SB Nation Blog: TommyTSlice

Is Alan Embree the New Jim Mecir?

TommyTSlice — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 06:39:07 -0000

Last year Alan Embrees performance was much better than this season. Last season i did not care if he came in as i felt the lead was always safe. But this year different story and after allowing 3 runs in the bottom of the 8th tonight it just got me thinking maybe he is the new Mecir.

Jim Mecir I am sure you all remember him. Everytime this guy came in i just knew the A's were going to lose. Now I am starting to think the same for Embree any body else feel the same?

Coaches on Hot Seat (Not Shanny)

TommyTSlice — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 19:57:35 -0000

An article i found on foxsports.com nfl page.

It's around this time every year when a list comes out with NFL coaches on the hot seat. With competitive balance, parity and the pressure to win, it seems like more and more coaches are coming under fire.

Let's separate fact from fiction.

Here's Schein's list of coaches who shouldn't fret about their job security, regardless of how 2008 turns out.

Mike Shanahan: — Shanahan won a recent power struggle with ousted general manager Ted Sundquist. It's a pressure-packed year in Denver, but even if the Broncos win eight games or less, Shanahan's head won't roll.

Whenever you are debating whether or not to fire a coach, an owner always asks if the club can do better. Fact is, it is impossible to do better than Shanahan. He's 130-78 in 13 seasons. Shanahan has the two Super Bowl championships. That's what you call a Hall of Fame-type resume. And I don't want to hear that he had John Elway back then and it was Elway who delivered Shanahan his rings. Shanahan got Elway to realize the team went through Terrell Davis. And I don't want to hear people question what he's done since Elway. Shanahan has chalked up four of his seven double-digit win seasons since No. 7 retired. Shanahan is one of the brightest minds in all of football.

While Denver owner Pat Bowlen talked about how important 2008 was when the club axed Sundquist, Shanahan recently told me he feels no extra pressure. And he shouldn't. Shanahan will be the coach as long as Bowlen owns the team.

It isn't Shanahan's fault that Brandon Marshall continues to show immaturity. And while you can question some of his moves as the head of personnel (Maurice Clarett was a terrible idea, as was the entire Browns defensive line), make sure to also give Shanahan credit for the trades that equaled Champ Bailey and Dre Bly, plus the golden 2006 draft of franchise quarterback Jay Cutler, Elvis Dumervil, Tony Scheffler, and Marshall, who despite his off-field issues has the makings of a future Pro Bowl receiver.

Andy Reid: — Whenever I get e-mails (video style) here on FOXSports.com or phone calls on my Sirius NFL Radio show from Eagles fans who want to fire Reid, I shake my head and laugh.

Do you remember how gruesome your franchise was before Reid?

Do you honestly believe you can find someone better than this top-10 NFL coach?

I don't want to hear about Reid being distracted when his kids had personal problems. Were you in the house? You have absolutely no idea.

I don't want to hear about his play selection/time management in the Super Bowl vs. the Patriots. It wasn't great, I grant you, but let's look big picture.

Every single year you know that if the club stays healthy, you are going to be in the mix for the Super Bowl. You don't trash something like that.

He's a whopping 86-56 in his Eagles career, and that includes a 5-11 1999 season when he had to clean up a mess from a prior regime.

In his next eight seasons, he won double-digit games six times, making the NFC title game four times.

Andy Reid doesn't deserve hot-seat status. He deserves a statue erected outside the stadium.

Marvin Lewis: Surprised to see Lewis on the 'totally safe' list? Here's the deal — Marvin Lewis is an excellent football coach. You can make the case that he helped create the Chad Johnson situation by having a set of rules for Chad and another for everyone else. However, everyone in Cincy is applauding how he has drawn a proverbial line in the sand this offseason when dealing with Johnson.

The Bengals won't fire Lewis. The only question is whether Lewis, who is so well respected across the league, will look to leave for a place with more sanity.

Eric Mangini: — In 2006, he was "Man-genius," expertly guiding the Jets on a stunning and unpredictable march to the playoffs in his first year in New York. In 2007, well, let's just say he wasn't "Man-genius" as the Jets slumped to an underachieving four-win season.

But Mangini is a good, solid football coach who has the respect of owner Woody Johnson and general manager Mike Tannenbaum. Now, the stakes are most certainly raised in New York with Tannenbaum spending Mr. Johnson's money wisely and actively this offseason. However, unless there is a complete player revolt, Mangini won't lose his job after three seasons, even if the Jets finish behind the Patriots and the Bills in the AFC East.

ItB*s going to be a long season in Kansas City, but Herm Edwards gets a pass because the Chiefs are in rebuilding mode. (Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)

Herm Edwards: — If I did a power ranking for the upcoming season, my biggest debate would be whether or not to make the Chiefs the No. 31 or 32 team. It's going to be a long season in Kansas City.

While Edwards has his faults, like his inability to properly manage a clock despite the presence of time-management guru Dick Curl, his players play incredibly hard for him. And his results as a coach speak for themselves.

Kansas City — the clear cut winner of the 2008 NFL draft — is in full-fledged rebuilding mode. Chiefs president Carl Peterson hand-picked Edwards. Even when the Chiefs struggle to win four games, Edwards gets a free pass as this club looks to 2009 and 2010. And Herm will be around for those years, too.

Brad Childress: — Hide the women, children, and Sports Illustrated writer Dr. Z. When the good doctor picks your team to make the Super Bowl it is considered the ultimate jinx. And that's exactly what has happened to Minnesota. Expectations are rightly sky high with the Vikings this year after a sensational offseason, highlighted by the pickups of Jared Allen and Bernard Berrian. And Childress is tied directly to his young gunslinger Tarvaris Jackson, who I believe will thrive this season being coached up by the offensive master. You have to give the quarterback and coach time to grow together. There is also a thought that Brad Childress must deliver on the preseason hype to stay around past this season.

Look — Childress is a very savvy coach. As Darren Sharper has told me twice over the last few weeks, he's grown as a leader of men. Childress, like Mangini, is a task master. That can rub some players the wrong way. But even if the Vikings turn out to be the 7th best team in the NFC this year and fall short of the postseason, cooler heads will prevail.

Schein's hot seat list

The hot seat list is relatively easy — Scott Linehan, Mike Nolan, and John Fox are obvious (for the record, I think the world of Fox as a coach and I think Nolan will survive if Alex Smith shows progress). Wade Phillips is in a Super Bowl or bust season. That officially became a fact when Jerry Jones paid Jason Garrett a king's ransom to run his offense. Jim Zorn was originally hired to run the offense. Dan Snyder fired Marty Schottenheimer after one season. Zorn's seat, fair or unfair, is very warm.

Reminder: The always popular Schein-box (video-style) is back this week with a slew of reader e-mails, so keep sending them in!

Someone please help me

TommyTSlice — Thu, 15 May 2008 01:34:32 -0000

well someone with computer skills please tell me whats going on with my ubroadcast player.....i click on the chat icon and it just comes up white and looks all jacked....i downloaded it about five times now all with the same result.....i want to chat man someone please help!!!!!!!!!!!

I miss chatting on MHR radio night with my fellow bronco fans....its not fair blahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh help meeeeeeeeeeeeee Pleaseeeeeeee helppppppppppmeeeeeeeeeeee someone please

i love you

tslice out

ahhh shucks

TommyTSlice — Wed, 07 May 2008 23:35:08 -0000

Man i just read on ESPN.com that the Dallas Cowboys get to be on HBO's Hard Knocks camp show..

If you guys havent caught this show in the past couple of seasons its been pretty entertaining...

It gives an in depth look at teams training camps and position battles and undrafted free agents fighting hard for jobs....It also shows a couple of in depth look at pre season games....

I really enjoyed the show last year even though it was the Chiefs but it just is a well made show about the greatest sport on the Earth.

Ahh funny stuff

TommyTSlice — Tue, 06 May 2008 01:40:57 -0000

As me and my roommates were watching tv yesterday we were trying to predict who would win all of the divisions and the order each team would finish in.....

So we get through The AFC East, North, and South then we got the West....My order was Chargers, Broncos, Raiders, Chiefs but maybe with a possible denver team surprising people like my Oakland A's have so far this season.... This is where it starts to get funny...

My roommates start discussing my order and change it to....Chargers, Raiders, Chiefs, and Broncos....

I started busting laughing because this just shows me that i live with guys who dont know a thing about football...

They were saying stuff like; " Oh Cutler has diabetes now he is gonna fall of the face of the earth blah, blah, blah" and "Dude the Raiders have hella good guys now, their gonna be sick" and "Oh the Chiefs had the best draft ever and now they will be hella good"

I pretty much just laughed cause these our two guys who like the 49ers and our just jealous that they didnt wait a year for Cutler and Grab Marshall...

These our guys who thinks Nate Clements is better the Champ...

All i can do is just laugh at their non logic comments so i thought i would share it with you guys......

Cutler Talks about his Diabetes

TommyTSlice — Fri, 02 May 2008 23:50:37 -0000

Cutler dealing with diabetes, eager for season

Associated Press

Updated: May 2, 2008, 6:15 PM ET

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Jay Cutler realizes he should have recognized something was wrong last season when lost 35 pounds and some zip on his famous fastballs.

"I had no energy," the Denver Broncos' third-year quarterback said Friday. "We thought it might be stress and the grind of going through a whole season. But once I got back here and started working out again, I just wasn't making any improvement. I wasn't getting any stronger. I was still losing weight."

Routine blood tests that are required before players participate in the team's offseason strength and conditioning program revealed the answer: His sugars were about five times higher than normal.

[+] Enlarge

Steve Dykes/Getty Images

Jay Cutler said he lost 35 pounds last season before being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

The 25-year-old quarterback met with doctors last month, who told him he's an insulin-dependent diabetic. He got a crash course in the disease and its ramifications if uncontrolled.

"It's a little overwhelming to get that news and realize you're going to have to completely change your life," said Cutler, who accepted his fate after a few days.

"It's not something that's going to go away," Cutler said. "It's something I'm going to have to deal with my entire life and you've got to come to grips with that."

He said he never worried about his career being in jeopardy.

"No. That's the first thing they said to me: 'It's going to affect your lifestyle a little bit, but you'll be able to continue to play football,' " Cutler said. "I'm not the first athlete to get diabetes and I won't be the last."

Other professional athletes who dealt with diabetes and had successful careers include NFL quarterback Wade Wilson; tennis stars Arthur Ashe and Billie Jean King, Olympic swimmer Gary Hall Jr., NHL star Bobby Clarke, baseball Hall of Famer Ty Cobb and boxing greats Joe Frazier and Sugar Ray Robinson.

As long as Cutler manages his disease through exercise, medication and diet, there's no medical reason he wouldn't be able to continue performing at the NFL level. He'll have to monitor his blood glucose levels during games and drink some Gatorade if his sugars drop too low or take a shot of insulin if they skyrocket.

"I've got a lot of people watching me," Cutler said. "It's not going to affect me on the field. I'm going to make changes off the field, eating and stuff like that."

About 21 million Americans have diabetes, meaning their bodies cannot properly turn blood sugar into energy. Either they don't produce enough insulin or don't use it correctly. With the Type 1 form that Cutler has, the body's immune system attacks insulin-producing pancreatic cells, so that patients require insulin injections to survive. It usually, but not always, strikes in childhood.

The 6-foot-3 Cutler said he dropped from 238 pounds to 203 by season's end but is back up to 220 since beginning insulin injections after he was diagnosed last month.

They would ask me what was up and I would say, 'I don't know. I'm just so tired.' I was pale, I was skinny, I couldn't run. It was pretty dramatic.

-- Jay Cutler

"I've felt great. I've felt 100 times better," he said. "Just a difference now and four, five weeks ago is tremendous. It's hard to explain what you feel like when your levels are at 400, 500, it's different. You don't have any energy, you don't really want to do anything, you sleep a lot. It's tough to deal with."

Cutler said he had all the classic signs of diabetes: unexplained weight loss, frequent urination, constant thirst, lack of energy. Without a family history of the disease, though, he never suspected that was the culprit.

Cutler, the 11th pick in the 2006 draft, threw for nearly 3,500 yards and 20 touchdowns last season but the Broncos missed the playoffs for a second straight year. It was obvious as the season wore on that his arm strength wasn't what it was his rookie year, when he started the final five weeks of the season.

"I'm not going to blame it on that, but thinking back, there were some throws that didn't have a lot on them," Cutler said. "I was able to go out and perform, I just wasn't that energetic. I was tired. After the games, I was completely wiped out. Some games I didn't do a whole lot. There was something wrong."

In the weight room, he couldn't lift as much, and when he and teammates Brandon Marshall and Tony Scheffler gathered in Atlanta over the winter to work out together, Cutler said there were times he couldn't get out of bed in the morning he was so exhausted.

"They would ask me what was up and I would say, 'I don't know. I'm just so tired,' " Cutler recalled. When he went back to campus to visit friends at Vanderbilt, they, too, wondered what was wrong: "I was pale, I was skinny, I couldn't run. It was pretty dramatic."

Now, he feels like a million bucks and he's eager to get into practices and exhibitions to see how his body reacts and how he can keep his blood sugars in control during competition.

As for his changes in diet, no more eating, as he put it, "anything and everything."

"It's a big adjustment," Cutler said. "You're 25 years old, you're used to eating whatever you want, doing whatever you want. If you want to go out to lunch, go ahead and go. Now, you're counting carbs and eating healthier and injecting insulin at the table. You've got to have your insulin, your needles, your glucose meter, yeah, it's a big change. But it's something you have to deal with."

Eating less fast food is a silver lining to his diagnosis, said Cutler, who is looking into getting an insulin pump in the next month and plans to expand his charity work to include juvenile diabetes.

He also wants fans to know he's going to be all right.

"This is a serious, serious disease, and I'm going to have it for the rest of my life," Cutler said. "It's not going to change me on the field. I'm going to have some lifestyle changes, but I'm probably going to be a better quarterback this year than I was last year."

Strength of Schedule

TommyTSlice — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 01:22:38 -0000

Something for ESPN.com

Steelers, Colts have toughest 2008 schedules

ESPN.com

Updated: April 15, 2008, 7:19 PM ET

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2008 Strength of Schedule
Team     Opponents' '07 win pct.     Opponents' '07 wins     Opponents' '07 losses
Steelers     .598     153     103
Colts     .594     152     104
Jaguars     .559     143     113
Vikings     .551     141     115
Ravens     .551     141     115
Bengals     .547     140     116
Texans     .547     140     116
Browns     .547     140     116
Lions     .543     139     117
Titans     .543     139     117
Bears     .531     136     120
Packers     .531     136     120
Redskins     .523     134     122
Cowboys     .523     134     122
Eagles     .520     133     123
Giants     .520     133     123
Rams     .488     125     131
49ers     .484     124     132
Seahawks     .477     122     134
Buccaneers     .469     120     136
Falcons     .469     120     136
Cardinals     .465     119     137
Dolphins     .465     119     137
Panthers     .465     119     137
Jets     .457     117     139
Chiefs     .453     116     140
Bills     .449     115     141
Saints     .449     115     141
Broncos     .445     114     142
Raiders     .438     112     144
Chargers     .422     108     148
Patriots     .387     99     157

Kind of hard to read but take the last numbers move them over to the end under 07 losses and the middle numbers under 07 wins...

Well it seems the team that was undefeated has the easiest schedule which i find odd...

Two of our division foes are just ahead of this too....

To sum it up we have to win this year with this schedule...

Cutler To Bennet

TommyTSlice — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 05:14:02 -0000

Broncos' Cutler helps college teammate on pro day

Associated Press
Mark Humphrey/AP
Jay Cutler tosses passes to Earl Bennett during Vanderbilt's pro day.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Jay Cutler found himself battling a case of nerves Friday, standing in front of representatives of every NFL team.

Not for himself, the starting quarterback of the Denver Broncos, but for his buddy and ex-college teammate, Earl Bennett.

Chris Graythen / Getty Images
Vanderbilt WR Earl Bennett had the benefit of catching passes from former teammate and current Broncos QB Jay Cutler during Vanderbilt's pro day Friday.

Cutler hadn't played with Bennett since Cutler's final season at Vanderbilt in 2005. But Cutler and Bennett share an agent in Bus Cook. So when the Southeastern Conference's all-time leading receiver decided to turn pro a year early, he called up Cutler for a little help prepping for the NFL Draft.

They put in nearly three weeks of training for Vanderbilt's Pro Day, and Cutler completed all 22 passes to Bennett to help wrap up the session including a nice shoestring catch by Bennett on a windy day.

"He was more relaxed than I was," Cutler said of Bennett after the workout. "I had a lot of responsibility on my shoulders to get some good balls to him. I threw a few bad ones. He made some catches for me, and it turned out really well I think."

It is very rare for a starting NFL quarterback to go back and help out an old college teammate. But Bennett was the best receiver Cutler ever had while at Vanderbilt, even though the quarterback was around only for Bennett's freshman season. Cutler is why Bennett caught 79 passes for 876 yards in 2005, a strong start to setting the SEC record with 236 receptions.

That is why Cutler was one of the first people Bennett called when he decided to turn pro.

"We talked about the situation me coming out. He said if I ever need him for anything, give him a call. I called him up and asked if he could throw to me at Pro Day," Bennett said.

Not just on Pro Day. Cutler and Bennett started getting back into rhythm in Atlanta for Friday's session, and Cutler has given Bennett and other Vanderbilt draft prospects tips on dealing with the NFL Combine, team interviews and visits.

Cutler said he was happy to help someone he sees as a great guy who had a great career at Vanderbilt.

"I'm excited for him," Cutler said.

On a breezy, warm day, the duo capped off a busy Pro Day that featured each NFL team.

Cutler threw 22 passes after the two cracked some jokes during their own warmup, and Bennett caught every one with three deep balls just to help show off Bennett's acceleration. The performance had to help dispel some myths about a receiver who had been tabbed as slow at the combine, where he ran 4.48 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

Bennett didn't run the 40 Friday. But he showed nice acceleration in chasing down slants and those long passes.

"They're used to each other and of course Earl played pretty good for Jay a few years back," Cook said. "I'm sure he helped Jay back in the day. But you don't find very often for a guy to come back and help out a teammate like Jay did. It was beneficial to Earl I'm sure."

The 6-foot, 204-pound receiver has a batch of visits lined up starting Monday with the hometown Tennessee Titans, who had scouts on hand Friday. Bennett said any chance to work with a pro like Cutler helps.

"I thought we did a pretty good job today, and I'm grateful he came out here," Bennett said.

Bennett wasn't the only prospect being studied Friday. Linebackers Jonathan Goff and Marcus Buggs showed off good hands, while defensive lineman Theo Horrocks and offensive tackle Brian Stamper were among 12 players working out for scouts.

But Vanderbilt's top draft prospect is left tackle Chris Williams, a 6-6, 320-pound lineman projected to go within the top 15 selections who possibly could top Cutler, who was the 11th pick overall in 2006 by Denver.

Williams is breaking up the wait until draft day by getting married on April 5.

"I would've had a month off until the draft. I've got the wedding in the middle, so it's helping a lot," Williams said.

Shananagans

TommyTSlice — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 19:03:28 -0000

This season big test for controlling Shanahan
Sando

By Mike Sando
ESPN.com
(Archive)

Updated: March 15, 2008

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Mike Shanahan is no longer ahead of his time.

Once a trailblazer among NFL coaches seeking to control all aspects of football operations, the Denver Broncos' leading power broker now stands among a shrinking minority in his profession.

The New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings also operate under the coach-as-dictator model, or close to it.

But numerous others have abandoned the approach, usually for good reason. While the arrangement has served the Patriots well, the Broncos must win in 2008 for Shanahan to regain credibility as executive vice president. His teams are 1-4 in playoff games since Denver claimed a second consecutive Super Bowl title nine years ago.

[+] Enlarge
Mike Shanahan and Ted Sundquist

AP Photo/Ed Andrieski

Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan (left) and former GM Ted Sundquist no longer are working together in Denver.

The Broncos finished 13-3 in 2005, 9-7 in 2006 and 7-9 last season. Meanwhile, Shanahan's penchant for shuffling defensive coordinators and his firing of general manager Ted Sundquist have refocused attention on the coach's sweeping executive powers. The subject merits examination, but with a young staff and a promising quarterback in Jay Cutler, the organizational overhaul can wait.

More than anything, the Broncos need Shanahan's best coaching job in 2008.

Top offensive assistants Gary Kubiak and Mike Heimerdinger are gone. Quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates, 31, has added passing-game coordinator to his title this offseason. Bates might qualify as an ascending young coach, but Shanahan can't leave anything to chance this season. The Broncos' success hinges on whether Cutler, 24, realizes what NFL scouts widely regard as massive potential.

Cutler has 29 touchdown passes in his first 21 regular-season games. He was the NFL's No. 12 passer with an 88.1 rating last season. Primary receiver Brandon Marshall, still only 23, finished with 102 catches for 1,325 yards.

An organization can build around that level of production from young players in those positions.

However, the Broncos need to get younger on defense through the draft, and they need Shanahan to assume the primary role in helping Cutler take the next step. They need Shanahan's coaching more than his "executive vice presidenting."

Teams hire coaches to coach. They generally put coaches in charge of personnel only when a hot candidate possesses sufficient leverage to broker such an arrangement.

Shanahan declined the Broncos' first attempt to hire him away from the San Francisco 49ers in 1993. The 49ers won a Super Bowl the following season with Shanahan as offensive coordinator. When the Broncos finally landed Shanahan in 1995, they gave him a level of control few other coaches had enjoyed.

The model worked when Bill Walsh was picking the players for the 49ers. Bill Belichick has made it work for the Patriots, in part because he trusts vice president Scott Pioli.

Others have come to regret the arrangement, and the Broncos might be close to joining them.

Coaches Jimmy Johnson, Dave Wannstedt and Nick Saban combined to win three playoff games in 11 seasons while running the Miami Dolphins.

Dan Reeves enjoyed one spectacular season and four losing ones during a six-year run atop the Atlanta Falcons.

Bill Parcells won one playoff game while overseeing the New York Jets.

The Seattle Seahawks failed to win a playoff game under Mike Holmgren until he was forced to share control over personnel.

The 49ers have reduced Mike Nolan's powers this offseason, promoting Scot McCloughan to general manager.

Tom Coughlin succeeded as the main man with the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he won a championship only after three humbling seasons with the New York Giants.

Anyone who has surveyed Shanahan's prolific team-issued bio knows humbling will not come easy, for "every successful team has one key leader, and those organizations that have achieved the greatest success have an ultimate leader -- an individual combining exceptional talent and organizational skills with the dynamic drive to lead others to success."

There's more: "When the success of a leader is achieved, and repeated, in an atmosphere of great pressure and expectations, that leader is elevated to elite status."

Indeed, Shanahan's teams have averaged 10 victories per season since 1995, including 9.8 over the past five. But the Broncos' roster features only a dozen players drafted by the organization, a league-low figure and half the average of the other 31 teams. There is nothing elite about that.

And the model Shanahan followed to consecutive Super Bowl victories in the late 1990s is no longer available to him.

While Shanahan found Terrell Davis, Trevor Pryce, John Mobley and Dan Neil in the draft, his championship teams featured key holdovers from previous regimes, notably John Elway, Shannon Sharpe, Steve Atwater and Tom Nalen. Shanahan also landed a long list of productive players through other means: Ed McCaffrey, Bill Romanowski, Harry Swayne, Neil Smith, Maa Tanuvasa, Darrien Gordon, Glenn Cadrez, Howard Griffith and Mark Schlereth.

Free agency has become less helpful now that more teams are re-signing key players before they can test the market. The Broncos must get better the old-fashioned way.

The franchise quarterback appears to be in place. More than ever, it's time for Shanahan to coach him up.

Mike Sando covers the NFL for ESPN.com.

KC Joyner

TommyTSlice — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 21:39:54 -0000

KC Joyner the football scientist on ESPN was answering questions today....

So I asked him one and he replied...

TommyTSlice(CA): Assuming the Broncos sign safety Marlon McCree how will the moves they've made improve their defense?

SportsNation KC Joyner: (4:38 PM ET ) McCree would be a great fit for any secondary that needs veteran leadership. I usually avoid that kind of comment, as it is often used as a cliche for any veteran regardless of if he possesses leadership skills, but McCree is that kind of person. He can get a secondary to gel because he creates a group environment among the back four. Denver doesn't need that, so I don't know that signing him would be the best move for them.