Free Agency Situation - Mar. 6th 2010 - Broncos
by Steve Nichols on Mar 6, 2010 9:30 AM MST
35 comments
So far, this is where the Broncos are in terms of Pick-up, re-signings, losses, and TBDs. I'll include brief notes on my own opinions of each player. See below the fold for the current situation as of noon, 3-6-10.
Picked Up
Bannan, Justin - DE From BAL. Has played at NT and DE. Can play / rotate at any of the DL positions, good run stopper. I give this move a "B". Isn't a star player, but has the potential. Solid player.
Jones, Nathan - CB From MIA. Another DB from MIA (we got two great ones last year). Jones is not a ball hawk, so don't expect many exciting interceptions. What Jones does well is keep plays in front of him, and tackles well. Like Bannon, this is a solid signing. "B"
Arrington, JJ - RB From no team. DIdn't play last year, cut by Denver. Is good at returns and receiving, making him a potent threat in screen plays. Doesn't give Denver the runs up the middle needed. If he can stay healthy, he's a good signing. Will raise his value if he can pass-block out of single backs sets. "C+"
Re-Signed
Hochstein, Russ - OG Being re-signed is a sign that the team has confidence in you. Russ can compete for a spot at either OC or OG. Don't be shocked if he starts. "B"
Llyod, Brandon - WR Nothing flashy, but dependable. I like this re-signing for the depth it gives Denver. Would do fine at slot, or could play at #2 in a pinch. "B"
Gone
Jordon, Lamont - RB Released. Just couldn't fight into the rotation.
Wiegmann, Casey - OC Released. Came in to back up Denver legend Nalen, and ended up starting when Nalen was too injured to play on. Despite his age, Wiegmann did a fine job for Denver. Denver now needs more bulk and youth on the line. I wish Casey well.
To Be Determined
Berger, Mitch - P May see some competition for the spot, but likely to stay.
Dumervil, Elvis - OLB There is no way Denver lets this elite pass rusher get away.
Fox, Vernon - SAF Fox has value on STs, and is a back up at SAF.
Holliday, Vonnie - DE A mixed bag. May stay with the team in a back-up role, but doubtful to start.
Gorin, Brandon - OT With the talent already in place at tackle, and with the current expected influx of OLmen, Gorin may be in trouble.
Greisen, Nick - LB May have a tough time fighting for a roster spot.
Hamilton, Ben - OG I put Hamilton's odds at 50/50 of starting for Denver on game day.
Kuper, Chris - OG Denver is very likely to re-sign Kuper.
Law, Ty - CB Older, and looked a little lost coming out of retirement to play for Denver in mid season. Still, he remains a very smart player, and would be solid as a 4th CB or a back-up. I'm prediciting he retires.
Marshall, Brandon - WR This is the name that everyone is waiting on (not just in Denver). Has star power, excellent hands, moves, and power. Has made poor decisions on the field (the glove), the locker room (suspensions) and at home (legal). I call this a win / win situation. If Marshall stays, the team keeps a powerhouse at WR. If he goes, the team will get good compensation.
Orton, Kyle - QB Has improved every year he has played. Check out this progression (courtesy of Emmit Smith)
QB ratings for Orton:
2005 - 59.7
2006 - N/A
2007 - 73.9
2008 - 79.6
2009 - 86.8
May not be a star QB, but is moving in that direction. Throws few INTs, and has shown that the "noodle arm" is a myth. Denver wouldn't be foolish to bring in a young talent to groom, but Orton will have another year with Denver to learn the system, and should get a better OL and run support this year.
Scheffler, Tony - TE A very good receiving TE that just doesn't fit the type of system Denver is moving towards. His agent (Bus Cook, who gave us the Cutler problems), is already making comments in the press about Scheffler being disrespected by "only" having a 2nd round tender. Laughable, if one wants to compare Scheffler to Doom or Marshall in terms of team value. While I'd like Scheff to stay, I think there's a good chance we get adequate compensation for him.
Smith, Le Kevin - DE Not likely to start, and may be have problems making the roster in '10.
8 recs |
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Excellent analysis
Thank you!
It all starts in the trenches - HT 11/11/08
Leave the hateful vitriol to the uninformed - HT 3/16/09
I agree with most
But, I think the odds of Hamilton even being a bronco is more like 10% let alone starting. Mitch Berger may compete for the punting job but will ultimately be cut. And Marshall will ultimately be gone. Just my thoughts.
Agree with that
Hamilton is probably more accurately 10 90 than 50 50 that he’ll even play for the Broncos, yet alone be starting. But anyway, thanks for this tracker, really helpful and I look forward to more news in the coming days. Or at least I hope I look forward to it!
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants country, and damned proud of it.
My thinking....
Hamilton had a bad year in ‘09, but has been fine otherwise. He hasn’t been cut outright, and can compete for his position. Do I think he’s safe? Not at all. The team will bring in competition for his spot and OC. However, he hasn’t been cut outright, and he has a chance to fight for a spot. 50/50 for a veteran used to starting is pretty bad odds. Still, if I had to wager, I’d agree that he doesn’t start.
Formerly known as Hoosierteacher or just HT.
"I presume that all of you here think me worthy of pity. But Great God, when I think I was on the point of doing nothing, I consider myself worthy of envy." Jean Valjean, Hugo's Les Miserables
by Steve Nichols on Mar 6, 2010 12:22 PM MST up reply actions
Dont forget we also added J.J. Arrington again
or doesnt that count because he was signed before the FA period opened?
Hamilton is on his way to Seattle…, he might not sign there ofcourse but I dont think he’ll be back in Denver
Bleeding Orange & Blue in The Netherlands
Steve graded him like a C+ in the comments of another thread.
I am guessing it was just an oversight on his part. ;-)
Verbose in style, dispersion of thought, procrastination in life.
The guy formerly known as ZAPPA
He wasn't picked up from another team....
….so I missed him. Will do the edit shortly.
Formerly known as Hoosierteacher or just HT.
"I presume that all of you here think me worthy of pity. But Great God, when I think I was on the point of doing nothing, I consider myself worthy of envy." Jean Valjean, Hugo's Les Miserables
by Steve Nichols on Mar 6, 2010 12:15 PM MST up reply actions
Free Agency Update
Broncos are hosting DL Dwan Edwards and LB Marques Murrell today, per Adam Schefter and Fox Sports respectively.
A vision without a plan is just a dream. A plan without a vision is drudgery. But a vision with a plan can change the world.
Great post teach and rec'd
I really don’t see Brandon Lloyd as a slot receiver, he doesn’t like to get hit by LBers and the place I see him is the #3 wideout if that.
He made some great plays in the KC Game, and in preseason
So, I think he can be a good WR if he has the desire to do what is necessary to get there, but I don’t know much about the guy
"No matter how far a Jackass travels it will never come back a horse"
by SpaceCowboyInLG on Mar 6, 2010 9:54 AM MST up reply actions
Lloyd
He’s a decent sized guy with great hands, fitting well for the slot. And unless you’re as big as Brandon Marshall, no one likes getting hit by LBs.
by maxwellsdemon on Mar 7, 2010 1:53 PM MST up reply actions
Thanks HT
I can see Ben Hamilton going to Seattle to play C for them. He’s also visiting, not just BMarsh.
"All credibility, all good conscience, all evidence of truth come only from the senses." Friedrich Nietzsche
Did anyone hear about Rothlesberger yesterday and him being accused of sexual assault?
I heard it on the radio coming home and never saw anything on TV.
Yep
Something happened in a bathroom at a bar. Stay tuned. Ben is using the old they want my money defense. Girl went to hospital so I’d guess she had a rape kit done. Police is looking into it. Will know more Monday.
... if you have a belief, you will tend to find things that support it. But if you have a prejudice, you’ll move heaven and earth to maintain it. BroncoBear
This is the second accusation against him.
The fact that the woman went to the hospital makes the case much more ominous. The case won’t be pursued without evidence, so if the police push it, there’s likely something there.
Formerly known as Hoosierteacher or just HT.
"I presume that all of you here think me worthy of pity. But Great God, when I think I was on the point of doing nothing, I consider myself worthy of envy." Jean Valjean, Hugo's Les Miserables
by Steve Nichols on Mar 6, 2010 12:26 PM MST up reply actions
Hamilton couldn't even be a starter
when we were absolutely desperate for somebody to step up in the middle last year. He lost his job. With Seattle hosting today, Redskins likely interested, and us completely uninterested in him other than as a backup (and even that is a big maybe), well then 50/50 seems pretty optimistic at best.
Pretty much agree on the rest.. What’s the latest on Hadnot? I’ve been mostly away from news the last day. He sign? Or is he in Denver at least?
Good luck with the Redskins Mr. Mike! I'll be watching and cheering for a non-Bronco team for the first time in my life. Well, except when they play the Broncos!
I have a feeling about this
So the confidence in Hochstein is, that his results will improve with a better supporting cast around him. That may also hold true for Hamilton, if he ends up playing Center for us. Don’t be dismayed at the lack of superstar talent being recruited. As we’ve seen in last years FA pickups, role players and backups on one team can very well excel on another. Players are drafted into the wrong system for their talents all the time.
Character may be manifested in the great moments but it is made in the small ones -- Philip Brooks
KK, I see Russ as a very reliable backup only. Remember his contract has the ‘starter’ clause in it so as to protect the team.
I see that too
Maybe he gets beat out in Camp.
Character may be manifested in the great moments but it is made in the small ones -- Philip Brooks
Backup QB idea
Mentioned this earlier, but does anyone think Shaun Hill might be a viable option to pursue as backup QB? Assuming the Niners sign David Carr as expected. Hill isn’t super talented but he’s solid, smart and seems to win. Not a bad backup and wouldn’t be that expensive. Just a thought.
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants country, and damned proud of it.
Hill
I like what he did for the Niners last year, and he would make a good back up. But I would be worried about him starting for long periods of time. He is smart, but is less physical then Orton.
by maxwellsdemon on Mar 7, 2010 1:54 PM MST up reply actions
ANY ANY news on an important Bronco UFA...
named Matt Prater? He was a restricted FA that was not tendered and I am surprised he is not signed yet.
That's a good question, very good
I too wonder about Prater. I’ve heard that he’s a ERFA, but I’ve seen him listed as a UFA and RFA. So, I’m not sure. Maybe John or Jeremy can answer with some surety??
Good luck with the Redskins Mr. Mike! I'll be watching and cheering for a non-Bronco team for the first time in my life. Well, except when they play the Broncos!
Orton QB Rating
According to ESPN his rating for 2009 was 86.8.
Doesn’t change the point at all, that’s still an improvement.
You are correct.
The NFL backs up your number. I’m making the edit.
Formerly known as Hoosierteacher or just HT.
"I presume that all of you here think me worthy of pity. But Great God, when I think I was on the point of doing nothing, I consider myself worthy of envy." Jean Valjean, Hugo's Les Miserables
by Steve Nichols on Mar 6, 2010 12:29 PM MST up reply actions
Improvement
It’s true that Orton has constantly improved each year he has played, so I’m excited to see how he does in a system that promotes QB growth rather then stunting them like in Chicago.
by maxwellsdemon on Mar 7, 2010 1:56 PM MST up reply actions
Sick of the ragging on OL
We had a great offensive line until McD had to change the system to one the broncos lacked the personnel to run. Still, Tbuck had good production behind that horrible line. Moreno did not, and he lacked any short yardage running skills until the final game of the season and, even then, was only average.
McD also chose to call plays that ran right into the strength of the defense, often were there were more defenders than blockers. The result? Moreno was left one on one with a safety and he consistently lost this battle throughout the year. McD could have fooled these defenses countless times by not running right into their strength.
So, please stop blamming the offensive line who were perfect personnel for a system McD did not want to run.
Not on third-and-shorts he didn't (Buck I mean)
Moreno did pretty well after first-contact versus your idea of him losing the battle with the 8th man. Yet,it’s still concerning that Buck performed so well compared to Moreno.
I don’t think the idea that the interior O’ LIne was inept in the new scheme is really a product of having the MHR blinders on. I think it’s real. As for the change, well, it happened. It’s still happening. We’re not going back to ZB, so we’ve got to jump on board. Yes, we lacked the personnel to completely make the change, but change takes time. You’ll sing another tune what’s it’s better installed this year.
So, please stop blamming the offensive line who were perfect personnel for a system McD did not want to run.
There’s more than one way to win a game, even if it’s not your idea or Shanny’s. So, please stop blaming McDaniels for not genie-blinking every desired change into place in a single season.
Good luck with the Redskins Mr. Mike! I'll be watching and cheering for a non-Bronco team for the first time in my life. Well, except when they play the Broncos!
by Alex on Mar 6, 2010 11:55 AM MST up reply actions 1 recs
The short yardage situations could be part O-Line and part play calling on the coach.
Definitely the scheme played a part in those situations and McD stressed that everything would be looked at in terms of getting better. We can’t go through that again and the coach realizes it, things will be adjusted and revamped to some degree and it has already taken some shape with the signing of Fry and Batiste, there will undoubedly be more added.
Change
And we have also seen the change from zone blocking. And I would definently say that our short yardage situations went much better when Buck was healthy, so him staying healthy is pretty important next season.
by maxwellsdemon on Mar 7, 2010 2:00 PM MST up reply actions
You're missing the point, kwp
Over the past few years, Denver has worn down on both sides of the line as the season wore on due to lack of size. Wiegmann grew old, which has nothing to do with McDaniels’ system. Hamilton played terribly, and that’s not part of the change in scheme – when I broke down film, I saw him quitting before the plays ended, which led to the RB being tackled for less yards. That’s not scheme. Neither is Harris’ injury. So, there were problems with three of the 5 starters that weren’t directly related to McD at all.
It is true that McDaniels wants a more power-based line, bigger and stronger. Is that news? Shanahan was happy to go in that direction at the end – Look at Clady. The Broncos were pretty happy to get a bigger guy, stronger guy who also had great feet. There’s nothing wrong with implementing a new scheme and changing players. Age, injury and lack of focus were the three biggest problems on the starting line. Claiming that any of them were McD’s fault isn’t accurate.
What you’re also missing is that the zone blocking scheme wasn’t perfect for the passing game. We know that ti was not – Pass blocking is a matter of knowing your assignment and beating your man, and the smaller guys had trouble late in games and later in the season each year. Denver didn’t do well at that early in this past year, either. Since it’s not a ZB situation, why blame the coach? All terminology on offense was changed to match the new system and that’s normal too. It will confuse people at first, but that passes (and hopefully, we’re going to be able to next year).
This sounds like one more “I just don’t like McD” situation.
Don't say rebuild - say reload...
by Doc Bear on Mar 6, 2010 3:07 PM MST up reply actions 3 recs
Good points all Em.
I’ll add that a good ZB scheme needs a mobile QB. While there are several very good scramblers out there, it limits a team’s choices. Right now, the gold standard seems to be Manning and Brady (and now perhaps Brees). I wouldn’t want them to be handicapped behind a zb line.
Don’t get me wrong; I’m a big fan of the zb. But like Em says, we are moving towards a different program and need to make the appropraite adaptations. I don’t fault the coach on this one, and think our players weren’t up to snuff.
(Sure, the players weren’t built to run a gap blocking scheme. But that’s where we are going, and getting better isn’t a matter of being “fair”. If they aren’t the right fit, we need the right guys.)
Formerly known as Hoosierteacher or just HT.
"I presume that all of you here think me worthy of pity. But Great God, when I think I was on the point of doing nothing, I consider myself worthy of envy." Jean Valjean, Hugo's Les Miserables
by Steve Nichols on Mar 6, 2010 3:39 PM MST up reply actions
Thanks Teach
a lot has happened already and it’s good to find it all in one place. It was very helpful to see where we are at and what we still need to do.
Can you keep us updated every day or every other day.
Gave your post a rec.
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