Hey, Mike. Looking at the past three drafts, including this one, would you say that the Broncos are on the right track to building the team the right way? It appears that Broncos management is learning from its mistakes.
—Eddie Morris, Kennett Square, Pa.

Eddie – Sometimes, I think we all overrate the draft. The Broncos, for example. From their four-year draft period of 2001-04, they have just two players, linebacker D.J. Williams and guard Ben Hamilton, remaining. Yet, the Broncos had home-field advantage in the AFC Championship game in 2005. This serves as a reminder: The draft represents just one-third of roster construction with free agency and trades each having another third.

Then again, it’s become evident the Missing Years to the Broncos’ draft did leave a talent hole in the middle of their roster entering the 2008 offseason. The Broncos love the talent of their players 25 and younger, starting with quarterback Jay Cutler, receiver Brandon Marshall and defensive end Elvis Dumervil. And they have a number of quality 30-somethings, starting with cornerback Champ Bailey on June 22.

But the talent gap of players between the ages of 26 and 29 is why they dipped into free agency and signed Darrell Jackson (29), Keary Colbert (26 on May 21), Samie Parker (27), Boss Bailey (28), Niko Koutouvides (27), Marquand Manuel (28) and traded for Dewayne Robertson (26).

I didn’t realize that most of the players we signed in free agency/trade are all in the same age range. Hoosierteacher (I think) has talked about staggering retirements/free agents, which means that this was a necessary move to fill out our team. So not only did we bring in solid role players, we brought them in at the right ages. I think he’s totally wrong about the drafts of 01-04 and the AFCCG, we saw the decline after that game precisely because of our lack of drafting well in those years. And we will see the resurgence of our team because of our drafting well in the last few years.

What he did get right is the fact that draft failures have left a talent void. You can not look at a draft the next year and determine it’s worth. 3-4 years later, when those drafted would be entering their prime, is when you look at a draft and determine it’s worth. While he might conclude that the draft, trades and Free Agency are all equal thirds, I would argue that it is heavily weighted towards the draft, because that is where you are going to get your core. Don’t believe me? Look at the best teams in the NFL right now, and look at the key members of their football team. Without looking it up I would venture to guess that 80%+ of those players were drafted by the team.

If you rely on free agents to be the core of your football team you are destined to fail. The Broncos have changed that approach recently, but it remains to be seen if they are better off. Look at the ‘05 draft, for instance. It is quite possible the Top-3 picks for the Broncos(Darrent Williams, Foxworth, Paymah) could all be gone this time next year…..

I’m always pushed for time and I’m not really good at sufing the net. You internet wizards make it a lot easier for guys like me to keep up. Thanks Guru, HT, Zappa, Styg50, mdierk, etc. I hate to stop there because there are so many of you that help out.

What a great site!

A true feel-good-story from the ‘Post:

Drafting a roster spot

..., he, and the Chargers want to compare themselves to the Colts, who knocked on the door for many years before they finally got in.

I wonder if they are more like those old Bum Phillips coached Oilers. Wasn’t it Phillips who talked year after playoff year about how they were going to stop knocking on the door and finally kick it in? Add to that the fact that their GM is the same guy who drafted all those fine players for Buffalo teams that experienced the same frustration. How ironic would that be?

Rhodes signs with Indy again: 1 year, 650K per Shefter

The main crux of this guys article is as follows….

“It is my firm belief that McFadden might have a successful rookie year with the Raiders, but Dorsey would have solved a lot more problems this year for the hapless and hopeless Raider Nation.”

The argument is flawed in several ways. First, the Raiders already have invested in Kelly to fill the 3 tech DT position, the same position Dorsey plays. He is backed up by Warren, whom the Donkeys witnessed in impressive form last season, and is a quality backup and passing down NT. Both these guys make a lot of money and are very capable. Kelly has the endorsement of Sapp and Rob Ryan as the next premier 3 tech DT in the league, he just has been played out of position at DE out of necessity. (Sapp was there, and RE was up in the air prior to the emergence of Richardson and the Kalimba Edwards signing) With the amount of money already invested in the position, taking Dorsey made little sense.

He also argues that the Raiders are overloaded at RB, and this might be the case, but Run DMC adds the home run threat from the backfield that the Raiders have not seen since Bo Jackson and Marcus Allen before him. He adds that extra dimension that strikes fear in defenses and forces them to respect the home run ability that Run DMC presents on every play. Also, He is not just a RB. He will play ST returning kicks and punts, and eventually work in at WR and motion man.

Now, if the writer had altered his argument to include DE, and Vernon “Combine Freak” Gholston, I would have understood, but I still would have disagreed. Financially, Gholston was an option at DE, but it was not worth taking a combine all star over the best player in the draft.

OakFoSho