With the National Football League calendar year underway for 2011, there will be a flurry of player transactions almost like never before.
The only real comparison I can make is when the teams signed replacement players in 1987, thus putting an entire team together in a couple of days.
I figure that with the Denver Broncos’ signing of our own draft choices, undrafted college free agents, veteran free agents, possible trades and roster reductions re cuts, the Broncos will average a headline per hour for the next five or six days, basing that on the hours of a normal daylight working day.
It is going to be chaotic.
For a fan, stay tuned, and embrace the chaos. The football operations department has had a plan in place and will now be executing it.
A big component of that is the signing of undrafted college free agents—that is, players who were eligible for the college draft this year, but were not selected. In a lot of cases, the fans have not heard of the names, so the signings get announced without a lot of fanfare.
Do not let that mislead you. Talent comes from many places, and the NFL is a total meritocracy. No matter how or when they sign, or for how much money, they all go onto the field together, and the players determine their status.
In a lot of instances, most of them, actually, the players cut themselves and rise on the depth charts themselves. For eight years in a row, an undrafted college free agent has made the Broncos’ final regular season roster.
With that in mind, here are a few of my thoughts on some of the Broncos who started off as complete unknowns, undrafted college free agents. I think you will agree that their impact in undisputed.
Rod Smith is the greatest undrafted college FA at the side receiver position in football history. That truly is undisputed. He is the all-time leader in receptions, reception yardage, and reception touchdowns as an undrafted WR, and helped lead us to two Super Bowl rings.
Most recently, Cassius Vaughn made the team last year and is a young player with a lot of promise.
But while Vaughn has not become a household name thus far, there are a lot of other examples in the Rod Smith category.
How about Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback Willie Brown, who was an AFL all-star for the Broncos before gaining his greatest fame at Oakland?
And also……..
Gene Mingo, the first African-American star in Broncos history and the game’s first black placekicker, who played here in the 1960’s.
Ring of Fame wide receiver Lionel Taylor.
Rich Karlis, who not only was an undrafted free agent but had to survive a 478-player tryout camp just to get his first contract.
David Treadwell succeeded Karlis and was a fine kicker for years as well.
Pro Bowl linebacker Bob Swenson, who started in Super Bowl XII.
Linebacker Joe Rizzo, who also started on that first Super Bowl team. While Swenson played his college ball at big time Cal, Rizzo came from King’s Point, which is the Merchant Marine Academy—the only pro player ever from the school!
Dave Studdard protected John Elway’s blind side for a decade as the Broncos’ left tackle.
When the 1987 replacement games ended, Keith Kartz had made the team and joined Studdard as a free agent starter on 1980’s Super Bowl teams.
Who can forget wide receiver Steve Watson, a great fan favorite still.
Greg Kragen was a Pro Bowl nose tackle here in the 1980’s. A great technician, regarded as the game’s best technical player at his position.
The Super Bowl teams were loaded with free agents who made an impact, including:
DE Maa Tanuvasa and DE Harald Hasselbach, who also helped the Broncos to those two rings.
TE Dwayne Carswell, nicknamed “House,” a fixture here for more than a decade.
That is only a partial list, but I think you get the idea.
So when someone tells you that no free agent ever amounts to anything, it is OK to respond with any or all names on this list, which proves that in terms of player evaluation, like everything else in life, it is often what you learn after you think you know it all that makes the biggest difference.
Tags: Free Agency, Rod Smith
TRB, thing is it has been REPORTED that Bucky has been cut but it would be nice to get the OFFICIAL word from this website and there are so many cuts to go to get under the cap I wish they would get going, unless of course they are planning on doing it all through restructuring contracts, and good luck with that if it is the case.
That’s an old theory from folks who watch too much television…
strand, here you go about what QB might go to Seattle:
Mortensen is reporting on ESPN that Seattle now might reunite Matt Leinart with Pete Carroll to round out its QBs.
Agreed Bay. Mc was not a roster assassin and I really don’t think there has ever really been such a thing in the NFL. I think that Gaffney was not only a nice guy but a clutch player for us. He was one of Tebow’s favorite targets at the end of the season. Personally I’ll be sad to see him go but I understand we need to make room and our WR core is pretty solid.
Even if there is no signings allowed until Friday, agreements are been made starting now:
Santana Moss reaches agreement with Washington on a 3-yr deal for $15 million with $5 million signing bonus and $6 million guaranteed.
I’m crazy then. I still hate that guy.
Also:
Rams reach agreement with former Eagles S Quintin Mikell on a four-year deal.
So it’s happening, better get in the ball game.
Yup, time to get the ball rollin!
HA … I still consider him a roster assasin … but hey what can i say, i am biased and just plain don’t like the guy.
Well when u put it like that bay … i hear ya on the whole cutting situation. Maybe they are biding thier time since u cannot officially release til friday or watever. TRB out…
And the flood gates are opening up, slowly but surely, sure don’t want to wait for the crumbs:
Staying in NFC North: Vikings reached agreement with former Bears WR Devin Aromashodu on a one-year contract.
Hey Bronco fans, remember Justin Armour. Well he and his mother just opened up a tex mex restuarant in Manitou Sprins called Crystal Park Cantina. It just opened up this last spring. Justin is also the football coach of the high school that he went to (Manitou High School). Thought some of you would like to know. The restuarant is doing very well.
Which of you have a twitter account?
Thanks Bay, as you know I`m a USC fan. Trippy stuff man.
If I was going to be cut I would rather know right now, what’s the sense in making them wait, it seems unfair, which has got me worried that other than Gaffney and Bucky there might not be very many cuts and I think that would be a mistake.
The ball is finally rolling, come on Bronco`s, get a move on.
I have a twitter account. Basically all for football news lol … cuz all i follow are analyst sports channels denver broncos.com elway and various players lol TRB out…
Renaldo Hill needs to be cut
true bay, tellign them earlier will be better. not alot of time. I mean, just cuz they dont get cut doesn’t mean they will make final roster. Camp still needs bodies since they have to have 90 players this time. Or maybe they wanna trade them instead of cut them. Maybe they have already talked to teams about the players values or something. I dunno but i hear ya. TRB out.
I’m sure they’re hard at work fixin the many prob’s. this roster has. I think we’re headed in the right direction now, and I’m curious how we’ll fare. Gonna take a few years, but we’ll get back. Can’t wiat to see batman and robin sackin fools!!
rotoworld.com
check it out!!
When you finish second to last in the league, I don’t think too many of your B players have real good trading value, that would be wishful thinking. Anyhow, here is hoping everything is going as planned at Dove Valley and that the plan is good because we are just coming out of two years of bad planning.
Some of the guys like Dawk are getting their contracts restructured. Aside from that I am hoping they are spending a lot of their resources with trying to get some value out of Kyle Orton. And my guess there are more people cut then we know right now. I think it’s a good thing. They’re spending more time making moves then they are trying to keep everyone up to date.
Born and Raised:
Well said, let’s hope that’s what’s happening.
We’ll have a better idea by this time tomorrow if I’m right. Just trying to stay optimistic as always
I really wish we could find a way to keep Orton. Getting a 4th rounder for him aint worth it. If nothing else, he’d be the best backup in the league here. And I wouldn’t cringe if he were to come in and play (Brady Quinn?)
Having two over 8 mil dollar QBs, in this case Tebow and Orton is akin of wanting to have your cake and it it too.
eat it too, haha.
Jamie Pukes said the Broncs were making a huge mistake getting rid of Orton,says Tebow isn’t ready.He said Orton was the best FA QB.When will he get over us beating him in the SB!
What if Tebow gets hurt or fails? We turning to Quinn?
I’ve noticed Jamie Dukes hatred of Denver too. Over the past few years he bashes us every chance he gets.
I suppose bay … i just pose possibilities …. dont necessarily believe them.
If Tebow goes down Quinn will be there, or maybe weber, or more than likely jake delhome. Don’t worry if we trade a vet in orton, we will get another vet from FA. Not a big deal. Trade the man. He is worth more as trade bait. Would trade him to Cards for DRC in a heart beat lol. Heck if they required, would even throw a 5th roun pick on top lol. TRB out…
We will get a much CHEAPER vet in FA.
Either I’m reading this wrong or the Broncos have almost 23 million dollars to spend in FA:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=newssearch&cd=19&ved=0CL4BEKkCMAg4Cg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.milehighreport.com%2F2011%2F7%2F26%2F2295248%2Fdenver-broncos-wont-count-dead-money-towards-2011-salary-cap-figure&rct=j&q=denver%20broncos&tbm=nws&ei=Hk4vTqykKILQgAfax6V0&usg=AFQjCNHv7KnNNs_-Tn3jc3SC8Let_MlU4Q&cad=rja
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
eeerockski-
Aside from the fact that Orton is going to cost to much to be a back up he is not going to want to be a back up. Did you see him last year when he was benched the last 3 games and Tebow started? He sat on the bench and pouted. He was not standing on the sideline talking to Tebow or giving him advice/helping him…he was pouting. After last season Orton had a dinner for some of the offense, he invited many players on O including Quinn but not Tebow. Orton is a baby, if he did not cost so much and was a team player willing to help Tebow be better and win games then he would be worth keeping as a back up. It is time for Orton to go!!! can I get an AMEN bay!!!
I want Mebane!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And personally I would take a fourth rounder. I’ll take a conditional pick. I’ll take whatever the best offer is for him and release him if we can’t get that. Bottom line spending 8.8 mil on our D-line and and a RB is well worth losing the guy who thinks leading the team to 4-9 and is a high level of play.
AMEN S.D.B.
BFE like i said, dont care about any other FA … Not even Williams. If we are gonna splurge … it should be on a proven DT who is a run stuffer. Mebane. Him alone would make FA good. And get Marcus Thomas back and we are set. Vickerson is already playing the other DT anyway. TRB out…
ya, delhomme would be nice. Reassuring I guess. I’m also anxious to c what r new te’s r gonna do.
Delhomme will make a worthy backup for Tebow,I say cut Quinn too!!!
There are a lot of veteran backups we could sign,they don’t have to be superstars to be backups,at an average salary they only have to be average players,like Orton.but Orton is due to make a Helluva lot more than he’s worth!
TRB……we on the same page bro!
Great article Beast! Amen S.D.B! And I like the Meban plan. I would like a complimentary back for Moreno though. I like him, but he can’t carry the ball 35 times a game.
But if John Fox philosophy holds he wont get mebane, because mebane is only 6’1 which means he probably has short arms like he did with Stephen Paea, or so i heard, which i think is ridiculous. But when u look at the fact that Kevin Vickerson is 6’5 … it makes sense don’t it. So just look for the best tallest FA DT lol. we probably wont get one … just resign marcus thomas back lol. TRB out….
Hell I’d rather have Brandstater back than Quinn!
I believe some peopel were interested.
Panthers free-agent defensive end Charles Johnson has agreed to a six-year, $72 million deal to return to Carolina, according to a source with knowledge of the situation
Panthers have alot of cap room…. they will keep thier guys … 1 down, 2 to go for them, and that DeAngelo Williams and The LB dude… TRB out…
The DE Charles Johnson from Carolina is gonna sign a contract and stay ,DeAngelo Williams will probably do the same!
TRB beat me to it,lol.
Orton-B-Gone, Amen! SDB30
What can i say BFE … i move like a ninja
lol … but yea … i had been saying panthers would retain their guys … when u suck that much u dont let go of ur people especially when u have cap room … so i knew it would happen and when i saw it had to most it.
But man when i see stuff like 72 million dollars i am amazed at how much these guys will make in a 6 year span. Not to mention the Agent getting like 10 percent …. man im in the wrong line of work lmao. TRB out…
BFE, I just saw the salary cap of the Broncos you posted. Good stuff. So it looks like we signed Prater and Woodyard to tenders is that correct?
I heard that!!!