The fans of Denver? (just kidding). Erik Pears, unless "Sweet Feet," suffers a setback, then Pears would take over at left and I think Denver takes a shot with Ryan Harris.

Preparing for the '09 Draft; pars quarta:

If you have read the first three parts, especially "pars tertia", we have attempted to establish a rational basis for discussing the '09 NFL Draft. Previously, a likely group of players of interest for the Broncos was presented drawn only from college Seniors in '08. What happens when Juniors come out? It changes much and reshuffles the overall ranking of players. Look what happened prior to the '08 Draft. A bunch of Juniors joined an already deep group. There were several highly regarded RBs among them. They (McFadden, Mendenhall, Stewart, Rice) crowded into the upper echelons of the pool and changed the order. Had that not happened, I doubt if the Broncos would have been able to pick either Ryans (Clady or Torain) with the picks they utilized.

What will happen in '09? Juniors will come out as they have regularly done. How many will impact the first round of the Draft? Hard to say because all of them won't come out, but a guess would be 8-10 first rounders. What this may do is shuffle Seniors of interest to the Broncos within their reach. It may also introduce a new player of interest for whom Denver might be willing to trade up. What Seniors of interest might be shuffled within reach? As indicated in "pars tertia", Duke Robinson, G, OU and Aaron Curry, OLB, Wake Forest might be considered, especially the former. Just as a Clady is seldom available, the same could be said for Duke and it might solidify Cutler's blind side for years to come. Another FS for whom the Broncos might trade up is William Moore, FS, Missouri, 6-1, 224, 117 tkl, 2 sk, 7 tfl, 6 pbu and 8 int in '07. Due to its depth, '08 was a good year to acquire many rookies, but the need for quantity vs. targeted quality will pass eventually.

Could there be Juniors of interest for whom Denver might trade up? I'm thinking Taylor Mays, FS, USC, 6-3, 225, 65 tkl, 6 pbu, 1 int in '07. I think, on paper anyway, that he makes me think of ... Josh Barrett? Which is another thing we won't know until the end of this year; how will Barrett do? A stellar season on his part could change the outlook on the '09 Draft. What about Brandon Spikes, ILB, FLA, 6-3, 242, 131 tkl, 1.5 sk, 14.5 tfl and 7 pbu in '07? Make anybody think ... Al Wilson? Again, we don't know how Niko Koutouvides and Spencer Larsen will do in '08. If MLB moves up as a priority, I would expect the Broncos to be interested in Spikes and Laurinaitis and Maualuga as well. On the other hand Niko and Spencer might do so well that MLB could be moved to the back burner for awhile. Shanahan will only contemplate trading up for a certain player who is so good at a certain needy position that sacrifices will be made in order to obtain him.

What if Barrett and Wesley Woodyard are doing well as FS and box S, and Koutouvides and Larsen are fine at MLB/ST? An influx of highly regarded Juniors might bump some Seniors from the first to the second round. The presence of Mays and others might push Courtney Greene (who might actually be every bit as good a FS) to the second round. It's a possible scenario. In it, Denver might be able to get Robinson and Greene thus filling a couple of definite needs with well-regarded prospects.

Preparing for the 2009 Draft; pars secunda:

Having previously established (in my own tiny mind, that is) the definite needs for the Broncos in the 2009 draft (TE, G, FS), how might we expect the club to go about targeting and scouting the pool of college players at those positions? Denver currently employs almost a dozen college scouts. When you consider the coaching staff has three strength and conditioning coaches, eleven position coaches, two coordinators w/two assistants and an associate head coach, that's a lot of guys in the organization (not counting several others who are also involved) specializing in scouting and evaluating college talent. Compared to the number of people who openly express their opinions on the internet just prior to the draft it doesn't seem like many, but these Bronco employees do this every day for a living. For some football teams, eleven is larger than the whole coaching staff.
In addition to specific areas of need, some approach to the issues of draft position, need vs. talent at each choice, quality vs. quantity overall and available assets for maneuver is formulated. In '06, Mike Shanahan managed to trade up for Jay Cutler in the first, taking another offensive player (Tony Scheffler) in the second. Seven players were drafted in '06, mostly on offense. In '07 Shanahan once again traded up for Jarvis Moss in the first, picking another defensive player (Tim Crowder) in the second. Other moves were made which resulted in only four players being drafted in '07, three on defense. Mike picked a good year to go for volume drafting nine in the deep '08 pool of college football players. Five of them play offensive positions, and the first three guys picked were on O, too. Need at most positions caused Shanahan to stay pat, in spite of the many experts predicting trades and deals. It may be that '08 will be remembered for quantity and quality.

There is much current speculation concerning a projected record for the Broncos in '08. Estimates vary, but even the most pessimistic call for a winning season. Where will they pick? My guess is not before #20. So much can happen between now and April '09. We don't even know who will make the team yet in a year when almost all roster spots, including LS, are very hotly contested. Injuries and retirements will almost certainly occur, some sooner and others much later. Caveat emptor. With that in mind, revisit the previous paragraph. Did anyone notice a pattern? The trend would seem to indicate a defensive player in the first round of '09.

After inventorying the current roster in "pars prima", I'll predict the Broncos will draft a FS in the first round of the '09 NFL Draft. When observing the process, in the first round anyway, matching a need with the best player available seems to be the goal. Ryan Clady is a perfect combination of the two. There were so many needs in '08 that Shanahan had to use a trade, c.15(?) UFAs and 7 CFAs as well as the 9 draftees to bring in over 30 new faces. The first round could have been MLB, DT or S (as many had speculated-Kenny Phillips), but when Clady was there it seemed, in my opinion, a no brainer. There is still much residual grousing about not taking a big-name RB, but that may be more than water under the bridge as Denver has assembled an interesting and promising group.

The very best MLBs in '09 will be gone before #20 unless Shanahan can move way up. It is possible that salary cap considerations could produce a need at CB, but I hope not. When April (month of the boar?) rolls around again, there may be a lingering perceived need on the DL, but once again the best will be gone by the time Denver picks. Current trends would indicate a defensive player and the previous process of elimination is my way of boiling it down to FS.

Two previously undiscussed variables are Juniors coming out and the NFL Combine. Those just need to await analysis (ever notice the first four letters of that word?) until after they happen. Well, having predicted the first round will bring the Broncos a FS, I suppose you'd like me to make a prediction of exactly who it will be? OK. Courtney Greene, FS, Rutgers, 6'2" 210lb., leading tackler in '07 (101 TT, 1 SK, 4 PBU and 1 INT).

I challenge all other blogs, pundits and ... dudes. You heard it here (although I don't think Ian will agree) first.

Links!

Hi everyone, sorry about the lack of content today (not that there's a lack of news), what with News organizations still reporting the hardcore facts about Brandon Marshall's traffic ticket (from three days ago). As you know from below Denver's started to actually sign draft picks that the team made in April, which is nothing but great news, because if we weren't going to sign them then we should have just traded those picks away and got someone like Eagles cornerback Lito Shepard or maybe we could have packaged this year's first, second and third along with next year's second for Devin Hester...

OKAY, I've been spending entirely too much time on the message boards today. Can't wait for Madden and I can make some of these things happen (I'm such a better GM than Shanahan). Seriously though, I did write a little bit today.

Bronco Madness was nice enough to give me a guest blog spot, so what did I do? I guest blogged, you can check out, "Life without Brandon Marshall?" I present the very likely situation that Brandon Marshall may not be able to suit for a couple games this season. Send Bronco Madness some love and check it out.

Here's a paragraph:

"...Marshall emerged last season, not just as Jay Cutler’s “go to” guy (I’ll still argue that’s Tony Scheffler anyway), he came out of the woodwork and had fans in awe saying things like, “My God, they can’t tackle him!” Didn’t even need a deep bomb with him, give him the ball three yards off the line of scrimmage, he may run for 70 yards to gain 15, but we knew he would get that 15…"

Now onto some more links (Hi Mom! Hi Dad!):

• Jay Cutler, "Bus [Brett Favre's agent] is from Mississippi. I can't understand half the things he says anyway." Some Packer's site interviews both Cutler and John Elway, who are at the same event and only grills them about Brett Favre. Thanks guys, I'll be sure to return the favor. When I see Brett on Saturday I'm only going to ask him about how hot Cameron Diaz is in real life!
• Speaking of John Elway, he has been named recipient of the Brodie Award, recognizing an individual’s accomplishments in both a chosen profession and in the sport of golf.
• Legworld curses Ryan Clady, Eddie Royal and the other Broncos' draft picks by saying they're, "Playing by the book." They haven't been signed yet, nor have they spent too much time with Brandon Marshall, what are they going to ball out on their parents credit cards? I think this might actually be the reason Denver waits so long to sign them...
• Some douche at The Bleacher Report says that the "Chargers will go 16-0," I really shouldn't even have linked to that. He also says Denver will go 9-7 and miss the playoffs. However, if you look at his whole AFC Breakdown Denver would make the playoffs based on their 9-7. I'm loving ripping these guys today. (Sorry).
• Want to see Day One of the Broncos Cheerleaders photos? Me either.
• Rasizer (who writes for Rocky Mountain News as well) also says the Broncos will go 9-7, but doesn't really say why. In other news, Rasizer will be voting for Truman in the upcoming election, in November.
• Highlights from Ryan Torain at the 2008 NFL Combine.
• NBC Sports thinks that the Broncos, "are expecting low-level free agent signings to solve their shortcomings defending the run." Personally, I'm expecting Bob Slowik himself to solve our shortcomings defending the run.
• Bronco Madness is handing out Broncos Blogger Awards! Vote for us for Rookie of the Year! (I don't actually think they allow voting, we'll see).
• BroncoTalk breaks down rookie kicker Garrett Hartley. (We actually appreciate it, because we can barely find information on the guy, yet for some reason, I feel like he may win out the position battle.)
• UPDATE: armchairgm.com says that New England will lose to Denver (and maybe San Diego), because Shanahan, "has had Bill Belichick’s [number] these past couple years and they have the combination of a strong running game and a talented defense that gives the Patriots fits." A humble Pat's fan? Really?
  

That's what I've got folks, see you later today.

Links!

It's the rut, what is it two more weeks until training camp? Who will win out at middle linebacker? Who's going to be the second wide receiver on the depth chart? How will Bob Slowik's defense shape up? Will Selvin Young keep the starting job throughout the preseason or are we going to see Michael Pittman, Andre Hall or Ryan Torain starting against Oakland? Are we going to see the youngins- Jay Cutler, Brandon Marshall, Marcus Thomas, Selvin Young, Tony Scheffler and Jarvis Moss step into the players we're all sure that they can be (some have already made significant movements in the right direction). Is Eddie Royal the next Devin Hester? Or should we have drafted DeSean Jackson?

The journey to knowing is sure to be a fun one. Here's some things I've stumbled upon this morning, hope everyone had a great Independence Day and for our Canadian and Mexican readers, hope that you had a wonderful weekend.

Okay, first up, I stumbled on this site, thanks to Josh Temple at BroncoTalk. The blog Orange Bucksnorts features a column called "Cream of the Crop" which takes the best of message board posts, comments from articles at the Denver Post and wherever else fans or players may be quoted or writing, and displays them along with commentary.

Here's a beautiful example and I agree with Hercules, it may be one of the best things I've ever read, ever. It's to the Denver Post's Woody Paige:

Dears Woodrow Tiberius Grandfather Woodchuck,

First quest, can I has Jay Cutler autograph? He hard to get from east coast.

Second, before Bronco draft in makey chat Denver Post you say Bronco not high on Clady. Then Bronco pick Clady. Why Bronco not high on Clady? Was they makey wrong choice before draft to makey other team think not choice? I watch youtoob and clady pan cake guy to ground hard then fall on guy as get up. Fall on guy as get up! Like ton of brick house! Mean spirit guy we need guy this makey all the plays.

Three, sorry guy in first quest. Secon rushmore Chanp Baily. Three rushmore Steve Atwater cause megaton Okoye hit on monday night, call see play before happen, I dont care what guys say he there cause that. Four is reserve Jay Cutsler and is megaton propeller arm fully upgrade diabetes checked Elway cross return to stomach of receives.

Thank you Grandfather Woodchuck. Mighty Bronco wisdom man. May no disease toad rain on family area abode.

Horvil Tiki

I died a little laughing so hard, you can visit the blog here. Horvil, whoever you are, you have a spot on our site whenever you'd like.

Some links:

• Jay Cutler injures Golfer Jay Hass at a wedding, while throwing him a pass. He was also a groomsman at the wedding for his old backup QB.(We're digging deep here folks, did I mention it's not preseason yet?)
• The International Herald Tribune reports Barack Obama will accept the Democratic nomination at Invesco Field at Mile High.
• Spencer Larsen played fullback for a couple weeks, but says he'll probably stay at linebacker. (I think we all knew that, but it was posted).
• Under owner Pat Bowlen, the Broncos have averaged 10.471 victories per season over 24 years.
• Kissing Suzy Kolber reviewed Stefan Fastis' new book and it's hilarious (and tons of quotes you'll never get from the Broncos on any official websites).
  

And that's that, this week, we've got Sam previewing the 2009 draft for Denver and I'll be breaking down the season ahead. Of course we'll keep you up-to-date if any news breaks (such as the signing of any draft picks), I'll also be guest blogging over at Bronco Madness with Garret and the guys, so check them out. Hopefully I'll be able to contribute something soon to those great guys at BroncoTalk as well.

Oh and Hercules (Orange Bucksnorts), you've got a new fan.

About last night... :-P

Sorry about the lack of posts yesterday, I had some personal issues and now I'm posting the first part of a two part blog that I'll have up completely by tomorrow.

By the way, don't be scared to comment (on Sam's articles, not mine, I'll argue with a brick wall about its thickness). We appreciate you guys checking us out, sometimes multiple times a day looking for content and we're getting ready to kick it into fifth gear before we get into training camp.

Here's some links:

Montrae Holland speaks so Ryan Clady doesn't have to.
I'm done talking about Javon Walker, but the Bellagio says his story's incorrect.
And the Broncos wish him well.
Keyshawn Johnson's got something to say about it too on TMZ.
Former Bronco Mike Anderson may be suspended.

Exam Study Guide/aka P-notes

OFFENSIVE LINE

The news that Jay Cutler has Type 1 Diabetes actually tends to explain a few things: weight loss, fatigue. Of how many jobs can you think where doctors and trainers and concerned companions are constantly hovering about? My own take is that he will be fine and have a breakout season. The cause of my optimism is the OL. Offense begins and ends with them.


In '07, Lepsis returned to LT from a season ending '06 injury. Erik Pears moved to RT. Montrae Holland filled RG in place of the departed Cooper Carlisle. Tom Nalen and Ben Hamilton lined up in their customary spots. No, wait ... Ben Hamilton has a "spinal cord concussion" which can't be good. Out for the year. That's OK, Chris Myers comes in at LG. Zap! Tom Nalen tears a bicep and is also out for the rest of the season. Myers moves to C and Chris Kuper comes in at LG. The only backups are rookie Ryan Harris, PJ Alexander and ... Chad Mustard in a pinch? Pretty thin.
Lepsis has an off year, Pears struggles. Kuper does well as does Myers. Holland actually plays very consistently well for a guy new to the "system". Then, boom, Myers is traded. Nalen and Hamilton are said to be returning, but still thin on the OL. The rebu ..., sorry, transition, commences.

Casey Wiegmann, formerly of the Chiefs, and almost as old as Nalen (who will be deified just as Herakles) is signed. Not too auspicious for a youth movement. Then things start to happen. OT Ryan Clady is #1 draft pick, and C/G Kory Lichtensteiger is #4a. Tyler Polumbus and Mitch Erickson are CFAs and Dylan Gandy from the Colts is added afterward. As of this post there are thirteen OL headed for training camp and all but two are under 30 years of age; eight are 26 years old or younger. The two oldest guys are centers as is a rookie. Presto, a reb ... new OL.

Shanahan announces that Clady is LT which might as well happen for this enormously talented young man who appears to be a prototype at his position. Erik Pears is now the backup LT which is a good move because it seems he was better on the left and he has much experience. One thing some don't know about him is that he played G in NFL Europa (Koln/Cologne Centurions?). For the moment Ben Hamilton is back at LG, but he could be one hard hit away from forced retirement. That is where the brilliance of the Gandy acquisition shines. The same can be said of Wiegmann in the event that Tom Nalen runs down. Montrae Holland is the only OL in the same spot from the end of '07. He doesn't seem like a typical Denver OL, but he's fitting in and may even be better in '08. Chris Kuper, who earned his spurs in '07 as a G is competing with Ryan Harris at RT.

With the age of the centers becoming more of an issue every season, it appears that Lichtensteiger was drafted to be a C. He's coming off a shoulder (ouch) injury and won't be ready to practice until training camp. It is possible he could be IR/PUP after camp. Barring extensive injuries, the clock on PJ Alexander's NFL career may be winding down. I doubt if he's eligible for the Practice Squad, nor do I think he'd be interested if he was. However, that's where Tyler Polumbus and Mitch Erickson may find themselves after camp unless disaster strikes the OL two years in a row.

So, guys who can play C=Nalen, Wiegmann, Hamilton, Lichtensteiger, Kuper, Gandy.
Guys who can play G=Holland, Hamilton, Gandy, Kuper, Harris, Lichtensteiger, Pears, Wiegmann, Erickson, Alexander.

Offensive Tackles=Clady, Pears, Kuper, Harris, Polumbus, Erickson.

Nine OL will probably be on the roster. We'll just need to wait and see how Hamilton and Nalen (just had his knee scoped) do. This group is sufficiently deep to sustain some losses. Don't forget that R. Harris was on the roster but not available at the start of '07 (back surgery) which is why last year's OL situation was so precarious.

Why am I optimistic for the OL in '08? Two or almost two deep means lots of vigorous reps in practice especially for the youngsters. I bet that didn't happen last year because of the lack of depth. Until he does otherwise, I expect Clady to play LT from now on. He's young, has a lot of upside and probably a high learning curve. I hope Nalen, Hamilton and Wiegmann can play this whole year in order to give the young guys veteran leadership and a sense of direction before they hang it up. I expect Holland, Kuper, Gandy, Pears, Harris and Lichtensteiger to be around for years to come and to get better as they go along. The latter five can play more than one spot on the OL (Kuper can do them all).

When this season is over, I hope my optimism will seem to have been justified. It may seem farfetched now, but I can see this group knocking people down for the runners, building a wall for pass pro and closing ranks when one needs to step out, and not miss a beat in the process.

And now, a moment of silence. Requiescat in Pace, Tim Russert.

Vale/Be strong,
Sam