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Lonestar
08-12-2009, 03:30 AM
Klis:
By Mike Klis
The Denver Post
Posted: 08/12/2009 01:00:00 AM MDT


For something that is widely considered meaningless, a preseason game can consume a young man's livelihood.

"It could be a deciding factor in whether I stay here or wind up having to leave and go to another team," Broncos backup nose tackle Chris Baker said about the game Friday night at San Francisco.

"It's my playoff, my Super Bowl," said Broncos' backup linebacker Lee Robinson. "The preseason is my four-game playoff."

Over the years, the Broncos have been decent at culling quality players from their annual undrafted rookie group. There was Erik Pears in 2005; Mike Bell in 2006; Selvin Young in 2007; Brett Kern and Wesley Woodyard in 2008.

Rod Smith in 1994.

This year, new coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Brian Xanders signed 16 undrafted free agents, or roughly 10 more than usual for the Broncos. From this group of longshots, Baker and Robinson appear to have the best chance of making the season-starting 53-man roster.

Baker is a 329-pound nose tackle by way of Penn State and Hampton (Va.) University. Baker already is the team's second-string nose tackle, behind Ron Fields, an NFL veteran who is 15 pounds lighter.

A nose tackle has considerable value to a 3-4 defense. The Broncos had considered drafting Baker in the middle to late rounds, but character issues forced him to slide past the seventh and final round.

"That's probably a fair assessment," he said.

Baker got kicked off Penn State's team after his sophomore year for his alleged involvement in two off-field brawls. He transferred to Division I-AA Hampton, where after his junior year, he said his draft advisory grade was the third or fourth round.

"I felt like if I had I stayed at Penn State, then I probably would have been drafted," Baker said. "But I also felt like God has a plan for your life. I had to be humbled, and he makes things happen for a reason."

Robinson could fill the Louis Green-type role that became available with Green's offseason release. Like Green, Robinson played his college ball at Alcorn State. Also like Green, Robinson is a backup linebacker who is lining up on the Broncos' No. 1 kickoff return and kickoff coverage teams.

It may be tough work for little reward, but somebody from Alcorn State has to do it.

"I don't look at it that way," Robinson said. "I look at it as helping the team no matter which way I have to. The coaches tell me to run hard and hit somebody, and that's what I do."

http://www.denverpost.com/ci_13041200?source=rss

T.K.O.
08-12-2009, 11:45 AM
if baker turns out to be a solid nt,i hope some will get off josh's butt for trading up to get alphonso smith (who will be very good).
we get a 2-3 round guy as an udfa. that saves $$$$$$$$ for guys like marshall.

TXBRONC
08-12-2009, 02:04 PM
My concern isn't the pick rather it's the fact he gave up our natural number one pick to get him.

T.K.O.
08-12-2009, 02:09 PM
My concern isn't the pick rather it's the fact he gave up our natural number one pick to get him.

thats cuz the bears pick will be higher.....and he wanted his team to know thats what he expects....good coaching id say !
you dont want to keep your pick over another teams and let the players think you dont expect much out of them this year....right?
besides i'm sure nobody in :salute:the league would want to pay for 4 high first rounders in 2 years anyway.
we can find plenty of talent in the 2-5 rounds

silkamilkamonico
08-12-2009, 02:29 PM
thats cuz the bears pick will be higher.....and he wanted his team to know thats what he expects....good coaching id say !

I agree. He had 1 of 2 options with that one. Trading the Bears pick, effectively saying "we're going to struggle next year and the Bears will finish better than us", or saying "we'll trade our pick, because we exspect to be a good competitive team and Chicago's pick is completely out of our hands."

If he would have traded the Bears pick, there would have been plenty of hating fans saying, "Mickey Mouse knows we're going to suck next year". not to mention what kind of message that sends to the team and organization.

Instead, he pulls "McGenius" out, and expects to take care of everything within his control. Something we haven't seen in Denver since John Elway.

bronc kid
08-12-2009, 02:41 PM
man i was so happy when he traded up

but then i was so pissed that he got alphonso smith i was hoping that he would get ray maulaluga

it isnt defensive backs that is the biggest problem right now it is the front 7 that cant stop the run

silkamilkamonico
08-12-2009, 02:48 PM
man i was so happy when he traded up

but then i was so pissed that he got alphonso smith i was hoping that he would get ray maulaluga

it isnt defensive backs that is the biggest problem right now it is the front 7 that cant stop the run

Melaluaga is a ceiling potential player and won't be anything more than an average starter. There's a reason why teams didn't draft him, and his value slipped from a top 10 pick out of the first round.