Denver Broncos: A Look Back ... and Forward

next year we should look into him as our coach

First let me say that the hardest 2 decisions you mention involve Daniel G. and Brian D.. Why because the are the finest examples of team oriented professional men in the entire NFL.so if we keep them I am fine with that but and while coach and scheme can make a big difference with some players there are a few on you list that are flat out terrible and would be back-ups on Fassel’s UFL champoinship team. So here is my please don’t keep list from you Its fine to keep list on offense Lindale White, Richard Quinn and Daniel Graham on Defense Ron fields. Ryan McBean, David Burton, Darcel McBath, Renaldo Hill.

the next biggest problem with the defense is that only 2 of the remaining players are starter quality Champ and Doom. All the rest of the players you mentioned are career back-ups that we have tried to start. DJ is a huge physical talent with a 5 cent brain. As a coach those kind of players get you fired that is why am so against DJ he is a great athlete. but Zach Davis was a LB see the contrast. I see the same out of Perish COx but he is young and may be able to be coached up. Squid will be a very good nickle back in the next couple years but never a stud starting corner
 
Our d was terrible because 3-4’s rely on excellent LB’s and safties. Our D line was just fine with bannan and Williams although Williams could not play enough downs.

Of course this is all SMO

The offense needs little tweaking and a lot more experience for it to be play-off caliber….a receiving TE, maybe one Olineman, and a big bruising back are on my wish list.

Defensively, two to three top FA and 3 top draft picks (any any order) at the LB and D line positions could go a long ways towards a play-off caliber D. Thinking in terms of cost vs LONG term value I have to say B Dawk should probably go. Baily is still performing at an elite level but he has more value in trade IF we’re building a team. Other than that your post hit me as absolutely right on and accurate.

To a great extent, I think you’re right. This team has enough talent at its core and what it needs is upgrades and continuity within the schemes in use.

On offense, I see you left out Kyle Orton and Dan Gronkowski, who could replace Brandon Graham and Russ Hochstein.

I’m sensing that Orton’s been getting thrown under the bus lately and it isn’t fair to him because of how well he knows this offense and how hard he worked to get to that point. Tebow can learn from him for another year. Although there are plenty of teams who could want to work out a trade for his services, I think the Broncos have no solid backup QB option on the roster, should Tebow suffer an injury that will take him out of the lineup. What happens to the offense when Tebow gets hurt?

I understand that QBs get traded to other teams, but does he have a good trade value? I think he practically destroyed it in weeks 10-12, when trying to play through his injury, like he always does. I commend him for trying to be tough, but this is 3 years in a row that he has gotten hurt mid-season and his performance falls off a cliff, when he tries to play through it. If Denver doesn’t get a good draft pick (3rd round or better,) then I say keep Orton.

As far as Richard Quinn, I doubt that after two years, he has much more to learn from Daniel Graham. As much as I appreciate Graham’s leadership, blocking ability, and understanding of this offense, he is at a point where his on-field contributions are replaceable. We have the Gronk who is showing promise (as a starter caliber player,) Quinn is showing some improvement, and Branson will likely be available. And let’s not forget, that the Broncos could draft a pass-catching TE in Kyle Rudolph next April, if they choose to.

You also left out Spencer Larsen, who I think makes for a great run-blocking FB. Just don’t ask him to carry the rock – LenDale White is a much better option. And should this be too much redundancy at the position, then move Larsen to backup ILB. That’s what he prefers to do anyway.

I love how you stuck up for Buckhalter. In the last few weeks, he has shown the ability that was there in 2009. He is a capable back who happens to be a catching threat as well, when healthy. Back injuries linger. He hurt his back on the first day of TC and had to run behind a porous O-line in the first 8 weeks. I gave him a break and it seems the coaches did the same for him. He is more than capable of returning for another year or two, barring serious injury. In fact, I’d keep him over Lance Ball, if a FA vet comes in (DeAngelo Williams.)

On defense, I’d put Ron Fields on the bubble instead of David Bruton. I see why you did it – there is no one to play NT exclusively, if both JWill and Fields depart. So if no one is available through FA and if Louis Leonard is disappointing, then one of the two big men will need to be retained for another year.

I also see that you forgot to mention Joe Mays and Robert Ayers. I think Mays has the potential to be a starter. If DJ is not traded and allowed to improve (assuming he can learn to shed blockers,) then I’d like to see more of Mays next to him. And Ayers was showing a lot of improvement in the beginning of the season before his foot injury. Not only do I think he is a keeper, but I think he is a good fit on the strong side, with Doom terrorizing QBs on the weak side.

Mario Haggan should be demoted to playing STs, which is his strong suit anyway, as long as Ayers is healthy.

And I appreciate your support for bringing back Dawkins for another season. I think his knee really bothered him this year and is the main reason why he missed some key tackles against the Raiders and Chargers.

And you’re right about the D-line. It’s the middle that’s the problem, not the edges – just like the entire defense.

Earlier in the season when the team was struggling I felt that we were perhaps 3-4 key players away from being a competitive team. I still believe that is about right.

For HC, I’m not really on board with aging “proven guy” movement. The game changes over time and I’d rather have a guy on the way up than the way down. Just because the last talented coordinator hire was aborted prematurely doesn’t mean another who shows promise shouldn’t be considered.

You’d rather see Fields than Ayers? Did you watch Fields last week or this season. I’m far from sold on Ayers, but he has much more upside than Fields. Ayers also plays harder, better and more productive ball than Fields.

Others I don’t care to ever see in a Bronco uniform again would be Dan “good hands” Graham, Lance “CFL” Ball, Richard “false start” Quinn. I’d throw Buckhalter in there. One good game doesn’t make up for several horrible drops/games in 2010.

On D – No more Fields, Goodman, Hill or McBath. Darcel can’t be trusted to stay healthy if we name him the starter.

I really hope Denver keeps Joe Mays around. We need far more nasty on our team and far less Goodman like apathy.

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I wanted so much to use this pic.

other than that I agree…

They both are on my keeper list…I must have been getting tired near the end of writing this post. It looks good now.

the middle. Build from the middle out. That means, NT, MLB and SS needs to be drafted. I too like Mays, but we are unsure still of what he will ultimately turn into. Either way you have to draft strong up the middle.

Maybe we watched a different season of football, but the majority of the time, our TE’s were in to help block because the OL was struggling so bad. That really doesn’t allow a TE to show that he can be an effective receiver in the gameplan. In fact, the gameplan and OL play, is the number one reason for why we supposedly NEED a new TE. Dallas Clark wouldn’t have done very well in our gameplan this year.

Graham is solid when he actually gets a chance…the problem is he is so rarely called upon to catch, that when he gets the opportunity, it’s glaringly obvious if he does something wrong. Gronkowski only had a couple of weeks in the offense, but wouldn’t rule him a bust just yet.

We need a defensive makeover this offseason. Wasting a pick on TE makes no sense to me at all. :)

Just my 2 cents!