Denver Broncos Discussion

[Diehard]

Originally Posted by Chris

It would just baffle me if they didn't draft one in the first round. I really think that they will miss out on Thompson in the second, and Ta'amu is a 50/50 pick to be there. I could see the Steelers nabbing him right before us then if they don't address that need in round one.

I'm not certain we'll end up picking at #25 when all is said and done:

* Pittsburgh is ahead of us, so any defensive prospect who slides down will likely go before we pick

* Houston is behind us, making #25 a desirable spot for someone to trade into to grab a receiver

The Vikings, Browns, Jaguars and Bills could all be looking to grab a WR, giving us a pick early in round 2 and another 3rd (or 4th + change) to play with.

[njx9]

i like kirkpatrick's value there... i guess miller would be a huge step up, but yeah. just don't think that's a good value pick.

[Diehard]

Looking at this list is depressing:

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...rkout-tracker/

Osweiler is the only guy we've brought in? Seems a little fishy... like the local media and the team are in cahoots to keep things quiet. After some of the stuff that happened during the Manning sweepstakes (like Vic Lombardi getting muzzled even though he was right) it wouldn't surprise me.

[Jimmy]

Turbin is being brought in for a visit. Happy camper.

[Diehard]

Originally Posted by Jimmy

Turbin is being brought in for a visit. Happy camper.

Yeah, your boy is coming in. So now we have 2 visits... out of what, 30?

[Diehard]

I was watching NFLN last night and they had an interview with Jerel Worthy where he said he was going to visit the Broncos.

At least we're looking at DT's this time...

[Diehard]

Some mid-late round OL prospects coming in:

Levy Adcock, OT, Oklahoma State
Austin Wuebbels, OG, Missouri

Both are road grader types well suited to a power running game.

Scouting these kinds of players suggests that even with the addition of Manning, we'll still see a very Fox-style pounding ground game. The dead giveaway would be if they brought in a true blocking FB like Bradie Ewing (Wisconsin) or Chad Diehl (Clemson) for a visit.

[njx9]

or vickers. [/hate]

[Diehard]

More prospect workouts:

http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci...luding-cousins

The Broncos are bringing in quarterback draft prospects Kirk Cousins of Michigan State and San Diego State's Ryan Lindley for visits this week. A Broncos contingent also flew down to Arizona State last week to give a private workout of Brock Osweiler.

Visiting the Broncos' facility last week was Connecticut defensive tackle Kendall Reyes. Utah State running back Robert Turbin will visit today and Tuesday. Reyes is a projected late-first or second-round pick. Turbin could go anywhere from the second to fourth round.

We also had reps at B.J. Coleman's pro day, so once again the team is putting emphasis on evaluating the QB position.

[Timbathia]

Stokely seemingly brought in to help teach the receivers what to do. Seems like a smart move even if we dont get much production out of him. I guess guys like Gaffney have proven that in the right offense there is a place for experienced guys that know where to run.

[njx9]

meh, he'll be cut before the season starts.

[Jimmy]

Looking at our schedule, we have our work cut out for us. I think we'll go 4-2 in our division and finish up at 8-8 on the year. We have a seriously tough schedule. Even if we go 5-1 in our division, we still have to play

Pitt
Atlanta
New England
Houston
Cincy (on the rise)
Carolina (on the rise)
Baltimore

We win 5 of those max, more like 3-4. Best case scenario we'd go 5-1 in the AFC West and just see losses to NE and Baltimore (13-3 season)

Worst case, we go 3-3 in the division and win 2 out of those 7 games above, finish at like 7-9.

[Diehard]

Yes, the schedule is tough but we can do better than 8-8.

I would like to see a dominant performance at home through the combination of no huddle + altitude. This is another reason why I see the run being a more important piece than it was in Indy - keep the pace up, ram the ball down the opponents' throats and then kill them with play action.

I think the draft could have a lot of bearing on our success. Will the team put emphasis on more plug-n-play players/positions (RB, LB, OG, KR) rather than high potential, slow developing prospects?

DT is an interesting problem - it is generally a slow developing position and hard to evaluate. Do they take a guy who they feel can make an immediate, but limited, impact (e.g. situational inside pass rusher) rather than go for the big potential down the road?

[Diehard]

Interesting read on the offense they are putting together:

http://www.denverpost.com/paige/ci_2...-conductor-not

He has been sequestered in a darkened room at Dove Valley, with pad and pen, studying "cutouts" (specific plays, not full game tapes) used by McCoy and coach John Fox when they were together in Carolina, "tapes of what the Packers and the Saints have done well recently," the rushing plays designed for Willis McGahee last year, pass plays the Broncos had before Tebow and, of course, a variety of Manning plays with the Colts.

The Fox-McCoy emphasis, historically, on the run "excites" Manning. "People think I'm all about the pass, but if I throw five passes in a game, it means we're running the football well. You play to your strength."

Interesting stuff. It's along the lines of what I expected, as McCoy was quick to comment on his strong feelings about the run game after Manning came on board.

[njx9]

i'm starting to come around on miller given the above. as much as i like lamichael, him being a good pick is so dependent on mcgahee being solid and healthy. and if we're going to pound it out carolina-style that's not something i'd want to depend on.

[Cunningham]

i'd be thrilled if we can grab either miller, wilson, or martin at some point in the draft. unfortunately, their value seems to fall somewhere between our first and second picks, meaning we'd have to get creative to put ourselves in a position to draft one. i fully understand that running back is not a premium position, but i think that the drop off after the aforementioned trio of backs is pretty severe.

also, if carolina would accept a third for stewart, i'd do it in a heartbeat.

[Cunningham]

since we're on the topic of running backs, here's a good write up...

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packe...148455325.html

[njx9]

"2. DOUG MARTIN Virginia Tech"

innocent typo, or pat kirwan moment, letting me know early that i shouldn't bother reading another word?

read anyways... entertaining that they call lamichael a 'midget' for being a half inch shorter than martin.

[Cunningham]

they also listed the wrong schools for turbin and pierce...

regardless, there's some interesting tidbits there. i didn't realize that miller's shoulder issues are that severe, that's definitely something that could scare teams off. i'm not buying that ryan williams was a better prospect than david wilson. by and large, though, i agree with a lot of the stuff in there.

[Jimmy]

There are rumors circulating that we made phone calls to see if we could trade up in the teens range for Stephon Gimore.

If this is a smokescreen, I'm not sure what good it does. I hope it's just a false report or that we don't pull the trigger. Gilmore's great and all, but we really need that second round pick. With Dawkins retiring today, we now need to look into a safety next year if Moore/Carter flops this year. We also still have issues at linebacker, interior OL, and the obvious.

I hope we either sit where we are and take a guy who falls to us, or we trade down to the early second.

[Diehard]

Originally Posted by Jimmy

If this is a smokescreen, I'm not sure what good it does.

I think it gives them a sense of how fall Kirkpatrick can fall. If Gilmore goes early, there's no way DreK makes it through the gauntlet of picks 17-24.

[Jimmy]

Originally Posted by Diehard

I think it gives them a sense of how fall Kirkpatrick can fall. If Gilmore goes early, there's no way DreK makes it through the gauntlet of picks 17-24.

I'm not sure how personally inquiring about Gilmore accomplishes that, though. All it does is get teams thinking that if they want a corner, they'll have to get one by pick 20, since Gilmore, like you said, will be gone early according to this rumor.

If Denver really wants to gauge Dre's stock to see if they can get him, a move like this would hurt their chances of landing him.

[Diehard]

Originally Posted by Jimmy

If Denver really wants to gauge Dre's stock to see if they can get him, a move like this would hurt their chances of landing him.

Everyone knows we want/need a corner. Champ is old, Porter is a 1 year rental.

Anyway, I would be very surprised to see us trade up to address a need. That's pretty much the opposite of the BPA approach they've been preaching. Hell, Elway was talking up our DT group at the press conference, which seemed like some proactive expectation management to prevent a fanbase rebellion when they go for a LB or offensive player at 25.

[Jimmy]

My final list of who I am ok with round 1, who I am neutral on round 1, and who I hate round 1

OK
Andrew Luck

Trent Richardson

Robert Griffin

Mark Barron

Matt Kalil

Morris Claiborne

Fletcher Cox

Courtney Upshaw

David Decastro

Cordy Glenn

Devon Still

Melvin Ingram

Stephon Gilmore

Justin Blackmon

Quinton Coples

Donta Hightower

Dre Kirkpatrick

Trade down

NEUTRAL

Janoris Jenkins

Peter Konz

Kevin Zeitler

Michael Brockers

Jerel Worthy

NOT OK


Trade up

Chandler Jones

Dontari Poe

[njx9]

i really don't like worthy. i don't know how he went from a 3rd round guy during the season, to a first round guy in the post season. i really want nothing to do with him or still based on what i saw on the field all year.