Denver Broncos Discussion

[villagewarrior]

I think Tavarres King is probably the Donks best pick. I've always thought people underrated him. Not a fan of Williams. North Carolina DLs always seem to be super athletic, but never show up on film and don't show up in the league (Peppers excepted). Quanterus Smith has an awesome name and I fear I may be hearing too much of it in future Chiefs matchups. Dysert was a guy I wanted the Chiefs to pick, so I'm disappointed that he follows Peyton and Osweiler to Denver.

D.

[Chris]

Williams was a great selection. Ball could be lethal in this offense. We wrecked Day 3 of the draft (in a good way) and King is a terrific route runner and is the speed/vertical dimension that this offense is missing. Mentally he gets it, and is a great insurance selection in case someone goes down and hopefully means Caldwell or Willis (who are making over a million) are off the team. I don't know how fully recovered Smith is, but it is fine for him to rehab redshirt and get stronger in the weight room. Getting Shaun Phillips in that regard makes it a smart move.

It was obvious the Broncos were going to get a QB and I had mentioned on MHR and various other places (since I write there) that he was likely the guy. A great value selection for us and means that we can have a legit guy to groom down the road. It could very well be possible that he supplants Osweiler as the QBOTF. Just my feelings.

On Kayvon Webster, which was an absolute waste of a pick, I offer this. (It will also discuss how bad Elway and Co. have been with their 3 and 4th round guys getting playing time).

The Broncos made it well known that they were interested in upgrading the CB position. After they picked in round two, ~ 10 CBs went and the run happened. They got rolled. There is no logical argument that can be made that Webster was their BPA on their board at the time. It simply isn't true. You can tell by the way Fox and Elway answered their question(s) regarding him at the presser that it was indeed a reach and they felt the need to get one.

They missed out on Rhodes, who was their top priority at #28 and panicked when the corners kept going on the board. They should have realized this and made a move up to get the prospect they really wanted (I have heard numerous reports on McFadden and Wreh-Wilson because of their man skills) instead of taking Webster. I am surprised they didn't take B.W. Webb over him and would have actually LIKED that selection at that point in time.

I am not generalizing, but the kid sounds dumb as bricks and sounded generally surprised that he even went that high. He also played zone coverage and has very little, if any ball skills. He has all-world athleticism and good size, but he plays flat footed and has cement feet on the field. I said this numerous times when people talked about his combine. There is no doubt this guy is only going to register on special teams this year because the learning curve he has mentally to adjust to the pro game and a new scheme (being used differently than he ever has) is going to take several years. I think his traits will work better in man coverage, but why the heck would the Broncos take a guy that early knowing full well that he is MORE THAN A PROJECT. Simple: They panicked.


Those are the reasons why the pick sucks, especially when there were dozens of quality players who could have seen the field this way in more ways than special teams on this squad. Anyone who is arguing otherwise hasn't ever seen Webster play or is blindly trusting the front office. Bottom line, a ran happen, the Broncos sat idle and they made a significant reach (at least a round) for a guy who isn't going to see much time on the field. It is really unacceptable. Everyone who is against this picks HOPES to be proven wrong, but I am willing to bet it doesn't happen.

This is what is frustrating about the Broncos. Outside of Von Miller, Rahim Moore (who needs to step it up), Orlando Franklin and Derek Wolfe, none of their picks taken (11 -- seven being in rounds two and three) under Elway's tenure have made a significant impact on the field. Three of those guys have been fantastic players early in their careers, and I am hopeful Moore can make it four. Then again, when you are picking those guys in the Top 50 -- you should be diligent enough in your scouting to not mess up. So there aren't going to be many "atta boys" for getting the job done when it is self-evident that it needs to.

Obviously Hillman, Osweiler and a few others are at least in the cards, and Quinton Carter gets the benefit of the doubt because of microfracture surgery, but when you have 11 picks in the top 110 overall in two years, you expect more than a handful of them to start games. To use the excuse that this roster doesn't have the "room" for rookies to see playing time is hogwash.

This year Williams and Ball as top two picks will have the ability to make impacts immediately. I also feel that King (who I loved), Smith and the rest of our Day 3 selections offer something to the team down the road. It is just very, very difficult as a fan to see the team mortgaging value the past two years in rounds three and four when they were absolutely loaded. It will take a few years to see how things pan out, but there are a lot of other teams who have performed well with their selections in those rounds and are having contributions early.

Denver needs more than a one or two guys from their rookie classes to start games. It's nice to see some guys in the later rounds making special teams and sub-package contributions, but it hurts to see middle round guys not performing. Here is hoping they do.

[Diehard]

The thing I like about the King and Smith picks is that you can see how they might be able to contribute immediately as role players (deep threat, situational pass rusher) while they develop the other parts of their game. That's pretty good for guys picked in the 5th round.

Dysert was solid value in the 7th and comes into a pretty good situation where there's limited pressure on him and lots of opportunity to learn from one of the greats.

[Chris]

Originally Posted by Diehard

The thing I like about the King and Smith picks is that you can see how they might be able to contribute immediately as role players (deep threat, situational pass rusher) while they develop the other parts of their game. That's pretty good for guys picked in the 5th round.

Dysert was solid value in the 7th and comes into a pretty good situation where there's limited pressure on him and lots of opportunity to learn from one of the greats.

Absolutely. I honestly think that Denver might keep looking at QBs late every year until Peyton hangs it up. Obviously Osweiler and Dysert will be our guys now, but it didn't stop us from getting the kid from SD State (Katz?) to get some reps too.

[Diehard]

Originally Posted by Chris

Absolutely. I honestly think that Denver might keep looking at QBs late every year until Peyton hangs it up. Obviously Osweiler and Dysert will be our guys now, but it didn't stop us from getting the kid from SD State (Katz?) to get some reps too.

I agree, they will keep looking. In some ways, it's a no-brainer. Burning a late pick and/or a UDFA spot on a QB is a cheap gamble that could pay off big. The downside comes when you have a situation where your starting guy feels threatened by those moves... but that's not an issue with Manning.

[Punisher]

Speaking of UDFA's on of my favorite rookie pickups regardless of drafted or not is Quincy McDuffie Slot WR and Returner out of UCF

Quincy McDuffie, WR, UCF
McDuffie was a return specialist at UCF, finishing his career as the school’s all-time in kickoff returns (90), kickoff return yards (2,501) and kickoff return touchdowns (six). He was a Sports Illustrated first-team All-American as a kick returner.


www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_6ZKOrefe8

[njx9]

solid write up. i really hated the king pick at first blush, but i'm coming around now. for a selection at that point, i can't argue at all. it's not like we took a wr in the first or second.

i still don't get a good feeling from the ball pick, but it's done, and i'll reserve judgement until he plays. i really liked the dysert pick, and only partially because i think osweiler is garbage.

solid write up, chris. think you're absolutely right on the worthless webster pick.

[Diehard]

Originally Posted by njx9

i still don't get a good feeling from the ball pick, but it's done, and i'll reserve judgement until he plays. i really liked the dysert pick, and only partially because i think osweiler is garbage.

Elway & Co seem like they'd have no problem promoting a late-rounder/UDFA over Osweiler based on performance. If so, then the Dysert pick is very solid. The guy is effective under pressure (his OL ******* sucked at Miami), can move around in the pocket and make plays downfield. He's a gunslinger, though, and the coaches will need to work on his reads/decision-making.

[Jimmy]

I'll be in Colorado for the first time in over ten years a week from today. A few buds and I will be spending the night in the Breckenridge area, recharging our batteries, and heading out on a 14 day road trip.

Just wondering if you guys know of a good place to grab a bite and a beer in that area. We're willing to explore a bit and head out of that area.

[njx9]

up in breckenridge? breck brewery is usually solid. there's the dam brewery in silverthorne. probably a couple of others i can think of, if you'll actually be in breck itself.

[Jimmy]

Originally Posted by njx9

probably a couple of others i can think of, if you'll actually be in breck itself.

Gonna be in Breck itself overnight so we may have to check out the brewery... if that's the place to go for solid beer selection. Curious to hear of other places you might recommend.

[njx9]

Originally Posted by Jimmy

Gonna be in Breck itself overnight so we may have to check out the brewery... if that's the place to go for solid beer selection. Curious to hear of other places you might recommend.

they have pretty good beer and a decent scene, though it's shoulder season, so things are going to be pretty dead all around. quandary's at the base of peak 9, not sure if it's open, but it's a more standard bar. eric's is more divey and local.

generally breck brewery has it's own stuff, which is pretty solid. any other bar will have the standard smattering of CO microbrews, but no one up there is likely to have much special until summer season starts up.

where are you headed on the road trip?

[Jimmy]

Originally Posted by njx9

they have pretty good beer and a decent scene, though it's shoulder season, so things are going to be pretty dead all around. quandary's at the base of peak 9, not sure if it's open, but it's a more standard bar. eric's is more divey and local.

generally breck brewery has it's own stuff, which is pretty solid. any other bar will have the standard smattering of CO microbrews, but no one up there is likely to have much special until summer season starts up.

where are you headed on the road trip?

http://goo.gl/maps/JWunx

Highlights include Vegas, Santa Monica, Vancouver, the Grand Canyon & Sasquatch Music festival. It's gonna be a good time...

[njx9]

Originally Posted by Jimmy

http://goo.gl/maps/JWunx

Highlights include Vegas, Santa Monica, Vancouver, the Grand Canyon & Sasquatch Music festival. It's gonna be a good time...

are the pins your planned stops, or just points of interest?

as you're going through durango, i'd make a stop at Ska, since you'll liekly be there around lunch time unless you're a super slow driver.

what the heck is in quincy, wa?

[Jimmy]

Originally Posted by njx9

what the heck is in quincy, wa?

This bad-boy.

http://www.sasquatchfestival.com/

[Punisher]

Originally Posted by Jimmy

This bad-boy.

http://www.sasquatchfestival.com/

That line up =O

I wish I could've got a lineup like that when I went to Coachella this year.