SB Nation - Brandon Gorin

Broncos Inactives for Today's Game

John Bena — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 16:43:06 -0000

Here are the Inactives for today's Broncos/Chiefs game. No surprises here - the Broncos are healthy and ready to go!

QB Tom Brandstater
NT Chris Baker
OL Brandon Gorin
OL Seth Olsen
WR Brandon Lloyd
OLB Jarvis Moss
WR Kenny McKinley
RB LaMont Jordan

Chiefs Inactives include -

WR Mark Bradley
CB Donald Washington
LB Justin Rogers
G Andy Alleman
LB Pierre Walters
TE Jake O'Connell
RB Dantrell Savage
QB Matt Gutierrez (3rd QB)

All Ready! Your 2009 Denver Broncos 53-man Roster(Official)

John Bena — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 01:14:31 -0000

Quarterback (3)	Kyle Orton	Defensive Ends (5)	Vonnie Holliday
	Chris Simms		Kenny Peterson
	Tom Brandstater		Ryan McBean
			Marcus Thomas
Running back (4)	Knowshon Moreno		Le Kevin Smith
	Peyton Hillis
	Correll Buckhalter	Defensive Tackles (2)	Ronald Fields
	LaMont Jordan		Chris Baker

		Linebackers (9)	D.J. Williams
			Elvis Dumervil
Tight End (3)	Daniel Graham		Mario Haggan
	Tony Scheffler		Darrell Reid
	Richard Quinn		Jarvis Moss
			Wesley Woodyard
Wide Receivers (7)	Brandon Marshall		Andra Davis
	Eddie Royal		Spencer Larsen
	Brandon Stokley		Robert Ayers
	Jabar Gaffney	Cornerbacks (4)	Andre Goodman
	Kenny McKinley		Jack Williams
	Brandon Lloyd		Alphonso Smith
	Chad Jackson		Champ Bailey

Offensive Line (9)	Casey Wiegmann
	Chris Kuper	Safeties (5)	Brian Dawkins
	Russ Hochstein		Darcel McBath
	Seth Olsen		Renaldo Hill
	Ryan Harris		David Bruton
	Ryan Clady		Josh Barrett
	Ben Hamilton
	Brandon Gorin	Special (3)	Matt Prater
	Tyler Polumbus		Brett Kern
			Lonnie Paxton

Immediate Reaction and Notes

There is one too-many because Brandon Marshall is still on the Reserved-Suspended list. One more move will have to be made when he is activated, but this allows the Broncos to get the lay of the Free agent landscape.
On offense, I had predicted that Darius Walker would make it over LaMont Jordan. I was wrong. There are reasons why, more than Jordan's New England past, why this could have happened. Pass protection is one of them. In the end, however, Jordan is the 4th RB behind KnowMo, Buckhalter and Hillis. I can live with it even though I don't agree with it.
I had though the Broncos would go with 6 WR's, IF Jabar Gaffney's thumb was progressing well. The fact the Broncos went with 7 doesn't necessarily mean it is not, but that the coaches value depth at WR more than RB or some other areas.
The addition of Vonnie Holliday mean alot momre than just what the guy can do on the football field. It is another veteran voice in the locker room, a coach on the field. He has alot of experience in all defenses and will help the young guys learn the nuances of the 3-4
Don't get too comfortable with this roster. I fully expect it to change between now and mid-week after the team has the chance to scoru the waiver-wire.

Boilers in the NFL: Week two of the preseason

BoilerTMill — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 17:45:54 -0000

With most of week 2 in the books it is time to start looking at fantasy draft options. Most of the Purdue guys are still kicking around, but the first round of cuts are coming. It is only a matter of time before this list gets a little shorter, unfortunately.

Side note: Speaking of fantasy, we have so far had four people sign up for the Hammer & Rails league through CBS Sports' college football. We need at least 6 more as well. If someone would be willing to commissioner this league it would be awesome as well. As a warning, CBS Sports fantasy is about as user unfriendly as possible, so hopefully someone out there has figures it out. Now, on with the update.

Arizona Cardinals - Chike Okeafor (OLB) - Okeafor had one assist on a tackle as he fights to stay a Cardinal. I would say his chances of making the roster are pretty good. The Cardinals lost to San Diego 17-6 in the second preseason game. He has been battling a sore back, however.

Carolina Panthers - Anthony Heygood (LB) - An undrafted free agent fighting for roster spot, Heygood got some more game action, notching a tackle as he tries to land a roster spot. He is in the same boat as Landon Johnson (LB) - Landon at least signed as a free agent this summer. He had no stats in the second preseason game though, a 27-17 loss to the Dolphins

Cincinnati Bengals - Greg Orton (WR) - Undrafted free agent fighting for roster spot. Greg had no stats in a 7-6 win over New England, so I would say his chances of making the roster at this point are pretty slim.

Dallas Cowboys - Anthony Spencer (LB) - Spencer had two tackles and one assist as the Cowboys opened their giant new stadium with a 30-10 win over Tennessee. The Cowboys lost rookie OLB Brandon Williams to a torn ACL, making Spencer that much more valuable.

Denver Broncos - Kyle Orton (QB) - Kyle had a much better second week of the preseason, completing 16 of 22 passes for 182 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Chris Simms is still breathing down his neck for the starting job, however. Kyle had an ugly left handed interception hat left Denver fans shaking their heads in dismay. Denver lost 27-13 at Seattle. Brandon Gorin (OL) - Gorin has a strong chance to be a starter along Denver's offensive line.

Detroit Lions - Cliff Avril (DE) - Cliff had no stats in the second preseason game, which is a shame because he had the chance to sack Brady Quinn, Medicine Woman. He struggled in limited action. Schweigert (S) - Stu had a tackle in the 27-10 loss at Cleveland in week 2. John Standeford (WR) - John had two catches for 16 yards after missing the first game with an injury. He has as good of a chance of anyone of making the final roster, as he performed very well in the second half of last season, all things considered for the Lions.

Houston Texans - Jacques Reeves (CB) - Jacques is battling a broken leg at the moment and may miss the entire season. Jeff Zgonina (DT) - Jeff still has a good shot of making a roster for his 17^th season in the league. He had two tackles and a sack in a 38-14 loss to New Orleans.

Indianapolis Colts - Curtis Painter (QB) - Painter saw quite a bit of action as Jim Sorgi was out again with a sore hamstring, but that will change in week 3 against Detroit. Sorgi is expected to return. Given his experience with the Colts, I have a hard time seeing Painter overtake him for the number two job. This is a season of learning for Curtis. Still, he completed 11 of 19 passes for 119 yards and an interception in a win over Philadelphia. He also ran once for a loss of six yards.

Jacksonville Jaguars - Uche Nwaneri (OL) - Uche is starting for now, but is likely headed to the bench once the season starts.

Kansas City Chiefs - Bernard Pollard (S) - Pollard sat out week 2 of the preseason. Had five tackles in preseason debut. Alex Magee (DT) - Magee played but did not have any stats against the Minnesota Favres last week. No one seemed to notice as it was all about Brett.

Miami Dolphins - Akin Ayodele (LB) - 8^th year in league. Akin is the likely starter again for the Dolphins. He had one tackle in limited action against Carolina. Ryan Baker (DT) - Undrafted free agent fighting for roster spot. Baker had a tackle and an assist in the second preseason game.

Minnesota Vikings - Ray Edwards (DE) - Like Pollard and Magee above, no one noticed what Ray Edwards did as Favre played his first game as a Viking. Edwards had a tackle and an assist as he is a likely starter.

New England Patriots - Matt Light (LT) - 9^th year in league. Has won three Super Bowls and has started all but two games in his career. Light will be the starting left tackle once again. Rob Ninkovich (LB) - 3^rd year in league. Rob had a very positive second week of the preseason, leading the Patriots with six tackles and three assists. Apparently he has moved from Defensive End to Linebacker

New Orleans Saints - Drew Brees (QB) - It is still smooth sailing for Brees, as he was 9 of 14 for 87 yards and a touchdown in the win over Houston.

New York Jets - Dustin Keller (TE) - DK plays his second preseason game tonight at Baltimore. The game will be on ESPN at 8pm

Philadelphia Eagles - Eugene Bright (TE) - Bright did not have a catch against Indianapolis, but he is still in the running for a backup tight end spot.

San Diego Chargers - Shaun Phillips (LB) - Phillips had one tackle in week 2 as he continues to hold down a starting linebacker spot. Nick Hardwick (OL) - 6^th year in league. Likely starter with 68 career starts at center and a Pro Bowl nod in 2006. Charles Davis (TE) - Davis did not have any stats in the second week of the preseason, making it harder and harder for him to make the roster. There is the possibility, however, of Davis making the roster as a fullback/H-back

San Francisco 49ers - Kory Sheets (RB) - Kory continues to be the most likely candidate to go from undrafted free agent to roster member, as he ran for 51 yards on 12 carries and added a fourth quarter touchdown to give the 49ers a 21-20 win over Oakland. Kory has all but sealed the 3^rd string running back job now.

I had video of Kory's TD, but SBNation allows only YouTube embedding, so you'll have to follow the link.

Seattle Seahawks - Craig Terrill (DT) - Craig had two tackles in the win over Seattle. He has been a stalwart in the Seahawks' defensive line rotation for years now. Seattle fans do like his ability to disrupt things on the line.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Niko Koutouvides (LB) - Niko had no stats in week two, as he fights for a roster spot after signing as a free agent.

Tennessee Titans - Stanford Keglar (LB) - Keglar had two tackles in the preseason loss at Dallas. Mike Otto (OT) - Otto is fighting for a roster spot, but the blog Music City Miracles thinks both Otto and Keglar will make the final 53 man roster.

Boilers in the pros: Preseason week 1

BoilerTMill — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 13:56:12 -0000

With the first week of the preseason in the books I wanted to take a quick look and see how all of our guys did in week 1. Obviously many guys are established on rosters already, but some are fighting for spots. This was a lot of fun, as I did most of the research on Sunday night, but waited until this morning to post it because there were a pair of preseason games last night. If I have time, I think I will make this a regular feature, as I have no weeded out hte teams that do not have former Purdue players on their rosters. Some guys, like Charles Davis, were happy finds because I didn't know they were still kicking around out there.

Here is how everyone did in week 1:

Ladies and gentlemen, your reigning NFL offensive player of the year.

Arizona Cardinals - Chike Okeafor (OLB) - 11^th year on team. Had a tackle against Pittsburgh in opener. Likely starter.

Atlanta Falcons - No players on roster

Baltimore Ravens - No players on roster

Buffalo Bills - No players on roster Side note: Who the hell is Gibran Hamdan? Apparently, he is a former IU quarterback that is on their roster, but I have never heard of him.

Carolina Panthers - Anthony Heygood (LB) - Undrafted free agent fighting for roster spot. Had one tackle in preseason opener. Landon Johnson (LB) - 6^th year in league, fighting for roster spot. The Panthers played their first game Monday night and Landon had no stats.

Chicago Bears - No players on roster

Cincinnati Bengals - Greg Orton (WR) - Undrafted free agent fighting for roster spot. Had no statistics in 17-7 loss at New Orleans

Cleveland Browns - No players on roster

Dallas Cowboys - Anthony Spencer (LB) - 3^rd year with team. Had one tackle in loss to open preseason. Likely starter.

Denver Broncos - Kyle Orton (QB) - Had brutal debut as starting quarterback with three interceptions. Completed 9 of 16 passes for 89 yards. Is still listed as the starter for now, but he obviously must improve. Brandon Gorin (OL) - Trying to return to NFL after starting 8 games at tackle for St. Louis in 2007. Six year veteran with 26 starts and former member of the Visa Five Layers of protection, thus making him the rare offensive lineman with an endorsement deal.

Detroit Lions - Cliff Avril (DE) - Second year player. Had two tackles as Lions won on late field goal. Stu Schweigert (S) - Found a home in Detroit last year after getting cut by Washington and Denver. Had four tackles in preseason opener and should be safely on the roster. He is also loving the fact he plays for his hometown team. John Standeford (WR) - After years on the Colts practice squad, finally made a regular season roster with the Lions. Emerged as #2 receiver late last season with four starts. No stats in opener

Green Bay Packers - No players on roster.

Houston Texans - Jacques Reeves (CB) - 6^th year in league. Will likely start at corner after breakout season in 2008. No statistics in opener. Jeff Zgonina (DT) - An astounding 17^th season for the last active player from the Colletto Era. Played in all 16 games last year with two starts. Is fighting for a roster spot apparently. No statistics in opener. UPDATE: It is no wonder Reeves had no stats in the opener, as he suffered a broken leg in camp and will be out for some time.

Indianapolis Colts - Curtis Painter (QB) - Rookie likely playing 3^rd string quarterback. Took the majority of snaps for the Colts in a 13-3 loss that was a boring as it sounds. Completed 10 of 17 passes for 77 yards.

Jacksonville Jaguars - Uche Nwaneri (OL) - 3^rd year in league. Likely starter at offensive guard after making 15 starts last year.

Kansas City Chiefs - Bernard Pollard (S) - 4^th year in league, probable starter. Most hated non-Yankee in New England after ending Tom Brady's season last year. Had five tackles in preseason debut. Alex Magee (DT) - Rookie on defensive line rotation. Had four tackles in preseason debut. The chiefs lost to the Texans 16-10.

Miami Dolphins - Akin Ayodele (LB) - 8^th year in league. Starter 13 games with 75 tackles last season. Likely starter again. Ryan Baker (DT) - Undrafted free agent fighting for roster spot. Both Ayodele and Baker had one tackle Monday night in a 12-9 field goal kicking contest.

Minnesota Vikings - Ray Edwards (DE) - 4^th year in league. Likely starter after 15 starts and five sacks last season. Had tackle in preseason debut win over the Colts.

New England Patriots - Matt Light (LT) - 9^th year in league. Has won three Super Bowls and has started all but two games in his career. Will be protecting Tom Brady's blind side until both head to Canton most likely. Rob Ninkovich (DE) - 3^rd year in league. Has played in just 8 career games as he tries to return from serious knee injury. No stats in preseason debut.

New Orleans Saints - Drew Brees (QB) - 9^th year in league. Will be starter after making the Pro Bowl for third time and second time being named All-Pro. Reigning Offensive Player of the Year. Completed 6 of 9 passes for 88 yards and a touchdown in 17-7 win over Cincy.

New York Giants - No players on roster.

New York Jets - Dustin Keller (TE) - 3 catches for 52 yards in preseason debut. Likely starter after solid rookie season in 2008. Big things are expected from him this year.

Oakland Raiders - No players on roster.

Philadelphia Eagles - Eugene Bright (TE) - An interesting one, as Bright was a pretty average Defensive end at Purdue and never played tight end. Undrafted free agent trying to make roster. Had one catch for eight yards in preseason debut.

Pittsburgh Steelers - No players on roster.

San Diego Chargers - Shaun Phillips (LB) - 6^th year in league. Likely starter as one of San Diego's best linebackers. Had 2 tackles in first game. Nick Hardwick (OL) - 6^th year in league. Likely starter with 68 career starts at center and a Pro Bowl nod in 2006. Charles Davis (TE) - Has bounced around league (Giants, Panthers, Jaguars) trying to make a roster, but has yet to play in an official game. No stats in opener

San Francisco 49ers - Kory Sheets (RB) - Undrafted free agent trying to make a roster. Kory probably had the most beneficial weekend of anyone. Rushed for 51 yards on 10 carries and a long of 25 in win over Denver. Also saw main competition Thomas Clayton unfortunately tear his ACL and get released. Has solid chance to make roster as 3^rd down back/kick returner.

Seattle Seahawks - Craig Terrill (DT) - 6^th year in league. Is having a very Jeff Zgonina-like career so far. Will likely be in the rotation at defensive tackle and may start. Had no statistics in opener.

St. Louis Rams - No players on roster.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Niko Koutouvides (LB) - 6^th year in league. Fighting for roster spot after disappointing year in Denver last season. Had four tackles in preseason debut. Buc fans are excited to have him.

Tennessee Titans - Stanford Keglar (LB) - 2^nd year in league. Played in 13 games as a rookie last season. Leads the team in tackles with 11 through 2 games (The Titans played in the Hall of Fame game too). The Titans think he may be the steal of last year's draft, too. Mike Otto (OT) - 2^nd year in league officially. Has been on practice squad and has played in one official game.

Washington Redskins - No players on roster.

MHR University - Preseason Depth Chart Analysis and How to Watch Preseason Games

Steve Nichols — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 17:30:10 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

4 months ago: Denver Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey takes part in drills during a football training camp session conducted in Invesco Field at Mile High in Denver on Monday, Aug. 10, 2009. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Browse more photos »

One of the most fun ways to prognosticate about a team during the reloading season is to put together and discuss projections for depth chart placement. Then, as always, a team will put out an initial depth chart (preseason) that can have fans scratching their heads.

What is the purpose behind the initial depth chart? Why do teams put them out, and what can be learned from them? What should we watch for as a team heads into the preseason?

Let's take a look at the initial depth chart for the Denver Broncos (released 9-10-09) and start a discussion on what we think the chart indicates. Let's also review what to watch for in preseason games.

(The caption says he is practicing during a drill. But I like to think that Champ is asking forgiveness for the doubters amongst the fan base).

First, I'm going to borrow from a previous article I wrote about how to watch preseason games (edited to update us for this year)...

How to Watch the Preseason Games -

Let's talk about the mysterious and controversial preseason games. Controversial, because coaches have to weigh the value of getting players ready or evaluated versus injured. Controversial, because the League, networks, and even fans can't agree on issues surrounding ticket prices and revenue for games that "don't count". But mysterious, because we as fans have to balance cheering for our team to win knowing that the team isn't going all out for a win. So what do we watch for?

Here's a guide to watching the preseason games in a manner that allows you to learn about the team, evaluate players, and gauge the team's success moving forward, regardless of what the scoreboard says.

Different coaches approach the preseason differently, but all coaches are a little more vanilla than they would be if the game counted. They aren't going to show every wrinkle of a system. They are also going to call plays to test a team in a situation, even if the situation doesn't exist (such as a two-minute drill at the end of a half even though the team leads, or going for it on fourth down, even though the game condition calls for a punt).

Some coaches, like Mike Shanahan, believe in the school of thought that you "Play a preseason game like you would a regular game." In other words, play to win. Denver fans may be used to winning preseason games, but this may not happen under Josh McDaniels. Shanahan took it easy on the players in camp (compared to most teams), but in the PS he generally called the game the way he might in a regular game. For this reason, he also got a lot more PS wins. Did this count against his ability to evaluate? Not at all. Mike is also a coach that has his mind pretty much made up near the start of camp who is going to be on the roster, so he is ahead of the curve. Still, he'll make some calls to try out scenarios that he wouldn't do if the game counted.

We'll have to see if McDaniels is more concerned with evaluating talent and schemes than pumping up the team early with wins that are (to some degree) "meaningless".

So what do we watch for in a Denver PS game? The coaches are still holding back, and the competitions are more settled than most fans might think, right? Well, there's a lot to watch for. Here's what I'll be watching for if I'm lucky enough to catch a game.

The Players

Some position things to watch for:

Denver placed a high emphasis on receivers being able to run block (Pittsburgh is an example of a team that also demands receivers can run block). Will we see that continue this year?
Despite raw talent, which receivers demonstrate chemistry with Kyle Orton? Which TEs?
The safety's first movement is towards an assignment or a zone. His second move indicates how well he's read the play. That's the move to watch.
How well do the halfbacks protect Orton if held back to pass block?
Many teams stress TE coverage from the strong safety or the LOLB (even though both players take a role from time to time). Who will get the emphasis under McDaniels? Whoever gets the assignment, how well do they do? Does the SS play back, or closer to scrimmage?
Will we see the Ted Block scheme in our system? Will our new 3-4 be played more like a traditional 3-4, or more like a 5-2 (with pass-rushing OLBs)?
Are we doing more 1- or 2-gap schemes on the defensive line? Is the NT handling (or demanding) double teams?
It's almost too obvious to write, but who are the first eleven players on the field for the first plays on offense and defense? But here's something else to consider: who plays STs on the kickoff?
How does the OL do in pass protection? Most vanilla calls by the defensive coordinators will be simple slants designed to get to the QB.
Who looks tired at the end of each quarter? When a play is blown, how well does a player shake it off?
Does our starting RB get spelled, rotated, changed for pace, or play every down?
When a pass play for the offense goes for long yardage, was the error made by the CB or the SAF?

The Systems

Here's what to look for in terms of defining the new defensive system. Some of these things are similar to what to watch for in the "position" list above. However, those are tactical evaluations for each player. This list is strategic for the overall system view.

Defense -

How often do we switch between 3-4 and 4-3? In 4-3, is the MLB more man or zone? In 3-4, are most 4th pass rushers (a LB) coming from the inside, outside, or balanced?
In the 3-4, how wide are our DEs playing? Do the OLBs primarily rush (such as 5-2), or play common man, zone, and blitz responsibilities?
CBs in man or zone? (Unlikely we'll see much zone with talents like Champ Bailey and Andre' Goodman available).
Where is the SS positioned?
1- or 2-gap play by the DL?
How often do we blitz?
Do the #2 and nickelback CBs play tight, on, or off in their coverage? (Bailey is allowed to always play off, which fits his personal style). In fact, will Bailey be allowed to continue his own preference?
Is the defense playing "bend, don't break", "hold the line", or aggressively? How much blitzing is there?
Is the 3-4 the base formation? It likely is. Is it a standard 3-4, or a variation (wide, in, over, under, etc.)?
Is the defense trying to force the pass or the run, or playing it even?
Are there certain plays that have more prominence?
Who is covering the TE - the SS or the SAM?
Does the WILL play more "zone and blitz" or "zone and man"?

Offense -

How much misdirection will we use this year? While Orton is more of a pocket passer than previous Denver QBs, is the bootleg really gone? (The bootleg is a great combination with zone blocking, because of the type of misdirection it foists on the defense). More importantly (critical to me), is "How much zone blocking do we keep from previous years"?
How smooth does Orton sell the play-action pass, and how often is it used?
Do we see Orton making audibles on the line? How much leeway is he getting from the coach on the sideline?
When Orton throws an INT (and he should), was it a bad decision on his part, on the part of the receiver, or good defense?
How much does the TE figure into the pass game this year? Does it seem to be planned or a check down?
Does Orton have favorite targets, or does he spread the ball? Do the routes seem more timed, or opportunity driven?
How do the cheerleaders look? Are they as hot as last year? (Yes, this is important).
Is there more run, or pass?
Do we see more formations with 3 or more receivers, or less?
How much do the RBs (RB and FB) get into the game going out for passes? Are they screens, or actual common routes?
Do we see a FB often, or more sets that are single back or 2 RB (no FB).

A lot of fans will watch to see who makes the big plays. My opinion is that this isn't the way to go. The coaches are probably more interested in who plays consistently well, and less on who makes a game-changing play. But that's just my opinion. I think the decision on who starts is made before the preseason with most teams (believe it or not), but when a new coach arrives, this all changes for the first year. The decisions left to be made for most teams are only for a few players on the bubble, or if a player really blows it time after time. This year will be more wide open than the last several years because we have a new HC.

Another thing that I consider is that I don't get excited by how many wins or losses we have. Good play can be indicative of how the other team runs their preseason, and losses might have been wins if the team were going all out. However, if the team loses and played very poorly, that is something to watch for, too. So for what it is worth, try not to get hung up on who wins, and instead focus on "how" each player plays and how the team plays as a whole. McDaniels may try to win a few games to boost the confidence of the players and fans, or he might sacrifice wins to get deeper analysis of what he's working with.

Denver's goal is to get the players up to speed, and to give the players some confidence heading into the season. Let's hope for the best, but let's take the preseason into its proper context and watch it with a studious eye.

What will you be watching for?

The Initial Preseason Depth Chart

I don't put very much into the preseason charts. Neither do most hardcore fans (notably Guru, who mentioned pretty much the same thing in his story on Monday).

That said, is there any worth to a preseason chart for the fans? Sure. Any time that we as fans are writing about, talking about, or reading about the team, we are learning. Here's my take on some of the things in the initial chart to get the conversation rolling.

No surprises on the OL. From left to right, we see Ryan Clady, Ben Hamilton, Casey Wiegmann, Chris Kuper and Ryan Harris. Harris is hurt, and (as of this writing) we don't know how badly. In the worst event, expect Polumbus to take his place. The depth chart says it's Brandon Gorin, but that's because a depth chart won't list a player twice who backs up two positions. Tyler Polumbus is the primary backup for both tackles.

Sometime ago I wrote that it was possible we might not see Brandon Marshall as our #1 starter. Pehaps it was 1 or 2 folks that chimed in that I was out of my mind. Perhaps I wasn't.

On this chart, we have Jabar Gaffney at #1, Eddie Royal as a mismatch for anyone at #2, and Brandon Stokley in the slot. This can happen when folks hold out. Do we take this chart to the bank? Not really. As long as Marshall keeps up a good attitude, plays hard and well, and his next legal case fizzles (a lot of ifs), he can have the position back by the start of the season. But it is NOT a sure thing, either. Gaffney has done everything right so far, and Marshall may need to see that he'll have to be 100% on and off the field to keep "his" spot. Then the question becomes (as I wrote in that other article), who gets the slot - Gaffney or Stokley?

I admit some surprise that Chad Jackson and Kenny McKinley are lower than Lloyd and Swift, but with much of my focus thus far on defense, I may have missed some of the reports on these players.

Exactly what we should expect - Daniel Graham, then Tony Scheffler, then Richard Quinn. The only question now is, how many TEs do we keep beyond that?

We knew Orton, then Chris Simms, then Tom Brandstater. The question is, will Brandstater get a chance to emerge as a future starter, will he displace Simms as the primary backup, or will he be a project that never comes to fruition?

Like Marshall, if you look like you might hold out on the team, you might not make the initial depth chart as a starter. McDaniels already said Knowshon Moreno is good, but behind the rest of the players in conditioning and understanding the systems (meaning not just the offensive system, but team communications, huddle scheme, terminology, etc.).

Our new regime doesn't use the FB term in the depth chart, so we'll have to figure out where this puts us in terms of starters. My assumption is that Peyton Hillis is a starting FB if ever there was one, but he may be too useful as a RB (or should I say "tailback" in this new scheme?).

Correll Buckhalter is extremely versatile, and has looked great. He gets the nod for now. LaMont Jordan is listed second, and ths may be a surprise to folks like it is to me. Not that Jordan isn't good, but because I would expect Hillis to be higher. Hillis is listed third.

This loses meaning beyond the point that preseason charts are "motivators" for players more than being accurate. Why? Because we have to consider that we don't know if we'll have a primary back that gets spelled, or a "backs by committee" approach. In the latter, we might have a rotational scheme or a specialist scheme.

So for fans of Moreno, Ryan Torain, and Hillis, don't put all of your money on Buckhalter or Jordan just yet. Watch the preseason games, and learn.

Early observations had Ryan McBean looking real good, and he gets the early nod to start at LDE where he'll be stopping the run. It makes sense to me that Marcus Thomas (a 4-3 DT) would move to LDE in the 3-4, and he now shows behind McBean.

At RDE, I've heard a lot of good things about Rulon Davis, so I'm a little surprised he's near the bottom right now. (In fact, our own Guru reported from camp that he noticed how well Davis was doing). But Kenny Peterson has done well so far, and has earned the right to go into the preseason as the current RDE.

I'll say this, I'm far more happy about our DE positions than I was before the summer. The four players I've listed so far look solid, and we still have 3 others in contention. For future reference, I hearby bestow the title "PDX" on Everette Pedescleaux. His name takes longer to type than my entire article!

This is the scariest position for those of us worried about the transition to 3-4. It is the anchor of the 3-4 as much as the MLB is to the 4-3. Fortunately, it looks like Ronald Fields (the listed starter) is doing well. I'm a little surprised that Chris Baker is in front of Carlton Powell.

If I am blessed enough to get any preseason games in my area, NT is one of the positions I'll be watching for the sake of pure analysis. (I'll be watching safeties for the love of the game).

SAF

May I brag a little? I had hoped for Brian Dawkins to be the FS, and he lists this way. I knew that the choice to put him at FS or SS would be tricky to guess at, so I wouldn't have bet either way. But I agree with the early chart - Dawkins should be at FS, and Darcel McBath is more of a FS than a SS. McBath should become something special learning under Dawkins.

At SS, I feel good about Renaldo Hill starting. I had written in an earlier article that David Bruton, Vernon Fox, and Josh Barrett are more at risk than the other three, and I was curious to see who would make the team if we only kept four safeties. Many folks chimed in with valid reasons that we might keep five or even six. As of now, Bruton gets the backup at SS, and perhaps Barrett and Fox have to fight for a possible fifth spot.

I felt confident that Bailey and Goodman would start, and they are. My assumption was that Alphonso Smith would come in as a rookie and learn nickel. But as well as Smith has played, Jack Williams seems to have improved his play to the point that he is a contender for that nickel position. Also, given Smith's value at returner on STs, it seems prudent to let Williams play at nickle while Smith learns. Watch the preseason games to see if one player seems to edge the other for the role at nickel.

This gives us four terrific corners, and a good mixture and experience and youth. There are still four more corners to round out the chart, not all of whom will make the team.

OLB

Mario Haggan at LOLB? McDaniels himself said that there was some "loafing" by OLBs, and that Haggan wasn't one of them. This strikes me as a motivational signal. Darrell Reid is likely the starter, and early reports are good on Tim Crowder. If they're loafing, that's a bad sign. But it is more likely (at least in my mind) that the coach is sending a gentle message rather than really worrying about Reid and Crowder. The message this sends to Haggan though is kind of weird ("you're starting because the REAL starters are taking it too easy").

But I'm not worried about Reid and Crowder, or the LOLB position in general. (In fact, a friend of mine who is in tight with the Colts organization tells me that Reid is a steal for us, and we can expect some special things).

At ROLB we have three interesting names. We all know and love Elvis Dumervil (MHRers know him as "Doom"). He's a terrific RDE in a 4-3, and will likely play more of a pass rushing type ROLB in what would appear to be a 5-2 look. I'm glad to see him listed at starter.

Robert Ayers is listed next. He surprises me, because his rookie reports made him out to be more of a run stopper who doesn't always get the penetration needed to get to the QB. I had him pegged at DE (against the tide of most opinions, I know). At OLB, I thought he might not be able to keep up with TEs to play LOLB, but he could be a run stopper at that position. But ROLB seems to make sense. Starting wider than he would at DE, he has a better rush chance against the QB. But he can be schemed in several ways, too. For example, SD goes against the grain of most teams, and prefers to run to the weakside. Ayers would be a specialist in such games. With the Ameoba philosophy in place, Ayers may be used as a specialist depending on down, distance, and opponent.

Last is Jarvis Moss. Moss gets some criticism because he almost quit the team during camp. However, to a careful eye (and mine has experience in counseling as well as coaching) it sounds like a kid who was having problems that needed help. Instead of letting him quit and cashing in on the money he (Moss) would have had to fork over, the coaches encouraged him to take a couple of days away to get things straight or to think things over. I think there is a deeper story here, and one that probably isn't much of our business. Here's what is important. Moss came back, was welcomed back, and has been showing good moves for penetrating the pocket. He may very well have a solid role on this team moving into the regular season. That the coaches helped him out shows me that the kid has worth as a player, and at the very least as a young man. I'm in his corner, whether he makes the team or not.

ILB

Before camps, I listed D.J. Williams being moved inside to RILB and Andra Davis getting LILB. I was pretty proud of myself for getting that one right, as that is how the two players have been lining up throughout the camp season. So imagine my shock at reading the chart and seeing them switched! It makes no sense for several reasons. First, they haven't been playing the way the chart shows; second, it doesn't match their skill set for the Ted block scheme that DC Mike Nolan runs in his defensive systems, and third, Williams is more of a zone- and blitz-LB while Davis is more of a run stopper and big plug kind of guy.

Given that Williams is playing LILB in practice, and Davis is RILB in practice, I'm calling this an error on the chart. But who knows how far the deception could run? It would be a shock, but terribly interesting to see McDaniels and Nolan pull a major switch ala the morphing Patriots defense (which changes looks to match opponents like, well, like an ameoba!)

Another intersting tidbit. Behind these two are Wesley Woodyard and Spencer Larsen, who are excellent ILBs even if they weren't in the backup role. But look at who each player starts behind! Larsen (more of a run stopper or Ted blocker) is behind Davis, as he should be. And Woodyard, who swarms to the ball and gets in on every play, is rightfuly behind WIlliams. So it follows that the chart is likely backwards at the ILB positions. Either way, the bottom line is that we have four solid players for two positions, and still have two more players behind them fighting for a roster spot.

My only remarks on STs (where I have next to no coaching experience) is my surprise that Brett Kern is listed as the holder. It is common for teams to either use a QB or a punter. The reasoning for QB is that he can throw the ball on a fake FG, or cover up for a blown snap by throwing the ball. That is the prevailing school of thought in modern football. But we're going with the punter. The thinking here is that the punter is more in tune with what the kicker needs when placing and timing the hold. I don't buy it, but a few minds that know more about STs than I do believe in it. So there it is. I would have used a QB, but then again you REALLY don't want me coaching your STs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, have at it. What are your thoughts on the presason, and preseason charts in particular? What will you be watching for? As always, any questions about football are welcome. I can handle most questions as they pertain to what happens on the field, but MHR is full of experts on just about every aspect of the game ranging from history to caps, from legal to medical, from current events to other teams.

Let's hear from you! (If you're a longtime reader, but have never joined or posted, why not make this the day?)

Poll

I feel _______ about the roster and depth for the overall team than I did before the preseason camps started.

much better

219 votes

somewhat better

353 votes

the same

224 votes

somewhat worse

76 votes

much worse

12 votes

884 votes | Poll has closed

2009 Denver Broncos -- Breaking Down The Roster -- Offensive Tackles

Ted Bartlett — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:30:08 -0000

I commented last week on my breakdown of the Cornerback position that I was lucky to have drawn a position that Broncos fans can clearly feel very positive about. The offensive tackle position is in even better shape, and actually, is the strength of the team. Expect more great offensive-line play in 2009, and it will start from the outside.

During last year's reloading season, I spent a fair bit of effort in writing about the offensive line, which, at the end of 2007, was pretty lousy. Here and here I talked about my concerns, and why I advocated the selection of a Tackle in the first round in 2008 (which ultimately came to fruition with the selection of Ryan Clady.)

In 2008, the Broncos line was terrific, and it was the OT position which led the way. After the jump, we'll discuss the individual players at the position, and the prospects for further improvement in 2009.

Ryan Clady

#78 / Left Offensive Tackle / Denver Broncos

Height: 6-6

Weight: 325

Born: Sep 06, 1986

College: Boise State

Contract: 7/25/2008: Signed a six-year, $14.75 million contract. The deal includes $11.415 million guaranteed. Another $2.55 million is available through incentives. 2009: $2,141,250, 2010: $2,569,500, 2011: $2,997,750, 2012: $1.994 million (Voidable Year), 2013: Free Agent

You have to love it when the team gets it right, even if you personally had it wrong. I am hoping that is the case with Knowshon Moreno this season, as I didn't personally advocate for that choice, or love it when it happened. if you think back to March and April 2008, people on this site were HOT for Chris Williams and Earl Bennett from Vanderbilt. Both were drafted by Chicago, and both did absolutely nothing as rookies. The Broncos got Ryan Clady and Eddie Royal, who were two of the top 5 rookies in the NFL.

The best rookie in the NFL last season, to be clear, was Ryan Clady. He was the best offensive lineman in the NFL at age 22, and there is every reason to expect that he will continue to improve. Just to be clear, though, the degree of success which Ryan had in his first season, as a Left Tackle on a right-handed team, was essentially unprecedented. Joe Thomas was good the year before, and Jake Long and Jeff Otah were also good in 2008 (Otah on the right side), but none approached the two-way dominance of Clady.

At 6-6, 325 pounds, Clady has the foot quickness of a man who is 100 pounds lighter. He also has very long arms. He allowed one half of a sack in more than 600 drop-backs, which is incredible. The one stumble he did have was against the outstanding Richard Seymour, and he just got his feet tangled up on the play. You'll take that happening one in 600 times.

The thing that really sets Ryan apart from other good pass-blocking LTs is that he is also an elite run-blocker. Broncos fans will remember how devastating those runs around left end were last season, with Brandon Marshall cracking back on a DE, and Clady out in front hitting a CB. Offensive linemen don't consistently hit CBs (only Anthony Munoz ever did), and Ryan Clady did it all the time in 2008.

For this season, expect improvement from Ryan Clady, and expect him to get a lot of media attention when he dominates DeMarcus Ware in Week 4 on FOX, which will almost certainly be nationally televised, and called by Joe Buck and Troy Aikman. Well, on second thought, neither of them would notice Ryan, so I may be reconsidering this. In any case, don't expect Ryan to be snubbed from the Pro Bowl again, or from first-team All-Pro recognition. He's on his way to Canton in about 15-18 years, if he can have a healthy career, because he has the greatest natural skill set the NFL has ever seen in a LT.

Ryan Harris

#74 / Right Offensive Tackle / Denver Broncos

Height: 6-5

Weight: 300

Born: Mar 11, 1985

College: Notre Dame

Contract: 7/25/2007: Signed a four-year, $2.75 million contract. The deal included an $805,000 signing bonus. 2009: $460,000, 2010: $550,000, 2011: Free Agent

I linked to something I wrote in April 2008, where I expressed that I wasn't too encouraged about Ryan Harris's prospects to become a starter. I was basing that on an absence of praise from Mike Shanahan, rather than anything I saw on the field, since he didn't play any offense in his rookie season in 2007.

It turns out, Harris was one of the best RTs in the NFL, and was certainly the best in pass protection. He was charged with giving up 2.5 sacks, which was tied for 6th in the NFL. If you take away the Cutler fumble/non-fumble against San Diego, which had absolutely nothing to do with Harris, he's tied for first with Ryan Diem, Jon Stinchcomb, and Ray Willis. He was named All-Pro by SI.com, with only Peter King voting, and based upon a recommendation from Mike Shanahan.

Harris is very cost-effective right now, but he's going to cost a bunch of money in an extension a year from now. He is definitely good enough to play LT somewhere else, and the Broncos will have to pay for that quality. In 2009, expect Ryan to deserve to go to the Pro Bowl, but not to get there, as RTs tend to struggle to make it. He'll always suffer for recognition with Clady on the left side, but he deserves to be known for how outstanding he is.

Tyler Polumbus

#76 / Offensive Tackle / Denver Broncos

Height: 6-8

Weight: 310

Born: Apr 10, 1985

College: Colorado

Contract: 4/29/2008: Signed a three-year, $1.177 million contract. The deal included a $22,000 signing bonus. 2009: $385,000, 2010: $475,000, 2011: Restricted Free Agent

Tyler Polumbus is a local guy from Colorado University, who acquitted himself well on offense in the preseason, and on special teams during the regular season. He is also very cost-effective, and I feel pretty comfortable with him as the primary backup to both Tackle positions. It remains to be seen if he could handle the best pass-rushers in the NFL one-on-one, but I think he could handle the job with a reasonable amount of help.

Brandon Gorin

#77 / Offensive Tackle / Denver Broncos

Height: 6-6

Weight: 308

Born: Jul 17, 1978

College: Purdue

Contract: Undisclosed

The Broncos signed Brandon Gorin in April to compete for a backup job. Gorin is a decent veteran role player, and could make the team, given his time with New England, and familiarity with Josh McDaniels. He has been a backup on some bad teams in San Diego, Arizona and St. Louis, and you clearly wouldn't want Gorin starting a lot of games.

Others

Stanley Bryant signed as a college free agent from East Carolina, and will probably compete for a spot on the practice squad. Clint Oldenburg is a third-year player from Colorado State, who was originally drafted by New England and saw action in two games for the Jets in 2007. Don't expect either to make a big impact on the field in 2009.

Position Outlook

The Broncos should field the best set of OTs in the NFL in 2009, a fair bit ahead of Tennessee (Roos/Stewart) and Miami (Long/Carey). Really, anything less than that would be disappointing. Michael Lombardi has said that he believes staying healthy is a skill for O-linemen, and if Ryan and Ryan can show that skill, the quality at the Tackle position will be a major factor in the Broncos' over-performance of 2009 media expectations.

Educated Guess - 2009 Depth Chart Thoughts

Steve Nichols — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:30:09 -0000

It is still too early to have a good idea of what depth chart Denver will be using. But members of the media and fans at Milehighreport.com will put up depth charts anyway because it is fun to speculate on who will play at what positions. I love depth chart projections because the conversation that ensues serves to educate. Some folks will share information about a player trait that others weren't aware of, and discussions of schemes ensue.

Most longtime members of MHR love the annual depth-chart breakdown that Guru does. It was my favorite feature of MHR before I joined the site a few years ago. If you want accurate predictions, that's your story. If you want some educated guesses and a good discussion, I hope you'll enjoy the following....

As I've written consistently, this is a tough year to guess on our final roster and dept chart. New coaches, new system, a radical change in player-use philosophy, and a major turnover in players makes this year tricky, but very intriguing. We'll know much more when camp is fully underway, but here are some of my thoughts thus far.

DEFENSE

SAFETY

One of my most difficult tasks is to guess whether or not Brian Dawkins plays at his historical free-safety position or moves to strong safety. There are strong arguments both ways. Even at his age, Dawkins had a terrific season again last year. He still has speed and range, and can sack quarterbacks from the deep safety position. He still has the hands to intercept. And when he hits a ball carrier, the stadium hears it. Brian Dawkins remains a terrifying force on the field. I would like to see him stay at FS, but I'm starting to lean towards a move to SS. I have a few reasons for this, but I'm not 100% comfortable with making a firm projection.

First, Dawkins will be getting older, and the eventual slowing will make him a better fit at SS. Second, I'll take Dawkins covering a TE over some of the prospects at LOLB. Third, in most schemes the SS will have more run-support responsibilities, and Dawkins is one of those safeties that can consistently bring down even the biggest of RBs.

Renaldo Hill would then become my guess at FS. Coming off of the good year he had last year, I think he is a definite upgrade at FS. Given his age, he will likely be holding the position for a young up-and-coming player in the near future.

Darcel McBath is my favorite for the backup FS spot. He should do well on STs, but I think he will be the future at FS, and a player to watch. I think he'll see some playing time this year. For the fourth spot on the safety chart, we might see a duel between Vernon Fox and Josh Barrett. Fox could win out because there is talk about Barrett getting some looks for an OLB position.

Where does this leave the "other" rookie (David Bruton)? I think he has a shot at being a special teams ace for now, and a project for a future role at safety.

Cornerback

Superstar Champ Bailey is a lock for the #1 CB position. Andre Goodman was brought in to take over at the #2 position, and should do a great job there. Controversial draft pick Alphonso Smith will be exciting at nickel back, and is likely going to be a #2 CB in the near future.

I love what the team has done at safety and corner. We have two future-Hall of Famers at defensive-back positions, a hot rookie, and two solid veterans. The battle for the final spot will be between Jack Williams, Josh Bell, and Rashod Moulton.

Inside Linebacker

In my last article, I wrote that I was proud of myself for predicting that D.J. Williams would again be moving, this time to RILB. It is his natural spot, and one that he is happy with. He will be the anchor for the LBs. At LILB, Andra Davis will be stopping runs and "ted blocking" the way to sacks for the RILB. Beyond these two, nothing is sure.

I'm guessing that Larsen will be a FB / ILB hybrid. Someone pointed out a fact to me in the last couple of weeks, and I buy the reasoning - Larsen would make a great LILB because (as a FB) he is already capable of blocking the way through the trenches. I buy that, so Larsen becomes my pick for #2 LILB. Woodyard is my pick to back up Williams.

Outside Linebacker

With hybrids, this is a very tough call. Until he gets injured, Boss Bailey has a shot at starting LOLB, and Jarvis Moss is my guess to compete for the spot. The more I think about it, I like Elvis Dumervil at ROLB. He isn't big enough to play RDE in a 3-4, but his rush skills would make him a feared presence in a 3-4 played with a 5-2 look. I'm not sure who backs up Dumervil. With safety Josh Barrett getting looks at LB, I think he could go ROLB or LOLB. For now, let's consider ROLB a possibility.

Nose Tackle

The early favorite is clearly Ronald Fields, who was projected to start for the 49ers this year. Carlton Powell and Marcus Thomas are both bulking up and fighting for a spot, and I think there may be a better competition for the spot than earlier thought.

Defensive End

Let me throw out the names in the mix as I see them (in no special order) - Robert Ayers, Tim Crowder, Ryan McBean, Kenny Peterson, and Nic Clemons.

I think Ayers, McBean, and Crowder compete for the LDE spot. I think Peterson starts RDE, with Clemons or one of the three players competing for LDE backing him up.

OFFENSE

Quarterback

Kyle Orton had a lesser offensive line and lesser receivers in Chicago, but still managed more wins than Denver's previous QB. He may not have the physical tools and potential of a Jay Cutler, but he also lacks the drawbacks (forcing the ball into interceptions, not looking off receivers, decision making in general). Chris Simms is not likely to be the starter, but could be a surprise if called in during an injury to Orton.

Tom Brandstater may be a long-term project, or a desperate emergency player in the event of a catastrophic string of injuries. The only real question is, "Do we carry three QBs on the roster, or keep Brandenstater on the practice squad but suited up under the NFL's emergency 'third QB' rule"? Tom is a very smart kid, and may be a surprise in a couple of years.

Running Backs

Denver is loaded at this position. I was sorry to see Arrington not pass the physical, but Denver didn't lose much in the signing. Still, Denver finally has a workhorse RB in 1st-round draft pick Knowshon Moreno. The next question is, do we go committee or run a prime back? Do we spell or rotate? Peyton Hillis is a proven commodity as a power back, but can also block as FB or gash defensive lines running the ball from the FB position. Correll Buckhalter and LaMont Jordon are solid backs, not castoffs. The running game will not be an issue for Denver this year.

Larsen and Hillis can both play FB. Hillis is good enough to start at RB (with Moreno), and Larsen is good enough to play at LILB (likely rotating behind Davis).

Denver has a lot of options.

Receiver

Brandon Marshall starts at #1, and Eddie Royal starts at #2. Brandon Stokley is probably still going to be our slot receiver, and that's a good thing. This is a great starting group. Competing for the coveted 4th-receiver spot are Jabar Gaffney, rookie Kenny McKinley, and Chad Jackson.

Tight End

Daniel Graham is not only the clear starter, but has played in the NE offensive program before. He is an outstanding blocker, but can cause defenses problems if he goes out to catch. Tony Scheffler is too good of a receiving TE not to be in the mix, and will see the field in a lot of two-TE sets. Jeb Putzier and rookie Richard Quinn will fight for the 3rd TE position. Putzier has the advantage in catching, but Quinn is a heck of a blocker.

Center

Casey Wiegmann will start. Kory Lichtensteiger is being groomed as his replacement. Blake Schlueter (rookie) is either going to back up Kory next year, or might back up one of the guards this year.

Guard

Ben Hamilton starts at LG, and Chris Kuper starts at RG. Seth Olsen and (perhaps) Blake Schlueter are my guesses to back up.

Tackle

Ryan Clady is a lock at LT, and Ryan Harris is a lock at RT. Tyler Polumbus is a likely backup, but Brandon Gorin might give him a run for his money.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Special teams is settled at K, P, and long snapper. The only question is whether Royal will be relieved of his return responsibilities.

As mentioned earlier, without knowing the systems we'll be running, and with the added complexity of the Amoeba philosophy and the hybrid scheming, this is a tough depth chart to figure out. I'm certain that I'm going to be wrong on a least a few of my early guesses, but my overarching hope is that we as a group can discuss the roster and use the chart as a good base to exchange ideas.

I look forward to hearing from folks on their thoughts!

Poll

Assuming that Marshall, Royal, and Stokley start at the first three WR positions, which of the following players should start at #4 WR?

Jabbar Gaffney

726 votes

Kenny McKinley

83 votes

Chad Jackson

66 votes

875 votes | Poll has closed

Team Building and the Denver Broncos

Emmett Smith — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:30:10 -0000

More photos » by Ed Andrieski - AP

The selection of Alphonso Smith is among several choices which have polarized Broncos fans everywhere.

Browse more photos »

The weekend of the draft is past, the main part of free agency as well as undrafted free agency is behind us and now we have to long opportunity to consider, in some detail just what it is that the Broncos brain trust has done in terms of making over this team. The Broncos are a team whose record was 8-8. This was a team who made history by being three games up with three to go and dropping them all, including the tiebreaker. It was historically bad on defense and special teams, but not as much better on offense as some have held. Passing yards are a poor measure of a team - red-zone percentage, points scored and similar measures mean far more. Weaknesses abounded, as statistics and analysis made clear. It was a team whose record was mediocre, but whose framework was as flimsy as cheap wicker

The free-agent period, draft and undrafted-free-agent signings have been a study in team-building. Whether you do or don't support the way it is being done, it's important to step back for a moment, lower your shields and be willing to take a long look at what has been done before judging one way or the other. Hoosierteacher's analysis of the draft strategy and how it plays out was a masterpiece. I don't care if you agree with him or not and it shouldn't matter - his careful attention to detail, knowledge of the game and application of rational discourse to the subject was a textbook example of how to break down a process. I used to write textbooks - I'm not speaking in hyperbole. It was brilliant.

Then I looked at the new Broncos roster, the one that we will mostly (there will be additions, I suspect) bring into training camp, including the people that we brought in, the ones changing assignments/positions, the ones that we drafted and the undrafted-free-agent signings. You can certainly argue the individual picks. Many people have strongly-held opinions about the draft. They feel that we should have done X, taken Y or not done Z. It's understandable - the draft style, strategy and individual choices are matters for intense scrutiny, personal feelings and sports-information judgments.

I don't have those strong opinions, really. Am I a ‘homer' or ‘drinking the kool-aid'? Some will certainly think so, but if so, they don't know me. I'm a SunnySider by nature, but I'm generally analytical in my thinking. I went into last season thinking that we'd be 7-9 if things didn't fall our way and 9-7 if we did very well. I was close. I'm frequently not close, but the point is that I don't tend to be (with great affection to Mike Clark) in La La Land. I'd love 13-3, but I'm not expecting it this year.

We have, on the current face of it, a very hard schedule. A dispassionate viewpoint would say that we have a new coach, QB, offensive coordinator and scheme, defensive coordinator and scheme, and a large quantity of new players. Those things are hard to overcome in the short term, and for that reason I hope for a good year, but don't expect it. If we achieve an 8-8 year, I'll be content.

One of the things that I think that I know is that the scouts are pros, the GM looks at thousands of hours of film that I don't have and talks to lots of folks who have forgotten more than I ever learned on the subject. I think that in light of free-agent acquisitions, undrafted-free-agent signings and the draft picks that we effectively improved the defense, offense and special teams.

It might help to know that I began this project simply to find out a central question -

Did we make a concerted attempt to address each position and try to make the changes needed to mold this squad into a contender?

My thinking was this - if we addressed each position, one can still (and should) argue their thoughts or ‘feelings' about this player or that. However, there has been a large debate as to whether we even made a bold attempt to change the team. To find out, I started by listing all of the changes in personnel that we made. I used the term ‘Brought in' to describe a FA signing, traded for is obvious, and signed was used to delineate undrafted-free-agent acquisitions.

I started with the front office. Unsurprisingly, Pat Bowlen remains the owner. After that, however, this is what the Broncos have changed:

Josh McDaniels - Head Coach
Mark Thewes - Assistant to Head Coach
Matt Russell - Director of College Scouting

Offense

Mike McCoy - Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach
Clancy Barone - Tight Ends
Adam Gase - Wide Receivers
Quarterback - Brought in Chris Simms, traded for Kyle Orton and drafted Tom Brandstater
Running Back - brought in Correll Buckhalter, J.J. Arrington and LaMont Jordan, signed Kestahn Moore, drafted Knowshon Moreno
Fullback - Please note that we signed UDFA Marquez Branson, who is a perfect prototypical h-back and can play fullback, h-back or TE. For convenience, I listed him at TE but he might end up here.
Tight End - Drafted Richard Quinn, signed UDFA Marquez Branson
Wide Receiver - Drafted Kenny McKinley, brought in Jabar Gaffney, signed UDFAs Travis Shelton, Swift, David Grimes and Taylor
Offensive Line - Started with the best in the NFL, brought in Matt McChesney and Brandon Gorin, drafted Seth Olsen and Blake Schlueter, signed UDFAs Stanley Bryant, Marcus Gordon

Defense

Mike Nolan - Defensive Coordinator
Wayne Nunnely - Defensive Line
Ed Donatell - Secondary
Don Martindale - Linebackers
Defensive End - Brought in Darrell Reid, drafted Richard Ayers, signed UDFAs Rulon Davis, Everette Pedescleaux, resigned Kenny Peterson
Nose Tackle - Brought in J'Vonne Parker, Ronnie Fields, signed UDFA Chris Baker
Linebacker - Brought in Andra Davis and linebacker Nick Greisen, moved players Elvis Dumervil, Jarvis Moss and Tim Crowder, at least in theory or part/most of the time. Signed UDFAs Lee Robinson, Braxton Kelley and Jeff Schweiger
Cornerback - Brought in Andre' Goodman, drafted Alphonso Smith, signed UDFAs Tony Carter and D.J. Johnson
Strong Safety - Brought in Brian Dawkins, drafted David Bruton
Free Safety - Brought in Renaldo Hill, drafted Darcel McBath

Special Teams

Mike Priefer - Special Team Coordinator
Keith Burns- Coaching Assistant/Special Teams
Long Snapper - Brought in our most-argued Bronco, Lonie Paxton
Punter - Signed UDFA Britton Colquitt

There you have it. With the single exception of kicker (look for one between now and training camp), the Xanders/McDaniels team addressed every position on the team, in addition to bringing in new coaches to teach a new set of systems and a new Director of College Scouting. The option of debate of the individual players and the merits of various systems can and should continue. But one fact is now established - not a single position was simply left to chance. All of them were given new players and increased competition for the squad. In one SunnySider's opinion, that's a very good start.

As an example of the changes we are going through, let's accept that we changed QBs. One of the things that folks have bemoaned is the loss of a big arm and the arrival of a coach and two QBs (I'm interested to see how well they train Brandstater, and for how long) who don't throw the long bomb as well. Just as a final thought:

I want to win a lot of games over the next few years. One weakness that we had last year was that we didn't throw well in the red zone. Our QB only threw for 46.4%, 3.25 YPA, a nasty 4.76% interception rate, a touchdown rate of 20.24% and a very weak 74.1 QB rating in that area of the field.

For argument's sake, let's also note that Orton was sacked more than twice as often (4.8 to 2.3%), yet his completion percentage was 52.5% for 4.22 ypa with a much better 1.69% interception rate, a touchdown rate north of 22% while dealing with a sack rate of 4.84% (I watched the film - it wasn't his feet, but his O-Line) and a QB rating of 96.0 in the red zone.

Given all of the facts, I'd have to conclude that Orton is generally a far better QB in the red zone. The ability to throw the ball far isn't an asset in the red zone - you need to be able to make throws accurately for a higher completion percentage while avoiding interceptions. That's what wins games. And it's my belief in looking at our roster that we've taken a lot of steps to make sure that we do.

Will Kyle Orton be our QB? I don't know. I do know that he achieved the above with a very limited scheme, a porous line and very weak receivers, which makes him a far better acquisition than many have suggested. I also know that our team now has better coaches (who among us misses Slowik?), receivers, running game and offensive line than we did last year, based entirely on performance. I don't know what our record will ultimately be this year, but I'm clear on this - we made a lot of long-needed changes. In my opinion, the future is brighter for doing so. Hoosierteacher said this in one of his comments:

"I imagine the schedule will be too tough to overcome. The wins just may not be there. But I also believe we'll have better players playing better football. By the following year, I bet it pays off."

I know that he's right. The record over the next three years will be the real test of this approach. But if you hear someone say, as many have, that the Broncos didn't address certain positions in this offseason - you can send them this link. They didn't just address certain positions. They addressed them all.

Poll

How do you feel the Denver Broncos did at addressing all of the positions in the NFL Draft and offseason?

Great - 13-3, Baby!

302 votes

Not bad. The players could have been better

389 votes

I'm not convinced about the coaches or the players

226 votes

We're toast

124 votes

1041 votes | Poll has closed

Will the Pioli/Parcells/Haley Connection Bring Any Remaining Free Agents to the Chiefs?

Joel Thorman — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:37:19 -0000

Note: Primetime did the leg work on the tables and I did the writing. -Chris

If you're been reading Arrowhead Pride for a little while now, you know that Scott Pioli and Todd Haley are big on bringing in coaches and players that they've worked with before. Which makes perfect sense. It's a natural human instinct to take the known over the unknown.

It's gotten to the point where as soon as we hear of a new player the Chiefs have signed or are interested in, we look for the Pioli/Parcells/Haley connection and it's inevitably there.

Why look for a Bill Parcells connection in addition to a Pioli/Haley connection?

Well because the legendary coach has had some big time influence on the Chiefs current GM and head coach.

Todd Haley began his career as the New York Jets' wide receivers coach under Parcells in 1997. Haley also coached under Parcells from 2004 to 2005 as the wide receivers coach for the Dallas Cowboys, while Parcells was the head coach.

Todd is the son of Dick Haley, who is the current Player Personnel Analyst for the Miami Dolphins and former Director of Player Personnel for the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets. Haley, his father Dick and Parcells all worked together in New York from 1997 to 1999. Haley was the Jets wide receiver coach; Parcells was the head coach; and Dick Haley as the Personnel Director.

Haley and Scott Pioli worked together from 1997 to 2000, when Pioli was the Director of Pro Personnel for the New York Jets.

As far as Parcells and Pioli go, both worked together in New York for the Jets in the late 1990s while Parcells was the head coach there. Oh, and Scott Pioli also married Bill Parcells' daughter. They're probably pretty tight.

So it's one big happy family over there at One Arrowhead Drive nowadays.

Every single coach hired by the new Kansas City Chiefs' brass has had some sort of Scott Piloli/Todd Haley/Bill Parcells connection.

Special teams coach Steve Hoffman (Parcells)
WR coach Dedric Ward (Haley, Parcells and Pioli)
Defensive quality control coach Pat Perles (Haley)
Defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast (Haley)
Offensive line coach Bill Muir (Pioli and Haley)
LB coach Gary Gibbs (Parcells and Haley)
Joel Collier (Pioli)

It's the same thing with the free agents the Chiefs have signed this off season:

LB Monty Beisel - Played for Arizona in 2008 under Chiefs' DC Clancy Pendergast
QB Matt Cassel - Former New England Patriot under Pioli
WR Terrance Copper - Signed to the Cowboys by Bill Parcells when Todd Haley was working with the wide receivers
CB Travis Daniels - Former Cleveland coach Romeo Crennel, who coached under Belichick and Pioli in New England, traded for him prior to the 2008 campaign
WR Bobby Engram -Played for the Bears when Todd Haley worked with wide receivers
LB Darrell Robertson - New England practice squad in 2008 and a former Georgia Tech player under Chan Gailey
TE Sean Ryan - Played last year in Miami for Bill Parcells and for Haley and Parcells in Dallas from 2004 to 2005
TE Tony Curtis - Played for Haley and Parcells in Dallas from 2005 to 2006

Is that enough evidence that these guys prefer working with people they've worked with before?

It makes sense to take a look at who the top remaining free agents and see where the Pioli/Haley/Parcells connection is. It's likely that any future free agent signings will come from this group.

The top offensive and defensive free agents connected to Pioli, Haley and Parcells are after the jump.

Offense
Name	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Age	Pioli	Haley	Parcells
Rex Grossman	QB	6'1"	222	28		CHI 03-04
Lorenzo Neal	FB	5'11"	255	39		NYJ 97	NYJ 97
Marty Booker	WR	6'0"	212	32		CHI 01-03
Kelley Washington	WR	6'3"	218	29	NE 07-08
Jerame Tuman	TE	6'4"	255	33		AZ 08
Brandon Gorin	RT	6'6"	308	30	NE 03-05
Rob Petitti	RT	6'6"	347	26		DAL 05	DAL 05
Terrence Metcalf	G-T	6'3"	325	31		CHI 02-04
Evan Mathis	G	6'5"	304	27			MIA 08
Grey Ruegamer	G-C	6'4"	310	32	NE 00-02
Matt Lehr	G-C	6'3"	300	30			DAL 03-04
Edgerrin James	RB	6'0"	219	30		AZ 07-08

Back on Monday, I asked you what was the biggest positional need for the Chiefs after the draft. You responded by saying that wide receiver, offensive tackle and outside linebacker were the Chiefs' biggest needs.

WR Marty Booker has already had a workout with the Chiefs and left without a contract offer (We assume).

Former 3rd round pick Kelley Washington is an option too I guess, although I'm not sure what he would bring to the table considering his poor career numbers.

At best, I think any of the offensive line free agents out there would be back ups to our current crop of linemen.

The defensive free agents are pretty slim pickings as well. Check them out.

Defense
Name	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Age	Pioli	Haley	Parcells
La'Roi Glover	DT-NT	6'2"	285	34		DAL 05	DAL 03-05
Chris Cooper	DT-DE	6'5"	275	31		AZ 07	DAL 04
Vonnie Holliday	DT-DE	6'5"	290	33			MIA 08
Rosevelt Colvin	DE-LB	6'3"	250	31	NE 03-08	CHI 01-02
Ebenezer Ekuban	DE	6'3"	265	32			DAL 03
Derek Smith	ILB	6'2"	245	34			MIA 08
Junior Seau	ILB	6'3"	250	40	NE 06-08
Willie McGinest	OLB-DE	6'5"	270	37	NE 00-05
Mike Brown	S	5'10"	210	31		CHI 01-04
Rodney Harrison	S	6'1"	220	36	NE 03-08
Lawyer Milloy	S	6'0"	210	34	NE 00-03
Roy Williams	S	6'0"	235	28		DAL 05-06	DAL 03-06
Keith Davis	S	5'10"	193	30		DAL 05-06	DAL 03-06
Terrence Holt	S	6'2"	208	29		AZ 07
Cameron Worrell	S	5'11"	199	29		CHI 03-04
Mike Green	S	6'0"	195	32		CHI 01-04
Deltha O'Neal	CB	5'11"	194	32	NE 08
Jason Webster	CB	5'9"	187	31	NE 08
R.W. McQuarters	CB	5'10"	198	32		CHI 01-04
Lewis Sanders	CB	6'1"	190	29	NE 08
Aaron Glenn	CB	5'9"	185	36		NYJ 95-00, DAL 05-06	NYJ 97-99, DAL 05-06
Roderick Hood	DB	5'11"	198	27		AZ 07-08
Travis LaBoy	DE	6'3"	250	27		AZ 08

Considering that the top remaining linebackers are all over 34-years old and that the Chiefs have already signed two veteran LBs, I don't see the Chiefs signing Junior Seau, Willie McGinest or Derek Smith. McGinest could theoretically fill at defensive end in addition to linebacker but his age prohibits most investments in him.

S Keith Davis left KC without a contract offer after a private visit to KC back in March.

DE Travis LaBoy, like Primetime wrote this morning, really does seem to be the most viable option for the Chiefs on this list, although I'm not sure what the odds of him coming to KC truly are.

Last year, we would have crossed off any one on this list that was over the age of 27 but that's no longer the case. Now, with the draft over and compensation for many of these players at a minimum, we could be looking at more signings.

Would you like to see any of these free agents signed by the Kansas City Chiefs?

Poll

How many of these free agents will the Chiefs sign?

0

52 votes

1

108 votes

2

212 votes

3

154 votes

4

71 votes

5+

86 votes

683 votes | Poll has closed

Broncos sign T Brandon Gorin

John Bena — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 23:59:55 -0000

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The Denver Broncos on Friday signed unrestricted free-agent tackle Brandon Gorin, it was announced.

Gorin (6-foot-6, 308 pounds) is an ninth-year player who joins the Broncos after stints with St. Louis (2007-08), Arizona (2006), New England (2002-06) and San Diego (2001). He entered the NFL with the Chargers in 2001 as a seventh-round selection (201st overall) from Purdue University.

The offensive lineman has appeared in 42 games (26 starts) and seven postseason contests (5 starts) in his career. In 2008, Gorin injured his shoulder during St. Louis' preseason opener against Tennessee and was placed on injured reserve on Aug. 19.

In 2007, he saw action in 11 games and started eight of the Rams' last nine games at right tackle after competing in Arizona's training camp. He was whistled for one penalty for five yards.

Gorin joined Arizona on Aug. 21, 2006, from New England in exchange for a sixth-round selection in the 2007 NFL Draft (180th overall, LB Justin Rogers). He played in two games that year.

In 2005, Gorin played in 11 games, including starting the final eight contests. He also appeared in both of New England's postseason contests.

Gorin helped running back Corey Dillon set the Patriots' single-season rushing record with 1,635 yards as he played in a career-high 14 games (10 starts) and all three of New England's postseason outings, including its Super Bowl XXXIX win over Philadelphia.

After being declared inactive for all of San Diego's games as a rookie in 2001, Gorin split the 2002 campaign between St. Louis' and New England's practice squads.

At Purdue University, Gorin started 39 games as a three-year starter for the Boilermakers. He moved to offensive line after beginning his college career as a defensive lineman.

Gorin, 30, earned first-team all-state recognition as a defensive tackle at Southside High School in Muncie, Ind. Brandon Michael Gorin was born Aug. 17, 1978, in Muncie, Ind.