More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

21 days ago: Denver Broncos linebacker Darrell Reid, left, talks with head coach Josh McDaniels before drills during the team's football minicamp at the Broncos headquarters in Englewood, Colo., on Sunday, June 14, 2009. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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The Denver Broncos and Michael Lombardi

DENVER       

1. Who is going to be the Broncos starting quarterback? Can they repair, restore and revive the relationship between Jay Cutler and the head coach?
   
2. With the switch to a 3-4 there are plenty of positions up for grabs, but the essential question is this: Who will rush the passer from the outside? 
   
3. Denver forced only 13 turnovers last season and clearly lack speed on every level of their defense.  Who is going to be their playmaker?
4. The Broncos struggled to cover anyone, even with Champ Bailey, and finished with just six interceptions for the season.  Who can cover?
5. Can they expect to get another year out of Casey Wiegmann at center? They struggled when they played physical defensive teams

I thought, even then, that these were excellent questions. There was not doubt that pre-draft, the Broncos had reason to give pause to even the most voracious fans. This led to a lot of musing on what happened and dreams of what might be. That being said, let's take them one at a time and see if Denver did anything to work out those concerns.

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Happy Tuesday to all MHR community members.  I've been absent for a few weeks, mostly due to craziness in my day job, but at least partially due to a lack of awe-inspiring topics to write about.  This is the worst part of the football year, where nothing is going on. 

Today, we'll talk about the other teams the Broncos play this season, including AFC second-place teams and the AFC West, and time permitting, I kind of feel like beating up on some MSM writing.  We shall see how far I am able to get, and for now, I am going to get right to it.  Ready.... BEGIN!!!

1.  As promised, let's continue the around-the-league offseason evaluations...

a.  Indianapolis Colts  (2008 Record  12-4, Lost in Wild Card Round of Playoffs)

Smart Personnel Moves - I really liked the selection of Donald Brown, the RB from UConn.  Joseph Addai is a nice player when you keep his carries down, but Brown is a workhorse kind of back.  I expect that he will ultimately get 2/3 of the carries for the Colts, with Addai getting the other 1/3.  Running the ball effectively is crucial for the Colts, because when the defense has to play the run, Peyton Manning just shreds secondaries.  He is very good against dedicated pass coverage, but he is great against 8 in the box.  I also liked the pick of Austin Collie, a WR from BYU.  He has a really good feel for the passing game, and can be a good slot player in the NFL.

Questionable Personnel Moves - I get that the Colts have a minimalist strategy in free agency, but I think that they are going to regret not doing more to replace Marvin Harrison.  Reggie Wayne has really been the #1 guy the past few years, but Anthony Gonzalez is below average for a #2, and should be playing in the slot.  If any team should have signed Terrell Owens, it's the Colts.  Peyton Manning is one QB he couldn't ever throw under the bus, and the Colts have the kind of program he would have a hard time poisoning.

ST&NO Outlook - I have some reason to think that the Colts are going to decline a little bit this season.  There has been a lot of turnover on the coaching staff, and I don't see how you could have a lot of faith in Jim Caldwell, given his underwhelming tenure as a head coach at Wake Forest.  I also think #2 WR and the right side of the O-Line are going to be weaknesses, and that the defense will continue to be vulnerable to the run.  Despite this, the Colts will be in the playoff mix, as usual.  They'll be good, but not elite.

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More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

21 days ago: Denver Broncos rookie cornerback Alphonso Smith takes part in drills during the team's football minicamp at the Broncos headquarters in Englewood, Colo., on Sunday, June 14, 2009. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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The Myth of the Short Cornerback

When the Broncos drafted Alphonso Smith with their first pick in the second round of the NFL Draft, a huge cry went up among the pundits. Smith? No! He's too short! Shorter cornerbacks are at too big of a disadvantage. The belief was that if a receiver is taller than the coverage guy, all the offense has to do is to have their quarterback throw the ball up out of the cornerback’s reach and they will have reception after reception. This is such a common representation that I started to fire up NFL Rewind and to look for instances when it was true. The more football I watched, the more I realized that it only infrequently happened. Receptions commonly occur when the receiver is in front of the cornerback (and height doesn't matter that that point) or when the quarterback places the ball perfectly out in front as both are running (in whatever direction) but I could count the receptions where the wide receiver snared a pass that was thrown over a shorter corner such that the receiver leaps for it perfectly on just one hand. If it didn't work with just one receiver (looking specifically at taller receivers vs. shorter CBs) or in one game, sure, but in game after game it was a rarity and in most it didn't happen at all. I started to wonder, 'Why?'

This article is not meant to argue that there are no advantages to having a somewhat taller corner. There are, certainly, in some situations, depending on the other skills or lack thereof on the part of the players. However, a trade-off is at play here. Taller corners are often, although not always, slightly less nimble than the smaller corners. In a position where the ability to get around a receiver and to flash in and out of his circle, nimble means more balls defended and less penalties incurred. Of course, the number-one skill of the NFL cornerback - which is the ability to never lose your confidence, according to former Broncos cornerback Charles Dimry (himself over 6 feet) - has nothing to do with size. Quickness, both in foot speed and in hand speed, along with balance, vertical leap, body control, vision, controlled aggression, and courage are all important factors regardless of height.

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First, I want to thank everyone for the awesome conversation in the original post.  This is an emotional subject and you guys and gals proved once again to be a cut above the Message Board crowd.  Broncos fans are the most passionate in the NFL, and WE ALL WANT the Broncos to succeed.

Now, I just want to clear up a few points on how I feel about the matter.  Sometimes, in the middle of a debate, one's position can get cloudy, and I want everyone to know exactly how I feel about this.

I want Brandon Marshall to be a Denver Bronco.  If you got the feeling I did not, let this change the perception.  I see the Broncos as having two options as we talk today.  Trade Marshall or make him come to Camp.  Let's look at both.

1.  Trade Option -- My poll received some criticism because it was said to be unrealistic.  "No team would give that much for Marshall".  That's the point.  If the Broncos are going to trade away Marshall, they need to get like value.  That is an interesting word, value, because it means different things to different teams.  We all know Marshall is a risk.  To whom is the risk greater right now?  The Broncos or a team that would be giving up a high draft pick and a player? 

That's easy.  There is a greater risk to a team who would have to trade away assets to get Marshall.  If Baltimore, for example, trades a first round pick and a player, they will have to sign Marshall to the extension he wants.  Double Whammy.  Baltimore would have to be 100% sure of Marshall's health and character before making such a deal, right?

The Broncos, on the other hand, only have the risk of Marshall imploding this season since his contract is up after 2009.  Has Marshall outperformed his contract?  Yes!  Let's not forget, however, that the reason Marshall fell to the 4th round is because of his off-field issues in college.  He has only himself to blame for that.

Lastly, for those who think my 1st rounder and a player option is unrealistic, it might not be enough.  In listening to Pat Kirwin on Sirius NFL Radio, he feels the Broncos should be asking for a 1st, 3rd AND a player.

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A couple days ago I wrote a post, Objectivity Vs. Kool-Aid, and needless to say it generated a ton of conversation.  I want to thank all of you for your input and insight, words of encouragement and critiques.  The site has grown, in large part, because I take what you all have to say very seriously and want this site to be as much about all of you as it is about me.

What I decided to do was to really look at all the comments and respond to some of the thoughts that seemed to permeate throughout.  Hopefully, by addressing all of this here, it will help answer the questions that some of the newer members have as they move forward.  Many of you joined MHR during this offseason, with all the upheaval and the shuttering of the Rocky Mountain News.  Your only impression of MHR is of how things worked during these crazy times.  I figure now that everything is slowing down a bit with 6 weeks to go before Training Camp, that you deserve to find out what the real motivation for MHR is and what I am trying to do.

Buckle up, this is going to be a Looooong post.  But please, try and get through it; in the end, it will be well worth it!

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More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

Like him or not, he's our Coach, dammit, and it is time to support him!(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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Sports are a funny thing.  Few things in life generate the passion that being a true-blue fan of a team does.  Doesn't matter if it is college or pro; engross yourself in the fandom and watch out, strange things will happen.

Noticeably or not (the latter preferred) I have been hiding in the weeds here at MHR.  There are several 'real' reasons for that; time constraints and the like.  There are also underlying reasons, reasons I didn't fully understand until recently.  More on that later.  What motivated me to jump back into the fray was a couple of comments I had read about the site, both here and elsewhere.  You see, Broncos fans, you all here are too damn positive about the Broncos.  Yep, that's what other 'Broncos fans' think. 

They say we're a cult.  That whatever I say, and the other contributors, you'll follow.  You 'drink the kool-aid' and come back and ask for more. 

At this point I will only talk for myself, because talking for the other contributors wouldn't be right.  I'm sure they will chime in with their own thoughts about this in the comments, if they'd like.

I'm a realist.  I know what the Broncos are, and I know what they can be.  I predicted the team would go 8-8 last year, with just as easy a chance to go 10-6 or 6-10.  I was very, very critical of Jay Cutler as a quarterback, as anyone who listened to MHR Radio can attest to, and I thought this offseason would be the time to shake things up a bit (my suggestion back in October was to investigate trading Champ Bailey).  I was wrong about Bailey, but things at Dove Valley definitely were shaken up a bit.

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Happy Monday, fellow MHR community members.  It's time for another version of ST&NO.  We're getting to the part of the offseason where I am really starting to long for the preseason to start.  When you get your information from your eyes, your eyes start to miss having anything to look at.  Here's hoping the next 8 weeks goes by quickly.

Today, we'll look at the AFC North, since the Broncos will play all 4 teams this season.  We'll also talk about some of the few headlines around the league, and maybe talk a little Brandon Marshall.  It will make you laugh, it will make you cry (if it is your wont to cry over weird things.)  It will be shallow, and narrow.  Ready.... BEGIN!!!

1.  As previously mentioned, our around-the-league discussion turns to the AFC North this week.  As I live in the first suburb west of Cleveland, I get a fair amount of exposure to the division, so, hopefully that helps me with this 8-week road show I am on.  See you after the jump.

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More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

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Welcome to an eve-of-month-end-financial-close version of ST&NO, where I spent spent all day between a boat transiting Lake Erie, and Kelley's Island, which is a very nice place to visit.  Exacerbating matters is the fact that the lady-friend has been out of town all weekend, and her plane lands at 10 PM.  At that point, I expect to devote some time to talking to her, as I tried to lay off all weekend so she could hang out with her college roommate in peace.  It is now 8:54 PM, and I will write until she calls.  It's a lot like being down a couple touchdowns with 4 minutes to go, and no timeouts.  Ready.... BEGIN!!!

1.  I said I had an idea last week on the killer-vs.-filler front, and I do.  As the around-the-league guy, I have decided to do some breakdowns on the offseasons and 2009 outlooks of the other 31 teams over the next 8 weeks.  I must warn you, do not expect groupthink or regurgitation of other morons' ideas, as I am the only moron whose thoughts count here.  Like I told the student from Penn State, I get my information from my eyes, you dig?  (In the interest of full disclosure, I may have been unduly short with him at times during our conversation, because I used to work with a pretty loathsome woman who was a (much too) proud Penn State alum.  I realize that it's not fair to automatically expect that he sucks at life, just because she did).

Anyway, I am going to start with the most relevant teams, and since the Broncos play the NFC East this season, I am going to discuss my (Shallow) Thoughts and (Nearsighted) Observations of those four teams after the jump.

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