McDaniels addresses both sides of the ball

[Denver Native (Carol)]

http://www.denverpost.com/ci_12233728?source=rss

The defensive line and linebacker positions were expected to be targeted by Denver in the 2009 NFL draft, but the Broncos used six of their 10 picks on offensive players. Sometimes it just works out that way, first-year Broncos coach Josh McDaniels said Sunday.

"I don't think it was a very deep draft with players that would have fit our system in those areas," McDaniels said during his draft wrap-up news conference at the team's Dove Valley headquarters.

"I don't think you draft a player just because he plays a certain position. We're not drafting players to cut them."

The Broncos selected just one defensive lineman, taking Tennessee defensive end Robert Ayers with the second of their two first-round picks. No linebackers were chosen, although the team will switch to a 3-4 alignment that uses four linebackers along with three down linemen.

On the other hand, Denver used its first pick on Georgia running back Knowshon Moreno and later selected two offensive linemen and a tight end known for his blocking.

The Broncos also drafted a quarterback, waiting until the first pick of the sixth round to take Tom Brandstater (6-feet-5, 220 pounds) from Fresno State.

"The players we drafted today and yesterday, we're very pleased with," McDaniels said. "We're excited about what we added. As I mentioned before, we were going to add players on either side of the ball."

McDaniels hinted that Brandstater (6-5, 220) likely would not be ready to challenge Kyle Orton or Chris Simms for the starting job.

"In terms of the 'mold' of a quarterback, in terms of height and arm strength (Brandstater has it)," McDaniels said. "He's smart (already has a master's degree). I like that a lot, in every position but especially at quarterback. He's got above-average feet so he can maneuver in the pocket.

"And I think he has a passion for football and for being the best player that he can be. (But) he has a long way to go, as most quarterbacks that come into the league do."

Six of the 10 picks were obtained via trades.

"We were aggressive," McDaniels said. "We didn't have that many players on our board (less than 100 total, he said). That was the goal. We didn't want 200 players on the board that we didn't want.

"So, at certain points, it was, 'If we wait, will he be there?' "

McDaniels said that adding offensive linemen always helps a football team, and he's excited that cornerback Alphonso Smith from Wake Forest and safeties Darcel McBath of Texas Tech and David Bruton of Notre Dame combined for 18 interceptions last season.

"I call it 'ball production,' " McDaniels said of the ability to force turnovers. "Sometimes you can coach a player in that area, and a lot of times it's instinctive. It's hard to find a lot of guys that can do that."

McDaniels traded away extra 2010 picks in the first and fifth rounds, but said he made sure the Broncos would have a pick in each of the seven rounds next year.

He said 15 to 18 undrafted free agents could be signed in the next few days.

"We won't be done with our roster until August," McDaniels said. "We're not going to stop looking."

[gobroncsnv]

Dang, you must have a direct pipe into the Post's newswire... Thanks

[Denver Native (Carol)]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/9500278/McDaniels%27-1st-draft-does-little-for-biggest-need

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) - With one notable exception, Josh McDaniels came out of his first draft with the same big question mark he had coming in: his defensive front seven.

"Yeah, it still is," McDaniels told The Associated Press on Sunday. "The defensive line and linebacking corps haven't played together. It's always going to be that way. When you change a scheme, bring in new players and then practice a whole bunch of times and never hit anybody, I don't know how much information you're going to gather about them."

As McDaniels noted before the draft, the hardest position to evaluate is linemen who are running around in shorts in April without anybody to hit. He knows what he has in his stout offensive line that allowed just 12 sacks last year.

But his defensive front seven is a mystery.

He's switching from the old four-man front to a 3-4 alignment and nobody knows who those seven starters will be come August. About all anybody knows is the Broncos will be beefier in the front seven than they were last year.

"And again, you can't always address everything you want to" in the draft, McDaniels said. "It's the way the draft is. Where's the depth?"

Certainly not at defensive end/outside linebacker, in McDaniels' view.

"I don't think this was a very deep draft in terms of players who would have fit our system in those areas," McDaniels suggested.

"If it's not there, you're not going to just go chasing it and draft a bunch of guys that say DT or tight end or wide receiver by their name. It doesn't mean they're a good player."

So, instead of addressing his biggest needs in his first draft, McDaniels used six of his 10 selections on offense. He traded up four times, three of them to take an offensive player.

That doesn't mean he's standing pat with the front seven he's got. He'll scour college and veteran free agents to possibly add to the mix.

McDaniels did land three potential starters with his first three picks, Georgia running back Knowshon Moreno and pass-rusher Robert Ayers of Tennessee in the first round and Wake Forest shutdown cornerback Alphonso Smith in the second.

But at what cost?

The Broncos moved up to grab Smith by trading their No. 1 pick in next year's draft to Seattle. Given the Broncos' brutal schedule and suspect front seven, that could end up being a top-10 selection that landed in the Seahawks' lap.

"It speaks volumes that Coach McDaniels and the Broncos staff thought I was a first-round talent so they gave up a first-round pick for me," Smith said. "Hopefully it won't be so controversial after this season."

The Broncos still own the Bears' first-rounder, which they received in the Jay Cutler trade.

Fans and critics are blasting the Broncos for not sending Seattle the lesser of their two picks in 2010.

"There was a little discussion about that," McDaniels said. "But we agreed that it could be ours after talking it through with the other team. We felt like, that's OK, we'll roll the dice."

McDaniels also sent his two third-rounders to Pittsburgh in order to move up and select blocking tight end Richard Quinn with the last pick of Day 1.

The surprises continued Sunday with the additions of Notre Dame safety David Bruton and Iowa offensive guard Seth Olsen in the fourth round, wide receiver Kenny McKinley of South Carolina in the fifth and TCU center Blake Schlueter in the seventh.

The Broncos also moved up in the sixth round to draft Fresno State quarterback Tom Brandstater, a deal that cost them one of their two seventh-rounders and a fifth-round pick next year.

Brandstater (6-foot-5, 222 pounds) is expected to learn the ropes for at least a year while either Kyle Orton or Chris Simms starts next season.

"Any time you're dealing with a rookie player, there's no guarantee he's going to compete immediately to play, and I don't know that I've ever been around any rookie quarterback who's done that," McDaniels said.

Brandstater said he's eager to learn from McDaniels, who tutored Tom Brady and Matt Cassel as New England's offensive coordinator.

Although he'll also get some looks at linebacker, Ayers will start out at defensive end and the five-technique position, where he would line up over the guard's outside shoulder in a 3-4 alignment, something he never did in college.

McDaniels "looked at me as a guy that could do multiple things, can rush from multiple positions," Ayers said.

McDaniels, 33, has added 26 players since taking over from Mike Shanahan in January.

"From the get-go, we targeted a certain type of player, tough, smart, competitive, versatile, good person that loves football and wants to win," McDaniels said. "We think we brought in those types of free agents. We think we drafted 10 players that fit that mold also. The college free agents, hopefully will be the exact same."

Things are also settling down for McDaniels away from the office. His family joined him in Denver last week and they sold their house in Massachusetts and just closed on a new home, which will be ready by July.

[Watchthemiddle]

Carol is amazing!!

A few key points that I liked from the article I liked..


"I don't think it was a very deep draft with players that would have fit our system in those areas," McDaniels said during his draft wrap-up news conference at the team's Dove Valley headquarters.

"I don't think you draft a player just because he plays a certain position. We're not drafting players to cut them."

A man with a clear plan...not popular, but clear


"In terms of the 'mold' of a quarterback, in terms of height and arm strength (Brandstater has it)," McDaniels said. "He's smart (already has a master's degree). I like that a lot, in every position but especially at quarterback. He's got above-average feet so he can maneuver in the pocket.

One of the things I remember most about Mcdaniels welcome to Denver press conference is stating that the QB in his system has to be very smart. He got one today.


Alphonso Smith from Wake Forest and safeties Darcel McBath of Texas Tech and David Bruton of Notre Dame combined for 18 interceptions last season.

"I call it 'ball production,' " McDaniels said of the ability to force turnovers. "Sometimes you can coach a player in that area, and a lot of times it's instinctive. It's hard to find a lot of guys that can do that."

:beer::elefant:

[Northman]

As long as we do better than 8-8 he can draft whoever he wants. Just win.

[Tned]

As long as we do better than 8-8 he can draft whoever he wants. Just win.

Amen

[xzn]

Coach Mc Daniels is mkaing his bed. We have no choice but to let him lie in it. We may not understand or "agree", as if what someone on the internet thinks matters, but I'm sure all real fans are at least hoping that it all works out and we are competetive this year.

I'm willing to give him some rope, even if its possible that he's going to end up hanging himself! I sure hope that's not the case...

[Watchthemiddle]

Coach Mc Daniels is mkaing his bed. We have no choice but to let him lie in it. We may not understand or "agree", as if what someone on the internet thinks matters, but I'm sure all real fans are at least hoping that it all works out and we are competetive this year.

I'm willing to give him some rope, even if its possible that he's going to end up hanging himself! I sure hope that's not the case...

He has atleast 3 years of rope probably by Bowlen if not more, so no matter what happens this season, he will be here for a few years.

[xzn]

Yeah, I agree we need to try and keep some continuity. Not be firing and hiring coaches every year or so like the faders.

That's why the whining about Coach is so silly. As if Mr. Bowlen was really going to fire him right now before the team has even put on shoulder pads!

[Watchthemiddle]

Yeah, I agree we need to try and keep some continuity. Not be firing and hiring coaches every year or so like the faders.

That's why the whining about Coach is so silly. As if Mr. Bowlen was really going to fire him right now before the team has even put on shoulder pads!

Unless we pull a Raiders and win like 7 games in 4 seasons or something, he will be here probably bare minumum 5 seasons.

[Lonestar]

After hearing the press conference about his choices I feel much better.. They seemed to make sense..

[honz]

Didn't know where to put this, but didn't want to start a new thread...all 5 press conferences with our Day 1 picks are up at denverbroncos.com (http://denverbroncos.com). McDaniels' presser from today is also up.

[Buff]

The main point I liked was that we still have a full draft next year with picks in rounds 1-7.

When you are rebuilding in the NFL, sometimes you have to take some chances. I'd like to have 2 1st rounders next year, but it's not like we mortgaged the future.