With Cutler Gone, Denver QB Job Is Wide Open

Unless you have been living under a rock you know that since the retirement of John Elway in 1999 the Broncos have searched tirelessly for a QB who could once become again the face of their franchise.  After failed “experiments” with the likes of Brian Griese and Jake Plummer Denver thought they had found their man in Vanderbilt’s Jay Cutler.  Well they could not have been more wrong.

With the abrupt firing of 14 year head coach Mike Shanahan the Broncos set the stage for the departure of Cutler.  The Broncos hired Patriots Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels to succeed Shanahan and he subsequently tried to bring along “his” QB from New England, Matt Cassel.  Cutler was offended and the relationship was finished before it ever even started.  Thus, #6 was traded to the Chicago Bears.

Now Denver is faced with starting from scratch with a new head coach (McDaniels), a new GM (Brian Xanders) and a new quarterback who will emerge from the likes of Kyle Orton, who Denver obtained from Chicago in the Cutler trade, Chris Simms who has played a total of 20 games since coming into the league in 2003 and Tom Brandstater who Denver drafted in the sixth round this year out of Fresno State.

Brandstater had a 59 completion percentage during his four years as a Bulldog and threw 47 touchdowns and 32 interceptions. 

Chris Simms came into the NFL in 2003 after being one of the top passers ever at the University of Texas.  He is second or third in most categories including second in most touchdowns in a single game, single season and career.  Drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Simms was expected to be the successor to Brad Johnson.  After serving as backup to several QB’s including Brian Griese and Jeff Garcia and a rather severe spleen injury his relationship with the team and head coach Jon Gruden deteriorated and he was released in August of 2007.  He signed with the Tennessee Titans in September of 2008 after Vince Young was sidelined with an injury.  Since his entrance into the NFL he has a 59.1 completion percentage and has thrown for just under 3,100 yards in 20 games.  With 12 touchdowns versus 17 interceptions he does not have very much to tout as a starting QB.

Four year NFL veteran QB Kyle Orton is most likely to win the job for the season opener.  Orton was obtained in the Jay Cutler trade and brings a completely different style than Cutler.  Drafted by Chicago in The 2005 NFL Draft Orton (Purdue) was thrust into the starter role after an injury to then starter Rex Grossman.  He also was demoted after the 2005 season in favor of Brian Griese. 

Orton certainly fits Josh McDaniels’ style of a controlled passing game.  His career yards per attempt stands at 5.83 and his longest career pass to date is 65 yards.  With the Broncos traditional focus on the running game and McDaniels’ method of controlled passing and taking what the defense gives you, Orton certainly fits the profile.

This will most certainly be the battle to watch as training camp unfolds this summer.  True, the Broncos defense is going to be a focal point.  They were nothing short of horrible last year.  However, Denver is a QB town.  The fans WANT another John Elway.  They love the running game and the smash mouth defense (until last year that is) but nothing gets them making more noise than lighting up the scoreboard with an electric passing game.  They had it for years with Elway and they saw flashes of it with Griese and Plummer.  They potentially HAD it with Cutler and McDaniels sent him packing.  All eyes will be on McDaniels and that passing game.  You can bank on it.

Broncos Defense Must Carry The Load In ’09

As mini camps open for this year’s NFL season, the Denver Broncos are facing a battle that will be difficult to win.  The free agency season and the NFL Draft have concluded and one would expect a team which finished 30th in the league on defense would have addressed defense in free agency and on draft day.  New Head Coach Josh McDaniels decided, instead, to use his first pick (12th Overall) on running back Knowshon Moreno from Georgia.

While Moreno is a fantastic running back, the Broncos had already gone the RB route early during free agency by signing Correll Buckhalter, J.J. Arrington and LaMont Jordan.  On Thursday, they also brought in former Houston Texans’ running back Darius Walker.  They will now boast eight running backs on their roster.  Though Denver lost seven tailbacks to injury last season, their running game was not what caused them to surrender a three-game division lead with three games left in the season and miss the playoffs.

Their usually stout defense was ranked at the bottom or near the bottom of the league in almost every category.  The offense, despite the injuries at running back, managed to score just over 23 points per game which put them in the middle of the pack.  Their defense, though, allowed 28 points per game which ranked 30th in the NFL.  They were also minus 17 in their giveaway/takeaway differential which ranked a paltry 30th in the league.

The Broncos two star defensive backs, Champ Bailey and Dre Bly, had less than stellar seasons and the Broncos saw only 6 interceptions all season long.  Bailey actually missed seven games during the season due to injury which took away the shut down corner Denver can usually count on.  They also got manhandled on the line giving up 4.8 yards per carry and over 115 yards per game. 

Denver did try and address some of their defensive short comings with their three subsequent picks in the 2009 Draft.  With their second pick (18th Overall) they took Robert Ayers, a defensive end/line backer out of Tennessee.  Ayers, though, has been tagged by many as a “one year wonder.”  He does show some upside with pretty good speed and power getting through to the quarterback.  The Broncos most likely plan to use him as an outside linebacker.  Don Martindale, Broncos Linebackers Coach, was the one responsible for scouting Ayers so he knows very well what the rookie can do.

After Ayers Denver drafted CB Alphonso Smith (Wake Forest) and S Darcel McBath (Texas Tech) both excellent position players.  Smith tallied a whopping 20 interceptions during his college career.  He can also make an immediate impact on kick returns as he averaged 20.7 yards in his time with the Demon Deacons.  McBath was a first team All Big 12 safety in 2008 with an impressive 70 tackles and 6 picks.

So, looking at the 2009 season Denver needs to have these defensive picks make an impact from game 1.  The rest of the NFL knows their weakness.  They were exploited last year and until they can prove differently teams will continue to attack them.  With the exit of Jay Cutler and basically the Broncos entire offensive playbook this defense will have no choice but to improve and improve quickly.  If not the don’t look for them to be even close to the 8-8 season they had in ’08.

Darius Walker Signs With Denver Broncos

Profootballtalk.com is reporting that running back Darius Walker has signed with the Denver Broncos, according to agent Drew Rosenhaus’ Twitter feed.

The 23-year-old was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2007 by the Houston Texans.

Though undersized, he’s considered a between-the-tackles runner with good hands, yet a little slower than a true feature back.

With limited action in 2007, Walker carried the ball 58 times for 264 yards and one touchdown for a 4.5 YPC average. 

Broncos 2009 Offseason

February 28, 2009 was a day of much anticipation and excitement for Broncos fans. Free agency started with a few quiet signings. They first agreed to terms with former Philadelphia Eagles running back Correll Buckhalter and Cardinal back JJ Arrington. 

Later that night, they made their biggest splash by agreeing to terms with future hall of fame safety Brian Dawkins.  Many die-hard fans anticipated free agency would provide as help for a weak front seven. 

The Broncos signed nose tackle Ronald Fields from the 49ers, who has close ties with the Broncos new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan.  McDaniels and the front office also brought in Darrell Reid from the Colts for his versatility and special teams help, along with Andra Davis from the Browns. Davis had a down year, but has had great success in the past amassing 103 tackles per year from 2003-2008. 

The Broncos also signed two former Miami Dolphins defensive backs in cornerback Andre Goodman and safety Renaldo Hill.  Goodman had a breakout year in 08, intercepting a career high five passes, and although 31 years of age, has played better with age. 

Hill projects to be the week one starter but, after drafting talented cover safeties in Darcel McBath from Texas Tech and David Bruton from Notre Dame, expect Hill to be here for a short stint, possibly not even finishing the end of the season as the starter.

Other notable players signed by the Broncos include, wide reciever Jabar Gaffney, running back LaMont Jordan, and quarterback Chirs Simms.

However, the highlight of the Broncos offeason was the Jay Cutler saga.  After reports  leaked that the Broncos had shown interest in former Patriots QB Matt Cassell, Jay Cutler revealed his anger and demanded a trade.  After much back and forth name-calling and pointing, Cutler was eventually traded to the Chicago Bears. 

The Broncos in return received, quarterback Kyle Orton, a 2009 first round pick, 2010 first round pick, and 2009 third round pick.  The Broncos also had to ship a fifth round pick in 2009 to the Bears.

After collecting all of these picks, Broncos fans were more than excited for the 2009 NFL Draft.  Many anticipated help on the defensive line and linebackers, however with star nose tackle BJ Raji and defensive end Tyson Jackson off the board, the Broncos turned to the offensive side of the ball to draft running back Knowshon Moreno, by many considered the best running back in the draft. 

Many questioned this move but Moreno’s blocking ability and skill at catching the ball in the backfield will prove to be great assets to McDaniels new Amoeba offense, which features back who can run, catch, and block.

With the 18th pick the Broncos addressed the front seven for the only time in the draft by drafting defensive end Robert Ayers from the university of Tennessee.  Ayers shined in Senior Bowl practices and overall in his senior year.  He has great athleticism and versatility to play linebacker and defensive end.  Draft guru Mike Mayock, tabbed Ayers as the best defensive player in the draft.

The Broncos made several trades but eventually ended up with corner Alphonso Smith, safeties Darcel McBath and David Bruton, tight end Richard Quinn, offensive linemen Seth Olsen and Blake Shuleter, wide reciever Kenny McKinney, and quarterback Tom Brandstater.

Many jumped off the Josh McDaniels fan boat and where stunned with his draft.  In the process he traded away next years first round pick, however the Broncos still have Chicago’s which they traded to the Broncos in return for Cutler. 

The front seven was barely addressed, however there was one reoccurring thing that applied to all the free agent signings and draft picks.  They are all great people, team leaders, team captains, and always give 100 percent effort. 

The Broncos also added 15 undrafted free agents, some have great skill and will provide a fitting role to the offensive, defensive, or special teams aspect.  Many were wide recievers, most notably Nate Swift, and defensive lineman like Chirs Baker, who surprised many with his impressive athleticism shown at the combine.

After all these signings the Broncos still have holes to fill on the team.  They provided a lot of depth on both sides of the ball, however, nose tackle is still a major question.  Free agents Chris Baker, Ronald Fields, and J’vonne Parker are the only true nose tackles on the team, and they all lack experience and project as backups on most teams.  Fields will most likely start, but in the new 3-4 defense it is imperative the Broncos have an effective nose tackle, and it is not shaping up to look that way. 

While the Broncos also have a lot of depth at five technique defensive ends for the 3-4, there is not a whole lot of skill or experience there either.  Marcus Thomas, Ryan McBean and Kenny Peterson seem to be among the options.  Both nose tackle and defensive end will be great positional battles in training camp. 

Inside linebacker also feels to be battle contested. DJ Williams will be one of the starting inside linebackers in the 3-4, but Andra Davis and rookie sensation from last season Wesley Woodyard will most likely fight out for the other spot. 

On the offensive side of the ball, I think wide reciever will provide as the greatest battle.  Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal will start, but Brandon Stokely and Jabar Gaffney will fight for the third reciever spot.  The Broncos will most likely keep five recievers on the active roster and after signing five undrafted wider recievers, that seems like it will pan out to be the best fight as about six guys will fight for the fifth spot at reciever. 

Kyle Orton will be the starter at quarterback. There will not be much fight from Chris Simms.  Offensive line will retain all five starters from last year, and will look to build on a very stellar year they had last season. 

Knowshon Moreno and Corell Buckhalter look to get the majority of the carries along with fullback Peyton Hillis, who will get his share as well.  Moreno, Arrington, and Hillis will be the backs on third down as all three are great blockers and run very well with the ball after the catch. 

Daniel Graham will be the starting tight end, and Tony Scheffler will play on mostly passing situations and third downs, possibly in the slot position.  Second round pick Richard Quinn will have limited time, but will be an effective blocker, and good red zone threat.

While the Broncos lost Pro-Bowl QB Jay Cutler, Josh McDaniels brings a certain swagger of success that has carried off on the other players.  The Broncos all have positive attitudes and are excited to contribute to this team.  Look for the Broncos to increase tunrovers on defense with a more aggressive attack, and have less turnovers on offense with the absence of Jay Cutler, who lost the ball 20 times last year.

Joshin’ Around: Bronco Backfield May Look Crowded, But It’s Not

With the number 12 pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos pick…Knowshon Moreno?  Didn’t they just sign Correll Buckhalter, J.J. Arrington, and LaMont Jordan? 

 

Yes they did, but, before you accuse the Broncos of overcrowding their backfield, take a look at Josh McDaniel’s former team, the New England Patriots.  It has become abundantly clear that McD has brought the Patriot Way to Denver, and the running back position is no different.

 

That being said, the Broncos now have six running backs on their roster; Knowshon Moreno, Buckhalter, Arrington, Jordan, Peyton Hillis, and Ryan Torain.  Torain, however, with all of his injury concerns, will be hard-pressed to claim a roster spot.  That leaves five guys fighting for playing time. 

 

Let’s see what their roles will be, and put them in the terms of McDaniel’s Patriot Offense:

 

Knowshon Moreno: Moreno, being the 12th overall pick in the draft, will become the number one running back in Denver.  He was believed by many to be the best back in the draft, as he has the ability to run between the tackles, turn the corner and run outside, and catch passes with ease.

Patriot Comparison: He will become what the Patriots had hoped Laurence Maroney would, a primary back who can run and catch the ball with the best of them.

 

 

Correll Buckhalter: Buckhalter may have changed teams this season, but he has not changed his role at all.  He will be the exact same guy he was in Philadelphia, as his job will be to come in to give Knowshon some rest. 

 

Patriot Comparison: Buckhalter will fit into the Sammy Morris role, as Morris was the guy who came in to give Maroney some rest (when Maroney was healthy).

 

 

J.J. Arrington: Arrington will have no trouble getting touches in Denver, as he is a very good receiver out of the backfield, as well as a dynamic special teams player.  He will see a lot of touches catching passes out of the backfield, and should become one of Denver’s top return men.

 

Patriot Comparison: Arrington will fill the role of Kevin Faulk, a player who New England loves.  He is a great backfield receiver, and a solid return man, which is what McD expects Arrington to do.

 

 

Peyton Hillis: Peyton Hillis is a perfect example of a combo back, a guy capable of playing either the running back or fullback position.  In McDaniel’s new offense, expect Hillis to take the role of the FB, being the primary lead blocker in the run game, while also receiving passes out of the backfield.

 

Patriot Comparison:  He compares to Heath Evans, who played this exact role for the Patriots the last two seasons.

 

 

LaMont Jordan: This signing was a puzzling one, as Jordan has never really showed anything special in his NFL career.  But, he has been an adequate option in short yardage situations, so expect him to see limited carries as a short yardage back in Denver,

 

Patriot Comparison: Jordan compares to himself, as he played this role in New England last season.

 

So, in conclusion, while the Broncos backfield seems like it will be overcrowded in 2009, do not be alarmed.  The Broncos do have five guys back there, but they are all expected to fit in to their own respective roles.  With the addition of Moreno, look for the Broncos to have, minimum, a top-15 rushing attack next season.

2009 Denver Broncos’ Changes Could Lead to Same Results

The Denver Broncos will be a different-looking team this season.

Change is not always a good thing, and the Broncos may find out the hard way.

The Broncos have brought in a new coach in Josh McDaniels, traded a Pro Bowl quarterback in Jay Cutler, brought in three new quarterbacks in Kyle Orton, Chris Simms, and rookie Tom Brandstater, and signed free agents to help a defense that was one of the worst in the league.

All the changes lead to another January sitting at home, watching the playoffs on TV.

McDaniels was hired to bring fresh blood and a new fresh look to a team in need of a change.McDaniels is an offensive guru who helped create the offensive power that was the New England Patriots.

The only problem is the Broncos have no Tom Brady—or Matt Cassel, for that matter.

The offense was the strong point of the Broncos last season. Cutler was slinging the ball to Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal. The running game was good when the backs were healthy, which was hardly ever during the season. 

So why bring in a offensive guy to a team that struggled on defense?

Because this Broncos team is all about change this coming season.

After trading Cutler to the Bears, the Broncos are going to turn to Orton as the starter. Orton will be pushed by Simms during training camp but as of now Orton is the starter.

Orton can manage a game, which is what McDaniels wants. His system will make the Broncos score points, not the players.

Orton will have to limit his mistakes, because he will attempt plenty of passes in McDaniels’ system. Marshall, Royal, Tony Scheffler, Brandon Stokely, and newly signed Jabar Gaffney should all have big statistics this season.

The running game looks to be an attack by committee. The team drafted Knowshon Moreno with the 12th overall pick, signed J.J. Arrington, Correll Buckhalter, and Lamont Jordan, and still have holdovers Ryan Torian and Peyton Hillis.

All those backs may not make it to the opening day roster, but the running game will be in good hands.

Every Bronco fan knows the defense was the problem, not the offense.  The offense will have no problem scoring, but how many points will the defense give up?

Changes were needed on the defense, and some were made.  With hiring of Mike Nolan as the defensive coordinator, the Broncos will switch to a 3-4 scheme. 

The switch is designed to help the Broncos pressure the quarterback, which they struggled to do last season, recording only 25 sacks and forcing only six interceptions.

But defensive line was not really addressed in free agency or the draft. The team signed Darrell Reid and Ronald Fields, but never really made a big splash.

Marcus Thomas and Kenny Peterson are expected to contribute on the line.  Robert Ayers from Tennessee, taken No. 18 overall, could play linebacker or defensive end.

D.J. Williams is a mainstay at linebacker if he stays healthy, and Andra Davis was signed to play the other inside spot.

Elvis Dumervil will slide to outside linebacker, and Jarvis Moss and Tim Crowder also will try to make that transition. Wesley Woodyard also will be in the mix.

The secondary struggled last year, but that had a lot to do with the team’s lack of pressure on opposing QBs, as well as the injury to Champ Bailey. 

Bailey will be the only starter returning to the unit. Andre Goodman, Renaldo Hill, and the explosive Brian Dawkins were brought in. With Bailey and Dawkins the Broncos have a lot of leadership in the secondary.

Change, change, change on the defense and the offensive end. All this still adds up to 7-9 or maybe 8-8. The schedule is tough, the division games are always dogfights, and the team is rebuilding, whether they admit it or not.

The Broncos are at least one year away from contention, and maybe more. McDaniels will bring a new attitude to this team, and his offense will be good, but it will not be enough to get the Broncos back to the playoffs.

Patience will have to be on the mind of Bronco fans.

AFC West: Preview and Predictions for 2009

San Diego Chargers

2008 record: 8-8 

While the Chargers produced a subpar campaign in 2008, the team decided that it was nothing that a little rehab and some minor tweaking with the roster couldn’t fix.

And they are probably right.

Although they let defensive end Igor Olshansky go to the Cowboys as a free agent, it’s hard to credit that any defensive end playing in a 3-4 is worth $18 million over four years.

The Chargers added tweener defensive end/outside linebacker, Larry English, through the draft.

English will have to learn the linebacker role but can probably be used to rush the passer right away. Perhaps as revenge for the Olshansky signing, the Chargers pilfered right outside linebacker Kevin Burnett from the Cowboys.

The biggest change on defense from 2008 will come by having a healthy Shawne Merriman. Oh, and did we mention he’s in his contract year?

Expect Merriman to play “lights out.”

On offense the story is similar.

2008 was marred by injuries to stalwart running back LaDainian Tomlinson (toe, mouth, attitude). If he gets back to form in 2009 the offense will be as balanced as any team in the league.

If not, then the Chargers still have Philip Rivers, who posted a career high 105 passer rating in 2008. And sure Vincent Jackson rocks, but who plays wide receiver after that?

Yikes!

Predicted finish: 10-6 

 

Denver Broncos

2008 record: 8-8 

Forget about the Cutler trade. It’s old news and if one thing is clear from the new regime in Dove Valley, it’s that they are going to remake the team in the image of…

Well that’s the question, isn’t it?

Is Josh McDaniels going to be the next Bill Belichick or the next Romeo Crennel?

For now it’s sufficient to say that there has been quite a bit of turnover on the Bronco’s roster.

They’ve released one group of running backs and brought in another. They got rid of their quarterbacks, too, in exchange for fresh faces.

They are set at receiver and on the offensive line. The offense should be solid, but maybe not spectacular.  

On defense, they’ve switch permanently to the 3-4. While they’ve done quite a bit of work to improve the linebacking corps, the front three on the defensive line remains suspect with anonymous starters there.

Adding Brian Dawkins at safety and Andre’ Goodman at cornerback bolsters the team’s defensive secondary, which is good. But expect teams in the early going to try to run on the Broncos.

Under Mike Shanahan, the Broncos occasionally lost some games they should have won.

Complacency should not be an issue under McDaniels unless the season gets completely out of hand and the regime goes on death watch.  

But it’s more likely that the team will outperform its talent pool. Teams under first year coaches often do.   

Predicted finish: 8-8

 

Kansas City Chiefs

2008 record: 2-14 

The Chiefs are another team attempting a Belichick-type makeover, this one under the auspices of former Patriots GM Scott Pioli, who took over the Chiefs in the offseason.

Like the Broncos, there has been a lot of turmoil and turnover on Chiefs roster. But whereas Broncos watchers felt that the 2008 team was close to playoff caliber, the only thing the Chief’s were close to was the Detroit Lions’ No. 1 Draft choice.

Like the Broncos, the Chiefs got a brand new, semi-used quarterback of the future. But the Chief’s acquisition is definitely an upgrade over last year’s quarterback of the future in Kansas City.

At running back, the lack of action on draft day says the Chiefs plan on having Larry Johnson contribute all season barring a late trade. If they keep Johnson, look for the offense to improve just a bit under first year coach, Todd Haley.

On defense the Chiefs added veteran linebackers Zach Thomas (free agent) and Mike Vrabel (trade), while using the first three picks they had in the draft to prop up a defense that finished 31st in yards allowed and 29th in points allowed.

They’ll make marginal progress, but quarterback Matt Cassell will be more Sage Rosenfels than Tom Brady.

Predicted finish: 7-9

 

Oakland Raiders

2008 record: 5-11 

One of these years Al Davis is going to use all of his draft picks to take wide receivers. No. He didn’t this year. It it just felt like it.

The train wreck that is the Oakland Raiders just gets more twisted every year. Davis used his first picks to take Darrius Heyward-Bey, the fast and rangy wide receiver from Maryland,  and safety Michael Mitchell, a non-combine player who worked out well at pro day.

Both picks are debatable. And just like with most things Davis does, people have been debating the wisdom of the picks.

Heyward-Bey has never quite lived up to his measurables, with many analysts puzzled by the Raider’s selection of him, but the packaging a player comes in is all Davis has seemed to care about recently.

Heyward-Bey will be a great target for quarterback JaMarcus Russell, but it begs the question: Does Russell have the accuracy to find the fleet target down field consistently?

One thing’s for sure: Backup quarterback Jeff Garcia lacks the arms strength to make deep throws. 

On defense, the Raiders picked up some depth at line in the draft and the aforementioned safety. It shouldn’t be enough to turn things around in Oakland. 

Predicted record: 4-12

A Look at the Upcoming Denver Broncos 2009 Season (Part One)

With a new coach, defense and quarterback the Denver Broncos’ 2009 NFL season has all of the makings for and exciting year, or another “SpongeBob” porous defensive line coupled with a red-zone challenged offense. 

The purpose of this article is to give my opinion of the current status of the Broncos roster from top to bottom.  Part one of this three part series will consist of my summary of the current offense.

 

Offense

The 2008 Shanny/Cutler lead offense was both exciting and excruciating to watch. 

When the offense was completely healthy, the Broncos would execute plays with  commanding bravado. Defensive coordinators around the nation would update their resumes and pack their bags before the games, just in case the don’t make it out of the stadium with a job. 

However, the offense would then follow up these incredible feats of athleticism with “pop warner-esque” mistakes. Fumbling the football, without even being challenged by a defensive player. How can you forget when Jay Cutler would try to force the ball to Brandon Marshall, when he was covered by eight players. I like to compare 2008’s offense to a Ferrari with mud all over the windshield.

The offense had all of the potential and personnel to get the job done, but they couldn’t see the road.  Later in the season the “Ferrari” would blow a tire about seven times in the form of injured running backs. 

So what has changed?  Have the Broncos brass fixed the issues?

Offensive Line:

There are some upgrades and downgrades to last years offense, but all in all most of the starters from last year have come back for another season. 

Leading the way are the Broncos’ front five. 

The Offensive Tackle duo of Ryan Clady and Ryan Harris combined for a paltry 3.5 sacks total, making them one of the top tackle tandems in the NFL.

Chris Kuper has returned for his third year as a Bronco and has become and accomplished run/pass blocker. The veterans Wiegmann and Hamilton bring experience to the middle of the line and can create the holes needed for a blue chip running back attempting to make his mark on the league. Mcdaniels will be running a hybrid version of the Broncos’ famous zone blocking scheme.

The front five will be better than last year.

Receivers:

Brandon Marshall was dominant at wide receiver as usual, tallying 104 receptions and 1265 receiving yards. 

The most pleasant surprise would be how dominant rookie Eddie Royal was in his debut as a Bronco, catching 94 balls for 980 yards. If that wasn’t enough, the Broncos held on to Brandon Stockley, Tony Scheffler, and Daniel Graham who all combined for 1562 receiving yards. By adding Jabar Gaffney to the mix, Mcdaniels has a wealth of receiving options for his spread offense. 

This unit should be dangerous and exciting to watch. 

Running Backs:

Though often injured, the running game for the Broncos averaged 116.4 yards a game last year, which will make any quarterback in the NFL smile. 

Look for Knowshon Moreno and Peyton Hillis to start this year at HB and FB.

It reminds me of the 2002 Tampa Bay hard nosed rushing attack of Mike Alstott and Michael Pittman, only with more fire power. The additions of Correll Buckhalter, LaMont Jordan, and J.J. Arrington, will provide much needed depth at these positions. 

Combine the talent of the runners with the front five, Denver will look to increase their average rushing yards per game to 125-130. This will be the Broncos bread and butter and will make Kyle Orton look like a Veteran in the pocket.

Quarterback

Quarterback was the big story this year in Denver. Cutler said this, Mcdaniels said that.

Too much drama for a male dominated sport, I think. 

Kyle Orton and Chris Simms are now challenging each other for the first string quarterback spot, though Orton appears to be the front runner. What Orton lacks physically compared to Cutler, he makes up with his level headed play and locker room demeanor. Orton may be the game manager that Mcdaniels is looking for, but only time will tell. 

Orton will be a great QB in Denver.

My Summary of the Offense

The offense was ranked number two overall in yards last year.

I believe that they will stay in the top five with Mcdaniels’ new system. The Broncos will need to focus on finishing drives and scoring in the red zone.

Turnovers are very costly in the NFL and the Broncos can not afford to average 1.8 turnovers a game. 

For the Broncos to succeed this year, the running game will have to be stout and Kyle Orton will be called upon to manage the game and make a minimal amount of mistakes.

The offensive mind of the Broncos’ new head coach will be significantly challenged in his first year, especially since the outcome of the defense is quite unknown at this point.  Hopefully, the broncos can pull through this season and go 10-6, but that will be a very hard fought accomplishment, considering the difficulty of this years’ schedule. 

If the Broncos experience the same amount of injuries as they did last year, it will be a long season for players and fans here in Denver. 

I don’t believe they will be worse then 8-8, but winning more then 10 is very optimistic at this point.

 

Part 2 of this series will cover the defense

Denver Broncos: No Defense For Orton This Year

Who needs a defense?

When Broncos owner Pat Bowlen expressed some disappointment last week that new head coach Josh McDaniels didn’t do enough in the NFL draft to bolster a sagging Broncos defense, perhaps just maybe he was thinking about his new quarterback, Kyle Orton.

You think?

Because while much has been made about Orton bringing to the Broncos a 21-12 record while playing for the Chicago Bears, not much has been said about Orton riding good to excellent Bears’ defenses to that record.

That’s what they call in the NFL “balance.” A good offense and a good defense equal wins.

And “balance” is something that the Broncos didn’t have a lot of in 2008. Or perhaps in 2007 or 2006.

Surely the Broncos will need an improved defense in 2009 if they’re going to do better than the 8-8 record they posted in the ’08 campaign.    

Because if you look at Orton’s record in games where opponents scored 20 or more points as a starter with the Bears, his record is a more pedestrian 6-11 than the much ballyhooed 21-12.

Those 11 losses include six of the seven losses that the Bears suffered last year—one more win would have bumped the Bears into playoffs.

Thus far in Orton’s career it’s clear that he’s been a game manager for a team that relies first upon its defense to win games. And he may not have that luxury in Denver. 

The Bears had the 17th ranked defense in total points allowed in 2008, while the Broncos came in 30th in 2008.

That’s why Pat Bowlen seemed so unbalanced this offseason.   

The good news for Broncos fans is that Orton shows signs of progress in being able to win games outright, rather than just manage them.

In 2005, as rookie thrust into the starter role because of injuries to Rex Grossman, Orton won no games as a starter where opponents scored more than 20 points.

In 2007 in spot action he won two games versus a loss under the same conditions.

In 2008 he reclaimed the starter’s role and won four games out of ten where opponents scored more than 20 points.

While it’s comforting to project that Orton is growing into the starter role, the comfort would be so much warmer for all Broncos fans and players if Orton had a few large and nasty defensive lineman to help him protect a lead.

Because forget about the quick strike, big play with Orton. He’s strictly a 15-20 yard out guy. Orton averaged only about 6.4 yards per attempt in 2008. That was good enough to rank 25th amongst players with 10 or more starts.  And last year was a career year for Orton in yards per attempt.

And I mean that in a good way.

Orton’s just a worse quarterback when playing from behind. When ahead in 2008, Orton racked up a quarterback rating of 81.2. When behind, he racked up a quarterback rating of 65.3.

 

But who needs a defense?

 

Broncos.

 

That’s who. 

 

Brandon Marshall: Is No News Good News?

There are some players in the NFL that are just difficult to figure out; players that have amazing talent and yet seem to find ways to jeopardize their potential with injuries and off-field issues.  Some of these guys get into messes because they are immature, others because they are thugs, some seek attention, and some people are just unlucky.

The Denver Broncos have a player who perfect exemplifies a player who, for whatever reason, cannot keep his name out of the headlines and himself out of trouble.  His name is Brandon Marshall.   

When we look at B-Marsh’s history in the league, it is one that is plagued with injury and with controversy.

2006

In 2006, Marshall suffered a slight tear to his PCL in a preseason game against the Detroit Lions. This injury only sidelined Brandon for a couple of weeks. He was able to return and play in 15 games during the regular season in his rookie year.  Despite his injury and only starting one game, he caught 20 balls for 309 yards and two touchdowns in his rookie season.

2007

In 2007, Marshall again sustained injuries before the start of the 2007 season. He suffered a groin strain that kept him out of Broncos’ preseason camps during May and June. Then Brandon also pulled his quad during a mini-camp that left him out for nearly all of training camp.

In March 2007, Marshall was also arrested on suspicion of domestic violence after his girlfriend reported that following a domestic dispute, he prevented a taxi she was in from leaving his house. Charges from the incident were later dismissed after Marshall completed anger management counseling.

Then in October 2007, Marshall was arrested for DUI. Marshall pled down to a reduced charge of driving while ability impaired. He was sentenced to one-year probation and 24 hours of community service.

Marshall had a breakout year in his sophomore season, catching 102 passes for 1,325 yards and seven touchdowns.

2008

In 2008, Marshall again got himself injured.  This time he slipped on an empty McDonald’s bag while wrestling with family members, and subsequently fell through a television set at his home in Orlando, Florida, cutting his right forearm.

According to Broncos head athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos, Marshall “sustained right forearm lacerations to one artery, one vein, one nerve, two tendons, and three muscles.”

He was treated at a local hospital and later released after needing a cast and several stitches. In early April, Marshall had the cast removed from his surgically repaired right forearm and was in a sling until May.  He was cleared in late June to practice with the Broncos. 

He later revealed that his right hand was numb during the entire 2008 season.

In June 2008, Marshall was also ticketed for an illegal lane change, then found to be without his license and proof of insurance. The case was eventually dropped as part of a plea bargain.

In September 2008, Marshall had misdemeanor battery charges filed against him by a County in Georgia for an alleged incident in March 2008 in Atlanta. Marshall was booked, then released the next day after posting a $1,000 cash bond.

As a result of Marshall’s continued off-field issues, he officially received a three-game suspension from the NFL, which was later reduced to a one-game suspension and a fine.

It seemed that Marshall was getting the picture after sitting down with Commissioner Roger Goodell and that these off-field issues were going to be a thing of the past.

Marshall had an another amazing season, catching 104 balls for 1265 yards and six touchdowns (in only 15 games, due to suspension).  Marshall had established himself as one of the best wide receivers in the game, earning himself his first Pro Bowl appearance.

2009

Brandon Marshall was named a starter in the Pro Bowl, and while in Hawaii he proposed to his now fiancé, Michi Nogami-Campbell. Many people saw this as a good sign that their relationship had moved beyond the issues that led Marshall to have altercations with the police.

Then in March of 2009, out of nowhere, Brandon Marshall had hip surgery to repair an aggravated hip that bothered him during the 2008 season. His recovery time is expected to last until training camp in late July.

Also in March, Marshall was arrested in Atlanta for disorderly conduct after allegedly being involved in a fight with his fiancé. Marshall was released on a $300 bond.  The charges were dropped the following day. He may still be disciplined by the NFL for repeated violations of the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

Brandon Marshall has had an impressive professional career.  In just three years, he has caught 226 balls for 2,899 yards and 15 touchdowns, has started in a Pro Bowl, and has established himself as a top-tier receiver in the NFL. 

I both take pause at the fact that he seems to get himself injured every year and I admire the way he is able to play through his injuries, still being able to compete at such a high level.

The big question right now with Brandon is, how many games is he going to play in 2009?  It is expected that Commissioner Goodell will issue him another suspension, given that he was involved in another situation that led to the police being called. But he has yet to do so.

This could be good news.

Given the fact that the charges for which he was arrested were dropped the following day means that there was not enough evidence for the police themselves to press charges and that nobody else wanted charges to be pressed.  

It is my understanding that someone called the police to report a domestic dispute.  When this, happens the cops are bringing the parties at that address in no matter what the circumstances are that they find at that scene. 

The people in that residence could be laughing and watching TV, but authorities will still bring you in because they cannot take a chance that things were not violent before and a victim is too scared to tell the truth of what happened for fear of repercussions.

Therefore, this recent situation that Brandon was in could have been a huge misunderstanding.  Sometimes people fight (verbally) and sometimes people have loud arguments, but that does not necessarily mean that abuse occurred.  The fact that no charges were filed tells me that this was probably just a misunderstanding.  

Either way, Marshall and/or his fiancé probably have communication issues they need to work out.

All this being said, the commissioner could let this one slide (if he so chooses) without suspension. The fact that he has not addressed this situation publicly yet may mean that it is not going to be addressed at all.  Given the circumstances (since there were no charges filed), it may not warrant suspension.

Many speculated that if a suspension was going to occur that Goodell would do it before the draft to give the Broncos a chance to account for his absence in their draft plans.  Goodell’s silence, even now, could mean Brandon got lucky this time.

I hope that there is no suspension in Marshall’s future.  Some pundits have speculated that Marshall could be facing up to an eight game suspension.  If that were to occur, it would be a devastating blow to the Broncos’ offense.  

When Brandon’s on the field, you need to account for him; you need to recognize his ability.  He opens up the field for other players to get open and make plays.  Without his presence, it makes things that much more difficult for Denver’s offense.

Brandon Marshall is a great football player, but he needs to find a way to keep himself injury-free and keep himself away from situations that could end with him having to talk to the police.  

I hope to see Marshall on the field all season long.  I hope that the commissioner does not penalize Brandon with a suspension because of a misunderstanding where police found no crime being committed. 

I hope Marshall recovers from his hip surgery and comes back to the Broncos even better physically than he was last year.  I hope he can develop a chemistry with Kyle Orton so they can hoop up with each other on the field to score some points. 

It’s up to the commissioner, and ultimately up to Brandon.  He has had success as an athlete, but now he needs to take that success with him off the field to his personal life to make him a better person and allow him to continue to do the latter.

« Previous Page — Next Page »

BroncosZone Latest

• The Denver Broncos Must Face Their New Reality
• Denver Broncos: The Beginning of a New Era, Or The Beginning of the End?
• Hey Denver, Where’s the Love for Josh McDaniels?
• Josh McDaniels Is the Poster Boy for “Too Much, Too Soon”
• Denver Wide Receiver Brandon Marshall: “I Love Being a Bronco”