Denver Native (Carol)
02-28-2009, 10:38 AM
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_11804972
A new coach and a new general manager were given a new toy.
What to do with this piece of mediocrity that was the Broncos' roster?
Josh McDaniels, the new coach, and Brian Xanders, the new general manager, seemed to stare in befuddlement at first. Then they began to systematically tear it apart.
Finally, starting late Thursday and all day Friday, McDaniels and Xanders got to have fun.
They started putting the Broncos back together again.
Working prudently and aggressively, the Broncos signed five free agents — running backs Correll Buckhalter and J.J. Arrington, receiver Jabar Gaffney, long snapper Lonie Paxton and safety Renaldo Hill — to relatively modest, long-term contracts. They also reached an agreement with defensive tackle Darrell Reid.
There were no splashes as the Broncos dived into the free-agent pool, just ripple after ripple after ripple. However, the Broncos can drop a cannonball that would shake the league from here to the Liberty Bell if they can finish off a deal for Brian Dawkins.
A seven-time Pro Bowl safety, Dawkins, 35, has played his entire 13-year career with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Dawkins flew to Denver on Friday night to visit with the Broncos. Would he end his career with the Broncos much like Broncos safety Steve Atwater finished off his career with the New York Jets?
McDaniels no doubt envisions Dawkins playing the leadership/monster back role Rodney Harrison played so well in recent years for the New England Patriots.
"There seems to be a lot of the Patriot Way going on, doesn't it?" agent J.R. Rickert said.
There may be no greater compliment. McDaniels was the Patriots' offensive coordinator until he succeeded the fired Mike Shanahan as Broncos head coach in January. Gaffney, a versatile No. 3-type receiver, spent the past three of his seven NFL seasons in New England. Paxton played his entire nine-year career in New England.
And in Buckhalter and Arrington, McDaniels no doubt sees versions of Kevin Faulk, the unheralded back whose versatility has been an invaluable component to the Patriots' offense since 1999.
All but Hill had been reserves. The Broncos also signed Houston Texans restricted free agent and former Colorado State receiver David Anderson to an offer sheet. The Texans have a week to match the Broncos' offer for the No. 3-type receiver. If they don't, the Broncos would essentially get Anderson in a trade for a seventh-round draft pick.
The volume of players the Broncos pursued speaks to the $37 million in salary cap room they created before free agency. The second-tier-type players they are bringing in suggest the Broncos are not loaded with piles of cash.
They had interest in cornerback Ron Bartell, receiver Michael Clayton and nose tackle Grady Jackson, but those players are at least initially seeking contracts beyond the Broncos' total free-agent budget.
"Everybody is feeling the pinch of the recession and the downturn of the economy," Broncos owner Pat Bowlen said before the NFL scouting combine last week. "So it's not like we feel we have a lot of money to throw around. That should come as no surprise to anybody. Newspapers are threatening to close, stores are closing all over the place, auto dealerships are complaining, and we're not immune to any of that."
Gaffney and Hill each received four-year, $10 million contracts. Paxton received a five-year, $5.3 million deal. Buckhalter and Arrington each got four-year deals.
Buckhalter, 30, missed the 2002, 2004 and 2005 seasons with knee injuries, but was a productive No. 2 running back behind Brian Westbrook the past three seasons with the Eagles. He rushed for 369 yards on 4.9 yards per carry and had 324 yards receiving this past season.
Arrington, 26, had 187 yards rushing, 255 yards receiving and 923 yards in kickoff returns for the NFC champion Arizona Cardinals last season.
"Correll has always said when the opportunity presented itself that he would seek an opportunity to start," said Rickert, the agent for Buckhalter and Arrington. "The Broncos are giving him that opportunity. I think Correll and J.J. will complement each other very well."
Meanwhile, the Broncos are also engaged in serious negotiations with free-agent linebacker Andra Davis, according to a source close to negotiations. Discussions had focused on a two- or three-year deal.
Should Dawkins and Davis sign, the Broncos would continue scouring the free-agent pool for a starting right cornerback, nose tackle, at least one defensive end and possibly a backup quarterback.
McDaniels and Xanders are in charge of building a roster for the first time. They're going to play with it for a while.
A new coach and a new general manager were given a new toy.
What to do with this piece of mediocrity that was the Broncos' roster?
Josh McDaniels, the new coach, and Brian Xanders, the new general manager, seemed to stare in befuddlement at first. Then they began to systematically tear it apart.
Finally, starting late Thursday and all day Friday, McDaniels and Xanders got to have fun.
They started putting the Broncos back together again.
Working prudently and aggressively, the Broncos signed five free agents — running backs Correll Buckhalter and J.J. Arrington, receiver Jabar Gaffney, long snapper Lonie Paxton and safety Renaldo Hill — to relatively modest, long-term contracts. They also reached an agreement with defensive tackle Darrell Reid.
There were no splashes as the Broncos dived into the free-agent pool, just ripple after ripple after ripple. However, the Broncos can drop a cannonball that would shake the league from here to the Liberty Bell if they can finish off a deal for Brian Dawkins.
A seven-time Pro Bowl safety, Dawkins, 35, has played his entire 13-year career with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Dawkins flew to Denver on Friday night to visit with the Broncos. Would he end his career with the Broncos much like Broncos safety Steve Atwater finished off his career with the New York Jets?
McDaniels no doubt envisions Dawkins playing the leadership/monster back role Rodney Harrison played so well in recent years for the New England Patriots.
"There seems to be a lot of the Patriot Way going on, doesn't it?" agent J.R. Rickert said.
There may be no greater compliment. McDaniels was the Patriots' offensive coordinator until he succeeded the fired Mike Shanahan as Broncos head coach in January. Gaffney, a versatile No. 3-type receiver, spent the past three of his seven NFL seasons in New England. Paxton played his entire nine-year career in New England.
And in Buckhalter and Arrington, McDaniels no doubt sees versions of Kevin Faulk, the unheralded back whose versatility has been an invaluable component to the Patriots' offense since 1999.
All but Hill had been reserves. The Broncos also signed Houston Texans restricted free agent and former Colorado State receiver David Anderson to an offer sheet. The Texans have a week to match the Broncos' offer for the No. 3-type receiver. If they don't, the Broncos would essentially get Anderson in a trade for a seventh-round draft pick.
The volume of players the Broncos pursued speaks to the $37 million in salary cap room they created before free agency. The second-tier-type players they are bringing in suggest the Broncos are not loaded with piles of cash.
They had interest in cornerback Ron Bartell, receiver Michael Clayton and nose tackle Grady Jackson, but those players are at least initially seeking contracts beyond the Broncos' total free-agent budget.
"Everybody is feeling the pinch of the recession and the downturn of the economy," Broncos owner Pat Bowlen said before the NFL scouting combine last week. "So it's not like we feel we have a lot of money to throw around. That should come as no surprise to anybody. Newspapers are threatening to close, stores are closing all over the place, auto dealerships are complaining, and we're not immune to any of that."
Gaffney and Hill each received four-year, $10 million contracts. Paxton received a five-year, $5.3 million deal. Buckhalter and Arrington each got four-year deals.
Buckhalter, 30, missed the 2002, 2004 and 2005 seasons with knee injuries, but was a productive No. 2 running back behind Brian Westbrook the past three seasons with the Eagles. He rushed for 369 yards on 4.9 yards per carry and had 324 yards receiving this past season.
Arrington, 26, had 187 yards rushing, 255 yards receiving and 923 yards in kickoff returns for the NFC champion Arizona Cardinals last season.
"Correll has always said when the opportunity presented itself that he would seek an opportunity to start," said Rickert, the agent for Buckhalter and Arrington. "The Broncos are giving him that opportunity. I think Correll and J.J. will complement each other very well."
Meanwhile, the Broncos are also engaged in serious negotiations with free-agent linebacker Andra Davis, according to a source close to negotiations. Discussions had focused on a two- or three-year deal.
Should Dawkins and Davis sign, the Broncos would continue scouring the free-agent pool for a starting right cornerback, nose tackle, at least one defensive end and possibly a backup quarterback.
McDaniels and Xanders are in charge of building a roster for the first time. They're going to play with it for a while.