does this affect DJ at all now???

[underrated29]

Ok since bates is gone, and he was also the one that put DJ in the middle. Does this mean dj will stay in the middle? Or will he be once again moved back to will??

Thoughts?

[G_Money]

I hope we get a true MLB, move DJ back to his best position at Will, and get 2 backers dominating from their best positions. DJ getting to exert leadership skills isn't a bad thing, and he learned some things last year regardless of a move back to the weak-side.

It might depend on the draft and FA, though. Even though I want DJ back at Will, getting another natural Will in FA or the draft might mean that DJ stays put - and he's said he's fine with the weak-side or the middle, he just doesn't want to go back to the strong-side.

I think we can accomodate that no problem.

~G

[Lonestar]

everything iss now on the table..

No ones job is safe..

[Lonestar]

I hope we get a true MLB, move DJ back to his best position at Will, and get 2 backers dominating from their best positions. DJ getting to exert leadership skills isn't a bad thing, and he learned some things last year regardless of a move back to the weak-side.

It might depend on the draft and FA, though. Even though I want DJ back at Will, getting another natural Will in FA or the draft might mean that DJ stays put - and he's said he's fine with the weak-side or the middle, he just doesn't want to go back to the strong-side.I think we can accomodate that no problem.

~G

Hope the new moron will not drive him out of DEn also..

[underrated29]

THose top 3 lb;s

larinitus,rivers? and the other guy? Are any of them middle or wills.

[TXBRONC]

Ok since bates is gone, and he was also the one that put DJ in the middle. Does this mean dj will stay in the middle? Or will he be once again moved back to will??

Thoughts?

I doubt it.

[tubby]

I think it means a healthy Al Wilson and Larry Coyer are coming back. Back to weakside for DJ.

[BOSSHOGG30]

I agree with G... Think about it... if we get a true MLB and move D.J. back to WILL we will not only be upgrading one position but two positions. I wouldn't mind seeing us sign Zach Thomas if the Dolphins cut him because it is expected the Dolphins will cut him because they want to move to the 3-4 defense and Thomas just wouldn't fit in. We would still have to draft a young guy, but atleast we wouldn't have to ask the kid to start right away and he can also learn from one of the best in the business.

[tubby]

I agree with G... Think about it... if we get a true MLB and move D.J. back to WILL we will not only be upgrading one position but two positions. I wouldn't mind seeing us sign Zach Thomas if the Dolphins cut him because it is expected the Dolphins will cut him because they want to move to the 3-4 defense and Thomas just wouldn't fit in. We would still have to draft a young guy, but atleast we wouldn't have to ask the kid to start right away and he can also learn from one of the best in the business.

I think ZT is done. He only played in 5 games this year, struggled with concussions I guess.

[BOSSHOGG30]

I think ZT is done. He only played in 5 games this year, struggled with concussions I guess.

He'll be back...
Plus there are other options out there if for some reason he doesn't. Maybe even Al Wilson will be medically cleared by then.

[dogfish]

THose top 3 lb;s

larinitus,rivers? and the other guy? Are any of them middle or wills.


laurinaitis is a pure MIKE, rivers is a WILL. . . there has been some question about dan connor, and where he ends up probably depends on where he gets drafted and what scheme they run. . .

also, there's still an off chance that USC MLB rey maualuga could still declare, although he's said that he wasn't going to. . .

[mclark]

I hope we get a true MLB, move DJ back to his best position at Will, and get 2 backers dominating from their best positions. DJ getting to exert leadership skills isn't a bad thing, and he learned some things last year regardless of a move back to the weak-side.

It might depend on the draft and FA, though. Even though I want DJ back at Will, getting another natural Will in FA or the draft might mean that DJ stays put - and he's said he's fine with the weak-side or the middle, he just doesn't want to go back to the strong-side.

I think we can accomodate that no problem.

~G

I agree with this.

[mclark]

THose top 3 lb;s

larinitus,rivers? and the other guy? Are any of them middle or wills.

Connor and Laurinitis can play in the middle probably. We might have to hunt for a MLB in free agency.

Jonathan Goff can play in the middle -- but Laurinitis and Conner look to be the cherries at the moment.

[SmilinAssasSin27]

Move DJ to WILL, Draft Connor for the other side and Goff or Bell for the middle...problem solved.

[silkamilkamonico]

I think he gets moved back to Will, and completely dominates.

I also think Denver loses him via free agency, because I'm sure he's looking at the defensive aspect of our organization and saying, "4 changes in 5 years? They don't know what in the hell there doing....."

[SmilinAssasSin27]

I think they will do what they need to keep him. If he gets into a comfortable spot...be it another year in the middle or back to where he performs best, he'll be OK w/ staying. The DEs will get more experience and the O can make a winner. The key is the team showing him that they plan to make positive moves.

[Dean]

laurinaitis is a pure MIKE, rivers is a WILL. . . there has been some question about dan connor, and where he ends up probably depends on where he gets drafted and what scheme they run. . .

also, there's still an off chance that USC MLB rey maualuga could still declare, although he's said that he wasn't going to. . .

I don't watch Ohio State so my comments are based only upon the championship game. Laurinaitis did not impress me much. He doesn't shed blocks well and didn't dominate the ball carrier when stuffing the run. After all that I had heard, I expected much more.

Is Will LB D.J.'s natural position? If you remember, last year he was always taken out on third down and replaced with a safety for coverage purposes. How does that make him a "natural" at the weak side LB? Granted he can run and tackles pretty well but you have to be able to man cover as well as drop into zones to play an outside line backer.

[Lonestar]

He'll be back...
Plus there are other options out there if for some reason he doesn't. Maybe even Al Wilson will be medically cleared by then.

AL Wilson is one hit away from a wheelchair .. The past few years his ability to tackle someone slipped from poor to non existent.

Lets look for a real option please..

[Lonestar]

I don't watch Ohio State so my comments are based only upon the championship game. Laurinaitis did not impress me much. He doesn't shed blocks well and didn't dominate the ball carrier when stuffing the run. After all that I had heard, I expected much more.

Is Will LB D.J.'s natural position? If you remember, last year he was always taken out on third down and replaced with a safety for coverage purposes. How does that make him a "natural" at the weak side LB? Granted he can run and tackles pretty well but you have to be able to man cover as well as drop into zones to play an outside line backer.


I think he was playing SAM last year when they pulled him on third down... Not sure about the year before his rookie year I thought he was an every down player.. He sure had the tackles to prove it..

[SmilinAssasSin27]

He was not in on passing downs cuz the brainiacs invetsed $$ in Ian and he ha dtheir ear. MISTAKE. It should have been DJ all along. Ian can't catch and isn't a playmaker.

[Bronco9798]

Al Wilson is no option. He's done in Denver. I don't get why people keep referring to him as coming back. Get over it.

I think the starters next year will be just like the season ended with DJ, Winborn and Webster right where they are. Once the front four gets fixed, they'll play better as well. I don't think there's going to be a lot of changes on defense, except up front, where it should be.

[dogfish]

I don't watch Ohio State so my comments are based only upon the championship game. Laurinaitis did not impress me much. He doesn't shed blocks well and didn't dominate the ball carrier when stuffing the run. After all that I had heard, I expected much more.


i didn't think he played up to his typical standards. . . no excuses, but IMO LSU did a really good job of keeping OSU's LBs off-balance with their playcalling-- i thought they were on their heels an awful lot. . . obviously i'm not the world's most accomplished talent evaluator, but i think lauranaitis is rather similar to the player al wilson was coming out of college, but with more upside due to his size. . .




Is Will LB D.J.'s natural position? If you remember, last year he was always taken out on third down and replaced with a safety for coverage purposes. How does that make him a "natural" at the weak side LB? Granted he can run and tackles pretty well but you have to be able to man cover as well as drop into zones to play an outside line backer.


that's certainly been a big debate, hasn't it? i'd rather hear your opinion than give my own! i suppose it depends to an extent on exactly what the scheme asks of the LBs, but i feel fairly comfortable with him at either spot. . . again JMO, but i felt that he made some progress in his coverage this past year-- he still hasn't shown a lot as a blitzer though, has he? what do you think?

[Lonestar]

He was not in on passing downs cuz the brainiacs invetsed $$ in Ian and he ha dtheir ear. MISTAKE. It should have been DJ all along. Ian can't catch and isn't a playmaker.

gold was at one point a decent LB. He was NEVER good at sheding blocks his only skill was speed chasing RB down from behind after they were already on his side of the LOS.
What they did to DJ was beyond stupid.. Glad he did not demand a trade then..

[Hawgdriver]

DJ played Will throughout his college career and was the #1 OLB prospect coming out of the draft. If his play at that position accorded him that honor, that's a good reason to keep him there. He played his rookie season at Will and finished third in DROY voting. If DJ says feels comfortable at Mike or Will, keep him at Mike or Will. I personally think he should be a fixture at Will, and open up the Mike spot for a player that can embrace the leadership role that goes with the job.

[MOtorboat]

I am one of the few who does not advocate for moving D.J. back to Will. It's not because he's not one heck of a weak-side linebacker, because he was. The problem I have is moving him for the fourth time in four years. Let the guy develop somewhere. We keep moving him around and we are going to waste one of the best talents we've had at linebacker, ever.

[Lonestar]

I am one of the few who does not advocate for moving D.J. back to Will. It's not because he's not one heck of a weak-side linebacker, because he was. The problem I have is moving him for the fourth time in four years. Let the guy develop somewhere. We keep moving him around and we are going to waste one of the best talents we've had at linebacker, ever.


Not to mention as some one said it before, it is coming up on contract time and if he gets moved again he is gonna boogie out of here and he is one hell of a LB. laughing at the money he is getting, going to team that will utilize him correctly..

Broncos defense= a three ring circus..

[dogfish]

Not to mention as some one said it before, it is coming up on contract time and if he gets moved again he is gonna boogie out of here and he is one hell of a LB. laughing at the money he is getting, going to team that will utilize him correctly..

Broncos defense= a three ring circus..


i do see your point, but if the broncos really view him as a core player, and are impressed enough with his performance this coming year to be willing to shell out the dough, they always have the option of slapping his ass with the franchise tag-- i can't remember if we've ever used it, but that doesn't necessarily mean we never will. . .

[Broncolingus]

I am one of the few who does not advocate for moving D.J. back to Will. It's not because he's not one heck of a weak-side linebacker, because he was. The problem I have is moving him for the fourth time in four years. Let the guy develop somewhere. We keep moving him around and we are going to waste one of the best talents we've had at linebacker, ever.

I completely agree...it's not like our LBs had any help from the D-line in properly assessing their capabilities.

Get (at least) a decent D-line in place, let this kid stay in one spot for more than one season, then make a judgment on how good/bad he is.

[Lonestar]

i do see your point, but if the broncos really view him as a core player, and are impressed enough with his performance this coming year to be willing to shell out the dough, they always have the option of slapping his ass with the franchise tag-- i can't remember if we've ever used it, but that doesn't necessarily mean we never will. . .

Mikey is stupid about keeping talent here he has let to top DE get loose, and frankly DJ is smart enough to believe this team is screwed up like hogans goat.. He is seeing it from the inside.. took the change to MLB to add it to his resume..

[Skinny]

I don't think Bates stepping down has any effect on DJ's position. He'll be at MLB when the 08' season begins IMO.

But then i said DJ will make the Pro Bowl before the season started to so take it for what it's worth ... :2cents:

If DJ is moved back to WLB ... i'm not going to lose any sleep over it ...

[Edit] DJ is wasting at SAM ...

[MOtorboat]

i do see your point, but if the broncos really view him as a core player, and are impressed enough with his performance this coming year to be willing to shell out the dough, they always have the option of slapping his ass with the franchise tag-- i can't remember if we've ever used it, but that doesn't necessarily mean we never will. . .

The franchise tag is stupid. It just pisses a player off even more.

Leave him at middle linebacker, because that's where he is. Let him develop.

Bring in better defensive tackles and maybe an outside linebacker or two. Leave D.J. alone.

[Lonestar]

The franchise tag is stupid. It just pisses a player off even more.

Leave him at middle linebacker, because that's where he is. Let him develop.

Bring in better defensive tackles and maybe an outside linebacker or two. Leave D.J. alone.

think Windborn is a player at will, seems to be as fast as gold, can shed blockers and tackle gold is gone if for no other reason than salary cap..

They need a player for SAM but one does not spend a #1-2 on that position..

[Bronco9798]

think Windborn is a player at will, seems to be as fast as gold, can shed blockers and tackle gold is gone if for no other reason than salary cap..

They need a player for SAM but one does not spend a #1-2 on that position..

Winborn will be fine. Give him the off-season to prepare and work as a starter and I think people will be impressed with him next year.

[Lonestar]

Winborn will be fine. Give him the off-season to prepare and work as a starter and I think people will be impressed with him next year.


I think that also time with the position coach, God only knows who that will be, watching film and hitting the weight room..

[MOtorboat]

Bottom-freaking-line is we need defensive tackles, not linebackers.

[Bronco9798]

Bottom-freaking-line is we need defensive tackles, not linebackers.

I agree...Once the line gets better, everything behind it works better. Same on offense.

[MOtorboat]

I agree...Once the line gets better, everything behind it works better. Same on offense.

If we can get Ellis or Dorsey, we will be golden, with Marcus Thomas at the other d-tackle position and Moss/Crowder at one d-end and Dumervil at the other. That's one heck of a young line. Then, if that doesn't produce results at linebacker, we start worrying about it. D.J. is a freakin' stud, let's give him another year at the same position and reap the damn benefits. If they move him, I'm gonna be pissed.

[Broncolingus]

Bottom-freaking-line is we need defensive tackles, not linebackers.

Yup...

Let me now lengthen this bad-boy so I can submit it.

[MOtorboat]

If we can't get a D-tackle high in the draft, which I doubt we can, there's so many OTs out there that will be good, that to me, anything but d-tackle or o-tackle in the first round is stupid.

[Bronco9798]

If we can get Ellis or Dorsey, we will be golden, with Marcus Thomas at the other d-tackle position and Moss/Crowder at one d-end and Dumervil at the other. That's one heck of a young line. Then, if that doesn't produce results at linebacker, we start worrying about it. D.J. is a freakin' stud, let's give him another year at the same position and reap the damn benefits. If they move him, I'm gonna be pissed.

DJ isn't moving anywhere. People just like dreaming and creating their own scenarios based on their own fantasies.

[Bronco9798]

I would be concerned about the safety positions then the LB'ers right now. But the No#1 priority is DL. Once that is fixed, we'll be fine.

[MOtorboat]

DJ isn't moving anywhere. People just like dreaming and creating their own scenarios based on their own fantasies.

Makes me nervous.

[Lonestar]

Makes me nervous.

me too I hear the DEN coaches are on here maybe they will take it to heart..

[Jwalk - JayCutty6Goes - CasinoRoyal]

Shanny the one moved DJ to middle because he didnt wanna trade for Zach Thomas. Jim Mora Jr for DC??

[Dean]

i didn't think he played up to his typical standards. . . no excuses, but IMO LSU did a really good job of keeping OSU's LBs off-balance with their playcalling-- i thought they were on their heels an awful lot. . . obviously i'm not the world's most accomplished talent evaluator, but i think lauranaitis is rather similar to the player al wilson was coming out of college, but with more upside due to his size. . .


I don't think Laurenaitis is a bust but IMO he doesn't look like the superhuman that I had read about on message boards. In my one (I guess I did watch a quarter in their midseason loss) observance of him he did not measure up to what A.J. Hawk looked like coming out of college.



that's certainly been a big debate, hasn't it? i'd rather hear your opinion than give my own! i suppose it depends to an extent on exactly what the scheme asks of the LBs, but i feel fairly comfortable with him at either spot. . . again JMO, but i felt that he made some progress in his coverage this past year-- he still hasn't shown a lot as a blitzer though, has he? what do you think?

I agree with you in the belief that D.J. could do very well as either the Mike or Will LB (the boy has skills). That offers the Broncos unusual flexibility. I don't see his coverage skills at this point in his career to be exceptional not that, with his speed, those skills (hip flexibility) won't improve. With our present pass coverages, I would keep him at Mike. . . but then again if somehow Denver got the opportunity to pick up an exceptional Mike, I would drop the hammer and do it.

Both the outside and inside LBs are called on to Blitz. I don't view that skill as a determining factor as to which position he is best suited for.

If opinions were money, I would be rich.

[MOtorboat]

Shanny the one moved DJ to middle because he didnt wanna trade for Zach Thomas. Jim Mora Jr for DC??

Well, considering he didn't get traded at all, apparently, what the Dolphins wanted for a 34-year-old linebacker was too high, or, the talks never happened, which is more likely.

[HolyDiver]

I am hoping to soon hear, that John Lynch will return in 2008 as a player/coach, and then in 2009, takeover coaching the Secondary.

[LRtagger]

If we can get Ellis or Dorsey, we will be golden, with Marcus Thomas at the other d-tackle position and Moss/Crowder at one d-end and Dumervil at the other. That's one heck of a young line. Then, if that doesn't produce results at linebacker, we start worrying about it. D.J. is a freakin' stud, let's give him another year at the same position and reap the damn benefits. If they move him, I'm gonna be pissed.


I doubt we will get either one of those guys unless we trade up. Dorsey will go in the top 5 (maybe even #1 to Miami) and Ellis will probably be a top 10.

We will be lucky if Ellis is still on the board when our pick comes up. I dont think we will even have a chance at sniffing Dorsey.

[SmilinAssasSin27]

I, for one, don't want to sniff Dorsey

[MOtorboat]

I, for one, don't want to sniff Dorsey

Well, I don't want to sniff him either, but I wouldn't mind him being on the Broncos.

[SmilinAssasSin27]

Who would ya sniff?

[slim]

Who would ya sniff?

I would sniff Salma.

[SmilinAssasSin27]

I would drink her under tatter glisten twisted into a glass and fermented for 6 days.

[mclark]

Well, I don't want to sniff him either, but I wouldn't mind him being on the Broncos.

Who wants to SNIFF Dorsey?

[Watchthemiddle]

I say keep DJ at MLB. He played better each game and got better as the year went on. His ability is endless and who knows what could happen with a decent line in front of him.

DT has to be the #1 priority this off season.

[TXBRONC]

Who wants to SNIFF Dorsey?

Ah I'm not sure how to answer this.

[Jwalk - JayCutty6Goes - CasinoRoyal]

Smh.....................