Denver Broncos Look to Make a Statement Before Even Taking the Field

Josh McDaniels wants to build a winning team in Denver.  Beyond that goal however, he has proven that he is a coach dedicated to building a winning mentality. 

With the Denver Broncos in a 2-7 rut following their early season winning streak, they find themselves on the outside of the playoff picture with one game to go.  The Broncos (8-7) will play a Kansas City team that has underwhelmed on the whole, but has proven capable of upsets over quality teams (having beaten a backsliding Steelers team in overtime in week 11).

For this critical game McDaniels elected to deactivate the team’s leading offensive weapon in Brandon Marshall.  He went a step further by making clear the move was not purely for health reasons, calling it “a coaching decision, not a medical issue.”

He elaborated by stating “our word for the week has been accountability. And we’re looking to put the 45 guys on the field on Sunday that want to play together, want to help us try to win and qualify for the playoffs, and anybody that showed any indifference to that, we’ll play without them.”

With their playoff life on the line, McDaniels elected to drill a point home to the rest of his team; anyone is expendable if they don’t show the proper fire and desire.  The chances of a second reconciliation in the offseason (after starting this year in a tumultuous fashion) are quite slim.

Marshall had complained of trouble with his hamstring, and maintained he would not have been able to go should McDaniels have left him active.  McDaniels disagreed. 

“There’s a number of players that are going to play on Sunday with things that are much more difficult to deal with than what he has,” he stated, taking care to drive the point home by making mention three separate times.

Marshall disagreed, but kept his comments milder than he had during the offseason, “I don’t think Coach ever played in the NFL, so for my hamstring to be feeling the way it felt, it’s tough for me to go out there and expect to play at a high level,” Marshall stated, “I’ve battled through a whole lot of injuries before. I played the whole year last year with a tear in my hip. So, I don’t think my toughness is in question here.”

One of Marshall’s major contentions during the offseason when making trade demands was how the team handled his prior injury.  He had claimed the extent of the injury was concealed from him, and that he was encouraged to play through the injury despite its severity.

When asked of McDaniels’ references to accountability, Marshall continued, “Well, accountability and injury is different, you know?”  He then added, “I pulled, well, I wouldn’t say I pulled my hamstring, it’s definitely not that bad, but it’s tough.”

Ultimately McDaniels contended that Marshall was putting self interests ahead of the team, possibly concerned with how a poor game might impact his value in the offseason at the expense of fighting to earn the team a playoff berth.

The 6-0 start behind a team thought to be beginning to rebuild was a signal to a changing culture.  McDaniels now has to fight the same second half woes that led to a collapse by Denver after an 8-4 start virtually assuring them the division collapsed into an 8-8 close that cost Mike Shanahan his job.

Will McDaniels’ far more hard-line approach ultimately benefit Denver?  That remains to be seen.  With a win Denver could earn themselves a playoff appearance, but in doing so they have likely just lost a pro-bowl wide receiver.

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Playoffs Or Not, Broncos Exceed 2009 Expectations

As the New Year begins and the football season comes to a close, one cannot help but look back to the beginning of the season, and even the year, when the Broncos were entrenched in one of the most attention-getting and controversial offseasons in franchise history.

The Broncos had fired long-time head coach Mike Shanahan and in mid-January hired former New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels to replace Shanahan at the helm.

Little did we know what would transpire. A couple months following McDaniels’ arrival, rumors spread that the new head coach tried to trade quarterback Jay Cutler in a deal that would have sent former Patriots quarterback Matt Cassell to the Broncos.

The McDaniels-Cutler relationship soon disintegrated and the disgruntled quarterback was eventually traded to the Chicago Bears for quarterback Kyle Orton, as well as two first-round draft picks and a third-round draft pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.

This trade spawned a myriad of negativity from the Broncos faithful as well as the entire football community. The Broncos were soon considered a mockery; their demise seemed imminent.

The Broncos offseason was not a complete disaster. Former San Francisco 49ers head coach Mike Nolan was brought in as the new defensive coordinator and the defense as a whole underwent an extreme makeover.

Additions to the defense included veterans such as safety Brian Dawkins, linebacker Andra Davis, defensive back Andre Goodman, defensive back Renaldo Hill and others.

The offense was also revamped. McDaniels brought in running backs Correll Buckhalter, Lamont Jordan and J.J. Arrington (who would eventually be cut). Wide receivers Jabar Gaffney and Brandon Lloyd were also acquired, not to mention the acquisitions of Orton via trade and rookie running back Knowshon Moreno as a first-round draft pick.

Possessing arguably the toughest schedule in the NFL the Broncos went into the 2009 season with less than attractive expectations. With their backs against the wall, the Broncos soon proved all the naysayers wrong as they began the season with six straight wins heading into their Week Seven bye.

Following the bye, they promptly lost their next four contests and were looking like the team everyone expected at the beginning of the season. They came back with back-to-back wins against the New York Giants and Kansas City Chiefs in Weeks 12 and 13. They proceeded to lose their next three games and are now in danger of missing out on the postseason.

However, even if the Broncos lose to the Chiefs on Sunday, and end up not making the playoffs, they will still finish at an even 8-8 on the season. Their defense, with one game left to play, has given up a respectable 280 points compared to the 448 points they rendered last season.

Kyle Orton has more than held his own this season and proven himself to be a very capable quarterback for the Broncos. Orton and wide receiver Brandon Marshall have established a potent Mile High connection as well.

Additionally, the Broncos are sending five players to Miami for the Pro Bowl in February, three of which are on defense. They had only three representatives in the Pro Bowl last year and they were all on offense.

Regardless of the outcome of Sunday’s game, the Broncos have overall been a pleasant surprise to their fans and it is hard to argue that they have not exceeded expectations this season.

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Broncos Bench Brandon Marshall and Tony Scheffler for Season Finale

It’s 2010, and already the Denver Broncos are in the news for all the wrong reasons.

Again.

The team announced today that wide receiver Brandon Marshall and tight end Tony Scheffler would be deactivated for Sunday’s finale against the Kansas City Chiefs.  Both players were benched with one common theme: accountability.

“There’s a number of factors that go into that, but there’s a lot of players that will play with things that are probably more difficult to play with than what he has.”

“Our word for the week has been accountability. We’re looking to put the 45 guys on the field on Sunday that want to play together. We talked about it as a squad on Wednesday that that’s what’s going to happen this week, and anyone that showed any indifference to that, we’ll play without them, and we’ll play well anyway.”

“Teams win late in the year,” McDaniels said. “If you have players that aren’t going to put that ahead of everything else, then that can certainly be detrimental to your club.”

“We’re all accountable to give our very best effort to Pat Bowlen, to this organization, to this city, to the people that support us, to each other—that’s what this is about.”

Seems a little late in the season to be benching big time receiving threats because of accountability, especially when the passing game is already enough of a liability as it currently stands.

Josh McDaniels is certainly making a statement, though nobody is quite sure if he is completely in the right here.  There obviously is something beyond accountability, because for the second year in a row, the Broncos have to win their last game to make the playoffs.

It would seem as though a team would want all hands on deck, especially two of your top receiving threats.  Marshall and Scheffler have allegedly put themselves above the team, and McDaniels feels the team is more important than winning, which is gutsy and borderline arrogant.

Brandon Marshall has been the team’s biggest offensive weapon this season, and has stayed out of the news for anything not positive.  He set the NFL record for receptions in a game, and is statistically having the greatest season of his young career, and he is doing it injured and knowing that no CBA agreement means he will not be able to test the free agent market.

On the surface, it seems Marshall has put the team before himself.  He has accepted his role, and he has taken advantage of opportunity.  Here is what Marshall had to say about the situation.

“He hadn’t really said anything to me. He just came in today and told me I was deactivated. I have to respect that. That’s the head coach. He makes the decisions around here, and he has to do what’s best for the team.”

“I don’t think coach ever played in the NFL, so for my hamstring to be feeling the way it felt, it’s tough for me to go out there and expect to play at a high level.”

“I played last year with a tear in my hip, so I don’t think my toughness is in question here.”

“When you have a muscle injury, that thing doesn’t heal overnight. I got to do my best to be there for the playoffs.”

“It has nothing to do with accountability.”

Clearly Marshall is unhappy with the situation, and he may have a point, but if what he is doing is enough that McDaniels has suspended him for the final game, there must be more to the story than what is being told.

No one can question Marshall’s toughness.  He misses offseason activities with regularity, but he constantly plays through injury.  Last season, he played with a bad hip and nerve damage in his arm. 

This season, he has battled various injuries to his hamstring, yet he hasn’t missed a single contest.

As for tight end Tony Scheffler, his situation is being characterized as an attitude issue, which comes as virtually no surprise.  Scheffler was vocal about the offseason situation happening in Denver in 2009.

With the deactivations, the Broncos will have to rely on Eddie Royal, Jabar Gaffney, Brandon Stokley, Brandon Lloyd, Daniel Graham, and rookie Richard Quinn.

The Broncos are going to certainly need top tier efforts from all of these players on Sunday if they are going to take down Kansas City and prepare for postseason play.

It certainly would go a long way to erasing this awful start to 2010.

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Report: Denver Broncos’ Brandon Marshall Benched For Season Finale Vs Chiefs

The Denver Broncos‘ playoff hopes took a huge blow today after head coach Josh McDaniels said receiver Brandon Marshall will not play in the final game of the season.

The Denver Broncos, currently with an 8-7 record, are one of the many teams still alive for an AFC playoff birth.

Starting the season 6-0, the team has lost seven out of the last nine, and needs a win along with help from other teams to enter the postseason.

But McDaniels revealed Marshall—who is believed to have injured his hamstring during practice this week—will not line up against Kansas City, saying “several other players will play Sunday with injuries worse than Marshall’s.”

Marshall and McDaniels had their issues earlier in the season, but improved the relationship when the Broncos got off to the hot start.

With the Broncos now fighting for their playoff lives, they are now in a much tougher position, with Marshall being the most targeted player on the Broncos offense.

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2009 Denver Broncos Team Awards

It has been a roller coaster ride of a season for the Denver Broncos, as cliche’ as it may sound. After starting 6-0, the Broncos were sky-high heading into their bye week. They had just gone on the road and beaten the San Diego Chargers, and were ahead in the division by 3.5 games.

Little did they know that history has a nasty habit of repeating itself.

Coming back from their bye week, the Broncos were absolutely crushed by the Baltimore Ravens, and a team that won six straight games to start the season has suddenly lost seven of its last nine.

The Broncos are on the outside looking in at the AFC playoff picture, and they need a win this weekend plus a little bit of help to get themselves to a place they have not been since the 2005 AFC Championship game.

Despite the inconsistency from the Denver Broncos as a unit, this team has achieved more than most anyone this past offseason could have ever anticipated. Many thought the Broncos would vie for the top pick in the 2010 NFL Draft after trading away former quarterback Jay Cutler, firing Mike Shanahan, and having a disgruntled superstar wide receiver.

The Broncos have served crow on a platter all season long, though lately they seem like the team many of those critics thought they would be.

Denver is one win and a little help away from a postseason birth, and here are some of the great players who have helped get them there.

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Denver Broncos Sign Miami Dolphins Practice Squad Punter Britton Colquitt

Unhappy with current punter Mitch Berger, the Denver Broncos have re-signed rookie Britton Colquitt off the Miami Dolphins‘ practice squad to their active roster.

Colquitt re-joins the Broncos having spent the offseason and preseason with the team after signing as an undrafted free agent following the 2009 NFL Draft.

Colquitt, who originally lost the punting competition in Denver to Brett Kern and was waived on Sept. 1, was a free agent during the regular season until joining the Dolphins’ practice squad on Dec. 22.

Because Colquitt was signed directly off the practice squad of another team, the Broncos must keep him on the roster for three weeks (if their season lasts that long).

Interestingly, Colquitt’s first NFL appearance could come this upcoming weekend against the Kansas City Chiefs, where his brother Dustin punts.

With seven players on the practice squad plus cornerback Will Billingsley on the practice squad injured list, the Dolphins now have one open spot to fill if they so choose.

Guard Mark Lewis, whom Colquitt replaced last week, could be re-signed, or the Dolphins could bring in an entirely new face.

Any player signed to the practice squad will likely be with the team less than a week, as all practice squad contracts expire once a team’s season ends and the Dolphins are a long shot for the postseason.

 

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Pat Bowlen Should Pull the Plug on the Broncos’ Poor Decision Making

When the pages of football history reflect back on the 2009 Denver Broncos, perhaps they still won’t have a definitive pulse on the team other than they missed the playoffs.  This is premature speculation, however, when your team goes from the driver’s seat and controlling their own destiny all season long to life support, there is much doubt about the Broncos‘ ability to make the playoffs.

In fact, following the loss at Philadelphia on Sunday, Denver is now officially on the outside looking in at any playoff possibilities.  Currently the Broncos sit at 8-7 and are probable to reach 9-7. 

The Broncos knew since midseason, when they lost to Baltimore and Pittsburgh, that they would probably need 10 wins to make the playoffs. The team was 6-0 at the bye and has since lost seven out of nine games. For an undefeated team to go in the tank so quickly is nothing short of pathetic and ridiculous.

To quote Broncos owner Pat Bowlen from this preseason, “Eight and eight isn’t going to get the job done.”

To second that motion, neither does 9-7, and sometimes 10-6 and 11-5 won’t get it done either.

Herein stands the reason to look at the mish mash of poor decisions, a poor trade, poor use of the draft, poor offensive scheming, poor use of talent available, and poor coaching at the head coaching position.

 

Poor Decision Making

With full application, here are some of the Broncos’ biggest and most obvious blunders in their decision making this season. At Baltimore why didn’t they try to stretch the field?  At home against Pittsburgh, why did they force the physical run game against a more physical defensive line? In Washington, why couldn’t Chris Simms finish the job? At home against San Diego, why was Chris Simms the starter? After two wins against the Giants and the Chiefs, the Broncos knew they would need a full effort against the Colts. So why did they spot the most dangerous team in football 21 points before showing signs of life? How could they have lost at home to the Raiders for the second year in a row?  Why another slow start in Philadelphia?

Say what you will, all of those questions are net results of bigger problems in Dove Valley that owner Pat Bowlen needs to take into further consideration.  Yes it’s true, the franchise is somewhat cash strapped by currently paying two head coaches.

Understandably, the Broncos are now in a precarious position without a franchise quarterback. They also appear at this juncture to be without a competent head coach as well.

When looking at the base of work this season, it’s no small wonder that the Broncos have hit the skids after a stellar start. What made this team dangerous early on was the defense. What has proven to be their undoing in the end will be the lack of offensive production and a worn down defense at times down the stretch.

 

The Jay Cutler Trade

It is still too early to say the Jay Cutler trade was a good thing for either Chicago or Denver. What’s not too early to say is that this trade made two mediocre teams less potent than they were the year previously on the offensive side of the ball.

For all the Jay Cutler haters, he has thrown for a league leading 26 interceptions and has been poor in his performance most of the season. However, don’t sell that situation short. Jay Cutler has possibly the worst offensive line in football and only one real offensive weapon at the tight end position to speak of.

That was not the case in Denver. Broncos fans know Jay had a multitude of weapons to choose from, though he locked on Brandon Marshall far too much. Kyle Orton set an NFL record with Brandon Marshall for total completions to one receiver in a game against the Colts recently. It doesn’t get more locked on than that and the Broncos still lost that game.

For the Jay Cutler supporters, he just out-dueled Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football in a game that seemed almost destined to be another fantastic finish by Favre. Cutler threw for 25 touchdowns and 18 interceptions in Denver in 2008 where Kyle Orton has thrown for 20 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Now much has been made of the fact that Orton has not thrown a large number of interceptions, which is certainly commendable, however Peyton Manning, the best quarterback in football, has 18 picks because of his willingness to take chances.

Now, those five touchdowns might not seem like a whole lot, but consider the Broncos of 2008 and 2009 and the fact that both teams have had short yardage and red zone issues. Give the Broncos Jay Cutler and those five TDs this year and you are probably looking at a team that beats Washington, Oakland, and Philadelphia, and possibly the Colts. 

People can make the case either way with Jay Cutler at this point. He is a bust or he will be good once he gets the talent he needs in Chicago.

Ironically enough, the name of Jay Cutler probably was what drew Brian Dawkins to Denver shortly before Jay was traded. Brian Dawkins has become the spiritual leader of the Broncos this season and really set the tone for this football team. It’s an area usually reserved for quarterbacks to make their mark, and that is also a large reason why Jay Cutler was traded.

Two things that will be inescapable from the trade however, is the lack of point production by the Broncos this season and the draft picks used from the Jay Cutler trade. 

 

Poor Draft Day Decision Making

Running back Knowshon Moreno has proven he belongs in the NFL, but he has not proven he was worthy of a first round pick. Additionally, linebacker Robert Ayers has yet to emerge and prove he’s worth the first round money as well.

The Broncos could have had any number of defensive players that are making their mark this season in the first round.

Josh McDaniels correctly diagnosed the multitude of issues plaguing the Broncos, most notably in the defensive backfield, yet the odd trade of a first round pick to get Alphonso Smith in the second round is still baffling when looking at the lack of production from the rookie this season.

The Broncos do have some talent from the draft in house, but as with most draft classes, it’s still far too early to make the call on how last year’s draft will shape the franchise over the long run. The fact that is clear this season is that the 2009 draft class by and large has not helped this football team this season.

The Broncos have had full draft classes make immediate impact before, dating back to the John Ralston and Dan Reeves era. So while it’s a rarity to have a full class make instant impact, it’s not acceptable to have a full draft of underachievers in their first season either.

 

Poor Offensive Scheming

This almost goes without saying. If the Broncos did not have as good of a defense as they do this season, they probably would have less touchdowns than they already do on the season, in which they have clearly under-produced on the scoreboard.

The reality is that there is a myriad of predictable playcalling, poor situational playcalling, and pathetic short yardage calls that have killed the Broncos during all of their losses this season.

The predictability of the bubble screen makes most of the fan base nauseated, so why not Coach McDaniels?

Poor situational play calling, in particular on third down, almost goes hand in hand with the lack of creativity and not using their talent base properly to their advantage. Not using Dan Graham, Tony Scheffler, the slot receivers, and Peyton Hillis more is inexcusable.

 

Speaking of the Poor Use of Talent… 

This is possibly the deepest scar on this team. When the Broncos were winning, every player was making a contribution because they were getting the opportunities to do so.  Somewhere along the way Josh McDaniels discombobulated his football team. It probably happened when he traded Jay Cutler but he solidified his paralysis by analysis shortly after his fist pumping antiques.

Without being too redundant, Josh did not stretch the Ravens defense, tried power running instead of zone blocking against the Steelers, and lacked a good evaluation of Chris Simms as a backup quarterback. Moreover, Ben Hamilton was replaced on the offensive line about the same time coach McD started warming up to using zone rushing schemes more. Hamilton has had concussion issues in the past but those have not shown themselves to be the case this season. Go figure.

 

Speaking of Poor Coaching…

This applies most particularly to Josh McDaniels and his abilities as a head coach. His tirade and trade of Jay Cutler put him on the hot seat. The fast start cooled the temperature quite a bit, but missing the playoffs this season is still inexcusable.

For someone who preaches team yet goes out of his way to rub Jay Cutler’s nose in it during press conferences while his own team hasn’t made the playoffs is inexcusable.

For a team that was finally starting to live up to expectations to suddenly go into the tank is all the more inexcusable, and it happened on Josh McDaniels’ watch.

 

What Mr. Bowlen Should Consider In the Very Near Future 

The reality is there are two coaches being paid by the franchise right now and the better one hasn’t coached a down this season. Additionally, the likes of Bill Cowher are also making themselves available now as head coaching candidates.

Josh McDaniels showed he was open to every possible option by trading Jay Cutler and trading first round picks for second to third round talent. With that in mind, if the Broncos don’t make the playoffs and make a run, despite signing Josh to a high dollar amount, he should consider new options at this position sooner rather than later.

The errors on the field are obvious and painful to watch, not to mention atrocious in nature. At the very least Josh McDaniels has proven he is not a fully competent offensive coordinator. 

With that in mind, Pat Bowlen might consider bringing in a hand picked offensive coordinator. It’s a radical concept, but Mike Leach is about to be axed from Texas Tech as the head coach and he has a solid offensive mind especially when considering the spread offense. 

On a more radical edge, and probably the better decision, is the idea of hiring a new head coach now while a good one can be attained. An even more radical thought is to kiss and make up with Mike Shanahan and find a way of bringing about reconciliation.

The defense is in place to contend now, but the offense needs fine tuning and direction from a coordinator who is aware of the pitfalls of formations and play calls.

The bottom line is that this problem isn’t going to get better; in fact, the problem has been getting worse and costing the franchise victories. So the questions to Mr. Bowlen are how many more first round selections and talent will the Broncos be trading under Josh McDaniels only to fall short? How many more losses will be enough for this franchise to pull the plug on the boy wonder?

The only thing Broncos fans should take to heart is that until the franchise finds a quarterback they can rally around with a supporting cast, it’s only going to get worse, and this season is proving that out.

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2010 NFL Mock Draft, Denver Broncos Edition: Dez Bryant to Denver Possible?

With every week the NFL draft picture becomes clearer, and unfortunately for the Denver Broncos, it seems more and more likely that it will be their next significant event, unless they get a win and some serious help this weekend.

Either way, the Broncos have lost seven of their last nine games, and in those seven losses they have exposed various areas of weakness.  So many weaknesses, in fact, that it appears they will likely trade down in the draft to stockpile picks and take advantage of a very deep draft.

If they do not trade down, I think the Broncos should look to the best player available with their first round pick.  After the Chicago Bears‘ exciting overtime win against Minnesota on Monday night, that first round pick moved back a couple of spots, but is still in the top 10.

The Broncos are almost guaranteed a top 15 draft pick, so they will wind up with a very solid player no matter what, but who could they target if they do not trade down?

With their first pick, I really think the Broncos could be hard pressed to pass on Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant . 

Do not be confused, the Broncos are still in dire need of interior offensive linemen, but Bryant is too good to pass up on at this point in the draft, and he also fits a huge hole in Denver’s offense.

Yes, you read that right.

Despite the fact that the Broncos have Brandon Marshall, one of five players in NFL history to record back to back to back 100 catch seasons, they are still in need of a playmaking number two wide receiver.  Some of you might be asking, “What about Eddie Royal?” 

Eddie Royal is a fine player and he has all of the tools to succeed in Josh McDaniels’ offense, but not as a number two guy.  Kyle Orton has clearly not gotten him the ball enough on the outside, and his services would be better used in the slot much like Wes Welker over in New England.

Enter Dez Bryant, a game-changing playmaker on the outside who would provide Kyle Orton with a second go-to guy in the passing game.  Not to mention he would make the jobs of Royal and Marshall worlds easier.  He is also a huge asset in the return game, an area the Broncos have struggled save for one game this season.

If the Broncos stick with their first round pick, I truly believe they will look to the best offensive player available, and in this case, Bryant fits the bill.  He has great size as a receiver, game-changing speed, and he would be a great fit on the opposite side of the field from Marshall.

I know many Broncos fans, including myself, are really high on Idaho guard Mike Iupati.  He would be an excellent fit in Denver’s offense at left guard, an area of Denver’s front line that has been absolutely dreadful this season.

If the Broncos don’t trade down and take him in the first round, they will probably not be able to get him, which is why I have devised an alternate option for their second round pick.

It is clear that the Broncos need help at guard, and though I think Seth Olsen could be the answer at either guard or center, there is a player available in this draft that could also be an excellent fit for the Broncos on the interior line.

UMass offensive lineman Vladimir Ducasse is a very underrated prospect who could possibly fall to the Broncos in the second round, and if he does, they would be wise to jump at the opportunity to draft him.

Ducasse is still developing in terms of his overall football awareness, and his level of competition is going to seriously increase when he makes the jump to the NFL, but this is a guy who has great natural talent and at 6’5″ 330 pounds, he is an ideal fit to play guard in Denver’s system.

The Broncos have struggled to find consistency in their running game or pass protection all season long, and a lot of that can be attributed to their lack of size on the interior line.  Ducasse brings a versatile weapon who is athletic enough to play tackle if someone drafted him to do so.

He would give the Broncos a very good, young left side of their offensive line, and though he is a small downgrade from the coveted Iupati, it is not much in terms of a talent drop off and this kid has great potential to succeed at the next level.  If he falls to Denver in round two, expect him to be the pick.

If the Broncos go for two straight offensive players in rounds one and two, which I believe they should (unless some guy named Suh falls into their laps), they would be wise to address the defensive side of the ball with the third pick.

In the third round, I like the Broncos to upgrade their depth and youth at the cornerback position by drafting Vanderbilt star Myron Lewis .  I really like Lewis and had him going to Denver in my previous mock draft in the third round, and this pick has not changed.

One of the reasons I like Lewis is because of his 6’2″ 205 pound frame.  He has excellent size for the cornerback position and has very long arms.  His speed is not elite, but his size helps him make up for it.  He is an excellent open-field tackler and would give the Broncos another weapon on special teams right away.

With their fourth pick, I think the Broncos should again look to the best player available.  In that case, I think they should go for Ole Miss playmaker Dexter McCluster. 

McCluster is one of the fastest players available in this draft, and the Broncos really lack a big time speedster at the running back position.  Though his size may be in question, the Broncos should have no reservations about a smaller running back given the amount of times they have been burned by San Diego‘s Darren Sproles, who is an excellent complimentary back, receiver, and return man.

McCluster has that big play potential for the next level.  He is small in stature but he is very competitive and has blazing open field speed.  He is a versatile player who would give the Broncos a home run threat offensively.

The Broncos do not have a fifth round pick, one of the reasons they would be wise to trade down.  Waiting two rounds for a pick late is not all that bad, and I think they could look again to the best player available in the sixth round.

No change here, I still think the Broncos should look to Iowa tight end Tony Moeaki in round.  Moeaki is a very good athlete with great ball skills and reliable hands though his biggest strength is his ability to block.  He has been injury prone in his time at Iowa, but he is a great player when healthy and could be excellent value if he falls this far.  He would be a nice replacement for Tony Scheffler if he leaves for free agency.

In the seventh, I look for the Broncos to go for more depth, and they clearly need depth along the offensive line.  I think a good value pick here would be New Mexico offensive lineman Erik Cook . 

Cook has been a very versatile performer for the Lobos, playing all of tackle, guard, and center in his time there.  He would be a nice late addition for the Broncos and he has a good NFL blood line as his brother Ryan plays for the Minnesota Vikings.

Here is a recap of my Broncos mock draft:

1.  Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State

2.  Vladimir Ducasse, G/T, UMass

3.  Myron Lewis, CB, Vanderbilt

4.  Dexter McCluster, RB/WR, Ole Miss

5.  Anthony Moeaki, TE, Iowa

6.  Erik Cook, G/C, New Mexico

This draft may be heavy on the offensive players, and many will argue that the Broncos need young defensive linemen.  I will quickly point to the fact that their defensive line has been one of their biggest strengths this season, though they have struggled against the run at times.

The Broncos have two players waiting in the wings that they have high hopes for in Everette Pedescleaux and Chris Baker, two undrafted players who have been developing all season under veterans Vonnie Holliday, Kenny Peterson, and Ronald Fields.

Denver may also have a need at middle linebacker, but they will probably not be picking high enough anymore to nab Rolando McClain, and their duo of Andra Davis and D.J. Williams will be just fine for another season.  Wesley Woodyard is really coming on as well as a second year pro.

Another area the Broncos might like to address is their pass rush.  Though Elvis Dumervil has been absolutely outstanding in 2009, the Broncos haven’t generated a great pass rush outside of him.  They could use a guy like McClain, Michigan’s Brandon Graham, Ole Miss’ Greg Hardy, or TCU’s Jerry Hughes early on in the draft as well, and all are options.

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Denver Broncos Collapse: I Never Wanted To Be So Wrong in All My Life

I really got annoyed with all of the doubters among Bronco fans and the dipsticks in the media saying that Denver wouldn’t win five games in 2009 going into the season. I was thinking 7-9 or 8-8, possibly a small step backward from last year. My hopes were really set on the 2010 season. After six games, I was so happy that I was wrong. The Denver Broncos were on a roll.

Well, it seems that I wasn’t wrong. One more loss this coming Sunday, which is not completely out of the realm of possibility, and the Denver Broncos will finish at .500 again.

To me, this is a complete disappointment of a season after the hot start. I mean, which team are they, the 6-0 team, or the 2-7 team from the past nine games.

Are they the team that falls behind 27-10, or are they the team that comes out with lights out defense for four or five drives while the offense rallies to tie the game? Are they the team that squashes teams like Cleveland and Kansas City or the team that loses to the likes of Oakland and Washington?

My biggest beef is that going into week 17, the Denver Broncos seem to be a team without an identity. After six games, there definitely appeared to be an identity, but after the past nine, they are bipolar at best.

So, I am honestly not even interested in writing about the playoff scenarios right now. The season has turned out to be yet another disappointment, and it would have been much easier to take if it hadn’t started with such promise.

I’m tired of seeing Knowshon Moreno get stuffed at the line of scrimmage time and time again.

I’m tired of watching Mitch Berger struggle to punt the ball 30 yards after the Broncos struggle to move the ball one or two yards on third down. (Can we please stop complaining about Peyton Hillis not being utilized? He got stuffed, too.)

I’m tired of the undisciplined style of play. This is on the players as well as Josh McDaniels. Brandon Stokley was a complete idiot for 10 seconds yesterday, and it cost him and hurt his team for three quarters of a ball game. In an earlier drive, Brian Dawkins got away with some illegal contact, so it goes both ways; there is no excuse to get up in a refs face and shake your fist at him.

What can I say? I am tired of a lot of elements of the Denver Broncos. I would like to believe and be hopeful this week, but the Denver Broncos need a lot of help. It’s too bad that they haven’t been able to help themselves these past nine games.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Yakety Sax: Denver Broncos’ 2009 Slapstick Comedy

There’s a saying that is very popular on the World Wide Web: “Yakety Sax makes everything funny, no matter how tragic.”

For those of you who don’t know, “Yakety Sax” is the theme song to the old television comedy The Benny Hill Show.  Look it up on YouTube, listen to it, and try not to laugh.  I bet you can’t do it.

Anyway, after the Broncos lost yet another heartbreaker—this time to the Philadelphia Eagles 30-27—I pulled up Yakety Sax on my iPod while watching some highlights of the Broncos in 2009.  It fit perfectly. I couldn’t help but laugh, and laugh hard.

Think about it.  The year started off with the Broncos hiring a wonderkid from New England as head coach after firing two-time Super Bowl champion coach, Mike Shanahan.  It was the first in long line of “Yakety Sax” moments that Broncos fans had this year.

Soon after came an even stranger moment.  After getting wind that Josh McDaniels was going to trade him for Matt Cassel, then-franchise quarterback Jay Cutler demanded a one-way ticket out of town.  Here was a young, talented quarterback coming off a Pro Bowl year, and suddenly he wanted out of town.  Cutler and McDaniels continued a sort of public back-and-forth, and when Cutler decided to blow off owner Pat Bowlen, the team had had enough. Cue “Yakety Sax.”

Cutler was sent to Chicago for Kyle Orton and two first-round draft picks.  Kyle Orton was supposed to lead the Broncos to the Promised Land? Kyle “Game Manager” Orton? Once again, “Yakety Sax.” 

The team then went through the motions of training camp and the preseason.  The Broncos finished the preseason 1-3, including a loss to Cutler’s Bears at Invesco Field.  More importantly, star wideout Brandon Marshall was suspended for most of the preseason after being caught on camera acting like a child during practice.  Give me some of that sweet “Yakety Sax.”

Finally the beginning of the 2009 season arrived, and it could not have started any stranger for the Broncos.  The Broncos had fought the Bengals to a 6-0 lead when the Bengals scored late in the fourth quarter, putting them up 7-6.  With under 20 seconds to go, Kyle Orton had a pass tipped up in the air, and it looked like Cincinnati had won…until Brandon Stokley grabbed the pass out of the air and took it to the house.  If that isn’t “Yakety Sax,” I don’t know what is.

After that improbable victory, the Broncos started to roll and were 6-0 going into their bye week.  Josh McDaniels was being hailed a genius, and everyone was heaping praise upon Kyle Orton, now that he finally had talent to throw to.  Denver was 6-0, San Diego was 2-3, and it looked like Denver would have a cakewalk to the AFC West title.

Then “Yakety Sax” struck again, in a not-so-good way.

Denver got blown out by Baltimore and Pittsburgh. They lost an inexcusable game to Washington (HUGE case of “Yakety Sax”) and got blown out again by San Diego. Suddenly, the Broncos were 6-4, and the Chargers were 7-3.  The Broncos offense couldn’t score, and the defense that was highly vaunted earlier in the season couldn’t even stop the likes of Jason Campbell. 

Denver got back on track with a win at home over the New York Giants on Thanksgiving, and then by beating the lowly Chiefs a week later.  It looked like the ship was righted, and Denver was looking good for at least a wild card spot.

Then, just like a bad headache that won’t go away, “Yakety Sax” started playing again.  Denver lost in a valiant effort to the Colts (a more muted version of “Yakety Sax”), but then lost on a last-minute drive to JaMarcus Russell and the Raiders at home (that would be the MEGA mix of “Yakety Sax).

That said, the Broncos would still control their own playoff destiny, as long as they beat the Eagles in Philadelphia this past Sunday.  Again, the Broncos put up a good fight, scoring 17 unanswered points, but it wasn’t enough as Philadelphia won on a field goal with under 10 seconds remaining.

It was that “Yakety Sax” again, except this time it had a funeral march melody to it.

The Broncos are still in the hunt for the postseason, but they need to beat Kansas City this week, plus rely on other teams to fail in order to make it. They are no longer in control of their own fate—not a good thing, heading into the final week of the regular season.

It has been a “Yakety Sax” kind of season, which means anything could happen no matter how wacky or comical.

So Broncos fans, when it’s all said and done, look back at this season and laugh.  It might be a pained laugh, like when your car won’t start right after you got done slipping in the shower and before that your burnt your breakfast.

So pull up some highlights of the year and crank some of that “Yakety Sax.”  Laughter is the best medicine (or so they say), and Broncos fans could use a heavy dose right about now.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

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