I really don’t see how they are not going to be able to keep Polumbus on practice squad and subject him to the waiver wire. Right now I have them keeping the following:

LT – Clady
LG – Hamilton
C- Nalen
RG – Kuper
RT – Harris

C- Weigman
C/OG – K-Lich
OT – Pears
OG/C – PJ Alexander

With them signing Erickson and Polumbus to the practice squad

Even than may be stretching it since a lot of times the Broncos only run with 8 o lineman.

I really don’t know if he was in Shannan’s “doghouse”, granted he showed up overweight, but he obviously worked it off and was playing well from what I had seen and heard, I think it may have been something of the player didn’t fit the system as well and they probably felt if they could get a draft pick for him, especially if he wasn’t going to start then go for it. I had always contended though that I really doubt Nalen will be coming back and I would have liked to see them move Hamilton over to Center and bring in Holland as a guard.

After Holland showed up overweight and didn’t practice for the first three weeks, Kuper stepped in and the line was forming into a team. Once Holland lost the weight he was not only having to fight Kuper for the position but fight the cohesion that the line had formed.

In the ZB scheme each player has to know what the other is doing (at least the players on either side of them) and sticking in someone who hadn’t been there for three weeks was just going to be too much of a disruption to what had already taken place.

I think Holland may have been in the doghouse more than some think for the overweight thing. I my humble opinion, a player that doesn’t take it serious enough to keep himself in shape or even at a decent weight isn’t committed enough. I know on my school team, we frown on the players that don’t work hard and don’t take it serious enough and even though some of them might be a bit more talented than the guys behind them, their habits cost them playing time, even starting positions. Holland is paid to be ready for the start of Camp, he was not and that is a huge nono for me, if he isn’t any more committed than that then good riddance as far as I’m concerned. To win at the NFL level, it takes commitment and team play, and I think Shanny is sending that message here. We’ve tried the talented thugs thing, (Dale Carter, Darrell Gardener anyone?) and it didn’t work. So I applaude Shanny for this move. Holland may have been the most talented guard we had, but his commitment is obviously lacking.

http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/08/montrae-holland-definitely-sends-a-messa.html

Holland is too good and too expensive (1.9mil for the year if they kept him) to be sitting on the bench, but with Harris settling in at RT, there is no danger of Kuper being needed on the outside, so he can just stay put. They traded Holland now while a rare opportunity existed. Dallas isn’t buying something sight unseen here. They have a starter out, questionable backups, and a good scouting report (from playing us in practice and preseason) on a player that is starter quality. That doesn’t happen everyday and I am glad all sides recognized the benefits and took advantage of it. And the 5th is very valuable and favors the Broncos.

Question for MattR (glad you are back and in fine form!):

Can Denver, and what are the chances that they might, recoup the 1mil signing bonus? If they can, I would say watch the bonus money. If they try to get it back, that is an indication of doghouse trade. If not, it means they were happy with what Holland gave while he could, but disappointed enough in his current situation to be willing to part ways.

Bottom line is that Holland didn’t help himself by showing up out of shape, but his stock was very bullish throughout the preseason, and denver cashed in on a good combination of circumstances with Dallas. I honestly believe that Dallas is the only team who had enough information to give us as good of a deal as we got. Everybody, including Dallas and Holland got lucky here.

Two things:
- Tom Nalen is going to recover
- Kory Lichtenteiger’s development is starting to come along.

If Nalen comes back, Weigmann has definately earned a spot on this team. He came over here to start, he has a great games started streak, and he has proved that he still has some gas left in the tank. He can play guard, and he is the type of guy who will change positions for the good of the team. So, that makes Holland’s fat arse obsolete.

I initially thought Practice Squad for Lichtensteiger, but now it seems to have come down to whether Shanny likes him or Dylan Gandy better. I’m going to go with K-lic on that one. He’s a beast and our future at center, and if Shanahan keeps him, then I think we are in good hands for years to come. After all, Shanny has had about as much success drafting linemen in the late rounds as he has running backs, it just doesn’t get as much publicity.

So, I have two scenarios: Nalen coming back and starting center with Weigmann at guard, and Kuper and K-lic backing him up; or Nalen retiring and Weigmann at center, Kuper at guard, and K-lic backing him up.

you seem to be right. Are you a football prophet?