Horse Tracks - 3/18/10 - Pro Days Roll On
by John Bena on Mar 18, 2010 8:12 AM MDT
in Horse Tracks
44 comments
A light news day, at least where the Broncos are concerned. That means we can focus our attention on Pro Days and the NFL Draft - 5 weeks from tonight, by the way. Now is about the time I start peaking in on Mock Drafts. The Combine is over, and many Pro Days are finishing up as well. The informed are now getting a good idea of how the 'Big Board' shakes down. Still, it matters little in the end - I don't remember a Mock Draft that had the Broncos taking Knowshon Moreno at 12 last year - but the top 10 really starts to come together. For Draftniks the busy season really kicks into high gear now as we roll full-steam towards the Draft. These are good times indeed!
***REMINDER - Our first MHR Mailbag comes out TODAY. Send your questions in NOW to mhrmailbag@gmail.com***
2010 NFL Draft Preview - Quarterbacks
In the weeks leading up to the 2010 NFL Draft, DenverBroncos.com will take a look at the draft prospects position by position.
VIDEO - 2010 Draft Preview: Quarterbacks
The nation's top quarterback prospects talk about preparing for the 2010 NFL Draft.
Draft stock of Wyoming's Unrein on rise - The Denver Post
March is a time for many players to help or hurt themselves before the NFL draft, which this year is April 22-24.
Plan to change playoff OT set for vote - The Denver Post
NFL owners will vote next week whether to allow each team a possession in overtime in the playoffs if the team winning the OT coin toss kicks a field goal on the first series.
Cards acquire qb Anderson - The Denver Post
Derek Anderson is joining the Cardinals knowing he begins as the backup quarterback to Matt Leinart with a chance to push for the starting job.
Former CU Buff Brayton signs with Panthers - The Denver Post
The Carolina Panthers will have at least one starting defensive lineman returning next season after agreeing on a three-year deal with defensive end Tyler Brayton.
Whitehurst deal might put Clausen in free fall | National Football Post
When Pete Carroll and the Seahawks made the deal Wednesday to bring in Charlie Whitehurst from the Chargers, Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen went from a possibility at No. 6 to Seattle to a chance at free falling down the draft board come April.
NFL Draft: nose tackle breakdown | National Football Post
Nine prospects to watch as April approaches.
The Road to the NFL: Mardy Gilyard | National Football Post
The Cincinnati wide receiver has no problem telling you how it is, whether it’s the six months he spent living in his car or the 60 minutes he spent torching the South team in the 2010 Senior Bowl.
Bears’ Manning takes hard line | National Football Post
A bit of a fallout has begun in Chicago, where the Bears’ one-day spending spree of nearly $54 million in guaranteed money on other teams’ players on March 5 has left some in the locker room wanting. This may be a trend worth watching around the league as the 212 players who have been tendered one-year contracts are feeling a bit cornered by the new uncapped system in the NFL, and some may resort to some form of mild disobedience in protest -- boycotting offseason workouts, minicamps, OTAs, etc. (without a contract, they can’t be fined).
Bengals trying to lock up Bobbie Williams | National Football Post
The Cincinnati Bengals are trying to hammer out a deal with veteran unrestricted free agent offensive guard Bobbie Williams, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Tebow has five private workouts scheduled | National Football Post
Per the report, Tebow will be auditioning for the Washington Redskins, Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks and the Buffalo Bills.
Florida pro day results | National Football Post
Quarterback Tim Tebow (6-3, 236) may have dominated the headlines on Wednesday, but several other highly regarded prospects worked out at Florida’s pro day as well.
Tom Brady absent from Patriots' voluntary offseason workouts | National Football Post
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady isn't working out with his teammates at the team's offseason conditioning program.
Chad Henne not impressed by Tebow | National Football Post
By most accounts, University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow's overhauled throwing mechanics displayed during his Pro Day workout helped his cause with the NFL brass.
Tennessee pro day results | National Football Post
The University of Tennessee hosted its annual pro day yesterday, with 14 players working out for personnel from all 32 NFL teams. Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel was one of the coaches in attendance, according to Gil Brandt of NFL.com.
Arrelious Benn runs a 4.36 at Illinois' Pro Day | National Football Post
Imposing University of Illinois wide receiver Arrelious Benn ran even faster than the 4.48 he clocked at the NFL scouting combine.
Jets owner says he didn't mean to question Goodell's integrity | National Football Post
In a classic attempt at damage control, New York Jets team owner Woody Johnson is downplaying the controversy sparked by his angry statement ripping the secret coin flip that awarded the the first game at the teams' new stadium to the rival New York Giants.
Thaddeus Gibson on the rise | National Football Post
Ohio State hybrid pass rusher Thaddeus Gibson is determined to prove that he'll make a smooth transition as a full-time outside linebacker in the NFL.
Delhomme eager to redeem himself | National Football Post
Newly-minted Cleveland Browns quarterback Jake Delhomme doesn't hesitate to discuss what happened during a horrendous season last year that spelled his departure from the Carolina Panthers.
Mock draft 3.0: Domino effect, need for OTs, could drop Suh
11. Denver Broncos Rolando McClain, LB, Alabama McClain steps right into the starting lineup on Day 1 as a rock-solid "Mike" linebacker in the Broncos' 3-4. (Previous pick: Dez Bryant)
Warner tops list of best undrafted players of all time
It's always a benefit when a team's first-round draft pick meets those lofty expectations. And it's a real bonus when mid- to low-round selections exceed their expectations. This, of course, has been at the heart of NFL.com's voting platform to determine the best draft picks in NFL history.
'Uncapped year' hasn't exactly led to a spending spree
A question asked the other day helped spawn these thoughts: Where are teams in the salary cap right now if there were a salary cap in this "uncapped" season?
Teams, fans flock to see Tebow work out; QB mulls draft invite
Tim Tebow's latest visit to Florida Field looked like most of the others. He was cheered, revered and pulled in every direction.
New Cardinals QB Anderson welcomes backup role behind Leinart
Derek Anderson is joining the Arizona Cardinals, and he'll begin as Matt Leinart's backup with a chance to push for the starting quarterback job.
Free-agent RB Parker will visit Rams on Friday
Free-agent running back Willie Parker is scheduled to visit the St. Louis Rams on Friday, according to a league source.
Niners LB Willis has successful surgery to remove bursa sac in knee
San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis recently underwent a successful bursectomy on his right knee, the team announced Wednesday.
Bears cut CB Vasher, a one-time Pro Bowl pick hit by injuries
The Chicago Bears announced Wednesday that they have released former Pro Bowl cornerback Nathan Vasher
0 recs |
44 comments
|
Email
Print
Comments
I'm on the Gilyard bandwagon. We should definitely be taking a long, hard look at this guy.
If you read the article that John linked about him, I’m sure you’ll feel the same way.
In case you don’t know, Cincinnati is a city with a lot of crime (see Cincinnati Bengals). Besides the Bengals, there is a lot of gang and drug violence. In fact, about 5 or 6 years ago, the city had to enforce an 8 o’clock curfew for all citizens because of all the violence. They would shut down the city, have the police stroll around with riot gear and try and settle the gang wars that were going on at night. To this day, it’s still pretty dangerous if you are in the wrong part of town at night. The University of Cincinnati is right in the middle of “the hood” in Cincinnati. There’s more crime in that part of the city that immediately surrounds UC than many other parts of town. So, for Mardy Gilyard to survive and thrive in that kind of environment and still be a positive member of the community with his own foundation and everything, speaks volumes toward his character.
Mardy Gilyard has risen above it all and is ready to take the next step in the NFL. This guy is a hard worker and a great football player. I really think he can make an impact in the NFL and he is a good “character guy” that would fit on McDaniels’ roster.
If Taylor Swift were to try and tackle me, I'd let her.
PS3 ID: broncomaniac6
by kentuckybronco on Mar 18, 2010 8:33 AM MDT reply actions 1 recs
That trade San Diego made was a very good one for them.
Moving way up in round 2 and getting a 3rd rounder for their 3rd string QB… Wow, what is Seattle thinking?
In my opinion.
Can you imagine if someone offered us a similar deal for Brandstater?
We would be all over that like white on rice and the blog would be hopping with fans excited about the trade.
Seriously wise move by our arch-rivals…stupid move by Carol unless he knows something we don’t (could happen…we’ve been wrong before).
"Precipitation, which side are you on?
Are you on the rise? Are you falling down?
Let me know, Come on let's go, yeah
Got some if you need it!" -EV
He must really, really
think that Whitehurst is the man
Arch-rivals?
I didn’t know that it was that extreme. I know that we each want our team to obliterate the other team, but I didn’t realize that you didn’t like us that much.
If I agreed with you, we would both be wrong
No worries
It must have just been a typo..hi fives all around
by WYO(MF)BRONCOBOY on Mar 18, 2010 9:58 AM MDT up reply actions
Thats more like it
I always like a good dig at the other fan’s team. But, don’t we all really just want to watch an exciting game. That being said – I like watching the game more when my teams win.
If I agreed with you, we would both be wrong
Phyliss and the merry men only have that title because...
our real arch-rivals aren’t worthy of that title anymore. The chefs and faders will jump back up whenever they pull their heads out of their nethers. (I hope it doesn’t happen…there are more civil SD fans around than either of the others)
"Precipitation, which side are you on?
Are you on the rise? Are you falling down?
Let me know, Come on let's go, yeah
Got some if you need it!" -EV
A back-handed compliment
But I’ll take it.
The fans that usually are the loudest are the ones that the rest of the fans and embarrassed about. I hate when i look around at other blogs and some SD fan is just being a nimrod and getting in verbal wars with others. I will say though, MHR has done a very good job at keeping their commentators in check at home and abroad. You are generally very knowledgeable about other teams and as far as I’m concerned are always more than welcome at BFTB.
If I agreed with you, we would both be wrong
we have had our moments, no doubt
but the invite is appreciated nonetheless. The BFTB founder, Brian (DaBolts), was the definition of classy, and I don’t doubt that sometime, years in the future (when there will be tight pants and robots), anthropologists will be trying to figure out how it is that SD fans and DEN fans can somehow communicate civilly, and they’ll find Brian at the root of it, like a rosetta stone…
There's a big hard sun, beating on the big people, in the big hard world.
formerly Styg-like
by Jeremy Bolander on Mar 18, 2010 7:04 PM MDT up reply actions
And then to pay him 5 mil per year? Wow...
- Nick
"Know the enemy, know yourself, and victory is never in doubt, not in a hundred battles."
- Sun Tzu
Thanks, John
It’s amusing but also sad to see the ill will Bears managing is sowing. Penury has been the watchword in Halas Hall for eyars, and many players have been convinced to ratched down their demands. Then all the sudden, the McCaskeys stop pretending to be poor. And the average-to-slightly-above-average players they’ve pumped up as big starts, start asking to get paid. Evil, cynical, awful, ineffective management. This city is dying to be a football town, but it’s hard to see when it will get the chance.
The San Diego trade was so lopsided and ridiculous that even Porkchop couldn’t equivocate in his write-up.
there were a few of us after a while
Davis and Sharpe to the Hall!
"Teamwork divides the task and double the success."
- Unknown
by Jon Tollerud on Mar 20, 2010 2:16 PM MDT up reply actions
By the way....a few points.
The Seahawks are effectively out of the Brandon Marshall run now, in my opinion. They landed Whitehurst, a 28 year old third string QB with little to no resume, and they paid a handsome price. They don’t have the #40 pick anymore. I think they slid down to #60. This isn’t a deal breaker, but I think it reduces the chances.
This is unfortunately good for the Chargers, who will have two picks in the top 40 now.
Ahem...
I was fully on the Knowshon Moreno bandwagon well before last years draft…soon after I jumped off the Rey Maualuga bandwagon! ;-)
Verbose in style, dispersion of thought, procrastination in life.
The guy formerly known as ZAPPA
Hopefully Moreno won't be a bust
Yes, bust. Considering he was the 12th pick in the draft, got out produced by a journeyman running back (Tbuck), was a horrible short yardage runner until the final game of the season when he was passable, was called out by Stinky on NFL live for running faster to the sideline to do a touchdown celebration than he has as an NFL running back on the field, had fumble problems, etc. he still has a lot to prove. As does our other first round pick last year Ayers and what amounts to a third first round pick in smith. People around here hammer Shan for some of his picks, these three better start producing or the broncos wasted three first round picks.
Had Moreno been a 5th round pick, he would have been a nice little addition. As the 12th pick he better start producing, cause he sure as heck did not produce like a first round pick last year. Oh, and spare me the o-line sob story, tbuck was able to produce behind them. Tough call right now about whose rookie season was more of a disappointment, Moreno, Ayers or Smith.
So, lets hope we do better this year and our picks last year have much better seasons in the future.
by Keyworthpunch on Mar 18, 2010 9:56 AM MDT reply actions 2 recs
Stink once called us garbage.
And that was the moment I stopped listening to him.
"All by their heads, he places crowns."
"Brandon Marshall isn't as good as you think he is." - a random hobo I met
by Tempestuous Binary on Mar 18, 2010 10:07 AM MDT up reply actions
I think he was referring to the defensive line, not the whole team.
Still, it was outrageous.
A man does what he has to do, and sometimes it’s not what I believe he should do. There’s no reason to use up energy hating him for it. Shoot him if you have to, but don’t hate him.
Louis L’Amour
Yes, the front 7.
The point still remains. He sold out to the MSM Dukes-types. No accountability, no credibility, no point in giving him a second of my attention.
"All by their heads, he places crowns."
"Brandon Marshall isn't as good as you think he is." - a random hobo I met
by Tempestuous Binary on Mar 18, 2010 10:28 AM MDT up reply actions
"He sold out to the MSM Dukes-types." Yep.
If he had said that he didn’t think the front seven would be very good, that’s one thing. But to say they’re GARBAGE is totally uncalled for.
A man does what he has to do, and sometimes it’s not what I believe he should do. There’s no reason to use up energy hating him for it. Shoot him if you have to, but don’t hate him.
Louis L’Amour
Exactly. I don't mind criticism, but that wasn't criticism as much as it was outright bashing.
"All by their heads, he places crowns."
"Brandon Marshall isn't as good as you think he is." - a random hobo I met
by Tempestuous Binary on Mar 18, 2010 11:28 AM MDT up reply actions
Moreno was the leading rusher on our team was he not?
Davis and Sharpe to the Hall!
"Teamwork divides the task and double the success."
- Unknown
by Jon Tollerud on Mar 18, 2010 10:08 AM MDT up reply actions
In total yards.
But he averaged 3.9 per carry while Buckhalter averaged over 5 per.
A man does what he has to do, and sometimes it’s not what I believe he should do. There’s no reason to use up energy hating him for it. Shoot him if you have to, but don’t hate him.
Louis L’Amour
When I think of Knowshon, I think of this (the first play):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YRLfLAELdU
O-line collapses (of course), so what does he do? Oh, just a nifty spin and then some good ’ol fashioned hard running for a 1st down. I had visions of Floyd Little right there.
"All by their heads, he places crowns."
"Brandon Marshall isn't as good as you think he is." - a random hobo I met
by Tempestuous Binary on Mar 18, 2010 10:32 AM MDT up reply actions
Moreno vs. Buck
Except that Buck is a fast back who typically runs outside (behind Clady / Harris / Graham), while Moreno is a quick/shifty guy that more often runs inside behind the suckitude of our interior line… Buck SHOULD have a higher YPC…
Comparing the YPC of the 2 players is comparing apples to oranges. They are different backs with different styles, strengths, and weaknesses… and different interactions with the strngths and weaknesses of the McD scheme and other players on Offense.
I also am peeved at Buck for fumbling in the WAS game, on a drive that should’ve put that game out of reach, and instead was a big swing that eventually sank the team. Moreno had a few fumbles, but many of them were simply bad luck or Ed Reed doing his thing… Buck’s fumble was the result of being loose with the ball and not being ready for the backside pursuit… much less forgiveable in my mind.
Basically Keyworth, a few out-of-context stats does not the truth make…. Moreno may still be a bust or underperform as a #12, but nothing you’ve presented so far makes me think thats the case yet.
Those are excellent points. Also, like, Buck was kind of old and sort of injured, and — call me crazy — but if he got 20 touches a game, his per-carry average would have fallen mightily.
It’s not like he automatically got 5 yards per carry, no matter how or how often he is used. He got 5 yards per carry because he was used judiciously and in the right spots. His YPC average also skews b/c some very long runs — which are nice, but don’t make for a good short-yardage back, as not getting stuffed is the primary goal.
This is what kind of bothers me with Moreno.
His fumble are attributed to bad luck or Ed Reed making a big play, where TBuck was “loose with the ball” and not being ready for the backside pursuit. Sorry, but Knowshon…and every other back in the league…should know when they are playing the Ravens, everyone on that D is going to be making a play to strip the ball. Ball security is even more critical than usual. It’s Reed’s job to strip the ball, it’s Knowshon’s to hold onto it. It seems to me that we’re very quick to let Knowshon off the hook….
- Nick
"Know the enemy, know yourself, and victory is never in doubt, not in a hundred battles."
- Sun Tzu
by ncm42 on Mar 18, 2010 1:42 PM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
I wouldn’t say I let him off the hook… but I do recognize that there are GREAT players in this league that make plays vs EVERYONE, and Ed Reed is one of those guys. There are some bad plays that happen to even the best of players, typically when they are playing against other great players. If Manning throws a pick because Revis makes some stand-on-head-turn-on-a-dime coverage move, I don’t say Manning sucks… I say Revis is awesome.
I tend to put that Baltimore fumble in the “great play for Reed” category, and not the “bad play by Moreno” bin, as Moreno had the ball tucked and tight when he got hit by Reed… while it definitely wasn’t a good play for Moreno, I’m hard pressed to identify what else he was supposed to do.
In contrast, when Buck fumbled against WAS the ball was being held well away from his body. While the backside pursuit was a good play by the WAS defenseman, the actual fumble was squarely on Buck as he had lost ball control form and it was an easy slap from behind.
There are also many plays I put in the “dumb luck all around” category, that can be either good and bad (eg Stokely TD vs. Cincy), but aren’t really anyone’s fault or credit. They just happen.
But all this analysis requires scouting. I’m a HUGE believer in advanced stats, as I think many times you are right and viewers insert their subjective biases into opinions (and likely I have in my determinations of what bins to put things in)… but there is also data you simply can’t get from a row of numbers. We have to combine the too, and do the best we can.
I agree with you for the most part.
Sometimes the other guy just makes a play. After all, that’s why they get paid too. I wasn’t trying to single you out either. Just all season, any time Moreno got stuffed or put the ball on the ground, it almost always was determined to be the other guy making a play or the O-line failing. The Moreno fumble against BAL bothered me in particular. Yes, Reed made a great play. Yes, the ball maybe should’ve gotten to Moreno a little faster. But if you’re Moreno setting up for a screen play against THAT D, I think it’s on you to try and have an idea of where 20 is. To my eyes, it looked like KM was a little lazy in securing the ball quickly on that play. In the interests of full disclosure, though….I haven’t been able to look at that game since the day it was played, so maybe I’m ‘misremembering.’
- Nick
"Know the enemy, know yourself, and victory is never in doubt, not in a hundred battles."
- Sun Tzu
AND
I agree with you wholeheartedly about having to combine NUMBERS and NON-NUMBERS data. I am one of the guys who feels that stats are important and have their place, but I’m also a BIG believer in the good ol’ eyeball test. Some things just can’t be quantified, and some stats can be horrendously misleading…
- Nick
"Know the enemy, know yourself, and victory is never in doubt, not in a hundred battles."
- Sun Tzu
Moreno and underperformance as a #12 pick
One other thing, which perhaps/maybe we might agree on… because I’ll argue against myself here.
I think Moreno is almost certain to underperform for his draft position. In the current passing-friendly NFL, I think the marginal value (I’m an econmist) of premium RBs is actually very low compared to many other positions. Spending a high 1st round pick on an RB is almost certain to underperform for the position, because the I feel relative difference between the top RBs and the guys in rounds 2 or 3 is almost non-existent.
Unless Moreno turns into Barry Sanders/Walter Payton/E.Smith/TD/Purple Jesus/LDT, his marginal gain over a guy like Buck or someone drafted later (Brown) may be worth less than the gain a different player would’ve made. For that reason, I absolutely think drafting an RB with a top-15 pick is almost certainly a bad coaching move. Picks 16-90 are much more likely to produce full value.
Where I may differ with you is that doesn’t mean to me that Moreno is a bad player, that he was a bad pick, or that he’s worse than Buck…. it just means that if I were a coach, my scouts better have been giving glowing reveiws of Moreno compared to the other BPA’s to take an RB that high… but since I don’t know what info McX was getting at the time, I have no way to evaluate that decision.
by cjfarls on Mar 18, 2010 2:13 PM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
You're going to get tired of hearing this, too..
But agreed again. I like Moreno quite a bit, and I still hope for great things from him. I just think in the pass-happy NFL and in this system in particular, 12 is too high for a RB. Maybe part of that comes from being so used to Shanahan’s rotating backfield (post-TD from the sixth round, of course).
This is a topic that has been beaten into the ground around here, and PO and KB in particular make me re-think my position on this all the time, but I still don’t see what from his rookie year has everyone convinced KM is going to be “great” or “special.” Very good, maybe. To me and my aforementioned “eyeball” test, I have yet to see “great” or “special,” but I hope desperately that he makes us all forget about TD. I will be more than happy to eat my words…..
- Nick
"Know the enemy, know yourself, and victory is never in doubt, not in a hundred battles."
- Sun Tzu
I should've added
Something I meant to say and just kind of implied…I don’t think he’s “bad” at all. I just don’t think he has yet matched his draft position (which you explained far better than I could), and I don’t think he’s matched the hype given after the draft and throughout the season.
- Nick
"Know the enemy, know yourself, and victory is never in doubt, not in a hundred battles."
- Sun Tzu
Thanks for the Horse Tracks, btw.
"All by their heads, he places crowns."
"Brandon Marshall isn't as good as you think he is." - a random hobo I met
by Tempestuous Binary on Mar 18, 2010 10:08 AM MDT reply actions
About Florida's pro day....
The four letter conglomerate sure had the hype machine on high yesterday. Obviously it was a slow day in Connecticut for sports. I sure hope that nobody here watched their whole broadcast. Hell, a 30 second highlight on local sports was almost too much for me to take.
What’s next? A live broadcast of Tiger Woods chipping in his back yard.
I could have been a Rhodes Scholar, except for my grades.
-- Duffy Daugherty
This overtime thing is just stupid
You don’t want the other team to kick a field goal on their first possession in OT? How about covering the kickoff and then playing some defense? Buncha wusses want to change the rules.
by YouAreSignedIn on Mar 18, 2010 12:39 PM MDT reply actions
On the other hand
The OT rules as they currently stand, really don’t work the way that the rest of the game does. In what other circumstance does a team (possibly) lose the game without having ever touched the ball?
I’d like the OT rules to be more reflective of how the game is actually played -ie, both teams get chances to score and whoever ends up with the most points at the end wins.
by AllBroncsallday on Mar 18, 2010 3:18 PM MDT up reply actions
I'm of two minds.
I feel like there is too much whining about OT. If you don’t want it decided on a FG, win it in the first 60 minutes. Or play some D in OT.
In all reality though, kickers are getting better and stronger, and their ranges are getting longer. And in all honesty, I always find a 47 yard FG to win it after a couple of mid-range passes to be extremely anti-climactic (unless it’s the Broncos winning, of course!).
Rather than the OT changes being discussed, I’d love to see something more like the NBA. Just add a timed OT period. 10 minutes, maybe? If still tied after that, then go into ‘first team to score’ mode.
- Nick
"Know the enemy, know yourself, and victory is never in doubt, not in a hundred battles."
- Sun Tzu
I don't mind a change, but
Why make it so complicated? Simplify- 1) both teams must have one possession. 2) IF still tied, go to present sudden death.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Mile High Report
Related FanShots on Mile High Report
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
Getting Social With MHR
Next Game
Web Stuff
Certain photos copyright © 2010 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
