For the first time since his 2004 arrival in Denver, Champ Bailey did not earn first-team All-Pro plaudits as the Broncos were shut out of first-team All-Pro honorees for the first time since 2002.
Bailey received 11 votes, placing him on the second team behind New England’s Asante Samuel and San Diego’s Antonio Cromartie.
He was the only Bronco to receive any votes.
Bailey remained among the league’s finest “shutdown” cornerbacks, although his three interceptions last fall were his fewest since his first Broncos campaign.
“Every year is a little bit different,” Bailey said on Dec. 19. “When you look at numbers, every year is a little different. My numbers are going to be good some years and not good some years. That’s just the way people attack me and the plays I make. I think around the league when people look at the big picture, I get my job done. Plain and simple.”
That was borne out by his selection to his eighth consecutive Pro Bowl, in which he will once again start.
“Although Pro Bowls are great, I’m also striving to get to the Super Bowl,” Bailey said. “I’ve got to play well to get there, so I can’t go backwards any time.”
Bailey, however, will go to his eighth consecutive Pro Bowl, in which he will once again start.
Tags: Champ Bailey
Super Bowl…. next year.
Bahh, He’s just as good as anyone out their, They should look at the situation he’s playing in. Its hard for CB’s too make a impact in that. If it wasnt for Dre and Bailey things would have been alot worst.
How a CB looks depends so much on the seven in front of him. While those other two are good, no doubt, they don’t belong in the same breath as Bailey. But look at the front sevens for the Chargers and Patriots!
Who gives a hoot about what the AP thinks?
I think we all know what Champ Bailey can do, as long as he performs his best for the Broncos then it doesn’t matter what All-Pro team he’s on.
champ had to play linebacker this year with that there $#^@ty run defense and the fact that dre was learning a new scheme every qb was throwing dre’s way so champ did not have as many opportunities for picks, we also had no pass rush, a good but inconsistent elvis. Champ only allowed half of the balls thrown his to be completed. In my opinion when you have teams not even throw to your side that deserves First Team All-Pro recognition.
Nothing to do with subject but Ebenezer Ekuban had his second best year in cleveland so much for the poor brown d line
baily is ten times better than cromartie and im a fsu fan!!
Well, I guess that’s just the way the cookie crumbles around the league… he may have not had a outstanding season but he at least deserves better recognition than this. But like someone else said, who cares what the AP thinks and really what they say about stuff like this is their pathetic and lame opinions that we shouldn’t even care about. I only care so much b/c it involves a player that I love & adore and he’s one heck of a corner. As for any other players not getting recognition on the Broncos, I don’t want to talk down about our guys, but I think by now everyone knows we weren’t very good this past season. And if we weren’t that good then why would we have anyone get noticed like Bailey did… we should be lucky for that!! Our Orange & Blue has seen much better days but next year is going to be a breakthrough for us, I really think next year is going to be our chance to shine & we’re going to take it all the way to the Superbowl (and win of course!). I’m really anxious right now to see how well our team is next year, who we get in the draft and how well our offense & D improve now that Bates is gone. Should be interesting.
GO BRONCOS!!!!!!!
Amen, ‘Nalen36. Bailey may not have had the INTs this year, but he played WAAAAAAAAY better in run defense than any other CB. Which is sad, because it means opposing backs spent way too much time in the Denver secondary…..
I guess I am not all that shocked… The Ap is about as political as the Senate, and well no playoffs for two years means no title’s for anyone even if they are a Champ Bailey!
Yeah his numbers will change because when you make 11 INT’s one season do you really think they are going to throw that way again? No! Bailey keep up what you do for this team!
i totally agree with u all….. Bailey is way better than Samuel and Cromartie combined for talent…he could’ve easily made more interceptions if the ball was thrown at him more often….he tackled like a safety..a ball-hawk like Bob Sanders…jst bring in more pressure on the opposing QBs and stop the run consistently and the opposing teams would be forced to test out Champ Bailey more often next season……
I cant wait to see our offseaseon moves..
Go Broncos
As stated earlier, Bailey should have been on the first team line backing core. He didn’t get to play DB this year. Here’s hoping Shanny has noticed the 6′5 330lb monster out of UNC. Talk about a true nose tackle, that guy alone could increase Champs Int’s by 5.
id rather have sedrick ellis
Everyone knows Champ`s cover skills, but he is without a doubt Denver`s best tackler. Good thing too, `cause he covered our D-line`s lame ass all year long. Dude`s worth every penny.
The fact that Champ only amassed three interceptions this season shows how good he really is. Think about it, quarterbacks are petrified to throw his direction. Nevertheless, let’s get some good defensive linemen in the collegiate draft in April. If we do so, we’ll get more turnovers, Jay will have a shorter field to work with and “miraculously,” we’ll be Super Bowl contenders!
Champ is by far the best CB I’ve ever seen. Deion comes close to him in coverage, but played like a girl when it came to tackling. A down year for Champ is getting 2nd team All-Pro.
If Bates wasn’t afraid to blitz when he’s got two Pro Bowl caliber CBs, Champ would’ve had another 8-10 Ints. He got beat deep once this year. He hadn’t done that since ‘05. In 2006, he played almost absolutely perfect, so anything else would have to be a down year.
News Flash!
Al Wilson has been cleared to play for the 2008/09 season!
I say sign and crown him!
I’d still like to see D.J. keep developing into the great MLB that he’s becoming. Possible switch for Al to the outside (less action, less chance of re-injurying). Anyway either or at the mike position is solid.
Now sign the guy Shanny!!!
I don’t know that Al WANTS to play anymore. He had to sit out an entire season for a reason, it’s not as if Denver just wanted him gone. He’s got a lot of heart, but I’d rather see the guy coaching at this point.
when we can get some push up the middle, champ and dre will get the credit they deserve once again! with a little luck in the off season, that will happen next year! go broncos!
I agree that Champ got the shaft on this one. They should have made a video using Champ (for kids) on how to form tackle, for every position on D…you know all those tackles he made this year on bigger RBs. Those weren’t scrawny WRs he was tackling. With run defense (like last season) Champ would have had the interception title AGAIN. Im glad he’s a standup guy and will do whatever he is asked (special teams) to help th team win, unlike other players in the league we all know about.
I’m looking forward to the offeason moves as well, starting with the D-coordinator and D-line. Still think Denver can’t pass up Kenny Phillups if he falls to them. The secondary would be second to none with him back there. If not, I look forward to Sedrick Ellis or Kentwan Balmer, unless….Denver might be able to pull Haynesworth out of TN with Walker. Think about it, they need someone for Vince. Maybe thats wishful thinking…but it makes sense. With Haynseworth and Marcus Thomas (who will be in better NFL shape and have experience) Baily and Bly should set records next year…assuming we have a D-coordinator who fits a scheme to the players and not the other way around.
I don’t know what to think about Al’s situation , he’s been such a great part of our D ( that shows this year ) but after a year out of football , i’m afraid he won’t be the same again . As for Champ , he can’t do everything in our D , he’s the best corner in the league but its of no avail if the rest of the defense is so poor .
[...] Bailey was the only Bronco to earn All-Pro votes, and for the first time since 2002, he wasn’t named to the first team. [Mason’s [...]
I don’t know what to think about Al either. Of course we missed him this year. Like Lynch, I worry about Al’s health in the future. After seeing what some NFL retirees go through, I would hate to see either of them have those problems. I mean, Elway had a hip replacement before 40? IF he is going to play, I would hate to see him in another uniform, and he would be a great influence (a la Rod Smith) on the youngsters on this D. As far as Haynesworth, I really think the team should stay away from him. Inconsistent, always hurt, played out of his mind good for most of a contract year…sounds like some of the other guys we have brought in. I say try to find a stud DT in the draft, and stay away from the face-stomper…..
Vegas, I forgot about the face stomping & you bring up a good point that he has been hurt. This draft is full of good DT’s. I think Al would be good at WLB and bring some fire and passion to the D that was obviously lacking last year. I dont think he would hit the cap to hard either. Lynch has lost a step, maybe two. What do you think about Deon Grant, Ken Hamlin and Kenny Phillups? Phillups would be great if he falls to Denver in the draft and there are enough good DTs in this draft t to land a good one in the 2nd rd.
I love Lynch and hope he sticks around for another year, but I agree that we need something there for the future, whether that’s 08 or 09. I haven’t seen much of Phillups, but I am really excited by the youth movement on offense, and I think that should be the goal on D too. Build through the draft as much as possible, unless a younger free agent who is just too good to pass up becomes available. And don’t get me wrong on Haynesworth, he was clearly THE difference-maker on the Titans’ D this year. (Which is very impressive, when you consider what a stud Keith Bulluck is. ) I just think the team should take a break from high-price, high-risk Free Agents with a history of injury and inconsistencies, and pay more attention to the draft. If the defense can put together a draft that’s half as impressive as the offense did in 06, this team will be an absolute BEAST in a couple of seasons. Bronx brings up some other interesting names too, because I think Hamlin is still kind of underrated. Sorry for rambling, but I’m having Bronco withdrawls…
Oh, I forgot what I wanted to say about Phillups. If the Ed Reed comparisons are even close, he would have a team set at that spot for the next 10 or 12 years. That would be nice, wouldn’t it?
Former Denver Broncos linebacker Al Wilson, who sat out the 2007 season because of neck problems, was cleared to play the 2008 season by Los Angeles back specialist Bob Watkins.
And according to ESPN.com Bob Watkins is usually very conservitive when it comes to clearing players, knowing Al, he could come back from this kind of injury. All you idiots that don’t think he could or that he’s mad at the Broncos organization & wouldn’t come back are way wrong, and even if he was I bet a couple million dollars would fix that pretty quick. It’s obvious how much our defense missed him this last year. Bring him back! Mike sign him now, DO WHATEVER IT TAKES!!! Before Oakland does and then we have to lose to them twice a year!
LWP, it’s obvious you’re a big fan, but you have to be a realist about this as well. Missing a year of football with that kind of injury is no joke, just ask Priest Holmes. Wilson loves football, football doesn’t love anyone. Phillips is a good safety, but he’s no Ed Reed by any stretch of the imagination. DT’s are NOT easy to get in the drafts anymore, they haven’t been for some time now either. Ellis is the name everyone on the west coast recognizes but he’s not a true nose tackle. The kid from UNC looks like a beast in the making and there’s another one at UNCST. Lately that state has put out some stud DE’s and DT’s, just looke at Mario and Peppers.
all i gotta say for champ is pro bowl with only 3 ints. how many other players can say their name buys them a spot to the pro bowl and how many other players can say what he did about rivers and not have any 1 call him on it champs the man
Bailey is the best and some people (NOT US BRONCOS FANS) fail to realize it. I have Chargers fans in my ear talking about Cromartie being better than Bailey. All i did was laugh my a** off. Bailey is the best since Primetime and will be the best!
Dear Topscribe,
I was at the Vikings game, and I have to tell you….. Karl Paymah was as good as it gets in man coverage.
Blew my mind.
I’m talking Champ Bailey good.
Some of us really don’t care what the morons at the AP think.
Champ did it all last year. I’m pretty sure he lined up as nose tackle at least once. He may not have had the numbers that he has in the past, but it’s hard to make every play against fast receivers when you have to play just off the line because there’s no run defense.
He plays hard, tackles well, and still makes QBs think twice before throwing in his direction.
As for Al Wilson, no doubt we missed him this year, but it would be tragic for him to come back and suffer some debilitating injury. And face it, your back is pretty damn important.
He would be an awesome coach though. Might be able to fire up the defense.