With the calendar turning to April, the Broncos offseason will start to get more in depth. With most of the big free agent moves already transpiring, the Broncos look towards the NFL Draft late in April to finish off their roster for 2015. It is the perfect time for a Broncos Offseason Mailbag to try to catch up on where the Broncos are at as the Draft approaches….
Of all the players that the Broncos lost in free agency, how does each defection affect the Broncos next year?
The big four Broncos to leave via free agency were Julius Thomas, Orlando Franklin, Rahim Moore, and Terrence Knighton. Here is how I would rank them from order of least impactful to most impactful:
4) Rahim Moore: The Broncos are already loaded in the secondary with Chris Harris, Aqib Talib, Bradley Roby, and T.J. Ward. Although Moore played well last year, I think the Broncos can overcome his departure-especially with the signing of former Raven Darian Stewart to take his place.
3) Orlando Franklin: Although Franklin played really well for them the past four years, you can replace a Guard in this league with a younger player or even a veteran journeyman and hold the fort. The fact that he went to San Diego hurts, but the money he got from the Chargers was just too much.
2) Terrence Knighton: If you watched the Broncos the last two years, you know how good and valuable Knighton was. I know he only plays about 50% of the plays, but he was a force in the middle and he was a valuable guy in the locker room. I still can't believe he only signed a one-year deal with the Redskins for $4 million. His departure could have a serious impact on Denver in my opinion.
1) Julius Thomas: Just go back and watch Thomas' 2013 season and how dominant he was in that offense. Watch how he effective he was in the playoff wins over the Chargers and the Patriots from that playoff run. Look how much of a force he was the first half of the 2014 campaign. That is all you need to know about the impact he had on the Broncos offense. Maybe a lot of his production was a result of Peyton Manning, and maybe his ability to shake off injuries has come into question, but he will surely be missed in this offense next year.
Who was the best free agent signing for the Broncos this offseason so far?
Without a doubt it was TE Owen Daniels. Daniels fits in perfectly with Gary Kubiak and this offense. In fact, Daniels has been with Kubiak his whole career. Go back and watch Daniels in the playoff games against the Steelers and the Patriots, and you will see how effective he can be. Also, with Virgil Green coming back, Daniels and Green could be a really good duo from the TE position for Manning. I also like the signing of DE Antonio Smith for one-year at $2 million. Smith played under DC Wade Philips and Kubiak in Houston, and he provides another option as a pass rusher to go along with Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware.
Who should the Broncos target in the upcoming NFL Draft?
It is still too early to look at specific players, but here are the positions that I think the Broncos need to go after come Draft day: Offensive Tackle, Offensive Guard (A player that can play both Guard and Center as well) Inside Linebacker, Wide Receiver (A slot guy perhaps), and a Defensive Tackle.
Speaking of the NFL Draft, what the are Broncos draft selections now that Compensation Picks have been awarded?
Here are the Broncos picks for the NFL Draft:
1st Round: 28 overall
2nd Round: 59 overall
3rd Round: 92 overall
4th Round: 133 overall (Compensatory Selection)
5th Round: 143 overall
5th Round: 164 overall
6th Round: 203 overall
7th Round: 250 overall (Compensatory Selection)
7th Round: 251 overall (Compensatory Selection)
7th Round: 252 overall (Compensatory Selection)
What is your general feel for the Broncos as they continue their preparations for the 2015 NFL season?
It is certainly different from the last three years. Even at the Owners meetings last week, Broncos CEO Joe Ellis said that he looks forward to the Broncos being a "competitive" team next year. That is a lot different from the previous "Super Bowl or Bust" mantra from the last two off seasons. The last three years saw big splashes in free agency and big expectations. This year is a little different. We have a new head coach, we lost some valuable starters to free agency, and the team didn't make the big moves that we are accustomed to in March. That doesn't mean that the Broncos are going to be a bad team next year. They will certainly be in the mix, and with Peyton Manning coming back, you know that the Broncos will be a factor in the AFC, but it certainly feels like they have taken a step back. The Patriots, Colts, Steelers, Ravens, Bengals and even the Chargers will get a lot of publicity over the Broncos as the season draws near. It is a different position for the Broncos, who dealt with being one of the two heavy favorites the last two off seasons. It will be interesting to see how the public and the experts view them as contenders once the season starts to rev up after the draft and into training camp.
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Sunday, March 22, 2015
Three More Broncos Depart in Free Agency
This week saw three more Broncos leave via free agency. LB Nate Irving signed with the Colts, TE Jacob Tamme signed with the Falcons, and DT Mitch Unrein signed with the Chargers. Let's take a closer look at the impact of all three leaving.
1) Irving going to Indy is a shame because whenever he played he seemed to standout-especially against the run. He got hurt in the New England game last year, but for the first eight games I liked what I saw out of him. Remember, Irving stepped in when the Broncos defense got gashed by injuries on their way to the Super Bowl in 2013, and he played well. I guess the switch to a 3-4 defense and the tandem of Danny Trevathan and Brandon Marshall made Irving expendable. He was a quality player, and it would have been nice to bring him back for depth, but he got a better deal in Indy.
2) Tamme leaving really bothered me. I guess he was looking for more of an opportunity to catch passes and be a bigger part of the offense in Atlanta than he will be in Denver. He leaves Peyton Manning but at least he is going to play with Matt Ryan. I really wanted Denver to re-sign him as the third TE behind Owen Daniels and Virgil Green, but like a lot of other guys this offseason, Tamme took the better offer and better opportunity. He was also a valuable presence on special teams, so that part will be missed as well.
3) Unrein leaving really isn't a big deal. His playing time decreased this past year as opposed to 2013, and he is just a depth guy and a rotational player, so the impact of him leaving really shouldn't be felt at all.
Since the Super Bowl loss to the Seahawks, here is the list of quality players/starters who have left Denver from that moment: Knowshon Moreno, Eric Decker, Zane Beadles, Orlando Franklin, Jacob Tamme, Julius Thomas, Joel Dreessen (Retired), Trindon Holliday, Robert Ayers, Shaun Phillips, Nate Irving, Wesley Woodyard, Mitch Unrein, Terrence Knighton, Rahim Moore, Kevin Vickerson, Champ Bailey (Retired), and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. That is a lot of guys who are gone in only two years. Plus, that is not counting Wes Welker if he decides to not come back to Denver.
1) Irving going to Indy is a shame because whenever he played he seemed to standout-especially against the run. He got hurt in the New England game last year, but for the first eight games I liked what I saw out of him. Remember, Irving stepped in when the Broncos defense got gashed by injuries on their way to the Super Bowl in 2013, and he played well. I guess the switch to a 3-4 defense and the tandem of Danny Trevathan and Brandon Marshall made Irving expendable. He was a quality player, and it would have been nice to bring him back for depth, but he got a better deal in Indy.
2) Tamme leaving really bothered me. I guess he was looking for more of an opportunity to catch passes and be a bigger part of the offense in Atlanta than he will be in Denver. He leaves Peyton Manning but at least he is going to play with Matt Ryan. I really wanted Denver to re-sign him as the third TE behind Owen Daniels and Virgil Green, but like a lot of other guys this offseason, Tamme took the better offer and better opportunity. He was also a valuable presence on special teams, so that part will be missed as well.
3) Unrein leaving really isn't a big deal. His playing time decreased this past year as opposed to 2013, and he is just a depth guy and a rotational player, so the impact of him leaving really shouldn't be felt at all.
Since the Super Bowl loss to the Seahawks, here is the list of quality players/starters who have left Denver from that moment: Knowshon Moreno, Eric Decker, Zane Beadles, Orlando Franklin, Jacob Tamme, Julius Thomas, Joel Dreessen (Retired), Trindon Holliday, Robert Ayers, Shaun Phillips, Nate Irving, Wesley Woodyard, Mitch Unrein, Terrence Knighton, Rahim Moore, Kevin Vickerson, Champ Bailey (Retired), and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. That is a lot of guys who are gone in only two years. Plus, that is not counting Wes Welker if he decides to not come back to Denver.
Saturday, March 14, 2015
Broncos Free Agency Additions and Subtractions
As a Broncos fan, March and the start of free agency has been a fun ride with John Elway running the front office since 2011. We remember Elway recruiting the biggest free agent ever, Peyton Manning, to come to Denver in 2012. In 2013, Elway made another big splash when he signed RG Louis Vasquez from San Diego, and he then went out and stole Wes Welker from the Patriots. By the way, he added lightly regarded DT Terrence Knighton that same offseason. In 2014, Elway went all-in when he nabbed T.J. Ward, DeMarcus Ware, Aqib Talib and Emmanuel Sanders. It is pretty safe to say that those moves have all been successful in making the Broncos perennial contenders for the Super Bowl. This year has turned out different. Instead of the Broncos making the big moves early on, they have only made a few moves, and they have seen a number of key players leave to sign elsewhere. What does this all mean? Well, for one it is only a few days into free agency, so there will be other moves made down the road. Also, we know that free agent signings don't always translate into Super Bowls, so nothing is guaranteed when you don't spend the big money in March. Let's take a look at the signings Denver has made so far, and the players that they lost the first couple of days of the new League year.
Additions:
1) Denver signed TE Owen Daniels to a 3-year $12 million dollar deal. This was a really good move for Denver, and Daniels reunites with head coach Gary Kubiak once again. Daniels is a sneaky good offensive TE, and Kubiak should be able to get the most out of him once again. Just go back and watch the Ravens two playoff games against Pittsburgh and Baltimore last year, and see how effective Daniels can be in this offense.
2) Denver re-signed TE Virgil Green. It was apparent from the outset that Denver wanted Green back badly, and they were able to get the deal done. Once Julius Thomas left for Jacksonville, Denver had to get Green back in the fold. Green is a superior blocker, but looks like he can be athletic enough to help Denver out in the passing game-especially with Kubiak at the helm. The combination of Green and Daniels should help ease the pain of losing Thomas just a little bit come September.
3) Denver signed FS Darian Stewart from the Ravens. I thought this was a good signing to combine with T.J. Ward at the backend of the Broncos defense. As the Ravens secondary was getting depleted with injuries last year, every time I watched them Stewart impressed me. Go back and watch the playoffs again, and you'll see Stewart can play. With a secondary that already features Ward, Aqib Talib, and Chris Harris, you don't need a star at FS. This was a good signing in my opinion.
4) Denver signed OG Shelley Smith to help with their offensive line. I have to admit that I follow the NFL very closely, and I have a good handle on most of the players in the league, but when I heard the name Shelley Smith, I thought about the ESPN reporter-not a guard from the Dolphins. We'll see if Smith can come in start, but it looks like he might have to fight it out with Ben Garland or a draft pick for playing time.
Losses:
1) Julius Thomas signs with Jacksonville on a five-year $46 million dollar contract. Thomas becomes the highest paid TE in the NFL on a per year basis, and he gets $15 million guaranteed this year alone. Losing Thomas will hurt the Broncos, but Denver was never going to be able to afford him at that price. Thomas got a chance to get paid, and now he heads to purgatory of the NFL in Jacksonville. It was not a surprise that Thomas left once word got out that he wanted to test the market.
2) Orlando Franklin signs with San Diego on a five-year $36 million dollar contract. Franklin will make $16.5 million guaranteed in the first two years of the contract. This was another tough one because Franklin has come in a started from day one when he was drafted in 2011. After moving from RT to LG, Franklin played really well down the stretch for Denver in 2014. Again, the money was just too much for Denver to afford, and it sucks that San Diego stole him away, but I guess it makes up for the fact that we snagged Vasquez from them in 2013. With the Broncos paying big money to Ryan Clady and Vasquez, they couldn't swing paying that much for Franklin. The loss of Franklin leaves a big hole on the offensive line, and the Broncos don't seem to have any immediate free agent move that can fill that void at this moment.
3) Terrence Knighton signed with the Redskins for 1 year and $4 million dollars. It is surprising to me that Knighton signed for only a one year deal at that price. I thought for sure he was going to get a big deal somewhere in free agency, but the market kind of dictated what his fate was going to be. This was a big loss for the Broncos, but it was expected. It looked like the Broncos were going to let "Pot Roast" walk, but I wonder if there couldn't be a similar deal hatched between Denver and Knighton. Why not just stay in Denver for the same type of deal? Losing Knighton does worry me, and if our run defense has problems next year, then his defection to Washington will be a big part of that.
4) Rahim Moore signed with the Texans for a 3 years and $12 million dollars. It was obvious that Moore was also going to leave, and I liked Moore, but he was the most expendable out of the four big-name free agents that the Broncos knew could leave. His impact on the secondary is not as big as guys like Ward, Talib, Harris, and even Bradley Roby. The safety was pretty weak after Devin McCourty re-signed with the Patriots. Moore was given the chance to cash in, and he did just that. I liked him, he was a good player for us, but his loss won't determine the Broncos fate next year. Of course, the lasting memory for Rahim Moore in Denver was and will always be the fact that he misplayed Joe Flacco's bomb to Jacoby Jones for a 70 yard touchdown near the end of regulation in the 2012 Divisional Playoff game against the Ravens. Thanks for the memories, Rahim!
Additions:
1) Denver signed TE Owen Daniels to a 3-year $12 million dollar deal. This was a really good move for Denver, and Daniels reunites with head coach Gary Kubiak once again. Daniels is a sneaky good offensive TE, and Kubiak should be able to get the most out of him once again. Just go back and watch the Ravens two playoff games against Pittsburgh and Baltimore last year, and see how effective Daniels can be in this offense.
2) Denver re-signed TE Virgil Green. It was apparent from the outset that Denver wanted Green back badly, and they were able to get the deal done. Once Julius Thomas left for Jacksonville, Denver had to get Green back in the fold. Green is a superior blocker, but looks like he can be athletic enough to help Denver out in the passing game-especially with Kubiak at the helm. The combination of Green and Daniels should help ease the pain of losing Thomas just a little bit come September.
3) Denver signed FS Darian Stewart from the Ravens. I thought this was a good signing to combine with T.J. Ward at the backend of the Broncos defense. As the Ravens secondary was getting depleted with injuries last year, every time I watched them Stewart impressed me. Go back and watch the playoffs again, and you'll see Stewart can play. With a secondary that already features Ward, Aqib Talib, and Chris Harris, you don't need a star at FS. This was a good signing in my opinion.
4) Denver signed OG Shelley Smith to help with their offensive line. I have to admit that I follow the NFL very closely, and I have a good handle on most of the players in the league, but when I heard the name Shelley Smith, I thought about the ESPN reporter-not a guard from the Dolphins. We'll see if Smith can come in start, but it looks like he might have to fight it out with Ben Garland or a draft pick for playing time.
Losses:
1) Julius Thomas signs with Jacksonville on a five-year $46 million dollar contract. Thomas becomes the highest paid TE in the NFL on a per year basis, and he gets $15 million guaranteed this year alone. Losing Thomas will hurt the Broncos, but Denver was never going to be able to afford him at that price. Thomas got a chance to get paid, and now he heads to purgatory of the NFL in Jacksonville. It was not a surprise that Thomas left once word got out that he wanted to test the market.
2) Orlando Franklin signs with San Diego on a five-year $36 million dollar contract. Franklin will make $16.5 million guaranteed in the first two years of the contract. This was another tough one because Franklin has come in a started from day one when he was drafted in 2011. After moving from RT to LG, Franklin played really well down the stretch for Denver in 2014. Again, the money was just too much for Denver to afford, and it sucks that San Diego stole him away, but I guess it makes up for the fact that we snagged Vasquez from them in 2013. With the Broncos paying big money to Ryan Clady and Vasquez, they couldn't swing paying that much for Franklin. The loss of Franklin leaves a big hole on the offensive line, and the Broncos don't seem to have any immediate free agent move that can fill that void at this moment.
3) Terrence Knighton signed with the Redskins for 1 year and $4 million dollars. It is surprising to me that Knighton signed for only a one year deal at that price. I thought for sure he was going to get a big deal somewhere in free agency, but the market kind of dictated what his fate was going to be. This was a big loss for the Broncos, but it was expected. It looked like the Broncos were going to let "Pot Roast" walk, but I wonder if there couldn't be a similar deal hatched between Denver and Knighton. Why not just stay in Denver for the same type of deal? Losing Knighton does worry me, and if our run defense has problems next year, then his defection to Washington will be a big part of that.
4) Rahim Moore signed with the Texans for a 3 years and $12 million dollars. It was obvious that Moore was also going to leave, and I liked Moore, but he was the most expendable out of the four big-name free agents that the Broncos knew could leave. His impact on the secondary is not as big as guys like Ward, Talib, Harris, and even Bradley Roby. The safety was pretty weak after Devin McCourty re-signed with the Patriots. Moore was given the chance to cash in, and he did just that. I liked him, he was a good player for us, but his loss won't determine the Broncos fate next year. Of course, the lasting memory for Rahim Moore in Denver was and will always be the fact that he misplayed Joe Flacco's bomb to Jacoby Jones for a 70 yard touchdown near the end of regulation in the 2012 Divisional Playoff game against the Ravens. Thanks for the memories, Rahim!
Sunday, March 8, 2015
2015 Free Agency Preview: Defense
Here is the list of the top defensive players available. Once again, I only listed the Unrestricted Free Agents and left any restricted guys off the list.
DE:
1) Jason Pierre-Paul (NY Giants)-Franchise Tag
2) Jerry Hughes (Buffalo)
3) Brian Orakpo (Washington)
4) Brandon Graham (Philly)
5) Greg Hardy (Carolina)
6) Pernell McPhee (Baltimore)
7) Trent Cole (Philly)
8) Jabaal Sheard (Cleveland)
9) Derrick Morgan (Tennessee)
10) Anthony Spencer (Dallas)
DT:
1) Ndamukong Suh (Detroit)
2) Terrence Knighton (Denver)
3) Nick Fairley (Detroit)
4) Jared Odrick (Miami)
5) Damon Harrison (NY Jets)
6) Stephen Paea (Chicago)
7) Dan Williams (Arizona)
8) Vince Wilfork (New England)
9) Henry Melton (Dallas)
10) Letroy Guion (Green Bay)
OLB:
1) Justin Houston (KC)-Franchise Tag
2) Jason Worlids (Pittsburgh)
3) Sean Weatherspoon (Atlanta)
4) Justin Durant (Dallas)
5) Akeem Ayers (New England)
6) Lance Briggs (Chicago)
7) Bruce Carter (Dallas)
8) Brooks Reed (Houston)
9) Geno Hayes (Jacksonville)
10) Jacquain Williams (NY Giants)
ILB:
1) Rolando McClain (Dallas)
2) Brandon Spikes (Buffalo)
3) A.J. Hawk (Green Bay)
4) Nate Irving (Denver)
5) Mason Foster (Tampa Bay)
CB:
1) Antonio Cromartie (Arizona)
2) Tramon Williams (Green Bay)
3) Chris Culliver (SF)
4) Tarell Brown (Oakland)
5) Rashean Mathis (Detroit)
6) Walter Thurmond (NY Giants)
7) Patrick Robinson (New Orleans)
8) Zach Bowman (NY Giants)
9) Robert McClain (Atlanta)
10) Sterling Moore (Dallas)
S:
1) Devin McCourty (New England)
2) Rahim Moore (Denver)
3) Da'Norris Searcy (Buffalo)
4) Louis Delmas (Miami)
5) Mike Adams (Indy)
6) Dwight Lowery (Atlanta)
7) Darian Stewart (Baltimore)
8) Stevie Brown (NY Giants)
9) Dawan Landry (NY Jets)
10) Antrel Rolle (NY Giants)
DE:
1) Jason Pierre-Paul (NY Giants)-Franchise Tag
2) Jerry Hughes (Buffalo)
3) Brian Orakpo (Washington)
4) Brandon Graham (Philly)
5) Greg Hardy (Carolina)
6) Pernell McPhee (Baltimore)
7) Trent Cole (Philly)
8) Jabaal Sheard (Cleveland)
9) Derrick Morgan (Tennessee)
10) Anthony Spencer (Dallas)
DT:
1) Ndamukong Suh (Detroit)
2) Terrence Knighton (Denver)
3) Nick Fairley (Detroit)
4) Jared Odrick (Miami)
5) Damon Harrison (NY Jets)
6) Stephen Paea (Chicago)
7) Dan Williams (Arizona)
8) Vince Wilfork (New England)
9) Henry Melton (Dallas)
10) Letroy Guion (Green Bay)
OLB:
1) Justin Houston (KC)-Franchise Tag
2) Jason Worlids (Pittsburgh)
3) Sean Weatherspoon (Atlanta)
4) Justin Durant (Dallas)
5) Akeem Ayers (New England)
6) Lance Briggs (Chicago)
7) Bruce Carter (Dallas)
8) Brooks Reed (Houston)
9) Geno Hayes (Jacksonville)
10) Jacquain Williams (NY Giants)
ILB:
1) Rolando McClain (Dallas)
2) Brandon Spikes (Buffalo)
3) A.J. Hawk (Green Bay)
4) Nate Irving (Denver)
5) Mason Foster (Tampa Bay)
CB:
1) Antonio Cromartie (Arizona)
2) Tramon Williams (Green Bay)
3) Chris Culliver (SF)
4) Tarell Brown (Oakland)
5) Rashean Mathis (Detroit)
6) Walter Thurmond (NY Giants)
7) Patrick Robinson (New Orleans)
8) Zach Bowman (NY Giants)
9) Robert McClain (Atlanta)
10) Sterling Moore (Dallas)
S:
1) Devin McCourty (New England)
2) Rahim Moore (Denver)
3) Da'Norris Searcy (Buffalo)
4) Louis Delmas (Miami)
5) Mike Adams (Indy)
6) Dwight Lowery (Atlanta)
7) Darian Stewart (Baltimore)
8) Stevie Brown (NY Giants)
9) Dawan Landry (NY Jets)
10) Antrel Rolle (NY Giants)
2015 Free Agency Preview: Offense
With the new league year set to start on Tuesday, here is a list of the 2015 eligible free agents. This is sort of a cheat sheet which lists the best players available at each position. I only listed Unrestricted Free Agents and left out the Restricted Free Agents. Let's start with the offense…
QB:
1) Brian Hoyer (Cleveland)
2) Jake Locker (Tennessee)
3) Ryan Mallett (Houston)
4) Mark Sanchez (Philly)
5) Christian Ponder (Minnesota)
RB:
1) DeMarco Murray (Dallas)
2) Justin Forsett (Baltimore)
3) Frank Gore (SF)
4) Ryan Matthews (SD)
5) C.J. Spiller (Buffalo)
6) Shane Vereen (New England)
7) Reggie Bush (Detroit)
8) Ahmad Bradshaw (Indy)
9) Roy Helu (Washington)
10) Stevan Ridley (New England)
FB:
1) Henry Hynoski (NY Giants)
2) John Kuhn (Green Bay)
3) Jed Collins (Detroit)
WR
1) Dez Bryant (Dallas)-Franchise Tag
2) Demaryius Thomas (Denver)-Franchise Tag
3) Jeremy Maclin (Philly)
4) Torrey Smith (Baltimore)
5) Percy Harvin (NY Jets)
6) Michael Crabtree (SF)
7) Cecil Shorts (Jacksonville)
8) Eddie Royal (SD)
9) Brian Hartline (Miami)
10) Harry Douglas (Atlanta)
11) Reggie Wayne (Indy)
12) Ted Ginn (Arizona)
13) Kenny Britt (St.Louis)
14) Mike Williams (Buffalo)
15) Wes Welker (Denver)
TE:
1) Julius Thomas (Denver)
2) Jordan Cameron (Cleveland)
3) Charles Clay (Miami)-Transition Tag
4) Jermaine Gresham (Cincy)
5) Owen Daniels (Baltimore)
6) Virgil Green (Denver)
7) Zach Miller (Seattle)
8) James Casey (Philly)
OT:
1) Bryan Bulaga (Green Bay)
2) Joseph Barksdale (St.Louis)
3) Jeremy Parnell (Dallas)
4) Eric Winston (Houston)
5) Ryan Harris (KC)
OG:
1) Orlando Franklin (Denver)
2) Mike Iupati (SF)
3) Clint Boling (Cincy)
4) Justin Blalock (Atlanta)
5) James Carpenter (Seattle)
6) Rob Sims (Detroit)
7) Adam Snyder (NY Giants)
8) Joe Reitz (Indy)
C:
1) Stefen Wisniewski (Oakland)
2) Rodney Hudson (KC)
3) Chris Myers (Houston)
4) Brian De La Puente (Chicago)
5) Samson Satele (Miami)
QB:
1) Brian Hoyer (Cleveland)
2) Jake Locker (Tennessee)
3) Ryan Mallett (Houston)
4) Mark Sanchez (Philly)
5) Christian Ponder (Minnesota)
RB:
1) DeMarco Murray (Dallas)
2) Justin Forsett (Baltimore)
3) Frank Gore (SF)
4) Ryan Matthews (SD)
5) C.J. Spiller (Buffalo)
6) Shane Vereen (New England)
7) Reggie Bush (Detroit)
8) Ahmad Bradshaw (Indy)
9) Roy Helu (Washington)
10) Stevan Ridley (New England)
FB:
1) Henry Hynoski (NY Giants)
2) John Kuhn (Green Bay)
3) Jed Collins (Detroit)
WR
1) Dez Bryant (Dallas)-Franchise Tag
2) Demaryius Thomas (Denver)-Franchise Tag
3) Jeremy Maclin (Philly)
4) Torrey Smith (Baltimore)
5) Percy Harvin (NY Jets)
6) Michael Crabtree (SF)
7) Cecil Shorts (Jacksonville)
8) Eddie Royal (SD)
9) Brian Hartline (Miami)
10) Harry Douglas (Atlanta)
11) Reggie Wayne (Indy)
12) Ted Ginn (Arizona)
13) Kenny Britt (St.Louis)
14) Mike Williams (Buffalo)
15) Wes Welker (Denver)
TE:
1) Julius Thomas (Denver)
2) Jordan Cameron (Cleveland)
3) Charles Clay (Miami)-Transition Tag
4) Jermaine Gresham (Cincy)
5) Owen Daniels (Baltimore)
6) Virgil Green (Denver)
7) Zach Miller (Seattle)
8) James Casey (Philly)
OT:
1) Bryan Bulaga (Green Bay)
2) Joseph Barksdale (St.Louis)
3) Jeremy Parnell (Dallas)
4) Eric Winston (Houston)
5) Ryan Harris (KC)
OG:
1) Orlando Franklin (Denver)
2) Mike Iupati (SF)
3) Clint Boling (Cincy)
4) Justin Blalock (Atlanta)
5) James Carpenter (Seattle)
6) Rob Sims (Detroit)
7) Adam Snyder (NY Giants)
8) Joe Reitz (Indy)
C:
1) Stefen Wisniewski (Oakland)
2) Rodney Hudson (KC)
3) Chris Myers (Houston)
4) Brian De La Puente (Chicago)
5) Samson Satele (Miami)
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Peyton Manning Returns to the Broncos for 2015 Season!
It is official, pending a physical and a signing of new restructured contract, Peyton Manning is coming back to the Denver Broncos and ready to go for his 18th NFL season. At last, this national nightmare of a story is put to bed. I didn't want to keep updating the blog with the constant Peyton Manning news that came out virtually every other day since the moment the Broncos lost to the Colts in the Divisional Playoffs on January 11th. I learned from following the NFL lockout in 2011 how frustrating and ridiculous a story can become if you follow Twitter, all the NFL insiders, all the shows on ESPN and NFL Network, all of the football message boards and blogs that are out there. The lockout took years off my life, and the question of Manning's decision to retire or come back was right up there with that. First, you had the constant questioning about if Denver wanted him back (Of course John Elway wanted him back.) Then, you had the questions about if Manning even wanted to play again and if the Broncos were the team for him after they dumped John Fox and Adam Gase left with Fox to go to Chicago (Manning want to play again no matter who the coaches were going to be.) After Denver hired Gary Kubiak to succeed Fox, the questions lingered about how Manning would fit in with Kubiak's offense (That was never going to be an issue.) A boatload of Broncos kept saying that they expect Manning to come back. Manning himself mentioned that he was still deciding, but talked to the people he had to talk to in Denver to make himself sure to return. Then, there was the meeting between Elway and Manning in Denver on February 12th. Then, there were reporters and people close to Manning explaining that Manning told the Broncos that he wanted to return in 2015, but no decision was made. Then, Elway and Kubiak told everyone at the scouting combine that they want Manning to come back. Then, there was speculation about a possible contract restructuring or even a pay cut, and even the possibility of Manning leaving Denver and playing someplace else in 2015. All these nonsense went on for over a month with reporters dropping hints either way about Manning and his possible return. It got to the point where I just started to lose interest in the whole story and just wanted to know when Manning was going to make his decision either way. Finally, we have that resolution. Manning is coming back to the Broncos in 2015. A few weeks after the season ended, Manning decided to start to work out and he wanted to play again and come back. The Broncos knew they wanted Manning back. The only hold up was that Denver wanted him to take a pay cut. After some negotiations, Manning and the Broncos agreed to cut Manning's salary in 2015 from $19 million to $15 million, and it gives the Broncos some more cap room and cash to improve their roster for next year.
The bottom line is that this is the best move the Broncos can make right now as the offseason officially begins with free agency on the horizon next week. Did I want Peyton to come back? Of course I did. I think Manning can still play at a high level. Even at 39, Manning is the best option for the Broncos at QB next year. He gives them the best chance to be a playoff team, and he gives them the best chance to go win the Super Bowl. I rewatched every game from the 2014 season. Manning was superb the first eight weeks. He was a surefire MVP candidate. The last eight weeks he didn't play to the expectations we have for him. Why? There are a few reasons. One, the Broncos offensive continued to struggle-especially on the road. The shifts in the line only proved to be a band-aid at times. Secondly, the Broncos shifted to more of a running game, and Manning wasn't being asked to spread the defense out and throw the ball all over the field. That took him out of his rhythm at times. Also, it seemed like the Broncos offense kind of got figured out in the Adam Gase era. Lastly, the wear and tear of a 17th NFL season wore on him and it culminated with a quad injury that he suffered against the Chargers on December 14th. That is the risk in a 38-year-old QB who is the whole "f'n" show of your offense. I have little doubt that Manning can still play at a high level. He did for the most part last year. If he can stay healthy, then I think Manning will still be a great player, put up sick numbers, and win a lot of games. I would be shocked if he plays poorly next year.
The addition of Gary Kubiak is going to help Manning in 2015. I'm sure that Kubiak will tailor the offense to suit Manning, and Manning will still be able to do what he wants to do. If the Broncos figure out a way to improve the offensive line, then Manning will have a really good running game and it will help him maintain his health over the long haul of a season. Change is good sometimes, and I think this is a perfect example. I would be shocked if Kubiak and Manning can't get on the same page. Plus, if Wade Phillips can get more out of this defense, then everything won't have to be on Manning's shoulders like it was the last three years.
I know there were a lot of Broncos fans out there that felt the team was better off moving on from Manning, but let's be real for a moment: Who were we turning to? Brock Osweiler may be the future, but we have no idea if he is going to be any good. If Manning left, we would be looking to sign guys like Mark Sanchez or Jake Locker in free agency. We could have tried to trade for Kirk Cousins. I mean come on. We are talking about Peyton Manning here. How quick people forget! Manning is the only and best option for the Broncos next year. Case closed. I don't want to hear any other argument about that.
Manning is coming back and the Broncos are ready to roll in free agency and the draft with an eye for getting to and winning Super Bowl 50. I remember when Denver signed Manning in 2012. I said at the time that if Manning gave Denver four years, that would be satisfying to me. I didn't want to see Manning play one year in Denver and then retire. Well, here we are. It is three years later, and Manning is coming back for his 4th season in Denver. I give the Manning signing in Denver an A as of right now. If Manning leads Denver to a Super Bowl title this year, then it is an A+ signing. One more thing: Don't you think Manning knows that everyone is doubting him? I mean the guy took a pay cut from his own team. Don't you think a pissed off Manning is good for the Broncos and bad for their opponents in 2015? All Manning heard from the moment they lost to the Colts was how he was done and finished. He watched as everyone poured the dirt on his grave, and praised Tom Brady as Brady and the Pats won the Super Bowl. He hears the whispers about how Brady is way better than him. He knows that one more Super Bowl victory could vault him to the status of greatest QB ever. He knows all this and that is why he is coming back. I'm pumped that Manning is returning, it gives the Broncos and their fans hope that they can rebound and win the Super Bowl, and it sends a message to the rest of the NFL that #18 is not going to go away quietly. Welcome back, Peyton. I'm glad you didn't walk away. Now, the 2015 offseason can officially begin and the Broncos have the Sheriff coming back for one more ride.
The bottom line is that this is the best move the Broncos can make right now as the offseason officially begins with free agency on the horizon next week. Did I want Peyton to come back? Of course I did. I think Manning can still play at a high level. Even at 39, Manning is the best option for the Broncos at QB next year. He gives them the best chance to be a playoff team, and he gives them the best chance to go win the Super Bowl. I rewatched every game from the 2014 season. Manning was superb the first eight weeks. He was a surefire MVP candidate. The last eight weeks he didn't play to the expectations we have for him. Why? There are a few reasons. One, the Broncos offensive continued to struggle-especially on the road. The shifts in the line only proved to be a band-aid at times. Secondly, the Broncos shifted to more of a running game, and Manning wasn't being asked to spread the defense out and throw the ball all over the field. That took him out of his rhythm at times. Also, it seemed like the Broncos offense kind of got figured out in the Adam Gase era. Lastly, the wear and tear of a 17th NFL season wore on him and it culminated with a quad injury that he suffered against the Chargers on December 14th. That is the risk in a 38-year-old QB who is the whole "f'n" show of your offense. I have little doubt that Manning can still play at a high level. He did for the most part last year. If he can stay healthy, then I think Manning will still be a great player, put up sick numbers, and win a lot of games. I would be shocked if he plays poorly next year.
The addition of Gary Kubiak is going to help Manning in 2015. I'm sure that Kubiak will tailor the offense to suit Manning, and Manning will still be able to do what he wants to do. If the Broncos figure out a way to improve the offensive line, then Manning will have a really good running game and it will help him maintain his health over the long haul of a season. Change is good sometimes, and I think this is a perfect example. I would be shocked if Kubiak and Manning can't get on the same page. Plus, if Wade Phillips can get more out of this defense, then everything won't have to be on Manning's shoulders like it was the last three years.
I know there were a lot of Broncos fans out there that felt the team was better off moving on from Manning, but let's be real for a moment: Who were we turning to? Brock Osweiler may be the future, but we have no idea if he is going to be any good. If Manning left, we would be looking to sign guys like Mark Sanchez or Jake Locker in free agency. We could have tried to trade for Kirk Cousins. I mean come on. We are talking about Peyton Manning here. How quick people forget! Manning is the only and best option for the Broncos next year. Case closed. I don't want to hear any other argument about that.
Manning is coming back and the Broncos are ready to roll in free agency and the draft with an eye for getting to and winning Super Bowl 50. I remember when Denver signed Manning in 2012. I said at the time that if Manning gave Denver four years, that would be satisfying to me. I didn't want to see Manning play one year in Denver and then retire. Well, here we are. It is three years later, and Manning is coming back for his 4th season in Denver. I give the Manning signing in Denver an A as of right now. If Manning leads Denver to a Super Bowl title this year, then it is an A+ signing. One more thing: Don't you think Manning knows that everyone is doubting him? I mean the guy took a pay cut from his own team. Don't you think a pissed off Manning is good for the Broncos and bad for their opponents in 2015? All Manning heard from the moment they lost to the Colts was how he was done and finished. He watched as everyone poured the dirt on his grave, and praised Tom Brady as Brady and the Pats won the Super Bowl. He hears the whispers about how Brady is way better than him. He knows that one more Super Bowl victory could vault him to the status of greatest QB ever. He knows all this and that is why he is coming back. I'm pumped that Manning is returning, it gives the Broncos and their fans hope that they can rebound and win the Super Bowl, and it sends a message to the rest of the NFL that #18 is not going to go away quietly. Welcome back, Peyton. I'm glad you didn't walk away. Now, the 2015 offseason can officially begin and the Broncos have the Sheriff coming back for one more ride.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)