Sporting News' Andrew Mason suggests that the Broncos may be ready to turn over their starting middle linebacker job to Nate Irving in 2012.
The 67th overall pick in last year's draft, the Broncos are smitten with Irving's "presence and potential," per Mason, and he may very well have started games in 2011 if not for the lockout-shortened offseason. Denver instead stuck with Joe Mays, a two-down thumper who lacks Irving's range, playmaking ability, and cover skills. Mays may be allowed to sign elsewhere this spring.
Rotoworld/Andrew Mason
4 months ago
Scotty Payne
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Yep...some of us on here have been preaching patience with him and not to write him off...
Parcells said he was a round 1 talent, and he has been sitting and learning. Most of our LB problems are fixed if Irving is a player, and from what I have seen, he will be.
Have faith!
Great find Scotty!
Foxy...you WERE on the hot seat, but you fooled me you rascally old deveil...keep building that team mate!
"Tebow is a special player. I have never seen a player quite like him in my whole career! I’m gonna play all out for the guy! I know he will be out there giving 110% every play every week, so I’m gonna give 120%!:
Champ Bailey.
very interesting. Just mocked Dan Connor to be signed here, but it may be Joe Mays instead if the feel Irving is ready.
Von Miller for DPOY '12
by BroncofanfromBoston on Feb 12, 2012 3:49 PM MST reply actions
Even if Mays leaves it would be foolish to not have another veteran prepared for depth
Haggan is good but we have a lot of youth (good and bad)
It's nice to hear that we didn't see Irving this year purely cause EFX didn't wanna rush him.
And now for something completely different
and not because he isn't developing
And now for something completely different
by AlbertaBronc on Feb 12, 2012 4:58 PM MST up reply actions
Very good news
don’t want him out there if he wasnt prepared. He would have to be the QB of the Defense, the lockout severely hurt him. A full season and offseason hopefully he’ll improve. Before his accident, he was considered a 1st round pick i believe.
by Scotty Payne on Feb 12, 2012 6:08 PM MST up reply actions
I surely hope so. I want more than anything for Irving to be the guy but until the team declares him such I won't be all in.
I still think we need a FA like Dan Connor or a draft pick like Bobby Wagner to compete for the spot.
This is great to hear though.
Tim Tebow wears 3WM and drinks Tuscan whole milk.
dan connor
Honest question, why does Dan Connor’s name come up so much? What does he have over Joe Mays? I checked out the stats sites and he seems to be rated worse than Mays, in pretty much all categories. Not that Mays is all that good either.
He is a good LB who is stuck behind Jon Beason (fantastic LB). He knows Fox and may want a reunion and he won't be too expensive.
He is a better all around LB than Joe Mays IMO and won’t need to leave on 3rd down. His stats are worse because he didn’t play every game last year and was a rotational guy behind great players IMO.
Tim Tebow wears 3WM and drinks Tuscan whole milk.
by BroncoMath101 on Feb 12, 2012 5:36 PM MST up reply actions
the real question is
Why are people so reluctant to go all in on guys already on the roster, but are fine going all in on a draft pick or someone else’s backup?
by ten_fiver on Feb 12, 2012 7:39 PM MST via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
We're all impatient
Irving didnt do much at all, so we see new exciting talent in the draft, and want to move on.
by Scotty Payne on Feb 12, 2012 7:49 PM MST up reply actions
connor?
I can understand being impatient, but all Connor did was sit the bench like Irving. Why the patience with other teams benchwarmers?
by ten_fiver on Feb 12, 2012 8:43 PM MST via mobile up reply actions
Because fox drafted him
everyone assumes we’ll sign him
by Scotty Payne on Feb 12, 2012 9:38 PM MST up reply actions
I don't think we should ever go all in on a player unless they've proven they can do it. That is why competition needs to be brought in.
Tim Tebow wears 3WM and drinks Tuscan whole milk.
by BroncoMath101 on Feb 12, 2012 8:43 PM MST up reply actions
Yeah...as always Ten you are on it...we want to bring in a rookie from draft to compete with a rookie???....Lets give Irving a fair shake!
Foxy...you WERE on the hot seat, but you fooled me you rascally old deveil...keep building that team mate!
"Tebow is a special player. I have never seen a player quite like him in my whole career! I’m gonna play all out for the guy! I know he will be out there giving 110% every play every week, so I’m gonna give 120%!:
Champ Bailey.
Excellent question.
I’ve been guilty of this as well. But your question really hits the inconsistency home.
There's no way Khloe's a Kardashian. No frickin' way.
by Agent Jerry Fletcher on Feb 15, 2012 4:13 PM MST up reply actions
Mays
Why do you believe Connor is a better MLB than Joe Mays? I checked advancednflstats, pro-football-reference, and profootballfocus, and all of them have Mays ranked better than Connor.
That’s not because Mays is a good linebacker. It’s because Connor is one of the three worst starting inside linebackers.
yeah i looked at that too
Connor didnt grade out very well.
by Scotty Payne on Feb 12, 2012 9:30 PM MST up reply actions
Why waste a pick on a MLB when we have our potential guy, and we can get a FA....makes no sense...
Irving will be the guy…and he will do well.
Foxy...you WERE on the hot seat, but you fooled me you rascally old deveil...keep building that team mate!
"Tebow is a special player. I have never seen a player quite like him in my whole career! I’m gonna play all out for the guy! I know he will be out there giving 110% every play every week, so I’m gonna give 120%!:
Champ Bailey.
Well I've heard a lot of people say other picks would do well and to mark it down yadda yadda yadda
but the truth is, until he’s shown he can then how do we know? I’m not saying he won’t I’m just saying that you don’t really go all in on a guy until you believe he can really do it. If the coaches say he’s the starter and he earned it then I buy it. Just because us fans like him and hope he’ll do well though doesn’t mean he will.
I am only saying that competition needs to be brought in. Drafting a potential starter at the position isn’t saying Irving won’t or cant’ be the guy. Its just saying that until he’s proven he can we shouldn’t put all our eggs in his basket. I am for bringing in a FA first but I like Wagner enough in the draft to use a pick on him because I think he has starter potential as well.
Tim Tebow wears 3WM and drinks Tuscan whole milk.
by BroncoMath101 on Feb 12, 2012 8:46 PM MST up reply actions
Totally agree. Bringing in another guy with starter potential is always a good idea. Everything position should be earned. Nothing should be given away.
By the way, I agree that Wagner looks like he could be a very good player.
"If we cannot find a way, we will make one." -Hannibal
by AvalancheRescueDog on Feb 12, 2012 9:53 PM MST up reply actions
I just don't agree with bringing in another draftee to compete with a draftee...I would be OK with Connor or another...but wow...
I will go all in on a guy that has been here before I will on another drafted player…thats just me I guess.
Foxy...you WERE on the hot seat, but you fooled me you rascally old deveil...keep building that team mate!
"Tebow is a special player. I have never seen a player quite like him in my whole career! I’m gonna play all out for the guy! I know he will be out there giving 110% every play every week, so I’m gonna give 120%!:
Champ Bailey.
also
What’s wrong with keeping Mays around for competition? He’s young, has starting experience, and is great on special teams.
I don’t get these people boydy
by ten_fiver on Feb 13, 2012 12:36 AM MST via mobile up reply actions
Mays is worth keeping.
Foxy...you WERE on the hot seat, but you fooled me you rascally old deveil...keep building that team mate!
"Tebow is a special player. I have never seen a player quite like him in my whole career! I’m gonna play all out for the guy! I know he will be out there giving 110% every play every week, so I’m gonna give 120%!:
Champ Bailey.
Worth keeping
as a backup and good ST player for sure. I hope nobody makes the mistake of paying him starter money.
luckily im a bronco and a blazer fan
I'd keep Mays as a backup if he's willing. He's good on ST.
Tim Tebow wears 3WM and drinks Tuscan whole milk.
by BroncoMath101 on Feb 13, 2012 9:54 AM MST up reply actions
I never said I was going all in on Bobby Wagner either and I never once said draft Bobby to be our starter.
Where did you get that? I just said to bring in another potential starter to compete for the job. Don’t we want all our backups to have starter potential? I also said I like FA first too but we know Fox loves speedy LBs and if a draft pick fits the bill then they may look at that.
Tim Tebow wears 3WM and drinks Tuscan whole milk.
by BroncoMath101 on Feb 13, 2012 9:04 AM MST up reply actions
I agree.
I’d rather help Irving even more by drafting or signing a big/bad DT to help him even more. Worthy or Jason Jones makes a lot of sense. Also I’d rather focus on CB more then MLB in the draft.
by tiderfootball09 on Feb 13, 2012 12:24 PM MST up reply actions
What difference does it make if we bring in starter quality competition through the draft or FA? The goal for the team should be to fill the roster with the absolute best football players available, regardless of how they are brought in. All I said is competition should be there for every position.
"If we cannot find a way, we will make one." -Hannibal
by AvalancheRescueDog on Feb 13, 2012 3:04 PM MST up reply actions
I certainly hope that Irving works out
His story is one of triumph over adversity and I liked what I saw in his interviews. Also, HEY GUY!, Horvil Tiki sighting in comments section!
Lady, you want me to answer you if this old airplane is safe to fly? Just how in the world do you think it got to be this old?
— Anon
Both optimists and pessimists contribute to the society. The optimist invents the aeroplane, the pessimist the parachute.
— George Bernard Shaw
by Choochoobonewagon on Feb 12, 2012 5:32 PM MST reply actions
Connor is a bit overrated by us. He's a good run stopper, but lacks in coverage
If Irving continues to impress, we should just get a cheap veteran to compete with Irving. Connor may end up being one of the best available ILB/Mike backer in FA, and probably won’t be as cheap as we all think
Aaaah...The precious unknowns, isn't it exciting watching a rose bud blossom into a beautiful flower...
"You hate to think you have to censor your language to meet other people's lack of understanding" -Julian Bond
Follow @bfree2bronc
As long as some of the gardeners on this site don't home along with their weed whackers and chop dan flowers before they bloom!
Foxy...you WERE on the hot seat, but you fooled me you rascally old deveil...keep building that team mate!
"Tebow is a special player. I have never seen a player quite like him in my whole career! I’m gonna play all out for the guy! I know he will be out there giving 110% every play every week, so I’m gonna give 120%!:
Champ Bailey.
Speaking of Mason
what’s up with maxdenver.com?
C'mon, join us, there's plenty of koolaid on the Broncos bandwagon for everyone!
"Yea, well, you know, that’s just like, uh, your opinion, man"
-The Big Lebowski
Yeah...he has gone to sporting news?
Foxy...you WERE on the hot seat, but you fooled me you rascally old deveil...keep building that team mate!
"Tebow is a special player. I have never seen a player quite like him in my whole career! I’m gonna play all out for the guy! I know he will be out there giving 110% every play every week, so I’m gonna give 120%!:
Champ Bailey.
As news warrants & a mess of stuff from the Combine. RT @TanAllover09: lots of articles from different pubs, when do we get more MaxDenver?
by BroncosfanAZ on Feb 13, 2012 7:43 AM MST up reply actions
Not sure how to do links
If you follow Andrew on Twitter @MAxDenver, he post links to all his articles. Tweeted him, but haven’t received a reply yet. He generally replies
I asked as well but have not heard anything either mate.
Foxy...you WERE on the hot seat, but you fooled me you rascally old deveil...keep building that team mate!
"Tebow is a special player. I have never seen a player quite like him in my whole career! I’m gonna play all out for the guy! I know he will be out there giving 110% every play every week, so I’m gonna give 120%!:
Champ Bailey.
Irving played sparingly in '11
I watched him in minnesota (@ the game) and he came in and he looked like a mess out there, his reads were awful
A baseball park is the one place where a man's wife doesn't mind his getting excited over somebody else's curves
I hope they are right. Ivring becoming a better than average starter for Denver would allow our D to improve from 20th to somewhere in the top 10 (assuming Von, Harris and Carter/Moore also improve in year 2).
Developing talent (esp defensive) within is something Denver has sucked at during the Shanny and McJedi years. It’s why we have had the worst D’s in the NFL for a while.
Tim Tebow is Denver's 2012 starting QB. I'm not even kind of sorry that offends some of you (including you Elway).
True
If the Broncos can’t develop their defensive talent with John Fox and Jack Del Rio at the helm, then our D is truly doomed (not Doomed).
by Broncologist on Feb 13, 2012 11:45 AM MST up reply actions
Speaking of Irving...
…where the heck is Rodney?
There's no way Khloe's a Kardashian. No frickin' way.
by Agent Jerry Fletcher on Feb 15, 2012 4:14 PM MST reply actions
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