Thread: Clady to start at LT immediately

Shanahan says that CLady will start at LT immediately, and Harris, Kuper, Pears will compete at RT. Wow...I'm surprised. Anyone else?

http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_9068436

I'm not surprised.

Clady has played LT in a ZBS for the last 3 years. He doesn't need to learn the technique. They just need to plug him in and perfect the chemistry. My guess is that Kuper opens up the season at RT and then slides over to LG when Harris is ready.

agreed, if this is our future then plug him in now. he was a top 10 talent that we took at 12 and you dont invest in a guy like that to just have him ride the bench, not start or play a differant position. harris isnt the answer at lt....so let him try rt and maybe he can be worth his 2nd round pick.

I somehow missed that he's from Boise State until AFTER the pick, probably because everyone (including Shanny, it seems... ) expected him to be gone since he fits so well, and evil Shanahan NEVER does what we tell him, right? ;-p That's cool, and not just because I hate OU ( "TU sucks, but OU swallows.... " ) They're my current poster child for Why I Ignore the Elected National "Champion. " How a team can go 13-0 and win an upset against a "good" team like OU in a Bowl, be the ONLY undefeated team in the nation, and finish FIFTH is beyond me. Some would say the Big 10 is so much tougher than the WAC, and the SEC is THE toughest, so obviously OSU and LSU were better, as was Michigan. I say, "Screw that! Let 'em all play each other and prove it!" Plus, first time I saw them I naturally thought Hmm, I like this team, there's something familiar about them... oh, wait, it's the Bronco on their helmet... wait, NO IT'S NOT...!

I still wish they'd gone NT in the second, but this draft is by many accounts pretty deep there, too; it's actually kind of fortunate because it looks to be deep at our two biggest positions of need. Now the question is how good all the scouts (especially Shannys... ) are.

I STILL think Pears is a good RT, but a LT has to be more. That doesn't mean I see Harris taking his job, though he may ultimately provide good depth. Kuper's always been the natural guard, so if Hamilton's healthy he could start with Nalen and either Kuper, Myers and Holland . Still thin at tackle and depends on Hamilton getting healthy and Nalen remaining so, but it's a pretty solid line, and far better than we've had for a while, IMHO, provided we stay healthy.

I‘m a little surprised that Shanny announced that he will start. I do not doubt the man or his talent; it’s just that good at Boise State and good in the NFL are very different. Remember, Foster was pretty highly rated when we drafted him. The article mentioned Chris Hinton as the highest drafted offensive lineman since in 1983. I didn’t remember his name so I checked and I don’t think he ever started. The Star from the ’83 draft was Mecklenburg in the 12th round.

However, like I said in the other thread, now that he is a Bronco, I love him!

He never gave Foster a starting job going into camp, and Foster sucked in college.

Originally Posted by Hobe

I‘m a little surprised that Shanny announced that he will start. I do not doubt the man or his talent; it’s just that good at Boise State and good in the NFL are very different. Remember, Foster was pretty highly rated when we drafted him. The article mentioned Chris Hinton as the highest drafted offensive lineman since in 1983. I didn’t remember his name so I checked and I don’t think he ever started. The Star from the ’83 draft was Mecklenburg in the 12th round.

However, like I said in the other thread, now that he is a Bronco, I love him!

Chris Hinton was traded to the Colts for John Elway. He played 13 seasons and went to 7 pro bowls.

Most first round lineman start their first year in the league. In Denver's case, it takes a year or two to learn the zone blocking scheme. Zone blocking is a whole new technique and style of play than traditional systems. Clady has never played in any other system at the collegiate level and thus only needs to get acclimated with this teammates. He's NFL ready for Denver's system.

huh. . . so much for ryan harris. . . .

Originally Posted by Ziggy

He never gave Foster a starting job going into camp, and Foster sucked in college.

Hell, I don't think Mark Richt even gave Foster a starting job going into his SR season in college.

George Foster started (Something like) a whopping 11 games in college, only an idiot (Like Mike Shanahan) would take a player like that in the 1st round, let alone start him going into his first training camp......

Its not surprising that Shanahan would say that. A lot of people think Williams was more ready to start right away so in anticipation of criticism, its not surprising he would say this. That and/or also the fact that our OTs are nothing to scream about.

Originally Posted by r8rh8r

Chris Hinton was traded to the Colts for John Elway. He played 13 seasons and went to 7 pro bowls.

Most first round lineman start their first year in the league. In Denver's case, it takes a year or two to learn the zone blocking scheme. Zone blocking is a whole new technique and style of play than traditional systems. Clady has never played in any other system at the collegiate level and thus only needs to get acclimated with this teammates. He's NFL ready for Denver's system.

Thanks for the info!

No wonder I didn't remember him.

Originally Posted by Ziggy

Shanahan says that CLady will start at LT immediately, and Harris, Kuper, Pears will compete at RT. Wow...I'm surprised. Anyone else?

http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_9068436

No. A top 15 pick (exclusive of qb's) should be ready to start. Plus, we missed on Ryan Harris obviously. And Pears wasn't even drafted...

When we had Jake Plummer as our qb we had a qb that other teams didn't rally want to rush -- they wanted to contain, keep in the pocket. Jake was most dangerous when he was flushed out of the pocket.

Originally Posted by mclark

No. A top 15 pick (exclusive of qb's) should be ready to start. Plus, we missed on Ryan Harris obviously. And Pears wasn't even drafted...

When we had Jake Plummer as our qb we had a qb that other teams didn't rally want to rush -- they wanted to contain, keep in the pocket. Jake was most dangerous when he was flushed out of the pocket.

Kuper is a fantastic guard. I think the goal would be for Harris to settle in at RT and for Kuper to play LG. Kuper, Clady, and Nalen will open some holes on that left side. That's a talented group.

Pears is a bench player. He's not a guy you want starting. But how did we miss on Harris? He's only been with us for a year. Let's see how he looks in camp before we label him a bust.

Originally Posted by r8rh8r

Kuper is a fantastic guard. I think the goal would be for Harris to settle in at RT and for Kuper to play LG. Kuper, Clady, and Nalen will open some holes on that left side. That's a talented group.Pears is a bench player. He's not a guy you want starting. But how did we miss on Harris? He's only been with us for a year. Let's see how he looks in camp before we label him a bust.

There's a kid named Hamilton on that left side that they like a little bit too. Personally, I think he's a bit overrated and would love to see Kuper take that spot. I agree that the Broncos probably hope that Harris can nail the RT spot. If he can, and Kuper can take over on the left side, we have the makings of a good young line, with Lichtingsteiger hopefully ready to fill in when Nalen hangs up the cleets.

Originally Posted by dogfish

huh. . . so much for ryan harris. . . .

i think ryans still a work in progress. he should do fine at rt.