Leroy Hill Re-Signs With the Seahawks!

The headline says it all, we got Hill back under contract. This means that we now have the best and youngest linebacker corps in the NFL. I’m excited to see the young and talented trio dominate the Rams week one!

Hill’s new contract is worth $38 million over six years, $15.5 million in guaranteed money. The problem with this is that there is a part of the contract stating that the Hawks can’t pursue any of the bonus, should Hill be disciplined for the marijuana possession that he has recently been charged for. This is a bit odd, I think it means that Hill and the Hawks realise that it is likely there will be some action(s) taken by the commissioner.

On a side note, the Broncos waived Selvin Young. In my opinion, this is another mistake by McDaniels. Do you think the Seahawks should cash in on another of McDaniels mistakes and sign Young to a short, probably two year, contract to see what he can do in our offense? I’ve always liked Young and was shocked when he didn’t get drafted. He’s got speed and can break some tackles, any thoughts?

Who’s Going To Be the Most Impactful Rookie on Offense?

A lot of people probably think that Matthew Stafford will have the best career than any other rookie this draft. It’s kind of hard to name who’s going to be rookie of the year for offense because they play different positions. Here’s the players who probably have the best chance of winning offensive rookie of the year.

Matthew Stafford

Many say Stafford is going to be the best player in the draft. The negatives are, can the Lions’ offensive line give Stafford time so he can deliver good throws? Can he handle the pressure of being counted on to be the franchise QB?

The good things are that he has good receivers and talented players on the field to throw to. I say Stafford will be a franchise QB for the Lions.

Mark Sanchez

People think that Mark Sanchez should have been the No. 1 QB and that he’s going to have a better career than Stafford. The negative for Sanchez is that he doesn’t really have good, talented players like Stafford, but Sanchez does have the better line, and their defense is good too, so he will probably throw more than Stafford. I say Sanchez might be the ROY, but we never know.

Michael Crabtree

Everybody was surprised when Oakland let up Crabtree. Can Crabtree make them feel stupid for passing him up? I say yes.

Crabtree has good hands, and is vicious when it comes to making plays. The problem is, do the 49ers have a QB who can give him the ball? I Shaun Hill and Alex Smith are not that good. The biggest question is, though, can Crabtree get open in this league? We will see if Crabtree is the player that people think he will be.

Knowshown Moreno

Moreno is probably going to be the best rookie running back. He should fit perfectly in the Broncos’ offense since they’re running a spread. Moreno is quick, fast, and elusive. He brings more talent to the passing game as well. So, he should be an impact to their offense.

He has good hands and can run routes real well. He could be a contender for Offensive Rookie of the Year. One thing that people think is bad is that he ran his combine kind of slow, but he’s going to be a straight beast in the NFL.

Josh Freeman

Freeman should be playing this year. They might not play him because they want to groom him. They should play him now and let him get playing experience. Freeman has the good size and is a bomber. Freeman is probably the next Big Ben, but he can throw the ball deeper.

The problem with him is that he tends to telegraph passes and is slow on progression. Freeman should be good for the Bucs, but we’ll see.

That’s all, I’m out. On Saturday I will do who can be Defensive Rookie of the Year.

The Jay Cutler Trade Is Complete: Who Won?

It’s official; the Jay Cutler trade has been fully completed.

Don’t believe me?  The Broncos were wheeling-and-dealing on draft day.  They now have only six picks in next year’s draft; they traded away their own first round pick and their own fifth round pick.  They still have the Bears’ first round pick, but the odds are that will be no higher in the order than the Broncos’ natural pick…and quite possibly far lower.

Here are the moves the Broncos made that relate to the Cutler trade:

Drafted Robert Ayers (DE, Tennessee) with the Bears pick.  By all indications, Ayers is a strong talent, although he really did not turn it on until his senior season.  Still, he was what the Broncos wanted to play end/undertackle in their new 3-4 scheme.

Traded their own 2010 first round draft choice to Seattle for the No. 37 pick in the 2009 draft, used to select Alphonso Smith (CB, Wake Forest):  Everyone agrees with the fact that if the Broncos did not have the Bears’ first-round choice in 2010, this trade would not have happened.  So it relates to the Cutler trade.

First, as to Smith, he is a corner with great ball skills (20 collegiate INTs, a huge number) that may be best suited to zone/cover two coverage, as his reduced size means he will have to play off larger receivers.  The Broncos had a first-round grade on him, so they were willing to give up a first-round pick to get him.

The issue comes in the actual pick they traded.  When Josh McDaniels and his partner-in-crime, GM Brian Xanders, spoke with Seahawks GM Tim Ruskell, the Broncos initially offered Seattle the Bears’ first-round choice, or the lower of the two first-round picks in 2010.

The clock was ticking.

Ruskell was happy to take C Max Unger from Oregon with the No. 37 pick, so his inclination to move was not significant.  Sensing the Broncos’ strong desire to move into that slot, Ruskell demanded the Broncos’ own first-round choice. 

Denver was initially reluctant; Ruskell stood his ground.  Denver caved and gave Ruskell the pick he wanted.  This is all documented in the Denver Post, in case anyone questions this account.

As the second round went on, Seattle saw Unger still on the board.  Around this time, Chicago GM Jerry Angelo had targeted two players with the Bears’ second-round choice, the 49th pick: WR Brian Robiskie from Ohio State, or S Mike Mitchell from Ohio.  Robiskie went 39th to Cleveland, prompting Angelo and his staff to start working the phones to see what they could get in a trade for the 49th pick.

Ruskell informed the Bears they could have Seattle’s third and fourth round selections (early picks in both rounds) for the 49th pick.  Angelo apparently told Ruskell that if their guy was gone (their guy being Mike Mitchell at this point), the Bears would do the trade.

Enter the Cryptkeeper, Al Davis.  To the derision of many, the Raiders took Mitchell with the 47th pick—after Angelo had called Mitchell to tell him the Bears would take him at No. 49.  Mitchell was now gone, so the trade went through.

Seattle took Unger with the 49th pick.  By waiting 12 spots, Seattle got their guy and turned a high third and high fourth into the Broncos’ first round choice next year. 

Meanwhile, Angelo drafted two defensive linemen (pool jumper-outer and WAC Defensive Player of the Year Jarron Gilbert from San Jose St., as well as former fullback Herny Melton from Texas).  Gilbert is regarded as a steal by many draft observers—he apparently lasted until round three due to concerns about WAC competition.  We shall see.

The Broncos trade up into the end of round two to select TE Richard Quinn from North Carolina: Using their own third round pick and the Bears’ third round pick acquired in the Cutler trade, the Broncos grabbed Quinn, a primarily blocking TE.  I say this because Quinn had all of 12 career receptions in college.

The Broncos also got a very low fourth round choice in this trade, which became G Seth Olson from Iowa, but they also dealt their fifth in 2010 later in the draft, so I feel comfortable factoring that part out.

***

So the Cutler trade can (very reasonably) be viewed as:

Jay Cutler for Robert Ayers (a mid-No. 1 choice), Alphonso Smith (a No. 2 choice), Richard Quinn, and Kyle Orton—and in all likelihood moving down in the 2010 first round.

As we saw in the draft, a No. 2 this year costs, more or less, a No. 1 next year.  Viewing it in those terms, the Bears gave up a mid-No. 1, a No. 2, and a No. 3 in this year’s draft along with Orton for Cutler, a QB heading into his fourth year who has proven he can play in the league.

Please also consider that earlier in the day, the Browns effectively traded Mark Sanchez for a mid-No. 1 choice, a No. 2, and three players.  Sanchez is a highly-regarded prospect that needs seasoning and time to become a top-level NFL QB—if he does.

Perhaps the character/charisma concerns about Cutler lead to this disparity in value.  Again, we will see how it all plays out.

Considering all of that, the Bears seem to have paid less for Cutler than the Jets paid for Sanchez, taking Cutler’s production and experience into account.  The deal also makes more sense for the Browns since they are now better positioned at QB than are the Broncos, by any impartial evaluation.

***

Obtaining a young, NFL-productive QB via trade simply does not occur.  Usually, teams have to act as the Jets did; trade up to get “their guy”—but a guy who still has to prove it.  Cutler has proven it.

If you look at Cutler’s stats in his first three years vs. John Elway’s, Cutler beats Elway in any statistical category you can name: yards-per-attempt, TD and INT ratios, TD-to-INT ratio, overall TDs, overall yards, etc.

In addition, much has been made of Cutler’s records with the Broncos as a full-season starter (7-9 and 8-8).  Consider this: John Elway played with sub-par defenses in Denver during the 1988, 1990, 1992, and 1994 seasons—Elway’s sixth, eighth, 10th, and 12th seasons in the league. 

The Bronco defense ranked at 20 or lower in terms of yards and points allowed in each of those seasons.  While Elway had more experience than Cutler for each of those seasons, can you guess the Broncos’ W-L records during those years?

• 1988: 8-8
• 1990: 5-11
• 1992: 8-8
• 1994: 7-9

Cutler played with even worse defenses and had similar W-L records.  I am not saying Cutler is Elway; I am saying much of the disparagement of Cutler does not look at the facts.

 

VERDICT

Winners in the Cutler trade

The Chicago Bears, solving a decades-long issue at QB with a proven starter who is NOT the reason for the Broncos’ W-L records in the past two years, and paying a reasonable price to get him.  I know that Chris Mortensen from ESPN agrees with that assessment (not the end of debate, but certainly a strong opinion from someone who talks to every GM in the league).

The Seattle Seahawks: Seattle now has two picks that should be relatively high in the 2010 first round.  This will allow them to get an elite prospect or perhaps even two.  In my opinion, they are now the kings of the 2010 draft.  They have the flexibility to make any move they want, depending upon how things go.  They are in a very enviable position.  They need to address the QB position soon, and now they can.

But why are the Seahawks winners in the Cutler trade specifically?  Because I believe the reason they now rule the 2010 draft can be summed up by the behavior of McDaniels and Xanders.  Both feel incredible pressure to avoid a disastrous season in Denver in the wake of the Cutler deal.  I believe that pressure manifested itself in their capitulation to the demands of Seattle for the Broncos’ own pick.

 

Losers in the Cutler Trade

The Denver Broncos:  Both Xanders and McDaniels, especially McDaniels, are in the spotlight.  If the brutal 2009 Denver schedule (and if you don’t think it is brutal, go look at it) causes Denver to go 5-11, and the Broncos’ own pick is in the top-10, and could have been used or leveraged to obtain an elite QB, Bronco fans will peel the paint off the walls screaming at their TVs throughout the 2009 season, and McDaniels will be a pariah.

Seattle GM Tim Ruskell clearly has his opinion about which pick was better to acquire; no doubt he factored the Broncos’ draconian 2009 schedule into his equation.

But why are the Broncos the losers in this trade?  Ayers, Smith, and Quinn could be good players, it is true.  But the Broncos have put immense pressure on this season to win now, based on the Smith trade.  In addition, the Broncos now have one of the 6-7 worst QB situations in the league, again viewed impartially.  The team has been significantly destabilized due to the desire for McDaniels to make his mark and get rid of Cutler.

Had the Broncos not done the Smith trade—or even if they had simply obtained better terms for that trade—I would not be so certain they lost in this transaction.  However, the Cutler trade led to pressure, which made them give up an elite position in the 2010 draft to becoming more or less an afterthought.  That’s why I believe they lost.

I look forward to your opinions on the subject.

 

Assigning Arbitrary Letters To Team’s NFL Draft Choices: Part I

The 2009 NFL Draft is now in the books and we here at TSC take a look at all the hits and misses from the event. Everyone seems intent on assigning letter grades to everything, but we are just going to assign letters. Maybe it’s because we like thinking out of the box, maybe it’s because we remember the horrid grades we got in school. In either case, here are the breakdowns of the first half of the teams in the draft.

Josh McDaniels Wins Super Bowl in First Year, Proving Superiority to Belichick

Josh McDaniels is distancing himself from not only Mike Shanahan, but also Bill Belichick.  Whereas McDaniels diverges from Shanahan with his handling of the QB and RB positions, McDaniels also spits in the face of the Belichick philosophy by trading away the Denver 2010 1st round pick to obtain a 2009 2nd round pick.

Belichick has frequently traded draft picks in order to obtain higher picks in next year’s draft, or to obtain extra picks.  For example, in 2008 he traded a second rounder to San Diego for San Diego’s third rounder in 2008 and second rounder in 2009.

Just this weekend, the Patriots traded a 2009 third rounder to Jacksonville for a 2010 second rounder, and traded another 2009 third rounder to Tennessee for another 2010 second rounder. 

I don’t want to list every single move by the Patriots over the past decade, but you can look it up yourself and you’ll see what I mean—trading for extra picks and “delaying gratification” by trading a pick to get a higher pick in next year’s draft is something that has been a key ingredient of the Patriots’ success.    

Yet McDaniels traded the Broncos’ 2010 first round pick to Seattle for a 2009 2nd rounder, that was used on CB Alphonso Smith.  He was not assertive in demanding a condition that Seattle would get whatever ended up as the lower pick between Denver and Chicago—this will be Denver’s original pick. 

The only way this trade ends up being good is if the Broncos win the Super Bowl next year, or at least come close.  

And that’s not even mentioning the possibility that the Broncos go something like 6-10 or even 3-13.  Optimistically, the Broncos can be a Super Bowl contender in 2010, but no way in 2009.

Optimistically, Kyle Orton becomes Matt Cassel, and players like Elvis Dumervil and Jarvis Moss become effective 3-4 OLBs, and the Broncos use their 2010 first and second round picks on defensive linemen and sign a top free agent DL…but all that will take TWO seasons, it won’t happen in merely ONE season. 

Yet Matt Cassel couldn’t master the offensive system in just one year; it takes several years for a DE to convert to an effective OLB; and the Broncos completely ignored their DL this year meaning that it won’t be until next year when they can fix it. 

EVEN THE MOST OPTIMISTIC ASSESSMENT OF THE BRONCOS, IN WHICH THEY ARE SUPER BOWL CONTENDERS IN 2010, INDICATE THAT 2009 WILL HAVE A LOT OF GROWING PAINS.

That is why trading the 2010 1st round pick is so bizarre.  Maybe trade away 2011 or 2012, but don’t trade away 2010!

The Patriots went 6-10 in Belichick’s first season in 2000, and then won the Super Bowl in 2001.  The highest draft pick Belichick ever had was No. 6 overall in 2001 (to get Richard Seymour), simply because 2000, his first season, was the worst season he ever had with the Patriots. 

Does anyone really believe that Belichick in 2000 would have traded a 2001 1st rounder for a 2000 2nd rounder?  That Alphonso Smith is better than Richard Seymour?  That Alphonso Smith is better than having a high 1st round pick that could be traded down to obtain a lower 1st rounder plus a second rounder? 

Belichick was confident in himself, but he understood that the very first season can have growing pains, which is why during his first offseason in 2000 he didn’t trade away the 1st round pick from 2001. 

McDaniels is even more confident, and he feels insulted by the insinuation that he is merely a protege of Belichick. 

He believes he must one-up his mentor by winning the Super Bowl his very first season (two years is too long), and therefore he traded away next year’s first round pick to publicly display his confidence and to motivate the Broncos players.

McDaniels has spit in the face of the Belichick philosophy to building a team.  He does not believe in delayed gratification, he wants his toys NOW. 

This is not to bash McDaniels, in fairness it remains to be seen how things turn out:  Maybe Tom Brady, Randy Moss, and the rest of the Patriots offense crumbles this year without McDaniels directing the offense.

Belichick realizes with regret that whereas Charlie Weiss, Romeo Crennel, and Eric Mangini were expendable, that it was Josh McDaniels who was the true secret to the Patriots’ success.

Meanwhile, the Broncos win the Super Bowl. McDaniels by winning the SB in his very first season proves he is superior to Belichick who took two long years to bring home the Lombardi.

And as a minor side note, miles away in Seattle, the Seahawks lament their mistake in trading a second round pick for what ended up being a low first round pick.

Denver Broncos: My First and Final Mock Draft

The Broncos have had a quiet offseason. All is tranquil in Dove Valley. We signed our franchise quarterback and hall of fame head coach to extensions. Although it may seem that we are a lock for the playoffs there are a few holes that have to be filled. Especiallly since we added so few free agents. This is a mock of the 2009 Denver Broncos Draft.

Broncos Draft: Offensive Mind Overpowers Needs

The end of the ’08 season brought an end to the Mike Shanahan era in Denver.

Historically, Shanahan always had success in drafting offensive players, but when given the chance, he would never pass on a position of need on the defensive side of the ball.

After Shanahan was fired, Broncos’ owner Pat Bowlen made a risky move and hired Josh McDaniels. His main objective was to keep the offense the same and rebuild the defense. After a very successful free agency period, McDaniels made a mistake that has gotten him hated by many Broncos’ fans.

He traded franchise quarterback Jay Cutler.

This past weekend, Josh McDaniels got his first chance to redeem himself. It was simple: If the Broncos had a good draft, he is forgiven; if the Broncos have a bad draft, the fans will want him fired. So, how did it go? Here is a recap of Denver’s 10 picks.

 

Round/Pick – Player, Position, School

1st/12th – Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia

1st/18th – Robert Ayers, DE/OLB, Tennessee

2nd/5th – Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest

2nd/16th – Darcel McBath, S, Texas Tech

2nd/32nd – Richard Quinn, TE, UNC

4th/14th – David Bruton, S, Notre Dame

4th/32nd – Seth Olsen, OT, Iowa

5th/5th – Kenny McKinley, WR, South Carolina

6th/1st – Tom Brandstater, QB, Fresno St.

7th/16th – Blake Schlueter, C, TCU

 

Like stated earlier, McDaniels was hired to rebuild the defense. Yes, he did address the need of defensive end. He also needed a pass catching running back.

But was it necessary to spend six of their 10 picks on offense? The Broncos had the number two ranked offense in the league last year! To go with that, they had the 29th ranked defense!

No one can see what McDaniels is doing… and that is exactly why he will be a successful coach in the NFL.

Josh McDaniels is a product of Bill Belichick. Belichick never did the ordinary thing. No one could ever guess what was coming next. On the other hand, anybody could predict what Mike Shanahan’s next call would be. The weird, the out-of-the-ordinary, and the downright crazy calls are exactly the change the Broncos need.

This should be a fun year for Broncos fans. Don’t be surprised by anything. And most importantly, keep faith.

Denver Broncos Off to a “Roaring” Start…wait Lions Roar…Uh Oh

What an interesting start to our new regime, the possibilities have me so giddy I could just poop! Lets have a look at our new boy genius and the moves he’s made so far to ensure NFL dominance this season

It was no secret that the Broncos needed to get young and physical in the off season, so it comes as no surprise that our first free agent acquisition was a retread 35 year old safety from Phili! Didn’t we just let Lynch go last year cuz he was too old? Never mind we have the boy genius, what could possibly go wrong!

This is unconfirmed but sources tell be that immediately after the season ending nail biter against the Chargers, Champ Bailey and Dre Bly were rushed to the Rocky Mountain burn clinic to rehab from the season.

Dre Bly was subsequently cut and then signed to the practice squad, the cheerleaders practice squad, so that he could continue to show off those mad skills he’s got, just not on the field anymore…thank God!

No changes are scheduled for the O-line, as they were one of the best performing groups in the NFL last year, but I understand J Mac has them on warning that if they go making the Pro Bowl then they need to understand that “This is a business.”

And they could easily be traded for an under performing second tier intern (wow, that sounds familiar).

The Daft (I mean draft, a useful typo there) proved interesting. We take a running back with the first pick, after last years IR roster filling fiasco I can agree with bringing in Moreno, I just hope he visits CPT Picard and borrows a set of shields from the Enterprise.

Then we take Ayers? Were we looking for another Jarvis Moss or just someone to dominate the Buffet Drill after practices?

Ayers didn’t care much about football until it occurred to him that it was his senior year and he needed to get drafted, now that he’ll get a check I can see him going back to sleep until his next contract year! We already had a group of underachievers on D, but I guess there’s something to be said for harmony!

Of course trading and cutting wouldn’t be complete until we talk about that scrub Cutler, our third year pro bowl QB that has already thrown for team records has a rocket arm and mobility belying the fact that he’s a QB (just not a QB for the Patriots I guess), well scrap him and bring in Kyle Orton who’s career NFL achievements include being in the NFL and being Kyle Orton.

Okay okay! On a positive note he’s not Ryan Leaf! Akili Smith, maybe, but definitely not Ryan Leaf!

I can almost taste the Lombardi Trophy now! Sure glad I renewed those season tickets!

All the Best

Randy “Do I seem cynical” Walker

Denver: Why The Broncos Draft Picks Will Change The Franchise

From what I’ve read, most Denver fans were disappointed with the decisions the Broncos made in this years draft. And to those of you who feel this way, I say cheer up! I’ve recently done research on our new additions to the team. So all of of you people that can’t seem to smile after the draft, I’ll give you reason to.

Robert Ayers- DE (18th overall)

Ayers started all four years of his college career. In these four years, he had 112 tackles, and nine sacks. Ayers has even had an interception his senior year. I’m not sure about you, but I’m satisfied with those stats.

Alphonso Smith- CB (37th overall)

Alphonso Smith also started all four years in college. In his four years, Smith had 174 tackles, four forced fumbles, and 21 interceptions. he also had four touchdowns in his four years at Wake Forest. I’m almost surprised he didn’t go in the first round.

Darcel McBath- CB/S (48th overall)

Darcel was another pick to start all four years, so he has the experience. In his career, he’s had 214 tackles, 12 interceptions, and two interceptions. Also in the 2008 season, his college team won all but one game, where he had six interceptions, and a touchdown in one season alone.

So far all of these picks have been towards helping the defense, which people said our new head coach barely did in this years draft.

Richard Quinn- TE (64th overall)

You have to hear me out on this one, even though his stats don’t make him look like should have even been drafted.

Like most Broncos fans, I was not satisfied with the stats that Quinn had to offer. I couldn’t figure out why we even considered him, and I needed an answer.

So I looked him up on YouTube. His highlights weren’t of him scoring or making amazing catches. What I saw was Richard Quinn laying out guys all over the field (In other words, he’s an amazing blocker).

This addition could be key considering that we had drafted Knowshon Moreno. It’s clear that what McDaniels was doing was helping our running backs (maybe to help prevent losing 7 running backs to injured reserve again or something).

This convinced me that McDaniels probably knew what he was doing.

David Bruton- FS (114th overall)

Again, McDaniels helps the defense with another great pick. Bruton has accomplished 210 tackles, two forced fumbles, and seven interceptions in all four seasons. David has even had a sack, which isn’t saying much, but decent considering that he’s a safety.

Since the Broncos acquired Brian Dawkins in the offseason, Bruton makes a great secondary for the Broncos.

Seth Olsen- OG (132nd overall)

Call me a homer, but I was excited when the Broncos drafted Seth, knowing that he was from Iowa.

Though Olsen was a Iowa Hawkeye, I was excited for more than just that reason that we took him. Seth Olsen allowed very little tackles, and was key to why the Hawkeyes won so many games. Olsen should be a good addition to the offense.

Kenny McKinley- WR (141st overall)

Granted, the Broncos already have amazing receivers (A- in most polls), It’s not like Players don’t get injured (or tired), and Kenny McKinley would be a reliable sub for when (if) this happens.

McKinley has had 207 receptions, 2,781 yards, and 19 touchdowns in his four years at South Carolina. His ability to make quick decisions, and tough catches makes him a good fit with the other Bronco Wide outs.

Tom Brandstater- QB (174th overall)

Tom Brandstater is a big, strong QB from Fresno state. A lot of people thought this was a dumb decision by McDaniels considering that we just got Kyle Orton and Chris Simms in the offseason. But after releasing Patrick Ramsey and Darrell Hackney, the Broncos were in need of a third QB.

Brandstater has thrown 6,857 yards, and 47 touchdowns. Pretty legit considering he only started three seasons.

Tom also rushed for four touchdowns last season alone. Pretty good pick for the sixth round (not to mention that he’s a QB).

Blake Schlueter- C (225th overall)

After the retiring of Tom Nalen, the Broncos were in need of a center. Denver got just that in the seventh round of the Draft.

Blake Schlueter is very mature, and is crazy fast for an offensive linemen. His strength and agility make him a reliable center to help guard our new quarterback.

In addition to these draft picks, McDaniels picked up 12 extra players in free agency. So again, I say cheer up! McDaniels knows what he’s doing.

Willie Tuitama: Why Coach Josh McDaniels Needs To Give This Kid a Shot

Willie Tuitama against Kyle Orton, what’s going in Tuitama’s favor?  

Tuitama, a senior out of the University of Arizona, has never taken an NFL snap. However, Tuitama, who is five years younger than Orton, has the potential to be a decent starter in the NFL, and great value for being an unsigned, undrafted free agent.

Tuitama stayed all four years at Arizona, and passed for over 1,000 yards in each of his four seasons. The Stockton, California native has thrown for 51 touchdowns in his last two years, compared to just 20 interceptions. He also threw for over 3000 yards in the PAC-10 twice, Tuitama seems to have a great arm and great pocket poise.

Tuitama, who was fifth in passing efficiency while trailing after halftime with a 132.5 rating, Tuitama trailed only Graham Harrell, Chase Daniels, Andre Woodson, and some guy named Matthew Stafford. He remains calm under pressure, and performs in the clutch better than he does when he has a lead.

While being a starter in his freshman year at Arizona, Tuitama posted a passer efficiency rating of 137. 

In Arizona’s first game this season against Idaho, Tuitama was 17 for 21, 179 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. Against the USC Trojan tough defense however, Tuitama was just 14 for 30, 88 yards, and an interception. Inconsistent at times, but he showed what he’s capable of doing against the Vandals.

Tuitama, who has a nice frame at six-foot-three, and weighing about 220 pounds, has great inside accuracy. He isn’t the fastest quarterback available (4.78 40 yard dash time), and can sometimes be inaccurate and have mistimed throws.

Even though the Broncos drafted Tom Brandstater out of Fresno State, I believe the Broncos should at least give Tuitama a spot on the roster, since thus far they haven’t even signed an undrafted free agent at the quarterback position yet.

Overall, throwing for 9,216 yards and 67 touchdowns for his career at Arizona isn’t bad, and I really think the Broncos should take a chance on him. Though he may take some time to work out his flaws in his mechanics, I would much rather give him a chance than have Orton the outright starter, with no decent backup behind him when he throws 20 interceptions by December.

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