State Of The Denver Broncos

The NFL is a place where teams are judged on whether or not they can win games, and make a run in the playoffs. There are teams in the NFL who can do this every year and there are teams who have simply just fallen off the radar.

The Denver Broncos was a franchise that began in 1960 as an original American Football League team (AFL). They started off abysmal, losing games in embarrassing fashions getting blown out every game, and overall not being a good organization. The Broncos went 13 seasons until having a winning record, and they are the only original AFL team to have never played in a title game. It took this team until the late 70s to make their mark in the NFL. However this team did end up winning a Superbowl in the 1997 and 1998 seasons with John Elway under center.

Now the Broncos find themselves facing what they did in their losing seasons. They face too many changes, new quarterback, new coaches, new playbooks, it seems like absolutely everything is changing, and not for the better is appears. Not too many things are shaping up to be positive for this team. From the negative attitudes of certain players, to all the skepticism over Jay Cutler leaving to Chicago.

This team appears to be heading in the wrong direction to many people. Most NFL experts and analyst have this team winning less than eight games. One of the only positives of this team is the explosive offense, but as said before, Jay Cutler is gone, and Brandon Marshall wants out of Denver. If Marshall leaves then you can not possibly imagine this team making the playoffs for the next couple of years. He really is that important to the Broncos overall establishment. From the double coverage that frees up others, to the big play making ability.

Just to think that only three season ago this team was one game away from the superbowl. Ha there was even a great chance they would have won the superbowl that year against the Seattle Seahawks. Many things have changed since then. A quarterback has came and left, all defensive positions besides Champ Bailey have changed, the Broncos cant find that next face at running back. The Broncos have been a big box of confusion since that game against the Steelers in the 2005 season.

Coming back to the present, I believe that the Broncos have done some positive things in the off-season free agent period, losing Jay Cutler was not one of them, but the addition of many players will immediately make the Broncos better.

Brian Dawkins will have a couple good seasons in Denver before he retires. Andre Goodman will help the secondary and will not get beat as much as Dre Bly did. Kyle Orton will step in and do what he has to do to win games, remember he has Brandon Marshall, Eddie Royal, Brandon Stokley, and Tony Scheffler.

This foursome of players have very good hands and have a ability to create plays. If there was a situation where a team could run Quarterback by committee, it would be the Denver Broncos, because the surrounding offensive talent is great. Also picking up Renaldo Hill will add some much needed depth to the Broncos secondary.

The 2009 draft class was great too, not nearly as close as last years but i see some major things from specifically three players from that class. The total list of 2009 draft class includes:

Round 1:

(12) Knowshon Moreno RB Georgia

(18) Robert Ayers DE/LB Tennessee
Round 2: 

(37) Alphonso Smith CB Wake Forest
(48) Darcel McBath S Texas Tech

(64) Richard Quinn TE North Carolina
Round 4:

(114) David Bruton FS Notre Dame

(132) Seth Olsen OG Iowa
Round 5:
(141) Kenny McKinley WR South Carolina
Round 6:

(174) Tom Brandstater QB Fresno State
Round 7:
(225) Blake Schleuter C Texas Christian

The three players that impress me from this draft class is Knowshon Moreno, Robert Ayers, and my personal favorite Alphonso Smith. When it comes to picking up the best running back in the draft you have to give the edge of Moreno. He rushed for over 2,700 yards and 30 T.D.’s in two seasons. He also managed to grab 53 balls for 3 scores.

Knowshon Moreno is most know for his ability to make cuts and direction better than anyone in college football. He may not be super fast, but come game day he is most likely and able to shake a defender out of his boots. i can easily see Moreno having 1,000 yards and 8 touchdowns in Denver in his rookie season.

Robert Ayers coming from Tennessee, he already played the best of the best, and that included Georgia’s running back Moreno. This guy is a physical beast. He can stand up and play linebacker, and he can bull-rush to the Quarterback to get a sack. He reminds me of Shawn Merriman of the Chargers.

Just because they both are athletic enough to play linebackers but they are defensive ends at heart. Even though Ayers did not have a bunch of sacks and he had limited playing experience in college he still has the ability to become one of, if not the best Denver linebacker next to DJ Williams. Ayers has even been getting a lot of buzz from coaches and players, he is most likely going to start in this Denver defense whether it be with his fingers in the ground or lined up over the tight end playing outside linebacker.

Alphonso Smith out of Wake Forrest is a first rounder in my opinion if he was 5’11 or 6’0. Smith has been called the best cover corner in the draft and some even call him the best overall corner in the draft. This guy can play, he has 21 interceptions in his college career. He is going to be the next great Defensive back in Denver when Bailey leaves.

The Denver Broncos are a team still in the rebulding stage, and do not be surprised if this team is not in playoff talks until the next two years. I believe it will take one more draft class to make this team better for the next ten years. Since the Broncos are already within the top five for youngest team in the NFL they should be set for young talent for some time. If the Broncos do keep Brandon Marshall, then i see no excuses for Kyle Orton to not put of decent numbers.

The state of the Denver Broncos is not entirely good, but at the same time it is not that bad because you get a new face at Quarterback with a better attitude then Jay Cutler, you get a coach who has been around winning players and knows how to win, you get Brian Dawkins who will immediately make Denver’s secondary better. And you get three first round talents in the first two round of the NFL draft.

At the best i see the Broncos with an 9-7 record, at the worst i see the Broncos with an 6-10 record.

PS. Please comment and give me all your insight on what you guys think about where this team is headed and just give me your overall thoughts.
Thanks

 

What Is Josh McDaniels Doing with the Denver Broncos?

Since being hired as the Broncos head coach early this offseason, Josh McDaniels has the Broncos organization headed in the wrong direction.

At the end of the Broncos’ disappointing 2008 season, they fired long-time coach Mike Shanahan. Shanahan was the longest-serving coach in franchise history. He was very successful in Denver, winning two Superbowls.

To replace Shanahan, the Broncos brought in former New England offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels. At the time, it looked like a good move to start rebuilding for the future. 

McDaniels comes from a very successful organization in New England. There have been a handful of coaches who have left New England for head coaching jobs. Romeo Crennel, Al Groh, Eric Mangini, and Nick Saban have all come from the Bellichick coaching tree, and none of them have gone on to be successful head coaches in the NFL.

In three years as the Patriots offensive coordinator, McDaniels was very successful. In 2007, the Patriots offense set NFL records for most touchdowns and points scored.

Since becoming head coach of the Broncos, McDaniels has made a series of moves that have the Broncos heading in the wrong direction.

Shortly after arriving in Denver, McDaniels managed to drive one of the top young quarterbacks out of town. The Broncos traded Jay Cutler and a fifth round pick to the Bears; and in return they received a first round pick in the 2009 and 2010 drafts, along with a third round pick in ’09.

Other than Cutler, McDaniels got rid of 10 other starters from the 2008 season.

At the beginning of his reign, McDaniels decided to make a difficult transition from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4 scheme.

In the 2009 draft McDaniels, did not acquire the right players to help make a successful transition to a 3-4 defense.

With the Broncos’ first pick—12th overall—they selected Georgia running back, Knowshon Moreno, after already signing two veterans in free agency. The Broncos didn’t need another running back, but it was a good pick for the future.

With their second pick—18th overall—they selected Robert Ayers out of Tennessee.  Ayers was not a great pass-rusher at the college level. This pick is not a good one for a team that is converting to a 3-4 defense, simply because he just doesn’t fit.

At the beginning of the second round, Denver traded their 2010 first round pick to the Seahawks to acquire nickel corner Alphonso Smith out of Wake Forest. The way things are shaping up, the pick is likely to be a Top 10 selection. Not a smart move.

With the 48th pick in the second round, McDaniels took free safety Darcell McBath, after already signing veterans Brian Dawkins and Renaldo Hill in free agency. 

Late in the second round, he traded two third round picks to move up and get Richard Quinn, a blocking tight end. You never take a blocking tight end in the second round, and you most certainly don’t trade two third round picks for one—no matter how good he may be.

In the fourth round McDaniels drafted yet another free safety.

In the whole draft, McDaniels totally neglected to address the defensive line. The Broncos’ defensive line has clearly been the weakest group on the whole team. You can’t play a 3-4 defense without a strong front. What was he thinking?

The Broncos look like they will, once again, be at the bottom of the league in defense.

After all this, things continue to get worse in Denver. The team’s best receiver, Brandon Marshall, has requested to be traded. Marshall has led the team in receptions the last two years with over 100 receptions each season. There could be a few reasons why Marshall wants to be traded.

One, Marshall sees the direction this franchise is headed and doesn’t want to be part of a losing team. Like most players in the NFL, Marshall wants to get paid. The best chance to get the most money is while his stock is high. He knows that, with Cutler gone, his production will likely decline. He either wants his money now, or he wants an opportunity to earn it somewhere else. If the Broncos lose Marshall it will just add to the problems McDaniels has created this offseason.

Who knows, maybe it’s all part of McDaniels’ genius master plan. Maybe he will surprise and prove everybody wrong.

After a successful 14 seasons under Mike Shanahan, the Mcdaniels Era looks to be a sad one in Denver.

Seattle Seahawks Position Breakdown: Linebackers

The Starters-

Lofa Tatupu, MLB

In 2005, the Seahawks traded two fourth-round picks to move up nine slots to get him. Criticism fell upon the Seahawks’ new GM Tim Ruskell and he was widely bashed for the move. Tatupu was too slow, undersized, could not jump high enough, and was not play-making material.

Four years later, all Tatupu has done is make three Pro Bowls and become the leader of the Seahawks defense. Fellow 2005 draftee LB Leroy Hill aided him in leading the Seahawks to the Superbowl for the first time.

Tatupu can do everything from hard hits to snagging INTs. Just his presence in the middle of the field draws caution for any slot receiver. Even during a mediocre 2008 season when he was hampered by nagging injuries he racked up 94 tackles.

In 2009 a healthy Tatupu will lead a revamped defense and serve as a mentor to first round LB Aaron Curry. Expect another Pro Bowl season from the “slow, and undersized” LB.

 

Leroy Hill, Weakside OLB

With a fresh six-year, $38 million contract in hand, Hill is poised for a breakout season as he takes over Julian Petersons’ old pass rushing duties (Peterson is now with Detroit). In his rookie season with the same role, Hill tallied 7.5 sacks; we should see that number rise in 2009.

Hill has often been overlooked because of the presence of Pro Bowlers Tatupu and Peterson, but now he gets his chance to shine. Hill eclipsed his 2007 production by two tackles, despite missing two more games in 2008.

Hill is not a terrific coverage man and has yet to record an NFL interception. Since his job does not entail covering WRs and TEs, his weakness should be masked. He is a great tackler and knows how to fully wrap up the ball-carrier so he cannot slide away. Once in a while you will see him aim too high and a stiff-arm will leave him eating turf.

With a bigger role in the defense, I would not be surprised to see Hill making his first trip to Hawaii.

Aaron Curry, Strongside OLB

Curry completes the Seahawks’ vaunted LB unit. He was heralded by many as the 2009 draft’s top prospect and was overwhelmed with emotion when he found out he was joining the Seattle Seahawks. I have heard nothing but ranting and raving about the former Wake Forest LB.

I am excited to see what he can bring to the table. The only knock on the standout I have been able to find is his rushing abilities. But with Hill manning that responsibility, it is a non-issue.

Curry is extremely quick, posting a 4.52 NFL Combine 40 time. He brings great speed and athleticism to the LB unit, finishing off what may be the best trio in the league.

There are going to be some rookie errors no doubt; he is going to blitz the wrong hole, cover the wrong guy, etc.  But he is a bright kid, who will pick up the NFL in a short amount of time. The quicker he learns, the quicker this unit can claim utter dominance over any other.

 

The Best of the Rest

 

D.D Lewis, OLB

Lewis was a starter on the 2005 Super Bowl team. He is a tremendous asset to possess as a backup. He can play all three LB positions and is a solid fundamental tackler. He has never been much of a pass-rusher (one career sack), but can cover WRs and TEs adequately.

He is the type of LB who is not fooled by play action too often and he is great at reading what the ball carrier is doing and where he is going.

With “the big three” at the starting LB spots, Lewis will serve as a mentor to incoming rookie Aaron Curry. He is a great special teams player and that is what his “starting” role on this team appears to be. Lewis would be the first in line as an injury replacement if any of the vaunted crew goes down.

 

David Hawthorne, MLB

This kid oozes with potential and a lot of Seahawks fans are excited to see what he can do in the future.

With all three of Seattle’s superb LB unit locked up for the next six years (depending on Curry’s contract) it does not appear as if he will ever crack the starting lineup here. His nickname at TCU was “The Heater” for his high-intensity play and knack for devastating hits. Hawthorne has been coached up at all three LB spots and his versatility will be a great asset for the Seahawks.

 

Will Herring, OLB

The former fifth-round pick caps off the Seahawks’ promising backup unit. He is a quality special teams player and has nowhere to go but up in terms of polishing his skills. He is an incredibly smart kid and was inducted into the National Football Foundation Honors Society for outstanding achievement in academics.

Like the rest of the backup LBs, he suffers from having such an outstanding trio in the starting capacity. He played safety the majority of his college career, so it is not surprising he is undersized for a LB (235 lbs).

Unlike the other two backups, Herring has a chance to crack the starting lineup if he would make the conversion back to S.

I would not be surprised to see current starting S Brian Russell released or demoted soon. Herring could be a potential replacement if he finds a way to fit the bill.

 

 

Forever My Favorite: The 1997-’98 Denver Broncos

I really enjoy these assignments where I get to talk about my favorite subject, me.  It’s an opportunity for me to impart all my opinions on the world, making it a better place.

So now I’ll tell you my favorite football team and why they should be yours, too.

As I stated in a previous article, I became a Denver Broncos fan in January of 1988.  The Broncos had just been destroyed by my other favorite football club, the Washington Redskins, in Super Bowl XXII.  That day, I found a new respect for this team.

A team that lost the game with dignity.  A team that kept its pride and held their collective heads high when they fell short of their goal.  A team that said, “Congratulations, but we’ll be back.”

Well they did come back…twice.

After an early exit in the 1996 NFL playoffs (a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars), the 1997 Broncos were back with a vengeance.  Posting a record of 12-4, the Broncos made the playoffs as a wild card team.

Their opponent in the first round would be the Jacksonville Jaguars.  Things would finish a little differently this time, as the Broncos rolled to a 42-17 victory.

Denver would then dispatch the (AFC West Champion) Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers en route to a matchup with Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers (13-3).

Super Bowl XXXII, ten years after losing that game to the Redskins, they were to challenge for the Lombardi trophy again.

So there they were.  The Denver Broncos, four times defeated in the big dance, now up against the defending Super Bowl Champions (and 11 point favorites).

The Packers had noticeable talent on both sides of the ball.  Brett Favre, the gunslinger, was surrounded by sure-handed targets.  Mark Chmura was a Pro Bowl tight end.  Antonio Freeman and Robert Brooks were known for making the big plays downfield. 

And in the background, fullback William Henderson and running back Dorsey Levens had the option of making the catch or running the ball down opponents’ throats.

On defense, Green Bay had a host of terrors.  Among them were safety Eugene Robinson, cornerback LeRoy Butler, defensive tackle Santana Dotson, and defensive end Reggie White (later inducted into the Football Hall of Fame).

Luckily, the Broncos came prepared.  Lead by a defensive backfield consisting of Steve Atwater, Tyron Braxton, and Darrien Gordon, the Broncos were the sixth-ranked defense in the NFL. Up front, Denver had newly acquired defensive end Neil Smith, defensive end Alfred Williams, and a linebacking corps that had John Mobley and Bill Romanowski.

The No. 1 ranked offense in the NFL that year was lead by (future Hall of Famer) John Elway.  Elway had lead the Broncos to three previous Super Bowls. 

All three were losses. 

And to be fair, those Denver teams were John Elway.  This was the first time the QB would have a host of talent around him.

Pro Bowl running back Terrell Davis would have 15 touchdowns and 1,750 yards on the ground that season.  He also would amass 287 yards in the air on 42 passes.

The wide receiver group consisted of such talent as Ed McCaffery and Rod Smith.  They were joined by Pro Bowl tight end Shannon Sharpe.

The offensive line was anchored by two Pro Bowlers as well, Tom Nalen and Gary Zimmerman.

Green Bay jumped out to an early seven point lead in the game, but it would soon be answered by a Terrell Davis TD run.  Then, Denver would go up by 10 before the Packers knotted the score at 17.  In the end, the Broncos would prove to be too much and they’d put the game away, 31-24.

The 37 year old Elway had won his first Super Bowl and Denver was alive with celebration.  Everyone was excited for John Elway, a quarterback who had played his entire career in Denver and failed three previous times to capture the Lombardi trophy. 

Now, he could retire “on top.”

There was just one thing…he didn’t retire.  Elway and the Broncos would return the following year to finish what they started.  It was time to defend that League championship.

The encore was better than the previous performance.  The team was 14-2 in 1998.  They were second in the league in offense and eighth in the league on defense.

Terrell Davis ran for 21 touchdowns and 2,008 yards on 392 carries that year and won the League MVP award.  Davis would lead the team in scoring with 138 points.

He would never return to that glory as an ACL and MCL injury would shorten his career.

McCaffery and Sharpe both caught 64 passes that year.  The team leader was Rod Smith with 1,222 yards on 86 catches.

The challenger in Super Bowl XXXIII was the Atlanta Falcons (also 14-2 in the regular season).  The “Dirty Birds” had grown a following because of a silly celebration dance and a high-powered running back, (Pro Bowler) Jamal Anderson.

They were lead by Head Coach Dan Reeves.  Reeves was the coach in Denver the three times Elway and the Broncos failed to capture the Super Bowl title.

The squad also had a Pro Bowl quarterback (Chris Chandler) and the second ranked defense in the league.  That defense included Pro Bowler Jesse Tuggle, Ray Buchannan, and Eugene Robinson.  Robinson had played for the Green Bay Packers team that lost to Elway and the Broncos in Super Bowl XXXII.

There was no denying John Elway in this Super Bowl either.  He received the Super Bowl MVP and the Broncos won 34-19.  The 38 year old Elway retired after 15 years in the league.  He left on his terms, with back-to-back Super Bowl victories. 

A lifetime of “almost” cashed in at the end.

John Elway is the reason I became a Denver Broncos fan.  And after ten years, my loyalty was paid and paid again.  Elway gave me my two favorite teams in football and my greatest football moment.  The 1997-98 Denver Broncos, forever my favorite.  They should be your favorite too.

 

Sources

Retrieved May 29, 2009, from NFL.com.

http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/history/recap/sbxxxiii.

 

Retrieved May 29, 2009, from NFL.com.

http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/history/recap/sbxxxii.

10 Reasons Why the Denver Broncos Will Win the AFC West

The Denver Broncos are a team that has been completely and utterly re-vamped since the 2008 season. They have new running backs, and a defense will a brand new look, which includes a new 3-4 system.

Why will they win the AFC West? I will be listing 10 reasons why the Broncos can do just that. Enjoy the rankings!

1. Josh McDaniels

Josh McDaniels has always been an offense-based coach. He was the QB’s coach in New England, and was promoted to offensive coordinator later on in his time with the Patriots. With the new offense that McDaniels has to work with this season, The Broncos offense should thrive even more than it did last year.

2. Kyle Orton

As if I haven’t expressed my faith in Orton in previous articles, I like that he’s our QB, and I believe he has potential to be great.

Kyle will be getting help from McDaniels, who was once the QB instructor for Tom Brady when the Pats won the Superbowl. With Josh’s help, Orton can be better than he was in the 2008-2009 season.

Also, Kyle will have a wide variety of fantastic Wide Receivers to throw to. They will be key to Orton in the long run.

3. Running Backs

Last year, the Broncos had seven RB’s on IR. Though one running back, or should I say Full back, proved that he could play, even in the short time that he played.

Peyton Hillis dominated the running game every time he ran the ball. Granted he only play for seven games, but nonetheless in that time he had 343 yards for 5 touchdowns. I loved watching him play, and I look forward to seeing him play again.

Along with Hillis, the Broncos recently drafted Knowshon Moreno, star running back from Georgia, in this years draft. Moreno is said to have great potential to be this years Rookie of the Year, and will definitely start for the Broncos.

4. Wide Receivers

The Broncos arguably have the best WR line-ups in the entire NFL.

First, you have Brandon Marshall. Marshall was the Best WR on paper last year for the Denver Broncos (even though he was out for the first game of the season). Though he could work on holding the ball in clutch times of the game, he definitely knows how to catch the ball if it’s thrown anywhere near him.

Eddie Royal was one of the best Rookie receivers in the league last year. He, like Brandon Marshall, Caught the ball at critical times. Royal is also the fastest starting receiver that the Broncos have. Royal should be a favorite for Orton to throw to.

Brandon Stokley is one of the best slot receivers in the entire league. His ability to catch fast “bullets”, and difficult passes will be key for short TD’s, and first downs.

5. Offensive line

Jay Cutler was sacked 11 times last season. It may not seem like something to brag about, but Cutler threw 616 passes last year, dew mainly to the absence of seven running backs.

Ryan Clady, last year, allowed less than three of these sacks as a rookie ( surprisingly, he did not make the pro bowl).

The offensive line was very partial to the reason the Broncos had the No. 2 offense last year.

6. 3-4 Defense

The Denver Broncos switched to a 3-4 defense. This could be very beneficial for the players who are currently on the team who did not fit in the 4-3 scheme. This switch will help stop opposing RB’s from constantly piling through our defense.

7. Corner backs

Champ Bailey, last season, was out for seven weeks. And what a painful seven games it was. During the time period, the Broncos lost three of the seven games. And even the games that they did win, they were all close (except for the game against the Jets).

Though it isn’t impossible, it definitely isn’t likely that Bailey will be out again. And Champ is one of the BIGGEST helps to our defense.

The Broncos also drafted Alphonso Smith, who will replace previously released, Dre Bly.

8. Brian Dawkins

In the late Broncos training camp of last year, John Lynch left the team out of the blue. This gave the Broncos no choice but to start Marlon McCree.

Afer releasing McCree, the Broncos have fixed this situation by aquiring future HOF Safety, Brian Dawkins.

The Broncos also drafted Darcel McBath, who will be a great secondary for switching off and on with Dawkins.

9. Injured Reserve

Last year, the Broncos had a combined 12 players on IR. I know that there might be some injuries, but having that many people getting injured for the entire season is one of the most unlikely things to occur, let alone more than five players.

10. Weak Division

Granted, we lost a game, and won a game with each team in our division last season, but the Broncos may have the easiest division in the NFL.

The Chargers will definitely put up a good fight, but I’m sure we’ll win at least one game against them.

As for the Chiefs and the Raiders…the Chiefs got rid of their star player, and the Raiders haven’t really done much to make their team better.

These are my 10 reasons of why I think the Broncos will win the division this year.

Who Is Running the Show in Denver?

Much has been said about the turnover in the Denver Broncos organization this offseason.  Unless you are living under a rock, you know that owner Pat Bowlen made the decisions to fire head coach Mike Shanahan, replace him with Josh McDaniels, fire Jim and Jeff Goodman, promote Brian Xanders to general manager, and trade Jay Cutler. 

Or did he?

Earlier this month, I read an article by Woody Paige in the Denver Post entitled: “Bowlen unshaken on vision for Broncos”, which can be viewed here. Paige spoke with Bowlen about the recent changes made in the Broncos front office in the off-season.

Among the many quotes from Bowlen in Paige’s article, one garnered significant media attention.

“I have short-term memory loss. I know that some of the memories of the Superbowl Championships are fading.”

This has led many to speculate as to how much Bowlen is in charge of his own faculties and how much his “memory loss” may have contributed to his decision-making.

Bowlen is the owner, president and chief executive of the Denver Broncos, but when it comes down to it, who is really making the decisions?  Is Bowlen his own counsel in his decision-making, or does he have people advising him on such big decisions?

These are important questions to ask when a person starts to forget certain things.  And we are not talking about grandma forgetting to take her pills here—there is an NFL franchise at stake.

Woody’s article provided insight into these questions as well.

“Bowlen said that while he is involved in every facet of the organization, [Joe] Ellis, [the team’s chief operating officer], his confidant, has been given more power in the restructuring since Shanahan was fired. “Joe is handling all the things I’m not particularly interested in, making more major decisions,” he said.

“Ellis, who was director of marketing when Bowlen bought the majority ownership of the Broncos in 1984, has served in several executive capacities. He was named COO last year. Ellis, several sources say, was instrumental in getting Bowlen to agree to fire Shanahan, hire McDaniels (Ellis alone met with the new coach for a second interview) and trade Cutler.”

This portion of Paige’s article did not receive the same media attention as Bowlen’s memory loss, yet it holds the answers as to who may be really making the decisions for the Denver Broncos organization.

Ellis has Bowlen’s ear, and like Jaffar to the Sultan or Wormtongue to King Theodon, the chief adviser holds sway over the old man and may be the power behind the throne.

Woody pretty much said that: Ellis convinced Bowlen to fire Mike Shanahan, Ellis convinced Bowlen to hire Josh McDaniels, and in the end, Ellis convinced Bowlen to trade Jay Cutler.

Working his way up from director of marketing to chief operating officer over the past fifteen years, Ellis is now the man in power.  Ellis is the one who is making the decisions regarding the fate of the Denver Broncos.

Profootballtalk.com’s Mike Florio noticed this as well, saying:

“One thing that has become abundantly clear in the wake of the termination of Mike Shanahan and the hiring of Josh McDaniels is that COO Joe Ellis (who?) has become one of the most powerful figures in the Broncos organization.

“And so Ellis is the latest in a line of (front office executives) who used a mastery of the intricate rules of the salary cap to position themselves to have significant influence over the football operation while having no accountability for on-field failure because, after all, they’re not football guys.”  (full article can be viewed here)

Ellis’ rise to power has been at the expense of many notable people within the Bronocs organization including: Ted Sundquist, Shanahan, Jim Goodman, Jeff Goodman, Cutler, Andrew Mason (denverbroncos.com media guide).

Whether you agree with the changes that have been made or not, it is important to know who makes the calls and who pulls the strings.  As fans who pour their hearts and souls in to their team, we need and deserve to know who is in charge.

And based on my read of what Woody Paige and Mike Florio have reported, Pat Bowlen makes the calls, but it is Joe Ellis pulling the strings.

 

How Did the Broncos Do in This Year’s NFL Draft?

The NFL Draft is now over.  Whether you like the outcome or not, there is no going back.  Many Broncos fans feel like they are taking crazy pills while others are looking at the silver lining.  Opinions will be abounding, but only time will tell.

 

With the 12th pick of the NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos select:

Knowshon Moreno, RB Georgia 5’11” 217

All of Broncos Nation was hoping for Denver to come out of the gate and select a player to help fix an anemic defense that was one of the worst in the league last year. Unfortunately fate would make this a difficult feat to accomplish.

T.Jackson (the best five technique defensive lineman in the draft) came of the board early to our divison rivals in Kansas City.  Then, as was expected, B.J. Raji (the best defensive tackle in the draft) was drafted by Green Bay.

This left the Broncos in a tough situation. Who do you pick now that Raji and Jackson were no Longer available?

I would have picked M.Jenkins or B. Orakpo.  They are quality players who were worthy of being selected with the 12th overall pick, and by my estimation would have filled a position of need.  Jenkins could compete for the nickle corner spot or safety of the future.  Orakpo, by all indications could be the hybrid DE/OLB that Denver could have used. 

The Broncos instead went with the best runningback in the draft, K.Moreno. 

This doesn’t make sense to me because Denver just invested a lot of contract money (33.5 mill) into C. Buckhalter, J.J. Arrington, and L.Jordan.  Plus the Broncos also have R.Torain and S.Young on their roster (probably not for long though).

Though Moreno does not necessarily meet an imediate need in Denver, he was worthy of the selection at 12, and could be the next L.T. or Adrian Peterson (knocking on wood while typing)

After hearing Knowshon’s press conference, It is clear that he is a very high character guy.  He’s a “No sir, yes sir” kind of guy.  He is looking forward to coming in and competing and he will do whatever he is asked to do.  He can block, he can catch, he can run, he can hurdle defensive players, and he is a team first kind of guy.

When McDaniels was announced as Denver’s new head coach, I was not happy because I knew he was going to turn the Broncos into the “Patriots West”.  I have since warmed up to the idea a little bit, but one of the things the Pats always do well is draft high character, team first-guys and I am happy that McDaniels has brought that tradition along with him to the Broncos.

The Denver braintrust must have either not seen Orkpo or Jenkins as one of those players, or they really just valued Moreno (who is one of those guys more). 

I agree with taking talent over need, especially if “your guy” isn’t there, so I am O.K. with this pick.

ESPN’s analysts said that right now Moreno is probably the front runner to win the rookie of the year award in the ’09 season.

 

With the 18th pick of the NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos select:

Robert (not Ryan) Ayers, DL/LB Tennessee 6’3″ 272

This too was a tough pick in the eyes of many Broncos fans.

B. Cushing was gone, but many people would have rather seen Denver pick up R. Maualuga or C. Matthews, but R.Ayers was projected to go in the first round between 10-20, so he was definitely a valuable player worthy of his selection at 18th overall. 

But Ayers has also been termed a possible one year wonder, given that he only started for one year in college. 

The good news is he is another character guy.  Watch his press conference and you find out he is a humble guy who had some issues and has dealt with them and has grown up from those experiences and you can see he has a Hughe upside. 

He is willing to do whatever the coaches ask him to do, and he is a player who does have a lot of versatility.  Denver will probably try him out at a few positions, as either a hybrid DE/OLB or (as he hinted in his presser) at the five technique defensive end.

Given that he was worthy of the pick, that he grew up in college into a man of high character, and his production in his senior year, I really believe now that this also was a great pick. 

Mike Mayock of the NFL Network has gone on record saying that three years from now we could look back at this draft and find out that R. Ayers is the best player taken in the entire draft.  Now, that is saying something!

Head Coach Josh McDaniels explained during his draft wrap-up press conference that he, GM Brian Xanders and the scouting team had a very narrow group of players that they were targeting during the draft.  Roughly 100 players both offense and defense.  Again only high character guys were being considered. 

McDaniels said that they were looking for players who would come in and compete and would have the ability to impact the team this year.  He didn’t want to take a player at a position of need just to drop him later.  He wanted guys who could contribute.  

McDaniels had one player one their draft board who they had rated very highly, and they did not think that he would remain around until Denver picked in round two at 48th overall.  Therefore Denver “rolled the dice” as McDaniels stated it and traded Denver’s first round pick in 2010 to Seattle for their second round, pick 37th overall.  

 

With the 37th overall pick of the NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos select:

Alphonso Smith, CB Wake Forest 5’9″ 193

I am not sure anybody thought that trading away next years number one pick was a wise decision. I know I don’t, and it has nothing to do with the player we got, I just think that McDaniels was wrong. I cannot be sure because it didn’t happen this way, but I think they could have gotten A.Smith at 48.

Regardless of whether this decision was a wise one or not Denver got tht 37th overall pick.  Many Broncos fans were absolutely certain that the Broncos were going to pick up R.Maualuga, R.Brace, E.Brown, C. Barwin or J. Gilbert.  But that didn’t happen.

The Broncos picked up Alphonso Smith a 5’9″ cornerback.  

Smith is a dynamic player he would have easily been a first round pick, maybe even the best corner in the draft if not for his height.  He is an absolute ball hawk.  He will likely come in and play the Nickle right away from day one, and contribute on a defense that ranked last, yes 32 of 32, in the NFL in takeaways last year.

Make no mistake, A.Smith is a valuable pick and steal for where the Broncos picked him. I have no doubt in my mind that A.Smith will be an excellent player in the NFL for a lot of years.  My opinion is that we got an elite player with this pick. 

The only reason this pick is suspect is because of what Denver gave up to acquire the pick.

 

With the 48th overall pick of the NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos select:

Darcel McBath, S Texas Tech 6’0″ 198

I don’t really know a lot about this player other than what analysts have said about him.  He apparently is a converted corner who has good instincts for the football. 

McDaniels looks for him to learn from the Broncos current secondary and add value to the Broncos on special teams.  He is apparently a very good kickoff return guy (as is A.Smith).

I was hoping again here that the Broncos would draft J.Gilbert, the next best five technique in the draft after T.Jackson. 

I also thought there were a lot of other prime safety prospects that Denver could have gone with, (W.Moore, R. Johnson to name a few) but Denver’s draft team apparently really liked this guy and if he can come in and contribute than perhaps it was a good pick.  Time will tell.

As the first day of the draft was winding down the Broncos board had one more guy that they had very highly rated on their board, and they felt that they did not want to chance waiting until the second day and hoping that he was still available when they would next be on the clock in the third round at pick number 79 overall.

Therefore McDaniels felt it necessary to trade the Broncos two third round picks 79 & 84 overall to the Superbowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers for the final pick in the second round 64th overall and the Steelers fourth round pick 132 overall.

And so it was that…

 

With the 64th overall pick of the NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos select:

Richard Quinn, TE North Carolina 6’4″ 264

Trading away our two third round selections was completely unnecessary in my opinion.  I cannot see Quinn being that hot of a commodity among the other NFL teams that Denver could not have been able to pick him up at 79 overall.  

Maybe I am wrong though.  He is in fact the second best plocking tight end in the draft.  And though he was under utilized at North Carolina in the passing game, he does have good hands.

McDaniels offensive schemes utilizes two and three tight end formations at times.  D. Graham, and J. Putzier are good blocking tight ends who have decent hands, but A. Scheffler and A. Bergen are not so good blockers. 

So I think McD felt that he needed Quinn in order to do the things he wanted to do offensivly and didn’t want to chance missing out on the perfect guy to fill this need.

Again I think it was a rash and unnecessary trade, at a position I think we have adequate depth in, but like it or not we are running McDaniels offense and he felt R. Quinn would allow him to do things that he would be unable to do schematically without him.  So he made the call, made the pick, and the rest is history.

 

On Day Two, Denver continued to ignore the glaring need of picking up D-lineman.  I guess the chips just didn’t fall out way.  The character guys, the type of players that McDaniels wanted just weren’t on the board when Denver drafted, and he didn’t feel strongly enough about any one of them to make a trade to ensure that he got them(like he did for Alphonso Smith).

So after missing out on Vaughn Martin…

 

With the 114th overall pick of the NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos select:

David Bruton, S Notre Dame 6’2″ 219

Again the Broncos choose a very intelligent, high character guy at a position that Denver needs quality depth.  Denver’s safeties were empty jersey’s last year with the exception of J. Barrett.

You have to be a smart to go to Notre Dame, D. Bruton showed he has speed at the combine (for a safety), and he was a team captain in college.  He has a great opportunity to learn from B-Dawk and contribute right away on special teams. 

I really would have liked to see Denver pick up a defensive lineman here.  I think Sammie Lee-Hill would have been a great pick, and is a player that could have contributed in Denver’s nose tackle/defensive tackle rotation. Alas, he must not have been on McDaniels narrow list of Players he wanted. 

Despite not getting a D-lineman I really like this pick, D.Bruton was one of the guys I really thought Denver should target, so I was very happy with this pick. 

 

With the 132nd overall pick of the NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos select:

Seth Olsen, G Iowa 6’5″ 306

Now this pick I don’t get at all.  We had a very good, possibly one of the Best O-Line units in the NFL last year.  And we added depth throughout the line during the off-season. 

Seth Olsen wasn’t even the highest rated guard available at this point in the draft.

I think this shows a bit of a vote of no confidence in Ben Hamilton or Chris Kuper.  Hamilton is getting older (31), and depth is not a bad thing, but I thought this was more of a luxury pick than any other pick Denver made in the draft.  I could maybe understand it if Olsen played Center at some point in his football career, but he didn’t.

 

With the 141st overall pick of the NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos select:

Kenny McKinley, WR South Carolina 6’0″ 189

It was understood that one of Denver’s draft needs in the later rounds was to add another wide receiver to the roster.  McDaniels likes to spread the field with multiple receiver sets, and depth is a good thing if you are consistently putting three or four wide outs on the field at once.

McDaniels said in the press conference that McKinley was a versatile player who has lined up at all the wide receiver positions in the football career.  Steve Spurier made the statement that McKinley was the best wide receiver he ever had the pleasure of coaching.

I hope that both these things are true.  Wide receivers who have played for Steve Spurrier do not have a great track record of transitioning to the NFL with success.

Again I hope this works out, we did need a wide out, we shall see.

 

With the 174th overall pick of the NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos select:

Tom (Brady… I mean)Bradstater, QB Fresno State 6’5″ 220

Denver drafts a guy that McDaniels admitted is a long way off, this is a guy who needs a lot of work.  McDaniels does like his size and height though.

Bradstater also was not the best prospect available here.  Curtis Painter, and Brian Hoyer were still available.  But apparently there is something Tom Brady, I mean Bradstater has something that McDaniels really liked as a project kind of guy.  I can’t quite place my finger on it, but his name reminds me of somebody…. I just can’t place it.

I think the fact that they picked a hugh project guy like Bradstater is an enormous vote of confidence in the quarterbacks already on Denver’s roster being able to run McDaniels intricate offense.  Kyle Orton and Chris Simms will be able to battle this one out in camp.  May the best man win.

 

With the 225th overall pick of the NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos select:

Blake Schlueter, C TCU 6’2″ 290    

Blake is a very agile guy, speedy for an O-lineman, and he had a great workout at his pro-day. 

McDaniels will require the offensive line to be able to do a lot of pulling for counters, traps and screens, so an agile center is a good pick.

Denver needed a center of the future, and adding depth at this position is definitely a good move.  Many have speculated that Kory Lichtensteiger is better suited to play guard, so this pick makes sense in many ways.

 

Overall I still have trouble understanding why Denver ignored their greatest need by not selecting anyone to help out the defensive line (unless Ayers plays the five technique).

Denver has added some very talented players.  But not in areas of immediate need.

I had hoped that Denver would be able to draft guys who would be able to come in and make our defense better right away.  Alas, things did not fall in our favor. 

I hope there are some undrafted free agents that will be able to compete for a roster spot on defense. Maybe we find another Wesley Woodyard or Spencer Larson.

I had wished that through the draft, Denver would have acquired some difference making players that would get me excited about the upcoming season, filling out the team and making us stronger in areas we needed strengthening.

It is more clear to me now that the Broncos are not one season or one draft away from reclaiming dominance in the division and making a playoff run.  It is gonna take some time. 

Hopefully the team gets better with the players McDaniels drafted, and hopefully next years draft has a greater quality of depth at the defensive line position with character guys that McDaniels will be willing to draft. 

I wish I was more excited and energized coming off of the draft, but who knows we may look back on this draft three years from now and find that Denver Broncos got the two best players in the draft with Moreno and Ayers. 

All will be revealed in time. It will certainly be an interesting season.   

Broncos History Of Draft Day Hits and Misses

Draft day.  Some say it separates the GM men from the boys.  As far as The Denver Broncos history is concerned, it has proven to be the marker of mediocrity and Superbowl greatness. 

Rather then analyzing the stats of every player, multiplying their draft number times pi, and then referring to the current BCS schedule,  I’m going to use Superbowl Rosters to quantify whether the team was worthy and how the draft played into their success. 

Let me begin by analyzing the 1977 Superbowl Roster.  All remaining Superbowl seasons will be covered in future articles.

 

The Infamous 1977 Year 

Craig Morton and the “Orange Crush” defense.  It put Denver on the map.  It also showed the nation how good the “Donkeys” are at choking in the big game. 

Of the starters in that game the following were all drafted by the Broncos in the ’69-’76 draft years:  Barney Chavous, Billy Thompson*,Claudie Minor, Louis Wright*, Lyle Alzado, Otis Armstrong, Paul Howard, Randy Gradishar*,Riley Odoms, Rubin Carter, Steve Foley*, Tom Glassic, Rick Upchurch, Tom Jackson*.

Of these draftees, The five players with (*) following their names have been honored in The Ring of Fame.  The 1973 and ’75 draft classes were quite possibly the best in Broncos history.  Below I compiled a list of the draft years breakdown:

 

1973 – Denver Broncos
Rd     Sel #     Player         Position         School
1     9     Otis Armstrong         RB            Purdue
2     36     Barney Chavous     DE            South Carolina State
3      54      Paul Howard         G              Brigham Young
4     88     Tom Jackson           LB             Louisville

1975 – Denver Broncos
Rd     Sel #     Player        Position       School
1     17          Louis Wright     DB       San Jose State
4      95         Rick Upchurch   WR      Minnesota
5     107        Stan Rogers      T         Maryland
5     121        Rubin Carter     NT       Miami (Fla.)
8     199        Steve Foley      DB       Tulane

For a team to draft almost all of their starters is incredible.  Especially in the 90s and on, when FA’s gets quite expensive.  Something to realize with these drafts, is that only three were considered “high” draft picks.  Which shows that with good scouting and luck, a team can make out like bandits in the draft.

The memorable 1987 Superbowl XXI (not that we want to remember)

The Orange Crush Defense was back!  The potent Offense lead by QB John Elway and the 3 amigos (Mark Jackson, Vance Johnson, and Ricky Natiel) was smoking hot.  The broncos had just come off of one of the greatest offensive feats in NFL history “The Drive”.   In an overtime AFC championship game VS the Cleavand Browns John Elway engineered a 98-yard drive to tie the game on Jan. 11, 1987.  They won 23-20.  Who could stop them now???  The Donkeys went on to Choke big time VS the NY Giants 39-20.  I can see Mark Bavarro crossing his heart in the end zone right now.

Regardless, this team was a great team and the past drafts made a huge impact on their prosperity.  The following is the starting roster for Superbowl XXI :  Vance Johnson*,Dave Studdard, Keith Bishop*,Billy Bryan*, Mark Cooper*, Ken Lanier*, Clarence Kay*, Steve Watson, John Elway, Sammy Winder*, Gerald Willhite*, Andre Townsend*, Greg Kragen, Rulon Jones *, Jim Ryan,  Karl Mecklenburg*, Ricky Hunley,   Tom Jackson *,  Louis Wright*, Mike Harden*, Steve Foley*, Dennis Smith *.  The players with (*) following their names were drafted from 1973-1987.  A lot of the Broncos Veteran Defense was present at their 1st Superbowl appearance in 1977, so once again the ’73 and ’75 drafts were paramount in the Broncos ascension to greatness. 

The draft didn’t prove to be a treasure trove that the early 70’s drafts proved to be, but perhaps the greatest draft in Bronco history was 1983.  Not only did this draft produce 3 starters in Super bowl XXI, it was also the draft that the Broncos traded for a disgruntled young QB from Stanford.  Dan Marino……NOT.  John Elway was originally drafted by the Colts, but didn’t want to play there stating that he believed the team could not allow him to be successful and threatened to play baseball.  Possible Cy Young?  We’ll never know, because he decided to be a HOF Q for the Denver Broncos.  The Colts traded him to the Denver Broncos for QB Mark Hermann, rights to OL Chris Hinton and a first-round pick (OG Ron Solt) in the 1984 NFL Draft on May 2, 1983.  Hinton was a major part of this deal, making the ’83 draft the most famous in Broncos History.  This draft also has 2 major draft steals in Gary Kubiak, and Karl Mecklenburg.

1983 – Denver Broncos
Rd     Sel #     Player     Position     School
1     4     Chris Hinton     G     Northwestern
2     31     Mark Cooper     T     Miami (Fla.)
3     60     Clint Sampson     WR     San Diego State
5     116     Weedy Harris     —     Houston
5     125     Bruce Baldwin     —     Harding
6     143     Victor Heflin     DB     Delaware State
7     172     Myron Dupree     DB     North Carolina Central
8     197     Gary Kubiak     QB     Texas A&M
9     228     Brian Hawkins     —     San Jose State
10     254     Walt Bowyer     DE     Arizona State
11     283     Don Bailey     C     Miami (Fla.)
12     310     Karl Mecklenburg     LB     Minnesota

Other note worthy draft steals that lead to the ’87 Superbowl squad are the following:

1980 – Denver Broncos
Rd     Sel #     Player     Position     School
2     42     Rulon Jones     DE     Utah State
5     131     Mike Harden     DB     Michigan
6     157     Keith Bishop     G     Baylor

1982 – Denver Broncos
Rd     Sel #     Player     Position     School
5     131     Sammy Winder     RB     Southern Mississippi

1984 – Denver Broncos
Rd     Sel #     Player     Position     School
2     46     Andre Townsend     DE     Mississippi
7     186     Clarence Kay     TE     Georgia

1985 – Denver Broncos
Rd     Sel #     Player     Position     School
2     31     Vance Johnson     WR     Arizona
2     54     Simon Fletcher     LB     Houston

1986 – Denver Broncos
Rd     Sel #     Player     Position     School
6     161     Mark Jackson     WR     Purdue

1987 – Denver Broncos
Rd     Sel #     Player     Position     School
12     334     Tyrone Braxton     DB     North Dakota State

Who would have thought that Tyrone “Chick” Braxton would have been as great as he was??  These drafts would prove to be essential to the next 2 Superbowl’s as well.  These debacles will be covered in my next additions.

Top 10: Draft Picks That Define the Broncos Franchise

Ten Draft picks that have defined the Denver Broncos franchise. From elite players that remind us of the winning tradition that we proudly cherish, to the players who we wish we could forget, and make us scratch our heads asking “what were they thinking?”

These players both good and bad remind us of just how important it is to draft well, of how calculated risks can pay off, and how hoping a player to be who you want them to be will burn you every time.

 

No. 10 – Jay Cutler – QB

In the 2006 NFL Draft the Denver Broncos held the 15th overall pick. In a surprise move the Broncos traded their 15th and 68th overall picks to the St. Louis Rams to move up four spots to the 11th pick in order to draft their next franchise QB Jay Cutler.  

After a lackluster year from Jake Plummer in 2005, Mike Shanahan knew that Plummer was not the quarterback of the future for the Broncos. He saw an elite talent that had the potential to transfer to the NFL with a lot of success and he went for it.  

Cutler showed that he is an amazing player who is a top 10 quarterback in the NFL right now and he is only 26. He made his first pro-bowl in just his third year in the league. 

Jay Cutler is no longer a Denver Bronco, but the way everything played out on draft day was very well done, and he was an amazing talent, that made the team better.

 

No. 9 – Willie Middlebrooks – CB

Willie Middlebrooks was selected with the 24th pick of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos in the first round.

Middlebrooks is considered to be a draft bust, playing only four seasons with the Denver Broncos, and making just two starts.  Though cornerback was a need the team needed to address Middlebrooks turned out to be a huge dud.  

When you consider the depth of elite players who were drafted after Middlebrooks (Reggie Wayne 30 , Drew Brees 32, Kyle Vanden-Bosch 34, Chad “Ocho Cinco” Johnson 36, Ken Lucas 40, Kris Jenkins 44, Fred Smoot 45, Aaron Schobel 46, Matt Light 48) , it almost makes you want to cry.

 

No. 8 – Tom Nalen -C

Nalen was drafted by the Denver Broncos with the 218th overall pick in the seventh round of the 1994 NFL Draft and played primarily at center.

He won two Super Bowls as a member of the Broncos and played in five Pro Bowls.

Six different running backs have had 1,000-yard rushing seasons behind Nalen and the Broncos’ offensive line.

Seventh round is where you pick up guys for the practice squad, many of these guys never make the team, but Nalen was a consistent and dominant player who may have a trip to Canton in his future. Seventh round pick who becomes a starter, plays consistently, and plays at an elite level for over ten years, you can’t ask for more.

No. 7 – Ashley Lelie – WR

In 2002 the Broncos selected Ashley Lelie with their first round pick (19th overall).

Ashley Lelie is and was a serviceable receiver, he just was never  turner into a great receiver.  You want your first round picks to transfer to lite talent in the NFL. Lelie had flashes but dropped a lot of balls and was inconsistent.

He had one good year in 2004, but followed it up with a flop. Then decided he wanted out, held himself out of camp and was traded, and has only put up worse numbers since leaving the Broncos.

2002	DEN		35	525			2
2003	DEN		37	628			2
2004	DEN		54	1084			7
2005	DEN		42	770			1

 

What really makes this pick appear on this list is that the Denver Broncos could have selected Ed Reed who came off the board five picks later (24th overall). Ed Reed is a perennial pro-bowler, and probably the best safety in the NFL. 

If only….

 

No. 6 – Jarvis Moss – DE

In the 2007 NFL Draft the Denver Broncos traded up in the draft with the Jacksonville Jaguars to select Moss 17th overall. The Jaguars used the pick from the Broncos to select Reggie Nelson, a college teammate of Moss.’

During the 2007 season, Moss played in six games for the Denver Broncos. He recorded 12 tackles and one sack. Moss broke his shin in practice in early November, and was placed on injured reserve, ending his season.

Last year Moss played in 12 games only recording 12 tackles and 2.5 sacks.

Moss, unless he has an amazing breakout season this year, is widely considered a bust. If you trade up to get a guy, especially in the first round, you expect that guy to make an impact right away, to be a starter. 

Moss has not proven himself to be a starter, and has not had a significant impact. He has on more year I think to prove us all wrong, but right now this pick looks terrible, so terrible in fact that it probably was a factor in the decision to fire the Coach that drafted him, Mike Shanahan.

When you look at the guys Denver could have had instead of Moss, it makes the call look even more questionable: Michael Griffin 19, Reggie Nelson 21, Brandon Meriweather 24, Jon Beason 25, Lamar Woodley 46

Having a 100+ tackle guy like Beason would really have been nice these past two years, or how about a guy like Woodley who has 15.5 sacks in two seasons (that’s 12 sacks more than Moss and he was competing with Harrison). Not a good pick.

 

No. 5 – Shannon Sharpe – TE

Shannon Sharpe was drafted in the seventh round (192 overall) of the 1990 NFL Draft.

Two years later, after having a mediocre rookie season as a wide receiver, he switched to the tight end position and was selected to the first of what would be eight Pro Bowl appearances.

Shannon helped revolutionize the tight end position which had largely been resigned to blocking 90 percent of the time. Shannon excelled both as a blocker and a receiver, and made the defense have to change their approach in order to account for him.

Shannon was a key weapon in the Broncos back-to back Super Bowl wins, and has a future as a Hall of Famer with career totals of 815 receptions, 10,060 yards, and 62 touchdowns.

The acquisition of a future hall of famer at any position in any round is a great pick, but a three-time (once with the Ravens) Super Bowl champion in the seventh round, that is something special.

 

No. 4 – Maurice Clarett – RB

In a pick that was the talk of the draft in 2005, the Denver Broncos selected Maurice Clarett with the last pick in the third round (101 overall). This was a shock because Clarett was considered by many to be a sixth or seventh round pick, having not played a game in two years or practiced in over a year.

Clarett went on to never even play a preseason game. He was released on waivers only a month after signing his contract and before playing even a single down in the NFL. No other NFL team claimed him off waivers or even expressed interest in him.

What is so disappointing about this pick is, look who Denver could have drafted instead: Marion Barber (109), Brandon Jacobs (110), Kerry Rhodes (123), Darren Sproles (130), Chris Canty (132). 

 

No. 3 – Rod Smith – WR

In the 1994 NFL Draft there was a player who undrafted, Rod Smith.  First the New England Patriots signed him, but then released him. Soon after his release the Denver Broncos signed him, and they are sure glad they did.

Rod was the Broncos’ starting wide receiver during their back-to-back Superbowl championships in1997 and 1998. In the Broncos’ 34-19 win in Super Bowl XXXIII, Smith had five receptions for 152 yards (the fourth highest total in Super Bowl history), including an 80-yard touchdown reception.

Smith is the only undrafted free agent to have ever surpassed the 10,000-receiving-yard plateau. He is ranked 15th in NFL history in career receptions and 16th all time in receiving yards. 

Production speaks for itself, he technically wasn’t a draft pick, but that makes his story even more amazing.

 

No. 2 – Terrel Davis – RB

Davis was selected by the Denver Broncos in the sixth round (196 overall) of the 1995 NFL Draft. Little did anyone know, that the Broncos were getting an absolute steal.

Fighting his way through the depth chart, proving his worth in preseason, T.D. became the lowest drafted player to ever gain over 1,000 yards rushing in his rookie season.

In his first Super Bowl appearance (1997), Davis rushed for 157 yards, caught two passes for eight yards, and became the first player in Super Bowl history ever to score three rushing touchdowns. This performance earned him MVP honors.

T.D. would help lead his team another Super Bowl win the following year (1998) with 2,008 yards rushing, in addition to becoming the league MVP and offensive player of the year. 

Davis would become the Denver Broncos all-time leading rusher, with 7,607 rushing yards. 

As a sixth round draft choice, T.D. was truly a Diamond in the rough.

 

No. 1 – John Elway – QB

In the 1983 NFL Draft, Elway was selected as the first overall pick by the Baltimore Colts. Elway publicly stated that he refused to join the Colts organization, feeling the team could not allow him to be successful.

He demanded that if the Colts did not trade him he said he was going to play baseball with the New York Yankees, for whom he had already played two years in the minor league. 

On May 2, 1983, Colts owner Robert Irsay gave in, and the Colts traded Elway to the Denver Broncos for QB Mark Herrmann, rights to OL Chris Hinton and a first-round pick in the 1984 Nfl Draft (OG Ron Solt).

The rest is History…Elway led the Denver Broncos to five Super Bowls, winning two back-to-back in 1997 and 1998, and in 2004 Elway was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 

Elway is widely regarded as one of the top quarterbacks ever to grace the game. He has one of the best winning percentages in league history (148–82–1), and is tied for second most Pro Bowl selections for a quarterback (nine). He is ranked third in career passing attempts, passing yards and completions.

Can you imagine if the Broncos never had Elway as their Quarterback?

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