Offseason Roster Analysis: Offense

[dogfish]

yea, i know it's a week premature, but what the hell-- i've had some opportunities to sit down and write recently, and i don't know if i will the next few weeks, so i did it when i could. . . besides, the season's pretty much over anyways. . . so here it is-- make sure you grab a cold beer or three before you get started! :beer:


:laugh:


QUARTERBACK

really not that much discussion necessary here. . . while he (not surprisingly) isn't exactly playing like a seasoned pro yet, i saw enough from cutler this year to feel comfortable that he's a legit NFL quarterback, one who i think is going to be very good-- one who has a chance to be great. . . he still takes some needless risks with the ball and makes some bad decisions, but that should improve with more experience-- and of course it's something that even quality veteran QBs do from time to time. . .

what i wanted most to see from jay this year was progression, and an ability to consistently move the ball and command the huddle. . . he displayed those things, and looked poised doing it-- he's a tough competitor with all the skills you want at the position. . . i feel good about building our franchise around him, hopefully for the next decade or so. . . as he continues to grow and develop, so should our offense. . .

while ramsey was pretty shaky when he did play, i honestly think he's still average or better in comparison to other backups around the league-- he's erratic, but he can at least make some throws. . . he's a solid athlete who still has the potential to develop further if he ever was forced to play for an extended period, and another offseason with our coaching staff can only help him. . . cutler seems pretty resilient, and i'd say that ramsey is adequate for his role. . . hackney is about what you'd expect from a 3rd stringer-- his height presents some obvious limitations, but at least he's a young guy with a live arm, and he seems to have some competitive fire. . . it's not like we're super deep at the position, but who really is? there aren't 32 good quarterbacks in the league, it's not like anyone else has a 3rd team QB that's going to light the world on fire. . . it's always possible that we could snag somebody that another team lets go if we like their long-term potential better than hackney's, and you know we'll at least bring in a few camp arms, but i'm satisfied with our depth chart at the position right now. . . it's nice to have some stability at a few spots. . .


RUNNING BACK

this position also looks pretty stable to me, at least for the moment. . . i have to admit, i'm disappointed at the results of the travis henry signing-- and not just because of the pot fiasco, although that obviously pissed everyone off. . . more so, i'm disappointed at how badly he was slowed down by nagging injuries. . . he's always been a guy who's gotten nicked up a fair bit, but it seems that in the past he's done a better job of playing through it. . . i know he started the season strong, and i was as happy as anyone with his play in those first games, but he really faded badly down the stretch. . . even when he was healthy enough to play he just didn't look like the workhorse we were hoping for-- i know shanahan's official stance was that selvin young was starting because henry wasn't back to game shape after missing time in the middle of the season, but you have to wonder if privately he didn't just feel that young was playing better and gave us the best chance of making the big plays that we look for in the running game. . .

regardless, we did dodge a bullet when henry avoided the suspension, because we've got a decent chunk of money tied up in him and we're counting on him to be a big part of our backfield for the next year or two. . . i'm not going to judge him on one season, and i'm certainly hopeful that he can come back strong next year and be the guy we were hoping for-- the guy we saw early in the year, who broke tackles and ground out tough yards even when there wasn't a big hole to run through. . . but, if he doesn't prove capable of being that guy consistently, it's nice to know that we have some other players at the position that can give us some production-- and given what those guys showed this year, i think it's likely that we'll see more of a committee approach going forward even if henry is healthy. . . while i'm still not the world's biggest fan, i do have to admit that it has some benefits-- it allows you to take advantage of different players' varying skill sets, and to keep guys fresher and hopefully healthier (which is especially important when you have some injury-prone backs like we do). . . naturally i'd still rather have an adrian peterson, but the RBBC is capable of giving you some decent production, and it's a much cheaper approach. . . i'd still be in favor of finding a true stud runner at some point, but right now as far as i'm concerned those resources are better spent fixing our bigger holes-- our running game isn't the feared weapon it used to be, but it's still capable of producing at a level we can win with if we can field a competent defense. . .

like everyone else, i'm excited at the flashes selvin young showed-- he's a decisive runner who fits well in our scheme, and has the quickness to make some big plays even if he does seem to lack that real second gear in the open field. . . unfortunately, it barely took any time at all for the injury problems that caused him to go undrafted to rear their ugly heads again-- this guy definitely has the ability to be a productive player, but he's going to have to stay on the field to do it. . . i don't see any way that the team can realistically view him as a long term starting option, so i'm sure they were extremely relieved that henry beat the suspension. . . i've also heard rumors that the team thinks young loses steam after about a dozen carries, and he did have a few key fumbles-- he may turn out to be tatum bell part two, but honestly there could be worse things (we didn't spend a 2nd round pick on young, for one thing!). . . i always liked tatum's ability to contribute as a change of pace back-- he was just overmatched trying to be a fulltime starter. . . i place a lot of value on role players who can come in and make a big impact on the game in a limited number of snaps, and if young can do that he has a chance to be a worthwhile contributor to our offense. . . i can potentially see a dallas cowgirls type of distribution of labor, where young plays the julius jones role and handles most of the work between the 20's, and henry handles the bulk of the goal line and 4th quarter carries the way marion barber does. . .

i'm a big fan of andre hall. . . with a couple of guys at fullback who could pitch in at tailback in a pinch, i think hall is an ideal 3rd stringer for us-- it's a real luxury to have a player with that kind of explosiveness that far down your depth chart. . . he obviously doesn't look like a fulltime back, but he showed that he can give the team a productive start if called on. . . the cat has the skills to make some plays, and i hope the coaching staff finds some ways to get him involved next year-- he brings a different element with his speed and shiftiness, and can be dangerous in the open field. . . i'd like to see him get some work in a 3rd down back role at the very least, maybe use him on some screens and draws. . . and if the other backs are healthy, i think he should get another chance as a kick returner-- in limited opportunities i thought he looked as good as anyone we've had back there the past few years. . .

cecil sapp is another guy i've always liked-- he's a grinder with top-notch work ethic who brings a lot of versatility and does whatever he's asked to do without a word of complaint. . . he's not a true head-knocker in the mold of howard griffith, and every year people say we need to find another guy like that-- but quite frankly those guys are a dying breed, so it's a lot easier said than done. . . sapp is an adequate blocker who can also run the ball effectively on inside handoffs, and has improved his pass catching skills in recent years. . . combine his ability to play both backfield positions with a willingness to contribute on special teams, and there's always going to be a roster spot for guys like him. . .

i thought paul smith was mostly invisible in his first year in denver. . . he made a few plays on special teams down the stretch, but IMO he really didn't live up to his reputation as an "ace" in that area. . . i think he got in on a few plays on offense, but i can't remember him ever doing much-- of course, the team's use of dan graham at fullback in some formations definitely limited his opportunities there. . . i would guess the team will probably give him another year, though scott o'brien is likely have a big say in that. . . i was glad to see kyle johnson come back, but realistically he has a fairly comparable skill set to sapp, and has less ST value. . . he's the kind of guy you root for, but if we decide to keep smith i have a feeling KJ could be left on the outside once again-- not the direction i'd go, just my instinct as to how things could play out. . .

i would say that mike bell is really on the bubble for making the team again. . . he was a total non-factor this year, and if i recall correctly he got in shanahan's doghouse by fumbling as soon as he got on the field the one time he did get a chance. . . i like the guy's story as much as anyone else, but in all honesty i was never really impressed with him as a player-- he lacks any explosive qualities, and seems a little tight-wound mentally for pro football. . . he may get another chance, as he's at least a known commodity, but i wouldn't be particularly surprised to see the team bring in some competition for that last RB spot-- either someone we had an eye on who gets released from another team's roster or PS (like andre hall two years ago), or one of our typical late round RB fliers or UDFAs (like selvin young, and bell himself). . .

all in all, i'm pretty satisfied with this position-- we don't have that one true impact player that you'd ideally like to have, but we've got a group of guys who can be pretty productive. . . i like our depth here better than i have in recent years, and i think these guys can get the job done for us if we can keep a few of them healthy. . . i do think that in his heart shenanigans would still REALLY love to find that stud buffalo again, but that will probably have to wait until we patch some much more pressing holes unless we can catch lightning in a bottle a second time with another 2nd day guy. . .

[dogfish]

WIDE RECEIVER


clearly, the good news here is the emergence of brandon marshall. . . the kid is a beast, pure and simple-- he's an awesome physical talent, and is an intense competitor who wants to be great and is willing to put in the hard work needed to get there. . . i love hearing him say that he intends to focus on improving his ability to make plays down the field in the offseason. . . i think he's a bona fide #1 receiver, and he has an extraordinarily bright future as long as he can prevent the occasional bout of immaturity from growing into larger problems. . .

we're very fortunate that he has developed so quickly, as the health of javon walker's knee has the potential to become a nightmare scenario for us. . . i'm now hearing that they don't expect to do further surgery on it over the offseason, and i have some mixed feelings about that-- obviously it's great if the knee will really heal completely on its' own with just rest and time, but if he really does need microfracture surgery it would be best to do it immediately and get it over with, so he has a chance to be healed in time for the beginning of the season. . .

i hate to be negative, but i can't help fearing that he has a degenerative condition similar to courtney brown, and that he may never be the same player. . . after all the speculation i suppose all we can do is wait and see what happens, but the bottom line is that i don't feel very comfortable or confident about this at all. . . i'm certainly keeping my fingers crossed, as our WR corps is terribly thin without him. . .

IMO, walker is the only WR we have on the roster besides marshall who should be a fulltime NFL starter. . . even if he doesn't regain his full explosiveness and big play ability, his precise route running, size and physicality would allow him to be a solid possession WR and red zone threat from the #2 spot. . . stokley was very productive for us this year, and he really did a nice job when forced to start-- but he's ideally suited for the slot, and with his lack of durability is probably best in a more limited role. . . i'm really glad that we extended him, as he does give us another legitimate WR if walker can't come back, and gives us a dynamic WR corp if walker is healthy. . .

of the other guys we've got, glen martinez is the only one i really see any value in. . . he's far from an elite talent, but he showed me enough this year to feel comfortable with him as a #4 #5 type of receiver. . . he has some quickness and pretty reliable hands, and seems to be a hard worker who understands his role on the team. . . he's a prototypical slot guy, which provides us some insurance against stokley getting hurt. . .

he also has decent ability as a punt returner, which is something you look for in guys on the bottom half of the WR depth chart. . . in a perfect world i'd still like to see us go after a true burner to compete for RS duty somewhere on the 2nd day of the draft, but at least martinez offers some proven experience-- he did have one long return for a TD, and earned the chance to compete for the spot again this coming season. . .

IMO, taylor jacobs doesn't offer much beyond special teams ability-- he's floated around the league for a while now, if he was going to do something he'd probably already have done it. . . warm body, eminently replaceable. . .

ultimately, this unit's future really depends on walker's health. . . if he's good to go, they're a team strength and one of the better units in the league-- if not, they're very average and have very little depth. . . unfortunately we're really not in a position where we can afford to commit much in the way of resources to this position right now, but if the team doesn't feel extremely confident in walker's return they really need to look for some sort of backup plan-- a starting group of marshall, stokley and martinez is serviceable at best, and an injury could be disastrous. . . i definitely don't feel that we can afford the luxury of spending a 1st day pick here, and our history of drafting WRs leaves an awful lot to be desired besides the marshall plan-- i do think we should probably take another flier on a 2nd day developmental type (especially if we can find someone with speed and return ability), but it would probably make a lot of sense to add a veteran option through FA as well. . . it would be nice to find a deep threat with the speed to stretch the field, and there will be a few to choose from. . . bernard berrian will probably be the top FA, but he's going to cost more than we are likely to want to spend. . . a cheaper option would be panthers WR drew carter or journeyman andre davis, who made some nice plays for the texans this year. . . another guy who would be worth a look in restricted free agency is texans WR/RS jerome mathis-- his development has been hindered by injuries, but he's an amazing kick returner with blazing speed when healthy, and he still has a lot of developmental potential as a WR. . . they have another solid RS now in youngster jacoby jones, and if they don't give mathis a high tender (likely, IMO) it might be worth a low pick to acquire him. . . marquay mcdaniel is a guy on the practice squad who supposedly has some return skills—he will get a look in camp, at the very least. . .


TIGHT END


right now this position is as strong as any on the roster. . . i know that some wanted to see graham get more involved in the passing game, but it's hard when you're constantly helping out the tackles in pass protection-- i felt that he earned his money just with his blocking. . . it would be nice to see us look to him a little more frequently in the red zone and on 3rd downs, though. . . in any case, he's a solid, balanced starter, and the chef may be the most dangerous #2 TE in the league. . . it's too bad that he had another slow start after the mini-camp injury-- hopefully next year he can play strong right out of the gate, and really start to fulfill some of that promise that we can all see. . . he has the skills to be a difference-maker in the passing game, a big play guy who can stretch the field on play action out of a two TE set, or line up in the slot and attack the seam. . . i thought he made a little progress with his blocking, but that's definitely an area where he needs more work if he's going to ever be a fulltime starter in this offense. . .

mustard is an adequate third TE, though he's obviously about as one-dimensional as they come. . . at least he's a solid blocker, but he rarely sees the field besides short yardage/goal line situations as he offers little to nothing as a receiver. . .

i would imagine we'll go with these same guys as our top three again next year (clearly, graham and chef are locks), but the picture is pretty unclear beyond that. . . i've heard that steven alexander may retire, and if he doesn't i really can't see us bringing him back again. . . nate jackson is probably done as well-- he actually looked ready for a productive season early, but the guy just can't stay healthy. . . at this point, it's probably in our best interest to move on from these guys and try to find someone a little more durable. . . especially since graham hasn't had the best luck in that area himself. . . combine that with the amount of two TE formations we've traditionally run, and it seems like there's a solid chance we could start next season with four TEs on our roster-- of course mike leach can back up there if we really get thin, but what he's capable of i have no idea. . .

seems likely that we'll bring in an inexpensive vet or two to compete for an end of the roster spot. . . it's either that, or look for a developmental type with some upside who can be stashed on the PS for a season or so. . . overall though, this position is very solid, and should be very productive if graham can stay healthy. . .

[dogfish]

OFFENSIVE LINE


man, this unit is REALLY in bad shape! :frusty: i understand the situation with the injuries, and playing some inexperienced guys, but their overall level of play was just not acceptable this year-- they were exposed so badly against teams like san diego and detroit that we simply had no chance to win those games. . . i'm still hopeful that the young guys can continue to improve, and i know that O-lines definitely play better when they've had some time together to establish that chemistry. . . but IMO we really need some new personnel here as well, and it starts outside. . .

i feel that matt lepsis deserves a grade of incomplete for the season-- not only was he coming off major knee surgery, but he also injured his groin in training camp, and had to play the whole year with two different first-time starters next to him. . . i'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt to a certain extent, as this guy has been a rock for us for years, and i know he didn't just forget how to play. . . there's been an awful lot of complaining about his size this year, but that's really not the issue IMO-- speed off the edge is what really killed him, as he just didn't look capable of kicking out the way he used to. . . whether that's the knee, the groin or just age and loss of explosiveness is hard to say, but this is a player who used to regularly stone dwight freeney-- something was clearly amiss this year, and it's anyone's guess whether he will be back to form next year or not. . . he's not especially old for an OL, but multiple microfractures can definitely take a toll regardless of age. . .

i'm going to keep my fingers crossed that he can come back next year and play like the lepsis of '05, but i don't think the broncos can afford to rely on that. . . it's possible that ryan harris will be ready to take over at OLT next year, but i don't feel very comfortable with that either-- he's an undersized guy who came out of college with a reputation for playing soft, and he's entirely unproven at this level-- and has struggled to stay healthy in the past. . .

at the very least, i think we need to find another OT with starting potential, as IMO eric pears needs replaced also. . . while i freely admit that he's still young and has the potential to grow and improve, i see him as a limited athlete who just may not have the foot quickness and balance to play OT in the NFL. . . he lunges and can get embarrassed pretty badly by speed rushers, and doesn't really display the power you'd like to see from a guy his size, in either pass protection or the running game. . . he's started for nearly two years now, and hasn't improved much as far as i can see. . . at best, i think he's more suited as a backup. . .

it would be ideal to fill this need with an experienced vet who's ready to play right now, but unfortunately tackle is a premium position where it's really tough to find quality talent in FA. . . panthers OT jordan gross is a solid guy who still has some upside, and would fit perfectly into the ZBS. . . gross hasn't dominated the way scouts thought he would, and isn't really a pile mover in the run game, but he would be an immediate upgrade over pears. . . honestly, there aren't many other free agents that i'm aware of who are very promising. . .

this is one of the reasons that i like the idea of addressing our gaping hole at DT by signing corey williams so well-- it would allow us to focus on finding a quality OT on the first day of the draft. . . i haven't had time to do much draft reading at all yet, but this looks to be a good year for tackles, with three or four projecting to have 1st round grades. . . jake long will be out of our reach unless he plummets unexpectedly, but we will quite likely be in a position to grab either sam baker of USC, jeff otah of pitt or gosder cherilus of BC in the 1st. . . baker is projected as an OLT, while i've read some conflicting opinions as to which side the others will play. . . ultimately though, i think we need help on both sides, so any infusion of talent would be more than welcome. . .

in a perfect world, maybe lepsis can rebound and give us another solid year or two-- that would allow us to draft a young talent and break him in slowly, possibly playing him some at ORT as the '08 season progresses. . . but regardless of how we address it, i think this position MUST be addressed if we hope to be any better than we were this year-- and addressed with some real freakin' talent, not putting up another wing and a prayer that we can turn another UDFA or 7th round TE into a competent NFL left tackle. . . we need the kind of cornerstone tackle who will keep your franchise quarterback healthy, and give your skill position players a chance to shine. . . it's time to stop messing around and get this crucial spot taken care of the right way. . . ATM i would call this the weakest position on the team. . . yes, even weaker than DT-- at least we have some potential there with marcus thomas! not only were our starting tackles bad this year, but depth at the position is non-existent going forward. . .

i wasn't particularly happy with the play of the interior OL either, but i at least have some hope for them. . . myers was a first time starter, had to play two different positions, and had the added responsibility of making the line calls for most of the year. . . i actually thought he played better at center than at guard, and IMO that may be where his long term future lies (although his versatility certainly adds to his value). . . his size is a lot closer to the prototype for NFL centers than guards, and he seems to be a good fit for the most cerebral position on the line. . .

chris kuper was up and down, but that's certainly to be expected from a small school prospect in his first year as a starter. . . he looks like a tough kid with solid athleticism, and i think he has a bright future as long as he stays healthy and continues to work hard. . . he obviously needs to be more consistent, especially in pass protection, but that should come with time. . . i think he can develop into a comparable player to san diego's pro bowl OG, chris dielman. . .

i'm not nearly as comfortable with montrae holland at the other OG spot-- he's more experienced than our other interior OLs, but i didn't think he played any more consistently. . . he had some good moments, but ultimately i wasn't very impressed with him-- i would say he's serviceable, nothing more. . . of course it doesn't help to have raw players to either side of you, and he was playing in a new system, but i really hope he shows us more if he's starting again next year. . . we could probably get by with him if we had better right tackle play, but it's definitely an area that could use an upgrade-- i highly doubt we'll have the resources to make a move on the interior OL this year, though. . .

obviously, no discussion about this unit is complete without mentioning tom nalen and ben hamilton. . . but it's pretty hard to project what impact they may have if we really don't know if either of them will be back next year. . . nalen is getting up there, and has already speculated about retirement previously-- i doubt he wants to go out this way, but with the current state of the club you know he's got to be asking himself whether it's worth going through all that strenuous rehab and training to come back and play for this type of team. . . he's made plenty of money and achieved an awful lot in his career, so it's not like he has anything left to prove-- it would hardly be a shocker if he decides to hang 'em up, although that's obviously going to be a sad day for all true broncos fans. . .

hamilton's situation is even harder to predict-- a concussion serious enough to keep him out for a whole year is nothing to fool around with, and i hope he puts his health above his pride or desire to play when making that decision. . . and even if he's healthy, the team is going to have a tough decision to make. . . he's been a really good run blocker for us in his time here, but '06 was a down year for him, and he's getting to be drastically undersized compared to a lot of the DTs in the game-- it might be hard for the broncos to justify paying him a sizeable salary when kuper is younger, bigger, has more upside and costs a lot less. . .

i hate to say it because these guys have given us some great years in the running game, especially nails, but it might be asking an awful lot of them at this point to ride back in and rescue our line. . . in all honesty, it might be better for the team in the long run to go ahead and keep playing the young guys, letting them grow and develop chemistry together. . . either way, i'd say our roster is mostly set on the interior for next year. . . we may look to bring in some different guys to compete for the backup spots, and mark fenton will probably get a longer look in camp this year after a season on the practice squad, but i don't anticipate any major moves in this area (which, of course, probably means there will be two or three :laugh: )-- i'd say there's a good chance we'll look to add one of our typical day two prospects, with some extra picks there, but probably nothing more than that. . .


__________________________________________________ ____


well, there you have it-- the good, the bad, and mostly the ugly. . . . :lol: and no, i did NOT type all of that in one sitting! kudos to all three of you who are actually patient enough to make it all the way through. . . . defense and special teams analysis coming relatively soon (i hope). . .

[Requiem / The Dagda]

Quarterback fine.

Running back situation: Dump Henry, draft a real talent.

Wide receiver situation: Keep Walker for next year, draft another receiver.

Tight end fine.

Offensive line: Dump every piece of crap besides Chris Myers, Chris Kuper and Ryan Harris and star from scratch. (Yes, even Nalen and friends.)

I like your analysis, but thought I'd be brief before I go to bed!

[topscribe]

I admire you, as always, for the work and effort you put into this posting. As
usual, you make a lot of sense and show a lot of insight, not to mention your
good job at just writing it.

I am writing this, having just finshed your section on WRs. (I may post again
after finishing the whole shot.) One thing I noticed was your talking more than
once about needed speed at WR. I read where Stokely was 4.4 coming out of
college, and that one reason the Broncos kept Martinez was that he ran a
4.29 in his workout for them.

Of course, if Walker mends as expected, he can get deep at will, as he has
repeatedly demonstrated throughout his career.

I just do not believe I would be jumping at the chance of giving up too
much for another receiver, unless Walker is through, which I don't believe
he is, if the present injury is not related to the old one, as they claim.

Well, back to reading the rest of your good post. :coffee:



P.S. I just read the TE part, and I believe I have some insight into why
Graham was not more heavily involved as a receiver. Back in training camp,
Kaylore and SoCal, two regular posters at the Mane and regular attendees
at TC, came back with ongoing news that Graham was having a hard time
getting separation. If he was having a hard time of it on the practice field,
it gets more difficult on game day. They are not going to pass to a guy who
can't get separation, of course.

-----

[DenBronx]

nice post dog.

i think most of our problems are with the offensive line. our rb's seem to have a hard time finding the right holes and our qb's been getting mad handled. id like to see some changes here....i'd like to see an average 6 '7 and 330 pounds. these guys are getting blown off the ball time and time again. i think your right on lepsis's knee about being degenerate....his career could be done. hamilton is getting paid alan feneca type of money....so lets axe him and nalen needs to be taken to the pound to be put to sleep because you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

[Requiem / The Dagda]

Dog can correct me if I'm wrong, but he's looking for a real talent at the position (new and fresh) to pair up for the future to add another addition to the offense. You can never have too many weapons. Given our poor offensive performance tonight, and seeing how other teams benefit from having multiple wide receiver sets - it'd be smart for Denver to look that way. At the very least, a kid with speed and who can return the ball.

This offense could use more playmakers. We could use them everywhere.

[DenBronx]

I admire you, as always, for the work and effort you put into this posting. As
usual, you make a lot of sense and show a lot of insight, not to mention your
good job at just writing it.

I am writing this, having just finshed your section on WRs. (I may post again
after finishing the whole shot.) One thing I noticed was your talking more than
once about needed speed at WR. I read where Stokely was 4.4 coming out of
college, and that one reason the Broncos kept Martinez was that he ran a
4.29 in his workout for them..

-----


i don't like martinez...the dude just looks like a deer trapped in head lights. yeah he might catch a ball here and there but he will never be a #1 or #2. my grandma makes peanut brittle thats stronger than this guy. the broncos should go after chad jackson from new england....i'd like to see them offer them a trade for him. why waste a pick in the draft on one?

[topscribe]

i don't like martinez...the dude just looks like a deer trapped in head lights. yeah he might catch a ball here and there but he will never be a #1 or #2. my grandma makes peanut brittle thats stronger than this guy. the broncos should go after chad jackson from new england....i'd like to see them offer them a trade for him. why waste a pick in the draft on one?

Well, you may well be right. I was just sayin' . . .

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[dogfish]

yea, juuuuust a little bit more concise than me. . . .

:lol:




Quarterback fine.

Running back situation: Dump Henry, draft a real talent.

i agree, but i think we need to wait at least another year-- lessen the salary cap blow, and wait until we can afford to either grab a quality FA or spend a 1st day pick. . .

Wide receiver situation: Keep Walker for next year, draft another receiver.

agreed, but i'd don't feel like we can realistically afford to spend higher than a 4th unless we acquire some additional picks between now and then-- IMO DT, OT and LB have to be addressed if we expect to be any better next year, and it's unlikely that we can bring in an impact player through FA at more than one of those spots. . .

Tight end fine.

Offensive line: Dump every piece of crap besides Chris Myers, Chris Kuper and Ryan Harris and star from scratch. (Yes, even Nalen and friends.)

we need some help there for sure-- at this point, it may well be a 2 year rebuilding project, but we really do need to start now. . .

I like your analysis, but thought I'd be brief before I go to bed!

[DenBronx]

Well, you may well be right. I was just sayin' . . .

-----

im just thinking if walker or marshall go down....would you trust martinez as a starter for the rest of 2008? i think our passing game would greatly decrease. i like the type of wr that gets his hands a little dirty. what i do like about martinez and not saying he's good at it is that he does play more than just wr. he also plays kr duties which makes any player more valuable and at the moment he is our only option which makes him expendable.

i'd really like to see what happens with smith. maybe smith will come back for one more year but healthy and ready to go. of course this would be huge if walkers knee is degenerate.

[dogfish]

I admire you, as always, for the work and effort you put into this posting. As
usual, you make a lot of sense and show a lot of insight, not to mention your
good job at just writing it.

I am writing this, having just finshed your section on WRs. (I may post again
after finishing the whole shot.) One thing I noticed was your talking more than
once about needed speed at WR. I read where Stokely was 4.4 coming out of
college, and that one reason the Broncos kept Martinez was that he ran a
4.29 in his workout for them.

Of course, if Walker mends as expected, he can get deep at will, as he has
repeatedly demonstrated throughout his career.

I just do not believe I would be jumping at the chance of giving up too
much for another receiver, unless Walker is through, which I don't believe
he is, if the present injury is not related to the old one, as they claim.

Well, back to reading the rest of your good post. :coffee:



P.S. I just read the TE part, and I believe I have some insight into why
Graham was not more heavily involved as a receiver. Back in training camp,
Kaylore and SoCal, two regular posters at the Mane and regular attendees
at TC, came back with ongoing news that Graham was having a hard time
getting separation. If he was having a hard time of it on the practice field,
it gets more difficult on game day. They are not going to pass to a guy who
can't get separation, of course.

-----


Dog can correct me if I'm wrong, but he's looking for a real talent at the position (new and fresh) to pair up for the future to add another addition to the offense. You can never have too many weapons. Given our poor offensive performance tonight, and seeing how other teams benefit from having multiple wide receiver sets - it'd be smart for Denver to look that way. At the very least, a kid with speed and who can return the ball.

This offense could use more playmakers. We could use them everywhere.


first off, thanks for the compliments top. . . . :cheers:


to be perfectly clear, it's not so much that i think we need more speed in the WR corps, as i think we need a true deep threat-- the two don't necessarily go hand in hand, and neither stokley nor martinez has the height to ideally fill that role. . . anyone can get deep if they beat their man cleanly, but more specifically what i'm looking for is a guy who combines deep speed with the frame to fight for the ball in traffic and sheild off defenders. . .

i don't think stokley has the speed he had coming out of college any more, and martinez is largely unproven. . . but the crux of the issue is walker's health-- he's the domino that makes the rest fall into place. . . IF he's fully healthy and back to his old form, then we're good to go. . . unfortunately, i myself just don't feel confident that that's the case, and i won't until i see it-- the coaching staff and PR department can say all they want, but it doesn't help us a bit if we go into training camp next year and his knee starts swelling up again. . . next thing you know he's being held out of practice for "precautionary reasons," then he's getting it scoped because they'd "rather take care of it now than have him miss time later in the year". . . and then he's out for half the season, or the whole season, and if anyone else gets hurt we're trying to run glen martinez out there as a starting receiver, just like we've done i the past with guys like darius watts, charlie adams, and countless others. . .

naturally i HOPE that's not the case, but hope doesn't make many catches for anyone. . . as i said in the analysis, i really feel that the team needs to find themselves some insurance if they aren't 100% positive that walker's knee really is completely healthy by the start of the offseason. . .

even if it's only a journeyman like the guys i mentioned, or a 2nd day pick with some developmental potential (marshall worked out pretty good!)-- if we can find a guy with the kind of long speed to be effective as a returner, all the better, because it's still an area where we could use more competition. . .

so yes, dream is essentially right-- i think we need, at the very least, more legitimate depth at the position. . . even if it's added more for the future than the immediate present, because receivers generally take some time to develop. . . with three picks in the 4th round this year, it would make an awful lot of sense to look for some help at the position. . . some interesting WRs that have come out of the 4th recently include baltimore's demetrius williams (prototypical deep threat who was playing well early this year before getting hurt, and will really break out when they settle their QB spot), and aundrae allison and jerome mathis (both burners with excellent return ability)-- there are usually some guys of that nature available early on the 2nd day, and it would be smart for us to take a chance on one of them. . .

[MHCBill]

that was alot to read... what did he say?

[Rex]

It will not matter what happens on offense unless the OL is addressed. They got absolutely obliterated last night up front.

Run an ad: Wanted: Left Tackle. Will pay premium price. If he has a friend, brother, or acquaintence that can play Right Tackle, will be willing to buy the pair.

[gobroncsnv]

Agree, we have some at-the-very-least adequate playmakers, especially if JWalk makes it back... But I have seen Joe Montana, Steve Young, and John Elway look absolutely mediocre in the face of a great pass rush. Our biggest needs on both sides of the ball this year are at the point of attack. Hard to win when the QB is on his butt most of the game. The plan of having a suspect oline has never worked.

[omac]

Dog can correct me if I'm wrong, but he's looking for a real talent at the position (new and fresh) to pair up for the future to add another addition to the offense. You can never have too many weapons. Given our poor offensive performance tonight, and seeing how other teams benefit from having multiple wide receiver sets - it'd be smart for Denver to look that way. At the very least, a kid with speed and who can return the ball.

This offense could use more playmakers. We could use them everywhere.

The problem with multiple wide receivers sets is lack of protection for the QB. As it is, our line can't adequately protect the QB that well even on regular receiver sets, so going multiple with this line is way too dangerous for the QB. Gotta fix the line first, before going after even more receiver talent.

I agree, though, that we could always use playmakers, but I think at receiver, we have at least 2 solid playmakers in Marshall and Stokley, 3 if Javon ever fully heals. That's a lot of playmakers at WR.

Our OL and DL, though, needs a whole lot of work.

[SarahKay]

Lets hope Javon does heal.. we'd have 3 good effing WRs on our hands..

Hopefully Stokley can get healed up as well.

[TXBRONC]

i don't like martinez...the dude just looks like a deer trapped in head lights. yeah he might catch a ball here and there but he will never be a #1 or #2. my grandma makes peanut brittle thats stronger than this guy. the broncos should go after chad jackson from new england....i'd like to see them offer them a trade for him. why waste a pick in the draft on one?

Can Jackson return punts? Martinez while not a great receiver does have a knack for the punt return game.

[dogfish]

Can Jackson return punts? Martinez while not a great receiver, he does have a knack for the punt return game.


jackson can't even get on the field. . . .

[TXBRONC]

jackson can't even get on the field. . . .


I thought so.

[Requiem / The Dagda]

Just draft a receiver, there are about 25 who would be upgrades over the #3/#4 spots long-term here, even potential #1 / #2 guys will be lasting until the fourth round or so.