Check it out.

by amirebram on Jul 25, 2008 4:30 PM MDT

Holland (the starting RG) came into camp overwieght and is being held out of practice until he gets into shape. In his absence, this is our starting lineup.

LT Clady, LG Hamilton, C Nalen, RG Kuper, RT Harris

So ... when short a OG, Shanny moved Kuper back inside and started Harris at RT. To me, this contradicts all the speculation that the team isn't high on Harris anymore or that he is in danger of being cut. Shanny could have just as easily used Weigmann or Gandy, or he could have even move Harris inside ... but he didn't.

Keep in mind that the battle for the RT possition is much more important than who fills in as RG for a few days until Holland gets back. This is going to set Kuper back (he needs to get used to playing RT) and it gives Harris a chance to secure a spot for himself.

I am much happier with Harris at RT and Kuper at OG. We are going to loose either Nalen or Hamilton in the near future, and having Kuper ready to take over LG is a big plus.

This is a Fan-Created Comment on MileHighReport.com. The opinion here is not necessarily shared by the editorial staff of MHR

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Or it could be that Shanny trusts Kuper more to handle Gaurd duty

and is only willing to use Harris as a tackle. To me, this looks like Shanny has more faith in Kuper’s ability to play multiple positions than it is him believing in Harris more. Although it is interesting that Erik Pears is no where in the picture…perhaps Pears is on the verge of getting cut…..

If God is not a Bronco fan, then WHY are sunsets Blue and Orange? - Jon Tollerud 5/22/08
The Quest ~ TSG 5/19/08

by Tim Lynch on Jul 25, 2008 4:47 PM MDT reply actions

My thoughts on Pears.

I think Pears suffers from the “Limited Potential Syndrom.” He is an ok player, but not the answer you are looking for at OT. An example is that Foxy was ok at CB, but Shanny wanted something better, so he traded for Bly. Or Meyers was an ok center, but we wanted someone better to be a long term solution.

There are a few angles to this issue. Pears is going to be a RFA next year, and since he was an undrafted player, the issue becomes complicated. If we give him the low tender, we essentially get a chance to match any other teams offer, but we won’t get any compensation if he leaves (and if he does start at RT again, someone will give him an offer we can’t/won’t match). If we give him the next level (2nd round tender) then it would pay him $1.5 Mil, and no one would give up a 2nd round pick for Pears. So eventually he will become a FA.

It would be nice to keep him as a backup, but you would have to sign him to a 3 or 4 year deal, and Pears is going to look for a chance to start first. So what’s the best way to keep him? Don’t give him playing time, so team won’t offer him good deals. This is a well known strategy call stashing, usually used by not playing an unknown guy you want to keep on your Practice Squad. If you don’t play him, then teams won’t sign him off your PS-it would be a bit more complicated with Pears, since he has already played, but if he doesn’t play for a year or two, then no one will be willing to give him the money that he might deserve if he has gotten better (which I am sure he has-dude is a hard working man).

The most important issue is that Shanny wants Clady to be the long term solution at LT, and he wants Harri or Kuper to take command of the RT spot. Yet at the same time there is a lot of risk involved in having a rookie starting LT, and a first year starter at RT … you need a reliable backup in case someone fails or is injured. Our only option is to use Pears.

If Pears were to start at RT, then there woud be no rescue plan if Clady isn’t ready. We don’t have that cheap vetran role player. At the same time, you can’t keep Kuper or Harris as backups … these are the guys we are counting on for the future. The best option is to let them take over now and have Pears as insurance.

Without playing time, it would be easy to keep Pears by giving him the low tender … no one will give him a big contract, and if he does get a deal form anyone, we would easily match it. Anyhow, it’s called playing it safe (or playing for keeps) with your more talented players.

Go So Cal. I am the bigger one.

by amirebram on Jul 25, 2008 5:20 PM MDT up reply actions

You nailed it with Pears free agency

Denver is most likely going to be willing to let him leave, and they feel they have seen what they need to see from him, so they plan on investing more into Harris and Kuper at this point. Like you say, the trick is being prepared for the loss of Hamilton, something that Kory is being prepped for as well.

Mountains, forest, sea: these render man fierce, but yet do not destroy the man.

by Jeremy Bolander on Jul 25, 2008 5:45 PM MDT up reply actions

I don't think we want to see him walk.

Think on it. In 09 we will have a 2nd year player at LT and a 3rd year player at RT. These guys are [hopefully] going to be around for a long time. We don’t need to draft young backups to develop… what we need is a veteran with some starting time under his belt. Having Pears, who still has some upside, and has started at both RT and LT for our system is really valuable for the team.

Let’s say he doesn’t play in 08, and we keep him as a RFA in 09 (the same way we are keeping Foxy, Paymah, and Abduallah). Come 2010 he will have sat on the bench for 2 seasons and not many teams will be in a rush to sign him. We could easily get him to sign for a 3 or 4 year deal.

We could even give him a try at OG in 09 (after we are sure that our current starting Tackles are alright). That way he will have something to play for, and versatility will add value to keeping him. [Keep in mind that Holland is a bit older than our group of young O-linemen.]

That way we will be set at OT for the next 6 years (if Clady and Harris/Kuper pan out). And we will have plenty of time to work on another OT (using the 2nd backup spot).

That’s how I would have done it anyways.

Go So Cal. I am the bigger one.

by amirebram on Jul 25, 2008 7:06 PM MDT up reply actions

You know I'm with you on Pears!! :)

I agree completely. There are a lot of Tackles going into free agency in 09, and I’m sure we will weigh Pears vs. some of the veteran backups that will be available.

Bottom line is he is almost assuredly a backup going forward, so Kuper/Harris are going to be getting more reps.

When you say “Limited Potential Syndrome” I hear you saying that the coaches feel like they have Pears pegged, and now they want to see if the “high Potential Syndrome” guys are what they think they are as well.

As far as limiting Pears playing time to keep him, something about that doesn’t ring true with me. Perhaps it is the idea that something like that may be harmful to the player, and that the coaches would be hardpressed to make a decision like that. If it was compared to, say, playing DJ out of position, I wonder how it would fare….

Mountains, forest, sea: these render man fierce, but yet do not destroy the man.

by Jeremy Bolander on Jul 25, 2008 8:01 PM MDT up reply actions

Let me say it another way

Whenever a team wants to sign a player, money plays a big role. Teams always look for a bargain.

Now lets say that we have Pears as a backup in 08, and keep him as a RFA in 09 (backup again). So basically he wouldn’t play a single down for two years (except maybe on special team).

Any team that would want to sign him for the 2010 season would have to deal with him based on game tape from the 07 season. Maybe he has improved, but can’t beat out Clady for the LT spot. Or maybe he has gotten worse sitting on the bench for all that time. Either way, he won’t be offered a huge contract, so it would be easy for Denver to match that offer and try to keep him … at least Pears won’t leave for the money.

We got Holland on a similar deal. Former starter who had lost his job to the new kid in town. Had been a backup for a year, and no one wanted to sign him. We got him for on a 1yr $1Mil deal. His own team could have easily kept him (financially speaking) had they cared to try.

On the other hand there is Cooper Carglie, our former starting RG. He isn’t as good as Holland, but he got a bigger deal from Oakland because he had been starting the past 2 or 3 seasons. He didn’t sit on the bench for an extended period of time.

So, if we want to keep Pears’s financial value down, so we could easily aford to sign him as a backup, then keeping him off the field will help.

Go So Cal. I am the bigger one.

by amirebram on Jul 25, 2008 9:05 PM MDT up reply actions

I like your take on that.

Offensive Line is not my strong suit, I am speculating greatly. ;) I think I’ll go with your assessment and leave it at that!

btw, are you still afraid of rural towns? heh

And in case I haven’t said it yet, I’m glad you are posting again after a short break there. ;)

If God is not a Bronco fan, then WHY are sunsets Blue and Orange? - Jon Tollerud 5/22/08
The Quest ~ TSG 5/19/08

by Tim Lynch on Jul 25, 2008 11:10 PM MDT up reply actions

Not scared for my life, but scared for my sanity.

I ended up spending some time in a small town, and it drove me knuts. I love Orange County.

Thanks for the nice comment. I was actually here everyday and I read everything. I just didn’t feel like I had anything to add to the discussion, and I was too busy to try and come up with any new posts.

Frankly talking about the roster or draft is much easier than comming up with “real” football talk.

Go So Cal. I am the bigger one.

by amirebram on Jul 26, 2008 2:50 AM MDT up reply actions

You seem more

like a “personnel” guy, so it doesn’t surprise me that players actually playing (or exposing themselves to eval. like in the draft) is what tends to engage you.

Another great thing about MHR, lots of specialists, lots of different interests, and no required commitments! Glad you’re back.

Mountains, forest, sea: these render man fierce, but yet do not destroy the man.

by Jeremy Bolander on Jul 26, 2008 9:50 AM MDT up reply actions

Kuper

I think Coach Shanahan recognizes Kuper’s versatility.

What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us. - Emerson

by firstfan on Jul 25, 2008 6:41 PM MDT up reply actions

I have to see Kuper at OT before I believe it.

I think Shanny is blowing smoke and playing mind games like he always does.

Go So Cal. I am the bigger one.

by amirebram on Jul 25, 2008 7:07 PM MDT up reply actions

Kuper's stats

This is from something I posted elsewhere a while back. At that time, the Broncos were planning on moving Kuper to OT, and the stats show part of why they were considering the move.

40 YD Dash
1. Chris Kuper-—-5.10
2.a Chris Williams-5.17
2.b Jake Long-—-5.17
3. Ryan Clady-—-5.18
4. Jeff Otah-——5.56

10 YD Dash
1. Long-—--1.76
2.a Kuper-—1.78
2.b Williams--1.78
3. Clady-—-1.76

20 YD Dash
1.a Kuper-—2.96
1.b Clady-—2.96
2. Long-—-2.97
3. Williams——2.98

Short Shuttle
(Joe Thomas ran a 4.88, but, to be fair this is one of two exercises that Kuper beats him at. Thomas ran a 4.88.)
1. Kuper-—-4.60
2.a Clady-—4.73
2.b Long-—-4.73
3. Williams--4.85
4. Thomas—-4.88

3 Cone: 7.59
1. Clady-—-7.09
2. Long-—-7.44
3. Kuper-—7.59
4. Cherlius--7.60
5.a Williams-7.95
5.b Thomas—7.95

Bench
1. Long-—-—37
2.a Kuper-—-24
2.b Clady-—-24
3. Williams-—-21

Vertical Jump
1. Clady-—-—31’‘
2. Kuper-—-30’‘
3. Long-—-—27.5’‘
4. Williams-—-25’‘
5. Cherlius-—-23’‘
6. Otah-———22.5’‘

Long Jump: 9’1’‘
1. Kuper-—-9’1’‘
2. Clady-—-9’
3. Williams-—-8’7’‘
4.a Long-—-8’6’‘
4.b Cherlius——8’6’‘

by Colinski on Jul 25, 2008 8:39 PM MDT reply actions 1 recs

Wow, that was great

I had no idea. Thanks for the info … I must have missed when you originally posted this stuff.

Rather impressive. Eventhough he was from a small school, it’s amazing that we got the dude in the 5th round. There were a couple of small school guys who were less athletic but got taken in the 3rd and 4th round this year.

Go So Cal. I am the bigger one.

by amirebram on Jul 25, 2008 8:54 PM MDT up reply actions