No running back, no ring

By TheWookieeBronco
BroncosForums.com Team Writer

Denver has been labelled as Running Backs heaven many times in the past. The Broncos have gotten 1,000 yards out of worthless pieces of junk, Tatum Bell and Reuben Droughns for example. In fact if you were to give the Broncos a used carton of Orange Juice, the used carton would probably run for 1,000 yards. We see that the running back position is, and has always been a big part of the Broncos offense. However the Broncos could be in a running back crisis, something that would scar the offense for the rest of the season. In this article, I will emphasize how important it will be to draft a running back.

The Denver Broncos came into the 2007 season thinking they had found their workhorse running back in Travis Henry. Henry had come off of a 1,211 rushing yards season behind a mediocre Titans offensive line. The thought was that if Henry could manage that behind a mediocre line, he would do far better behind a better, running blocking wise, Broncos offensive line. The Broncos offensive line had problems; however Henry’s problems had nothing to do with the Broncos offensive line. You see, Travis Henry is an idiot who has the same IQ as his jersey number (#20). The man has no idea what a condom is, and he either smokes something he shouldn’t be smoking, or he is around people who smoke something they shouldn’t be smoking. Joking apart, Henry has several off-field issues that the Broncos aren’t going to put up with. Henry was leading the league in rushing, but his off the field issues and him being prone to injuries prevented him from getting any further. Now setting aside his off-field problems and injuries, Henry is a pretty good running back. He will never reach the elite status because he is injury prone and he can’t hit anything above 1st gear. A running back needs to be able to hit at least 2nd gear to break big runs. Also it is important not to forget that next October, Henry will be 30, a dangerous age for running backs. Recently the Broncos restructured Henry’s contract, many believe this means Henry will be here next season. However it is most probable that the Broncos restructured Henry’s contract so it would be more economical to cut/trade him.

This brings us on to the young gun, Selvin Young. Selvin is a very mouth watering prospect at this point in time. However the obvious question is “Can he carry the load?” The simple answer to that would be no. The few games that Selvin DID carry the load, he either didn’t play or played injured the next game. If Selvin can’t take carrying the load once in a blue moon, how is he going to carry the load over a 16 game season? The point is Selvin can’t carry the load; Selvin will never be the feature back in Denver or anywhere else. Once a back starts getting worn out after not that much playing time, he starts to fumble more and falls on his butt more often, think Tatum Bell. However if you took away that one negative of Selvin, he would have serious potential. However that negative is there and will always be there. Despite this, Selvin is fast, shifty and elusive. Do you really want to attempt to tackle him or do you just want to sit down? Selvin’s jukes and spins are very tricky to handle. Selvin Young was second in avg yards per rush for all rookie running backs, only behind Adrian “AD” Peterson. Selvin would make a very good backup and a good rotation back.

Then there’s Andre Hall. Andre had one good game and one long run in another game, however we know nothing more of him. All we know is he does a good job of Kick Returning and therefore he should be on the team unless someone better arrives. Andre Hall is quick and can make people miss. He’s a good spare guy to have.

So now we’ve taken a look at all the running backs the Broncos currently have listed on starting roster. Which one of them can honestly step up? Do you REALLY want to have to rotate guys? If we were to rotate guys what would happen if Travis gets in more troubleand gets suspended and then Selvin gets injured from carrying the load? What if Selvin or Travis doesn’t show up performance wise next season? Is rotating running backs regularly at least acceptable for success or is a workhorse back combined with a back who gets a few carries a game better ? Questions questions questions.

These questions can all be answered in one draft pick. The Denver Broncos offense can have the second to final piece, a left tackle being the other piece, needed to make this offense great in one draft pick. The Broncos can have a future “lead the league in rushing” running back with one pick. All they need to do is select Jonathan Stewart with the #12 pick. I’m not here to persuade you into why the Broncos should draft Jonathan Stewart over Rashard Mendenhall, I’ll leave that to one of our draft analysts. But I will argue why the Broncos should draft a running back over a Linebacker or an Offensive lineman.

Now I’ve been complaining about our offensive line for a while now, what needs to be understood is that this draft class is full of first round quality offensive tackles. Drafting a quality offensive tackle in the very late first round or early second round will be possible. The options are to try and get another first round pick, or to try and trade up for a higher second round pick. Both are options that could occur depending on circumstances that could possibly arise over the off-season. Pairing a young QB, a young RB, a young WR and a young LT will let the future of the offense bond together. Then to address some other needs, the Broncos could pull a trade for Marcus Stroud, sign WR Bryant Johnson and draft a young linebacker by acquiring a third round pick. This would put the Broncos in a good position because the major needs will be filled with young talent.

Do you see what Adrian Peterson and Marshawn Lynch have done in their rookie season? Wouldn't you like that for the Broncos? Or would you like to be like the Detroit Lions, close but not close enough, failing miserably because you have no running game.

As we can see, the Denver Broncos running back situation is shaky to say the least, there are many questions and many risks that could blow up in the Broncos face and ruin their season. A Broncos offense without a running game is a Broncos offense going no where. Addressing the running back position by drafting Jonathan Stewart would provide quality at a key position. The Broncos could then fix all other problems this off-season and next off-season.

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Offseason Primer: Detroit Lions

By MissouriBronc
BroncosForums.com Team Writer

The Detroit Lions are an interesting case study. For years the Lions have drafted in the Top 10, picking up some top-flight talent and missing badly on some picks. The Lions have also left football fans scratching their heads, as they drafted three wide receivers three years in a row with their first pick, and then again, two years later picking another wide receiver.

Meanwhile, they’ve struggled to find a solid quarterback. Joey Harrington clearly wasn’t the answer and Jeff Garcia didn’t fit either. Ironically, journeyman Jon Kitna has had two pretty decent years in Detroit, including leading them to their best overall record since 2000, in 2007.

Kitna will be around again in 2008, but he is starting to age. He does seem to understand the previous offense and thrived, but gone is all-out passing guru Mike Martz. So, the question is, can Kitna adapt to new coordinator Jim Colletto’s offense, which most likely, will be a much tamer offense? Clearly, the Lions need to be thinking towards the future at the quarterback position, but is spending their No. 1 pick on a quarterback going to fix much in 2008? Probably not, and Matt Millen’s leash has to be getting thin. So, don’t expect the Lions to address the quarterback position in the offseason.

The Lions have a talented running back in Kevin Jones, who shined in his rookie season in 2004, but has struggled with injury ever since. T.J. Duckett and Tatum Bell have both been decent complement running backs on other teams (Falcons and Broncos, respectively), but neither are the No.1. Combined, all three could be an effective force. Colletto’s offense should be a little more conservative than Martz’s, so the Lions will rely on these three a little more next year. Duckett is an unrestricted free agent, and he probably won’t end up in Detroit. So does that mean the Lions need a short yardage back, or will Jones be healthy enough to carry out those duties? Martz rarely utilized a fullback, but Jon Bradley has a chance to step into that full-time role in 2008.

The Lions have plenty of talent at wide receiver, it just seems that production is a problem. Finally, it seems they’ve settled in with a solid No. 1 and No. 2, Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson are two of the most talented receivers in the NFL. Johnson started to show signs of what they expected when they drafted him at No. 2 overall in 2007. Williams is starting to look like an elite receiver, but is recovering from a knee injury that he suffered in Week 12. Mike Furrey and Shaun McDonald can both be solid No. 3s, and both have shown they can be the No. 2. This gives the Lions, surprisingly, with four decent receivers, two of which could be All-Pro. Ironic, of course, because both Charles Rogers and Mike Williams, top 10 picks at the wide receiver position, are now gone.

At tight end, Sean McHugh isn’t really a top receiving threat, and Dan Campbell, a long-time starter was forced to sit out most of the season. However, with the talent at wide receiver, the Lions don’t need top-flight tight ends, just tight ends that understand the offense, block well and can score in short-yardage situations. We’ll find out how these two guys fit into the new scheme.

Jeff Backus is one of the most reliable left tackles in the business. He hasn’t missed a game in his career. He’ll be 31 next year, and is still in the prime of his career. Lions quarterbacks went down 47 times in 2007, and that number will have to improve, but the Lions are counting on Backus to anchor the line.

Edwin Mulitalo, a long-time Baltimore Raven, came to the Lions in free agency before the 2007 season. Mulitalo may be a little past his prime, but is still a decent guard. I wouldn’t be too surprised if the Lions brought in some competition for him.

Dominic Raiola is one of the most solid centers in the NFL. He hasn’t not started a game since his rookie season, and he continues to be an anchor for the line. However, he needs to be more consistent in 2008 to make up for some of the deficiencies along the line.

The Lions struggled on the right side of the line, and Stephen Peterman and George Foster should definitely consider their jobs in jeopardy. Peterman started 13 games this past season, after spending his first three years as a backup, Foster, as Broncos fans know, lacks effort at times, but has the bulk to be a good lineman. The Lions should bring in some bodies for depth and competition at both positions on the right side of the line.

Clearly the Shaun Rogers dilemma still is up in the air. Rumors swirl about his departure from Detroit to Denver, and by the time many of you read this, it will probably be solved. The oft-maligned, malcontent defensive tackle has been a very good defensive tackle for the Lions, even recording his highest sack total, 7, in thr 2007 season. Cory Redding hasn’t missed a game in four seasons, and is another solid defensive tackle. If Rogers is gone, the Lions will have to fill his void. Langston Moore may be a candidate to fill that position.

The Lions need a lot more production out of their defensive ends. Kalimba Edwards started six games and notched just 17 tackles and three sacks. Dewayne White, coming over from the Tampa Bay Bucs, had 43 tackles and 6.5 sacks this season. Neither replaced James Hall in the pass-rushing category. Jared DeVries is really nothing more than a pass-rush specialist. The Lions will probably look for a defensive end in the draft.

The Lions need some help at linebacker, as at least one of their top linebackers is leaving, and another promising young player is, as well. In the middle Paris Lenon, who will be 31 next season, actually had his most productive season of his career, with 118 tackles, two sacks and an interception. The Lions will need him to repeat that performance in 2008. On the weak side, Boss Bailey is likely gone. Where to, we don’t know, but he’s an unrestricted free agent. That leaves a gaping hole on the weak side of the defense.

On the strong side, Ernie Sims is one of the better young linebackers in the NFL, recording 134 tackles, a sack and recovering three fumbles, he is starting to prove he can be a top linebacker in the NFL.

The departure of Dre Bly in the trade with Denver left ninth-year veteran Fernando Bryant and six-year veteran Travis Fisher as the starting cornerbacks. Neither have ever intercepted a lot of passes, though both did record solid tackle numbers, 69 and 78, respectively. The Lions need them to be a little more ball-hawkish, as both hauled in just two interceptions. Don’t be surprised if they look for depth in the draft.

Kenoy Kennedy is a hard-hitting strong safety, who Broncos fans know all to well. He may have become a little gun-shy after being fined so much in Denver, but he’s still an effective player. He had 88 tackles and two interceptions in 2007, and the Lions will need more of that in 2008.

Gerald Alexander, a second round pick last season, stepped in and started every game at free safety for the Lions. As bad as the Lions have drafted in the recent years, it looks as if they’ve found a diamond in the rough with Alexander. He had 81 tackles, two sacks and two interceptions in his rookie campaign. They will need him to step up even more in 2008.

Jason Hanson will be turning 38 before next season, but he’s still a solid kicker in the NFL. Don’t expect the Lions to get rid of him, unless, of course, he retires. He still completes kicks in the 80 percent range, and he doesn’t miss extra points. Nick Harris has been a very solid punter, especially in the last three seasons.

Troy Walters came over from Indianapolis before the 2007 season to be the full-time return man, and he should keep those duties in 2008.

The bottom line for the Lions is that they need to draft better, and certainly more efficiently. Today’s game revolves around how well you draft, and then a few key free agents. The Lions have relied too much on free agents under Matt Millen. And, if this continues, you’d have to think his time is growing short.

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Offseason Primer: Chicago Bears

By MissouriBronc
BroncosForums.com Team Writer

After reaching the Super Bowl in the 2006 season, 2007 became somewhat of a disappointment for the Bears, as 7-9 is not what the team expected

Much of the problem was inconsistent play from the quarterback position. The Bears were forced to flip flop from Rex Grossman to Brian Griese to Grossman to Griese to Kyle Orton, for a number of reasons, including terrible play and injury.

Yet the oft-maligned Grossman was resigned and it looks as if he’s going to have a good shot at the starting position again. Griese was the best of the bunch, coming in with a 75.6 quarterback rating, 61.5 completion percentage, with 10 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Kyle Orton came in with a 73.9 QB rating, 53.9 completion percentage, 3 TDs and 2 INTs. Meanwhile, Grossman was the worst, by far, with a 66.4 QB rating, 54.2 completion percentage, 3 TDs and 7 INTs. He was also sacked 25 times for 198 yards lost. All three will be back in camp most likely, and all three have a shot at the starter job. The real question, though, is, is this actually good for the Bears? They sit at No. 14 in the draft. Do they dare take a QB? Probably not, but its an interesting thought.

The problem is, running back isn’t a great position for the Bears, either. Between injury and ineffectiveness, Cedric Benson has never lived up to the expectations that come with being taken fourth overall. He carried the ball 196 times for 674 yards, but his YPC was just 3.4, and he only reached the endzone four times. Adrian Peterson is an interesting running back, but probably nothing more than a backup. What he does provide is a solid pass-catching back on third downs or long situations. They also drafted Garrett Wolfe from Northern Illinois, and while shifty, he’s probably not going to ever be an every-down back. So the questions continue to come for the Bears.

Jason McKie is a solid blocking back, but he doesn’t contribute much otherwise. Often the Bears employed a three wide receiver set quite often, and McKie wasn’t even on the field. He carried the ball just six times and caught it nine, yet he found a way to fumble it once. McKie will never be more than a blocking back for the Bears, but he can be a solid blocking back. Despite being in the league six seasons, he’ll only be 28 next year.

The Bears have two solid tight ends in Desmond Clark and Greg Olsen. Clark will be entering his 10th season, his sixth with the Bears, in 2008. He caught 44 passes last season for 545 yards and four touchdowns. Meanwhile, Greg Olsen, a first-round draft pick in 2007 out of Miami is a big and physical prospect, who caught 39 passes for 391 yards and two touchdowns. While the Bears seem to be shaky at other skill positions, they seem to be very set at the tight end position.

Meanwhile, at wide receiver, there are still some questions to answer. The Bears probably need to sign Bernard Berrian back, but they aren’t necessarily a team known to fork over a lot of money for free agents. Berrian led the team with 71 receptions for 951 yards and five touchdowns. A third-round pick in 2004, Berrian has become a solid option in the passing game, with 2007 being somewhat of a breakout season. Across from him is the aging Muhsin Muhammad, who will be 35 next season and is not likely to be much of a factor in the future in the passing game. However, he can still be a solid No. 3 option. The problem is, the Bears don’t have a solid No. 1, and now they don’t have a No. 2. Berrian can be a mediocre No. 1, and a good No. 2. So, the Bears probably need to find one more option at receiver.

Though there are some solid pieces to the offensive line, the Bears could need some upgrades there as well. John Tait is a solid left tackle. After playing right tackle in Kansas City, he’s moved to left in Chicago, and he has done a fine job up until 2007. The Bears offensive line was atrocious, and Tait may be part of the problem. He’ll be 33 next season, and without some help, he’s not going to be as effective. He could be moved back to right tackle, if the Bears can find someone better. I wouldn’t expect them to do so in free agency, but maybe in the draft.

Terrence Metcalf really has never been the answer at left guard for the Bears. Ironically, in 2006, when he didn’t start a single game, they went to the Super Bowl. Now, we know it isn’t because he, specifically, wasn’t in the lineup, but it does say that he’s nothing more than a backup in the NFL. Though the Bears looked to be the leaders in the Alan Faneca sweepstakes, it appears they aren’t really interested in him, after all. Expect guard to be addressed in the draft, especially if Ruben Brown isn’t resigned or if he decides to retire.

Olin Kreutz is still one of the best centers in the league, he just needs some help at both guard positions to survive. He can’t do everything in the middle on his own. Kreutz has missed one game in the last seven seasons, as he’s one of the most reliable offensive lineman in the league.

Roberto Garza is not the answer at right guard for the Bears, and they may look to the draft here to fill his spot. He has started the last two seasons, and with the Bears needing to address a lot of offensive positions, so he may be back again in 2008.

Brown was released by the club, and the solid offensive lineman will most likely retire if he can’t work out a deal with the club. If he does return, he’ll be 36 and will compete for either guard spot, if he does return.

At right tackle, if Tait isn’t switched over, Fred Miller may get the chance to win the job as well. He’ll be 35, so he’s no spring chicken, but he hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. He does need to be more consistent, if he plans on keeping the job. Obviously, the Bears have a lot to do on offense to make themselves a contender in 2008.

The Bears have much fewer questions on the defensive side of the ball.

Tommie Harris is an elite defensive tackle. His sack total went up to 8 this season, which is outstanding for an interior lineman. Plus, he’s only going to be 25 next season. Darwin Walker, a journeyman defensive tackle may get the opportunity to start opposite Harris, although this is one spot on the defense, where the Bears may look for someone in the draft.

Adewale Ogunleye is still one of the better defensive ends in the NFL. He had 58 tackles, nine sacks and three pass deflections this season. He’ll be entering his eighth season next year and will be 31. Opposite of Ogunleye is Mark Anderson, who got his opportunity to start this season, after being a fifth-round selection in 2006. He will need to get more pressure on the quarterback next season, if he’s going to be the long-term solution for the Bears.

Brian Urlacher will be entering his ninth season in the league next year and will turn 30, and he’s still one of the best out there. His 123 tackles in 2007 were his third-best performance of his career and his 12 pass deflections was the most in his career. He also added five sacks, five interceptions, and one returned for a touchdown. He’s an elite linebacker and the leader of this defense.

On the strong side, Lance Briggs has also been an elite linebacker for the Bears, recording over 100 tackles in the last four seasons. He also had two sacks and three pass deflections, but he’s most likely not going to be back. He wants a bigger contract and the Bears have balked on it for two years now. He’s finally an unrestricted free agent and the Franchise Tag is not going to be applied to him this season. So, that leaves a gaping hole on the strong side of the defense for the Bears. Jamar Williams, a fourth round selection in 2006 is the most likely candidate. In mostly backup duty, he recorded 30 tackles, a sack and two pass deflections.

Hunter Hillenmeyer will be entering his sixth season, and he’s had a starting job for most of the last four years with the Bears. He’s an OK linebacker, that is certainly serviceable when you consider he’s been complimented by Briggs and Urlacher. With the departure of Briggs, however, the Bears may need a little more out of Hillenmeyer.

Charles Tillman is a very good cornerback. He’s physical and he’s a bit of a ballhawk. He has never had big interception numbers, but he recorded 75 tackles in 2007, knocked down 13 balls, intercepted three and recovered a fumble.

Opposite him is Danieal Manning, another tough cornerback. He notched 79 tackles, six pass deflections and two interceptions in 2007. The Bears will look for him to continue to improve in 2008, his third year in the league. Manning is also a versatile player, who has spent time at free safety as well. That gives Trumaine McBride a chance to play. McBride, in nine games started had 41 tackles and 5 pass deflections. His emergence allows Manning to roam and make plays.

Of course, don’t forget that Devin Hester’s natural position is at cornerback, as well. However, with his explosiveness on special teams, he doesn’t see much time in the defensive backfield.

Adam Archuleta signed with Chicago last year and came in and had a good year. He will be 31 next season, but the Bears are looking for him to be the strong safety again in 2008.

Robbie Gould is a solid kicker, though he did miss five kicks this year. He doesn’t have the biggest leg in the league, but there’s no reason for the Bears to look to replace him. Brad Maynard had a down year in 2007, especially compared to his 2006 season, but he’s still a good punter.

Obviously, Devin Hester is the most explosive returner in the game. He’s approaching “best ever” status, if he isn’t there already, as Broncos fans know all to well. The only problem is that he’s so good, teams might kick away from him. Either way, it’s a win for the Bears.

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Lynch to return for 2008

John Lynch was a free agent for a day, but will soon be back on the Denver Broncos. Total Broncos is reporting that John Lynch and the Denver Broncos have reached an agreement to restructure his contract and remain on the team for 2008.

While there was quite a bit of speculation that John Lynch might have played his last game with the Denver Broncos, Lynch and the Broncos reached an agreement for him to remain with the team in 2008.

Many thought that if Lynch didn't work out a deal with the Broncos that he would retire, but in the end Lynch decided he wanted to play one more year.

Offseason Primer: Carolina Panthers

By MissouriBronc
BroncosForums.com Team Writer

2007 was a disappointing year for the Carolina Panthers. Much of it was the injury of Jake Delhomme who had, coming into 2007 had four straight good years for the Panthers, really become a decent quarterback in the NFL. He led the Panthers to the playoffs twice in those four years, once to the Super Bowl and the other a loss in the conference championship game.

So, 2007 looked like it could be a good year. But Delhomme went down in Week 3, and the Panthers struggled for any consistency at quarterback, starting with David Carr and ending with the ageless wonder Vinny Testaverde. A healthy Delhomme in 2008 should solve this problem. Carr is under contract for 2008, and should serve as a decent backup, as long as Delhomme doesn’t go down for an extended period of time.

DeShaun Foster and DeAngelo Williams are a good one-two punch. Foster is the power back who grinds out the yards, while Williams is the change of pace back. Both will be back next season, and with a healthy Delhomme, that makes for a talented backfield in Carolina. Williams’ carries went up this year, though Foster carried the load, and so did his yard per carry numbers. Williams’ carries will probably go up again in 2008, as the Panthers slowly turn him into the full-time guy. Fullback Brad Hoover is an unrestricted free agent, and I would imagine the Panthers will want to try and sign him. Nick Goings is also there, and the Panthers could utilize both next year, if Goings is healthy next year.

Jeff King will be entering his third season next year, and he really turned into a go-to guy for the Panthers in 2007, catching 46 passes, two of them for touchdowns. He’s a good, young tight end, who is tough to cover for safeties and linebackers alike. The Panthers had several other options at tight end, with Dante Rosario and Christian Fauria both scored two touchdowns for the Panthers.

Steve Smith suffered through a few injuries in 2007, but still played in 15 games, and still went over 1,000 yards, but he was not his dominant self that he was in 2005. Part of that was because the Panthers didn’t have a sure, proven complement on the other side of the formation. Deciding to let go of Keyshawn Johnson in favor of drafting Dwayne Jarrett proved out to be a mistake in 2007, though it could pay off in the future. Jarrett has loads of talent, but was inactive the first half of the season and he only got into six games, catching six passes. Meanwhile Keary Colbert only had 32 catches, which is not enough. At best, he’s a third receiver, and he was forced into the second starting position. Drew Carter caught 38 passes as the third receiver, a role he’s accustomed to, and pretty good at. Ryne Robinson caught four passes, but he’s clearly on the roster as a return specialist.

Jeff King was a solid tight end in 2007, just his second year in the league. A fifth round pick in 2006, his emergence this season with 46 catches for 406 yards and two touchdowns was a pleasant surprise for the Panthers, who had their share of problems at wide receiver. He should be a decent tight end for the Panthers heading into the future. Dante Rosario was their second tight end, and he is more of a blocking option for the team. He did have six catches, two of them for touchdowns. King makes this a solid unit heading into 2008, if he can continue with the production.

Carolina’s offensive line was middle of the road in 2007, and they gave up too many sacks. Of course, David Carr has been noted for hanging onto the ball for way too long in the past, and I’m sure that was part of it.

Travelle Wharton was originally drafted as a guard out of South Carolina in 2004. He started 11 games his rookie season and all 16 in 2005. He spent much of the 2006 campaign injured, and then came back to start all 16 games this past season at left tackle. He’s a solid tackle, though his natural position may be at guard. He still has the ability to protect Delhomme’s blind side heading into the future. The Panthers ranked third in yards per carry off the left edge, and Wharton is a big reason why.

At left guard, Mike Wahle is solid. After seven years in Green Bay, the last four as a starter, Wahle came over to Carolina before the 2005 season, and has been an anchor on the line ever since. Wahle has missed just three games in three years, all three in 2006. The Panthers have a solid left side of the line to help protect Delhomme.

After an injury plagued 2006, Justin Hartwig came back to start 15 games in 2007, and is a solid center. He was a free agent signing in 2006, and was somewhat of a disappointment with his injury status. But he’s a solid center and proved that he’s got a lot more left in 2007. He will turn 30 before next season, and is in the prime of his career.

The Panthers struggled to find a full-time right guard in 2007, with second-round draft pick Ryan Kalil, Evan Mathis and Geoff Hangartner all sharing time at the position. The Panthers would probably like Kalil to win the spot for 2008, as long as he stays healthy. Kalil was a highly-touted center coming out of USC last year, and the Panthers took him with the 59th pick. With Hartwig as the full-time center, the Panthers are hoping Kalil can be the full time right guard.

Jordan Gross has been one of the most consistent tackles in NFL. He was a first-round draft pick in 2003, and hasn’t missed a game in his first five seasons. He’s played on both the right and left sides of the line for the Panthers, but seems to be more suited to the right. He would have been one of the more prized free agents this season, but the Panthers slapped the franchise tag on him, guaranteeing that he’d be in Panther teel, silver and black for at least one more season.

The Panthers’ defense has been one of the more solid defenses in the last five years, but they slipped a little in 2007, finishing in the middle of the pack.

Much of that was the injury plagued season that Julius Peppers had. He’s one of the biggest forces in the NFL when healthy, but his production was way down in 2007, as he played through those injuries. The Panthers will need him to return to form in 2008. If he can return, the line will be its same old solid self.

Mike Rucker most likely will return, but he is an unrestricted free agent. He’s stated that he wants to return, now we’ll see if the teams can get a deal done. Rucker’s sack total went way down this past season, and he will be 33 next season. Though he’s most likely going to be back, he may actually have a reduced role, as the Panthers search for the next defensive end. The two current possibilities are 2007 third round pick Charles Johnson, and 2006 seventh round pick Stanley McClover. Both have played sparingly since arriving in Carolina, but as Rucker gets older, they will get a chance to play a bigger role.

Maake Kemoeatu and Kris Jenkins are solid at defensive tackle. Both are in the prime of their career and will anchor the defensive line for at least 2008. Again, the healthy return of Peppers makes them all the more effective.

First round pick Jon Beason was everything the Panthers wanted when they took him at No. 25 last season. Beason started all 16 games, had 140 tackles, six pass deflections and one interception. He’s the perfect fit at middle linebacker for the Panthers. He’s not big, 6-0, 237, but he’s fast and with Kemoeatu and Jenkins muddying the waters in front of him, it allows him to sniff plays out and make a play. The fact that he’s only going to be 24 next season is icing on the cake.

On the weak side, Thomas Davis has been solid in his first two years starting. Originally drafted in the first round as a safety, the Panthers have used him in a rover type role up near the line of scrimmage. He’s recorded 88 tackles in each of the last two seasons, and had three sacks this past season. He’s also still young as he will enter next season at the age of 25.

The Panthers have struggled with consistency on the strong side. Na’il Diggs was supposed to be the guy, coming over from Green Bay before the 2006 season, but he’s struggled with injury and consistency. Diggs is also an unrestricted free agent. He’s only 30, but he’s got a lot of mileage on him. The Panthers may look to free agency or the draft to find a strong-side linebacker. They’ve had success drafting Davis and Beason, and wouldn’t be too surprised if they went that route.

Chris Gamble has been a solid cornerback for the Panthers over the last four seasons, though maybe not the playmaker they expected them when they drafted him in the first round in 2004. He’s not a superstar, but he’s solid. It gives the Panthers an anchor at one corner. Ken Lucas is also a solid corner on the other side. Neither are interception machines, and neither are flashy players. But they don’t have to be when the Panthers front four are getting pressure. Richard Marshall had solid numbers in his third year as the third cornerback for the Panthers. Marshall had 89 tackles and three interceptions, one returned for a touchdown. He should get a great chance to beat out Lucas at the cornerback position.

Free Safety Deke Cooper is a bit of a journeyman, but he came in and started 15 games, garnering 59 tackles and three interceptions. He’ll be 31 next season, and he’s not a superstar, but he was OK for the Panthers. Again, if the front four are getting pressure, the Panthers don’t have to have superstars in the defensive backfield. He should get a shot at starting again next season, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they bring in some competition, whether through the draft or free agency.

Just before the 2007 season, the Panthers sent a fifth-round pick to the Bears for hard-hitting Chris Harris. Harris didn’t disappoint in 2007, recording 96 tackles, one interception and one fumble recovery. Harris is young, but he does have a propensity to draw flags with his hitting. He does provide an extremely physical safety that can cover both the run and the pass. He was a sixth round pick by the Bears in 2005, and is a hard worker.

John Kasay is a solid kicker, and Jason Baker is a solid punter. The Panthers don’t have any problems there. Nor do they have any problems with Ryne Robinson, who is their full-time return man. A fourth-round pick last year, Robinson should be the return man for the Panthers for at least the next couple of years.

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Jason Elam among the best ever

In the next few days, we will learn whether or not Jason Elam played his last game as a Denver Bronco. Whether he is back with the Denver Broncos in 2008, or on another team, there will be no disputing the fact he left an indellible mark in the Denver Broncos and NFL's record books.

From his record tying 63 yard field goal, to his 15 straight seasons scoring 100 or more points, Jason Elam has been a force among kickers.

Totalbroncos.com writes about some of his many records:

In 2002, a botched snap and hold ended his streak of 371 straight PAT’s (1993-2002), which is a record that still stands today. Entering 2007, he also held the highest PAT conversion rate (.995) in league history.

...

Elam is the fastest player in NFL history to reach 1,600 points, by doing it in 211 games. He also is second in league history in converting 50+ yard field goals with 36.

You can read more about about Jason Elam's time with the Broncos on Total Broncos

Super Bowl XLII Preview

By TheWookieeBronco
BroncosForums.com Team Writer

V

Super Bowl XLII Preview

Did you know that the top 10 most watched programs in television history are in fact Super Bowls?

Well you probably did. There’s no doubt that the Super Bowl is one of the biggest events on the face of the earth, and with the NFL expanding, more and more people are going to be watching this up and coming Super Bowl in Arizona. So with the Super Bowl being such a big event, there’s no doubt it would require two big teams.

The New England Patriots come into this game hoping to go 19-0 for the season + playoffs. This, as we all know, has never been done before. The Patriots are a team of domination, a team so good, they can beat you in more ways than you could possibly imagine. They are perfect for the time being. But no one should forget the heartbreak that the Giants nearly threw upon the Patriots. In Week 17 of the NFL season, the Giants had a bigger lead over the Patriots than anyone else in the league had. The Giants couldn’t hold on, but still, they proved to be a bigger fight than anyone else the Patriots have faced.

However, this game won’t be like that game on a cold night in Foxborough. This game will be completely different, even if the score line ended the same as the game in week 17, it will be completely different. The stakes are different, the mentality is different, the Giants are different.

No longer do the Giants need to feel that they are inferior to the rest of the league, that they are merely a pretender. No longer are the Giants scared their quarterback will mess things up. This New York Giants team is full of confidence, of belief, that they will defeat the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. Here's a comparison between the two teams:

If you’re comparing both offenses, it’s pretty clear that the Patriots have the better offense. No one will argue that the Patriots have the best passing game in the NFL. They have mind boggling talent with guys like Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Wes Welker and so on. Tom Brady has thrown more touchdowns than anyone else has in a single season, and Randy Moss has caught more touchdowns than anyone else has in a single season, they are both really big forces. It’s also important not to forget, the Giants are down to practice squad players at cornerback, and the very wise Patriots will take note of this and abuse it.

The Giants offensive game plan will be balanced as it has usually been of recent times. The Giants will need to establish what running back is going to be hot for them for that game. Brandon Jacobs or Ahmad Bradshaw, if they both show up then great but the two Giants running backs go hot and cold from game to game. The main difference for the Giants between this game and the Week 17 game is that the Giants now aren’t afraid to throw the football. Eli Manning has matured a lot in the past few weeks and it is one of the main reasons the Giants are where they are. The Giants have also done well pass protecting in the playoffs which helps Eli Manning a lot. What will be a problem is dropped passes because the Giants lead the league in dropped passes. The Giants can’t drop passes at key times against the Patriots or else the Patriots will punish them, make the catch, give your team a chance of winning. Obviously Plaxico Burress will be Eli’s main target. The Giants offense will have to communicate really well to figure out the tricks of a 3-4 defense. The Patriots like to use the 3-4 to their advantage and overload one side; a miscommunication could lead to a big sack.

When it comes to comparing both defenses, it is not so clear cut. Maybe the Patriots have a more balanced defense, but an in form, fired up Giants front 7 gives the Giants a better defense in my opinion. Maybe the Giants banged up secondary will give them problems, but a pass rush made up of Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck cancels that out. The trio managed 32 sacks combined during the regular season. The Giants will want to get to Tom Brady and pressure him, if they can blast the lights out of him a few times they can throw him off his rhythm. The Giants BETTER get to Tom Brady because if they don’t, Tom Brady will torch a banged up Giants secondary all night long. When it comes to red zone defense, the Giants may want to double cover Wes Welker who is Brady’s favourite target in the red zone. Also the Giants should watch out for a trick play, you just get the feeling there’s going to be one, like Randel El’s pass to Hines Ward in Super Bowl XL.

The Patriots linebackers are old. Power running teams have had success running straight at them. Apart from that the Patriots have a solid defense as well. With guys like Vince Wilfork, Mike Vrabel and Asante Samuel, they are definitely someone to fear. In the Week 17 game, the Giants did an extremely good job of pass blocking. But the Patriots pass rush will be looking to come out on the upper hand in this one, it’s pretty obvious that if the Patriots get to Eli Manning, he will make a bad throw, turn the ball over and lose confidence.

With all the Devin Hester’s and Joshua Cribbs’ running around the league I guess it’s quite important to compare Special Teams. The Giants scrape away with the Special Teams battle. Neither team has got a good kicker but Lawrence Tynes has more experience which will be key when kicking in a big game. The Giants also have a better punter, Jeff Feagles can be a real advantage in terms of downing the ball inside the 20. I also think the Giants have a better return man; the Giants rotate return men but when given the chance, Domenik Hixon has been really effective. If you look at the stats, in this 8 returned kicks, Domenik Hixon has put up better stats than Patriots kicker returner Ellis Hobbs.

Obviously there is one more factor to consider and compare. That is, who has the better backroom staff? Now this clearly goes to the New England Patriots. Bill Belichick has been in this situation before and the man is just a football genius. It’s almost unfair to have let Bill Belichick study this upcoming game for 2 weeks. If you add Belichick’s knowledge with Patriots offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels knowledge and Patriots defensive coordinator, Dean Pees knowledge, you get a great coaching staff.

However the Giants defensive coordinator, Steve Spagnuolo, is one of the best in my opinion. Good calls from Steve have been a major factor in getting the Giants through some tough playoff games. Tom Coughlin is a good coach but definitely outmatched by Bill Belichick.

Based off my opinion here’s how the match ups look.

Patriots Offense V Giants Offense. Winner – Patriots.
Patriots Defense V Giants Defense. Winner – Giants.
Patriots Special Teams V Giants Special Teams. Winner – Giants.
Patriots coaching staff V Giants coaching staff. Winner – Patriots.

The New England Patriots are clear favourites here, and if I had to put my own money on a team to win it would be on the Patriots. However it would be unwise to rule out the Giants just yet because of the reasons stated above. This Giants team is very very mentally strong, they will put up a big fight untill the end. You never know, this could turn out to be the Patriots walking over the Giants, or it could be a very interesting game.

We won’t know the result until tomorrow evening but for the mean time, everyone out there enjoy Super Bowl Sunday because it only comes once a year. Have a great time!


You may not have known:

I’ve been going on about this since the last Super Bowl. It seems that if you lose the toin coss, you win the Super Bowl.

Look at this:

Toss Caller Toss Winner Game Winner
XLI: Indianapolis Chicago Indianapolis
XL: Seattle Seattle Pittsburgh
XXXIX New England Philadelphia New England

We also lost the toin coss on each of our Super Bowl wins.

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Will this be a Super Bowl or “Super Bore”

Will this years Super Bowl be a great game or will it be “Super Bore”

By Medford Bronco
BroncosForums.com Team Writer

I am far from a Patriots fan but believe me, I feel that they will finish history in the making and win the game in pretty easy fashion, in the 14-17 pt range. To give Bill Bellicheck two weeks to prepare for the same team that they faced less than a month ago, tells me that the Pats will have every wrinkle available to confuse Eli Manning and cause him to stop playing turnover free football. The Pats have shown they can win a game 56-10, 38-35 or 20-10. This team has won games with a great defensive performance like they did against SD, holding them to 4 FGs and has won some games simply by outlasting their opponents like they did in the prior meeting with the Giants.

For the Giants to have any chance to win this game, they need to have a few different things happen. First they must control the ball with their very good running game led by Brandon Jacobs with Ahmed Bradshaw being the change of pace back. Second, Eli must continue his good play since the last game of the season vs NE where he has thrown 8 tds and only 1 pick (late in the NE game). Lastly the Giants must get a non-offensive score, either a punt block, kick/punt return, into return or a fumble return for a TD. Eli will have to continue to find Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer. This tandem has been outstanding since Jeremy Shockey broke his leg late in the season. Also the Giants must try to pressure Brady with their very good d line led by Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora. They have to bring it and mix in coverage with blitz packages or Brady will shred their depleted secondary like he did to Jax, who did not blitz in their playoff game.

The Pats must guard against overconfidence but with their history of being in these spots and Led by Brady they will succeed in my humble opinion. Brady has had arguably the best season off all time a QB has had and for anyone to deny that is just a hater. Heck I am not a fan but have admired his ability to just be so cool under pressure and always seem to make the correct decision on this throws. Yes he did not play well vs SD but when he had to make plays, he continually got his passes completed to Welker, Faulk and Stallworth as SD did a great job taking Moss away. Laurence Maroney has also succeeded in the playoffs and I think he has gained a lot of confidence and will have another good game vs the Giants.

My final analysis has NE winning this game 34-17. As good as the Giants have been, I just do not see them keeping up with NE, who is built to succeed in great weather with their phenomenal passing game and will not have to worry about cold NE weather or wind vs the Giants. I hope its closer but I just do not see it happening.

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Blueprint of a Champion

By G_Money
BroncosForums.com Team Writer

As I watched the field of contenders in the AFC playoffs, I noticed that all were built with a certain mold in mind.

Jacksonville has a ferocious defense and a hard-hitting running game. They always have - it's Del Rio's style.

The Patriots have a similarly ferocious defense and a ton of offensive firepower to boot. Defense has always been a trademark of Bill B, and he added offense after coming up just short against Indy last season using a bunch of wide-outs he picked up off the scrap heap.

San Diego was built through the draft with - again - a very good defense and a talented run game, trying not to rely too hard on Rivers and his 1 TE / 1 WR pass setup.

Indianapolis created a juggernaut offense, perfectly suited for the indoor track they play on, and spent years tweaking their defense to get it fast and aggressive enough to defeat New England.

They are built around team philosophies, around each front office's vision of what a championship team should look like. Whether they go offense-first or defense-first, the blueprint is tried and true, and the successes have been there for each system.

Mike Shanahan, coach for life, has also demonstrated he has a vision of what a championship team should look like - one that is also proven to work.

So if we want to know what Mike believes will get it done with the Broncos, all we have to do is look back to the past and determine how far away we are from the Shanahan Blueprint For Success.

First on offense:

1) Running the ball. For all that he's a West Coast guru, Mike Shanahan believes in a great running game leading to championships. "You win when you can run the ball and stop the run" is one of his mottos. He is justifiably proud of their consistent top-5 finishes in rush offense. The Broncos have been slipping here in recent years, both at RB and FB. When you look at what we had during 96-98 and what we have now, the differences are startling.

RB 96-98: Terrell Davis, HOF candidate

now: RBBC, with Travis Henry, Selvin Young and Andre Hall all competing for the top spot

FB 96-98: Aaron Craver (96) and Howard Griffith (97 and 98). Griffith was a Pro-Bowl level candidate.

now: Converted RBs Sapp and Bell.

This is a deficiency that should be cleared up soon if the Broncos want to return to the top. Their offense functions with almost any running back, but it would excel with an improvement to the RB and FB positions. Shanahan also likes to throw the ball to the RB, but Selvin Young proved this year he can catch it out of the backfield and do something with it, so the current team at least matches up with the championship-level ones in that regard.

2) He loves the pass-catching tight end. Shanahan's version of a 3 wide set is 2 wide receivers and a tight-end. Our 3rd wideout functions as our 4th in reality. Here at least we have someone who can catch the ball.

TE 96-98: Shannon Sharpe, HOF candidate, averaged 70+ catches and nearly 1000 yards those 3 years

Now: Tony Scheffler, had 49 catches for 549 yards in '07.

Scheffler is no Sharpe, but he fits the bill of a big pass-catcher across the middle and a great safety valve for a QB. Shannon had to work on his blocking early in his career so that he could stay on the field more, and Scheffler has the same issue. Hopefully he puts the amount of work into it that Shannon did, but until then our slot WR and our TE will be a combo 3rd receiver.

3) Two wides who are mirrors of each other. Rod Smith and Ed McCaffrey were both strong enough and fast enough to do whatever they wanted, and were immaculate route runners with terrific hands. Both men could be either the possession guy or the deep guy and that allowed Shanahan to tweak the offense as he chose, without the defenders being able to key on one guy always running the curl or the post and the other guy always running the fly. It made the offense more deceptive and harder to defend.

96-98: Rod Smith and Ed McCaffrey (Anthony Miller in '96, but we're ignoring him right now).

Now: Brandon Marshall and Brandon Stokley.

Marshall can go deep, go across the middle, has very good hands and is a burden to bring down. He's one-half of the equation. A healthy and productive Javon Walker would fill the Eddie Mac side of it...but he has been neither this past year, and may not be here in the future. Stokley signed and will be here, but Shanahan's preference is for him to play the slot (making up the difference between Sharpe's production at TE and Scheffler's), be in on fewer plays and thereby stay healthier, so we're looking for Marshall's mirror, whether in Walker or some other wideout.

4) A pair of Pro-Bowl OTs, with a Pro-Bowl C anchor for the line. Shanahan has taken his zone-blocking philosophy and turned it into an art, but sometimes he needs better performers to maximize his art. He brought in Zimmerman and Jones to protect both sides of his HOF QB, and drafted a perennial Pro-Bowl center to handle the middle. The guards were good but interchangable. Once the middle was secure and the ends were large protective cushions, Elway flourished more than he ever had before.

96-98: Zimmerman and Jones at the Tackles (both Pro-Bowlers, Zimm a HOFer) and Nalen (Pro-Bowler and ROFer) at center making the calls.

Now: No LT, inexperienced RT options in Harris, Pears and Kuper, with potentially Nalen's last year at center and no blue-chip replacement ready (Hamilton's a question mark due to the concussion issue). The guards may be the best part of the line, opposite of the SB years.

This right here is a huge responsibility to fill. Both the LT and RT slots are up for grabs, and the center position is manned by a guy wtih a torn bicep, backed up by a guy who missed a year with a concussion, and with the only other true center on the depth chart being merely adequate at best (Myers). A free-agent LT would go a huge way toward helping the confusion, but March and April will tell us where we're at with improving the line's performance from last season. And I'll say this: until we properly address the OL issues, we will never be an elite team. There are too many good defenses above us in the AFC for us to get by with mediocre line play.

5) A QB who can make all the throws, is tough as nails, is looked to as an unquestioned on-the-field leader and who comes with some swagger. Elway walked like John Wayne. His team-mates watched the things he did in awe, and his legend sustained them no matter what the scoreboard said. The defense played harder even when he struggled for the first 58 minutes of the game, knowing "If we can keep it to one score, John'll win this thing for us." He threw the ball harder than any QB I've ever seen, so much so that they had to increase the speed of the football-throwing machines in training camp to get the wide receivers used to catching that hard a ball.

96-98: #7

Now: #6

Cutler has the swagger, he has the arm, he's definitely tough, and leadership will come. Shanahan picked a pocket-passing cerebral guy without an arm or a heart for his first replacement of the Great One, and a scrambling mad-cap maverick with the same lack of arm and heart for his second one. Cutler has more arm than either, and skills both inside and outside the pocket. You can't gift someone with greatness, though - he'll have to find that himself. Jeff George had all the right tools, except for the one between his ears and the beating thing in his ribcage. I don't believe Cutler is a George, but the feeling out time is over. It's Cutler's team now. Rod Smith will be gone, Nalen has a foot out the door, Lepsis has retired and Hamilton's an unknown. No one else has been around the Broncos offense any longer than Cutler - so it's all gonna be on him now. At least we seem to have gotten this most-tricky of pieces in place for the next championship run.

6) SCORE. Those teams were 4th, 2nd, and 1st in scoring offense. They were top 5 in *both* rushing and passing TDs every year. They put the ball in the end zone. All the rest of this stuff doesn't matter if you don't get points from it (as our record showed this year. A top 10 running game, a 3500 yard passer and a 100-catch receiver don't mean anything if you're kicking field goals from the 2 all the time). Shanahan prides himself on an efficient offense. He loves the word efficient. It means "no wasted effort." If we go 70 yards down the field then there had better be 7 on the board when we're through.

96-98: Awesome.

Now: Mediocre. This is the single biggest contribution that coaching makes for this offense (besides the run scheme). It doesn't matter what your talent level is or how perfectly they match up against the other team if you do not take advantage of your strengths and their weaknesses by putting points on the board. Those teams never let the opposition "hang around." This team is infamous for it. Part of it's youth, which takes care of itself as the years pass, and part of it is play-calling. If Shanahan wants back his SB teams, this is a problem he needs to address by looking in the mirror. Perhaps the departure of Heimerdinger is the start of it. My fingers are crossed.

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Offseason Primer: New Orleans Saints

By MissouriBronc
BroncosForums.com Team Writer

As we begin to ascend up the draft order, we start to get into teams that don’t have a lot of quarterback issues, and they have a decent supporting cast, something just didn’t go right and their season never made that turn, that most teams take when they head towards the playoffs.

I think a good example of that is the New Orleans Saints. Drew Brees has turned himself into an elite quarterback in the NFL. Brees hasn’t missed a game since 2004, and has thrown for over 4,400 yards the last two seasons. I think the difference this season was Brees threw a few more interceptions. When the Saints went to the NFC Divisional Round, Brees threw 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, while this year he threw 28 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. Maybe that was a product of Brees trying to force the issue to try and win games, but he does need to bring that interception rate down if this team is going to be successful.

Deuce McAllister’s season-ending injury in week 3 was devastating for the Saints. The one thing it did show us, however, is that Reggie Bush might not be an every down running back in the NFL, at least not without a complement. Bush had 581 yards in 12 games, as he had his own injury problems as well. In stepped an unlikely runner, Aaron Stecker. Stecker, a nine-year veteran six games in the second half of the season, rushing for 444 yards and five touchdowns. His performance, however, won’t get him much of anywhere with the Saints, as McAllister is expected to come back healthy, and Reggie Bush is the change-of-pace back in New Orleans. Mike Karney is a solid blocking fullback, and can help catch the ball out of the backfield, as he had 13 catches for 78 yards this season.

Eric Johnson was one of Brees’ favorite targets at tight end, catching 48 passes in just 14 games. A lot was expected out of the seventh-year veteran with him coming over from San Francisco last offseason. He’s now an unrestricted free agent this offseason. If he doesn’t return, Billy Miller is also a decent option at tight end, as well. Mark Campbell missed all of 2007, and should be back in 2008.

The Saints could possibly lose two wide receivers in Devery Henderson, a former starter who had a rough year, and Terrance Copper. While Brees’ top options will still be in town, Marques Colston and David Patten, the Saints will be looking for a third option, in what has become a fairly wide-open offense. Robert Meachem, the team’s first-round selection out of Tennessee in the last draft, will be expected to fill that role. The hope is he could even break into the starting lineup, but after a strange season that had rumors swirling about him being overweight and not learning the playbook, it may be too much to ask. Meachem also had a knee injury that he had hid throughout the combine and offseason work outs. The Saints hope that a healthy Meachem will lead to a more motivated receiver. If he is unable to do that, Lance Moore should be a serviceable third receiver. The undrafted free agent out of Toledo finally got his chance to get on the field in 2007, catching 32 passes for 302 yards and two touchdowns.

The Saints offensive line was pretty productive this season. They ranked seventh in Football Outsider’s rankings, and allowed just 25 sacks this season.

Jammal Brown, the Saints first-round pick in 2005, is starting to turn into the franchise left tackle that they drafted him to be. Brown is big, 6-6, 313, but he also moves well, and he’s fairly durable, missing just two games in the last two seasons. Next to him at left guard is Jamar Nesbit. Nesbit, after sharing starting duties in his first two seasons with the Saints in 2004 and 2005, has stepped up and been a very productive guard for the Saints in 2006 and 2007.

Jeff Faine came in, in 2006 and has been a very good center. The Saints were the best team in the league running between the guards. Next to him at right guard is Jahri Evans, a fourth-round pick in 2006, who has stepped in and filled that position for nearly every snap in his first two seasons. Jonathan Stinchcomb has also started every game the last two seasons, and is a solid right tackle. Both Stinchcomb and Evans need to improve in the run-blocking category, however.

The amazing thing about the Saints line this season, is how healthy they were. Combined, they missed just three games this season, Faine missed two and Brown missed one. All are fairly young, and none are free agents this offseason. If this line stays healthy next season, it lays the groundwork, once again, for a big season for Drew Brees.

The Saints struggled defensively, ranking 26th overall. Brian Young will be entering his ninth season in the NFL at defensive tackle, and in 2007, he missed seven games. He’s still a pass-rush threat from the defensive tackle position, as he got three sacks this year, but he struggles in the run game, and is a little undersized for a defensive tackle. He’ll most likely be expected to start next year, as well. Hollis Thomas filled in at the other defensive tackle position in 2007, and will likely return as the other starter inside.

Will Smith is a decent end, but they will need more pass rush from him next season. In 2006, he had 10.5 sacks, but that dropped to seven this past year. He also had 66 tackles, and helps solidify an undersized line. Charles Grant lined up for the most part on the other side of the line in 2007, but his pass rush is lacking, and he’s weak against the run. Don’t be surprised if the Saints go after one of the top-flight defensive ends in the draft, like Vernon Gholston out of Ohio State or Derrick Harvey out of Florida.

Mark Simoneau was brought in two years ago to be the starting middle linebacker, but his production isn’t quite what the Saints want. He had just 70 tackles at middle linebacker, while starting in every game. He is an unrestricted free agent, and I doubt the Saints bring him back. I think they will try to upgrade the position. Backup Brian Simmons is a career backup/special teams player, and will be 33 next season. If the Saints don’t go for a defensive end in the draft, they could look at Keith Rivers or Dan Connor, although it may be a reach to take either at No. 10.

Scott Fujita, who looked like a journeyman backup when they brought him in two years ago, has been a pleasant surprise for the Saints, leading them in tackles from the weak-side linebacker position. Fujita will return next year to anchor the linebacking crew, and he’s just 29 years old. Opposite him is Scott Shanle, who was also brought in two years ago to bolster the linebacker group. He’s been OK. Don’t be surprised if the Saints get a lesser-known free agent, or an outside linebacker later in the draft for some depth.

Jason David was brought in at cornerback on a free-agent contract after he helped Indianapolis to the Super Bowl Championship. He hasn’t disappointed, though he did miss three games. He snatched three interceptions and had 11 pass deflections, and he’s not afraid to get inside and mix it up, as he had 51 tackles. Opposite him is Mike McKenzie, a similar type of cornerback, who can be physical (52 tackles) and can be a ball hawk (three interceptions, two taken back for touchdowns, and 17 pass deflections).

Josh Bullocks, a second round pick in 2005, has been a solid safety for the Saints, and continues to get better. Bullocks had 77 tackles (a big number for a free safety), two interceptions and eight pass deflections in 2007, and the Saints will expect more of the same from him in 2008. Next to him at strong safety is second round pick in 2006, Roman Harper. Harper stepped into a full-time starting role in 2007 and flourished. He had 90 tackles, four sacks, three interceptions, one touchdown and eight pass deflections. The Saints will need more of the same in 2008.

The Saints have decent talent on defense, but they need to solidify the middle, at both defensive tackle positions and at middle linebacker, and they can return to their 2006 form.

The Saints are in the market for a kicker. Martin Gramatica is not the answer at the position. Olindo Mare missed seven kicks in 13 games and Gramatica wasn’t much better. Brandon Coutu, out of Georgia, is the top kicker in the draft class.

Steven Weatherford will be entering his third season as the punter for the Saints, and he’s been productive. He’ll be back next season.

Aaron Stecker returned kicks last year, and Lance Moore filled in at times in the kick return game and was the full-time punt returner. Reggie Bush can also fill in at both positions. Don’t be surprised to see him a little more, with McAllister back healthy, to try and spark the special teams.

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Offseason Primer: Miami Dolphins

By MissouriBronc
BroncosForums.com Team Writer

First of all, I’d like to say hello to all the BroncosForums readers. I love to write, and really appreciate the opportunity that the Forum and my fellow writers, the Wookie, Mntman, BigBLove, Dogfish, Dream, Medford and our editors TS and Jrwiz, are giving me. I’m going to start off with a series of “Offseason Primers,” things I think all the NFL teams need to do to improve their team.

I’ll start with the Dolphins since they are the bottom of the barrel and we’ll work our way up the draft order from there. I hope all of you enjoy my writing, here goes:

Man, do the Dolphins need some help. Their best move this offseason, in my opinion, has already happened. They decided to bring Bill Parcells on board. He won’t be coaching, and if you listen to what he’s been saying, he won’t be the general manager either. Personally, I think that’s hogwash. Bill is there to turn that team around, and I think he’s got a good shot of doing it. The problem he’s facing is that he has no talent on offense and aging talent on defense.

The “where to begin” question for the Dolphins is pretty vast, but you have to look no further than the quarterback position. They tried Trent Green — he’s too old, and probably too frail — they tried Cleo Lemon — he’s nothing but a career backup, plus he’s a free agent now, and if you’re the Dolphins, do you give him any money? I wouldn’t. They got rid of their best two options, in my opinion, and that was Duante Culpepper and Joey Harrington, two years ago, to try and “rebuild.” Last time I checked, rebuilding with a career backup and a 36-year-old probably isn’t a good idea.

So where does that lead them doubt, even if he does quit smoking the ganj, that Ricky Williams is not going to be a viable option. The question, now that we’ve seen Ronnie Brown miss significant time this season, is should the Dolphins look for a franchise back in the draft, again, after taking one just three years ago in Brown?

Well, Darren McFadden looks like the real deal, and with recent allegations that he was with an agent when the agent purchased an Escolade, you’d have to say he’s a definite to enter the NFL Draft in April, and that he’s a pretty sure No. 1 choice. Is he the right choice for the Dolphins? I think he is. In a division that has three teams well north of the Mason-Dixon line, Miami needs to be able to run the ball, and what better way to do it with a Ronnie Brown-Darren McFadden, 1-2 punch?

At wide receiver, the Dolphins also need some help – of course which position doesn’t need help on this team. They traded away their best receiver in Chris Chambers. Last year’s ill-advised pick of Ted Ginn, Jr., leaves this team devoid of a quality wide receiver. Unfortunately for the Dolphins, this wasn’t the only other ill-advised pick of a wide receiver, as they took Derek Hagan out of Arizona State in the third round in 2005, and he hasn’t panned out either.

Marty Booker has been serviceable in his career, but he’s not a No. 1, he’s more like a No. 3. The Dolphins are probably going to have to take a look at a wide receiver in the draft, and bring one in, in free agency, to make bolster this group, and give Beck some targets.

Vernon Carey has a lot of talent at left tackle, but it’s put up or shut up time for the fourth year pro. He struggled some this season, but with all of the other holes on the team, the Dolphins will probably have to stick it out with him for next season. Samson Satele, a second round pick two years ago out of Hawaii, looks toset at the return position, as Ted Ginn will probably be a very good return man in the NFL. Problem is, the value of the No. 9 pick should be higher than a solid return man.

Jay Feely is a very good kicker, and I would imagine the Dolphins will hold on to him. Brandon Fields is a middle-of-the-road punter, who I would imagine will be with the Dolphins against next season, as well.

Obviously, the Dolphins have a lot of work to do, that’s no secret. Making the right choice with the No. 1 pick and bringing in Bill Parcells to help change things up, will definitely help this team in the long run.

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Offseason Primer: Atlanta Falcons

By MissouriBronc
BroncosForums.com Team Writer

The Falcons, at least in my opinion, have the least to work with of any team down at the bottom of the NFL. No coach, no quarterback, no wide receiver, a bad offensive line and a suspect defense.

So, where do you start? Obviously, the search for a new coach is priority No. 1 for the Falcons. They’ve already been spurned by Bill Parcells who ended up as a Dolphin consultant (read: GM), instead of as a Falcon. His choice wasn’t a dumb one. So who’s going to replace Petrino? Well, I wouldn’t be too surprised if it was a coordinator with his first NFL job, because to previous head coaches in the NFL, this job looks bleak. Several coordinators have already been contacted, both from the Dallas Cowboys in Tony Sparano and Jason Garrett. I think this process will take some time, so we’ll just have to see.

The lingering effects of the Michael Vick scandal are going to last well into next year for the Falcons and be the biggest thing on the new coach’s mind. Joey Harrington and Byron Leftwich have led the team this season, and it’s unlikely, I believe, that either will remain for next year. I think the Falcons really need to take a chance on one of Andre Woodson, Matt Ryan or Brian Brohm, in the draft. We know they are picking top five, and you’d have to think that not all three will be off the board by the time they pick.

One of the few positions where the Falcons are set, is at running back. Warrick Dunn will be 33 next season and could retire, but most likely will return for his seventh season in a Falcons uniform. He’s a tough runner, despite his size, and can still be a productive NFL running back, if healthy. Jerious Norwood is a very good second option for the Falcons. If they wanted to bring in a third guy on the lower rung of the free agents, it wouldn’t be a bad idea, but no need for the Falcons to spend a lot of money at running back. Ovie Mughelli is a good fullback and should be back at the position for the Falcons next year.

Alge Crumpler was one of the best tight ends in football when he was Michael Vick’s favorite target. His numbers fell off quite a bit this year as he was hindered by injuries and was one of the bigger malcontents on the team, but Crumpler still caught 42 passes for 444 yards and five touchdowns in just 14 games. He’s a real strength if the Falcons can keep him healthy.

The Falcons are atrocious at the wide receiver position. Veteran Joe Horn was brought in last off season to bolster the young receiving core and give them a down-the-field threat. The problem was that he was 35 years old and apparently has lost a step. Horn caught just 27 passes in 12 games, and was nothing near what the Falcons were hoping for. Roddy White is their best option as the third year receiver finally came into his own, catching 83 passes for 1,202 yards this season. The Falcons will need to have another season like this from him next year. Michael Jenkins will be entering his fifth season next year and he never has become what they thought he could be when they drafted him in the first round of the 2004 draft. With names like Bernard Berrian, Patrick Crayton and Bryant Johnson on the free agent market, don’t be surprised if the Falcons are active. Also, don’t be surprised if they draft a wide receiver, as well.

No need to sugarcoat it, the Falcons had probably the worst offensive line in the NFL this past season. It’s not easy to rebuild a unit in one season, but that’s just about what the Falcons tried to do. Quinn Ojinnaka, a fifth round selection in 2006, may get a pass at left tackle, because this was his first year starting, but he is at the most important position on the line, and if the Falcons do bring in a young quarterback, they need to protect that quarterback, and it certainly begins at left tackle. Rookie guard Justin Blalock could be a good one, and I would expect him to start at one of the guard positions, most likely at left guard, next year. D’Anthony Batiste stepped in and started four games this season, but the journeyman – who has played with three teams in three seasons – isn’t a solution for the Falcons at the guard slot.

Eight year starter Todd McClure should return for another season at center. He is the stalwart of the offensive line, and the only link to the group that helped the Falcons lead the league in rushing just two years ago. Kynan Forney started fourteen games for the Falcons this year, and was part of the 2006 group – though he played in just seven games that season. A healthy Forney would help bolster the right side of the line, where the Falcons really struggled this season. Tyson Clabo, who started 11 games at right tackle probably won’t be at the position next year for the Falcons, at least as a starter. Clabo, of course, was signed as an undrafted free agent for Denver in 2004, but didn’t make the squad. Out of football in 2005, he popped up in Atlanta, but probably isn’t the solution.

If the Falcons choose not to take a quarterback with their top pick, the other choice would probably be along the offensive line.

There are plenty of young players that could turn into a tough defense next year for the Falcons, but 2007 was a real struggle, coming in 29th in total defense and 29th in points allowed.

John Abraham, a big free agent three years ago for the Falcons, is still an effective pass rusher, and had one of his best sack years this year with 10. Other than Abraham, though, the defensive line is very young. Jamaal Anderson’s rookie campaign at the other defensive end spot was lackluster, but Anderson has good size and decent speed for a defensive end. If Abraham can have the type of pass-rushing year that he did this year, it will allow Anderson to flourish on the other side. Jonathan Babineaux are is a talented, young DE, but he’s going to need a better complement than Montavious Stanley. There’s not a whole lot of depth along the defensive line, either, and that’s something the Falcons should address in the offseason.

Michael Boley will be entering his fourth season next year at the strong side linebacker position, after having a pretty decent season this year. He had 109 tackles, three sacks two interceptions and seven pass deflections. As he continues to develop, he is a player the Falcons can build around.

Keith Brooking had 110 tackles, two sacks and four pass deflections, but he’ll be entering his 11th season next year and his 11th season as the starting middle linebacker. He’s still productive, but will he hold up after playing seven straight seasons without missing a start? Demorrio Williams will be entering his fifth season at strong side linebacker for the Falcons, and you have to wonder if he’s the answer. He’s also a free agent, and are the Falcons willing to give up money to keep him at the position? If they don’t, they could address the position in the draft, or allow 2007 fourth-round pick Stephen Nicholas to step in and see if he can be a starter in the NFL.

DeAngelo Hall is still one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL, but he was exposed a little this year, with not much else around him. Chris Houston, a second round pick this past year is at the opposite cornerback position, and should still be the starter next year, but has to be more productive. He had no interceptions this season and nine pass deflections. Lawyer Milloy will be entering his 13th season next year, if he sticks around. I wouldn’t be too surprised if this veteran retires with Atlanta facing a lot of rebuilding. Chris Crocker played free safety for the Falcons this season, and may be around next season as well, with as many holes as they have on this team.

It’s time for Morten Andersen to retire, right? I mean, seriously. The guy can’t even kick field goals longer than 40 yards, can he? Andersen, if he comes back, will be entering his 26th season. That’s not a typo: he’s 26th season.

Michael Koenen was middle of the pack as far as punting statistics are concerned, but if the Falcons bring Andersen back, they’ll probably stick with Koenen as well, because he’s got a strong enough leg to kick off.

Jerious Norwood is a capable returnman, and should keep the duties for next season.

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Offseason Primer: St. Louis Rams

By MissouriBronc
BroncosForums.com Team Writer

No one had a more disappointing year than the St. Louis Rams. They came in to the season with one of the best young running backs in the game, a steady veteran quarterback, solid wide receivers, a decent defense and what looked like a winnable division. They also added one of the best tight ends in the game in Randy McMichael.

And no team was affected by injury more than the St. Louis Rams. When Steven Jackson went down, they lost most of their ability to move the ball, despite having a very reliable quarterback in Marc Bulger and three top-notch receiving threats. Throw in some injuries for all of their position players, and you get a 3-13 season (likely, anyway, with Arizona up 24-3 as a write this).

The good news – the Rams still have a young, talented running back in Steven Jackson, a capable quarterback, receiving threats and decent talent on defense. So, of all the teams on the lower rung of the NFL, they probably have the least they need to do to get back to competing for a division championship.

So is it time for Linehan to go? That probably is the No. 1 question facing the Rams in the offseason. It’s tough to let a coach go after just two seasons, but after a lackluster 8-8 season last year and a horrible 3-13 season this year, it might be time to cut the cords.

Marc Bulger will still be the quarterback for the Rams. Despite seeing a statistical drop off this season for the Rams, Bulger is still a capable NFL quarterback if he can stay healthy. Likewise, Gus Frerotte, though he is aging, is still a capable backup. Beyond that, Brock Berlin is probably not an NFL quarterback.

At running back, the Rams are set. Steven Jackson, despite dealing with injuries this season will be only 25 years old going into next season, and he still had 947 rushing yards in 11 games, going into Sunday. Behind him they don’t have much in Travis Minor and Antonio Pittman, but both are young and should get a chance to play as third-down backs next season. One of the problems the Rams saw this season, however, is that Minor and Pittman A.) weren’t as durable as Jackson, and B.) weren’t as good on third down as Jackson is. I like Brian Leonard, especially if he continues to accept his role as an h-back type of player for the Rams.

At wide receiver, I think the Rams still have at least another year before they have to start looking at upgrading the position. Torry Holt will be 32 next year, and had 86 catches in the first 15 games this season, heading into Sunday. He’s also one of the most durable wide receivers in the game, having missed just two games in his entire career, spanning the last nine years.

Isaac Bruce is getting older. He’ll be 36 next year and he’s struggled with injuries this season, but still played in 13 games heading into Sunday’s finale. He’s also been fairly productive for the Rams, hauling in 53 catches for 694 yards. Add in the solid Drew Bennett, and you see that the Rams should be set at the wide receiver position for at least next year.

At left tackle, Alex Barron should still be the starter for the Rams next year. He started in all of the games this season, and is an incredible talent at 6-7, 315. But, he hasn’t shown the potential that they expected when they took him with their No. 1 pick in 2005.

Andy McCollum is getting old at left guard, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s played his last game, with him turning 38 before next season. McCollum has also had to fill in at center this year and Brett Romberg isn’t the solution at center either, leaving that part of the line vulnerable. I think Richie Incognito is a good, young lineman at right guard, but he’s battled injury this year in just his third season. He will only be 25 next season.

Milford Brown and Brandon Gorin are not the solution at RT. Don’t be surprised to see the Rams look for some help in the draft along the offensive line, as these two free agents really haven’t panned out for them.

The defensive line is probably the best group on the Rams defense. Leonard Little is getting older, and will be 34 next season, but I still think he’s a decent defensive end for the Rams. He battled injury this year, but a healthy Little will be a positive for the Rams next season. Personally, I think Adam Carriker is one of the best young defensive lineman in the league. I had hopes that Denver would try and draft him, but he went much earlier than the Broncos picked him. At 6-6, 308, Carriker has the speed to play defensive end and the size to play defensive tackle. He has 29 tackles, two sacks and a safety this season for the Rams, in his rookie campaign.

La’Roi Glover is still a good option for the Rams at the other defensive tackle, as he has six sacks this season and 36 tackles. However, the one position along the defensive line that may be addressed in the offseason is at the other defensive end spot where James Hall has notched just 2.5 sacks in 14 games. With the Rams being fairly set on the offensive side of the ball, don’t be too surprised if they do draft some young players along the defensive line. One option could be Chris Long at defensive end, the top prospect out of Virginia, and of course, Howie Long’s son. Long could really bolster that right side of the defensive line with Carriker, and becoming a strength for this team for years to come.

At linebacker, Will Witherspoon and Pisa Tinoisamoa have been great for the Rams. However, at the other linebacker position, the Rams have been atrocious. Don’t be surprised if the Rams take a look at some free agents to play that other linebacker position, with guys like Lance Briggs and Boss Bailey being available this offseason.

At safety, the Rams are set, with two absolute ball-hawks roaming the defensive backfield. Corey Chavous had 70 tackles, 3.5 sacks and three pass deflections this season, but he will be 32 next season, and O.J. Atogwe is an under-rated safety, who notched 70 tackles, nine pass deflections and seven interceptions. Of course, part of the safeties’ production came from a lack of production from the strong side linebacker position.

With Fakhir Brown and Tye Hill at the cornerback positions, don’t be surprised if the Rams try and look for a cornerback in either the draft or free agency. I expect the Rams to stick with Hill, who was a No. 1 pick in 2006, but Brown hasn’t been all that productive at the other cornerback position. Jonathan Wade, a third-round draft pick this past year, may step in at the other cornerback position, but again, don’t be surprised if they look to bolster that group.

Jeff Wilkins and Donnie Jones are good kickers and most likely both of them will be around next year, along with Dante Hall the returnman.

The Rams are the biggest head-scratcher in my mind this year, with what seems like decent talent in a fairly mediocre division. The Rams should be able to use their top draft pick to pick up some talent and bolster their talent. They have to hope next season that the injury bug doesn’t hit them again.

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The future is bright for the Broncos

By TheWookieeBronco
BroncosForums.com Team Writer

I was determined to write something positive before the Broncos took on the San Diego Chargers on Monday Night Football. I was hoping for a strong performance from the Denver running game so I could praise Selvin Young. Nothing positive came from the Monday Night game, but there are still things to be positive about if you're a Denver Broncos fan. The team has a very bright future, if we make the right moves in the off-season.

A major area that will get us to getting to the AFC Championship game or "The Big One" next off-season is having a strong draft. A rookie, or second year player, can certainly make a huge difference. For example, if we were to draft a top notch offensive tackle this off-season, Jake Long for example, by his second year he could be a premier offensive tackle. Here's another example, if we were to draft James Laurinaitis this off-season, he could make an immediate Patrick Willis type impact. Teams who build through the draft have longer life spans and usually fare better during those life spans, it is very important to build through the draft.

Another key will be bringing in the RIGHT Free Agents. For example, Sam Adams, Jimmy Kennedy and Simeon Rice were bad pickups. The Broncos and fans thought that these players would fix things, but they did not. The key will be not to pick up fodder, but to pick up productive and young players. If we were to bring in Karlos Dansby and Corey Williams for example, they would be extremely good signings. Two brilliant signings are better than several bad ones.

But the main factor for the Broncos will be the young players taking a step up. I am personally a big fan of having a young team and I am a big fan of giving young guys alot of opportunities. Young players usually play with more fire and spirit. Guys like Brandon Marshall, Jay Cutler, Selvin Young, Tony Scheffler, Chris Myers, Chris Kuper, Tim Crowder, Jarvis Moss, Elvis Dumervil, Marcus Thomas and D.J Williams need to lead the team more and more. If these guys can step up even further, they will surely lead the Broncos to victory providing the Broncos make the right off-season pickups.

Read that list of players again, and think, think how many top quality young players we have. Think of the talent those players have and think how fortunate we are to have them. We have so many good young players that could become NFL Superstars in a couple of years and that list is missing next off-seasons draftees. The fact is that while things are bad now, they wont be bad at all in a couple of seasons if we have another strong off-season.

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