Hi All,
I had to digest the Lynch move a little before I commented. Leaving a team and possibly the game is tough. Will he find a home, probably. Are we upset??…sure…. whenever a guy of his moral and athletic prowess leaves a Team there’s remorse and bitterness. BUT that’s the NFL. I still like our secondary with or without him looking at X’s and O’s much like Management did to make a decision like this one.
Pride and ego are a HUGE part of this game. Without it, a player would never make it to the NFL. Sound odd? It’s a part of the athlete that’s separates them from the good player to being the very best. The NFL. It’s like having a Superman Syndrome, you have to. If you don’t think you can compete…you’re done before you start.
If you’ve ever tried to be the best at anything and it didn’t quite work out, you can typically look back at it and see you had something missing. Not in the NFL.
I don’t know if this makes sense and I’m not sure I’m expressing in the best fashion, so feel free to ask questions or share you thoughts.
Coop
Tags: Uncategorized
I’m happy John is standing up for himself but I’m just so sick of everyone leaving this team for reasons that could have been solved. This didn’t HAVE to happen and it shouldn’t have happened. I’m still trying to get over Elam leaving… that for sure could have been prevented. I won’t even start with that but as for John I hope he finds his happiness & peace somewhere I just wish it was here in Denver wearing that Orange & Blue.
I would have felt alot better if Elam retired instead of going to another team. He gave his whole career to the Broncos and they let him go because they can’t give him the simple $3 million yet somehow (this is what ticks me off to no end) they find a way to fork over $25 million GUARANTEED to a ROOKIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You have got to be kidding me?? It makes no sense and I just had to get this off my mind. I will never understand that way of thinking. If Goodell is the Commissioner of the NFL like I think he is & should be, something seriously needs to be done about the salary of players. How this makes sense to someone I will never understand why. I couldn’t stand it, I just had to say something about that. Grrrrr…. it makes me so mad that money is the reason we lost the best kicker in the NFL (I know he is).
As for Lynch… where do I begin? He said himself that he was willing to fight for a roster spot and just how in the world could he do that if the Broncos wouldn’t even give him a fighting chance????? It just boggles my mind. How is he supposed to fight for himself when his team & coaches won’t give him that chance, yet the “cherish” his leadership on & off the field. We’ve lost 2 of the best players this team has ever seen and it was all to stupid reasons, that again, could & should have been prevented. Yeah, Lynch may be getting up there for some people for him to be slamming people into the ground but I know he’s still got something in him that’s making him still want to play. Why else would he want to look at other options instead of retiring??
Neither one of these situations make any sense to me, no need of trying to convince me as to why any of this happened. I’m just really, really irritated that we’ve lost 2 players that are beneficial to this team over reasons that are just plain dumb!!! I will end this by wishing Elam & Lynch all the best & I for one will miss them dearly and I will never forget their years they spent here in the Mile High City. As for the upcoming season, whoever takes over the place of these to legends, they got some BIG shoes to fill so they better step up the plate & give all they got and help take us to another SuperBowl victory. I have a really good feeling about this season and I am so excited, I can’t wait!! Signing off…
GO BRONCOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To 07elway Paying Elam that much would of been a crime, he is a kicker an old one at that.We have never had the best cap situation so imagine it with one of the highest paid kicker on the team. We had too many problems last year to be shelling out money to elam.
As for lynch, I would do the same if I were him.I appreciate that he would rather leave and sat down with mike instead of going to the media first like certain wide receivers with a bad knee.
I understand why John was let go i understand why Al Wilson was let go i dont understand why Elam was let go Plumer i understand why he was let go but all those players had one thing in common they were leaders on the team Al and John gave the defense character and strength and a nasty additude, Plummer from what i heard knew how to unite his players and get them in gear when the momment counted. All these guys were a fundamental element in why the Denver Broncos were in the AFC championship and why Denver isnt favored to be a playoff team. I dunno somewhere Shanahan went from character to talent he got Travis Henry tradeded Plummer and made him retire and pay the Bucs money. Then he released Al Wilson for having a neck injury that he could have come back from but now Al is done probably with the NFL the lions never signed him and no one has picked him up. With Rod Smith retirement ealier this offseason Denver has no voice on the defense and a probalamatic wide receiver. Shanahan has made some bad decisions but all in all i think he knows what he is doing he is bringing youth to Denver but also taking character away from it all fans can do now is hope those young guys grow up fast and give an identity to the team. Im still really excited for this year Sevin comes in as a second year back usualy it takes a year to get acustomed to the system i.e. Tatum Bell Clinton Portis Terrel Davis. Brandon Marshall looks to be a great playmaker if he can stay out of trouble and Jay is healthy now defensively last years rookies are better situated and the linebackers are really talented Marlon Mcree comes in and looks to be a good additon not to mention he knows a few things from san diego and Champ and Dre look to be more involved in the passing game and less trying to get running backs down at the 20. If Denver stays healthy they might be able to make it to the wild card game or dethrone the Chargers (maybe too much to ask for). I can’t wait either!!!
Go broncos!!!!!!!
07elway…. I think your missing out on the big picture. Elam was an awesome kicker but only average at best lately. We also had to fill an extra roster spot because he couldnt do kick offs anymore. Imagine if our new kicker can kick it out of the end zone even just a couple times it will be well worth it. (Field position will go a long way) As for Lynch he was not our best safety and could not even keep up with fullbacks coming out of the backfield. We need a safety not a 1/2 linebacker like what John has become. Our defense will be much improved from last year. We our much deeper and and have filled some much needed holes. Have some confidence brother and lets see how things pan out….West Coast
I just hope that a kicker isn’t the number one scorer this year again…
Here are my thoughts on this B.S.:
I loved John Lynch and I always will. But look, #47, if you aren’t willing to bow out and just play run defense for the Broncos, then get the hell out of here. We are trying to improve over last year. We need safeties that can fly to the ball, we need safeties that can play pass defense. #47 I’m sorry if we don’t include you enough in our defensive scheme but we are trying to find a way to win a superbowl. If you think you can go somewhere else and increase you odds of winning the big one then so be it. I, in my opinion, think you are sadly mistaken. We love you #47, but we love Lombardi Trophies even more! Find a way to contribute or get the hell out of here.
I’m with Coop. While it’s disheartening to see Lynch go, the secondary will still be good without him. If there is any silver lining in this, it’s the fact that Lynch can walk away from the NFL without any serious injuries if he decides to retire. Obviously, Marlon McCree outperformed Lynch, so that’s why John won’t return. Good luck to you anyway Lynchie, it was a pleasure having you in Bronco Country.
Oh well, we got a hard hitting saftey THAT CAN COVER to replace him in McCree. Not to be disrespectful but I think it was for the better.
Well just to clear up one thing, we didn’t give a rookie a 25 million dollar guaranteed contract. If you are talking about clady, his contract looked like this: 5 years, $17.5 million ($11.5M guaranteed). Which if he is as good as he looks means he could be asking for more after a few years. So, a agree it was sad, but we were gonna need a new guy to step up sooner or later as elam was nearing last days in the NFL. It is a shame he didn’t retire in orange and blue. That is the thing about both players though. We did offer them the chance to play for us, and they both decided it wasn’t what they wanted. Elam wanted to be in Atlanta so he could be close to his family. And Lynch just had this feeling apparently. So lets just hope for the best. This year is gonna be GREAAT! It’s just unfortunate it will be without those two legends.
just want john to know as a bronco fan thanks for deciding this before the season started we didnt need any hard feelings once the season started . john lynch is a true legend and i will miss them great hits on sundays from you. thanks mr. lynch
if you watched john play last year you would have notice he looked lost at times and out of position. he made a few big hits but seemed like everytime he did he got the worst end of it and had to come off the field. yes he will be a hall of famer but he isnt playing at that level anymore. i loved having him on the team and wish him the best he is a class act. it would be great to see him coaching db’s for the broncos some day.
I have to agree with Go CUTLER. John needs to do whats best for him just like you or I would when it comes to our careers. I am glad he decided this and spoke up didn’t keep it to himself. I would hate for John Lynch to be remember in Denver like the likes of Eddie Kennison because he is too classy of a person to be treated or remembered in that fashion. To John I would like to wish him the best at whatever he does and thank him for his hard work and dedication while in Denver no matter what happens I will always remember him as a great Bronco.
to mcCree u better be able to stop the run cuz thats what lynch was a master of. im sad to see him go but he cant play on 3rd and long anymore. he was the best safty we’ve had since Atwater….hope that mccree isnt the product of a great front 7 in san diego cuz lets be honest we cant get as much pressure as they can so our DBs hav to be better than theres. i wanna see fox and champ as starters not a huge Dre fan
misteznprince…Dude did you forget how bad we sucked against the run last year? With Lynch? I think we our going to see a different defense this year. I am pumped!!!!
Thanks Coop for giving us an honest insider view of the Lynch situation. We always get an honest evaluation from you , regardless of the subject or situation. The Broncos gave Lynch a chance when no one else wanted him with his neck injury. They also have done what they could to make a roster spot available to him on a team that I think will be contenders for a title either next season or the season after, dispite his level of play dropping off noticibly last season. I know he went to the pro bowl, but he wasn’t the first choice to be there at that position. A man has to realize sometime in his life that he isn’t at the top of his game anymore, but could mean just as much or more to his team by taking another role. I think he will look back at this move some day and it won’t be his proudest moment in the NFL, not making a decision to be a team player. Lucky for him he didn’t play for the Packers, you see how they treat thier players who lay it all on the line every time they take the field. The Favre situation reminds me of when the Lions wouldn’t turn Barry Saunders free and we never had to good fortune to see the most entertaining running back to every play in the NFL do his stuff again. I will route against the Lions till the day die.
If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll have to admit that you saw both moves coming. Elam was getting to the point where he wasn’t even accurate past 40 yards anymore. I know that sounds odd, since 40+ yarders are never a gauranteed, but we’re talking about the guy who tied for the record 63 and a half yards! And for most of his career, jason could hit up to 50 yards with amazing reliability. Maybe we were just spoiled by him, but really, what’s next? He can’t hit from 35? 30? We may have been lucky to squeeze 1 or 2 more years out of him, but still at the sacrifice of not being able to convert 3 points from outside the 30 yard line AND of keeping a roster slot for someone to handle kickoffs. I’ve been watching the broncos play for so long that I HATE to see established players leave for any reason, but looking back on last season, it’s hard not to think that john and jason already played with the broncos for one year too long.
“Jason already with the broncos for one year too long”????
Broncos had 7 wiins in 07, 4 by final play game winners from Jason!!!!! Jason not kicking off was nothing new. He hasn’t done it for at least 5 years. This was as much Shanmny’s decision as anyone elses.
With that said, the Broncos history of better than average kickers since Gene Mingo appears ready to continue witth the exceptional foot of Mett Prater. If, a big if, he can perform as well when it counts as he’s done on the practice field we’ve got a pro-bowl caliber kicker.
Punting still remains a major question mark as neither punter in camp has done anything positive to show that they’re the unquestioned one for the job. Hopefully this will change with preseason.
John Lynch is old now in football terms. He can`t cover at all in the passing game and is still solid in the run but it is just a little too crowded back there and the Broncos need to move on. I know it sucks to see him go, he is a solid person and a great leader but IS a liability to the team. Josh Barrett IS the future wait and see!
You all have it pegged. I was talking to a friend over the weekend and discussing the changes. The NFL is really such a young man’s game. Think about it. If a guy plays 10 years, that’s amazing. 12 years, he’s my hero, for just making it that long…any longer a legend in my book. With the average career of 3.2 years, I believe, you see what I mean.
Anyone that plays much into their 30′s is Superman in disguise. It a tough league and speed is the name of the game and we improved our team speed overall in my view. Experience counts for a lot but we’re not replacing him with rookies. I’m as saddened as many of you because I hold a special place in my soul for veteran players, but we’ve seen it before, over the years. In my day Keith Bishop, Louie Wright, Rubin Carter and a few more veterans were replaced/displaced in similar and not so similar ways.
That’s the business side of the NFL and like I said, I still like the X’s and O’s.
Coop
Ok, yes Lynch leaving is sad, when it comes to talent the man had it all, but he was getting older and slower. So one the field performance he is replaceable; his leadership though was huge!!! I just hope that someone one steps up *hint -DJ, then way is Elam even a topic that was a long time ago and he was on the fast track to being a below average kicker, ever since he broke his back a few years age he hasn’t been the same, so let him bring down another team, bring on Prater a young leg and in a year or to you wont remember Elam. The moral of the story #47 replacable if someone else fills his shoes, Elam who gives a *&%$.
Go Broncos
Like Lynch, let’s move on.
As it does everyone else, it was painful to watch Lynch and Elam leave the team. However, it is the right thing to do in both cases.
Lynch probably has another year or two left in him, but where does that leave the Broncos if we don’t develop that position much earlier? Much of the 07′ season can be attributed to resting on our laurels and getting bit from doing that. We had an awesome defense in 06′ that was spending more time on the field than the offense (Thank you plummer). Those guys were getting beaten day in and day out and drafting/trading didn’t do much to give relief where it was needed. Then 07′ comes around and everyone’s hurt and we are playing our bench that didn’t see much playing time in the last three years. OUCH!
As much as it hurts to lose someone like Lynch, it’s enevitable in the NFL. As it has been said before this is a young man’s game. You just can’t expect someone who has 16 seasons under their belt to be the man every single time and it was SMART of Shannahan and company to recognize this and give Lynch an out.
As for Elam, I think that it was greedy to ask for that much money. Other than extra points, most of the kicking duties were performed by other kickers to try and save Elam’s leg strength. We’ve all seen it for the last couple of years that the leg just doesn’t have the power it used to.
I think it is time to move on. Great competitor and leader. As with the Farve situation, the sooner a decision is made, and plans are in action, the better it is for everyone.
I was sad when Elam moved on, he should’ve been on the ring of fame when finished. I am sad about Lynch. Both men of character, both great Broncos.
Dang Coop,
Helluva good post/article/blog whatever you wanna call it, excellent stuff on your part.
The only thing I can say is that we should have found a way to get Kenny Phillips when he dropped, the writing was on the wall with John, it really was, we all know it, but you have to tip your cap to him for believing in himself, if your gonna go down,……go down swingin.
Let’s ove to a new post…..go see this one.
) Big match up this weekend, go see the new POST
COOP
Little spelling error…new keyboard 2nd word was MOVE….ha!! Me again