Ziggy
04-20-2008, 05:51 PM
April 20, 2008
Broncos unable to revise rough drafts
By FRANK SCHWAB THE GAZETTE
ENGLEWOOD - Terry Pierce, at age 26, should be entering his prime as an NFL linebacker. Instead, the 2003 second-round pick of the Denver Broncos is a financial adviser in Kansas.
“I went ahead and moved on,” said Pierce, who also started a networking Web site for business owners who are Kansas State alumni. “I wouldn’t have done it had there been another chance in football.”
In 2003 and 2004, the Broncos drafted 20 players — including Pierce — and 19 are no longer with the team. The only holdover is linebacker D.J. Williams, whose career path has been slowed by multiple position changes. Only three others are in the NFL.
Most of the players were jettisoned so quickly their names are only vaguely familiar, if they’re remembered at all. Defensive linemen Aaron Hunt and running back Quentin Griffin are in the Canadian Football League. Center Josh Sewell just signed with the Grand Rapids Rampage of the Arena Football League, and receiver Darius Watts signed with the Philadelphia Soul. Quarterback Matt Mauck is in dentistry school.
Quarterback Bradlee Van Pelt is playing in a recreational adult soccer league in Santa Barbara, Calif., and is tied for third in the league with 11 goals, according to its Web site.
Denver is coming off a 7-9 season and the roster isn’t as deep as it was a few years ago. A 95 percent failure rate in the 2003 and 2004 drafts and some misses in free agency during that period are prominent reasons.
Pierce said he’s happy in the financial realm. Helping people gives him satisfaction that is different from his football career, a feeling he described as “squishy” with a laugh. But he also thinks about his draft class, which should be providing the depth of the Broncos roster, at very least.
“Most of the guys were good enough to play,” Pierce said. “I think the surprising thing is none of them stuck. It was very surprising.”
There isn’t one answer for why the Broncos didn’t do well in those drafts. Griffin had some good games but got hurt. Watts could get open but dropped too many passes. Pierce was drafted to be Al Wilson’s replacement, but Wilson resigned with the team after Pierce’s first year. Pierce was asked to lose weight to play out of position at outside linebacker but that didn’t work and he was cut after two seasons. Running back Tatum Bell and offensive tackle George Foster became starters, but never grew into stars, fell out of favor and were traded to Detroit.
“Those weren’t good drafts or free agency, obviously,” Denver coach Mike Shanahan said after last season. “That stands for itself.”
Many others either had brief success or none at all. Out of the 20 draftees, only Williams, Bell, Foster and Steelers defensive tackle Nick Eason are in the NFL.
“When they say the NFL is ‘Not For Long,’ you really see that,” Williams said. “There’s guys that I got drafted with, that actually went top four rounds, not necessarily on this team, that aren’t even in the league anymore. Who would think a guy would be a third-round pick and two years later not be in the NFL?”
Williams said he didn’t think those drafts set the franchise back because many teams have great turnover annually.
Shanahan acknowledged that those drafts didn’t help.
He said the Broncos had the talent to win 10 games last year, and the expectation might have been 13 wins had there not been two wasted drafts.
“If we had some of those drafts, it would be different,” Shanahan said.
CONTACT THE WRITER: 476-4891 or frank.schwab@gazette.com. Check out our Broncos blog at gazettebroncos.blogspot.com
BAD PICKS LEAVE BAD TASTE
QUARTERBACK
Picks: Matt Mauck (seventh round, 2004), Bradlee Van Pelt (seventh round, 2004)
Today’s effect: Mauck and Van Pelt weren’t the answer so Denver signed veteran quarterback Patrick Ramsey to be Jay Cutler’s backup before last season.
RUNNING BACK
Picks: Quentin Griffin (fourth round, 2003), Ahmaad Galloway (seventh round, 2003), Tatum Bell (second round, 2004)
Today’s effect: Bell was traded and Griffin was cut, so the Broncos signed Travis Henry to a multiyear deal before last season. Unless Henry avoids injuries and off-field controversy or Selvin Young proves he can be more durable, the Broncos’ running back situation is a bit shaky.
WIDE RECEIVER
Picks: Adrian Madise (fifth round, 2003), Darius Watts (second round, 2004), Triandos Luke (sixth round, 2004)
Today’s effect: Watts was the biggest bust, a second-round pick with poor hands. The Broncos traded for Javon Walker, let Walker go and signed free agents Keary Colbert, Darrell Jackson and Samie Parker this offseason because they had few options as a second receiver opposite Brandon Marshall.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Picks: George Foster (first round, 2003), Josh Sewell (sixth round, 2004)
Today’s effect: The Broncos are unsettled at offensive tackle, Foster’s position, after Matt Lepsis retired and might use a high draft pick on one this year. This offseason Denver signed 34-year-old Casey Wiegmann to be Tom Nalen’s backup at center, Sewell’s position.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Picks: Nick Eason (fourth round, 2003), Bryant McNeal (fourth round, 2003), Aaron Hunt (seventh round, 2003), Clint Mitchell (seventh round, 2003)
Today’s effect: All four picks missed, and the Broncos spent a lot of money on free agent defensive linemen that didn’t pan out, including Simeon Rice, Courtney Brown and Sam Adams. They drafted three defensive linemen last year and could select more this year.
LINEBACKER
Picks: Terry Pierce (second round, 2003), D.J. Williams (first round, 2004)
Today’s effect: Williams remains but last year played out of position at middle linebacker, Pierce’s position. The Broncos signed linebackers Niko Koutouvides and Boss Bailey after a poor season last year by the linebackers.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Picks: Jeremy LeSueur (third round, 2004), Jeff Shoate (fifth round, 2004)
Today’s effect: LeSueur was supposed to be able to play either cornerback or safety. Shoate was a cornerback. Denver used its first three picks on cornerbacks in the 2005 draft and signed Marlon McCree and Marquand Manuel for much needed depth at safety this offseason.
Broncos unable to revise rough drafts
By FRANK SCHWAB THE GAZETTE
ENGLEWOOD - Terry Pierce, at age 26, should be entering his prime as an NFL linebacker. Instead, the 2003 second-round pick of the Denver Broncos is a financial adviser in Kansas.
“I went ahead and moved on,” said Pierce, who also started a networking Web site for business owners who are Kansas State alumni. “I wouldn’t have done it had there been another chance in football.”
In 2003 and 2004, the Broncos drafted 20 players — including Pierce — and 19 are no longer with the team. The only holdover is linebacker D.J. Williams, whose career path has been slowed by multiple position changes. Only three others are in the NFL.
Most of the players were jettisoned so quickly their names are only vaguely familiar, if they’re remembered at all. Defensive linemen Aaron Hunt and running back Quentin Griffin are in the Canadian Football League. Center Josh Sewell just signed with the Grand Rapids Rampage of the Arena Football League, and receiver Darius Watts signed with the Philadelphia Soul. Quarterback Matt Mauck is in dentistry school.
Quarterback Bradlee Van Pelt is playing in a recreational adult soccer league in Santa Barbara, Calif., and is tied for third in the league with 11 goals, according to its Web site.
Denver is coming off a 7-9 season and the roster isn’t as deep as it was a few years ago. A 95 percent failure rate in the 2003 and 2004 drafts and some misses in free agency during that period are prominent reasons.
Pierce said he’s happy in the financial realm. Helping people gives him satisfaction that is different from his football career, a feeling he described as “squishy” with a laugh. But he also thinks about his draft class, which should be providing the depth of the Broncos roster, at very least.
“Most of the guys were good enough to play,” Pierce said. “I think the surprising thing is none of them stuck. It was very surprising.”
There isn’t one answer for why the Broncos didn’t do well in those drafts. Griffin had some good games but got hurt. Watts could get open but dropped too many passes. Pierce was drafted to be Al Wilson’s replacement, but Wilson resigned with the team after Pierce’s first year. Pierce was asked to lose weight to play out of position at outside linebacker but that didn’t work and he was cut after two seasons. Running back Tatum Bell and offensive tackle George Foster became starters, but never grew into stars, fell out of favor and were traded to Detroit.
“Those weren’t good drafts or free agency, obviously,” Denver coach Mike Shanahan said after last season. “That stands for itself.”
Many others either had brief success or none at all. Out of the 20 draftees, only Williams, Bell, Foster and Steelers defensive tackle Nick Eason are in the NFL.
“When they say the NFL is ‘Not For Long,’ you really see that,” Williams said. “There’s guys that I got drafted with, that actually went top four rounds, not necessarily on this team, that aren’t even in the league anymore. Who would think a guy would be a third-round pick and two years later not be in the NFL?”
Williams said he didn’t think those drafts set the franchise back because many teams have great turnover annually.
Shanahan acknowledged that those drafts didn’t help.
He said the Broncos had the talent to win 10 games last year, and the expectation might have been 13 wins had there not been two wasted drafts.
“If we had some of those drafts, it would be different,” Shanahan said.
CONTACT THE WRITER: 476-4891 or frank.schwab@gazette.com. Check out our Broncos blog at gazettebroncos.blogspot.com
BAD PICKS LEAVE BAD TASTE
QUARTERBACK
Picks: Matt Mauck (seventh round, 2004), Bradlee Van Pelt (seventh round, 2004)
Today’s effect: Mauck and Van Pelt weren’t the answer so Denver signed veteran quarterback Patrick Ramsey to be Jay Cutler’s backup before last season.
RUNNING BACK
Picks: Quentin Griffin (fourth round, 2003), Ahmaad Galloway (seventh round, 2003), Tatum Bell (second round, 2004)
Today’s effect: Bell was traded and Griffin was cut, so the Broncos signed Travis Henry to a multiyear deal before last season. Unless Henry avoids injuries and off-field controversy or Selvin Young proves he can be more durable, the Broncos’ running back situation is a bit shaky.
WIDE RECEIVER
Picks: Adrian Madise (fifth round, 2003), Darius Watts (second round, 2004), Triandos Luke (sixth round, 2004)
Today’s effect: Watts was the biggest bust, a second-round pick with poor hands. The Broncos traded for Javon Walker, let Walker go and signed free agents Keary Colbert, Darrell Jackson and Samie Parker this offseason because they had few options as a second receiver opposite Brandon Marshall.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Picks: George Foster (first round, 2003), Josh Sewell (sixth round, 2004)
Today’s effect: The Broncos are unsettled at offensive tackle, Foster’s position, after Matt Lepsis retired and might use a high draft pick on one this year. This offseason Denver signed 34-year-old Casey Wiegmann to be Tom Nalen’s backup at center, Sewell’s position.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Picks: Nick Eason (fourth round, 2003), Bryant McNeal (fourth round, 2003), Aaron Hunt (seventh round, 2003), Clint Mitchell (seventh round, 2003)
Today’s effect: All four picks missed, and the Broncos spent a lot of money on free agent defensive linemen that didn’t pan out, including Simeon Rice, Courtney Brown and Sam Adams. They drafted three defensive linemen last year and could select more this year.
LINEBACKER
Picks: Terry Pierce (second round, 2003), D.J. Williams (first round, 2004)
Today’s effect: Williams remains but last year played out of position at middle linebacker, Pierce’s position. The Broncos signed linebackers Niko Koutouvides and Boss Bailey after a poor season last year by the linebackers.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Picks: Jeremy LeSueur (third round, 2004), Jeff Shoate (fifth round, 2004)
Today’s effect: LeSueur was supposed to be able to play either cornerback or safety. Shoate was a cornerback. Denver used its first three picks on cornerbacks in the 2005 draft and signed Marlon McCree and Marquand Manuel for much needed depth at safety this offseason.