Could Dustin Fry Really be our new Center?

[Spiritguy]

That is one of the big questions so far this off season. There is a lot of talk about the top 3 centers in this draft. There is also a lot of talk about the desperate need for one of those same 3 guys. But, what if our center of the future is already on the team?

This is from MHR so I only quoted the first few paragraphs. The whole article goes into his strengths and weaknesses. Well worth the read. Be sure to checkout the comments too. They get into several of the questions that you and I have about our center situation.





We've been talking for weeks now about the nose tackles in this league, on this team and in this draft. It seems that every time I turn around, some other NFL team has decided that the intelligent answer to the short passing-based attack that has been sweeping the NFL is to move to the versatility of the 3-4 formation. As more and more teams use this attack as their primary or secondary weapon (in the case of some of the hybrids formations, another commonality in the NFL right now), there is a growing demand for nose tackles. Big ones and shorter ones, faster and slower ones, nose tackles are becoming one of the talks of the league.

When you see a growing trend towards the 3-4, 5-2 and hybrid formations that require a NT, you're quickly going to see counter-moves by the offenses in the league. It's been going on since Org realized that he could hit Ulah with a rock from farther away than Ulah could whack him with a stick - the move and countermove that we have seen in the evolution of human society has been seen in small in the game of NFL football. One of the counter-moves that you might begin to see may be a greater emphasis on the center and guard positions. Someone has to stop the big guys from making burgers out of your 12 million dollar quarterback. Your primary investment loses value quickly if he's throwing a desperate pass with 325 lbs of nasty leaping onto his head. Those someones who protect that QB have often been nearly forgotten in the dash for more points, the fantasy standings and the glory hounds who play what are still called the skill positions. From my own perspective, keeping the Ngatas of this world from making post holes with your QB's head is definitely and categorically a skill.

The Broncos have a guy who is nearly unknown, but who is the only straight up center listed on the current team roster. Let's face it - offseason, predraft team rosters are nothing more than a little guesswork and a lot of smokescreen that fulfills an NFL requirement. But even so, as things stand right now, Dustin Fry (http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/4271/Dustin_Fry) is the only pure center on the Denver Broncos (http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/DEN). That may change between now and the end of the draft, but for the moment, we should probably get to know the man who may be snapping the ball to Kyle Orton (http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/3114/Kyle_Orton) on the first day of the 2010 season.

read the rest here (http://www.milehighreport.com/2010/3/25/1390145/the-tale-of-dustin-fry)

[Buff]

No.

[dogfish]

No.

thanks, G money. . . . :rolleyes:

[gobroncsnv]

the kind of thinking you get from someone who knows more than Madden 2010 or only gets in on FF... it takes skill to keep their 330 pounders off of your 225 pounder. way too many people just want the "real" skill positions on the team, without considering that you can't move the ball if every play is chuck and duck.

[Lonestar]

I have been a firm believer that you win and LOSE most games at the LOS. By having great play at DT or NT something we have not had for almost ever.

Conversely when ever we have played grreat DLines the past ten twevle years we have struggled. Our fast smart OLINE has been beat like a drum. For the most part taken away the running games.

Give me beef and nasty at the LOS and you will win more than we lose.


Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel

[broncofaninfla]

I don't know anything about Fry to be honest, not a household name by any means but could be a good player for us? Who knows? I won't write him off until I see him in action and he fails. Until then I'm pulling for him.....

[LTC Pain]

Give Fry a good look at center at camp. See if he can keep J. Williams, Baker and Fields off the QB and out of the backfield. From what I just read above, he has the tools to handle the job.

[T.K.O.]

great article ! i really think the guy has potential,sounds like a winner.
i just wonder if the team can find out if he can handle the job before the draft?if not...like the writer says,space could be a problem and somebody has to be cut to make room for a rook.leaving us with a possible year or even 2 without a starting level center.
and by the way,my favorite qoute from the article........
" he has made it a habit of putting defenders on their pants, registering 171 knockdowns while manning the pivot.":laugh:

pants on the ground,pants on the ground...lookin'......................

[rationalfan]

i have to imagine there were similar reservations about the undrafted, unheralded tom nalen taking over the broncos' center position in the '90s.

[Ziggy]

i have to imagine there were similar reservations about the undrafted, unheralded tom nalen taking over the broncos' center position in the '90s.

Tom Nalen was a 7th round draft pick, and didn't start until the last game of his rookie year. I'm hoping that Frye is the answer, but I still think we'll take at least one center in the draft.

[Ziggy]

I don't know anything about Fry to be honest, not a household name by any means but could be a good player for us? Who knows? I won't write him off until I see him in action and he fails. Until then I'm pulling for him.....

Now that's what I'm talking about. I'd love to see him succeed, and give Olsen and Kuper a chance to become our guard tandem of the future.

[Traveler]

Let's hope this turns out to be more than an offseason fluff article.

[Lonestar]

I have been busy with family issues but I thought I saw that we signed mawie the old ALL PRO to a 3year contract. MAybe that was premature s

if that is the case then we have a teacher for any rookie we draft or sign as an UDFA.

[Ziggy]

I have been busy with family issues but I thought I saw that we signed mawie the old ALL PRO to a 3year contract. MAybe that was premature s

if that is the case then we have a teacher for any rookie we draft or sign as an UDFA.

Mawae hasn't been signed. It was another Wiki error.

[Lonestar]

Mawae hasn't been signed. It was another Wiki error.

was prety sure I saw contract deatails some where .. But then tis makes since.

[rationalfan]

Tom Nalen was a 7th round draft pick, and didn't start until the last game of his rookie year. I'm hoping that Frye is the answer, but I still think we'll take at least one center in the draft.

thanks for the correction. my point stands,though.

[Lancane]

was prety sure I saw contract deatails some where .. But then tis makes since.

According to ESPN the reason we did not sign Mawae is because he was almost exactly what we got rid of when we let go of Weigmann an over the age undersized veteran.

Frye is a backup at best, the team will not go in to the season with one unproven center, though that is a great way to make sure that Quinn is the starter come the start of the season! It's more likely that Denver will trade for someone or draft someone fairly high. I could see Denver trading with Seattle purely for the need of either Spencer or Vallos...we might also just decide to take Pouncey with the 11th overall pick.

Seattle does not really want to part with Spencer, but are yet to sign him to a long-term contract and they have Vallos in the wings. Marshall could end up being traded from a sever need on the LOS; either Spencer and their 2nd round pick or Vallos and the 14th overall pick, just something to keep in mind.

[Lonestar]

According to ESPN the reason we did not sign Mawae is because he was almost exactly what we got rid of when we let go of Weigmann an over the age undersized veteran.

Frye is a backup at best, the team will not go in to the season with one unproven center, though that is a great way to make sure that Quinn is the starter come the start of the season! It's more likely that Denver will trade for someone or draft someone fairly high. I could see Denver trading with Seattle purely for the need of either Spencer or Vallos...we might also just decide to take Pouncey with the 11th overall pick.

Seattle does not really want to part with Spencer, but are yet to sign him to a long-term contract and they have Vallos in the wings. Marshall could end up being traded from a sever need on the LOS; either Spencer and their 2nd round pick or Vallos and the 14th overall pick, just something to keep in mind.

I agree with your intial anaylisis but think the quinn comment is a real stretch


I would have zero issues with taking a top rated center in the draft or big in a guy like KM to bridge the gap till the rookie can "get it".

I can only hope that BM is traded off for more draft choices. We need more help with the draft than we need BM. IMHO

[Spiritguy]

This was an interesting part of the article talking about One of Fry's strenghs, and one of the Broncos weaknesses over the past several years. Whether he is the guy to start at center or not, I hope we have some guys on the interior O line that can move the pile and make holes. Especially in short yardage.

What does Fry bring to the table that Digger didn't mention? Let's start with his college days. He was a candidate for the Rimington Award, given to the nation's top center, in 2006. He played in 46 games with 26 starts at Clemson, registering 171 knockdown blocks. In 2006 as a senior, he started 13 games and opened holes for offense that ranked fifth in the nation in rushing with 217.9 yards per games. That same offensive line allowed only 1.2 sacks per game, the fifth-lowest figure in the nation. but there was something else that helped him to stand apart from other centers, and it bears directly on what I perceive as one of the keys to the modern OL game. In an interview with Ed Thompson (http://profootball.scout.com/2/643360.html) of the Clemson school newspaper, Fry mentioned this:



"In the past, when centers made the calls, it was like "you make this call no matter what, you're not reading the defense, you just look, you find the Mike, you make that point." When I kind of took over, more so in my senior year, he gave me more leniency to read the defense more, read the safeties, make your point on what you think they're going to do. It's not like I was just out there like "okay, I think he's coming." We had a game plan. We watch blitzes over and over and if they're a boundary blitz team from the field, what kind of blitzes they run. When I started feeling more liberal in my points and got to read more, it made the game a lot more fun, too. I think it helped out the team a lot better because you can put the guys in the right position to make the right plays."


As intriguing as that is, there was another quote that drew my attention even more. Consider this:


Ed Thompson, interviewer: In 2006, about sixty percent of Clemson's rushing yards came up the middle. That shows a tremendous amount of confidence in you and the guys that were shoulder to shoulder with you. Talk a little bit about that.

DF: Yeah, me and my interior line guys, we came in together and we took a lot of pride in being able to run up the middle and convert short-yardage plays. My right guard and left guard, we love running that inside zone right behind either one of us, right up the gut. We really take pride in that and the backs we had, they made it a lot easier for us."

For a team that has struggled mightily to run up the middle when it is needed, that has to be worthy of serious consideration. The weakness of the 3-4 defense is traditionally exploited by neutralizing the NT and running the ball right up the middle. The Broncos have been failing on that account, and it's cost them several games. Between an aging Wiegmann last season and trouble at left guard and right tackle, running up the middle has been more of a fantasy than a weapon. If Fry can be part of the solution, he'll do well in 2010. It's not like there aren't any Broncos who came off the PS to start recently. Ryan McBean is an obvious example. DJ Johnson left Denver's PS to play with the New York Giants (http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/NYG). Tony Carter (http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/78002/Tony_Carter) came on and contributed late in 2009. The line between the PS and the starting squad is often thinner than the fans can know. This could be one of those times.

[Lancane]

I agree with your intial anaylisis but think the quinn comment is a real stretch


I would have zero issues with taking a top rated center in the draft or big in a guy like KM to bridge the gap till the rookie can "get it".

I can only hope that BM is traded off for more draft choices. We need more help with the draft than we need BM. IMHO

The Quinn comment was not that big of a stretch, if Frye started and the line is as it is now, Orton would not go unscathed for a quarter let alone an entire game. We have no real depth at the guard positions and the depth at tackle while seeming like plentiful is rather ragged at best. As you said, we need to beef up the line with some nasty-ass lineman. And by what I have heard we are no longer looking at Mawae, so he is pretty much out the window.

And as to Brandon Marshall, if not traded for a first round pick or lesser top round pick and player, I do not believe Denver will let him go. You may we need more help from the draft, but one truth that is constant is that Marshall was our offense last year, I don't care how much you improve the line...but with the loss we would need to seriously replace him; AI we use the pick we get to draft another receiver, that is why I believe Denver may only do it if a player is also involved. We could end up trading a Pro-Bowler for nothing more then another Lelie if it's pick for Marshall, because the receiver we take will be scrutinized if he can not live up to replacing Marshall. McDaniels' may be many things...stupid is not one of them.

[Lonestar]

The Quinn comment was not that big of a stretch, if Frye started and the line is as it is now, Orton would not go unscathed for a quarter let alone an entire game. We have no real depth at the guard positions and the depth at tackle while seeming like plentiful is rather ragged at best. As you said, we need to beef up the line with some nasty-ass lineman. And by what I have heard we are no longer looking at Mawae, so he is pretty much out the window.

And as to Brandon Marshall, if not traded for a first round pick or lesser top round pick and player, I do not believe Denver will let him go. You may we need more help from the draft, but one truth that is constant is that Marshall was our offense last year, I don't care how much you improve the line...but with the loss we would need to seriously replace him; AI we use the pick we get to draft another receiver, that is why I believe Denver may only do it if a player is also involved. We could end up trading a Pro-Bowler for nothing more then another Lelie if it's pick for Marshall, because the receiver we take will be scrutinized if he can not live up to replacing Marshall. McDaniels' may be many things...stupid is not one of them.

Like I said I think we will find an aging Cneter to build teh bridge in getting the Rokies or Fre comfortable out ther.

As for the orton comment I do not see him being any less mobuile than I do Quinn and I think either of them will get some lumps unless we seruosly upgrade all interior OLINE guys.

Last year hamilton and casey allowed the middle to be pushed back into the pocket on way more than one occasion thus trapping the QB and not allowing him to step up into the "pocket"..

PErhaps it i being an Ex ORG that allows me to see this more clearly than some do. But that is what I have seen since we went to the drop back passing attack that dinger brought in. the weakest link being Hamilton that past few years. a great ZBS guy but on roller skates for pocket protect.

for me the jury is still out on Kuper I think he is adequate but not sure if he will ever be great. to me not enought Strength mean as hell but that does not over come being just not big and sgtrong enough to get teh job done in this years NFL.

As for Marshall I'm not a beleiver that in this scheme we HAVE to have a biggie WR nice to have but the way I understand it the timing and croissing routes should get receivers clear to do their thing and run after the QB gets them the ball.

Maybe I'm wrong but brady did pretty well without MOss also. set a bunch of records with him but lost the ultimate prise that year also.

I would much rather have another first that could potnetially get us a couple more choices.. Just me I guess I'll take a first day draft choice any day over a WR that is not a TEAM player.

[Lancane]

Like I said I think we will find an aging Cneter to build teh bridge in getting the Rokies or Fre comfortable out ther.

As for the orton comment I do not see him being any less mobuile than I do Quinn and I think either of them will get some lumps unless we seruosly upgrade all interior OLINE guys.

Last year hamilton and casey allowed the middle to be pushed back into the pocket on way more than one occasion thus trapping the QB and not allowing him to step up into the "pocket"..

PErhaps it i being an Ex ORG that allows me to see this more clearly than some do. But that is what I have seen since we went to the drop back passing attack that dinger brought in. the weakest link being Hamilton that past few years. a great ZBS guy but on roller skates for pocket protect.

for me the jury is still out on Kuper I think he is adequate but not sure if he will ever be great. to me not enought Strength mean as hell but that does not over come being just not big and sgtrong enough to get teh job done in this years NFL.

As for Marshall I'm not a beleiver that in this scheme we HAVE to have a biggie WR nice to have but the way I understand it the timing and croissing routes should get receivers clear to do their thing and run after the QB gets them the ball.

Maybe I'm wrong but brady did pretty well without MOss also. set a bunch of records with him but lost the ultimate prise that year also.

I would much rather have another first that could potnetially get us a couple more choices.. Just me I guess I'll take a first day draft choice any day over a WR that is not a TEAM player.

Well, I can not refute a former guard about the inner workings on the LOS, especially since my entire career was as a hybrid safety/rush linebacker. So I will defer to your wisdom on that part of the discussion. But even with Kuper and Olsen starting we have no depth, we have a former defensive tackle for a backup and that is it. So we need depth, Ryan Harris will eventually need replaced and I feel we will try and get his future replacement in the draft. So there remains a very big need at line.

As to the Moss-Brady argument, Brady did well...but Brady is a hell of a lot better the Orton. And if you look over what other receivers did besides Marshall, I would not call any of it promising in any way. So the need is great if we do not keep Marshall. The reason Marshall was so needed and successful is because he is a big target who can escape and break tackles, it is a problem that our other receivers had continually...they would get the ball and be tackled too quickly. So I would say we either need a Marshall clone or a burner that can not be touched so easily with good hands.

[Lonestar]

Well, I can not refute a former guard about the inner workings on the LOS, especially since my entire career was as a hybrid safety/rush linebacker. So I will defer to your wisdom on that part of the discussion. But even with Kuper and Olsen starting we have no depth, we have a former defensive tackle for a backup and that is it. So we need depth, Ryan Harris will eventually need replaced and I feel we will try and get his future replacement in the draft. So there remains a very big need at line.

As to the Moss-Brady argument, Brady did well...but Brady is a hell of a lot better the Orton. And if you look over what other receivers did besides Marshall, I would not call any of it promising in any way. So the need is great if we do not keep Marshall. The reason Marshall was so needed and successful is because he is a big target who can escape and break tackles, it is a problem that our other receivers had continually...they would get the ball and be tackled too quickly. So I would say we either need a Marshall clone or a burner that can not be touched so easily with good hands.


I have beem the poster boy for almost a decade about getting quality LOS players both as starters as well as Depth

I see Kuper being that depth but he may surprise me..

Ryan I see the same thing a good but never Great OT and cetrainly not a guy I'd want on the OLT spot should Clady go down.



As is stands right now we have ONE OLINE guy that I think will be long term and two backup depth players. I woud love to see the min size on the OLINE as 310 going to 345. Big enough to deal with those huge NT and DT and still fast enough to get the edge rushers.

It may take couple of years to get those players needed but this is a great year depth wise to fix HOLES..

We still need youth on the DL and depth as well would like a min 305 going to 350 there.

BM is a great WR when he is on the field I will not debate that.

I do not think he will ever become omre than what he is immature and because of that a huge risk for being in the game when teh chips or Goodell susepdns him again.

It is not of if a matter of if but WHEN. That is how I feel we have seen way to many ploice blotter reports to think he has learned anything from it.

I beleive that KO or QUinn or whoever Josh wants in there will be able to do the job as Brady was not all pro the moment he walked on the field was either.

Sorry but that is how I see it I may be wrong as hell but I do not think so..

[Lancane]

I have beem the poster boy for almost a decade about getting quality LOS players both as starters as well as Depth

I see Kuper being that depth but he may surprise me..

Ryan I see the same thing a good but never Great OT and cetrainly not a guy I'd want on the OLT spot should Clady go down.



As is stands right now we have ONE OLINE guy that I think will be long term and two backup depth players. I woud love to see the min size on the OLINE as 310 going to 345. Big enough to deal with those huge NT and DT and still fast enough to get the edge rushers.

It may take couple of years to get those players needed but this is a great year depth wise to fix HOLES..

We still need youth on the DL and depth as well would like a min 305 going to 350 there.

BM is a great WR when he is on the field I will not debate that.

I do not think he will ever become omre than what he is immature and because of that a huge risk for being in the game when teh chips or Goodell susepdns him again.

It is not of if a matter of if but WHEN. That is how I feel we have seen way to many ploice blotter reports to think he has learned anything from it.

I beleive that KO or QUinn or whoever Josh wants in there will be able to do the job as Brady was not all pro the moment he walked on the field was either.

Sorry but that is how I see it I may be wrong as hell but I do not think so..

I believe that Marshall's biggest mistake was literally asking to be traded. And too many fans took it as almost a personal insult, otherwise I think there would be less reporting by the media on what he did and a lot less fans looking to rid the team of him. Look, I know he screwed up, and I'm pretty damn sure he knows it as well. But I think fans would be relatively surprised if they actually read full bios on players not only the league but coming out in the draft; fighting, arrests, DUIs' and so on and so forth...even domestic violence and battery charges. Football is an agressive sport, you find aggressive people in major urban areas and colleges know this, they make for some of the best ball players; in fact there is not an NFL team that does not have at least three former gang members on the roster, that is at least 96 former gang members and associates of such in the league. That does not include kids that just had troubled backgrounds. I feel Marshall became a major target for news sources because Irving went clean, Moss grew up and T.O. just sort of got old, they needed new blood.

It just seems that too many fans are buying into it, Goodell may suspend him but within reason. So unless he violates a major rule then Goodell will have to swallow shit, because the NFLPA will not just let it pass if it's to make Marshall a scapegoat due to spotlight exposure and based on nothing else. Beyond that...Marshall is without a doubt the best young receiver in the game, he bolsters our weak offense, and it is weak...I think you would have to agree. I said last year that we better not get into too many shootouts or we would lose, and McDaniels I think now understands that. That's partially why I believe we will draft heavily on the offensive side of the ball this draft.

As to the line assessment, couldn't agree more. There are too many question marks to feel comfortable and it could take time to get it satisfactory, but at the same time, one boo-boo and we are in deep shit. Not sure which way we will go, but I do believe without a doubt that if Denver goes to the draft as we are, that we will see us take at least three offensive lineman...just my opinion though.

[Lonestar]

have studied all of his mis deeds and frankly see no reason to beleive that he "gets it".

I know that most players are not choir boys. But his imaturity and Police blotter activies are on the moon.. IIRC he has had 35+ incidents that have generated a ploice call.

that is not to mention the incidents on the field either during practice or games.

I really thought he "got IT" after making ice nice with Josh after the mid season. But then he reared his ugly head once again during the last coupe of weeks.

now whether tha is an abboration I'm not sure but I justg see it as a continuing issues that shows his lack of maturity.

Will he ever grow out of it probably but IMHO he is jsut not worth gambling 25+ million guaranteed on the guy/

That to me is giving a kid to the candy store
I know that some feel that it will settle him down. ..But I have yet to see
that work for anyone just makes them even more irresponsible they have nothing to hold them in check.

[turftoad]

I thought this thread was about Dustin Fry, not Marshall.

[dogfish]

I thought this thread was about Dustin Fry, not Marshall.

preach, brotha toad!

[broncofanatic1987]

I remember seeing something that indicated that Hochstein might be in line to take over as the starting center.

Whoever gets the job is fine with me as long as he can get the job done.