Denver Broncos Training Camp Notes Day Five: Jack Williams Picks a Pair

Denver Broncos’ training camp moves into Day Six with an interesting battle seemingly taking place.

Cornerback Jack Williams, selected in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft is doing anything and everything in his power to maintain the “nickel” position he currently possesses, and he is doing a great job of it.

In Tuesday’s evening practice session, Williams picked off two passes; one that went for a 98-yard touchdown score.

“It’s man to man,” Williams said. “You’ve just got to play the man first and be in position to make the interception. I got lucky and did.”

Prior to his interception, Williams was called for pass interference in the end-zone on wide receiver Brandon Stokley, but the sophomore corner more than made up for it by jumping a quick Kyle Orton pass.

Head coach Josh McDaniels has taken notice of the great strides Williams has made this offseason and in training camp, and he thinks he can have a big role in the 2009 defense and beyond.

“We have gotten our hands on a bunch of balls and made some interceptions,” McDaniels said. “Jack, I think, had his first couple today. It is great to see improvement from our younger players, and he is one that we are counting on.”

With youngsters like Williams, Alphonso Smith, Josh Barrett, David Bruton, and Josh Bell among others learning from great players such as Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins, this Bronco secondary appears to be set for quite a while.

In addition to the secondary being given a big boost, the Broncos’ hybrid linebacker group grew by two on Tuesday as joining the team were Jarvis Moss and rookie Robert Ayers.

Moss was gone on personal business, and contemplated retirement. McDaniels did not seemed very worried about Moss on the surface, and said he was pleased with the former first-round pick’s effort during practice.

“We talked this morning, and he is ready to go,” he said. “He went out there and had a good practice today. That is what you need to see, and that is what he gave us.”

If Moss can impress at camp and have an impact this season, the Broncos will more than welcome it.  He has not yet played a full season for Denver, and is already being considered a “bust” by some.

The Broncos’ defensive staff wasted no time getting Ayers into action either, and the first-round pick saw time with the first-team defense in his first full-padded NFL practice.

“They want to see me match up against the first-team offensive linemen,” Ayers said. “They want to see me go against the second team, just to see how I compete against different guys. It’s not necessarily going with the first team. It’s more so just trying to get matchups.”

When asked about Ayers being in camp, McDaniels was blatantly honest about the youngster.

“Doesn’t know what to do half the time, yet. But he’s very physical. Has a long way to go, but great to have him here.”

There were two not-so-highlights of Broncos camp on Tuesday, as running back Knowshon Moreno remained unsigned, and newly-acquired linebacker Nick Greisen was pronounced to the injured reserve, and he will miss the 2009 campaign entirely.

Greisen will be replaced on the Broncos’ roster by undrafted rookie linebacker Braxton Kelley of Kentucky, who will begin his second stint with the Broncos after being waived earlier this offseason.

Adam Schefter, now of ESPN, reported that Moreno’s deal was to be finalized by Thursday morning at the very latest, so the Broncos and their fans should expect to see No. 27 in uniform at the Invesco field practice then, if not earlier.

Reportedly, team officials are working out a deal that will be for five years and over $12 million guaranteed. The only obstacle is figuring out how much more he will receive in the deal.

Another fun part of Tuesday’s camp was that Broncos fans welcomed the infamous Ed Hochuli to officiate three days of practices.

Hochuli is known best not for his 20 years of NFL referee experience, but for his botched call Week Two against the San Diego Chargers.

Tim Crowder is also now practicing with the first-team defensive unit at outside linebacker.

I will be updating after tomorrow night’s 5:30 practice session, so check back for more news!

2009 NFL Betting Picks Preview: Denver Broncos

Where to begin with the Denver Broncos offseason this year? Does the word whirlwind mean anything to you? That’s probably the best word to describe the Broncos offseason up to this point.

If you’re looking for free NFL preseason football picks you might want to stay away from penciling the Broncos into the playoffs this year. Let’s review what happened in the offseason.

First of all, they fire their successful coach that has been there forever in Mike Shannahan. Some people thought it was overdue, but this is nothing in comparison to what happens later.

They then proceed to hire a first time head coach in Josh McDaniels, another assistant from the Patriots regime. Yes, the same regime that hasn’t pumped out a lot of successful coaches outside of New England, i.e. Charlie Weiss, Romeo Crennel, Eric Mangini, etc. McDaniels then proceeds to trade off his mid 20-something Pro Bowl quarterback (Jay Cutler) to get Matt Cassell who he was familiar with from the Patriots.

This proceeds to anger Cutler to no end and he demands a trade. Amazingly they go ahead and give in to his demands in order to get two first rounders and Kyle Orton. Yes, that Kyle Orton.

The Good News: The good news is…well it’s really hard to pinpoint the exact good news here. I guess starting with a clean slate is fun sometimes. At least the Broncos didn’t relocate to another city! They were the most active team in free agency although they didn’t exactly bring in any great players.

The Bad News: In that free agency crop they managed to sign like 10 running backs and then drafted one with their first round pick. Are they really going to have that many running backs on the roster? Of course not! However, that doesn’t stop them from getting running backs on the team for McDaniel’s “pass-happy” offense.

They even traded one of those first round picks that they got next year for a second round pick this year. Has anyone ever done that before? Then on top of all the other drama that they’ve had, their star wide receiver Brandon Marshall demands a trade.

For some reason, they have declined to trade him as of yet. Why would you trade away a franchise quarterback and keep a disgruntled, law-breaking wide receiver that doesn’t want to be there? This offseason has defied logic and any convention.

Outlook: If you haven’t picked it up by now, I’m not big on the Broncos chances this season. In fact, if you’re looking for free NFL picks, you should know that the Broncos will battle it out with the Raiders for last place in the AFC West this year.

They might even take it away from the Raiders early on in the season. How can you replace a successful head coach with an unproven rookie and a Pro Bowl quarterback with Kyle Orton and expect to be successful right off the bat? Yes, it might work in the long term, but I don’t see it happening this season.

Make sure you check out Vernon Croy’s Expert NFL Picks this season.

Bronco Draft Picks Look to Make an Impact

The Denver Broncos had several needs to fill before the preseason began. Those holes were filled by a very good draft in which Denver had several good picks, including two in the first round. These rookies are reporting to camp looking come in and make a big difference for the team. Coach McD thinks that these are the best players for the changes to be made. These players have very high expectations. Among the new guys are RB Knowshon Moreno, CB Alphonso Smith, and QB Tom Brandstater. All are thought to become leaders, maybe not the first year, but definitely in the long run.

Denver: Why The Broncos Draft Picks Will Change The Franchise

From what I’ve read, most Denver fans were disappointed with the decisions the Broncos made in this years draft. And to those of you who feel this way, I say cheer up! I’ve recently done research on our new additions to the team. So all of of you people that can’t seem to smile after the draft, I’ll give you reason to.

Robert Ayers- DE (18th overall)

Ayers started all four years of his college career. In these four years, he had 112 tackles, and nine sacks. Ayers has even had an interception his senior year. I’m not sure about you, but I’m satisfied with those stats.

Alphonso Smith- CB (37th overall)

Alphonso Smith also started all four years in college. In his four years, Smith had 174 tackles, four forced fumbles, and 21 interceptions. he also had four touchdowns in his four years at Wake Forest. I’m almost surprised he didn’t go in the first round.

Darcel McBath- CB/S (48th overall)

Darcel was another pick to start all four years, so he has the experience. In his career, he’s had 214 tackles, 12 interceptions, and two interceptions. Also in the 2008 season, his college team won all but one game, where he had six interceptions, and a touchdown in one season alone.

So far all of these picks have been towards helping the defense, which people said our new head coach barely did in this years draft.

Richard Quinn- TE (64th overall)

You have to hear me out on this one, even though his stats don’t make him look like should have even been drafted.

Like most Broncos fans, I was not satisfied with the stats that Quinn had to offer. I couldn’t figure out why we even considered him, and I needed an answer.

So I looked him up on YouTube. His highlights weren’t of him scoring or making amazing catches. What I saw was Richard Quinn laying out guys all over the field (In other words, he’s an amazing blocker).

This addition could be key considering that we had drafted Knowshon Moreno. It’s clear that what McDaniels was doing was helping our running backs (maybe to help prevent losing 7 running backs to injured reserve again or something).

This convinced me that McDaniels probably knew what he was doing.

David Bruton- FS (114th overall)

Again, McDaniels helps the defense with another great pick. Bruton has accomplished 210 tackles, two forced fumbles, and seven interceptions in all four seasons. David has even had a sack, which isn’t saying much, but decent considering that he’s a safety.

Since the Broncos acquired Brian Dawkins in the offseason, Bruton makes a great secondary for the Broncos.

Seth Olsen- OG (132nd overall)

Call me a homer, but I was excited when the Broncos drafted Seth, knowing that he was from Iowa.

Though Olsen was a Iowa Hawkeye, I was excited for more than just that reason that we took him. Seth Olsen allowed very little tackles, and was key to why the Hawkeyes won so many games. Olsen should be a good addition to the offense.

Kenny McKinley- WR (141st overall)

Granted, the Broncos already have amazing receivers (A- in most polls), It’s not like Players don’t get injured (or tired), and Kenny McKinley would be a reliable sub for when (if) this happens.

McKinley has had 207 receptions, 2,781 yards, and 19 touchdowns in his four years at South Carolina. His ability to make quick decisions, and tough catches makes him a good fit with the other Bronco Wide outs.

Tom Brandstater- QB (174th overall)

Tom Brandstater is a big, strong QB from Fresno state. A lot of people thought this was a dumb decision by McDaniels considering that we just got Kyle Orton and Chris Simms in the offseason. But after releasing Patrick Ramsey and Darrell Hackney, the Broncos were in need of a third QB.

Brandstater has thrown 6,857 yards, and 47 touchdowns. Pretty legit considering he only started three seasons.

Tom also rushed for four touchdowns last season alone. Pretty good pick for the sixth round (not to mention that he’s a QB).

Blake Schlueter- C (225th overall)

After the retiring of Tom Nalen, the Broncos were in need of a center. Denver got just that in the seventh round of the Draft.

Blake Schlueter is very mature, and is crazy fast for an offensive linemen. His strength and agility make him a reliable center to help guard our new quarterback.

In addition to these draft picks, McDaniels picked up 12 extra players in free agency. So again, I say cheer up! McDaniels knows what he’s doing.

Knowshon Moreno at No. 12: One of the Worst Draft Picks in Recent NFL History

Moreno will be great when he’s on the field, but he’s probably going to get injured for significant chunks of the season.  It is not pessimism or negativism to say so…that is simply the nature of the running back position.

The bizarre thing is that McDaniels said he is stocking up on RBs because the Broncos had seven RBs end up on IR last year…his thinking is completely backwards! 

It is precisely because of the fact that the Broncos had seven RBs end up on IR last year that the very last thing in the world that the Broncos should do is draft a running back in the top half of the first round!  I know that Moreno is not injury prone, but every year there are RBs with a prior reputation for durability who get injured. 

Using a high pick on a RB is worthwhile only as a final piece of the puzzle, in other words to win a Super Bowl within a couple years.  For the Broncos to win a Super Bowl any earlier than 2011 is unrealistic…they should have waited until at least 2011 to draft a stud RB if they really wanted one. 

I know the Broncos later got Robert Ayers, but their defense has so many holes that they absolutely needed to use both first round picks on defenders.

What makes things even more ridiculous is the history at New England.  How did McDaniels not realize that the one first round RB with the Patriots (Lawrence Maroney) ended up not being worth it. 

Last year, the Patriots had injuries simultaneously at one point to Maroney, Sammy Morris, and Lamont Jordan, and they still won games with a practice squad player named Benjarvus Green-Ellis at RB.  The success in New England never depended upon a having a stud running back…the most talented RB to play for the Patriots during the past decade was Corey Dillon, and even he lasted only two seasons. 

What is the point of investing in a rotation of RBs (with the Broncos already having Buckhaulter, Arrington, Jordan, Hillis) when you then invest heavily on one single RB at No. 12 overall?  What is the point of having Josh McDaniels run the offense, a coach with a reputation for being about “the system,” if you make your chief talent acquisition (your highest pick in the draft) on offense instead of on the terrible defense?

Denver Broncos: Draft Day Picks 12 and 18

NOTE: This is a revision of an article that was posted up by Rob Burson a few weeks ago. For a related article by Burson, check here: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/160542-denver-broncos-can-wait-until-later-rounds-to-get-defensive-linemen

 

Big, Bad B.J. Raji, the potential nose tackle the Denver Broncos covet with there first draft pick, will more than likely be off the boards by the 12th pick.

If he’s not, he’ll obviously be picked up.

But with odds against Denver getting the dominant 337lb lineman here, how about a DE that can also play outside linebacker in a 3-4 system?

Will Everette Brown still be around at No. 12 for the Broncos?

There’s a good chance he will. The Mile High team will snag him up without flinching. He’s a pass rushing force who could step in immediately and give opposing teams something to seriously think about.

He’ll rack up sacks, and also contribute to a healthy infusion of behind the line tackles.

This guy fits squarely into the Broncos new hybrid OLB/DE scheme. He can perform with a fist in the dirt, or standing up. He’s projected to go between 10-30, so there’s a good chance the boys in Orange can get this player.

He’s a little undersized for a lineman, so Tyson Jackson sometimes stands out as potentially better for the moves the Broncos need to make. But Brown is more dynamic and offers a better all around package.

Jackson is the one dimensional DE.

Brown can do pass rushing, coverage, and run stuffing.

Either would be a good choice, but I’m going with the dark horse Everette Brown here. More than a little bit of my thinking here is because Tyson Jackson will more than likely be gone by pick 12, as I see things.

After securing a defensive lineman (of sorts), the Broncos will continue to add to defense overall with their 18th pick.

He’s been coached by Pete Carroll and Ken Norton Jr in a system that has steadily produced top notch linebackers.

In 2008, he was awarded the Chuck Bednarik Award, annually given to the No. 1 overall defensive player in the country, as judged by NCAA coaches and college football experts across the nation.

In the 2008 Rose Bowl, he emerged as the defensive player of the game.

He’s been hailed as the next Junior Seau.

At No. 18 in the 2009 draft, the Denver Broncos will scoop up the phenom that is Rey Maualuga.

His intense and emotional play at inside linebacker is precisely what the Broncos need to turn around the lackluster and uninspired defense of seasons past.

His numbers are stellar, and there’s no doubt that Maualuga will make a major impact on whatever team picks him up in the first round.

Denver fans are hoping he lands with the Broncos, and thus begins to lift the team out of the quagmire of the past few years.

With Brown and Maualuga plugged into Nolan’s 3-4, and the seasoned secondary prowling the backfield, the Denver Bronco’s will noticeably improve on defense this year.

Outside of somehow picking up B.J. Raji at No. 12 (he’ll be gone by then), getting these two players would make the 2009 Denver Broncos draft a success.

Though the secondary seems to be fairly cinched up for the year—what with Dawkins, Goodman, Hill newly signed, and Champ still around—an infusion of youth is needed back there. The Broncos are improved here, though not set for the future, and should use the 49th pick on a corner back.

Beyond this, it’ll be time for the Broncos to get busy with defensive line role players.

They may not rise to the top of the AFC this year, but the new Denver defense will be respectable and at times formidable on the field.

I’m a strong proponent of the Broncos drafting linemen.

It’s a huge need.

But with 12 and 18 there are two players who bring a great deal of diversity and intensity to the game of play. Despite the naysaying of the experts, Everette Brown still has a real shot of turning out to be a true DE in the NFL. Maualuga has potential to be the next Junior Seau. Hopefully the Broncos staff snags both players up come draft day.

 

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?

The 15 Worst Draft Picks in the Mike Shanahan Era

The 2009 NFL draft is just around the corner and Denver Broncos’ fans are wondering how the new regime led by coach Josh McDaniels will approach it. 

Mike Shanahan had one of the more successful tenures in NFL history in his years with the Broncos winning back-to-back Super Bowls and many division titles.

However, it was the play of his defense in his last few seasons in Denver that ultimately led to his demise and firing after the 2008 season.

Looking over his record in the draft, you might not have to go very far to understand what may have been the reason for the lack of talent on that side of the ball.

As good of an offensive mind as “Shanny” was, he left a lot to be desired when it came to analyzing players coming into the league.

Here’s a look at the 15 worst draft picks in the Shanahan era:

 

15.  PHIL YEBOAH-KODIE 1995  Fifth Round – Pick 146  LB Penn State 

It was a close call for the 15 spot, but Yeboah-Kodie won out on his name alone. Drafted out of Penn State 1995 he was cut in training camp never to play a game with the Broncos. Played for the Redskins and Panthers (’95) and the Colts (’96), but never recorded a tackle in the NFL.

Other players drafted close:  Gary Walker (159), Cory Schlesinger (192), Terrell Davis (196), Adam Timmerman (230)

 

14. ASHLEY LELIE  2002  First Round – Pick 19  WR  Hawaii

Lelie, started in 22 games for the Broncos and made a few plays in his time there, but his 3,007 yards and 12 tds in four years in Denver didn’t add up to the No. 19 overall pick.  Lelie has also played for the Falcons (’06), 49ers (’07) and last season with the Raiders. 

Other players drafted close:  Javon Walker (20), Daniel Graham (21), Ed Reed (24), Lito Sheppard (30), Jabar Gaffney (33), Andre Gurode (37)

 

13.  TIM CROWDER  2007  Second Round – Pick 56  DE  Texas

Putting pressure on the quarterback has not been a strong point of the Denver defense in the last few seasons and drafting Crowder in the second round in 2007 hasn’t helped the cause. 

Crowder appeared in 13 games in his rookie season collecting 16 tackles and four sacks, but played in only six games last season.  He had one tackle and no sacks.

Other players drafted close:  Stewart Bradley (87), Trent Edwards (92), Le’Ron McClain (137), Steve Breaston (142)

 

12.  JARVIS MOSS  2007  First Round – Pick 17  DE  Florida

I guess you could say that the book is still out on the former BCS champion from Florida.  In his rookie season he played in six games and had 12 tackles and one sack before breaking his shin in practice ending his season. 

In ’08, he did bounce back to play in 12 games, but his 12 tackles and 2.5 sacks did nothing to justify a first round pick.

Others players drafted close:  Michael Griffin (19), Aaron Ross (20), Jon Beason (25), Anthony Gonzalez (32), LaMarr Woodley (46)

 

11.  LENNIE FRIEDMAN 1999  Second Round – Pick 61  G  Duke

Friedman battled back from tearing his ACL in his rookie season to start 22 games from 2000-’01, but the Broncos should have gotten more than three seasons for a second round pick.  Friedman also played for the Redskins (’03-05), Bears (’05), and Browns (’07) making just two more starts in his career.

Other players drafted close:  Joey Porter (73), Marty Booker (78), Chike Okeafor (89)

 

10.  DORSETT DAVIS  2002  Third Round – Pick 96  DT  Mississippi State

Double D was a bust for the Broncos playing just two seasons in Denver. From 2002-’04 he amassed only 10 tackles and one pass deflection.  These were his only seasons in the NFL.

Other players drafted close:  David Thornton (106), David Garrard (108), Kevin Curtis (127), Larry Foote (128)

 

9.  ERIC BROWN 1998  Second Round – Pick 61  S  Mississippi State

Brown played three seasons on the Denver defense and recorded 77 tackles and six interceptions.  He then moved on to play with the Texans until 2004 ending his career with 256 tackles and nine interceptions. 

Other players drafted close:  Jamal Williams (Supplemental 2nd/3rd round), Olin Kreutz (64), Leonard Little (65), Jerry Trotter (72), Ahman Green (76)

 

8.  CHRIS WATSON  1999  Third Round – Pick 67  CB  Eastern Illinois

A special-teams player for only one season with the Broncos, Watson was cut after his rookie campaign.  He went on to play for Bills (’00-’02) and Lions (’03).

Others players drafted close:  Joey Porter (73), Marty Booker (78), Chike Okeafor (89), Brandon Stokley (105), Dexter Jackson (113)

 

7.  NICK HARRIS  2001  Fourth Round – Pick 120  P  California

You can’t draft a punter in the fourth round if you are not going to use him.  The Broncos did just that in 2001 cutting Harris before the regular season.  Never played a game in the NFL. 

Others players drafted close:  Correll Buckhalter (121), Justin McCareins (124), Edgerton Hartwell (126), Cedrick Wilson (169)

 

6.  JEREMY LESUEUR  2004  Third Round – Pick 85  CB Michigan

LeSueur would only play for the Broncos in his rookie season and did not appear in a game.  He went on to play for the Jets (’05) and Browns (’06) seeing time in just two games in his NFL career.  He played last season for the Philadelphia Soul of the Arena Football League. 

Others players drafted close:   Matt Schaub (90), Landon Johnson (96), Shaun Phillips (98), Nathan Vasher (110), Will Allen (111)

 

5.  TERRY PIERCE  2003  Second Round – Pick 51  LB  Kansas State

For a mid-second round pick one would think a team would get more than two seasons and eight tackles out of that player.  That’s all the Broncos got from one of the worst picks in franchise history.  Was out of the NFL after the 2004 season.

Others players drafted close:  Anquan Boldin (54), Osi Umenyiora (56), L.J. Smith (61), Lance Briggs (68), Jason Witten (69)

 

4.  PAUL TOVIESSI  2001  Second Round – Pick 51  DE Marshall

The 2001 NFL draft was Shanahan’s worst.  The Broncos used the No. 52 pick on a player that never played a down for the team, or any other team in the NFL for that matter. 

Others players drafted close:  Chris Chambers (52), Travis Henry (58), Adrian Wilson (64), Steve Smith (74), Kevan Barlow (80)

 

3.  Maurice Clarette 2004  3rd Round – Pick 101  RB  Ohio State

Drafting the troubled Clarette out of OSU had everyone shaking their head. It seems that the only person on earth that didn’t know his background was Shanahan. Clarette, who was cut that season in training camp, is now blogging from his prison cell. He was arrested for robbery, carrying a concealed weapon, and resisting arrest. 

He robbed two college students at gun point in a fast food parking lot. Then he was pulled over (with spike strips) and in his SUV they found assault weapons, a huge knife and a bottle of Grey Goose. The police officers tried to tase him, but he was wearing a Kevlar vest that prevented that from working. 

They finally subdued him with mace.

Others players drafted close:  Marion Barber III (109), Brandon Jacobs (110), Kerry Rhodes (123), Darren Sproles (130), Trent Cole (146)

 

2.  MARCUS NASH 1998  First Round – Pick 30  WR  Tennessee

Despite earning two Super Bowl rings (Broncos/Ravens) Nash never lived up to a No. 1 pick. He played just two season for the Broncos. In his rookie season he had four receptions for 76 yards.

In 1999, he did not record a catch and was released in midseason. He was then signed by the Ravens for the remainder of the ’99 season and for 2000. 

He played in just one game for the Ravens and did not have a reception.  He did go on to win Offensive Player of the Year in the Arena League for the Dallas Desperados in 2004.

Others players drafted close:  Flozell Adams (38), Patrick Surtain (44) Samari Rolle (46)

 

1.  WILLIE MIDDLEBROOKS  2001 1st Round – Pick 24  CB  Minnesota

During a period in time when the Broncos needed help on defense, they took a huge swing-and-miss with Middlebrooks in the first round of the 2001 draft. Starting just one game in four seasons with the Broncos, the super-bust had only 66 tackles and no interceptions in his time with Denver. 

Played briefly in 2005 with the 49ers and now plays for the Toronto Argonaughts of the Canadian Football League.

Others players drafted close:  Reggie Wayne (30), Todd Heap (31), Drew Brees (32), Kyle VandenBosch (34), Alge Crumpler (35), Chad Johnson (36), Matt Light (48)

The Denver Broncos Must Face Their New Reality

Times are changing in the Rocky Mountains. The Balloon Boy scandal is about to go away. Bill Ritter won’t run for re-election as Governor of Denver. Last but not least, Mike Shanahan will be coaching a team other than the Broncos.

And with that, the last page of the Shanahan Era in Denver has finally been turned, while the next chapter of the Josh McDaniels Saga has yet to unfold. I am uncertain. I am wary. I am scared to death.

It hasn’t been easy being a Broncos fan over the past four years. The team has seemingly lost their identity as one of the competitive teams of the league and become the annual whipping boy for the Chargers.

This was true in Shanahan’s final three seasons with the team, and nothing that McDaniels tried this year did anything to change that.

The Broncos are stuck, as one may say, in football purgatory. Not getting worse, but never improving either. This year’s team teased all of us with their euphoric 6-0 start, only to succumb to their greatest collapse to date, going 2-8 in their final 10 games.

I wish that I could tell you why this happened, why this keeps happening. The success that the Chargers have enjoyed this decade makes it even worse. San Diego has won five of the last six AFC West titles. Oakland won the first three this decade.

The Broncos? 1-1, which is 1 division title and 1 playoff win. They have 0 playoff appearances since 2005 with a 32-32 record over that time span.

We can all agree that 2005 featured the last truly great Broncos team. I remember every game from that season. Every touchdown. Every score. Every key play and every hurtful loss. And you know what? I can’t say the same about 2006-2008.

Know why? I blocked it out because I believed those seasons to be a fluke, that this was still a playoff team that was missing just one or two key players.

At this point, its obvious that I’ve been lying to myself all this time because I was hurt by the truth. And the truth is that the Denver Broncos in 2010 are not a great team. They are not a competitive team.

Simply put, they are average and irrelevant in today’s NFL. Not only that, but with the Avalanche enjoying a surprisingly successful season, the Broncos are the worst of the 4 major sports teams in Colorado.

Ten years ago, the Rockies and Nuggets could barely get fans to attend their games. Now they put on a better show than the Broncos ever can.

What’s even more frustrating is that nearly every good player on this team has a down side. Brandon Marshall, fresh off another 100-catch season, is good as gone. Champ Bailey is in the final year of his contract and may not be back in 2011.

Brian Dawkins played too much and wore down at the end of the year. Even Elvis Dumervil struggled when teams ran the ball at him more often.

I don’t write this for the sole purpose of being a pessimist and I do not withdraw myself as a Broncos fan. I could never do that.

For now, what I’m saying is that the Broncos of the present are bogged down in their own mediocrity and the Broncos of the future are completely unpredictable.

There. I feel better. Now the bright side to this column (didn’t think there was one did you?). The moves that the Broncos will do, should do, and probably won’t be able to do this offseason.

 

First things first; it’s time to completely cut ties with the Shanahan regime. If McDaniels is going to do things the Patriot Way, then he needs to do them all the way.

That means almost all of the Shanahan holdovers need to go. Rick Dennison and Bobby Turner are good coaches, but their zone-blocking and cut-back running styles of coaching don’t fit with what McDaniels is trying to do on offense.

Besides, they will get plenty of interest from other coaches, including Shanahan and Gary Kubiak, and would be hard to keep.

After that, it’s time to clean house with the players. Brandon Marshall and Tony Scheffler want out almost as much as McDaniels wants to get rid of them.

Ben Hamilton is a fraction of the player he used to be and is now too light for the offensive line. Peyton Hillis, Jarvis Moss, and Marcus Thomas were seldom used and rarely effective.

However, a few of the Shanahan starters from last year, outside of Champ Bailey, Ryan Clady, and Elvis Dumervil, will be back.

Eddie Royal saw a pretty large dip in his production from 2008, but he’ll get another chance because of his potential. Brandon Stokely and Spencer Larsen are wild cards who may or may not be back.

Next on the agenda is improving at the line of scrimmage. It’s no secret that the Broncos had major issues at their offensive and defensive lines toward the end of the season.

Offensively, they need to get bigger. Clady, Harris, and Kuper (if he’s resigned), are all good fits, but I’m not so sure about Casey Wiegmann.

Hamilton was benched midseason in favor of Russ Hochstein, who outweighs Hamilton by about 20 pounds, and the same thing could happen to Casey this spring. Those two may even retire.

The Patriots’ offensive line features five starters who each weigh 300 pounds or more, so look for McDaniels to replicate that here in Denver.

As for the defense, the teams with the best 3-4 defenses are typically the ones with the best nose tackles.

Ronnie Fields was decent for the Broncos this year, but his weaknesses began to show more as the season went on. He’ll have competition for his job in camp next year, as will Ryan McBean and Kenny Peterson.

The team could also use a true run stuffer at middle linebacker. DJ makes a lot of tackles and Andra Davis is solid, but neither of them instill fear into the hearts of running backs.

When Al Wilson roamed the middle of the field, the Broncos were consistently one of the hardest teams to run against. They have yet to replace him.

Lastly, the Broncos lack the playmakers that they need to compete in today’s NFL. With Marshall on his way out, someone else will have to make up for his 100 catches, and I doubt that someone is Jabar Gaffney or Brandon Lloyd.

Correll Buckhalter was better than expected, but he’s not the long term answer at running back.

Which brings us to Knowshon Moreno. I know, he’s a rookie, and I’ve already mentioned how the Broncos had a struggling offensive line most of the season. Moreno played well early on, but he was a non-factor in the final three games.

First-round picks are expected to make plays to help their teams make the playoffs, and Moreno didn’t make enough of those plays this year. Obviously he’s not going anywhere, but he needs to become more of an impact player.

That goes for the other Broncos first-round picks too, Robert Ayers and Alphonso Smith. Ayers finally began to get after the quarterback towards the end of the season, but not so much at the beginning.

Smith was nearly invisible all year and got beaten in coverage for a costly touchdown against the Raiders in week 15. Progress must be made here, or it will put the Broncos in a tough spot.

For all you Kyle Orton haters out there, I guarantee you that he will be back next year. Unless the Broncos draft a total stud at quarterback or Tom Brandstater magically turns into Tom Brady overnight, Orton will also be starting once again.

Whether he deserves it or not is a topic for another column. Orton will be your quarterback next year Broncos fans. Don’t like it? Deal with it.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Hey Denver, Where’s the Love for Josh McDaniels?

His tenure started with a bang. Down goes Cutler , in a way, is what should have rang in the ears of NFL fans everywhere.

Of course, you had your Jay Cutler haters, who shrugged off the bold move by new head coach Josh McDaniels to challenge the rising superstar quarterback.

Bold? Yes, you’d say.

Stupid? Hell no.

And in the end, that may have been the correct assumption.

But then, after the trade that for all intents and purposes landed them Knowshon Moreno and Robert Ayers came the Brandon Marshall saga.

It poured into our media outlets for the rest of the summer, quietly drowning out the pain (or happiness?) of the so-called prima dona Cutler exiting Denver.

And then the Broncos started the season with an extremely unlucky (and dare we say lucky?) win on a tipped pass that was scooped-up by Brandon Stokley and raced in for a 12-7 Denver win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Victory bred emotion. Emotion bred momentum. Momentum bred more victories, and then the hugging began.

Oh, the jumping, the hand-holding, the swearing on camera, and all that jazz.

The Broncos were 6-0, McDaniels and his odd team of no-names and over-achievers were winning the hearts everywhere, er, in Denver.

It wasn’t stylish. The offense wasn’t always pretty. But they were getting it done McDaniels’ way.

Naturally, as we’ve already learned, it’s his way or the highway.

Then came the bye week and a loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Then a loss to the defending champion Pittsburgh Steelers.

Oh, but these were two “good losses”. Losing to the defending champs can’t hurt one’s stock, right?

Maybe so, but it only got worse from there.

Not only did the Broncos go on to lose to the Washington Redskins the following week, but they even dropped a fourth straight game in a huge divisional match with the San Diego Chargers, and it wasn’t even close.

In fact, all four of their losses after starting 6-0 were by 10 or more points, and three of them were by 18 or more.

Josh McDaniels had apparently lost control of his team and was staring at a full collapse as the Broncos entered a pivotal Thanksgiving showdown with the New York Giants, who had already endured their own four-game losing streak.

Denver escaped that game victoriously and lived to fight another day—several other days, in fact—and were alive in the AFC wild card race until the very final week.

But it’s that final week that has developed into the most concerning aspect of Denver’s season.

Forget about the second four-game losing streak that ended their season, as they blew a close contest with the Kansas City Chiefs and then watched as a lesser team kicked them to the curb and out of the playoff race.

That happened, and it’s over and done with.

The question now is who is responsible? Do we blame Kyle Orton for not doing what Jay Cutler maybe could have done?

Do we blame Brandon Marshall for causing another rift between himself and the coaching staff? Do we question his motives (or lack thereof) for sitting out the final week?

Or do we start pointing the finger at the very man who we promised not to question?

Josh McDaniels sent Jay Cutler away, and the Denver fans asked no questions. They gladly accepted the two extra draft picks (and another in 2010) and had high hopes for a Kyle Orton-led offense.

And when Brandon Marshall stood in the way of what McDaniels was trying to accomplish, many agreed that he, too, should be sent elsewhere. Let the coach be the coach, the players be the players, and so on.

As hard as it is to admit that the seemingly egotistical McDaniels is to blame for Denver’s fallout, Denver fans need to suck it up and give some much-deserved applause.

McDaniels is a rookie at this, but he didn’t coach like a rookie. He beat his former boss, started 6-0 with his first NFL team, showed a cocky quarterback the door, and lived to tell about it.

Then when his prima dona receiver started making a fuss about a sore hamstring, he calmly informed him that he’d be sitting out and didn’t guarantee him a spot in the starting lineup if the Broncos were to make the playoffs, either.

McDaniels didn’t do much to stop his team from sliding from 6-0 to 8-8, but there’s a strong argument that there wasn’t much he could do, either.

The fact is, this wasn’t (and probably still isn’t) a very good football team. McDaniels over-achieved in his first season, and he took a bunch of over-achievers along with him.

Kyle Orton isn’t the long-term solution. The defense is progressing but is inconsistent.

And as for Brandon Marshall, well, they call him “Baby T.O.” for a reason. It’s because he’s a joke when it comes to character, but he’s a phenomenal player that can change games.

Josh McDaniels knows everything we know and then some. He knows Marshall (and Eddie Royal) could have helped his team get into the playoffs.

But he also knows that guys like Marshall are what keep his team from winning it all.

It’s about the big picture for McDaniels, and it always has been.

It’s time we all start looking in the same direction he is.

This and more NFL articles can be found here .

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BroncosZone Latest

• The Denver Broncos Must Face Their New Reality
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• Denver Wide Receiver Brandon Marshall: “I Love Being a Bronco”