The initial flurry of free agent activity has subsided and the Broncos were as active as any team in the NFL. Their list of acquisitions looks like an oversized draft class. They signed players at a variety of positions, which is good because the Broncos have a variety of needs.
Here are some thoughts about the Broncos’ moves in free agency. Keep in mind that I am an optimist and look for the bright side of things.
RUNNING BACK
I like what the Broncos did here. They brought in experienced NFL players Correll Buckhalter, J.J. Arrington and LaMont Jordan. Add them to a group of young backs including Peyton Hillis, Ryan Torain, Selvin Young and Andre Hall and the Broncos will have plenty of options once training camp starts.
They simply had to bring in some guys who have produced in the NFL. They accomplished that. When Coach McDaniels was in New England, the Patriots used several running backs instead of one workhorse back. I can see the Broncos using the same philosophy at running back in 2009. If they do, they’ll have some good candidates from which to choose.
I think Buckhalter, Arrington and Jordan can and will be productive, assuming all are on the team in September when the regular season opens.
And let’s not forget that Hillis showed he is an NFL-caliber player in 2008 and Torain showed flashes of good play in his short time on the field before injuring his knee.
DEFENSIVE BACK
There is no doubt that the Broncos upgraded at the safety position. If all goes according to plan, they signed their two starters in Brian Dawkins and Renaldo Hill. At 35 years old, Dawkins isn’t the same player he was five to eight years ago. But I think there’s enough left in his tank for him to help this team.
And from everything I hear, Dawkins will be a terrific addition to the locker room. The Broncos’ defense has lacked a passionate leader since Al Wilson played here. Dawkins could very well be the type of leader the Broncos’ D so desperately needs.
I can’t say I know a lot about Renaldo Hill but I have to believe he will be, at the very least, pretty good. He started 38 of 39 games for the Dolphins the last three years and has started virtually every game the last six seasons.
I also like the signing of cornerback Andre Goodman, another starter for the Dolphins a year ago. As we discussed in an earlier blog, the Broncos had to sign a starting cornerback to play opposite Champ Bailey. They did that and they seemed to have landed a good one. Of course, time will tell.
WIDE RECEIVER
With the NFL still looking into Brandon Marshall’s situation, the signing of Jabar Gaffney could prove to be a really good move. Gaffney hasn’t put up huge numbers in his career and isn’t an elite, number one receiver, or at least hasn’t shown that type of ability to this point in his career.
Gaffney, however, has been pretty reliable. Given an opportunity to play a bigger role, he might be a surprise, especially with a quarterback like Jay Cutler delivering the ball.
If Marshall misses some games, we can’t expect Gaffney alone to replace Brandon. But he would certainly be a good option to have.
LINEBACKER
I really like the signing of Andra Davis. He also fits the mold of a player you might not immediately think of when recalling the elite players at his position. But he has been a really good player for the Browns, who haven’t exactly been that good over the years.
Let’s not lump the signing of Davis into the “Browncos” experiment from a few years ago. The Broncos picked up a tough and talented player. They also added some depth at the linebacker position and they’ll need that as they switch to the 3-4 defense, or at least play more of that scheme.
QUARTERBACK
The Broncos did themselves a favor by adding Chris Simms to the roster. Here’s a guy who led the Buccaneers to the playoffs just a few years ago and then suffered that horrific spleen injury. No doubt that set him back.
But I think Simms has good football left in him. Every team needs a quality back-up quarterback. I think Simms puts the Broncos in good shape at this spot.
No doubt the Broncos have work left to do. To me, however, they took some good first steps in free agency. They added talent and experience at several positions.
Are the Broncos a playoff team with the recent additions? I don’t know. But I do think they are a better team with the players they added. It will be fun to see what other moves they might make leading up to the draft. And then it will be most interesting to see whom they draft in late April.
There’s one other topic I’d like to briefly discuss before ending this blog, and that’s the Jay Cutler trade talks.
It is the type of story that elicits immediate and passionate reaction. I understand why that is so. I appreciate those of you took the time to post comments on the situation but I must also admit I was disappointed at the name-calling and inappropriate remarks that cropped up. It wasn’t widespread, but it was there.
A few of you asked my thoughts about the trade talks and what transpired once the talks became public. I almost always take a wait-and-see approach before weighing in on things like this because the initial information rarely represents the whole picture.
Coach McDaniels and Jay are scheduled to meet soon. In the near future, I’ll offer some thoughts about the situation.
Feel free to weigh in on what you think about the Broncos’ free agent signings. I appreciate your reading and posting your thoughts.
Sincerely,
Mike
Tags: 2009, Denver Broncos, Free Agency, Uncategorized
Thanks Mike for the insite. Hey first post!!!
Hey everybody, It’s only FA time right now. You bring in the best fit you think will get you the wins. We will have approx 80 players at training camp fighting for spots, so some of these are just competition signings to see who is the best. We loose their contracts if cut before the season starts. Cut McD some slack. I like the signings. I still believe all teams shop all players this time of year, or at least listen to proposals on them.
The one thing I don’t undertsand is the Paxton signing, guess he just wants to ensure there is never a bad snap, (not that there ever was with Leach)and if there is he brought his guy in.
And the Gaffney deal was great, we need a third/fourth good receiver and he will play his role, as in New England, after all Coach McD said everyone will have a destictive role, or did most people forget that press conf already. same with JJ, he will be a return/ 3rd down back.
GO BRONCOS!!!
Oh and cant really grade Bly, as the scheme was always to play off the receivers and this new scheme I think we will be hitting the receivers at the line, I hope. Good luck to Goodman playign opposite the Champ.
wgbronco…Thanks for checking in! We appreciate that. I agree with you that in large part it is a numbers game at this point. You sign players you think can help your team in some way and then you let tham compete to see who sticks.
Hope you post again.
Best,
Mike
I can appreciate your outlook on the FA signings as you have valid points on everything BUT for the life of me i still can’t understand why we didn’t grab any quality PROVEN starting D Lineman??
I believe a BIG part of our D problems have been fixed by bringing in Nolen and a different scheme (thank God!!) and wanting consistency in it all. So i’ll give credit there BUT our biggest problem was in the trenches on the line. No run stop and no pass pressure!! Dawkins, goodman, hill..WHATEVER..no pressure = nothing to get excited about. Don’t get me wrong I love the Dawkens move because i agree since Al Wilson no passion on D.
As for the draft yeah we BETTER draft some D lineman but they will not be proven staters in the nfl so I’m not getting my hopes up on it. I really would have grabbed at least one of the proven D lineman in FA (not Haynesworth of course..way too much money for a guy who can’t even stay healthy)
On the BLY comments..i do agree he was over rated, but i don’t think he was horrible. no pass rush and bad play calling/ schemes will make anyone look bad.. look at what Foxworth did in Atlanta and now the Ravens grab him (and they can scout D talent). ..We had him!! we had to bring in Bly like he was the answer..didn’t work. nothing will untill we fix our line problems. Cutler and Marshal would not have made the pro-bowl and we would not have won even 8 games if it weren’t for our O LINE dominating. ..think about it
Nice perspective Mr Rice.
I noted an abscent name in your RB list, is Tatum gone? I know he was a ring in (no pun intended) but seriously I loved this guy when he was intially in the team ans then when they recalled him. Prehaps not 100% game fit but in the last game he showed his previous form. I hope he does get a chance to show his worth again.
Our RB cup runnith over!! I am excited about the additions at RB some solid players which I hope bring everything they got, that can only spark healthy competition for that starting spot come September. Young was a huge dissappoinment for me, Hillis… nough said. I would love to see more of Torrain this year if thats possible, form what I have read he could be explosive if healthy.
Marshall – When will this boy learn that there is more being an NFL star than what happens on the field… They called him a baby T.O I think he might be turning into one.. I HOPE NOT.
Don’t forget Al Wilson also had John Lynch in there to drive that locker room, but damn I think the team really miss #56…**sigh**
Im not sold on Goodman, so I’ll wait and see. There is a lot of pressure being opposite the Champ as Bly found out. Goodman should expect a majority of the workload unless he shines through then we could be onto a great thing!
Is there any more FA can offer us Mr Rice prior to the Draft?
Very nice job of breaking down the FA’s brought in and signed. That said, I would respectfully have to disagree on Lamont Jordan. I don’t quite understand the move and don’t see anything to get excited there. I guess you could use him to get the 3rd and 1′s, but little else. I think we have other guys capable of picking up the short yardage plays. I also agree with you wgbronco…Paxton? What did Leach do to deserve that? Never remember or recall a poor snap, but, I assume there was another reason. Andre goodman, I think, becomes our best FA addition. He is a player and should really upgrade the secondary. But, the defensive scheme can’t have him lining up 12 yards off the WR like we seemed to do every game last year. That’s what no pass rush gets you, besides an 8-8 record.
NY_BroncoMan…You make a good point about the defensive line and I can’t argue with it. There is a part of me that wonders about that position, too.
Yes, the Broncos signed Darrell Reid but he wasn’t a front-line player with the Colts. Maybe he can develop into one with the Broncos.
I would also say that I think you take it a bit too far when you write, “no pressure = nothing to get excited about.” We all know how important pressure on the quarterback is and the Broncos have to do a better job in that area next season.
But as you said, the scheme will be different. Pressure doesn’t have to come from the defensive line. The Broncos could have some speed on the edge which, in a 3-4 system, could very well help generate pressure.
I’m not trying to say the Broncos are fine at defensive line. Quite the opposite…I am eager to see what they do at this position.
Good thoughts. Thanks for sharing them.
Mike
NY_BroncoMan,
I understand your concern about the lack of pressure up front but remember if the Broncos are truly going to shift to the 3-4 they will depend on the linebackers for a majority of the pressure. That means Dumervil and Moss and whoever they might draft in that area will be the ones charged with bringing pressure from a standing position off the edge. The three down lineman are mainly responsible for tying up blockers, allowing the rushers to come free off the edge. The same goes for stopping the run. As long as they tie up blockers, it will allow guys like DJ and Andra Davis and Dawkins when he’s down in the box to make the tackle. In the 3-4 it’s not a requirement to have big name D-linemen. As long as they’re strong, stout, and high-energy, they should be able to do their jobs adequately.
With all that said, I like the additions on defense because they’re bringing in guys who fit Nolan’s system which should make for a (fairly) smooth transition. The offensive additions are where I’m a little baffled because I know we needed some RB help, but signing 3 of them seems a little overkill to me. Simms should be a good backup for Cutler though. I’ve always liked his skills. He’s like a slightly less accurate but more athletic version of his father.
DenverDaveinPA…Thanks for your kind words.
I understand your point about LaMont Jordan but that is exactly why I like the move. How many times in the last couple of years have we seen Denver running backs come up shy of the first down in short yardage situations, especially near the goal line? Jordan could be a major asset in situations like this.
If the Broncos have other guys who can fill this role effectively, I’m not sure we have seen it consistently. I do think Peyton Hillis can do this. Torain might be able to. Others? Not sure.
Thanks for posting.
Mike
Samoanbronco…thanks for your post and your kind words, too.
As far as other free agents, there are guys still out there. But the top-end guys have been locked up. That’s not to say the Broncos couldn’t sign anyone else who winds up helping them next year. But the better players tend to go early.
Of course, there is still the draft and there is always the possibility of a trade. Please understand, I’m not starting any rumors. I’m simply saying that working a deal is a route teams can go, especially when draft picks are involved.
As far as Tatum Bell in concerned, he is an unrestricted free agent. I’m not sure the Broncos have plans to bring him back. Given the running backs they signed, I’m guessing he doesn’t figure into their plans.
Mike
Wow Mike. I tried explaining that it’s not completely imperative for pressure to come from the down linemen but it looks like you beat me to it haha. Nice to see I’m on the same page with you there though.
I don’t think we’re exactly set at D-line either. But I think with some solid draft selections we’ll still be able to generate a lot more pressure in the 3-4 than we did last year in the 4-3.
I like what they have done with free agency but I also have to question the Paxton deal. I guess there will be competition for the job in training camp. So what if they bothe are successful at always getting the ball back to the kicker or punter? I have to be missing something here. Maybe Paxton can do more than just long snap. That could be a reason for picking him up. As far as the d line I believe they picked up dt Fields from the 49ers and dt Reid from the Colts but I hope they can get Ragi in the draft. We can definitly use some more d line. Maybe Moss can be more productive in the 3-4 also.
Good point on Jordan, Mr. Rice. I do see that as well, but with the glut of RB’s we have I thought bringing him in was a head scratcher. Course, he may likely make the team and Torain / Hillis may not. Will make for an interesting training camp. I think Denver can make huge strides if B.J. Raji somehow someway falls to 12 (if that is who we are looking at). My fear is Jacksonville (who needs OL) or Green Bay (who is using the 3-4) snatches him up. It is true a classic 3-4 relys on the ‘man in the middle’ to bottle up the LOS to allow the speed LB’s, especially the rushing LB, to do their thing. That being said, this upcoming draft continues to get more and more exciting.
mrbroncofan: if I remember correctly, Leach asked for and was granted his release. I heard he plans on visiting Seattle this week.
milehighmagic88…Thanks for weighing in. I agree with you and think the pressure on the quarterback will be better this year. How much better I’m not sure yet.
I wouldn’t say signing three running backs is overkill at all. Coach McDaniels’ history has been to rely on more than one player at the position. And remember he said they would look for players to fill roles on the team. That tells me that he will need certain guys to do certain things.
Finally, not every player a team signs works out. The fact is it’s an inexact science, just as the draft is. Plus, injuries have a way of cropping up at this position. We all know what happened in 2008.
For all those reasons, I think it was wise for the Broncos to have landed more than one running back in free agency.
Mike
thanks DenverDaveinPA. I did not know Leach requested his releases. I knew I was missing something
Thanks Mike,
I guess I was just satisfied with the Arrington and Buckhalter signings to combine with Hillis as the short yardage back. So at first I viewed Jordan as being a little excessive. But with what happened to Denver’s backfield last year I can see your point. It definitely wouldn’t hurt to have another capable short yardage back just in case.
Can someone explain to me why EVERYONE hasn’t become a sports agent? Drew Next Question just lands TO a 6.5 mil one year deal. He snagged $650,000. Get your popcorn ready, Buffalo.
I agree that in the 3-4 the pressure doesn’t have to come from the line, but for the Saftey and LB’s to get pressure there needs to be a big guy eating up blockers. Rightnow our bigest DT is Ronnie Fields at 6-2 315lbs, a 3-4 DT should be atleast 325lbs. Don’t get me wrong I like the Fields pick up, because he worked in Nolan’s system for a few years he should be able to our younger D Linemen.
Mr. Rice, great info and opinions. I also like the FA signings. And to all the GHE fans that want to sign the big names to big money. All players have to develop into that very good player, example TD. OK 1% do get a head start from college.
My big excitement is signing Ron Fields. If the Broncos get Ron Brace BC 2nd round then you have your rotating NT’s.
YES I am GHF fan and love to forsee good things.
Thanks for your posts.
Great insight Mike to the signings and I like your optimistic wait-and-see approach with the new coaches, the FA acquisitions, the draft and the Cutler drama.
If we make the playoffs and win at least one playoff game, which I honestly don’t think is unrealistic, a lot of fans posting on hear will be eating their words bashing McD this early into everything. Wait and see is exactly the right approach.
I am puzzled at the DL signings and the lack of signing proven players at that position. It would have been great to get Canty or Olshansky, but maybe the players we have weren’t the problem. Maybe it was the scheme and the coaching? I don’t know but I do know that McD and Nolan know exactly what we have there talent wise. I think they will draft a DL or LB with our #12 pick. Should we go after Taylor?
If Cutler and McD can work this all out, which I’m sure they will, I think McD can help Cutler become an elite player in this league and bring a Championship back to Denver.
One last thought and that is our Away Uniforms. I personally hate the white on white. Always have. They would look MUCH better with dark pants and orange stripes on the road with white jerseys and orange numbers with blue outline. Any one else agree?
Hey Mike, I like your spin on the Fa signings and for the most part agree with you. I try and be positive myself and like the strategy that the coaching staff and front office has employed with regards to bringing in a lot of player’s and letting them compete. Competition for a job can only create a better team overall. I am concerned with the defensive line and feel as though it is an extreme concern. I don’t want to go overboard on this but the trenches are where the battle begins and where the battle is won. I don’t care what defense you are in, you have to have a solid line. The new coaching staff and front office did nothing really to address this in FA so I am hopeful that they will address it in the draft or possibly later in FA. I will put a cautionary note on the FA signings just for the sake of argument and say that I also am a firm believer in Quality over Quantity and that it is important to have solid player’s. We went Quantity over Quality and to some degree are banking on the fact that a lot of these player’s out play their age or out play their previous resume’s. I really hope it all works out because I like every other Bronco fan that bleeds Orange and Blue, wants to win however I also am in a wait and see mode.
Mike-
I called KOA earlier today and a gentleman in the news room said that he could not confirm that the Broncos actually rescheduled their meeting with Cutler. Can we assume that have rescheduled since you stated in your blog that they are scheduled to meet soon?
Thank you
Dennis
Mr. Rice and fans,
I forgot that IMO the Broncos picked up Jordan because the Arrington signing fell through. I did not think that they targeted getting three RB’s in FA. But when the Arrington agent figured out that he was not going anywhere else, they agreed to the structure of the contract. IMO opinion again, why not keep Arrington for that KR because you do not want Eddie Royal even thinking about that duty.
LS Paxton is an upgrade to Leach. WHY? Because the money is a push, $789,000 to Leach and $1.1 to Paxton. But Paxton is a bu OL (very important) compared to a bu TE (not needed). Plus they say Paxton is an excellent ST player. Good signing.
Why does everyone keep saying Paxton is a backup OL on this blog and Coop’s blog? He is listed as a LB on NFL.com.
Can someone tell me why everyone is calling him a backup OL?
Several things…
Thanks again to all of you who have weighed in. I appreciate your kinds words but also enjoy hearing from those of you who have a differing point of view.
Al Wilson 4 Mayor..As of about 4 p.m. mountain time on Monday, March 9, we have no confirmation of the meeting between Coach McDaniels and Jay being rescheduled. That is the latest information we have.
CrazytrainTK…You make a good point about quality. I believe the Broncos signed some quality players. Does that mean they will all have a big impact this season? Unfortunately, it doesn’t mean that. All it means is that I think the Broncos landed some good players.
You are also right about the importance of the play in the trenches. Football games are often won and lost in the trenches. As I mentioned before, I think the Broncos have work to do on the defensive line. But let’s see what else transpires in the next few months.
aSharpeIdea_84…I can’t argue with you about landing a “name” defensive lineman. I wish the Broncos had done so and I won’t pretend to know why they didn’t or how they were or weren’t.
Even without signing a defensive lineman of that nature, I still believe the Broncos have upgraded their defense. To what degree reamins to be seen.
dlmyers…Good call on Ron Fields. He is familiar with Coach Nolan, having played for him in San Francisco. Obviously Coach Nolan thought enough of him to want him playing for the Broncos.
mrbroncofan…Here is my understanding of the situation with Mike Leach. if I recall correctly, I believe he asked for his release (and received it) AFTER the Broncos signed Lonie Paxton. I could be wrong on this but I don’t think he asked for his release before the Broncos signed Paxton.
Mike
Thank you Mike. I appreciate you taking the time to answer my question.
Do you think Denver will focus heavily on the front seven in the draft? IMO they will probably be drafting atleat 3 to contribute to the front seven.
hey I just saw that tommy is listed as an unresticted FA……i know he’s older that casey but i still think he’s better hopefully he will retire if we dont resign him….id hate to see one of the best centers in NFL history play for someone else
No problem, Al Wilson 4 Mayor.
I do think the Broncos will look to draft a defensive lineman and/or linebacker, perhaps more than one at each position.
I also think, and it is purely my opinion, that they will try to have a balanced draft. I would be surprised if they focused on just one or two positions.
Mike
Mike,
I can’t argue with the moves this staff has made. They are going after quantity over quality in order to re-build this defense.
Sure they could’ve gone after quality like the Skins. But we all know this will take a lot to change whats been going on with this D.
I’d expect them to want to bring in as many players as possible to create competition at a lot of the positions. This will in turn create a better defense.
Mix in a few good veteran leaders, and you got yourself a decent defense.
This defense will have to win games with high energy and effort. They won’t be the most talented bunch.
Keep it up Broncos!!!
I am good with the signings for the most part.
Those of you who still think we should have signed Haynesworth need to realize that he signed 100M dollar contract with the Skins. 100M!!!! He was, in essence, not available.
We signed all these players for just over a 3rd of what Haynesworth cost the Skins.
Also, I like the RB signings. We need a lot of bodies to get through pre-season. We’ll see who sticks with the team at the end and, really, there were not any great backs out there in FA.
I only question the Paxton signing, I only noticed one bad snap in the entire time that Leach was longsnapping for us. Seems to me its more of the new coach wanting his people in place to help with transitions in the locker room.
As for lack of pressure on the QB. I think the guys we have up front now are actually very good. I think Nolan will use better schemes to get more pressure from these guys. What will help even more though is finally having a good mlb that can stop the run and eat up gaps if needed. If you look at our def since losing Al Wilson we have not had a strong presence at linbacker, we could pursue a gazzelle to hell and back, but tackling and penetrating from our linebackers was not consistent at all. I think we are finally getting away from being undersized and moving toward Lb’s that can make bigger plays when needed.
Combine getting better at LB and the backfield and we really don’t need a lot of help on the line (just remember that the Giants who have arguably the best def line in the league have done so without as many big name players as most other teams).
I also agree that the draft will be more balanced and focused on talent thats available at the time.
not including draft picks heres my Depth Chart for next year
QB Jay, Simms
RB Torain, Jordan, JJ
FB Hillis, Larsen
WR Marshall, Eddie, Stoke, Gaffney, Chad
TE Ghram, Tony,
Same O line as last year
DT Thomas, Powell, Fields
LE Peterson, Crowder
RE Dr. Doom, Reid
LOLB Boss, Haygan
MLB DJ, Davis, Larsen
ROLB Woodyard, Moss
CB Champ, Goodman, Bell, Williams
FS Dawkins, Hill
SS Barrett, Hill
K Prater
P Kern
PR/KR JJ, Eddie (to keep Eddie from injury)
Practice Squad
QB Hackney
DT Clemons
I like Hillis at RB but dont see it happening with the signing of Jordan so i hope Torain wins the spot 100%
misteznprince,
I agree, Nalen is one of my favorite players. He has done alot for this team over the years. I think he still has some left in the tank, plus we need depth on OL. One more thing he isn’t on of the greatest, he is the greatest; 5 pro bowl and 4 of them in a row (franchise record for OL), anchored lines for 6 1,000 yard rushers, anchored a line that blocked for TD’s 2,000 yard season, and he owns 2 Super Bowl rings. That’s not bad for a 7th round pick out of BC. 66forHOF!!!
Andra Davis is not a good pick up. We need to draft d-line and lb’s in the first 3 to 4 rounds. As for the running backs we will see, all of last year every back was injured and now we picked up a few more injury pron rb’s.
Why is Davis not a good pick up? I think that he was a good player even w/ Clevland. He’s got more experience as a starter and is more stable than the younger guys we have. He and DJ are gonna be good for us at ILB.
All the depth charts posted are cool but where are the rookies from the draft. I bet we start at least one or two on D this year.
dlmyers…You figured out what most bloggers are missing. Paxton is a good special teams player and can fill 2 positions. Remember we were dead last in the NFL last year on special teams. The money is pretty much a push so in all it was a very good signing. Remember bloggers coach said he was going to improve all 3 phases of the game
bronco#80,
I like your mock D, the only thing I have a problem w/ is Fields at DT. I think Fields would be rotating snaps w/ Raji at NT. I think Crowder would be our starter at DE across from Peterson. Crowder showed flashes in his rookie year when he got the chance, to bad we didn’t do anything w/ him last year. I think Woodyard woul start over Moss, but I think Moss’s size would be better than Doom’s a LB.
I meant I have problems w/ Feilds at DE.
This is far and away the best written, most informative article I’ve read (on any medium) about the Denver Bronco’s free agent signings. Thanks.
CompUser…Thanks for your kind words. That was neat of you to share.
Mike
Rice, I’m sorry you were disappointed that McDaniels was called names, but Coach Mickey D needs to realize that stupid actions or desires have consequences. I forgive McDaniels but he handled that situation in a stupid way. Nevertheless, the slate is clean and it’s time to win. If Brandon Marshall is suspended, we should bring in Torry Holt if we can get him at the right price. Now that Chris Simms is in camp, it’s time to kick Patrick Ramsey to the curb.
Ok… I’ve decided to start calling McDaniels McDenver again
(Just to let the record show, I didn’t think of that name. Another fellow thought of it… and I liked it)
[...] Rice Takes » Blog Archive » Taking Stock [...]
I still can’t figure out why we went after 3 RB in FA. I thought that we had some good young guys. I know we got rid of Pittman and he was kind of our short yardage/goaline guy, and maybe that’s what McDaniels is doing with these 3 he brought in. And maybe he did it because we had 7 RB on IR last season and he thinks that health may be an issue?
I’m really excited to see what will happen with our D this upcoming season. I’m really anxious about Dawkins laying some big licks on some WRs.
Anyways I hope Cutler and McDaniels can mend their tattered relationship and get the job done this season.
A 35 year old safety.
2 running backs that cannot carry 25 time/game and who are injury prone
A long snapper with a $1 milllion signing bonus.
LaMont freakin Jordan ???
I don’t think McD is ready for prime time …..
Dont worry Cutler and McDaniel’s will kiss and make up. ..the reason is they were both wrong. Mcdaniels definitely should have handled the situation differently. He should have communicated with Cutler much better and explained what he was thinking. ..and cutler need s to learn not to keep opening his mouth to media every time something happens. the silence is golden approach would have done him good here. He should have confronted Mcdaniels about it instead of turning it into Bronco soap opra.
..oh and thanks for the comments on more pressure with the 3-4. I agree and thing bringing the blitz bag into the defense will help alot. (for the life of me i can’t figure out why we neve3r blitzed last yr) ..but we still need D lineman. We are not playing 3-4 all the time. From what i understand it will be a mix of 3-4 4-3 which i think is the smartest appoach so offenses are more confused etc..but that means we still need some good pass rushers and run stoppers…and not ones that come from cleveland
Mike,
Great post of comments. It still appears your readers have a hard time understanding the thought of some of these signings. Rolls have to be filled. As far as Cutler goes, this is all a business. McDaniels, although I don’t agree with his thinking on this, did say if a move improves this team, he would make it. Which if that means trading Cutler for draft picks and a proven QB, then I guess he would do that.
Thanks for making sense and the good info Mike
on the fan poll, what happened to TATUM BELL? he has my vote!
Good points and optimism is healthy. I do have to agree with the other posts about the D linemen. Problem #1 has been our inability to get to the QB and it’s been a problem for years. Our defensive backs (including Bly and Foxworth) would have been more highly regarded if the QB was under SOME pressure. Denver’s DBs had to cover the other team’s receivers for a ridiculous amount of time. Do you think Pittsburgh’s corners and safeties would be as highly regarded if the opposing QBs weren’t under durress? NO WAY. So bottom line…the 3-4 is fine and can work but the real need is a very beefey nose tackle. Without it the offensive lineman will wait for the LBs to come in and knock them off their blocks…just like last year’s experiment with the 3-4.