Five Things To Watch for with the ’09 Denver Broncos

Do you smell it? That scent of uncontainable hope that springs eternal amongst all 32 NFL teams as the preseason draws to a close?  Yet, within about four weeks, a fair amount of those teams will have those hopes of glory dashed as first quarter of the regular season draws to a close.

Will the Denver Broncos be one of them?

If you took a poll of sports writers around the country, the resounding consensus would be a definite ‘yes.’ Offseason drama aside, their No. 1 draft pick just returned to practice after missing significant time due to injury, their starting quarterback dislocated a knuckle, and theri second string quarterback is still nursing an ankle injury.

However, not much is known about this Broncos team. Thanks to a new head coach, new starting quarterback, and a new defensive scheme, this version of the Broncos could be the hardest to gauge in the franchise’s history.  Here are a few things to look for as 2009 formally gets underway.

 

1. Josh McDaniels’ temperament

You have to give the 33 year old head coach some credit.  Despite all the offseason and training camp drama involving Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall, McDaniels never once publicly lost his cool.  It seems he has learned how to handle such drama from his mentor, Patriots coach Bill Belichick. 

However, once the games start, it’s an entirely different deal.  If his team gets off to a slow start, and QB Kyle Orton struggles, will the youthful McDaniels keep his cool and show maturity beyond his years that will require him to succeed as an NFL head coach?

 

2. Kyle Orton’s performance

If there is one person on the Broncos who will be scrutinized as much or more than McDaniels, it will be new starting quarterback Orton.  When the Broncos acquired him in the Cutler trade, the expectations of his 2009 season skyrocketed.

Assuming he is ready to go in Week One against the Bengals, Orton will need to get out the gate fast in order to avoid the Jake Plummer treatment by Broncos fans. 

While he has never put up gaudy statistics, McDaniels’ offense doesn’t require him to.  Orton will likely be a dink and dunk passer with the support of a power running game.  Another thing to keep in mind is Orton has much better weapons in Denver than he did in Chicago (even without Brandon Marshall) so Orton could develop much more confidence in his deep ball. 

The big question mark comes when Orton will need to pull out games in the final minutes.  He doesn’t have the support of a strong defense like he had in Chicago, so this will be key.

 

3. The defense’s transition to the 3-4

One of McDaniels’ first moves after being hired was to bring in former 49ers head coach Mike Nolan as defensive coordinator.  Despite a lack of success as a head coach, Nolan has a very solid record as a coordinator. He lead the highly vaunted Baltimore Ravens defense from 2002-2004 before becoming coach of the 49ers. 

The Broncos also used their second first round pick to draft Tennessee defensive end Robert Ayers to help shore up a line that produced very little pressure on the quarterback in 2008.  The team also gained a tremendous locker room leader in safety Brian Dawkins who signed as a free agent from the Eagles.

How fast this unit gels could be key to how far the Broncos go in 2009.

 

4. Brandon Marshall

Who knows what his mindset will be when his suspension ends on Sept. 6?  While rumors persist that the Broncos are quietly shopping the disgruntled wideout, the team and its fans must be prepared for the fact that no team may want him and that Marshall could be with the Broncos for all of 2009.

Here is where McDaniels can earn some points back with the Bronco faithful. If he can somehow whip Marshall into shape and get him pulling with the rest of the team, he should get a medal.  While this likely has little chance of succeeding, the Broncos certainly would welcome him back if he was in the right state of mind.

If not, the team will go forward without distraction, as McDaniels has said in the past.

 

5. Eddie Royal’s potential breakout year

Royal showed flashes of brilliance during the start of the season last year before an injury hobbled him for the remainder of 2008.  With Marshall out for an undetermined amount of time, perhaps permanently, Royal has a golden opportunity as the new No. 1 wideout to further develop the skills he showed during the beginning of last year’s campaign. 

Despite being smaller and lighter than Marshall, Royal has shown very soft hands and good speed.  With former Broncos great Rod Smith working with the wide receivers, Royal could have a breakout year (while staying out of trouble), making him Orton’s favorite target, something the quarterback never really had in Chicago.

Without a doubt 2009 will be an interesting season for Broncos fans.  Despite the gloom and doom of all the offseason moves, there is reason for optimism in the Mile High City.  Whether or not that optimism becomes something more tangible remains to be seen.

That’s why they play the games.

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Brandon Marshall Rumored to Be Pursued by Jets; TMZ Can’t Confirm

And the rumor clock keeps on ticking.

Three days ago, I suggested Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall should be traded to the 49ers for Michael Crabtree and Alex Smith.

Not possible.

Yesterday, I speculated based on a Scout.com rumor that the Broncos could engage in a three-team trade that would send Marshall to the Cardinals, Anquan Boldin to the Chiefs, and Matt Leinart to the Broncos.

Not happening.

This morning, I will speculate on yet another Marshall trade rumor, one that seems to have at least a little bit of life to it.

According to Pro Football Talk through Bob Glauber of Newsday, the New York Jets are contemplating a trade that would send wide receiver Brandon Marshall to the Big Apple.

There is no doubt the Jets are in dire need of a premier wide receiver, but a similar report from the Denver Post thinks this is all just hoopla. 

Per the report from Jeff Legwold’s Denver Broncos blog, the Jets are unwilling to part with a first-round pick, and Legwold thinks the Broncos should stand firm in their asking price of two draft choices, a first-rounder and a fourth-rounder.

My question to the Jets would be this: “Why would you even pick up the phone if you are not willing to part with what the Broncos want?”

The Broncos are in no place where they have to trade Brandon Marshall. Has he been a nuisance? Sure, but the Broncos technically can hold on to his rights for the next three years. If another team wants him, they are going to have to pay top dollar.

So, if the Jets want Marshall bad enough, they will shell out the draft picks, or there likely will be no deal, and the Broncos will move on and try to win football games with their disgruntled receiver.

It is as simple as that.

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Eight Bold Denver Broncos Predictions for the 2009 Season

After easily one of the most eventful offseasons in recent NFL history, the Denver Broncos are a team in turmoil. Longtime head coach Mike Shanahan was fired, franchise quarterback Jay Cutler was shipped to Chicago, and Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Marshall no longer wants to be a Bronco.

I don’t think new head coach Josh McDaniels could have had a rougher start to his head coaching career.

Even so, the Broncos are ready to start their 2009 campaign. They may be without Shanahan, Cutler, and possibly Marshall, but they will be ready to play nonetheless.

Now, since the beginning of training camp, analysts, pundits, and fans alike have beaten to death the same predictions for the season: “The defense will continue to struggle,” or “Brandon Marshall won’t play for the Broncos again,” or “Kyle Orton will struggle as the starter.”

I am here to share my predictions for the season—predictions that don’t follow the conventional wisdom on the Broncos right now.

Here are eight bold predictions for the Broncos’ 2009 season.

 

Brandon Marshall Will Play, and He Will Play Well

Brandon Marshall and the Denver Broncos have had a lot of problems with each other this offseason. Marshall did not like seeing Cutler get shipped out of town, has shown a lot of unhappiness with his contract, and was even suspended for the rest of the preseason. He was also recently quoted as saying he “wants a fresh start,” with a team other than the Broncos, obviously.

However, provided McDaniels lets him play, he will absolutely play for the Broncos this season—and he will play very well.

Why? Because Marshall is not stupid. If Marshall ever wants to play for another team or get a new contract, his only choice is to play well this season. If he sits out this season or doesn’t play well, no team will give up what the Broncos are asking for him, and the Broncos will never pay him what he wants.

Marshall wants a new team and a new contract. The only way for him to do this is to show he deserves it with his play on the field.

 

Kyle Orton Will Finish with 3,300-Plus Passing Yards and 20-Plus Touchdowns

Many people have been down on Kyle Orton’s prospects as a starting NFL QB, but he has been a winner in his career, going 21-12 as a starter for an offensively challenged Chicago Bears team.

Now that Orton has inherited the league’s No. 2 offense, he should substantially improve on his career averages of 2,450 yards and 14 touchdowns as a full season starter.

In Chicago, Orton played in a run-oriented offense and was always surrounded by lackluster receivers. In Denver, he will be playing in McDaniels’ Patriot-style offense, where Orton will throw a lot more passes than he has ever thrown in an NFL season.

On top of that, he will have weapons such as Eddie Royal, Brandon Marshall, Brandon Stokley, and Jabar Gaffney, as well as a slew of playmaking running backs.

With all that in mind, it is very easy to see Orton topping the 3,300-yard mark, as well as the 20-touchdown mark. He threw for 2,900 yards and 18 touchdowns in 15 games last season, and seeing as the Broncos will rely on him to throw the ball well and often, these numbers should be very attainable.

 

Eddie Royal Will Finish Top Three in Receptions

Eddie Royal had a great rookie season last year, and he will only improve his numbers this season. He was relatively unheralded as a receiver coming out of Virginia Tech, but he surprised everyone in the NFL, leading all rookies in receptions and yards.

Royal also finished seventh in receptions in the NFL with 91, a number expected to go up this year. With McDaniels now the coach in Denver, Royal will fall into the role played by Wes Welker in New England, where he will be relied upon to be Orton’s go-to guy, getting open on all sorts of underneath, crossing, and screen routes.

He may only have around 1,100 receiving yards, but he should be a sure bet for 100-plus catches. Expect him to be neck and neck with Welker and Andre Johnson for the receptions lead by the end of the season.

 

Knowshon Moreno Will Win Rookie of the Year

Knowshon Moreno has had a less than stellar preseason. After being picked 12th overall by the Broncos, he missed the first eight days of camp during a contract holdout, and then, after showing flashes of brilliance in the first preseason game, he sprained his MCL and has not played since.

But once the season begins, expect all that to change. When he was picked No. 12 to a team that finished second in total offense and 29th in total defense, McDaniels was questioned for the move. So Moreno needs to play this season, and you can expect that he will be given plenty of opportunities to carry the ball.

When he does carry the ball, expect him to have a Chris Johnson-type impact on the Broncos game. Peyton Hillis and LaMont Jordan will handle the goal-line carries, but Moreno should be a monster between the 20s.

I expect him to finish the season with close to 1,000 yards and a couple of touchdowns, narrowly beating out Mark Sanchez of the Jets for Rookie of the Year.

 

The Broncos Will Finish in the Top 20 in Total Defense

After finishing 29th in total defense last season, the Broncos had a lot of work to do to improve their porous defense. Outside of signing Brian Dawkins, however, the Broncos did not make any marquee additions to their defense.

What they did do, though, is sign a slew of solid and consistent, if not flashy players, who will help the defense immensely and lead Denver into the top 20 in total defense.

On the defensive line, the Broncos added Darrell Reid, Ronald Fields, and Ryan McBean and re-signed Kenny Peterson. None of these players are flashy, big-name guys, but they should, along with returning linemen Marcus Thomas, Carlton Powell, and Nic Clemons, provide new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan with a lot of bodies he can rotate along the defensive line.

At linebacker, the Broncos added Andra Davis and Robert Ayers, as well as moved Elvis Dumervil, Jarvis Moss, and Tim Crowder back to linebacker. Combined with D.J. Williams and Wesley Woodyard, the Broncos should have a solid group of middle linebackers and an explosive, if inexperienced, group of outside linebackers.

In the secondary, the Broncos, along with Dawkins, added Andre Goodman and Renaldo Hill, as well as Darcel McBath, Alphonso Smith, and David Bruton through the draft.

Goodman should be a big upgrade over the departed Dre’ Bly, and Hill will provide consistency at safety. Dawkins will become the emotional leader the Broncos have lacked since Al Wilson, and McBath, Smith, and Bruton will provide depth and youth in the secondary.

The Broncos have a long ways to go until they again have one of the better defenses in the league, but as of right now they have done a lot to improve themselves and should be able to be a top 20 defense this year.

 

Elvis Dumervil Will Record a Career High in Sacks

With Denver switching in part to a 3-4 defensive system, Dumervil will be moving from defensive end to outside linebacker, a role he should thrive in. After recording 12.5 sacks in 2007, his numbers dropped dramatically last season, as he totaled only five.

As a smallish defensive end, he spent most of his time in the three-point stance, being forced to take on tackles much larger than he was. Now, Dumervil will move back a couple of feet to outside linebacker, which will give him a running start at the quarterback, giving him more sack opportunities.

Expect Mike Nolan to use Dumervil the way the Cowboys use DeMarcus Ware—as an outside rush linebacker, whose main purpose is to hit the quarterback. If the Broncos do this with Dumervil, expect him to record a new career high in sacks.

 

Denver Will Win as Many or More Games than the Chicago Bears

Much has been said about the Bears this offseason, most of it surrounding the addition of Jay Cutler, with good reason. Many people are predicting they will be the NFC North winner this season.

However, outside of Cutler, the Bears have made no other substantial improvements to their 26th-ranked offense and 21st-ranked defense. While they do have RB Matt Forte on offense, they lack consistent receiver production, and their defense is aging and inconsistent.

On top of that, their schedule is much more difficult than most people realize, as they have seven games against 2008 playoff teams, including Arizona, Baltimore, and Pittsburgh, as well as three games against the much improved Packers and Seahawks.

If the Bears can sprinkle in a few wins against some of the stronger teams in the league, they could make a run at the North, but more realistically, they should finish around the 8-8 or 9-7 mark.

 

The Broncos Finish .500 or Better, Place Second in the AFC West

If you listen to any NFL “expert,” they will all tell you how much the Broncos will struggle this season. Maybe it’s the die-hard fan in me, but I don’t buy that. Kyle Orton is obviously no Jay Cutler, but the talented receivers the Broncos will line up around him will make him better, as will the stable of talented running backs the Broncos have at their disposal.

If you add to that mix the fact that the Broncos’ defense should (hopefully) be better than it was a season ago, the Broncos could conceivably win eight or nine games this season. 

Let’s go through it game by game:

The Broncos should start 3-0, as they should be able to beat Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Oakland. In their next eight games, the Broncos face Dallas, New England, San Diego (twice), Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Washington, and the New York Giants. I see the Broncos splitting the series with San Diego and beating both the Cowboys and Redskins.

So, after 11 games, the Broncos are 6-5.

In the final five games, the Broncos face Kansas City (twice), Indianapolis, Oakland, and Philadelphia. They should beat the Chiefs twice, as well as the Raiders. That gives them a 9-7 record on the season, which should be good enough for second place in the West.

 

Those are my bold predictions for this season. Some predictions everyone may agree with. Some predictions may be seen as outlandish. And some people may just think I’m stupid.

Leave me some comments and let me know what you think.

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Injury Bug Bites Broncos Hard, Early Again, Could Be Denver’s Downfall

Three big-name offensive players were hurt on Sunday, in Kyle Orton, Eddie Royal, and Chris Kuper—OK maybe Kuper isn’t the biggest name on the list, but his production was huge last year as he started all 16 games.

But in Royal, who is currently the No. 1 receiver, and especially Orton, the newly acquired quarterback, the Broncos will suffer if either are out for an extended period of time.

Royal and Kuper seem to be fine, but there is no telling for sure from the Broncos due to Josh McDaniels’ hiding the true nature of the injuries calling them simply “lower” and “upper extremity injuries.” So now, a shroud of mystery cloaks injuries in Denver.

Though, according to Fox 31 Denver, two sources revealed that Kuper “has just a high ankle sprain.” Royal reentered the game, an indication that he should be OK.

As for Orton, while the injury was described as “not fractured” by two league sources, it was severely dislocated and teammates could reportedly hear Orton scream as it was popped back into place. According to Pro Football Talk, Orton’s bone was so badly dislocated it sliced through his flesh, from the inside.

Orton’s injury could be the most serious concern, as he has already been named the starter by McDaniels. And backup QB Chris Simms injured an ankle last week against the Seahawks, and his timetable for return is two to four weeks. Because of his injury, rookie Tom Brandstater was forced into the starter’s role for the entire second half Sunday.

Remarkably, two more Broncos were injured in the past week, fullback Peyton Hillis had his knee banged on the ground hard when he was tackled against the Bears. He didn’t seem too hurt though, and should be fine.

Also, No. 3 receiver Jabbar Gaffney broke the thumb on his left hand last Friday, and his timetable for return is four to six weeks.

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Beyond those big names, there are numerous others injured, or at least hurt as well. First-round draft pick and favorite at starting running back, Knowshon Moreno, injured his knee in the first preseason game. According to Fox 31 again, he returned to practice today, and the team is hopeful he will return in time for the Sept. 13 season opener against Cincinnati.

Big-time free agent signee, Brian Dawkins, broke his hand in training camp, and finally got his first football action this Sunday. Champ Bailey pulled a groin in this preseason, a big scare as he missed seven games last year due to the same injury. Luckily he was OK and continued to play, and was in top shape again Sunday.

Finally, at the end of this huge list, LaMont Jordan has an injury in the metatarsal area of his foot, which sounds familiar to a “turf toe.”

So, after losing a ridiculous seven running backs to the Injured Reserve list in ‘08, Denver’s four best runners are already hurt in ’09. Add in the loss of Ryan Torrain to the IR and cut from the team, and it’s five for the Broncos.

Sad but true, if you look at it this way, with Orton, Royal, Kuper, Moreno, and Hillis hurt, and Brandon Marshall a huge question mark, the Broncos have more starters out of the lineup than in it.

Though, there is a ray of sunshine still creeping over the rocky mountains, as the sun has not set on Denver’s season before it has began, yet. Perhaps the most promising news about almost all of the aforementioned injuries is that most are not too severe and many of the players will be ready for the season opener in two weeks. Although, in some instances, it seems more like well-wishing by the Broncos’ franchise rather than the real facts.

Basically though, the Broncos should be OK, and even if they miss a starter or two in Cincinnati, if they are back in Week Two or Three, then Denver fans will be able to breathe easy again. At receiver, the Broncos are deep, so Marshall and Gaffney don’t necessarily mean downfall for Denver. Likewise, as long as the Broncos can get some production out of two of their four best running backs, they should be fine. But if Orton misses time making Brandstater the starter, and Denver misses Marshall and Gaffney, and Moreno and Hillis, it would almost certainly spell the complete and utter downfall for Denver in 2009.

In all, the Broncos will not be competing for the Super Bowl this year likely, and if there was ever a good time for the injury bug to bite, 2009 seems to be the best one.

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So What’s Next for the Denver Broncos Josh?

Not Lovin’ it

Well it sure looks like that didn’t quite work out how you planned now did it Josh?

Just months ago, the Broncos’ bright up-and-coming new head coach seemed to have the world at his feet. He had just become one of the league’s newest and youngest NFL head coaches, he had inherited the leagues No. 2 offense, and he already had his franchise quarterback in place. From day one it seemed the plan was simple, but that was several months ago and now all has dramatically changed.

Caught with his hand in the cookie jar, the Bronco’s new mastermind was backed into a corner and had his hand forced when the team saw no other resolve than to trade their gifted and franchise quarterback Jay Cutler. Many had thought McDaniels’ arrival would lift Cutler to the next level, not send him packing on the next flight.

With Cutler out, McDaniels was dealt a new hand that included the Bears’ former starting quarterback Kyle Orton. While many felt that Broncos’ new brain-trust would have the savvy to turn Orton into the next Cassel and keep the Broncos offense rolling, Sunday night before a nationally audience may have been a small glimpse of things to come.

With Cutler on the other side of the field, Broncos’ fans witnessed what they used to have. Which is Cutler making mince meat of his former teammates. They also watched what they are stuck with basically limp off the field with an index finger injury on his (Orton’s) throwing hand.

The new field commander has at times looked efficient, but it is clear through three preseason games the team lacks the big play Cutler’s arm gave them a year ago.

Sure it’s easy to point out that the team is missing one of its best weapons in Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Marshall, but without a big arm he would likely be as ineffective as the rest of the wideouts.

The offense has no scare in it and defenses are going to jump on them early this season. Aside from the loss of Cutler, the Marshall saga has become another stigma that could very well define McDaniels’ tenure unless he can find a way to get this unit rolling.

On Sunday night the offense lost Orton with the finger injury and with Simms still ailing, Broncos fans have to wonder what the heck is going on. Clearly the situation in Denver can not be considered ideal, although it is not all lost.

The offense is clearly loaded with talent and playmakers such as; WR Eddie Royal, TE Tony Scheffler, and RB Peyton Hillis. The team will also be looking forward to the soon return of its top rookie selection, running back Knowshon Moreno. The rookie’s addition should also add another explosive dynamic to the offense, but with all that has surround his arrival this offseason, fans have to ask the Broncos’ head coach Josh McDaniels, “what’s next?”

At the moment it would seem that the team was far better off before McDaniels’ arrival, but since we are unable to go back in time, here we are. With Cutler gone and now Orton injured, the situation is quickly moving from bad to worse. What is not helping either is the suspension of Marshall. This is another obvious situation that would appear to be most critical to turning the ship around; getting Marshall back on the field.

It’s safe to say no one in Denver or around the NFL could have expected all that has surpassed in the Mile High city, but for the fans of Denver is pretty obvious what needs to happen now; McDaniels has disrupted the continuity of this franchise and repair is in order. That could be easier said than done, but the surest way of achieving complete resolve is winning.

To move forward from the devastation that was the Cutler-Trade and Marshall-Suspension, the Broncos must win. A task at the moment that looks monumental, but certainly many within the Broncos’ organization believe is possible.

This has always been the challenging task at hand (to win), but McDaniels chose to try this without Cutler and now must find a way to bring back his pro bowl receiver or make this undertaking even more colossal.

So what’s next for McDaniels? Get Marshall back on the field, and soon.

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Team First: 2009 Broncos Similar To 2003 Patriots

If the late John Denver were still alive to write a song about the 2009 Denver Broncos season thus far, it would have to be called “Rocky Mountain Low.”

After one of the wackiest offseason’s any franchise in NFL history has had to deal with, it would appear to all observers the Broncos are reeling. In the past year, the team fired the head coach that led the team to its two Super Bowl titles, traded their Pro Bowl quarterback, and suspended their No. 1 receiver after his request for a trade was not met.

To even the most casual of football fans, this seems like a train wreck waiting to happen. Rookie Head Coach Josh McDaniels has had to deal with more in his first year than other coaches face in their careers. Broncos fans all over the country are preparing for a four-win season and what they consider to be an “inevitable” top-five pick in the 2010 draft.

Pardon the pun, but hold your horses Broncos fans.

Yes, the Broncos haven’t shown much in their 0-3 start to the preseason. Yes, Jay Cutler got the last laugh this past Sunday. Yes, Kyle Orton’s hurt and so is backup Chris Simms. Yet, I do not worry, and that is because of the new head coach that has become the scorn of many in Denver.

Let’s look back at the 2003 version of the New England Patriots, the team which McDaniels worked for from 2001-2008. While Tom Brady was able to start all 16 games, other parts of the team were decimated by injuries. 

How remarkable was it to see Troy Brown, a wide receiver, playing on both sides of the ball when he had to play in the secondary after injuries wiped out their defensive backfield. All in all, the Patriots started 42 different players during that season. McDaniels was part of that team.

The injury situation isn’t the only similarity between the two teams. Days before the regular season began that year, the Patriots cut Pro Bowl safety Lawyer Mulloy, prompting many fans to second guess head coach Bill Belichick (yes, that Bill Belichick). 

Mulloy went on to sign with division rival Buffalo, whom the Patriots faced in their season opener, and were promptly shutout by the Bills in a 31-0 shutout. Sound familiar? (For posterity, the Patriots reversed the score and shut the Bills out 31-0 in the regular season finale).

Now, I am not saying the 2009 Broncos are going to light the NFL on fire and win the Super Bowl like the 2003 Patriots. Far from it. What I am suggesting though is to give McDaniels a chance. You don’t work in one place for eight seasons and not have a significant part of that employer’s culture rub off on you. The New England system worked there, and it just might work in Denver.

I also realize the two teams were not on the same level talent-wise either, but consider this: At the start of the 2003 season, Brady was not yet the Tom Brady. He led the miracle run to the Super Bowl in 2001, but followed that up with a 9-7 no playoffs season in 2002. While I am not necessarily predicting Brady-like greatness for Orton, give him some time. He did have a better record than Cutler did after 32 starts.

Even though his title was “defensive assistant” for the Patriots in 2003, a year before he became the quarterbacks coach who turned Tom Brady into THE Tom Brady, McDaniels saw what the “team first” concept he is now bringing to Denver can do.

As part of the 2003 staff, McDaniels witnessed arguably one of Bill Belichick’s best coaching performances of his career. He was only 27 at the time, but an impression had to have been made on the young man. 

So Broncos fans, give McDaniels some time to work his magic. Let him weed out the egos and put team players in place. With some luck, maybe this season will end on a “Rocky Mountain High.”

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Anquan Boldin, Brandon Marshall on the Move? Three-Team Deal May Be in the Works

Do not get offended, Brandon Marshall.

Rumor has it via Scout.com’s Kansas City Chiefs and Arizona Cardinals affiliates that star wide receivers Anquan Boldin and Brandon Marshall could be on the move via a three-way trade between the Chiefs, Cardinals, and Broncos.

I was notified by fellow Broncos writer Randy Garcia that the proposed trade would be roughly as follows:

Cardinals Get

WR Brandon Marshall

Chiefs Get

WR Anquan Boldin

Broncos Get

QB Matt Leinart

Okay, so this proposed deal does not make very much sense up front. It seems as though the Broncos are getting a pretty raw deal considering they have been rumored to be holding out for first and fourth round picks in exchange for Marshall. Not to mention this deal has the Chiefs giving up absolutely nothing.

A more fair deal would look as such:

Cardinals Get

WR Brandon Marshall

QB Tyler Thigpen

Chiefs’ fifth round pick

Chiefs Get

WR Anquan Boldin

Broncos Get

QB Matt Leinart

Chiefs’ first round pick

This seems like a pretty balanced return for all parties involved. The Cardinals get Boldin off their hands, and Brandon Marshall gets a fresh start. Arizona would also maintain the top WR duo in the NFL this way.

The Chiefs and head coach Todd Haley could put together a stellar wide receiver duo with Boldin and Dwayne Bowe and get rid of Thigpen, a guy who has been on the market for a while.

The Broncos get rid of Marshall and his antics while getting a quarterback of the future and a likely early to mid-first round pick. 

The only thing holding this type of trade back is Marshall. The Cardinals have to be willing not only to deal Boldin, but also to be ready to give Marshall a long-term contract at the end of this season, which is why I view this deal as somewhat unlikely.

Only time will tell, but a deal will need to be done soon, if at all.

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Speculation On Orton Injury: It Appears to Be A Serious Setback

There have been some unsubstantiated reports coming out of Denver that Kyle Orton may have a more serious injury on his throwing hand than previously thought.

Orton received a serious gash on his right index finger in the second quarter of the nationally televised pre-season game against Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears.  

The injury occurred on a third and two incomplete pass to Correll Buckhalter.  Orton was in his throwing motion as his hand appeared to have hit Bears defensive end Adewale Ogunleye on his gloved right hand.  Orton immediately winced and shook his hand in pain while disgusted as he came off the field.  

The gash was bleeding and appeared to be about an eighth of an inch wide.

The replay showed that Orton’s right hand did not touch a helmet which commonly leads to these types of injury’s to quarterbacks.  

The replay confirmed that the hand hit the gloved hand of Ogunleye.  

The Broncos immediately denied that the finger was broken, which eventually led to today’s speculation.

It appears that Kyle Orton did dislocate one or more of the knuckles on his right index finger.  This could mean that he has ligament strains or damage as well.  Moreover, when knuckles in particular are dislocated, the force can also cause the natural sacks of fluid beneath the knuckle to rupture out of position permanently and possibly burst.  This can lead to arthritic conditions later in life.

 If any or all of this is true it could take two to eight weeks before he is able to throw a ball without pain.  If the ligaments are strained, stretched, or torn that will have the most significant impact on Orton’s prognosis for returning sooner than later.

So where this leaves the Broncos is with two serious injuries to their top two quarterbacks Kyle Orton and Chris Simms, with only their rookie third string quarterback Tom Brandstater to shoulder the load. 

 

 

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Tom Brandstater To Be Thrown to the Wolves?

Tom Brandstater (Brand-stay-ter).

Learn the name, Bronco fans, because the rookie sixth-round pick out of Fresno State will be your opening day starting quarterback pending a roster move by the team.

Although the team has not issued a formal statement as to the duration starting quarterback Kyle Orton will spend healing a dislocated index knuckle, the Denver Post did report that Orton’s injury will require extensive stitching as the bone that was dislocated cut his skin all the way down to the bone on his throwing index finger.

Not so great.

To top it off with a cherry, the second highest paid backup quarterback in the NFL, Chris Simms, will be out indefinitely with a high ankle sprain to start the season.

That leaves Brandstater and recently signed quarterback Ingle Martin, who is probably the worst player on Madden 10 with a game rating of 35.

Brandstater is leaps and bounds ahead of Martin in terms of learning the offense, so he figures to get the opening day start unless the Broncos bring in someone else who is ready to play against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Normally, starters do not participate in the fourth preseason game, but that will not likely be the case with Brandstater who needs a little more time getting comfortable with the offense.

At least if Brandstater takes the field against the Bengals, he has a solid vote of confidence from his head coach, Josh McDaniels.

“Tom Brandstater has done a nice job of learning our offense,” McDaniels said after the team’s 27-17 loss to Chicago. “He knows what to do.  If needed he will go in there and play.”

If only he knew.

This will not be the first time a sixth-round pick named Tom took over for a team struggling with health issues at the quarterback position, and we all know how that turned out.

While Broncos fans will certainly not be at ease with Brandstater under center for the entire regular season, he is perfectly capable of doing what it seems as though every quarterback on the Broncos’ roster has been doing all preseason long, and that is throwing a lot of short passes, screen passes, and handing the ball off to the running back.

 

Brandstater at a Glance (Statistics Courtesy of the Denver Broncos’ Official Web Site)

• a quarterback who started for three seasons at Fresno State University, finishing his career ranked fifth in school history in completions (584), sixth in passing yards (6,857), and seventh in touchdown passes (47)
• accounted for 55 total touchdowns (47 passing, eight rushing) at Fresno State and was a first-team Academic All-Western Athletic Conference pick during each of his final three collegiate seasons
• totaled the fourth-most passing yards in the WAC with a career-high 2,664 yards along with a personal-best 18 touchdown passes as a senior for Fresno State in 2008
• ranked 23rd in the nation and fourth in the WAC in passer rating (140.5) as a junior in 2007, completing a personal-best 62.6 percent of his passes for 2,654 yards with 15 touchdowns and five interceptions

Obviously, we’re not in Fresno anymore, but at 6’5″, 223 pounds and with the pedigree that Brandstater brings with him, if he knows the offense like head coach Josh McDaniels claims he does, the Broncos and their fans can definitely make do in their season opener against the Bengals.

If fellow rookie and running back Knowshon Moreno can get back on the field in time for the opener, and wide receiver Brandon Marshall learns the offense, Brandstater will not have to be any kind of hero.

What a better dream for a rookie quarterback than:

1. an offensive line that only allowed 11.5 sacks in 2008
2. the top running back in the draft in Moreno and a great dual threat in free agent acquisition Correll Buckhalter
3. an emerging star and quadruple threat in fullback/tight end/running back/kick returner Peyton Hillis
4. a receiving core of Brandon Marshall, Eddie Royal, Brandon Stokley, Chad Jackson, Brandon Lloyd, and Kenny McKinley
5. safety valves at tight end in Tony Scheffler, Daniel Graham, and Richard Quinn
6. a defense that appears to be playing some inspired football, to say the least
7. a head coach that has confidence in you
8. your first game is against the Bengals

Now, I am not going to come out and say that Brandstater is going to lead Denver to the Super Bowl. But I will say that having as many weapons and options as Brandstater has, it will be hard for him to mess this up unless he is absolutely so inaccurate that the receivers and running backs are simply unable to field any of his passes.

Broncos fans figured Brandstater could be their own version of Tom Brady maybe somewhere three years or so down the road, and they may get a glimpse into the future when the Broncos open their season on the road in Cincinnati.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

If Deion Branch Gets Cut, Reunion With McDaniels in Denver Possible

Reports from the Tacoma News Tribune indicate that wide receiver Deion Branch, a big trade acquisition of the Seattle Seahawks a couple of years ago, could be “on the bubble.”

The Seahawks’ starting wide receivers would be Nate Burleson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh if the season started today, with Branch lining up as the third receiver.

Here is the official report:

“So far, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Nate Burleson, Deion Branch and Deon Butler are likely in, with Courtney Taylor, Ben Obomanu and Jordan Kent fighting for the last couple of spots.

Or perhaps Branch could be on his way out.

The veteran will make $5 million this season to be Seattle’s third receiver and the Seahawks have a lot of depth at the position. So they may live with five receivers and let Branch go to keep a player at a different position.”

So would the Seahawks cut Branch?

Based on the report, Seattle is content with Deon Butler moving forward as the team’s third receiver.  He is a much cheaper option than Branch, and shedding his large contract would be lovely cap relief heading into the season.

If the Seahawks cut Branch, it would not be a shock to see him wind up in Denver under his former offensive coordinator and now Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels.

With a recent injury to Jabar Gaffney and reports the team is quietly shopping Brandon Marshall, there is suddenly an opening for a starting wide receiver spot.

That could intrigue Branch, especially if he could return to an offense he has some familiarity with.

Branch would allow veteran Brandon Stokley to remain in the slot, and when Gaffney returns from his thumb injury, the Broncos could have one of the deepest receiving groups in the league, even if they do trade Marshall.

This is all purely speculation, and there is no guarantee the Seahawks will rid of Branch. 

Even if they do not, and the Broncos maintain their current group, they still have arguably the most talented, deep unit in the NFL.

A mentally stable Brandon Marshall, Eddie Royal, Stokley, Gaffney, Brandon Lloyd, Chad Jackson, and impressive rookie Kenny McKinley give the Broncos a very deep group of players to get the ball to.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

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