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PatricktheDookie
01-05-2009, 07:41 PM
Man, we really could have used his leadership this year.

Seems like he's going to be hard to replace.

PatricktheDookie
01-05-2009, 07:57 PM
I think I should have clarified rather than making a quick post.

It's not so much that we miss Rod Smith. Of course we do. And we knew we would.

But, in retrospect, without Rod here (not to mention Lynch), who is a leader on this Broncos team?

Jay? He's somewhat of a leader, but he has some growing to do. Definitely not Marshall. Not our TEs. Not our offensive line, except maybe Casey Wieggman? Running backs? Hah!

How about our defense. Champ isn't a leader-type. Ekuban? DJ? Anyone at all?

Looking back at it, I'm really stunned by the lack of leadership on this Broncos team. If we don't find some leaders by next season, this year is going to repeat itself...

Denver Native (Carol)
01-05-2009, 07:59 PM
I think I should have clarified rather than making a quick post.

It's not so much that we miss Rod Smith. Of course we do. And we knew we would.

But, in retrospect, without Rod here (not to mention Lynch), who is a leader on this Broncos team?

Jay? He's somewhat of a leader, but he has some growing to do. Definitely not Marshall. Not our TEs. Not our offensive line, except maybe Casey Wieggman? Running backs? Hah!

How about our defense. Champ isn't a leader-type. Ekuban? DJ? Anyone at all?

Looking back at it, I'm really stunned by the lack of leadership on this Broncos team. If we don't find some leaders by next season, this year is going to repeat itself...

Totally agree, and that is what Shannon and Alfred Williams were talking about in the following today:

http://www.broncosforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30651

muse
01-05-2009, 08:05 PM
I think I should have clarified rather than making a quick post.

It's not so much that we miss Rod Smith. Of course we do. And we knew we would.

But, in retrospect, without Rod here (not to mention Lynch), who is a leader on this Broncos team?

Jay? He's somewhat of a leader, but he has some growing to do. Definitely not Marshall. Not our TEs. Not our offensive line, except maybe Casey Wieggman? Running backs? Hah!

How about our defense. Champ isn't a leader-type. Ekuban? DJ? Anyone at all?

Looking back at it, I'm really stunned by the lack of leadership on this Broncos team. If we don't find some leaders by next season, this year is going to repeat itself...

Daniel Graham is one of the leaders on O. It's not so obvious, but he was also the offensive captain in NE from his second year onwards so he is a legitimate leader. I think Royal will emerge as a leader in time, same for Hillis. Those two both have the right attitudes for it and come across well in that respect.

On D, the only two leaders we have are Ekuban and Larsen. I think captaincy negatively affected DJ's game last year and it's not a responsibility that he's cut out for. Ek did what he could on a badly coached front 7 which simply wasn't responding to the DC. That's why I think it's crucial for Larsen to start next year either at SLB and MLB - Lynch was the only reason our D stuck together in 07, and it showed this year in that we had greater talent yet much worse results (although I think the players got more fired up under Bates than under Slowik). We badly need to get some leaders in through the draft and FA...MLB and safety are the two key spots there. I'm all for getting a guy like Dansby. I'd also support us getting Mays, although I have no idea how football-smart he is.

Grover
01-05-2009, 08:12 PM
Champ is the ultimate technician and craftsman. Not a leader. DJ is too quiet.

Webster and Winborn (I believe) have the personality to be leader types, but their level of play and consistency makes them both unqualified.

I think Ekuban feels like he can be a leader on the defensive line. Maybe Daniel Graham is the best for the offensive linesmen.

But no one has really stepped up in the absence of Al Wilson and John Lynch, and yes Jake Plummer.

Cutler is defaulted as a leader by the position he plays. My opinion is that he's more about Jay Cutler than he is about the Denver Broncos. I hope he grows out of that.

After listening to Shannon Sharpe's interview, I'd give him an honorary position on the team just so he could set some expectations about what it should be required of players to be Denver Broncos.

muse
01-05-2009, 08:16 PM
Webster and Winborn (I believe) have the personality to be leader types, but their level of play and consistency makes them both unqualified.


Leaders of a sort yes, but I liken Webster to the leader of a Kamikaze flight. They're both guys who'll fire up those around them for a bit, but in doing so manage to completely psyche themselves out of position.



After listening to Shannon Sharpe's interview, I'd give him an honorary position on the team just so he could set some expectations about what it should be required of players to be Denver Broncos.

Imagine Shannon as HC...he'd have a microphone connected to the stadium PA so he could jaw (one way) with the opposing HC :laugh: