Broncos fans grill coach John Fox about defensive line, QBs

[Denver Native (Carol)]

Broncos season-ticket holders proved their football savvy as they grilled new head coach John Fox in an hour-long conference call Monday afternoon.

More than 6,000 ticket holders participated, with 31 of them getting a chance to ask Fox a question. And they didn't hold back.

Spencer from Littleton let Fox know this call wouldn't be a complete love fest when he got the chance to ask the first question.

"What's the plan for the defensive line?" Spencer asked.

It was the same question Fox, John Elway and Brian Xanders had to answer several times over the course of the weekend, as seven rounds of the draft went by without the Broncos selecting a defensive tackle.

"We haven't had free agency yet, but here will be that some point," Fox said. "That will be the area that we address. It is full of a lot of talented players." Ticket-holder Wesley from Pueblo followed up by asking Fox about why he wants veterans instead of rookies at defensive tackle. Fox answered by explaining that it was a combination of how the draft played out, and the chance to acquire experienced players who are still in their 20s.

"It's not that we didn't try to acquire a defensive lineman in the draft," Fox said. "The way it fell, we didn't want to reach for need."

rest of article - http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_17976789

[Agent of Orange]

I liked the draft. But I kind of have a problem with the mantra of "we didnt want to reach". Not buying it. They used the first 2nd to trade back and acquire the picks they used (to a large extent) to acquire Julius Thomas. So, essentially, they liked Julius Thomas more than Jenkins, a DT.

Im not sure it was more shrewd to trade down and then trade up than it was to take a DT with that first 2nd.

[atwater27]

"We didn't want to reach for a need.... MU LAR KEY.

[Agent of Orange]

I was listening to a pre draft interview w/ Xanders and he said there were 5 or 6 DTs that could start for them.

Lets think back to the DTs who were gone by the time Denver picked in the 2nd.

Dareus
Fairley
Liuget
Taylor
Heyward
Jenkins

Im not sure if he was talking about the above names but I count 6.

[atwater27]

I was listening to a pre draft interview w/ Xanders and he said there were 5 or 6 DTs that could start for them.

Lets think back to the DTs who were gone by the time Denver picked in the 2nd.

Dareus
Fairley
Liuget
Taylor
Heyward
Jenkins

Im not sure if he was talking about the above names but I count 6.
Let's think back to the DT's who were there when Denver picked at #2 overall... I'll give you one guess.
And yes, we could have traded down, there were several teams interested, Atlanta one of them.:coffee:

[Ravage!!!]

Let's think back to the DT's who were there when Denver picked at #2 overall... I'll give you one guess.
And yes, we could have traded down, there were several teams interested, Atlanta one of them.:coffee:

1, its rumor Atlanta wanted to trade with Denver. I absolutely doubt it.

2. YOu trying to say that you wouldn't be SCREAMING if Denver traded from the #2 to the #26??? Come on.

[atwater27]

1, its rumor Atlanta wanted to trade with Denver. I absolutely doubt it.

2. YOu trying to say that you wouldn't be SCREAMING if Denver traded from the #2 to the #26??? Come on.

It depends on what we got for it. We are rebuilding, you know.

That said, I understand the Broncos brass had a gameplan and followed it. But they just need to say, "guess what we didn't feel like drafting a DT right now" instead of "we didn't want to reach" , or it just didn't play out right". Everybody not smoking crack knows both Dareus and Fairley were perfectly acceptable picks at #2, and that Austin and Paea were perfectly valuable picks where we were in the second round.

[Agent of Orange]

Let's think back to the DT's who were there when Denver picked at #2 overall... I'll give you one guess.
And yes, we could have traded down, there were several teams interested, Atlanta one of them.:coffee:

I wanted a DT at #2 also. But in the end, we needed to get pressure on the QB and we did with Miller...at least in theory (which is the case for all draft picks). Its just a good thing they didnt draft a DB with the #2. I said elsewhere that Im not buying the "didnt want to reach" line. But having said that, Xanders did say there were 5 or 6 DTs before the draft that could play for Denver.

I think what happened was, they got cute and don't want to admit thats what happened. One of two TEs that were similar, essentially cost us a DT. I think they would have taken Jenkins but Shanahan beat them to the punch.

[hamrob]

What I took away from what Elway said, was this:

- Miller was the #1 guy on their board (liked him over everyone else)
- The DT's they liked went in the 1st round (Dareus, Fairley, Liuget, Taylor, Wilkerson)
- They must not have liked Jenkins (Average), Austin (baggage) or Paea (work out wonder & under-sized).

I would have taken the trade back offer that Atlanta gave Cleveland and rolled with it. We'd have 2 - 1's next year.

Then at #26 I would have taken Wilkenson and then Akeem Ayers at #36.

However, I can live with their decision...I like our overall draft. But, Von Miller better be a stud...or they will have screwed the pooch!!!

[rationalfan]

we gotta get off this failure to draft a d lineman thing.

first, people been harping on the "depth" of the d linemen in this draft:
well, it's been said that fox/xanders/elway thought there only four d lineman in the draft who could be immediate starters. can't remember where i heard it - listened to a lot of podcasts with them today. sounds like the only one they liked past the first round was jenkins, drafted by washington, i believe. i'd rather have the team draft the players it felt were going to be starters than benchers at the one position the fans seem to focus on.

second, xanders talked about how they wanted one player but when they scouted him they were turned off by his attitude, big time. he didn't say who, only that he was drafted in the second round. my mind thinks it's austin.

also, people keep acting like the d line was the only shortcoming on this team. get over it. that's the broncos of 2006. this team sucks everywhere outside the receivers. face it. truth. there's a reason why the team drafted second overall; and it's not just because the broncos lacked a fat d tackle.

another thing: denver did draft a d lineman. in the seventh round. a d end. name escapes me at the moment, but xanders talked about how the guy (beal, veal?) had the same statistical line as ryan kerrigan (washington's first rounder). will he be as good? probably not. but for everyone who's forecasting pro ability based on collegiate production, why isn't he lauded as a solution to the team's ailing line?

that's it. i'm done. for now.

[TXBRONC]

What I took away from what Elway said, was this:

- Miller was the #1 guy on their board (liked him over everyone else)
- The DT's they liked went in the 1st round (Dareus, Fairley, Liuget, Taylor, Wilkerson)
- They must not have liked Jenkins (Average), Austin (baggage) or Paea (work out wonder & under-sized).

I would have taken the trade back offer that Atlanta gave Cleveland and rolled with it. We'd have 2 - 1's next year.

Then at #26 I would have taken Wilkenson and then Akeem Ayers at #36.

However, I can live with their decision...I like our overall draft. But, Von Miller better be a stud...or they will have screwed the pooch!!!

It that rumor is true I'm glad it didn't go through. You can possibly get a good player at 26 but not necessarily one that has the kind of impact potential that Miller has.

[Agent of Orange]

What I took away from what Elway said, was this:

- Miller was the #1 guy on their board (liked him over everyone else)
- The DT's they liked went in the 1st round (Dareus, Fairley, Liuget, Taylor, Wilkerson)
- They must not have liked Jenkins (Average), Austin (baggage) or Paea (work out wonder & under-sized).

I would have taken the trade back offer that Atlanta gave Cleveland and rolled with it. We'd have 2 - 1's next year.

Then at #26 I would have taken Wilkenson and then Akeem Ayers at #36.

However, I can live with their decision...I like our overall draft. But, Von Miller better be a stud...or they will have screwed the pooch!!!

What I took away from Elway is that no one called about the #2 pick.

[Montana Battlin Bear]

I liked the draft. But I kind of have a problem with the mantra of "we didnt want to reach". Not buying it. They used the first 2nd to trade back and acquire the picks they used (to a large extent) to acquire Julius Thomas. So, essentially, they liked Julius Thomas more than Jenkins, a DT.

Im not sure it was more shrewd to trade down and then trade up than it was to take a DT with that first 2nd.

I don't believe this. I think they really expected Jenkins to be there when we picked in the second even with the trade down. When Shanny took Jenkins in the top of the second it shocked everyone and I think it shocked them too.

[Ziggy]

Fox said in the interview after round 1 that they never got a call about a trade for the #2 spot. I'll take his word over the post draft rumors.

[SOCALORADO.]

I don't believe this. I think they really expected Jenkins to be there when we picked in the second even with the trade down. When Shanny took Jenkins in the top of the second it shocked everyone and I think it shocked them too.

Yeah, i think this is what happened. After Jenkins went to WASH they realized that they had sorta painted themselves into a corner and then made the best of it.
Jenkins was never rated that high by any pundit or expert.
I think his highest ranking was a 3rd or 4th round player.

I guess now fans can hold Fox's feet to the fire in regards to aquiring a DT in FA. He said it.

[TXBRONC]

I don't believe this. I think they really expected Jenkins to be there when we picked in the second even with the trade down. When Shanny took Jenkins in the top of the second it shocked everyone and I think it shocked them too.


Yeah, i think this is what happened. After Jenkins went to WASH they realized that they had sorta painted themselves into a corner and then made the best of it.
Jenkins was never rated that high by any pundit or expert.
I think his highest ranking was a 3rd or 4th round player.

I guess now fans can hold Fox's feet to the fire in regards to aquiring a DT in FA. He said it.

Maybe they were shocked. I kind of doubt it but we'll probably never know for sure if they were shocked about Jenkins. All indications that I have seen say that Denver stuck very closely to it's draft board FWIW.

[SOCALORADO.]

Maybe they were shocked. I kind of doubt it but we'll probably never know for sure if they were shocked about Jenkins. All indications that I have seen say that Denver stuck very closely to it's draft board FWIW.

I do recall before the draft, Jenkins name being thrown around as a player of interest to them. So they had him on their board i think.

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

There is no way Paea would have been a reach in the middle of the 2nd. I'm not arguing that the guys we took weren't good value at positions of need, but there is no way Paea would have been "reaching". The Bears got a good football player.

[rcsodak]

It depends on what we got for it. We are rebuilding, you know.

That said, I understand the Broncos brass had a gameplan and followed it. But they just need to say, "guess what we didn't feel like drafting a DT right now" instead of "we didn't want to reach" , or it just didn't play out right". Everybody not smoking crack knows both Dareus and Fairley were perfectly acceptable picks at #2, and that Austin and Paea were perfectly valuable picks where we were in the second round.

Fairley at #2? Name somebody that says he was worth that, OTHER than before FO's had a chance to interview him.

I doubt you'll find anyone that would've picked him <#10.

[atwater27]

Fairley at #2? Name somebody that says he was worth that, OTHER than before FO's had a chance to interview him.

I doubt you'll find anyone that would've picked him <#10.

I would have picked him top 5 nooooo problem.

Please. Nobody would have rightly called it a reach if Denver picked him at 2. It wouldn't have raised eyebrows. Here's the thing that you are conveniently ignoring.... Dareus was there, and we didn't pick him. As far as fairley, he is an elite talent. well worth it.

[Cugel]

1, its rumor Atlanta wanted to trade with Denver. I absolutely doubt it.

2. YOu trying to say that you wouldn't be SCREAMING if Denver traded from the #2 to the #26??? Come on.

I'd be screaming all right! Jumping up and down with joy! That was an awesome trade for the Browns, it just sucked for the Falcons.

It was never possible that the Falcons would trade up to #2, but if they did the Broncos could have taken Jenkins and had even more picks in the 2nd. They might have wound up with 4 (if they traded back as they did). They could have taken a DT with their #1 pick and still had several other picks in the 2nd.

[Cugel]

Fairley at #2? Name somebody that says he was worth that, OTHER than before FO's had a chance to interview him.

I doubt you'll find anyone that would've picked him <#10.

That's complete garbage. Every team in the NFL rated Fairley as a top 10 pick, and most a top 5 pick. But, he had the dreaded "character concerns" that led one team's GM to label him as "a top 10 talent but a top 10 bonehead."

That's why he fell out of the top 10, along with the run on QBs that had the Titans take Locker instead of Fairley (who they were set to draft a #8).

Why was he a top 5 talent? Did you SEE the BCS Championship game? Do I really need to point that out? :coffee: