On Monday, Executive Vice President of Football Operations met the media on the same day Brian Dawkins announced his retirement.
In addition to the coverage already on DenverBroncos.com, we thought we’d highlight a few more key quotes from Elway’s press session.
On Brian Dawkins’ retirement:
“For a guy like that, it’s always tough to make that final decision, take that final step, but he’s obviously had a great career. He called [Head Coach] John Fox this morning. I did not talk to Brian, but the career that he’s had for 16 years—[three] years here in Denver and [13] in Philadelphia—he had a tremendous career. I’m sure he took the time that he wanted to take since the season was over. In that situation, it always does take that kind of time. I’m sure that he went through it many, many times. It’s always tough to take that final step. He’ll be missed. He did so many tremendous things for the Broncos, not only on the field, but his leadership off the field was something that we’ll always be grateful for.”
“We left it up to him. We were going to let him make that decision. Obviously, we would like to have had him back, but it was going to be his decision, and we told him to take his time, because when you make career decisions like that, they do take that time. He did take his time and, obviously, came with the decision that he felt was best for him and his family.“
On how QB Peyton Manning affects the team’s draft approach
“I think the bottom line is we want to do the best thing to surround him with a team that’s going to give him an opportunity to win. We can go in with an idea of what we would like to do, but that changes as players come off the board. It’s always fluid, so to be able to have a game plan, just like going into a football game and having a game plan, once you get into the game and you see what’s going on, it’s a fluid situation. It will be the same thing with the draft. Obviously, there are guys that we have pinpointed and like, but you never know where they’re going to go and when they’re going to be there. That’s something that’s fluid and changes all the time.”
On how the team predicts who will be available at No. 25
“It all depends. What we try to do is just see when we get to that position, who is left on the board. Then, if there are three or four guys that we like, compare them and see which would have the biggest impact and is going to have the biggest impact for our football team. Those are the things—we’re always going to get to three different guys. We can’t predict who those three or four different guys are going to be by the time we get to No. 25. We just try to do as many mocks as we can to be able to discuss as many different situations and the different players that might be there.”
On whether defensive tackle is the team’s greatest position of need
“We struggled a little bit, losing [DT] Brodrick [Bunkley] in free agency. We wanted to keep him but couldn’t do that. We don’t feel as bad about our tackles as everybody else does. I think that we feel OK there and [DT] Ty Warren will be back coming off an injury and [DT Kevin] Vickerson is coming back and then we have some young guys in there where we feel like we’ll be OK. It’s not nearly the need in our minds that people think it is.”
On whether the team needs to draft a cornerback
“We struggled all last year against anybody that spread us out. That is the thing. Every team has needs. It’s just a matter of the impact of the people you can find to help solve that need. You can never have enough good corners; you can never have enough good pass rushers. There is no question, corner is another spot that is very vital if you’re going to be good on the defensive side because of where the game is going and the amount of spread offense that we’re seeing now you have to be good in the secondary. But, you’re only as good as your pass rush too. You have to combine both of those. Obviously our pass rush is better than it’s been, but we have to get better when people spread us out.”
Tags: Brian Dawkins, Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway, Kevin Vickerson, Peyton Manning, Ty Warren
With them feeling they are ok at DT i dont think they will take a DT at 25.
I feel that a trade down is a lot more of an option now then before
“Peyton has interest in what we do,” Elway said, “but Peyton is not involved in the draft process.”
The Broncos currently hold the 25th overall pick in the first round, and Elway said they would be open to trading down, though no team has approached them with a prospective deal.
Whats up Alaskan, havnt spoke with you in a while, How ya been.
Ive been good CB and yourself?
I havnt posting as much as i used to on here. Been to busy plus hasnt been a whole lot of chatter on here also.
Yea im about the same ive been real busy, im reading as much as i can. Good news though, i bought some Broncos tickets vs the patriots week 5! First NFL game.
CB thats awesome!!! Whats a game to be at!!!!
Yea Manning/Brady, ill be rocking my champ bailey jersey and my buddy will be wearing his Brady Jersey. Im seeing a Pick Six champ style.
Everyone see that Denvers playbooks are now on Ipads? Its become real modern in the NFL. I guess the Ipads will have game plans film opponent notes and all that on it.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d82887463/article/broncos-trade-in-paperbound-playbooks-for-ipads
CB Like that 2005 playoff game? 100 yards for the TD!! One of my favorite all time plays!!
All my favorite plays happen against the Pats and mainly Brady. (Except Stokley down the sidelines!!! lol)
4. I believe Syracuse DE Chandler Jones is a hot commodity right now. This is nothing new for NFL teams, who have rated him highly for quite some time, but it’s a noticeable development in mock drafts, many of which initially had him pegged as a second-rounder. Most of the good defensive ends/pass rushers, including Jones, should come off the board sometime between pick No. 10 (Buffalo Bills) and pick No. 20 (Tennessee Titans). Jones is not a sudden riser — he’s been a very good player for years. Watch him play two seasons ago against Anthony Castonzo — the Indianapolis Colts’ first-round pick (No. 22 overall) in 2011 — and it’s easy to rate him as a top prospect.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d82885edd/article/nfl-draft-forecast-chandler-jones-up-courtney-upshaw-down?module=HP11_hot_topics
Stokley down the sidelines was incredible. The 100 Yard return was unbelievable. Im hoping for something that goes into the history books, im sure something will happen, row 9 close to the field i get to see it without binoculars
Thats great CB!!! Porter is going to pick Brady off for 109 yard pick 6
lol
Roster size has been increased to 90 players. Denver has 72 i believe. that gives them a lot of space for UDFAs. 18 spots 7 draft picks 11 UDFAs of FAs post draft.
Thats only if Brady can get down the field on us haha!!
CB LOL true!!!
Lets hope we can find someone like Harris last year, He’s player I have high hopes on.
I think we will be able to go out and get a good group of UDFAs.
With a roster size of 90!!! there has to be a hidden gem among the players.
Oh yea especially with being able to pull in about twice as many as in the past. Most UDFAs last year brought in by one team was 6 i believe.
Well Draft is on thursday! I probably wont be on untill then or the weekend but ill try to check in every once and a while. Enjoy your evening
Cya Round.
Peace out CB.
Good bye Brian Dawkins,you were a warrior on the field,you and your leadership will be missed,you we’re one of the great ones,thanks for all the memories you have bestowed on us all.
Great to see Bay posting again!
BFE
Anybody see where they caught the Saints for putting recorders in the other teams coaches sky boxes,man I think they outta suspend the whole freaking team for a year,and take away their SB,I hate damn cheaters!
BFE man Saints FO has some issues. The SB should be taken away and all FO staff from then should be fined and suspended.
Agreed….the Saints and Pats are marked as cheaters 4 life!!!!!!!
http://www.nfl.com/draft/story/09000d5d8288a110/article/mike-mayocks-top-100-nfl-draft-prospect-rankings
Mike Mayocks prospect Rankings top 100. Chandler Jones #9 top DE Jerel Worthy #26 3rd DT.
And I cant stand either team LOL I couldnt stand them even before they were marked as cheaters.
heard that bfe. cheaters deserve nothing!! suspend the team!! no superbowl for you!!! no place for cheating in this game, although i’m sure it happens constantly. they need to come down hard on these people.
AB,if we stay at#25,who do you think will be a couple of targets for us?
I dont agree with suspending the Team just the staff involved. Only suspend players if they knew about it.
lbf,right on brother!
After all the crap they have done,it wouldn’t bother me if they didn’t let the whole team play this year,like lbf said,no room for cheaters,give’m the damn death penalty,lol.
My 5:35 post I was thinking since EFX maybe won’t take a DT?
mayock has doug martin ranked really high. i like him alot too, and i hope he’s there for us. we’ll probably take him if he’s there at 25. would work for me..
5:37 post!
BFE theres just so many lol.
Chandler Jones (IF available)
Doug Martin
Dre Kirkpatrick (IF available)
Michael Brockers (IF available)
Fletcher Cox (IF available)
Stephen Hill
Jerel Worthy
Dontari Poe (IF available)
Stephon Gilmore (IF available)
Dont’a Hightower (IF available)
Courtney Upshaw (IF available)
Shea McClellin
Vinny Curry
Casey Hayward
Brandon Boykin
Janoris Jenkins
I like Martin or Hightower!
Man you sure did narrow it down to a couple,LMFAO!!!
haha bfe, lets SMU their asses man!!!
BFE im thinking after what Elway said how the feel DT isnt such a need in their eyes that they will go another way. Im thinking BA (best available) or trade down. I also think Jones IS an option if he is there more so now then before.
I love Barron or Kirkpatrick!!!
I like Boykin a lot,but thought he was a 2nd-3rd rounder?
What do you think of Janzon Jackson in the 3rd or 4th?
Lol BFE theres just so many!!! Its hard to picks 5 or 6 let alone three for the contest!! Pick 25 was by far the hardest choice for me. A few of those guys are reaches and might be there at 57 however im 99% sure Brock is our 2nd round choice.
Boykin has been rising up boards. I believe many have him borderline 1st round now but a solid early second like Hayward Curry and Jenkins.
Well guys I gotta go drive around the prego girlfriend. Catch yall later. Peace out Broncos country!!!
well ab last season i think we went the BA route. still debatable how we did but i think i like that stradegy for teams that need alot of help like us. the best players year after year and you end up with a team like the packers.
I’ll agree with Brock in the 2nd,Brock is #1 on my mock at #57!
Peace out ab!
lbf,I’ll agree,that if we don’t go DT,we need to go BPA,like we did last year,that worked out great!
for those who dont get the smu reference, they were caught cheating multiple times and ways and their punishment was the whole football team was suspended for an entire year. they never did recover from that, but i bet they dont cheat anymore either!!
I agree 100% man,this cheating has got to stop!
I gotta go fix the kids supper,momma is gone!
Rock on Bronc on.
BFE
see ya bfe, ab, i’m out too…