Broncos Sign G Dylan Gandy, Release Isaac Snell

by John Bena on May 16, 2008 7:50 PM MDT in Denver Broncos Roster Moves

The Denver Broncos on Friday signed free-agent guard Dylan Gandy, Head Coach Mike Shanahan announced. As per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The Broncos also on Friday waived guard Isaac Snell.

Gandy (6-foot-3, 302 pounds) is a fourth-year player who spent his first three professional seasons with Indianapolis. Selected by the Colts in the fourth round (129th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft from Texas Tech University, Gandy has played 42 career games with 14 starts in the regular season.

The 26-year-old also has appeared in six career playoff games (1 start), including the Colts’ victory in Super Bowl XLI during the 2006 season.

In 2007, Gandy saw time in 10 games for Indianapolis and recorded one start at right guard. He appeared in all 16 regular-season games, starting a career-high 11 contests at left guard, for the Colts’ Super Bowl XLI-champion team in 2006 that allowed an NFL-low 15 sacks and averaged an AFC-best 379.4 yards per game.

He played 16 games (2 starts) for the Colts as a rookie in 2005. At Texas Tech, Gandy started 20 games during his four-year career. He received honorable mention All-Big 12 Conference honors after not allowing a sack as a senior. Gandy, who attended Pflugerville High School in Pflugerville, Texas, was born on March 8, 1982.

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bring 'em in

another small upgrade in depth on the o-line. i’m really beginning to like these moves when taken together as a whole. maybe this guy has more upside than snell did. onward and upward

by davecheffy on May 16, 2008 9:04 PM MDT reply actions

I doubt

that he’ll be with the team when the season starts. He might survive but more likely will end up having been one of the players the survivors honed their skills against. Because he looks to be a slightly better player than Snell he’ll provide slightly better competition, which as you imply is a plus. Every little bit helps.

"In the empty spaces - lacunae, vacuums, pauses, voids, black holes - new things begin. We are born anew from the unexplored space, the badlands, the outlaw territory." - Sam Keen

by spock on May 17, 2008 12:16 AM MDT up reply actions

I just read

an article on scout.com which says:

During his three years in Indianapolis, the former 4th-round draft pick played in 42 games, starting 14 times. During the 2006 Super Bowl season, he started 11 times at left guard while Ryan Lilja was recovering from a knee injury.

so I take back what I said above. This makes him a big improvement over Snell and a definite upgrade in o-line depth as davecheffy suggests.

"In the empty spaces - lacunae, vacuums, pauses, voids, black holes - new things begin. We are born anew from the unexplored space, the badlands, the outlaw territory." - Sam Keen

by spock on May 17, 2008 9:40 AM MDT up reply actions

I was a bit nervous...

My article states that he started 11 games in 2006, including the Super Bowl…..Only Tom Nalen can say that among our current O-Lineman, so he can’t be that bad….

-TSG

www.milehighreport.com

by John Bena on May 17, 2008 10:44 AM MDT up reply actions

His competition

With Hamilton, Holland, and Kuper locks to make the team if healthy and the team keeping four guards then only one spot is available. P J Alexander and Mitch Erickson are his only competition. Gandy’s should beat out Alexander, who has never been more then a marginal backup. Erickson looks like a practice squad possibility.

Having Center’s that can play Guard may complicate this a bit. The Broncos could keep both Nalen and Wiegmann and move Lichtensteiger to a backup guard spot. So I think Gandy is battling Wiegmann and Alexander for two spots. Correct me if I’m missing something.

by DBinKC on May 17, 2008 9:25 AM MDT reply actions

My guess.

Kuper, Hamilton, and Holland have the OG locked up. One is going to be a back-up, or even an OT possibility.

Nalen starts, Wiegmann is only here to back him up in case of another injury. Wiegmann leaves when Nalen retires, or the year after. K-Lich is the starter in ‘10.

Clady and Pears, or Clady and Kuper at OT. The odd one out backs up the other two. Harris may get one more year to prove himself a worthy starter or back-up.

Gandy knocks Alexander and Erickson out (practice squad or oblivion).

One neat scenario is to have the following:

LT – Clady (Pears, Harris)
LG – Hamilton (Gandy)
C – Nalen (Wiegmann, K-Lich)
RG – Holland
RT – Kuper

In that case, Gandy gives Shanahan the flexibility to do what he said he wanted to do – move Kuper to OT.

"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe

by Steve Nichols on May 17, 2008 9:50 PM MDT up reply actions

I had nbot even considered this combo.

With Graham as TE on the strong side, this could cause issues for a suite of light speedy defenders, like we used to have.

Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of our own mind. - Emerson

by firstfan on May 17, 2008 11:52 PM MDT up reply actions

the big O

it’s good to see this kind of interest in the o-line. i think everyone knows this is the key to our offense this season. as far as i’m concerned, qb, rb, fb, te, and wr are pretty much set. there are a few battles in some spots, but i’m confident in whoever wins those jobs. we have great depth. even if henry goes down, we’re not destitute. the o-line, this could really go several ways. we have guys that can play g/t, g/c, and again, great depth now. it is really going to be interesting where shanny decides to put these guys. but i’m already becoming more confident in the projected backups at every position. i think cohesion will be the only concern here early on, but by midseason, we should have the kinks worked out. this should be a very dangerous offense in the second half, at the latest.

btw, any injury updates on hamilton and nalen? for that matter, stokely, ekuban,...? i can’t seem to find anything, are they all good to go?

by davecheffy on May 17, 2008 11:11 PM MDT reply actions

I've seen no injury listings for Denver players.

Marshall was injured in the offseason, of course. The last I read he is still projected to be ready to go. I would imagine that if there are any lingering injury issues, we will get a scoop at the start of camp.

"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe

by Steve Nichols on May 18, 2008 3:01 AM MDT up reply actions

If we can't outdraft the Colts, then we can outsign them!

The Colts playoff success has been due to more than having a great QB, they have also done a very good job of drafting mid and late round players. The Broncos didn’t do as well as the Colts in the last 7 to 9 drafts, so it is really nice to see us get one of the Colt good draft picks, especially when we don’t have to give up any picks.

2005 continues to look like a bumper year for the acquision of Bronco talent.

by Arctic Bronco on May 19, 2008 1:28 AM MDT reply actions

Don't know if you noticed, but...

Gandy started at center his final year at Texas Tech and got Big 12 Honors for not allowing a single sack all season….

And he has played center for the Colts as well… albeit not nearly as much as he’s played guard, but he does have pro experience at that position as well…

One other thing of note, he was the #1 backup at all 3 interior line positions on the Colts depth chart the last couple of years when he wasn’t starting..

He may very well push for a starting job, not just a backup position

by BroncoPhil on May 19, 2008 10:37 PM MDT reply actions

I agree Phil...

He is a huge upgrade over Snell, and brings alot of experience and versatility. If one of the younger guys flater, Gandy is going to be right there waiting.

-TSG

www.milehighreport.com

by John Bena on May 23, 2008 7:16 AM MDT up reply actions