Pat Bowlen Steps Down in Role as Broncos Owner

The Broncos started training camp on a somber note as Pat Bowlen steps down from day-to-day responsibilities as the Owner of the Broncos due to his battle with Alzheimer's Disease. It has been speculated for a long time that Bowlen was suffering from this horrible condition, but yesterday the Broncos and Bowlen's family made it official. Bowlen will no longer be at the Broncos facility and he is stepping away from his ownership duties to fight the illness. Bowlen still owns the Broncos, and he intends to keep the team in his family. One of his five children will eventually take control as Owner of the franchise, but that is something that is down the road. Joe Ellis will replace Bowlen's Chairman duties on a day-to-day basis. Ellis has become the defacto Owner of the Broncos the past few years as Bowlen's condition has worsened. Ellis even made the trip to the Owner's Meetings a few months ago in Bowlen's place. It is definitely a sad day for the Broncos and their fans, and John Elway's emotional press conference was an example of that. Bowlen was one of the best owners in the entire NFL and in professional sports. I always told people that were fans of other teams that the reason why the Broncos have been so successful in my lifetime is that Bowlen is a great owner and it starts at the stop. Since 1984, the Broncos have the second highest winning percentage in the NFL. They have been to the playoffs 16 times, won 11 AFC West crowns, appeared in 6 Super Bowls, and won 2 Super Bowls. Bowlen always seemed to "get it" as an owner. He would do what he had to do to help the Broncos succeed. If that meant hiring the right coaches or getting the best players he did what it took to make the Broncos a competitive team every year. If it wasn't for Bowlen's leadership and vision, then who the hell knows what type of franchise the Broncos would be. Also, Bowlen did a great job of staying out of  the spotlight. He hired people, trusted them, and stood by their work and decisions. He was really the perfect type of owner in that regard. On a league scale, Bowlen was a visionary in terms of growing the NFL. He was instrumental in adopting free agency and he came up with the idea of the Franchise Tag to protect teams from losing start players. He was very important in growing the game on the television side and adding NFL football to the primetime structure that it dominates in today's landscape. He surely is a Hall of Famer by any standards.

 The Broncos won't change much now that he has stepped down. Joe Ellis has been running the business side for the past few years, and John Elway is running the football side. Ellis will have final say on big decisions that Elway presents to him-just like it has been for the past few years. The key question will be in the future when Bowlen passes his ownership down to one of his children. It will be interesting to see how that dynamic plays out, but that is a discussion for the future not now. The Broncos are still in good hands with the current situation they are in, and there is no reason to see that changing in the near future. The best way to honor Bowlen this season is to go out and win a Super Bowl for him and claim "This one's for Pat."

Denver Broncos 2014 Training Camp Preview

The Broncos will begin the run at Super Bowl XLIX in Glendale, Arizona this Wednesday as they open up training camp and the 2014 season begins. The Broncos enter training camp a much different team that entered last year's Super Bowl. Denver looks to defend their AFC Championship crown and add another Lombardi Trophy in the ashes of the Super Bowl debacle at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks. To say that training camp is meaningless is very inaccurate. This is where the team comes together, puts in the work, and establishes itself as it prepares for the real games to start in September. Here is a little primer as we get set to officially start the 2014 season.

Where We Left Off: The last time we saw the Broncos, they were walking off the field at Metlife Stadium under a sea of confetti as the Seahawks thoroughly destroyed them 43-8 in the Super Bowl. As hard as that game was to watch, the worst part was just how badly they played and how it marred such a wonderful 2013 season. The Broncos got their asses handed to them that day and suffered a record 5th Super Bowl defeat in franchise history, but you could tell from that game that they will use that as motivation all year-especially as they start training camp this week.

What Happened Since: For the third straight year, the Broncos made plenty of headlines in the offseason. They signed Aqib Talib, T.J. Ward, and DeMarcus Ware to shore up their defense. They also added Emmanuel Sanders to their receiving corps. They had CB Bradley Roby drop to them at #31 in the first round of the NFL Draft in May. On the other hand, the Broncos lost several key players from their 13-3 squad a year ago. Eric Decker, Knowshon Moreno, and Zane Beadles all left their record-setting offense via Free Agency. Denver also lost key players on defense like Wesley Woodyard, Shaun Phillips, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, and of course Champ Bailey. That is a lot of turnover for a team that went to the Super Bowl. The feeling is that the players they signed and the combination of younger guys stepping up will replace those players that left, but only time will tell. Some of the new guys have a lot to prove to replace some of those key contributors from last year's team.

Position Battles at Camp: It seems like every year we start this section by talking about the MLB position. Denver never really seems to adequately address this spot. In camp, the battle will involve Nate Irving, Steven Johnson, and rookie Lamin Barrow all seemed to be battling for this spot. If one of them doesn't win it outright, then don't be surprised to see the Broncos find a veteran to sign to fill that spot late in the preseason. Another spot to look at is at LG. Denver is trying to move RT Orlando Franklin over to that spot to replace Beadles. If that doesn't work out, then look for the possibility of Manny Ramirez moving over there from center.

Surprise Roster Cuts: I don't know if this would be a major surprise, but I could see Andre Caldwell being a casualty. If rookie 2nd round pick Cody Latimer steps up in camp, then maybe Caldwell gets whacked. Also, don't be surprised if a veteran like Kevin Vickerson gets shown the door if some of the younger guys on the defensive line play well in camp and if Vickerson can't fully recover from his hip injury that ended his 2013 season.

Out of Nowhere Players: This name was brought up in OTAs and it is worth watching during camp: Isaiah Burse. He is an undrafted free agent WR out of Fresno State. Burse could make an impact in the return game, and don't be surprised if he dazzles once he gets on the field with the rest of those receivers.

Biggest Questions That Need To Be Answered: What is the mental makeup of this team? After doing everything that they were supposed to do in 2013 (13-3 record, #1 seed in AFC, AFC Champions) this team got embarrassed in the Super Bowl by the Seahawks. It is very hard to go back to square one and make it back to the Super Bowl after losing the year before. Does this team have it in them to get back? Can they get that game out of their minds and focus on the week-to-week grind of a NFL season? We all know that Peyton Manning will be focused and hungry to get to the Super Bowl and finish the job this time, but can everyone else on the roster follow his lead? That is the question that will plague the Broncos all year, and it won't be answered until next February in Arizona.

Broncos Summer Mailbag

There are certain periods of time during the NFL offseason that are slower than the others. This time of the year is one of the slowest times for the Broncos and the rest of the NFL. Free agency is done, the draft is in the rearview mirror, and teams have completed their OTAs and mini-camps. Now, the players will depart for the summer, and the next time they return it will be the end of July and training camp will begin. This seems like a good spot to look at some questions that remain for the Broncos as we head towards the summer and the eventual start of training camp.

Now that the dust has settled, which free agent acquisition looks like it will work out the best for the Broncos? The reports from OTAs are that Demarcus Ware and Aqib Talib look really good and primed to stand out for the Broncos this year. I agree with that, but from day one the move I liked the most was the Broncos getting T.J. Ward to fill a need at safety. There is some talk that Ward could even play down in the box as a nickel linebacker. I think he could be a real presence for this defense. Watch for Ward once the season starts.

Which draft pick seems the most likely to contribute this year? I think this is an easy one but it looks like Bradley Roby will get a lot of playing time come Week 1. Chris Harris is recovering from knee surgery, and Roby will probably beat out Kayvon Webster for the 3^rd CB spot and play in nickel situations early on. If Harris can’t be ready by Week 1, then look for Roby to possibly start opposite Talib.

Who could be this year’s Julius Thomas? At this time last year, all we heard about was the progress of Julius Thomas at TE. Many fans, myself included, didn’t buy into it right away because there is always talk of certain players standing out during OTAs, and then they don’t do anything once the season starts. Thomas was the star of last year’s OTAs, and then he continued that progress once the preseason started. We all know what happened from that point, and Thomas became a breakout star last year and one of the best tight ends in the league. This year’s candidate could be C.J. Anderson. The second year back will start the camp third on the depth chart, but don’t be surprised if he ends up beating out Ronnie Hillman for the #2 RB spot. Keep an eye on Anderson.

Could the Broncos offense actually be better this year? Of course it will be hard to top a year in which you set the record for points scored in a season, but this Broncos offense could be better than last year and that is very scary. It all hinges on two positions: Left Guard and Wide Receiver. From all accounts, Emmanuel Sanders looks like he is going to have a big year in Denver. Although he is a different kind of player than Eric Decker, he will probably be an upgrade from him. Sanders can be a game-breaking playmaker which is something that Decker isn’t. Sanders will benefit from other teams focusing on Demaryius Thomas, Julius Thomas, and Wes Welker. Also, if Orlando Franklin can successfully make the move to left guard, then the Broncos offensive line will be stronger than last year. Chris Clark can slide right into the RT spot, and the return of Ryan Clady gives the Broncos a chance to play their five best linemen at the same time. If those two positions are solidified, then the Broncos offense will be just as dangerous as 2013.

Where are the weak spots in the Broncos defense? On paper, the Broncos defense looks like it will be better, but when you dig deeper there are concerns on all three levels. You have to wonder how Von Miller will bounce back from his knee injury. If he isn’t healthy for Week 1, that will throw a wrench into the pass rushing plans for the Broncos. The MLB spot is still up for debate, but it looks like it is Nate Irving’s job to lose. Watch out for a late free agent signing during training camp like the Broncos did the last two years with Keith Brooking and Paris Lenon. In the secondary, it will depend on the health of Chris Harris. If he isn’t ready for Week 1, then the Broncos are going into the season with Talib at one corner, probably Roby at the #2 CB, and either Tony Carter or Kayvon Webster at the #3 corner. That’s not what you want to see heading into Week 1.

Which free agent loss will impact the Broncos the most? Losing Eric Decker won’t hurt the Broncos passing game. Like I stated before, adding Sanders over Decker probably makes the passing attack stronger. Losing Zane Beadles won’t be too bad because the Broncos have plenty of flexibility and options if Franklin doesn’t work out at that spot. Knowshon Moreno’s heart and spirit will be missed, but he can be adequately replaced by the younger Montee Ball. I think the Broncos can survive the loss of Wesley Woodyard considering he was basically playing a reduced role last year anyway. The Broncos lost Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to the Giants but they added a better player in Talib. The one guy that I think Denver will miss the most is Shaun Phillips. He was their best pass rusher last year outside of Von Miller. He played great against the run, and his leadership was evident throughout the entire season. Phillips signed with the Titans, and I think his loss will be the toughest for the Broncos to replace.

Do you think the Broncos will sign Demaryius Thomas to a long-term extension before training camp? John Elway is on record saying that he would like to negotiate with Thomas a long-term deal this summer because once training camp starts, then the negotiations will likely end. I think it is obviously a smart strategy, but I don't think Thomas is going to sign an extension this summer. I think he will get to free agency after the season, and Denver will either re-sign him to a huge new deal in that time period when the Broncos have the ability to before he hits the market or they will just franchise him. Either way, they know that they have to sign or keep Thomas, but I just don't think they will get a deal done before the season starts.

How are you handling the Broncos Super Bowl defeat this offseason? I definitely am handling it better than last year's loss to the Ravens in the Divisional round. Losing the Super Bowl in the fashion that the Broncos lost to the Seahawks was absolutely awful and brutal, but there is a sense of accomplishment about getting there. I would rather see the Broncos get to the Super Bowl and lose it than not get there at all. I am a firm believer in that even after what happened in February. It is tough at times to sit back and think that they were there in the Super Bowl and came away with nothing, but I've  been able to really reflect on how special the rest of their season was in 2013. Put it this way: I have watched the AFC Championship win over New England at least three times since March. Every time I watch the game, I smile and enjoy it just as much as I did when it happened, so the satisfaction of winning the AFC title is and will always be there. I think the Baltimore loss left me with a feeling of "What might have been," while the Super Bowl loss left me feeling "Well, we had a great year and we were close, but it just wasn't our game that day." In any event, the loss to the Seahawks has me even more motivated and pumped up for the upcoming season. 

Where do the Broncos stand overall heading into the summer? The Broncos made big moves in free agency, and they drafted some key needs in the draft. On paper, they look like a better team, but we know that means nothing. Make no mistake about it, they will be a different team in 2014 than they were in 2013. The key is that they still have Peyton Manning. They have surrounded Manning with plenty of talent, and they addressed needs on defense which makes them a good team overall. The bottom line is that Manning is there and if he is your quarterback, then you are a Super Bowl contender. The Broncos are heading to training camp as the favorite in the AFC, but the competition will be tougher this year. The Pats are better. It is only a matter of time before Andrew Luck leads the Colts to a Super Bowl. The AFC West is one of the toughest divisions, and teams like the Ravens and the Steelers are primed for a bounce back year. It is going to be tougher for them, but at the end of the day the Broncos are still the team to beat in the AFC. 

Broncos 2014 Draft Picks

The Broncos selected six new players during the 2014 NFL Draft. With a roster full of veterans and key players, the Broncos needed to address only a few positions in this draft. It seems like the Broncos addressed those positional needs after the weekend concluded. Here are the six draft picks Denver selected and my analysis of where they fit on this team going forward into next season.

1st Round- #31 overall: Bradley Roby-CB (Ohio State)

-The Broncos really needed to grab a corner in the early rounds, and Roby is a talented player who fell to them at #31. This is a good pick for the Broncos and Roby will step in as the #3 corner behind Aqib Talib and Chris Harris and ahead of Kayvon Webster. It sounds like Roby will even get to play some outside corner while Harris plays the slot in nickel situations.

2^nd Round- #56 overall: Cody Latimer-WR (Indiana)

-The Broncos needed to get another receiver in the first three rounds of the draft, and they selected Latimer, who was rocketing up the mock draft boards. Latimer is a big, physical receiver, and he could potentially replace Eric Decker. With Wes Welker one hit away from another severe concussion, the Broncos needed another receiver to go with Demaryius Thomas and the newly signed Emmanuel Sanders. Latimer should be able to work his way into the receiver rotation by midseason.

3^rd Round-#95 overall: Michael Schofield-OT (Michigan)

-The Broncos lost Zane Beadles to free agency, and they plan to move Orlando Franklin inside to guard to replace Beadles. By drafting Schofield, the Broncos get a guy who started at RT for Michigan but has the ability to move inside to guard as well. Having flexibility with your lineman is a huge advantage for a team. If all goes well, Schofield can come in a win the LG job outright by next year.

5^th Round-#156 overall: Lamin Barrow-LB (LSU)

-The Broncos traded out of the 4^th round with the Bears. They have always seemed to forget about the ILB position every offseason. They have gone the veteran free agent route the last two years with Keith Brooking and Paris Lenon. Nate Irving will get a shot to start this year, but watch out for Barrow. This could be a sleeper pick. If anything, Barrow should be able to contribute on special teams this season.

6^th Round-#207 overall: Matt Paradis-C (Boise St)

-Denver needs some depth at center, and a guy like Paradis can provide that. If Paradis can’t beat out Will Montgomery for the backup spot, then he will be a practice-squad player for 2014.

7^th Round-#242 overall: Corey Nelson-LB (Oklahoma)

-Nelson will provide more depth and competition at linebacker. If things go well for Nelson, he could crack the 53-man roster as a special teams player. If not, then maybe he makes the practice-squad. The worst case scenario for him is that he gets cut, which could happen to a 7^th round pick.

2014 NFL Mock Draft

Mock drafts might be one of the most inane things to do before the draft, but everyone seems to have out a mock draft, so I began the tradition myself a few years ago. The key to this draft is going to be the  quarterbacks. Where does Johnny Manziel go? What happens to Teddy Bridgewater? Is there a surprise like there was a few years ago when the Titans and Vikings surprised everyone and selected Jake Locker and Christian Ponder at 8 and 12? The QBs will be the storyline come Thursday night when the  draft kicks off with Round 1.

Round 1
#1 Houston Texans select Jadeveon Clowney DE-South Carolina
-He is the best player in the draft, and the Texans won't hesitate taking him and pairing him with J.J. Watt.

#2 St.Louis Rams select Khalil Mack DE/OLB-Buffalo
-I can see the Rams trading this pick, but I think they stay put and add a WR later on. They get Mack to add to their explosive pass rush.

#3 Jacksonville Jaguars select Johnny Manziel QB-Texas A&M
-The Jags really need some to add some sizzle to their franchise, and they need a QB badly, so I think they go out on a limb and grab Manziel at #3.

#4 Cleveland Browns select Sammy Watkins WR-Clemson
-Why not pair Watkins with Josh Gordon and create a pretty sick 1-2 punch at WR?

#5 Oakland Raiders select Greg Robinson OT-Auburn
-The Raiders need help on the O-Line and they grab a safe bet in Robinson.

#6 Atlanta Falcons select Jake Matthews OT-Texas A&M
-The Falcons could try to move up and take Clowney, but I think they stay put and add another solid OT in Matthews.

#7 TRADE. Tampa Bay trades #7 overall pick to Buffalo Bills for Bills 1st round pick (#9 overall) and  Bills 2nd round pick (#41 overall).

Buffalo Bills select Mike Evans WR-Texas A&M
-Another Aggie goes off the board, as the Bills trade up to get second best receiver in the draft.

#8 Minnesota Vikings select Aaron Donald DT-Pittsburgh
-Vikings get some interior help on the defensive line with the addition of the fast rising Donald.

#9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers select Blake Bortles QB-UCF
-Although they added Josh McCown in free agency, the Bucs get their QB of the future.

#10 Detroit Lions select Justin Gilbert CB-Oklahoma State
-The Lions need help in the secondary and they grab the best CB in the draft in this spot.

#11 Tennessee Titans select Anthony Barr DE/OLB-UCLA
-The Titans are in an interesting spot and they could trade down, but they stay put and look to add a pass rusher like Barr.

#12 New York Giants select Zack Martin OT-Notre Dame
- The Giants need to help Eli Manning on the offensive line, so they get Martin, who is rising fast up many teams draft boards.

#13 St. Louis Rams select Odell Beckham WR-LSU
-The Rams passed up Watkins at #2, but they add receiver help for Sam Bradford by getting Beckham here at #13.

#14 Chicago Bears select Ha Ha Clinton-Dix S-Alabama
-The Bears need help on the defensive side of the ball, so they go with Clinton-Dix, who is the best safety on the board.

#15 Pittsburgh Steelers select Eric Ebron TE-UNC
-The Steelers have to get some offensive playmakers. Ebron fits that bill as one from the TE spot.

#16 Dallas Cowboys select Calvin Pryor S-Louisville
-Dallas has to get help on defense, and Pryor is the type of impact player at safety that teams covet.

#17 TRADE. Baltimore trades #17 pick to San Francisco for 1st round pick (#31 overall) 2nd Round pick (#54 overall) and 4th round pick (#129 overall)

San Francisco 49ers select Darqueze Dennard CB-Michigan State
-Everyone is speculating that the Niners will move up, and I think they will and grab Dennard, and go for a WR in round 2.

#18 New York Jets select Brandin Cooks WR-Oregon State
-The Jets need a receiver to add to their offense. Cooks seems to be linked to them for quite some time.

#19 Miami Dolphins select Taylor Lewan OT-Michigan
-The Fish really need a tackle in this draft, and they get Lewan to fall to them.

#20 Arizona Cardinals select Ra-shede Hageman- DT Minnesota
-The Cards could use some more help to add to their defense so they go with Hageman in this spot.

#21 Green Bay Packers select C.J. Mosley- LB Alabama
-The Packers get a solid pick with Mosley in this spot. They need to add to their defense and they get a potential starter with Mosley.

#22 Philadelphia Eagles select Kyle Fuller- CB Va Tech
-The Eagles could go many different directions here, but look they add Fuller to their secondary.

#23 Kansas City Chiefs select Marqise Lee- WR USC
-Lee fits what the Chiefs need which is another playmaker in the receiving corps.

#24 Cincinnati Bengals select Kony Ealy-DE/OLB Missouri
-The Bengals select Ealy as a pass-rushing replacement for Michael Johnson.

#25 San Diego Chargers select Bradley Roby CB-Ohio State
The Chargers fill a need by getting another top corner in this year's draft.

#26 Cleveland Browns select Derek Carr QB-Fresno State
-The Browns get the QB they wanted late in the first round. Carr will bide his time before becoming the team's future signal caller.

#27 New Orleans Saints select Jason Verrett CB-TCU
-Another corner goes in the first round this time to the Saints.

#28 Carolina Panthers select Cody Latimer WR-Indiana
-Latimer is a name that has really surged the past few weeks. The Panthers need help at WR, so they land Latimer late in the first round.

#29 New England Patriots select Louis Nix DT-Notre Dame
-The Pats always seem to need defensive help the past few years, and Nix can come in and make an impact right away.

#30 Baltimore Ravens select Jordan Matthews WR-Vanderbilt
-The Ravens could use more help at WR, and they grab a player that I love in this draft in Matthews.

#31 Denver Broncos select Ryan Shazier LB-Ohio State
-Finally, the Broncos get a player that I covet fall to them. Shazier would be a great fit in Denver's defense. He can play all three downs and would replace the departing Wesley Woodyard.

#32 Seattle Seahawks select Xavier Su'a-Filo OG-UCLA
-The Super Bowl champs add some help to their offensive line.

2014 NFL Draft Defensive Player Rankings (ILBs, CBs, Safeties)

Inside LBs
1) C.J. Mosley-Alabama
2) Chris Borland-Wisconsin
3) Shayne Skov- Stanford
4) Preston Brown-Louisville
5) Brock Coyle- Montana
6) Lamin Barrow-LSU
7) Max Bullough-Michigan St
8) Yawin Smallwood-UCONN
9) Avery Williamson-Kentucky
10) Glenn Carson-Penn State

CBs
1) Justin Gilbert-Oklahoma St
2) Darqueze Dennard- Michigan St
3) Kyle Fuller- Va Tech
4) Jason Verrett- TCU
5) Bradley Roby- Ohio St
6) Lamarcus Joyner- FSU
7) Phillip Gaines- Rice
8) Keith McGill-Utah
9) Pierre Desir-Lindenwood
10) Stanley Jean-Baptiste-Nebraska
11) Marcus Roberson-Florida
12) Bashaud Breeland-Clemson
13) Jaylen Watkins-Florida
14) Rashaad Reynolds-Oregon St
15) Walt Aikens-Liberty

FS
1) Ha Ha Clinton Dix-Alabama
2) Calvin Pryor-Louisville
3)Terrence Brooks-FSU
4) Dion Bailey-USC
5) Marqueston Huff-Wyoming
6) Ed Reynolds-Stanford
7)Kenny Ladler-Vanderbilt
8) Jon Dowling-Western Kentucky
9) Christian Bryant-Ohio St
10) Lonnie Ballentine-Wyoming

SS
1) Jimmie Ward-Northern Illionis
2)Deone Bucannon-Wash State
3) Brock Vereen-Minnesota
4) Dezmen Southward-Wisconsin
5) Tre Boston- UNC
6) Craig Loston-LSU
7) Vinnie Sunseri-Alabama
8) Ahmad Dixon-Baylor
9) Daniel Soresen-BYU
10) Isaiah Lewis-Michigan St

2014 Draft-Defensive Player Rankings(DTs,DEs,OLBS)

DTs

1)    Aaron Donald-Pitt

2)    Ra’Shede Hageman-Minnesota

3)    Louis Nix-Notre Dame

4)    Timmy Jernigan- FSU

5)    Ego Ferguson-LSU

6)    Will Sutton-Arizona St

7)    Anthony Johnson-LSU

8)    Justin Ellis-Louisiana Tech

9)    DaQuan Jones-Penn St

10) Daniel McCullers-Tennessee

DEs

1)    Jadeveon Clowney-South Carolina

2)    Kony Ealy-Missouri

3)    Stephon Tuitt-Notre Dame

4)    Scott Crichton-Oregon St

5)    Dominique Easley-Florida

6)    Trent Murphy-Stanford

7)    Marcus Smith-Louisville

8)    Jeremiah Attaochu-Georgia Tech

9)    Kareem Martin-North Carolina

10) Chris Smith-Arkansas

OLBs

1)    Khalil Mack-Buffalo

2)    Anthony Barr-UCLA
3) Ryan Shazier-Ohio St

3)    Dee Ford-Auburn

4)    Kyle Van Noy-BYU

5)    Demarcus Lawrence-Boise St

6)    Carl Bradford-Arizona St

7)    Adrian Hubbard-Alabama

8)    Jackson Jeffcoat-Texas

9)    Cassius Marsh-UCLA

10) Ron Powell-Florida