Thread: John Elway’s Future in Denver?

Originally Posted by Jaded

Yeah, a mixed bag of shit and dog vomit.

One of the best ILBs and DE's in teh game left in FA. Both play at a pro bowl level consistently. Neither have made it because the PB voting and selection process is stupid. Elway drafted them.

Shane Ray has been hurt but he's a good player when he's on the field. He's not going to PB's either but he's going to easily secure a decent contract in FA.

These are just some examples of guys who have panned out but aren't exactly getting Elway a lot of praise for one reason or another. Is he great at drafting? No. When the SB team was put together and the championship was won I was shouted down for not believing Elway was the best GM in the game next to Baltimore's. A lot of people told me I was wrong, but that extreme view was in error. A few years later and now another extreme view is popular, and it is wrong as well.

I don’t think Elway is going anywhere. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t deserve criticism. He’s had some really bad drafts, specifically 2015 and 2017, and 2016 wasn’t very good either. They seem to have bucked that trend with the 2018 draft, but that’s the crux of the organizational problems right now.

2017: One starter (Bolles), one rotational player (Walker).
2016: Two starters (Simmons and Janovich) and three rotational players (McGovern, Booker, Parks).
2015: One starter (Heuerman) and two rotational player (Ray, Garcia).
2014: Two starters (Roby, Paradis).

And the problem is, outside of Simmons, Paradis, and maybe Janovich, there isn’t a single player on that list that people don’t question why he’s playing (and some question Paradis). So, even the guys who have stuck in those four drafts have been questioned as replacement level players.

Originally Posted by BroncoJoe

OK, everyone! Let's all overreact and jump off a cliff! We're doomed! Forever!

Well, not doomed forever, but certainly for this season and next.

Elway is firing Vance Joseph, possibly during the season. The new head coach will fire all VJ's assistants and hire his own.

Most of the veterans on the team will be cut or traded. A bunch of them are FAs next season and Elway has not offered them new contracts.

And due to his horrible drafting the last 5 years - except this last draft, he has virtually NO talent behind them to bring on.

Look at the probable players who may go bye-bye in 2019:

Bradley Roby – UFA in 2019.

Darian Stewart – $2.8 million in dead money if he’s cut vs $3.6 million in cap savings.

Tramaine Brock – UFA in 2019.

Demaryius Thomas – $3.5 million in dead money if he’s cut vs $14 million in cap savings.

Emmanuel Sanders – $2.68 million in dead money if he’s cut vs $12.9 million in cap savings.

Jared Veldheer – UFA in 2019.

Max Garcia – UFA in 2019.

Billy Turner – UFA in 2019.

Menelik Watson – A team option in 2019. $1.3 million in dead money if he’s cut vs $6.1 million in cap savings.

Ronald Leary – $1.75 million in dead money if he’s cut vs $7.6 million in cap savings.

Derek Wolfe – $2.37 million in dead money if he’s cut vs $8.5 million in cap savings.

Domata Peko – UFA in 2019.

Shelby Harris – Some disparity in reports. Either he’s an RFA or a UFA in 2019.

Zach Kerr – UFA in 2019.

Brandon Marshall – $4 million in dead money vs $5 million in cap savings.

Todd Davis – $2 million in dead money vs $3 million in cap savings.

And this says nothing about the QB position where dumping Case Keenum would cost them $10m but keeping him would cost them $21m.

I can't see them keeping him, but bringing in another veteran won't be cheap either.

Originally Posted by MOtorboat

I don’t think Elway is going anywhere. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t deserve criticism. He’s had some really bad drafts, specifically 2015 and 2017, and 2016 wasn’t very good either. They seem to have bucked that trend with the 2018 draft, but that’s the crux of the organizational problems right now.

2017: One starter (Bolles), one rotational player (Walker).
2016: Two starters (Simmons and Janovich) and three rotational players (McGovern, Booker, Parks).
2015: One starter (Heuerman) and two rotational player (Ray, Garcia).
2014: Two starters (Roby, Paradis).

And the problem is, outside of Simmons, Paradis, and maybe Janovich, there isn’t a single player on that list that people don’t question why he’s playing (and some question Paradis). So, even the guys who have stuck in those four drafts have been questioned as replacement level players.

It's worse than you are making out.

Paradis is an UFA next season and Elway refused to extend him, so he will get a huge offer from some other team. The entire rest of the OL will need replacing.

Bolles is a bust. (Not that they were draft picks, but Leary is injured and a busted FA signing, Veldheer is injured like always and is an UFA so he's not back. They signed those guys because their OL draft picks (Sambrailo and Schofield were busts).

Heurmann and Garcia are replacement level players and both are UFAs.

Roby is a UFA.

Etc. Most of the few players who stuck around this long won't be here next year so those drafts were a complete waste.

Originally Posted by Cugel

It's worse than you are making out.

Paradis is an UFA next season and Elway refused to extend him, so he will get a huge offer from some other team. The entire rest of the OL will need replacing.

Bolles is a bust. (Not that they were draft picks, but Leary is injured and a busted FA signing, Veldheer is injured like always and is an UFA so he's not back. They signed those guys because their OL draft picks (Sambrailo and Schofield were busts).

Heurmann and Garcia are replacement level players and both are UFAs.

Roby is a UFA.

Etc. Most of the few players who stuck around this long won't be here next year so those drafts were a complete waste.

I’m not going to criticize Elway because of the nature of fairly set contract structures. There’s nothing he can do about players hitting free agency at the end of a rookie contract, especially if we’re complaining that they’re replacement level.

Originally Posted by Colorado4Life

I don’t think things are totally bad to be honest. I just want to know that the man at the helm still has a contingency plan when things don’t work out. No Kool Aid needed for this Homer just donuts, but things don’t work out fine, move on. At times he does and at times he doesn’t and it’s the uncertainty and indecisiveness that concern me. I was disappointed when Tebow was sent to New England because he was passionate and fun to watch while Manning was methodical and fun to watch not for his physical athleticism but his tactical genius. Elway made that happen and we won another Super Bowl as a direct result of Elway brining in Manning. I am also fascinated by the chaos that will unravel with what appears to be the Brittany vs Beth ownership struggle. I hope it’s decided as soon as possible and so we can regain stability. I apologize but I am focused on the next several moves, as chess is a passion and so when things don’t work out you have a backup plan. My final thing is I want Elway to be more levelheaded. For all practical purposes, passion is for players and coaches, should be more analytical so that unfortunate incidents like the releasing of Chad Kelly are seen as a business decision exclusively, albeit a disappointing one, and not an emotional one with hurt feelings etc...

Whether Elway has a contingency plan or not isn't for us to know (goes back to intellectual property of the Broncos.) All we can do is suffer through the uncertainty of plans being implemented. We will be the last ones to know.

Originally Posted by Cugel

It's worse than you are making out.

Paradis is an UFA next season and Elway refused to extend him, so he will get a huge offer from some other team. The entire rest of the OL will need replacing.

Bolles is a bust. (Not that they were draft picks, but Leary is injured and a busted FA signing, Veldheer is injured like always and is an UFA so he's not back. They signed those guys because their OL draft picks (Sambrailo and Schofield were busts).

Heurmann and Garcia are replacement level players and both are UFAs.

Roby is a UFA.

Etc. Most of the few players who stuck around this long won't be here next year so those drafts were a complete waste.

If Matt Paradis gets a huge offer from anyone, I will eat MO's matching pajama top and bottom.

Originally Posted by Buff

If Matt Paradis gets a huge offer from anyone, I will eat MO's matching pajama top and bottom.

They don’t match.

Originally Posted by MOtorboat

They don’t match.

Do the bottoms have a hole in the ass for outhouse visits

Originally Posted by BeefStew25

Do the bottoms have a hole in the ass for outhouse visits

Don't call Dave an outhouse.

Originally Posted by BeefStew25

Do the bottoms have a hole in the ass for outhouse visits

I keep my rifle in the outhouse in case of Injuns, too.

Cut john elway

How's it going, Shane?

#DeserveKeesum

Originally Posted by ShaneFalco

Cut john elway

At least you don't want him burned, shot, or drowned!