Chris Hall of DenverBroncos.com sat down with Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway for the latest episode of Elway Access on Tuesday afternoon.
With two weeks remaining in the regular season, the playoffs aren’t the only focus for the organization, as it has begun to look toward the 2013 NFL Draft in April. Tuesday morning, each of the Broncos scouts returned to Dove Valley to begin discussing where the eligible prospects stack up in advance of Thursday, April 25, when Denver will select its newest draft class.
“We’re in the process,” Elway said. “The scouts are in today. They start the meetings this morning. Who’s No. 1? You’ll have to find out later. It’s too early to give you the old who’s No. 1. The scouts will be here this whole week and the first run at the board will be finished by the end of the week. We’ll have 320 guys up on the board that are draftable at this point in time.”
Between the conclusion of the season and the draft, scouts will attend Pro Days at various schools throughout the country, and also evaluate prospects at the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.
“This process is going to change several times,” Elway said. “This is the first shot at it, get it up on the board. It’s kind of exciting to see the names up there, knowing that the draft is not that far away.”
As for the remainder of the 2012 season, Sunday’s win over Baltimore extended the Broncos’ winning streak to nine games. In beating a 9-5 Ravens team on the road, Denver showed the ability to play quality football in a difficult environment.
The win, coupled with a loss by the New England Patriots Sunday night, means that if the Broncos win out, they will start the playoffs with a bye as the AFC’s No. 2 seed. Sunday’s victory also counted as a milestone for Owner Pat Bowlen, who defeated Baltimore for the first time in his 29-year tenure as owner.
“You can’t ask for a better guy to play for,” Elway said of Bowlen. “He’s a guy that wants to win and is very competitive. It’s always nice to see him get his first win in Baltimore and be given the game ball, as Coach Fox did. He’s just a guy that wants Super Bowls, so hopefully we can get him one this year.”
One of the keys to the Broncos victory was the team’s success on the ground, particularly in the fourth quarter. Denver ran the ball 45 times for 163 yards, including handoffs on 17-of-18 offensive snaps in the fourth quarter as the Broncos ate up the clock to keep the Ravens from mounting a comeback.
“It was a very good game for us up front,” Elway said. “The offensive line took control of the game. Any time you have a 10-minute drive, with 13 out of 14 rush plays, it starts up front. Our offensive line was very physical against a very physical defensive line. They really did a tremendous job of creating some holes and moving that line of scrimmage.”
Leading the way in the backfield was running back Knowshon Moreno, who picked up 118 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries for an average of 5.4 yards per carry.
“Knowshon’s been tremendous,” Elway said. “He’s continued to get stronger and he gets better. He’s a competitor and he plays with a toughness. I think you see that every time he plays. He has just continued to get better.”
To listen to the full episode of Elway Access, complete with Elway’s thoughts on cornerback Chris Harris’ 98-yard interception return for a touchdown and that play’s impact on the win over the Ravens, the importance of the team’s final two games and the Broncos’ current playoff seeding, click here.
Tags: Elway Access, Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000113585/article/tim-tebows-career-as-nfl-quarterback-could-be-nearing-its-end
So are Elway and Fox prepping to pick last???
DB… I think that Tebow will get a shot at to play behind Brady in NE. The Mc D connection I think will get him another shot if Mc D is still there… and why shouldn’t he, look at how many doors his style of play has opened in the NFL this season and last…
There are better than 5 teams now that run versions of the Spread Read-Option Offense. the 9ers and Seahawks are both doing it will real success. Will all the talk around here about who revolutionized what it is great to be witnessing the next QB Revolution now… The Big Athletic QB that runs as well as he throws…
With all*
Feel bad for Tebow, Im still pulling for him to play for another team with a fanbase that can rally behind him. All things considered, Im glad Elway made it possible for Manning to become a Bronco. Playoffs here we come!
I’m hoping he goes to Jacksonville as the starter. I’m hoping the new owner decides that rather than compete for first pick next year that he use this year to build around a winner – coach – Oline – recievers – the entire offense.
It would take 2 seasons to be competitive and 4 seasons to figure out if it could be pulled together into a winning combination. Just wondering if anyone in Florida is up to the challenge!
I was wondering if my Tebow talk killed the blog or if folks are just footballed out on TUes. night???
Taking a break for Christmas shopping???
So BT…how far do you have to drive to go Christmas shopping? I think I am asking how far out of town is your home? Do you have a lot of snow on the ground?
Just the thought of it all brings back good memories from my years living in CO.
Start Tebow now N.Y.! HaHa!! Both Rex Ryan and Mark Sanchez are toast after the season is over!
Um – two posts up “this / next” refer to 2013 team building process – I’m seeing the JJags season as done.
Evening DB.
DB… Closest Shopping is about 40 minutes, but closest retail shopping is an hour and fifteen minutes. It’s about 3 hours to Denver if the roads are good, and its the closest commercial airport. The travel is no biggie though, I-80 is just 20 miles North
As far as snow, there is barely enough to cover the ground where I live in the Winter. The mountains just got their first real week of snow, but there are no drifts in the creeks and the forrest is not snowed in yet. It needs to snow and keep snowing for the next couple months or it will be another Dry miserable summer
Anybody watching the Spurs/Nuggets Game? I still say Faried could be a beast of TE in the NFL!
BT Faried is a beast!
Funny thing normally when teams get a big time player everyone jumps on the bandwagon. I jumped off. Since the Lakers got Dwight I cant stand them. Mainly because Laker fans are insufferable.
AB, I’m a Lakers fan and have lost complete interest in the NBA and the Lakers, not much as to the Lakers sucking really bad right now, but because its turned into nothing but a freak show. I miss the days of Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Karl Malone, and Isaiah Thomas. Thats when Basketball was really fun to watch. Not no more, not for me.
I do like Kobe though, I never liked Shaq. Thats just me though.
Hey Strand – I was the other way – when the Lakers chose Kobe over Shaq – I quit watching BBall.
I hate Kobe as much as I hate the Raiders…
AB, I think the Lakers screwed up not bringing back Jackson… Howard in a proper triangle offense would be devastating
For me – basketball is like soccer – the communist sport. I like the chess match and strategy of Football and baseball.
Drama – football and baseball have drama!!!
I hear ya. I quit watching years ago really. I only watch the NBA finals and thats about it. Some years I won’t even watch it at all.
Haha – love to know why you don’t like Kobe, BT. You normally really like those low character / high talent guys. LOL
Love football and baseball. I’m glad our L.A. got outfielder Josh Hamilton. He’s a beast of a HR hitter.
Yep – not a single game this year….but I tend to miss the World Series as well, when I don’t care about either team.
L.A. Angels I meant.
Can you believe Vin Scully signed another 1 year contract to announce the Dodgers again. He’s been calling those games since the Brooklyn Dodgers way back starting in 1950. He’s been apart of my life as far back as I can remember as a child. Totally Awesome thing to me!
I always like to see little scrappy guys on the field as well…David Eckstien for example. I watched a lot of baseball just to see him play.
Those guys remind me of myself some I think – though I was never any good – but It makes me think that maybe I could have made it – I was told once by a college baseball coach, “grow 6″ and gain 50 lbs” etc…
DB… Baseball ranks right up there with Soccer and Figure Skating in my book as far as Drama… I think it is deathly boring!!!
Kobe is a Rapist… an immorral D Bag that barely has a high school education… Low Character and NO character are very different DB
Hahaha – I get it BT…my dad gave me that as a reason for never going to my games. LOL and some games….
He payed his way out of Jail in Colorado, reaching a settlement with that girl, and then to ‘apologize’ spent close to 4m on a diamond for his wife
Just an oppinion, there are of course discrepancy of fact in that case, I just don’t have ANY use for Kobe
I guess you are right…character is always a matter of degree. We all let ourselves slide in some measure.
Your reasoning is the same as mine…I don’t get him cheating on his beautiful young wife at all.
I love Scully – and one of the things that I love about baseball is that it has….and it recognizes that it has rich traditions. Scully is one of those traditions. (Besides – Scully will likely give up and pass on as soon as he can no longer call a game. – He’s that type that doesn’t know how to relax and enjoy life – he’s still ambitious.)
I bet if I was allowed to play baseball as a child I would enjoy it more, but summers on the ranch just meant alot of work. I have tried to watch baseball and enjoy the strategy but I guess alot of it I just don’t understand
All the big kids are away and Daddy is in demand now – you guys take it easy!
Later DB!
I think there is much truth in that BT
Base ball offense is one guy in the spotlight – It’s your crowd – you can’t be ignored – you have the spotlights!!!
Your efforts cannot be hidden under a pile of bodies –
It takes a certain personality to enjoy that and succeed under that pressure…
Glad to hear the Broncos Scouts are in house and have the base to start the prep for the draft!
FTR
Scoring contest….
Browns: 16
Broncos: 40
I think it was great Bowlen got the game ball! But do not let me crash your party!
ILMSDB!
FTR
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl/news/20121218/inside-the-numbers-week-15-denver-broncos/?sct=uk_t11_a5
Good Read about the Broncos
Here’s an appropriate measure: If the season ended today the Broncos would be picking #30 in the draft order as it stands right now. What would be great is to be at pick #32 when we win the SB in New Orleans. Its nice to see where we stand right now. Numbers don’t lie! HaHa!!
the general consensus in the media is that the broncos are currently the best team in the league. cant wait to see if we can live up to that with a three jeweled ring. champ deserves it.
Great way to end a long day. The Broncos are such a top notch organization! In the midst of fighting for a first round bye in the playoffs, and still making time to do the due diligence on draft prep. I’m speechless..
Official Score Prediction:
Broncos 35
Browns 24
To add to my comment last night, the draft is the lifeblood for the NFL, and there is an undeniable correlation between the teams who draft well, and the teams who have success in this league.
For the first time that I can remember, I feel like the Broncos have a great draft process in place, and I hope the blog will give us fans as much draft coverage as possible, as I know there are quite a few of draft junkies who can never get enough around here!
I think Tebow should pack his bags and head up here to Canada to start in the CFL for a few years………could prob do him a world of good………and he’d have a wider field to scramble on! lol
Morning kod. It will be interesting to see what happens with Tebow. I can’t help remember all the venomous commends towards the Broncos FO by Tebow apologists, about how poorly we treated him. Wonder what their thoughts are now.. The Jets are an absolute train wreck, from QB, to HC, to OC, to GM, to owner…. A complete nightmare.. It REALLY makes you realize how good we have it with our Broncos! Bowlen, Elway, Fox, Manning!
Have a great day y’all.
*comments
About the draft, no more Xanders is enough to make me jump for joy.
Shanny had grown stale and wasn’t working out in Denver any longer so Bowlen did the right thing to part ways with him.
But then everything went haywire when he took over without hiring a genuine GM first and personally picked McD as our new HC.
When he realized the enormity of that very poor decision and the gigantic hole he dug for himself, his team and the fan base, he hired Elway the only person in Denver who could possibly clean up that sort of a mess for him.
Like kicking Xanders and Tuten to high heaven for starters.
Not that anyone here isn’t already fully aware of all that, but it’s nice to remember where you came from when you are on a super bowl run.
Morale of the story:
Bowlen stays in the upper office doing upper $$$ chores with his right hand Joe Ellis.
He keeps the reigns in Elway’s hands and watches him operate all football operations.
And that’s it, bingo, here we go Broncos!
And if Bowlen hasn’t made any offers to Elway about owning part of the team yet, it’s grand time he does so, without him his team would be looking something like the Jets now. Just saying, this Elway masterpiece turnaround of a sinking team in upper disarray top to bottom has got to be worth more than a V.P. salary no matter how generous IMO.