2010 Denver Broncos Mock Draft Part Two: Could Denver Trade Down?

The Denver Broncos are fresh off of their biggest victory of the season, defeating the New York Giants 26-6 on Thanksgiving night.

In light of that victory, it’s time for a new mock draft.

My last draft segment had the Broncos taking Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford, and I have since realized that taking Bradford will be all but impossible unless the Broncos trade up, which is something they simply cannot afford to do.

The Broncos have only five picks going into this draft, and they will likely try to move down on draft day unless a “can’t miss” prospect falls into their laps. 

Certainly it will be hard to pass on a guy like Rolando McClain, the star middle linebacker from Alabama, but the Broncos have to.

One interesting scenario would be for Josh McDaniels to go back to his New England roots and strike a deal with Bill Belicheck and the Patriots, who are armed with three second round picks.

The Chicago Bears are reeling right now, and the pick that they are sending to the Broncos is likely to be in the top 15 at the very worst.  They currently have a record of 4-6, and still have two games left against division leader Minnesota.

In all likelihood, the Bears will finish the season with eight losses or more, putting the Broncos in very good position for a high draft pick.

How does this all come together?

The Broncos could choose to trade down to New England’s pick by giving up a prospect like Florida’s Carlos Dunlap, who could fill in for the Pats’ departed Richard Seymour.  New England would be able to move up to, let’s say pick number 10, and the Broncos would move down to pick 27.

Moving down 17 picks is a huge discrepancy in the NFL Draft, and the trade value chart is often a good depiction of how much a team is willing to give up.

The 10th overall pick is worth 1,300 points on the trade value chart, and the 27th pick is only worth 680.  The Patriots would likely include both of their late second round picks to account for the difference in points. 

The Patriots hold Jacksonville‘s pick, which is currently projected at 22nd and worth 360 points in the second round.  New England’s pick is worth 300, and the difference would be 40 points—essentially nothing.

Armed with three second round picks, the Broncos really would be in business.

In this projected sequence, they hold the 27th, 54th, 56th, and 60th picks in the first two rounds of the draft.

At this point, Broncos fans are salivating.

Here’s how I would spend those picks if I were Josh McDaniels and the rest of the Broncos’ brass.

 

First Round, 27th overall:  Colt McCoy, Quarterback, Texas

I love his intangibles and leadership as a quarterback prospect.  He has a much better arm than he’s given credit for and he is extremely accurate with his throws.  If you missed the Texas-Texas A&M game, then you missed out on just how mobile this kid really is.  He is a phenomenal athlete.

 

Second Round, 54th overall:  Javier Arenas, Cornerback, Alabama

Extremely versatile player, might not last to this pick.  He is an elite-level return man, and is more than just a good cover corner with excellent speed.  He has five sacks in his senior season, and is also a phenomenal tackler.  If he were a couple inches taller, he would be a top-20 pick.

 

Second Round, 56th overall:  Corey Wootton, Defensive End, Northwestern

Wootton is a versatile defensive lineman, who could potentially be the best five technique available in the draft.  He excels in stopping the run, but also gets a solid push in the passing game.  He is athletic enough to stand up in the 3-4 or put his hand in the ground.

 

Second Round, 60th overall:  Jerry Hughes, Defensive End/Outside Linebacker, TCU

Hughes is an elite pass rusher who has really gone under the radar.  He reminds me a lot of current Bronco Elvis Dumervil, though Hughes is a couple of inches taller.  He is a phenomenal tackler who would transition well to the 3-4 defensive scheme, and he would add great depth to the Broncos’ linebacker core.

 

Third Round, 88th overall:  Jordan Shipley, Wide Receiver, Texas

The Broncos’ wide receivers are a fairly elite group as it currently stands, but Brandon Stokley is aging, and why not give first round pick Colt McCoy his favorite college target at the next level?  Shipley is an intelligent receiver with deceptive speed, and he is also an asset in the return game.

 

Fourth Round, 120th overall:  Eric Olsen, Offensive Lineman, Notre Dame

Again, here is some more versatility, which the Broncos’ coaching staff loves.  Olsen started last season as an offensive guard, and has been the center for the Fighting Irish in 2009.  He would be an ideal pickup for the Broncos at this point in the draft, as he adds both size and versatility to the interior of the line.

 

No Fifth Round Selections

 

Sixth Round, 184th overall:  Dexter McCluster, Running Back, Ole Miss

McCluster is Darren Sproles version 2.0.  He is a small back with blazing speed who does virtually everything well.  He has excellent hands out of the backfield and would be a great weapon in the passing game for the Broncos. 

Knowshon Moreno is the Broncos’ power back, and Correll Buckhalter has obviously lost a step or two.  McCluster would be a nice addition.

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On Second Thought, Is Josh McDaniels Solely To Blame for Denver’s Slide?

It is always easier to point the finger at someone else. 

The Denver Broncos‘ recent four-game losing streak has pointed out weakness after weakness, but maybe not coincidentally, the horrid slide can be traced back to one roster move.

Earlier, I suggested that the Broncos‘ four game losing streak was due to lack of an elite quarterback.  That is still partly true, but how is this for a statistic:

The Denver Broncos were 6-0 with Brett Kern at punter and are 0-4 without him.  Inversely, the Tennessee Titans were 0-6 before signing Kern and, since bringing him in to be their punter, the Titans are 4-0.

Coincidence?

Probably, but the evidence is undeniably odd.  Obviously, the Broncos’ major problem is not the lack of the second-year punter, but that Josh McDaniels foolishly messed with his roster.

Prior to the Broncos’ Week 8 matchup with Baltimore, McDaniels gave Kern the boot in favor of long-tenured veteran Mitch Berger. Berger proceeded to punt the ball a grand total of nine times against the Ravens in the Broncos’ first loss of the season.

Then, just days before the Broncos’ Monday night showdown with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team’s first home game in over a month, McDaniels and company showed promising second-year cornerback Jack Williams the door in favor of the older, slower, but more savvy Ty Law.

Williams appeared to be a player on the rise with the Broncos.  He was considered to have a similar skill-set as former Bronco Darrent Williams and he is probably best known for his play in the end zone to help the Broncos beat the Dallas Cowboys in Week 4.

When the Broncos cut Williams, they ranked first in the NFL in pass defense.  Since his departure, their pass defense has decreased to third in the league.

Now, don’t get this wrong.  I’m not trying to say that Jack Williams and Brett Kern are the difference between the Broncos being 10-0 and 6-4.  But Josh McDaniels tried to fix a team that was not broken.

Was the punting game a concern?  Maybe.

Was Williams a liability to the secondary?  Possibly, at times.

The fact remains that McDaniels tampered with team chemistry by cutting two lesser-known players in favor of veterans who are far past their prime. 

Thus, the Broncos’ Thursday night game against the New York Giants is solely the responsibility of McDaniels.  He needs to get his players jacked up.  He needs to renew the chemistry this team had when it was rolling with a six-game winning streak into the bye week.

If not, he may be kissing his own season goodbye.

Fast.

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2010 NFL Mock Draft, Denver Broncos-Style

For me, the NFL Draft is never too far away.  If I have said it once, I have said it dozens of times.  This is the single greatest event of the sports year in my opinion, and it’s one of the most fun to speculate on. 

The Denver Broncos‘ recent struggles have given way to lofty criticism, and they have exposed various obvious weaknesses on the team as well.  As of now, this team has five draft picks.  They own the rights to Chicago‘s first round pick, and they traded away their own to the Seattle Seahawks.

If the season ended today, the Broncos would have the 11th overall pick in the draft, which is the same pick they took Jay Cutler with back in 2006. 

I firmly believe at this point that the Broncos need to look to an elite quarterback prospect with this pick, and this is the perfect year to do so.  This year’s quarterback class is very talented at the top end, featuring four or five legitimate potential first round picks. 

As it stands, the teams that could potentially be looking for a quarterback who would theoretically be picking ahead of the Broncos are the St. Louis Rams, Buffalo Bills, Seattle Seahawks, and the Washington Redskins.

To get a moderately accurate idea of what the Broncos could be looking at in terms of prospects, let’s mock the draft until the proverbial 11th overall pick, in which the Broncos will be selecting in this case.

1.  Cleveland Browns:  Eric Berry, Safety, Tennessee

2.  St. Louis Rams:  Jake Locker, Quarterback, Washington

3.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers:  Ndamukong Suh, Defensive Tackle, Nebraska

4.  Detroit Lions:  Gerald McCoy, Defensive Tackle, Oklahoma

5.  Buffalo Bills:  Russell Okung, Offensive Tackle, Oklahoma State

6.  Kansas City Chiefs:  Rolando McClain, Middle Linebacker, Alabama

7.  Oakland Raiders:  Carlos Dunlap, Defensive Lineman, Florida

8.  Seattle Seahawks:  Jimmy Clausen, Quarterback, Notre Dame

9.  Washington Redskins:  Taylor Mays, Safety, USC

10.  Tennessee Titans:  Joe Haden, Cornerback, Florida

 

The Denver Broncos are now on the clock. 

A lot of really good prospects off the board, and quite a few of which the Broncos will be keeping a close eye on come draft day.  Still, this draft is extremely deep at almost every position, and the Broncos need to take advantage.  Here are some of the top available prospects they could be looking at in this situation.

• WR Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State
• RB C.J. Spiller, Clemson
• DE Derrick Morgan, Georgia Tech
• OLB Navorro Bowman, Penn State
• QB Sam Bradford, Oklahoma

Ultimately, general manager Brian Xanders and Josh McDaniels have the final call of which player is picked.  McDaniels has not been known to be part of a team which selects a quarterback very high, but the only constant in this world is change.

McDaniels and the Patriots never picked a quarterback very high, but they never really had to either.  Drew Bledsoe was the quarterback of the team early in the 2000’s, and he was a former first overall pick.  He was replaced by Tom Brady, who is a once in a lifetime gem found late in the sixth round.

The Broncos picked quarterback Tom Brandstater in the sixth round in 2009, but it’s unhealthy at best to assume he is the long-term answer at the position.  He seems to have the tools to potentially excel at this level, but you can’t really bank on it. 

Thus, this pick is an absolute no-brainer.

With the 11th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos select…Sam Bradford, quarterback from Oklahoma University .

I love the sound of that, and Broncos fans would too.  Bradford has a great head on his shoulders, and because he suffered a season-ending injury this season, he could wind up as the biggest steal of this draft.

Bradford is a near perfect fit for the Broncos’ offense.  He is the most accurate quarterback in the draft with above average arm strength, and he is a great leader on and off the field.

The Broncos likely will part ways with Chris Simms after this season, and if the price is reasonable they could retain Kyle Orton.  In fact, they probably should.  That way, Orton could be good insurance in case Bradford’s development is slow, or if the Broncos simply do not want to start a rookie quarterback.  Denver would then hold three quarterbacks in Bradford, Orton, and Brandstater.

After this pick, the Broncos have to wait a little while to select again.  They would be in line for a mid-late second round pick with their 6-4 record.  As it stands, that pick would fall somewhere in the early 50’s, and right now at exactly 51st.

Using Scout’s Inc.’s rankings, the top available prospects are:

• G Jon Asamoah, Illinois
• TE Aaron Hernandez, Florida
• DE/OLB Jerry Hughes, TCU
• G Mike Iupati, Idaho
• RB Joe McKnight, USC
• DE Corey Wootton, Northwestern

At this point, there is no real standout prospect the Broncos have to have.  A wise decision here would be to trade down for a second, fourth, and sixth round pick.

Let’s say the Broncos move down ten spots, to the bottom of the second round.  They have acquired an extra fourth and sixth round pick to potentially maneuver again if they wish.

In this case, the Broncos still get the guy I would have taken with the 51st pick.

With the 61st pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos select…Corey Wootton, Defensive End, Northwestern.

This is a player I really like for the next level.  He has outstanding size for a defensive lineman at 6’7″ 280 pounds, and he could be a good five-technique prospect.  The Broncos are a little thin on depth and youth at the defensive end position, and Wootton would be an ideal addition at this point in the draft. 

The Broncos’ next pick would come a little way past the middle of the third round, somewhere around the 83rd overall selection.

This pick may be a bit of wishful thinking on my part, but I’m going to go for it.  Scout’s Inc. rates this kid as the 75th best prospect in the draft, but the one thing I know about the NFL Draft is that the 75th best prospect could go in the first round, and the 10th best prospect can sometimes fall to the third.

With the 83rd pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos select…Vince Oghobaase, Defensive Lineman, Duke.

What in the world?  A Duke football player?

You heard it here first.  Vince Oghobaase is a very solid defensive lienman who is athletic enough to play inside in a 4-3 or as a five-technique in the 3-4.  He and Wootton would give the Broncos a good pair of young defensive linemen with great athleticism, versatility, and intelligence, something which is valued very highly by this coaching staff.

In the fourth round, the Broncos have, as this situation has played out in this mock draft, two picks.  This is a place where they can certainly address a wide variety of areas. 

After taking their quarterback of the future and solidifying their defensive front, the Broncos can now focus on other areas of the team.

With their two fourth round picks, I like the Broncos to take Florida State safety Myron Rolle and Oregon cornerback Walter Thurmond .

Myron Rolle is a very intriguing prospect to me.  He was a top prospect for the Seminoles coming out of high school, and showed why in his first three years at Florida State. 

He graduated from FSU in 2009 and accepted a Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford University, and has been studying there for what would have been his senior season at Florida State.  According to Rolle, he planned on maintaining football shape in his time in England, and he would return to the United States for the NFL Scouting Combine and a career in the NFL.

This is a man who has very lofty goals and dreams, and one who is inspiring.  He gave up millions of dollars in the NFL to research in England a potential cure for cancer.  He is an outstanding student who would have an opportunity to learn from the very best in Brian Dawkins and Champ Bailey.

Thurmond is a very underrated prospect.  He has been a four year starter for the Ducks and he will go later in the draft than he should because of a knee injury he suffered earlier this season.  He is a very good tackler and has 12 career interceptions, and when he gets the ball he certainly knows what to do with it, scoring six career touchdowns.

In the sixth round, I think the Broncos will turn back to the offensive side of the ball.

Since they have two picks in this projected situation, they have a lot of flexibility in the earlier rounds. 

With their first sixth round pick, I think the Broncos should take Iowa tight end Anthony Moeaki.

Moeaki has been oft-injured in his Iowa career, but head coach Kirk Ferentz calls him, “The best tight end I have ever coached.”  Those are some high praises considering Dallas Clark once roamed Kinnick Stadium.

Moeaki is undoubtedly a complete tight end.  He could very well go higher than the sixth round, and he probably should simply based on his skill set.  His biggest asset is his ability to run block, which often goes unnoticed.  That being said, he is also a very good pass receiver.  He does not have great speed, but he finds a way to get open.

The need for a tight end could come up if the Broncos lose Tony Scheffler to free agency.

With their other sixth round pick, I think the Broncos need to address the center position.  I think the best senior center prospect in the draft is Baylor’s Justin Walton, and the Broncos could go after him.  Walton has good size for the center position, and would help the Broncos greatly with inside pass protection which is really lacking at the moment.

To recap, here are my projected draft selections at the moment if this situation were ever to play out.

1. Sam Bradford, Quarterback, Oklahoma
2. Corey Wootton, Defensive End, Northwestern
3. Vince Oghobaase, Defensive End, Duke
4. Myron Rolle, Safety, Florida State
5. Walter Thurmond, Cornerback, Oregon
6. Tony Moeaki, Tight End, Iowa
7. Justin Walton, Center, Baylor

I think this would be a very solid draft for the Broncos.  Not only do they get their quarterback of the future, they solidify their defensive front as well as add much needed depth, speed, and youth to their secondary. 

Obviously, this is all just my speculation and maybe a little bit of wishful thinking.  The holiday season will do that for a guy.

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The Denver Broncos’ Problem? An Apparent Lack of Quarterback

After starting 6-0, the Denver Broncos hit an apparent high.  For once, the bye week killed momentum, and teams finally have the Broncos figured out.

Eliminate the short pass, and you can win by 20 or more every time.

The Denver Broncos’ four game slide can be traced back to a number of different things.  Lack of running game, lack of deep passing game, lack of pass protection, and below average special teams play.

Still, the most prevalent and obvious area that the Broncos lack is a legitimate passing threat.

Kyle Orton was an MVP candidate through the first six games of the seasons.  He had nine touchdowns compared to only one interception, and he was arguably the most efficient quarterback in the league through that time.

He was getting the job done, and the Broncos did not hardly have throw the ball further than 15 yards on any given play.

Then, after the bye week, the Baltimore Ravens did something that no other team had done all season long, and that was blitz nearly every play, and take away the middle of the field on passing plays.

The Broncos were stunned.

Their offense became predictable, especially in the passing game.  They have thrown only two touchdown passes since week six, and rank only 19th in the NFL in passing offense.

It would appear, through ten weeks of the season, that the Broncos need Jay Cutler, and Jay Cutler needs the Broncos, but that is beside the point.

What is the Broncos’ answer at quarterback?

It certainly is not Chris Simms, who is the second highest paid backup in the NFL today, and one who has since proven that he is not an NFL starter, and maybe not even a backup anymore.

Simms’ decision making is slow to develop, and his arm strength is nothing like what it was in the preseason. 

For now, and probably for the rest of the season, the Broncos will ride it out with Kyle Orton, who is far and away the most experienced quarterback on the team.

He is a leader, winner, and he rarely makes stupid mistakes.  He is as accurate as any quarterback on short passing routes, and he is efficient.

But he can’t move the ball down the field with regularity or when the Broncos need it.

Orton is what we all thought he is:  A game manager.  He is not capable of driving the ball down the field at any given time in a game when the Broncos need a score.

Now, the Broncos have come back a few times this season, largely thanks to the arm of Orton.  An 87 yard pass on opening day to win the game, a 51 yard strike to Brandon Marshall against the Cowboys to win the game, a game-winning drive against the Patriots, and a clincher touchdown toss to Brandon Stokley in the Broncos’ last win against San Diego.

But it all means nothing now that the Broncos’ offense has seemingly become anemic.

This is a team that started the season plus seven in the turnover margin, and minus seven in the last four games.  The Broncos’ offense was able to capitalize on turnovers, which the defense has been unable to force in recent games.

When the Broncos have the ball on offense, they are not able to move downfield with the passing game at any given time.

So, what is the answer to Denver’s passing woes?

Like I said before, the team is likely to stick with Orton for the rest of the season, but there are plenty of other options for the future.

Rookie Tom Brandstater showed a bit of promise in the preseason, and many fans are calling for him to take snaps already.  He is a very intelligent player who has quickly adapted to the offense, and was even seen warming up on the sideline yesterday in case Orton’s ankle wasn’t okay.

Though Brandstater has showed promise, it’s unhealthy at best for any team to believe they can plan the future around a rookie sixth round pick.

Lucky for them, the up-coming draft is absolutely littered with elite-level quarterback prospects.

Many believe Washington quarterback Jake Locker to be the number one overall quarterback prospect, and unless the Bears‘ pick is in the top five, he is unlikely to be a Bronco without a blockbuster trade.

Jimmy Clausen is another likely top ten pick if he leaves early, and he reminds me a lot of Jay Cutler both in ability and attitude.  He has a bit of an anger problem it would seem, and the Broncos might stay away from that anyway.

That leaves the original “Big Three” for the Broncos to choose from, and I cannot say I would be disappointed if any of these guys ended up in orange and blue.

Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford was said to be the top quarterback prospect coming into this season, and thanks to a season ending injury, he may be the biggest steal of the NFL Draft.

Bradford is at his best when he is playing behind an elite offensive line, something the Broncos certainly have.  He is the most accurate quarterback in the draft, bar none.  He can make all the NFL throws, and he has good mechanics.

He can scramble for a first down when he needs to, and he is a very smart player.  He is a good leader, and he has the potential to be an elite quarterback at the next level.

Texas quarterback Colt McCoy is another guy the Broncos could target, but they could likely trade down and get him.  He is arguably the most productive passer in college history, and he has more wins than any other quarterback in college football.

He is overall a very sound player, and there is not one area where he is not fit to play at the NFL level.  He has prototypical size, and his arm strength and accuracy are both good.  Like Bradford, his short-range arm strength is superior to his longer range.  He is a leader in every sense of the word, and a proven winner.

Speaking of proven winners, how about Florida quarterback Tim Tebow?  This guy is an absolute jack of all trades, and if scouts continue to dislike his mechanics, he could be had for the low, low price of a second round pick.

Though Tebow is not the most accurate quarterback, he places excellent touch on his passes.  In my opinion, he is the greatest college football player of all-time, and I do not believe for one second that this man could not adapt to an NFL offense.

He is a physical marvel, so much so that some are considering him as a tight end/h-back for the next level.  He is both a vocal leader, and leader by example.  His mental toughness and makeup are second to none, and he is an outstanding student.

The Broncos could also look to rising prospects like Western Michigan’s Tim Hiller, whose scouting report reminds me of Peyton Manning. 

Other than his laser, rocket arm strength, Hiller is a stellar student who graduated in only three years and is currently working on a masters.  He stands at 6’4″, 229 pounds, and he has a great sense for timing and when receivers are going to break out of their routes.  His mobility is well below average, but he is an accurate, strong-armed passer who could be a diamond in the rough.

Penn State’s Daryll Clark, Central Michigan’s Dan LeFevour, and Pittsburgh‘s Bill Stull are also solid quarterback prospects for the next level.  At the very least, the Broncos are going to need to look into one of these prospects for at least a backup option if Brandstater happens to be the long-term option.

Either way, the Broncos need someone who can consistently make a clutch throw or move the ball down the field when the offense needs to answer an opponents’ score.

Because right now, they can’t, and as a result they are in a four game losing streak.

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Have Sports Mascots and Stadium Names Crossed The Line?

Where do professional sports teams draw the line? Is there a line to be drawn?

All across the sports globe, there are questionable if not borderline offensive and derogatory mascots and stadium names.

Or are there?

This topic was recently brought to my attention by fellow Bleacher Reporter Chaz Mattson, a fellow Denver Broncos columnist who sparked my interest with an enlightening debate.

The topic at hand was the Washington Redskins, and we were at disagreement over whether or not their mascot was offensive to Native Americans.

Maybe it is, but any offense taken by those whose heritage is that of the Native Americans is simply selfishness on their part.

I mean no offense by this whatsoever. I realize, acknowledge, and am embarrassed at the fact that this nation of people suffered mass genocide and horrid treatment from European men taking over this country.

It is absolutely wrong, but that does not mean that the term Redskin cannot be used in good spirit. The team means no offense by it, and as the 90,000 plus who visit the biggest stadium in professional football eight weeks a year prove that not only is this mascot loved, its name is held in high regard.

But what if this team were called the Washington Whiteskins? The Washington Blackskins? 

Would it be offensive then?

As a white person myself, I can honestly say no.

Now, my family and ancestors did not suffer the same way Native Americans did.  They did not endure genocide in this way. But in this day and age, the term “Redskin” is often considered pejorative and a good majority of Native Americans are enraged that this term is being used so loosely.

My advice: Don’t watch the Washington Redskins.

If you don’t like something, then don’t support it. But don’t ruin it for those who do support it either. For a vast majority of the people who support the Redskins, they do not take the name in vain. They hold it in high regard.

But if the term “Redskin” as a sports team is offensive to someone, then we might as well throw out every other pro sports team’s name and mascot.

The Bears play at Soldier Field. Should soldiers be offended by it? Should those who have seen war or lost loved ones at war file a lawsuit against the Chicago Bears for the stadium they play in?

The Miami Hurricanes better change their nickname as well. There have simply been too many people lost to hurricanes to associate a game with the term.

Let’s not forget the hundreds of other Native American nicknames in sports like the Indians, Seminoles, Illini, and Fighting Sioux.

The New Jersey Devils had better change their nickname for Christians, because Satan is the enemy of God. 

As a Christian myself, my parents never allowed me to follow anything Devils or even the Tampa Bay Rays when they were called the Devil Rays. It’s okay to not follow a team because you do not agree with their name.

Do I take offense to the Devils because of their choice of mascot? Absolutely not.

Do I agree with it? Absolutely not.

We all need to remember what we are talking about here–sports.

The Redskins are part of the game of football. There is no blasphemy going on whatsoever. 

Obviously, this is only my opinion, and there are those who will hate me for it. I am sorry.

I respect the views and customs of all races, but I do not agree with boycotting or taking offense to sports nicknames. If you are one who does, I simply say with all due respect do not follow those teams, and please do not ruin the game for those who do.

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Denver Broncos Must Sweep San Diego To Keep Season Alive

So what is the remedy for a three game losing streak?  How about a division showdown with your biggest rivals?

The Denver Broncos are reeling.  They have not won since a Monday night match-up on the road against the San Diego Chargers.  Inversely, the Chargers have not lost since that contest.

Both teams have a 6-3 record going into this game, arguably the biggest game of the year for either team thus far.

For the second straight season, the Broncos have seen a three game lead in the division disappear.  Now it is time to prove that this team is not a fluke after their 6-0 start.

During the losing streak, the Broncos have not been able to do two things which are absolutely essential to victory in this league:  Stop the run and score points.

Thankfully, they are playing a team ranked 32nd in rushing offense and 20th in scoring defense.  This is a huge trap game for the San Diego Chargers.

The Broncos are, like I said, reeling, and they are banged up at key positions.  Kyle Orton is considered questionable for Sunday’s game, though it seems unlikely he will miss a game of this magnitude.  Ryan Harris is not going to play on Sunday, and that has proven to be a lot bigger of a deal than anyone could have imagined.

All of that being said, the Broncos are in great shape to win this game.  They are in a similar situation to the Baltimore Ravens from week eight, who broke a three game losing streak of their own to beat the red-hot Broncos.

The Chargers cannot stop the run, and rookie tailback Knowshon Moreno is literally on the brink of cracking 100 yards for the first time in his short career.  He will likely be a focal point of Denver’s offensive attack with Orton likely limited.

The Broncos are at home for this game, and they need to come away with a win.  The only way they can lose this game is to let the Chargers control the clock by running the ball well.  That doesn’t seem so likely with San Diego having the worst rushing attack in the game today, but we did just watch Ladell Betts go for over 100 yards and a touchdown this past weekend.

The most likely formula for success for Denver is to get up 7-0 right away.  They need the Chargers to play from behind at an early stage because they want them to be one dimensional offensively.  The key for Denver is the number seven.

If the Broncos lose this game, their season is not lost, but with a short week to work with, it certainly wouldn’t hurt this team to have a 7-3 record and a one game lead over their biggest division rivals.

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Denver Broncos Draft Preview, November Edition

As fellow Bleacher Reporter John Lorge pointed out to me today, it’s never to early to be thinking about the draft.  His mock draft really got me thinking about the NFL’s annual selection process, which is by far and away my favorite part of the season, as pathetic as it may sound.

With the draft, your team cannot lose.  Dreams are made for over 256 young men on this day (or three days) and hundreds more following as free agents.

As if enough change has not already happened to the Denver Broncos, here is some more food for thought as the future approaches.

As per this moment in time, the prospect I think the Broncos need to have on the very top of their board is Texas quarterback Colt McCoy.

McCoy has been a four year starter for one of the Nation’s best teams, and is considered to be one of the most durable players in the entire draft, regardless of position.  Here is one intriguing scouting report from ESPN.com on McCoy.

“Exceptional intangibles. His mental and physical toughness are outstanding. He’s a proven leader and winner. Enters his senior season with a starting record of 32-7. His teammates respect and believe in him.”

McCoy has an above average arm in terms of strength, and his accuracy is nearly unmatched by any other quarterback in this draft.  It is a marvel to me that he is not projected to go higher in the draft, though that is usually the case for fifth year senior quarterbacks whose college numbers are absolutely outstanding.

This is a guy who is a dual-threat quarterback, though his passing is more of a strength than his running.  He has great escape ability and is very good at throwing on the run.

In short, I think Colt McCoy could end up being one of the bigger steals of the draft.  He is vastly underrated to me, and I think that if he were two inches taller he would be a top five pick, even though he stands at 6’3″.

The major aspect of McCoy aside from his natural, God-given talent is his ability to lead a team to victory.  He is clutch.  He is poised.  He is the perfect fit for the Josh McDaniels system, and though many fans feel Tom Brandstater is the long-term answer at quarterback, if McCoy is staring the Broncos in the face on draft day, it will be tough to pass him up.

 

 

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Should the Denver Broncos Explore Signing Larry Johnson?

Not surprisingly, former Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson and his massive salary cleared waivers today, officially making him a free agent for the first time in his career.

The talented, yet troubled tailback was waived from the Chiefs after using homosexual slurs on his Twitter page, which resulted in a suspension by the team. 

Instead of reinstating him, the Chiefs parted ways with the former Penn State superstar, a move that was probably best for both parties involved.

Amidst reports from ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Johnson wanted to return to the state of Pennsylvania to play for the red-hot Pittsburgh Steelers, the free agent tailback’s status is still in limbo.

Will he play again in 2009?

Smart money says that Johnson will find a home soon.

Will the Broncos express interest? I think they should, and here’s why.

The Broncos’ rushing attack is on the decline, and it’s going nowhere fast. A group that once ranked fifth in the NFL in yards per game this season has gone from elite to mediocre in a month’s time.

Denver’s running game now ranks 18th in the league with a meager 111 yards per contest.

Knowshon Moreno has not done as well as expected, and Correll Buckhalter has been frequently injured. LaMont Jordan plays sparingly, and when he does, he makes little impact.

Larry Johnson is a player who, not long ago, was considered to be among the NFL’s elite and a real load to tackle. Even as recently as last year, he tore apart the Denver Broncos in a regular season game that shattered the Broncos’ confidence.

This year, he is not quite averaging three yards per carry behind a Kansas City offensive line that is among the worst in the NFL. 

Even if he is limited in his ability to play, the Broncos should seriously consider bringing Larry Johnson in for a short stint. Their struggling rushing attack could use his skill between the tackles, and games like the one they just had against the Pittsburgh Steelers (27 yards, zero rushing first downs) simply cannot happen.

Plus, Johnson would have two opportunities to stick it to the team that just cut him.

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Denver Broncos Sign Veteran Cornerback Ty Law

If only they had put this unit together at the start of the decade…

In a relatively unexpected move, the Denver Broncos have agreed to a contract with veteran cornerback Ty Law, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Law re-joins the league after stints with the New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs, and you guessed it:  The New England Patriots.

Pending a physical, Law will join the Broncos tonight and will give the Broncos the NFL‘s most illustrious defensive backfield along with Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins.

This sign comes as a bit of a surprise, and no word was given as to whom Law will be replacing on Denver’s roster.  Jack Williams has been limited in practice of late with an injury, and Alphonso Smith has also been battling injury this season.

 

 

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My Interview With Denver Broncos Ring of Fame LB Karl Mecklenburg

I recently had the privilege of sitting down and having a phone conversation with one of the best players in Denver Broncos history, linebacker Karl Mecklenburg.

Mecklenburg was drafted by the Broncos in the 12th round of the 1983 NFL Draft as a nose guard out of Minnesota. Throughout his NFL career, he proved to be more versatile than a Swiss army knife, playing every position on the defensive front seven.

He performed all the way to a Ring of Fame career with the Denver Broncos that included six Pro-Bowl appearances and four All-Pro selections.

As a player, Mecklenburg helped the Broncos to three AFC titles and a regular season record of 114-65. Still, Mecklenburg didn’t keep the experience of and lessons learned from the NFL to himself, as he has just finished writing his first book entitled Heart of a Student Athlete: All Pro Advice for Competitors and Their Families. 

You can find more information on purchasing the book at www.studentathlete.us , where there is a sample chapter and a guest page. 

I strongly encourage all of you to check out this book even if you are not a parent or a student athlete. The lessons it teaches are absolutely outstanding, and reading the experiences of a professional athlete, to me, are always interesting.

In addition to his book, Mecklenburg operates the REACH (Rewarding Experiences for All Children) Foundation and performs motivational speeches all across the nation. Check out www.karlmecklenburg.org for more information about this program, and see a later segment in the interview for more details.

I am honored to have spoken with him personally, and I would like to share our conversation with you readers after we reminisced about the great city of Sioux Falls.

Sayre Bedinger: What was it like writing this book? What was your experience and what did you learn from it personally?

Karl Mecklenburg: The book was a challenge for me. I have dyslexia, so the writing part was really a challenge. It took more than five years to put together. I had another book from 1987 with a ghost writer and I was not happy about the experience. I really wanted to finish a book myself and I am pretty happy with the result but it was a long haul.

SB: Early on in the book, you state multiple times that success is overcoming obstacles on the way to your dreams. Why do you feel this interpretation of success is so important?

KM: I think a lot of people on the outside looking in, just getting started, they will realize that everybody who is successful has overcome. If you have an extravagant dream, the obstacles can be daunting. Both of my grandfathers worked in the stockyards of south St. Paul (MN), my dad went through grad school in three years then into the Army for med-school, and my mom had a daunting road to her eventual work in the government. 

You decide your own future. God has given us all different talents and abilities, and He also gives us free will. It’s up to you to go out and try new things.

SB: Do you feel, having been drafted in the 12th round that this particular derivative of success was prevalent in your playing career very early on?

KM:  It really was, you know, I went through challenge after challenge after challenge in football. Every one of them reinforced in my mind that I had to decide whether it was important enough for me to go through this. Doing things to get to the next day of practice, it really was a big part of it.

SB: You were part of some of the best teams in Broncos history, winning multiple AFC titles and going to six pro bowls; What is your greatest memory from your experiences with the Broncos?

KM: So many, but the obvious one is “The Drive” game when we went into Cleveland and won that game. It was such a hostile environment with the fans throwing dog biscuits at us, honking their horns outside of the hotel trying to keep us awake—Going into the situation and getting that win on the road; it was just a great feeling and I’ll never forget it.

SB: You have been honored by the Broncos by being named a member of the “Ring of Fame.” Do you feel you should be in the Hall of Fame or is it all just a bunch of politics?

KM: Well, it obviously is a political situation. I mean, if I could vote for me, I would, but you do what you do on the field and it’s out of your hands after that. I have a lot of respect for the players I played with and I feel there are a lot of guys from those Bronco teams that deserve to be in as well. You know, Pat (Bowlen, Broncos owner) has got to be disappointed that only John (Elway) and Zim (Gary Zimmerman)—you know, only two guys in the Hall of Fame. I know he is doing a lot with the committee to get some of these guys in.

SB: You said in your book that you grew up a Minnesota Vikings fan. Does playing for a team for over a decade change your loyalties?

KM: I’m a Bronco guy, there’s no doubt about it. The Vikings passed on me for 12 rounds, and I’m glad they did because with my knees, I probably wouldn’t have been able to play as long as I did on that artificial turf. I love it here in Denver; the people, the fans, being gracious for what this team has done. They have accepted me.

SB: The book talks about how the media favors the negative aspect of off-field life of NFL players in particular, but you go on to make a very compelling argument about how only one player from your team in 1983 has had legal issues. Do you feel that trend is still true in today’s NFL world where it seems like a player is arrested every day?

KM: I think it applies, I really do. The characteristics that allow you to succeed in the NFL are the same characteristics that allow you to succeed in life. The vast majority of NFL players are great guys, wonderful guys. In fact, there is a player from the Minnesota Vikings out of Maryland; young guy (safety Madieu Williams) who has started a foundation for his home town of Sierra Leone where children often die before they turn five years old. I think it’s really admirable what he is doing and, you know, it’s a shame that that sort of thing doesn’t make the news. If he were to hit his wife, it would be the front page headline. I can speak at a church every week, and that barely gets any news but you can guarantee if I were to hit my wife, my name would be all over the place.

SB: Going along with that, what was your reaction to everything that happened in Denver this offseason: The Shanahan firing, the Cutler trade, Brandon Marshall demanding a trade and acting like a fool in practice?

KM: A wait and see attitude. I know Mike had gotten to a point where he’d lost the ear of the team. It became apparent that players were becoming much more concerned with themselves than the team. You know, you saw last year with the Denver Nuggets trading Allen Iverson. Iverson is a great player, but he’s a selfish player. Chauncey Billups is a team player and a leader, but if you were to put him up against Iverson, Iverson would win nine out of ten times. Billups is just a great leader and he is willing to do whatever it takes to win.

SB: It’s interesting that you make that comparison, because some have compared Iverson and Billups to Jay Cutler and Kyle Orton. What do you make of that comparison?

KM: Well, I have gotten to know Jay through the Broncos and golf tournaments, and he is a child still. He is more concerned with himself than the team, and when Josh McDaniels came in, he came in with a system that wasn’t going to throw as much, and Jay saw that and put McDaniels in a tough place where he had really no choice but to get rid of him. He wasn’t happy with his contract or the prospect of not throwing the ball as much as he did in the past.

SB: With the Cutler situation and all of the negativity in the media surrounding for the Broncos—they tried to sugar coat it by saying they didn’t pay any attention to what the media was saying, but it’s got to feel good to stick it to everyone who doubted them.

KM: Certainly, every ball-player can get that blackboard material. We’re competitors, that’s what makes us athletes. You want to succeed. I think they have done an amazing job defensively, the way they play fundamentally. You know, I have been paying attention to the Broncos’ defense since I was drafted in 1983, and I am really impressed with the changes they have made on that side of the ball.

SB: Mike Nolan was a coach while you were there, correct?

KM: Yeah, Mike coached me he was a young guy. He got his first coaching job as a linebackers coach with the Broncos and I think he learned as much from us as we learned from him. He coached fundamental football; a lot of tackling drills, shedding blocks—He has taken things to a whole other level  He’s a good guy and he really cares about his players. 

SB: Talk about the REACH Foundation and what people can do to get involved.

KM: Yeah, we just started a program called “Reach for a Book” where kids in Denver elementary schools are encouraged to read 100 minutes a week. If they complete that goal, they get a free pizza. There is also a scoreboard on the classroom doors, so there is a little competitions between the kids. The top two readers are invited to Invesco Field to be honored for their efforts. The website is www.karlmecklenburg.org , and we would love to hear from people. As far as getting involved, donations help, but we do a golf tournament. This past year we held a poker tournament, and there are other volunteer opportunities. 

 

My interview with Mecklenburg, along with reading his book, have shed a whole new light on professional athletes and the NFL in particular. It has also been a key tool for me in focusing my goals and what I want to do in life.

I hope you all enjoyed this experience as much as I did, and again, I strongly encourage purchasing this book. It is great for aspiring youth, parents, coaches, pastors, or simply someone who is a fan of the NFL and likes a good story. Mecklenburg did an excellent job in his first solo book, and it is a great gift idea for the coming holiday season.

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