The number 2 pick is not an easy pick to move.  Generally if there was someone that desirable a team would simply go all in and trade for the number 1.  Especially with the trade value charts, both classic and slightly more modern, saying that it is going to cost you severely.  I say the hell with it though in this draft, and would gladly sell the number two pick for cheap to hopefully lure a buyer.  Without hesitance i would trade back for any of the remaining top 6 picks for nothing more than the cost of their second rounder.  I think at that price we could find a buyer as well.  Here is why I like this idea:

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Oh the wonderful season of mock drafts has arrived (and is unfortunately well underway due to our sub-par play this year).  Since you can never have too many mock drafts and they serve as such a great way to get to know this years draft class i would like to submit my answers to the Broncos' needs.

As a teaser let me tell you that we land a player who's name rhymes with Havid Darris, stick with it after the jump for more.

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here is a mock that i find plausible and in my eyes very satisfying.

 for this specific mock i will be using the rankings from nfl.draftsite.com along with their player profiles when available.

a large question mark is still Brandon Marshall.  I think that it will be interesting how this plays out and could certainly see him coming to a deal and trade with Seattle for that 14th pick before draft day.  (side note:  wouldn't it be interesting if during the draft, a player slips to that 14th spot and McD calls up Seattle and tells them to draft someone and then trade Marshall for them)  Although other interested parties might surface, I am going to assume that keep Marshall for the sake of this draft

this will pretty different from my previous mock drafts, and despite it being a deep draft i do not think we will accumulate nearly as many picks as i have seen (or would ideally have).  I believe that trading down is a direction that we could go, and certainly would try to, but in case we get no suitors i would go this way:

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Wait for it....

Kirk Morrison

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I just can't wait for free agency to kick in and even more so for us to get invovled.  I remember last year how slow it started with no action until the signing of a new long snapper of all things.  Then the flood started.  We were bringing everyone in!  It was just too bad that it was overshadowed by the Cutler nonsense.  Very curious how we will be involoved this year with no CBA and no teams really knowing how it will fall into place this offseason.

But oh the people i want...

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Now that tenders are falling all around the league, anyone see a player that would be worth giving up a pick for?

I have certainly been intrigued by a number of players out there and would be more than willing to give up a second or a third for some of them. 

More after the jump

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This is the last mock before the combine, not that anyone actually cares I'm sure.  By the next one we should have a much better idea at where prospects will most likely be falling come draft day.  Also free agency will have settled out enough to give us a better idea as to what positions the Denver Broncos will really need to target in the draft.

I think that the team will not make a splash with any huge names this offseason.  Though I have rooted for bringing in Pickett or Dansby, I see it highly unlikely at this point.  I have been a strong promoter of Tank Johnson working in to the rotation on the DL but now it sounds like the Bengals have made him in offer so that is pretty much off the board.  I would expect to see a number of ex-Patriots coming to town again, and for the first time will include Jarvis Green as a pickup in free agency.

As we move along this offseason I am seeing it as more likely that Brandon Marshall will be a member of the Broncos in this upcoming season, so for the purposes of this draft I will leave him on the team.  I also see it leaning slightly towards the possible parting of fan favorite Elvis, but for now I will also be keeping him on the roster. 

So here we go again

Resigning:

*Orton;  I feel that getting him back on board is a must.  I would place the highest tender on him.  One of the little blessings of the CBA failing is that we will keep Orton for very reasonable money while we get another year to scout out Orton for the future.

*Marshall;  Hopefully being benched for the last game was just what the doctor ordered.  If it puts even a little sense into him, mix that with slightly less than 9 mil a year and hopefully he will quit being a little bitch and we can just reap his benefits. 

*Kuper;  After careful reconsidering I say give him a contract.  Give him the offseason with the new line coach and I am sure that he will be able to mold into the type of guard that we will need to run our new system.  I do not want to be in a bidding war for Mankins and Amano is obviously taken at this point.  Kuper is as good as the rest of the guards hitting the market and it will be one less new face on our line. 

*Dumervil;  I hope that he realizes that he is a specialty player rather than an every down one at this point and that his long term contract needs to be negotiated accordingly.  Hopefully in time he can defend the run better.  I am getting closer to accepting that he may be going to Miami, but for now he is staying a Bronco.

*Prater;  Resign him.  He is good.  He is a kicker, he won't break the bank.

 Free Agents:

*Jarvis Green

Green seems to be fairly known through out this sight.  He was drafted by the Pats in the 4th round of the 2002 draft.  He has played for New England every year but has only started 34 games for them.  He is solid as a 3-4 end who's strength lies in defending the run, even though this has been overshadowed by his ability to get to the passer.  He put up is best years argueably in 2006 and 2007, earning 7.5 and 6.5 sacks respectively.  I think that he could start at either side of Fields, but if not he could certainly work into that constant rotation the McDaniels prefers.  He would be an upgrade over Peterson in my eyes for sure.

*Ken Lucas

Ken Lucas is a very solid cornerback, even at the age of 31.  I see Ty Law's stint with the team as being over, and Lucas gives us depth at corner that we could obviously use.  There is hope for Alpohonso and Tony Carter showed us some promise as well, but this is a veteran to have around.  It does not hurt us to bring him in for the offseason, even if he does not somehow make the final roster (which he would).  Lucas was taken in the 2nd round in 2001 by the Seahawks.  He had a four year stint with the Panthers, where he got punched in the face by Steve Smith, before returning to the Seahawks last season.  His character was actually highly praised for his forgiveness of Steve Smith that was sappy enough that Lifetime should make a movie on it.  At 6'0" and 205lbs he would be the first six foot corner on our team (Bailey can list himself as whatever he wants, he is not 6'0" tall though).  This helps with particular matchups in the nickel or dime, especially against San Diego where they field nothing but giants.  This is the equivalent of the Andre Goodman pickup where not many were super excited and apparently we all should have been since he was great.  This is a cheap addition to a core that could use another player.

*Ben Watson

Benjamin Watson it is.  This seems to be the popular consensus here.  I personally prefer Matt Spaeth in this position, but feedback from previous mocks shows that people like the pass catching tight end more than the player who fits our needs, so keep the people content, Watson it is.  Watson was the last pick of the 1st round in 2004 by the Patriots.  He is an above average blocker, both run and pass, but he true strengths lies in his soft hands.  He was rarely used in the passing game, as is the style of New England, but still accumulated 138 receptions for 1,698 yards and 15 touchdowns over his span there.  It his said that he seeks a team that will let him run more routes, but apparently most fans here hopes he is only kidding.  He would be good asset on this team, and with his history with McDaniels it woud not be a stretch having him appear here, but I still believe that Spaeth would be the better option.

*Kevin Faulk

Everyone bitched when I put him in my first mock draft, well, deal with it, we all know it is coming whether we like it or not.  It won't be all bad though.  He is large upgrade over Jordan.  He would practically be a positional coach that occasionally gets to play.  The guy would be a wealth of information for a young future back.   Faulk was taken in the 2nd round by the Pats in 1999.  He has always been a very good player in this year, even in his later years.  I sure everybody here knows (even though who ever the Patriots are playing don't seem to pickup on it) that on 3rd and about 6 and Faulk is in the game it is going to him in the flat and he will get the yards for the first.  He really would be a very good example for the rest of the backfield to learn from, and we may even be able to use his soft hands on 3rd down sometime.

I am sure there will be other pickups this offseason, most likely an offensive tackle as backup, especially considering Harris' uncertain status, and perhaps a wide receiver for atleast training camp competition.

Pre-Draft Trades:

* Denver Broncos trade TE Tony Scheffler to the Cleveland Browns for their 5th round pick

Scheffler goes to Holgrems west coast offense he will be bringing to Cleveland.  Cleveland has an extra pick in this round and we take the lower of the two.  Unfortunately, I don't think he is worth what a few constant contributors to this sight think he is.  No one would take the tender on him and we certainly do not want him back so we trade him for what we could get, even if he is worth more.

* Dever Broncos trade their 7th round pick to the New York Jets for QB Kevin O'Connell

Yea thats right.  I know many are on Brandstater's jock, and I too am interested in the kids future, but he is far from a lock.  I have no problem with bringing in O'Connell who his practially identical to Brandstater at 6'5" 225.  He has atleast some experience this type of system.  By the end of college at San Diego State, he was an above average quarterback, eventually being taken in the 3rd round of the 2008 draft.  The Jets have little to no use for him and will probably cut him anyways, take him before he hits the waiver wires.  I was probably just going to draft some QB with the 7th round pick anyways who would not likely have as much upside as O'Connell.

* side note:  we try and try and try to trade Hillis but we get no offers.  He remains a Broncos for atleast now, but don't expect him to make the 53 man roster unless he learns how to block at an NFL level this offseason.

The 2010 NFL Draft:

For the record, for this draft I am basing my rankings on  http://www.draftsite.com/nfl/2010mock.htm and 

pick trades on http://www.draftcountdown.com/features/Value-Chart.php ***

I love the draft.  It is hard because it is a crap shoot, but even in craps, some numbers (players) have better odds of payout, and others have worse odds but better rewards.  Here goes nothing.  At this point the Broncos have the following picks:

round 1; 10

round 2; 45

round 3; 81

round 4; 112

round 5: 134 (from CLE)

round 6; 174

**obviously 4th and beyond round picks will ultimately be adjusted slightly due to compensentory picks**

*With the 10th pick the Denver Broncos take ILB Rolando McClain from Alabama 6'4" 248lbs

More and more mocks round the web are starting to have him falling even past us.  Hopefully enough of them are right and he is sitting here when we go to pick.  Everybody knows all about this guy.  People have been on and off of his wagon the past month and I am saying get back on.  Where I really like his playing ability is in stopping the run.  He had 95 total stops last season with 12 behind the line of scrimmage.  ILB is deep in this draft though, including popular Micah Johnson and my boy Angerer from Iowa, but McClain has an unmatched leadership quality and presence on the field.  Ultimately he would be great value here in a position that we could use a major upgrade.  Hopefully he could contribute quickly if nothing else than in defending the run. 

**Trade Alert**

Denver trade the 45th pick to Dallas for the 59th and 91st pick  (draft points 450 vs 446)

I have had us taking Patrick Robinson (who I love at corner) since my first mock, but I have received more than one comment about at 5'11" he is too short.  Though I disagree because he has mad hops, I have another corner that I also like that I can take later that matches up a little better against Jackson and Floyd if need be one day.

With the 59th pick the Denver Broncos take OG John Jerry from Mississippi.  6'5"  335lbs

I have had him in all my previous mocks and I need to keep moving him up my draft board as his stock keeps soaring, The combine should help determine if this is high enough for him or maybe even too high, we can only wait it out.  This is the man you bring in to either push Olsen or surpass him.  You get some serious bulk on the interior line with this pick.  He helped the Rebels rank second in the SEC in rushing with 186.5 ypg and fourth in sacks allowed with 1.54 pg.  His brother was a first round pick by Atlanta last year at DE, so if you believe in having "football in his blood" than add that to his qualifications.  He is incredibely strong and holds his ground very well.  Though I hope that he would fall down to the 3rd round or maybe even the 4th, if he impresses at the combine and he we have to jump on him early, I do not think that we miss with this pick here.

*Side note, I prefer Jerry for the power system we are starting this year, but I also like Asamoah, Ducasse or Mike Johnson either here or with our 81st pick. 

**Trade Alert**

The Denver Broncos trade the 81st and 112th pick to the Tampa Bay Bucs for the 67th pick  (draft points 255 vs 255)

This is a very plausible trade, especially cause we did it more that one last year to move up a dozen or so spots.  Tampa can use all the picks they can get, they are way off, and in a deeper draft I could see them being willing come draft day.

With the 67th pick the Denver Broncos take RB Anthony Dixon from Mississippi State.  6'1" 240lbs

I think most people know who Dixon is and know what he can do.  He is better than Blount and is not a head case.  With 1,391 rushing yards in his senior season, Dixon set the Mississippi State single-season rushing record and led the team in rushing for four years.  This guy is seriously a bruiser, youtube him if you haven't seen him run people over.  He could challenge Buck for number two and easily be our short yardage answer.  I believe that someone will snag him if he wait until the 81st pick, most likely Philly at 71 overall, so trading up to jump the gun on them does not hurt us. 

With the 91st pick the Denver Broncos take OT Kyle Calloway from Iowa.  6'7" 320lbs

I have previously been working with Ciron Black as my backup tackle to draft but not only is his stock rising more than I think it should be, but I think after more consideration I would take Calloway over Black or Sam Young anyways.  He started his career in Iowa at left tack before being bumped by probably top ten pick Bulaga to the right side.  Last season he started 11 games at right tackle before starting Orange Bowl at right guard.  He has the versatility to play many positions on our line, thus making him a far more valuable asset then a one dimentional alternative.   Though not as good as Bulaga, this guy is no slouch.  Polumbus, while good at moments, really let us down and proved he is not able to be a starter at this point of his career.  You bring in Calloway for the 'in case' scenario that we lose a tackle for either a game or a longer period of time.

*side note, other tackle options would be Ed Wang or Chris Scott, both would be reaching at this pick but both play some good football.  I am just a little partial, GO HAWKS!

*With the 134th pick the Denver Broncos take Al Woods from LSU.  6'4" 314lbs

Woods comes from a 4-3 background at LSU where he started all 12 games this season for the Tigers at left defensive tackle.  He was the size where he could play NT tackle or DE in the 3-4.  I think that, as with most d-line players, the transition to the NFL would take a couple years so do not expect him to be too deep in the rotation right out of the gate.  He is a talented football player that can certainly be coached up in time.  Playing as DT he still works some penitration and managed 4.5 half tackles for a loss and a sack playing against some of the better competition in college football.  He is not the save all but he is a solid player with good potential and would be worthy of this pick.

*Side note, everyone is sure that Cam Thomas will be gone by here, I personally think he will slip pretty far and if so I prefer him at this pick.  Other notible options would be Granger, Ross, and Udofia, but like Woods it is nearly impossible to predict how their talents would role into the NFL.

**Trade Alert**

The Denver Broncos trade a future (2011) 5th round pick to the Miami Dolphins for a 6th round pick

The Dolphins have three pick in this round and we would asking for the last of three.  I believe that they would be willing to trade one of them for another pick next year.

*With the 170th pick the Denver Broncos take CB Chris Cook from Virginia.  6'2" 210lbs

Cook is an absolutely excellent cornerback.  I have been back and forth between him and Myron Lewis, but ultimately Cook wins out.  Both are 6'2" but Cook has the extra 10 pounds which could help him square up on people as wideouts keep getting larger and taller.  Cook will give us depth at the position as Bailey gets older and Alphonso grows into his own.  In 2009 Cook racked up 40 tackles and 4 interceptions, though those numbers do not jump out at anyone, he played better than that.  Check him out if you have not seen him play at all and you will see what I am talking about.  I am truly excited to watch him as the draft approachs and then hopefully in orange and blue after.

With the 174th pick the Denver Broncos take C Erick Cook from New Mexico.  6'6" 318lbs

Cook is the center who barely missed my first drafts.  He is a poor mans Pouncey.  Being rough around the edges he would not come in and start his first year in our system.  Cook was one of the premier offensive linemen in the Mountain West Conference and for what it's worth CollegeFootballNews.com rates him as the Lobos' best player on either side of the ball.  He developed into a real leader up front last year and made all the line calls and blitz adjustments for the offense after they lost their QB.  This gives him a real advantage and I believe brownie points in McXanders eyes.  It also helps that he is an excellent athlete who can play any position on the line, and has for the Lobos, once 4 of the 5 in one game.  Weigmann has one more year on his contract and hopefully will play better.  Perhaps a healthy Kuper will help him, not to mention the liability of Hamilton being gone.  Maybe the power blocking scheme will click for him.  Either way, give Cook a year behind him to work with the new line coach and get molded into the player that we we need him to be.

*side note: we pick up WR Kelton Tindal from Newberry as a undrafted free agent.  A buddy of mine sent me some links of him playing and though his game is unpolished, he is 6'3" 190lbs and last was clock at 4:28.  Its not that he is bad, it is just that he has been playing at a whole nother level and this would be a drastic change.  Bring him in and see if you can work with him enough to make the team either as a returner or a deep threat.

So, to all the people who probably don't care anyways, this is it till after the combine

***This is primarily updating based on comments from my last one, it seems that enough disliked L.T. coming to town that I dropped it and most thought I was being too optimistic on a few draft picks being around in later rounds.  For the record, for this draft I am basing my ranking on  http://www.draftsite.com/nfl/2010mock.htm and pick trades on http://www.draftcountdown.com/features/Value-Chart.php ***

So my main goal here is for people to atleast find it plausible.  Good luck to me!

My philosophy for this coming period has had some changes.  For one, Marshall is finally being excepted by me and will be a member of the team in this version.  I have also decided to retain Kuper after previously letting him go for a 2nd round tender.  In free agency I will not be pursuing a major cost free agent after previously going after either Pickett or Dansby.  In the draft I will keep the 10/11 pick for the first time.  This all windes up giving me a lot less draft picks to work with which I believe is ultimately far more realistic than the dozen or so I often see worked with.  So after the jump, here it goes again!

Resigning:

*Orton;  I feel that getting him back on board is a must.  I would place the highest tender on him.  One of the little blessings of the CBA failing is that we will keep Orton for very reasonable money while we get another year to scout out Orton for the future.

*Marshall;  Hopefully being benched for the last game was just what the doctor ordered.  If it puts even a little sense into him, mix that with slightly less than 9 mil a year and hopefully he will quit being a little bitch and we can just reap his benefits. 

*Kuper;  After careful reconsidering I say give him a contract.  Give him the offseason with the new line coach and I am sure that he will be able to mold into the type of guard that we will need to run our new system.  I do not want to be in a bidding war for Mankins and I do not think that Amano hits the market.  Kuper is as good as the rest of the guards hitting the market and it will be one less new face on our line. 

*Dumervil;  I hope that he realizes that he is a specialty player rather than an every down one at this point and that his long term contract needs to be negotiated accordingly.  Hopefully in time he can defend the run better.  I am getting closer to accepting that he may be going to Miami, but for now he is staying a Bronco.  Yay.

*Prater;  Resign him.  He is good.  He is a kicker, he won't break the bank.

Free Agents:

* Tank Johnson

I am rolling him over from my mock a couple weeks ago.  We take a gamble on Mr Tank Johnson.  The Bengals with most likely be parting ways with this veteran player.  He was kept his nose clean for awhile now and would fit in nicely with our core of leaders on defense.  He would be in instant upgrade over Peterson on the outside and would be in the ever deep rotation that McDaniels favors playing on the line.   I could see Jarvis Green here but I think that Tank is a better player.

 *Ben Watson

This one is for the people.  I had us bringing in Matt Spaeth, but had made a comment undernieth about Watson being my second option and people reading seemed to prefer Watson. I personally think that is because people want a good pass catching tight end and do not understand that that is not the direction we are going, but whatever.  Watson is a good player and is not too shabby in his blocking abilities both in run and pass situation.  He is smaller and will cost more money that Spaeth would, but I am aiming to make people happy for once.

*Kevin Faulk

Everyone bitched when I put him in my first mock draft, well, deal with it, we all know it is coming whether we like it or not.  It won't be all bad though.  He is large upgrade over Jordan.  He would practically be a positional coach that occasionally gets to play.  The guy would be a wealth of information for a young future back. 

Pre-Draft Trades:

* Denver Broncos trade TE Tony Scheffler to the Cleveland Browns for their 5th round pick

Scheffler goes to Holgrems west coast offense he will be bringing to Cleveland.  Cleveland has an extra pick in this round and we take the lower of the two.

* Dever Broncos trade their 7th round pick to the New York Jets for QB Kevin O'Connell

Yea thats right.  I know many are on Brandstater's jock, and I too am interested in the kids future, but he is far from a lock.  I have no problem with bringing in O'Connell who his practially identical to Brandstater at 6'5" 225.  He has atleast some experience this type of system.  The Jets have little to no use for him and will probably cut him anyways, take him before he hits the waiver wires.  I was probably just going to draft some QB with the 7th round pick anyways who would not likely have as much upside as O'Connell.

* side note:  we try and try and try to trade Hillis but we get no offers.  He remains a Broncos for atleast now, but don't expect him to make the 53 man roster unless he learns how to block at an NFL level this offseason.

The 2010 NFL Draft:

I love the draft.  It is hard because it is a crap shoot, but even in craps, some numbers (players) have better odds of payout, and others have worse odds but better rewards.  Here goes nothing.  At this point the Broncos have the following picks:

round 1; 10

round 2; 45

round 3; 81

round 4; 112

round 5: 134 (from CLE)

round 6; 174

*With the 10th pick the Denver Broncos take ILB Rolondo McClain from Alabama 6'4" 248lbs

More and more mocks round the web are starting to have him falling even past us.  Hopefully enough of them are right and he is sitting here when we go to pick.  Everybody knows all about this guy.  People have been on and off of his wagon the past month and I am saying get back on.  Ultimately he would be great value here in a position that we could use a major upgrade.  Hopefully he could contribute quickly if nothing else than in defending the run. 

**Trade Alert**

Denver trade the 45th pick to Dallas for the 59th and 91st pick  (draft points 450 vs 446)

I have had us taking Patrick Robinson (who I love at corner) since my first mock, but I have received more than one comment about at 5'11" he is too short.  Though I disagree because he has mad hops, I have another corner that I also like that I can take later that matches up a little better against Jackson and Floyd if need be one day.

With the 59th pick the Denver Broncos take OG John Jerry from Mississippi.  6'5"  348lbs

I have had him in all my previous mocks and I need to keep moving him up my draft board as his stock keeps soaring, he finally cracked the second round here.  This is the man you bring in to either push Olsen or surpass him.  You want bulk, you get bulk.  This man is big and he plays his size.  He is incredibely strong and holds his ground very well.  I do not think that we miss with this pick here.

**Trade Alert**

The Denver Broncos trade the 81st and 112th pick to the Tampa Bay Bucs for the 67th pick  (draft points 255 vs 255)

This is a very plausible trade, especially cause we did it more that one last year to move up a dozen or so spots.  Tampa can use all the picks they can get, they are way off, and in a deeper draft I could see them being willing come draft day.

With the 67th pick the Denver Broncos take RB Anthony Dixon from Mississippi State.  6'1" 240lbs

I think most people know who Dixon is and know what he can do.  He is better than Blount and is not a head case.  Especially since I dropped L.T. from FA signings, we could use another back.  This guy is seriously a bruiser, youtube him if you haven't seen him run people over.  He could challenge Buck for number two and easily be our short yardage answer. 

With the 91st pick the Denver Broncos take OT Kyle Calloway from Iowa.  6'7" 320lbs

I have previously been working with Ciron Black as my backup tackle to draft but not only is his stock rising more than I think it should be, but I think after more consideration I would take Calloway over Black or Sam Young anyways.  As it stand this would be a slight reach as he will probably fall closer to 100 to 105 as of now, I feel as the draft gets closer his stock will rise and this will be a very minor reach if any.  Though not as good as Bulaga on the other side of Iowa's line, this guy is no slouch.  Polumbus, while good at moments, really let us down and proved he is not able to be a starter at this point of his career.  You bring in Calloway for the 'in case' scenario that we lose a tackle for either a game or a longer period of time.  A slightly bigger option at backup that can work the power run scheme coming to town.

*With the 134th pick the Denver Broncos take CB Chris Cook from Virginia.  6'2" 210lbs

I am taking Cook a full round and a half before he is projected in many place but this man's stock is going to go way up as the offseason continues.  I have been back and forth between him and Myron Lewis, but ultimately Cook wins out.  Both are 6'2" but Cook has the extra 10 pounds which could ultimately help him square up on people as wideouts keep getting larger and taller.  Cook will give us depth at the position as Bailey gets older and Alphonso grows into his own.  I am truly excited to watch him as the draft approachs and then hopefully in orange and blue after.

With the 174th pick the Denver Broncos take C Erick Cook from New Mexico.  6'6" 318lbs

Cook is the center who barely missed my cut on my previous draft.  He is nearly identical in size to Pouncey, an inch taller actually.  He is rough around the edges though.  He would not come in and start his first year in our system, but Weigmann has one more year on his contract and hopefully will play better.  Perhaps a healthy Kuper will help him, not to mention the liability of Hamilton being gone.  Maybe the power blocking scheme will click for him.  Either way, give Cook a year behind him to work with the new line coach and get molded into the player that we we need him to be.

*side note: in this draft left unaddressed was NT.  I do not think that Fields played that bad this year.  I would love an upgrade should one be available and a better value than one of the picks I made, but I do not need to take a late round one with all the hopes in the world that they will be a probowl caliber player.  There are certainly a few I really like, namely Granger, Ross, and Udofia, but it is nearly impossible to predict how their talents would role into the NFL.

*side note: we pick up WR Kelton Tindal from Newberry as a undrafted free agent.  A buddy of mine sent me some links of him playing and though his game is unpolished, he is 6'3" 190lbs and last was clock at 4:28.  Its not that he is bad, it is just that he has been playing at a whole nother level and this would be a drastic change.  Bring him in and see if you can work with him enough to make the team either as a returner or a deep threat.

So, unlike my last I did make two draft day trades, but ultimately wound up with the exact same number of picks.  With a mock draft it is impossible to please everyone cause we all watch different teams and different players on Saturday, but...

Well a couple weeks have passed and I am ready to make another edition of my mock offseason.  My philosophy for this coming period has had some changes.  For one, Marshall is finally being excepted by me and will be a member of the team in this version.  I have also decided to retain Kuper after previously letting him go for a 2nd round tender.  In free agency I will not be pursuing a major cost free agent after previously going after either Pickett or Dansby.  In the draft I will keep the 10/11 pick for the first time.  This all windes up giving me a lot less draft picks to work with which I believe is ultimately far more realistic than the dozen or so I often see worked with.  So after the jump, here it goes again!

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I was going to do the next update to my Mock Draft and all my pre-draft thinking got me thinking too much.  I was going to keep Marshall for a change after his lines of BS he is spewing about wanting to be here.  I have also seen a few hopefully trades by others on MHR involving aquiring Ted Ginn Jr from Miami.  That got me thinking of proposing a realistic trade for Ginns services that would serve as our deep threat option here in town.  Those scenarios left me with too many receivers on this team and thinking of how to unload one of them.  The only person who seemed to have any real trade value would be lil Eddie Royal. 

For the record I like Royal a lot and think that he has a lot of potential in this league.  I think that if he is on this team he is best suited to be in the slot.  I do not think he is a legitimate number 2 receiver in the system we are running.  Watching him not be able to get off the line and then very rarely getting seperation afterwards at first made me think it was the plays.  But then whenever we would line Gaffney up in his place he had no problems.  So as I said, Royal would be best in the slot.  Lots of people can play in the slot though.  Though Stokley is older, he can still play it, as can Lloyd and maybe even McKinley even though a little oversized.  Plus a ton of other receivers we could pick up later in the draft or through free agency very cheaply.  Royal would not be THAT much of an upgrade for the limited role for the value that he still holds in the league. 

What is Eddie Royals trade value?  He was taken as a highend 2nd rounder,  could we get a second rounder back for him?  More?  Maybe a player.  I see mocks with us acquiring Yanda from Baltimore.  Thinkg we could trade Royal for Yanda and a 3rd rounder?  Lots of teams could use a good quick receiver and may be willing to part with an up and coming 2nd or 3rd round player of their own.  If so would you do it?

I like Royal, but is he that much better than someone else we could pickup?  Would you trade him because he has value and there are positions we need more?

Here we go again!  I was going to give the offseason a little break, than I thought better of the idea.  I have made a few changes right off the bat in free agency.  One large change is dropping my move for either Pennington or any other veteran QB as my primary backup, instead I choose to move Brandstater up to #2 and take a late round flyer on my #3.  Also I am withdrawing from the bidding war for Ryan Pickett's services as I think they will be very expensive and I already have a very expensive free agent I am pursuing instead.  I am sticking with several of my previous moves as far as our own free agents go, including a change from my most recent update which involves OG Chris Kuper no longer sporting the orange and blue.

Resigning:

*Orton;  I feel that getting him back on board is a must.  I would place the highest tender on him and sign him for 3 more years at reasonable money. 

*Dumervil;  I hope that he realizes that he is a specialty player rather than an every down one at this point and that his long term contract needs to be negotiated accordingly.  Hopefully in time he can defend the run better.  I am getting closer to accepting that he may be going to Miami, but for now he is staying a Bronco.  Yay.

*Prater;  Resign him.  He is good.  He is a kicker, he won't break the bank.

Free Agents:

* Karlos Dansby

This is a nice easy way for us to not only get a big body in there at line backer, but you are getting someone with a lot of experience.  You get a smart football player with incredible awareness.  You get a vocal leader in there in the middle, a trait that DJ seems to refuse to embrace.  Arizona will not be resigning this UFA and though I do not believe he will cheap, I do not think that his services will be over priced (a la Julius Peppers).  We will get our moneys worth with what he brings to the table. 

* Tank Johnson

He take a gamble on Mr Tank Johnson.  The Bengals with most likely be parting ways with this veteran player.  He was kept his nose clean for awhile now and would fit in nicely with our core of leaders on defense.  He would be in instant upgrade over Peterson on the outside and would be in the ever deep rotation that McDaniels favors playing on the line. 

For now this is it as far as big name free agents goes, though by the next mock of mine don't be surprised is Antonia Bryant from Tampa ends up here if help with our wide receiver woes.

*I do believe that among our minor moves though will be bringing in Kevin Faulk from New England. 

He is a veteran in the system and brings that leadership to our stable of backs.  He is a major upgrade to Jordan who will be cut from the team.

Pre-Draft Trades:

 *Denver Broncos trade WR Brandon Marshall the the Tampa Bay Bucaneers for two 2nd round picks (35 and 44 overall)

I do not see us getting a first and third and I think I like two high second rounders anyway.  Tampa needs a player  if they want Freeman to really grow with weapons around him.  Antonio Bryant will most likely not be retained and this is a major upgrade.  They also have more cap room (not that it will probably matter) than they know what to do with.

* Denver Broncos trade TE Tony Scheffler to the Cleveland Browns for their 5th round pick from Tampa Bay (131 overall)

Scheffler goes to Holgrems west coast offense he will be bringing to Cleveland.  Cleveland has an extra pick in this round and we take the higher of the two.

*Denver Broncos receive the Houston Texans 2nd round pick (51 overall) as compensation for Chris Kuper.

Houston gets an upgrade on their offensive line for a very reasonable price.

* side note:  we try and try and try to trade Hillis but we get no offers.  He reamains a Broncos for atleast now, but don't expect him to make the 53 man roster unless he learns how to block at an NFL level this offseason.

The 2010 NFL Draft:

I love the draft.  It is hard because it is a crap shoot, but even in craps, some numbers (players) have better odds of payout, and others have worse odds but better rewards.  Here goes nothing.  At this point the Broncos have the following picks:

round 1; 10

round 2; 38 and 44 (from TB), 45, 51 (from HOU)

round 3; 81

round 4; 112

round 5: 131 (from CLE)

round 6; 174,

round 7; 205

*TRADE ALERT*

Denver Broncos trade their 1st round pick (10) to the Cincinnati Bengals for their 1st (21) and 2nd (53) round picks.

It is public knowledge that the Bengals need a WR threat other that Ochocinco.  I believe that they trade up to get Dez Bryant who I believe will slip to this point, but not further, and the Bengals know it.  There is no one that the Broncos need this high in the draft.  Dansby takes care of the McClain (who I believe will be gone by this point anyways) angle and its not that I don't like Bryant, I just don't like any wide receiver in the first round.  We fall back to a better slot to take an offensive lineman and we also now hold 5 very affordable 2nd round picks in a very deep draft.

* With the 21st pick the Denver Broncos take OG Mike Iupati from Idaho.  6'6" 330lbs

  I
Iupati is the best guard in the draft and while I see Pouncey being there for our next pick at 38, I do not see the talents of Mike falling to us there.  His combine will move him up into the late 1st round.  He starts on one side, and Seth Olsen starts on the other side for now.

*With the 38th pick the Denver Broncos take DT Terrence Cody from Alabama.  6'5" 373lbs

I had so many pictures to choose from, but most of you know what this cat looks like playing football.  But did you know that he could put fear into a man on the far shore of a river?  This may not be a popular pick and I expect a few to find it a little risky, but with 5 picks in this round you can afford to gamble one that will be a difference maker in the middle if it pans out.  He can play ball, and with the right coaching hopefully he can play ball very well.  I think you get him pushing the sled around and take him down to around 360lbs to help with his endurance and risks of injury.

*With the 44th pick the Denver Broncos take OC Maurkice Pauncey from Florida.  6'5" 312lbs

It will instantly be an upgrade to an aging Wiegmann (who should be cut).  I love the size, the intensity, and the skill set.  He gives us youth and talent at a key position for years to come.  Him and Iupati will be the young anchor to answer our bookend tackles.  Our new O-line coach should have fun with this group for years to come. 

* With the 45th pick the Denver Broncos take WR Marshawn Gilyard from Cincinnati.  6'1  180lbs

I have had him sitting here on all of my mock drafts, I just hope that his killer performance in the Senior Bowl today does not raise his stock too high for us to grab him here.  There is enough talent out there though that he should be available for the taking.  This boy can play.  Period.  Why do you think Pike looked good at QB there?  He is also a strong option for return duties.

*With the 51st pick the Denver Broncos take CB Patrick Robinson from Florida St.  5'11"  194lbs

He is great and he has hops and speed.  Bailey is getting older and the jury is still out on Smith.  But even if Bailey re ups with us after this year and Alphonso improves we could still use another great corner.  Again, with the depth in the draft I believe he could easily slip to here and we do not pass on him. 

*TRADE ALERT*

The Denver Broncos trade the 53rd pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for their 71st and 88th pick.

Don't ask me why Philly is trading up, but they are.  A player is there that they want and they are willing to give up their two thirds to get him.  This seems to be the asking price to move up to the middle of a round.  Last year we traded two 3rds to get into the end of the 2nd.

*With the 71st pick the Denver Broncos take ILB Pat Angerer from Iowa.  6'1"  235lbs

This team needs to get tough and they need to get angry.  Well, there is no one in the draft named 'Angry' so you have to go with Angerer.  True, I am a Hawkeye fan and maybe partially biased.  But that I also means I have had many a chance to watch this guy play, and play he does every single Saturday.  You put him in the rotation and he instantly bumps Woodyard down the depth chart.  Have your trainers put another ten pounds on him and let him get a feel for the game while playing on special teams.  He is an upgrade in every sense, and if he plays as good as I feel he will than you trade off mister DJ 'Bad Angle" Williams next year for whatever value he has.

*With the 81st pick the Denver Broncos take OT Ciron Black from LSU.  6'5"  320lbs

The injury to Harris this year just showed that we need depth at tackle.  Polumbus, while good at moments, really let us down and proved he is not able to be a starter at this point of his career.  You bring in Black for the 'in case' scenario that we lose a tackle for either a game or a longer period of time.  A heavier option at backup that can work the power run scheme coming to town.

*With the 88th pick the Denver Broncos take TE Anthony McCoy from USC.  6'4"  252lbs

Yes, he is a hell of pass catcher and can get you yards after the catch; but he can also block.  He is about Graham's size, a little bigger actually and about a decade younger.  He is instantly in the rotation at tight end and would probably actually beat Quinn out for the second seed at the position.  He is also in there as a receiving threat in the redzone and on the goal line when even New England themselves like to look towards the tight end.  You do not miss with this pick.

*TRADE ALERT*

The Denver Broncos trade a 4th and a 6th round pick(112 and 174) to the St Louis Rams for 4th round pick (91 overall)

I am not so in love with any player in the 6th round that I cannot live without them.  I do like the next pick though and believe he is worth the trade up.  In my previous drafts I had us taking Dexter McCluster in with 112th because this next pick was farther down people's big boards, but he is on the rise so the Broncos rise to the occasion.

*With the 97th pick the Denver Broncos take OG John Jerry from Mississippi.  6'5"  348lbs

This is the man you bring in to either push Olsen or surpass him.  I got yelled at on my first draft for bringing in a 305 pounder OG with good footwork.  You want bulk, you get bulk.  This man is big and he plays his size.  He is incredibely strong and holds his ground very well.  I do not think that we miss with this pick here.

*With the 131st pick the Denver Broncos take RB Charles SCott from LSU.  5'11"  231lbs

Charles Scott comes in to help with your short yardage problems.  I know that many are high on Blount, as they may very well should be.  I think that as the draft gets closer Blount's stock will rise to the point where we would need to take him here, in the 5th round, and I think it is too big of a risk for that investment.  Scott on the other hand is no joke at running back and would compliment our stable of backs nicely.  He does not have the character issues that McDaniels likes to avoid.

*With the 205th pick in this years draft the Denver Broncos take QB Sean Canfield from Oregon St.  6'4" 216lbs

Bring him here in the 7th.  I know that a lot of the no name school QBs seem to be popular in these mocks, such as Hiller, Skelton, and Perrilloux, but take the guy who has played at an actual school.  He is your 3rd seed and here purely for developmental purposes.  He has a nice frame and pretty good vision at the QB position.  As far as leftys go he is already probably better than Simms.

This concludes my new and improved offseason of hope for the Denver Broncos.

Please... be gentle...

Well, feedback was quick and somewhat harsh so I need to make some tweeks to my previous mock offseason to address a few of those issues.
This is a just a shift and not and entire overhaul of the mock offseason that I previously submitted.  Revisions will be shown in italics for anyone who cares.

Resigning:

*Orton;  I feel that getting him back on board is a must.  I would place the highest tender on him and sign him for 3 more years at reasonable money. 

*Dumervil;  I hope that he realizes that he is a specialty player rather than an every down one at this point and that his long term contract needs to be negotiated accordingly.  Hopefully in time he can defend the run better. 

*Kuper;  You keep him because he is very servicable, even if not the best, and our money can be better spent in other areas.  (revised, you let Kuper go with a 2nd round tender because I will spend the FA money elsewhere and address the guard position later)  (this is 1.5.1 part of it taken from a comment that reminded me that we should be getting something in return for Kuper. Thanks for the heads up)

*Prater;  Resign him.  He is good.  He is a kicker, he won't break the bank.

Free Agents:

*Ryan Pickett

 
You make this your goal of free agency.  Upside is that he is unrestriced so would not need to give in any draft picks in exchange for his services here in Denver.  Downside is he is therefor expensive.  We should be saving money though by not resigning certain other free agents of ours.  I believe that Picket sures up the center of our line, and also allows us to move Fields outside to DE which would in turn bolster up the size of that position too.

*Chad Pennington

 
Simms is awful and Chad comes in as a QB that if he ever had to come in due to injury, he is fairly safe with his throws and he could easily fill in for the time needed.

* Karlos Dansby (revised)

This is a nice easy way for us to not only get a big body in there at line backer, but you are getting someone with a lot of experience.  You get a smart football player with incredible awareness.  You get a vocal leader in there in the middle, a trait that DJ seems to refuse to embrace.  It is rumored that Arizona will not be resigning this UFA and I do not think that he will be unreasonably priced.  Kuper's money now goes to him.

Pre-Draft Trades:

(preempt to this next move: we are not going to get the 1st and 3rd tender that we put on Marshall.  The only team desperate enough to do that is Baltimore and they got far enough in the playoffs that they cannot sign him because he will want more money than the CBA will allow them to pay due to the uncapped year B.S. rules.)

 *(revised trade)  Denver Broncos trade WR Brandon Marshall the the Tampa Bay Bucaneers for two 2nd round picks (35 and 44 overall)

Before I had Marshall to Green Bay for a player and pick but people seemed to think it was too out there.  I do not see us getting a first and third and I think I like two high second rounders anyway.  Tampa needs a player opposite Bryant if they want Freeman to really grow with weopons around him.  They also have more cap room (not that it will probably matter) than they know what to do with.

* (revised trade)  Denver Broncos trade TE Tony Scheffler to the Cleveland Browns for their 5th round pick from Tampa Bay (131 overall)

Scheffler goes to Holgrems west coast offense he will be bringing to Cleveland.  Cleveland has an extra pick in this round and we take the higher of the two.

*Denver Broncos trade RB Peyton Hillis to the Houston Texans for a 6th round pick (178 overall).

*Denver Broncos receive the Houston Texans 2nd round pick (51 overall) as compensation for Chris Kuper.

Simple, for whatever reason Hillis does not seem to be in McDaniels' game plan.  Houston likes power backs and a late round pick is a very little sacrifice for them to get his services.

The 2010 NFL Draft:

I love the draft.  There are certainly a few changes made based on some comments from my previous draft.  It is hard because it is a crap shoot, but even in craps, some numbers (players) have better odds of payout, and others have worse odds but better rewards.  Here goes nothing.  At this point the Broncos have the following picks:

round 1; 10

round 2; 38 and 44 (from TB), 45, 51 (from HOU)

round 3; 81

round 4; 112

round 5: 131 (from CLE)

round 6; 174, 178 (from HOU)

round 7; 205

*TRADE ALERT*

Denver Broncos trade their 1st round pick (10) to the Cincinnati Bengals for their 1st (21) and 2nd (53) round picks.

It is public knowledge that the Bengals need a WR threat other that Ochocinco.  I believe that they trade up to get Dez Bryant who I believe will slip to this point, but not further, and the Bengals know it.  There is no one that the Broncos need this high in the draft.  Dansby takes care of the McClain (who I believe will be gone by this point anyways) angle and its not that I don't like Bryant, I just don't like any wide receiver in the first round.

* (revised) With the 21st pick the Denver Broncos take OG Mike Iupati from Idaho.  6'6" 330lbs

  I
Iupati is the best guard in the draft and while I see Pouncey being there for our next pick at 38, I do not see the talents of Mike falling to us there.  His combine will move him up into the late 1st round.  He starts on one side, and Seth Olsen starts on the other side for now.

*With the 38th pick the Denver Broncos take OC Maurkice Pauncey from Florida.  6'5" 312lbs

I have seen it on many a mock drafts and I love it.  It will instantly be an upgrade to an aging Wiegmann (who should be cut).  I love the size, the intensity, and the skill set.  He gives us youth and talent at a key position for years to come.  Him and Iupati will be the young anchor to answer our bookend tackles.  Our new O-line coach should have fun with this group for years to come. 

*With the 44th pick the Denver Broncos take CB Patrick Robinson from Florida St.  5'11"  194lbs

He is great and he has hops and speed.  Bailey is getting older and the jury is still out on Smith.  But even if Bailey re ups with us after this year and Alphonso improves we could still use another great corner.  Take him if he is here.

* With the 45th pick the Denver Broncos take WR Marshawn Gilyard from Cincinnati.  6'1  180lbs

You have the extra picks in the second round and this guy happens to still be sitting there on the board for taking, than you do just that and take him.  This boy can play.  Period.  Why do you think Pike looked good at QB there? 

* (revised) With the 51st pick the Denver Broncos take RB Toby Gerhart from Stanford.  6'1"  235lbs

He adds power to our running game.  With Hillis and of course Jordan gone, here is where we address our problem with third and short.  He runs north and he does not go down easy.  He will really help compliment our stable of running backs with something that we desperately need.

*TRADE ALERT*

The Denver Broncos trade the 53rd pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for their 71st and 88th pick.

Don't ask me why Philly is trading up, but they are.  A player is there that they want and they are willing to give up their two thirds to get him.  This seems to be the asking price to move up to the middle of a round.  Last year we traded two 3rds to get into the end of the 2nd.

*(revised) With the 71st pick the Denver Broncos take OT Ciron Black from LSU.  6'5"  320lbs

The injury to Harris this year just showed that we need depth at tackle.  Polumbus, while good at moments, really let us down and proved he is not able to be a starter at this point of his career.  You bring in Black for the 'in case' scenario that we lose a tackle for either a game or a longer period of time.  A heavier option at backup that can work the power run scheme coming to town.

*With the 81st pick the Denver Broncos take ILB Pat Angerer from Iowa.  6'1"  235lbs

This team needs to get tough and they need to get angry.  Well, there is no one in the draft named 'Angry' so you have to go with Angerer.  True, I am a Hawkeye fan and maybe partially biased.  But that I also means I have had many a chance to watch this guy play, and play he does every single Saturday.  You put him in the rotation and he instantly bumps Woodyard down the depth chart.  Have your trainers put another ten pounds on him and let him get a feel for the game while playing on special teams.  He is an upgrade in every sense, and if he plays as good as I feel he will than you trade off mister DJ 'Bad Angle" Williams next year for whatever value he has.

*With the 88th pick the Denver Broncos take TE Anthony McCoy from USC.  6'4"  252lbs

Yes, he is a hell of pass catcher and can get you yards after the catch; but he can also block.  He is about Graham's size, a little bigger actually and about a decade younger.  He is instantly in the rotation at tight end and would probably actually beat Quinn out for the second seed at the position.  He is also in there as a receiving threat in the redzone and on the goal line when even New England themselves like to look towards the tight end.  You do not miss with this pick.

*With the 112th pick the Denver Broncos take RB Dexter McCluster from Mississippi.  5'7"  165lbs.

Change of pace.  You have a scat back.  You have a guy that can break it anytime.  He is now your best screen catching back.  I like the pick and I like the value of the pick at this stage in the draft.  He won't change every game, but only needs to change a couple to put us into the playoffs.  McCluster is also the answer in our return game and thus frees up Eddie Royal to hopefully get back on his game.

*TRADE ALERT*

The Denver Broncos trade two 6th round picks (174 and 178) to the St Louis Rams for 5th round pick (129 overall)

I am not so in love with any player in the 6th round that I cannot live without them.  I do like the next pick though and believe he is worth the trade up.

*(revised) With the 129th pick the Denver Broncos take OG John Jerry from Mississippi.  6'5"  348lbs

This is the man you bring in to either push Olsen or surpass him.  I got yelled at on my last draft for bringing in a 305 pounder OG with good footwork.  You want bulk, you get bulk.  This man is big and he plays his size.  He is incredibely strong and holds his ground very well.  I do not think that we miss with this pick here. 

*(revised) With the 131st pick the Denver Broncos take WR Danario Alexander from Missouri.  6'5"  215lbs

Got ourselves here a large target.  Give Orton someone who can post up and can go up in the air to get the ball.  San Diego seems to like to play the game right now of just having giants out there to catch the ball, now we can see how they like defending a tall, strong presense out there on the field.  Alexander has good hands and can get you yards after the catch with his size.  He is a steal right here in the draft.

*With the 205th pick in this years draft the Denver Broncos take DT Jay Ross from East Carolina.  6'3  308lbs

You bring in Ross and you play him at defensive end.  The man can move.  He makes your line bigger without sacrificing speed off the ball.  With Pickett an anchor and Fields moved to one side, you put Ross instantly into rotation on the other side.  He is surprisingly good at getting to and pressuring the QB and he eats up blockers and gaps in the running game.

This concludes my new and improved offseason of hope for the Denver Broncos.

Please... be gentle...

I can simply sit back and enjoy the mocks on this site no more with out contributing one of my.  I find myself leaving comments, while thinking even more comments, and it is not fair for me to critique without putting something out to be judged and ripped apart by you all.

This will be the first mock offseason I have ever thrown together, but I believe that it is realistic and one that I could certainly live with.

First things first, Free Agency is just around the corner and we have a few issues to deal with here at home.

Resigning:

*Orton;  I feel that getting him back on board is a must.  I would place the highest tender on him and sign him for 3 more years at reasonable money. 

*Dumervil;  I hope that he realizes that he is a specialty player rather than an every down one at this point and that his long term contract needs to be negotiated accordingly.  Hopefully in time he can defend the run better. 

*Kuper;  You keep him because he is very servicable, even if not the best, and our money can be better spent in other areas.

*Prater;  Resign him.  He is good.  He is a kicker, he won't break the bank.

Free Agents:

*Ryan Pickett

 
You make this your goal of free agency.  Upside is that he is unrestriced so would not need to give in any draft picks in exchange for his services here in Denver.  Downside is he is therefor expensive.  We should be saving money though by not resigning certain other free agents of ours.  I believe that Picket sures up the center of our line, and also allows us to move Fields outside to DE which would in turn bolster up the size of that position too.

*Chad Pennington

 
Simms is awful and Chad comes in as a QB that if he ever had to come in due to injury, he is fairly safe with his throws and he could easily fill in for the time needed.

Pre-Draft Trades:

(preempt to this next move: we are not going to get the 1st and 3rd tender that we put on Marshall.  The only team desperate enough to do that is Baltimore and they got far enough in the playoffs that they cannot sign him because he will want more money than the CBA will allow them to pay due to the uncapped year B.S. rules.)

*Denver Broncos trade WR Brandon Marshall to the Green Bay Packers for ILB A.J. Hawk and their 2nd round pick (55 overall).

 
Through a few articles in Green Bay and multiple posts on Acme Packing Company (SB Nation) it sounds like the Packers would be willing to part with Hawk.  It also sounds like they would not hate the idea of another big time receiver.  With Jennings there as the deep threat and Driver getting a lot older, Marshall would be the possession receiver that they need.  Jones or Nelson will never push for that 2 spot and will remain in slot and beyond duties.  As for Hawk, they are so deep somehow in every defensive position that they can afford to let talent go as long as they are getting talent back.  As for Denver, we would be getting great young upgrade in Hawk.  He is proven as a ILB, and most importantly he is a proven run-stuffer that already plays ILB in a 3-4 defensive scheme. 

*Denver Broncos trade TE Tony Scheffler and a 6th round pick (174 overall) to the Cleveland Browns for WR Joshua Cribbs.

We don't want Tony Scheffler.  He does not know how to block, McDaniels offense is not about running seam routes every play, and he seems to cry a little bit.  Holgrem's Browns on the other hand love to use a tight end and have yet to fill the void from Kellen Winslows departure.  Josh Cribbs is disgruntled and has already made it public.  Yes he is under contract for 3 more years, but he wants more money and deserves more money.  They insulted him with their last offer to him and that seemed to be the last straw for him.  He is better than Scheffler so we would need to throw in a late round pick.  Cribbs would not only become our return specialist and thus free up Eddie Royal to hopefully get back on his game, but Josh Cribbs could also serve as our deep threat receiver until McKinnley comes into his own.  Cribbs was a deep threat (not to mention a wildcat and reverse threat) on a team with no offense, let McDaniels utilize his strengths and he could have some fun with him.

*Denver Broncos trade RB Peyton Hillis to the Houston Texans for a 6th round pick (178 overall).

Simple, for whatever reason Hillis does not seem to be in McDaniels' game plan.  Houston likes power backs and a late round pick is a very little sacrifice for them to get his services.

The 2010 NFL Draft:

I love the draft and this is one of the most fun things to put together.  It is hard because it is a crap shoot, but even in craps, some numbers (players) have better odds of payout, and others have worse odds but better rewards.  Here goes nothing.  At this point the Broncos have the following picks:

round 1; 10

round 2; 45, 55 (from GB)

round 3; 81

round 4; 112

round 6; 178 (from HOU)

round 7; 205

*TRADE ALERT*

Denver Broncos trade their 1st round pick (10) to the Cincinnati Bengals for their 1st (21) and 2nd (53) round picks.

It is public knowledge that the Bengals need a WR threat other that Ochocinco.  I believe that they trade up to get Dez Bryant who I believe will slip to this point, but not further, and the Bengals know it.  There is no one that the Broncos need this high in the draft.  Hawk takes care of the McClain (who I believe will be gone by this point anyways) angle and its not that I don't like Bryant, I just don't like any wide receiver in the first round.

*With the 21st pick the Denver Broncos take OC Maurkice Pauncey from Florida.  6'5" 312lbs

I have seen it on many a mock drafts and I love it.  It will instantly be an upgrade to an aging Wiegmann (who should be cut).  I love the size, the intensity, and the skill set.  He gives us youth and talent at a key position for years to come.

*With the 45th pick the Denver Broncos take CB Patrick Robinson from Florida St.  5'11"  194lbs

He is great and he has hops and speed.  Bailey is getting older and the jury is still out on Smith.  But even if Bailey re ups with us after this year and Alphonso improves we could still use another great corner.  Take him if he is here.

* With the 53rd pick the Denver Broncos take WR Marshawn Gilyard from Cincinnati.  6'1  180lbs

You have the extra picks in the second round and this guy happens to still be sitting there on the board for taking, than you do just that and take him.  This boy can play.  Period.  Why do you think Pike looked good at QB there? 

*TRADE ALERT*

The Denver Broncos trade the 55th pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for their 71st and 88th pick.

Don't ask me why Philly is trading up, but they are.  A player is there that they want and they are willing to give up their two thirds to get him.  This seems to be the asking price to move up to the middle of a round.  Last year we traded two 3rds to get into the end of the 2nd.

*With the 71st pick the Denver Broncos take OG Mike Johnson from Alabama.  6'6"  305lbs

Keep adding size and youth to that line.  With Kuper resigned and Olsen as a very servicable backup you bring in your other starter.  That man in Mike Johnson.  He is big and he can block.  His size and strength eats up the pass rush and he was a run blocker for this year's Heisman trophy winner.  You sign him and your line is now dominant.

*With the 81st pick the Denver Broncos take ILB Pat Angerer from Iowa.  6'1"  235lbs

This team needs to get tough and they need to get angry.  Well, there is no one in the draft named 'Angry' so you have to go with Angerer.  True, I am a Hawkeye fan and maybe partially biased.  But that I also means I have had many a chance to watch this guy play, and play he does every single Saturday.  You put him in the rotation and he instantly bumps Woodyard down the depth chart.  He is an upgrade in every sense, and if he plays as good as I feel he will than you trade off mister DJ 'Bad Angle" Williams next year for whatever value he has.

*With the 88th pick the Denver Broncos take TE Anthony McCoy from USC.  6'4"  252lbs

Yes, he is a hell of pass catcher and can get you yards after the catch; but he can also block.  He is about Graham's size, a little bigger actually and about a decade younger.  He is instantly in the rotation at tight end and would probably actually beat Quinn out for the second seed at the position.  He is also in there as a receiving threat in the redzone and on the goal line when even New England themselves like to look towards the tight end.  You do not miss with this pick.

*With the 112th pick the Denver Broncos take RB Dexter McCluster from Mississippi.  5'7"  165lbs.

Change of pace.  You have a scat back.  You have a guy that can break it anytime.  He is now your best screen catching back.  I like the pick and I like the value of the pick at this stage in the draft.  He won't change every game, but only needs to change a couple to put us into the playoffs.

*With the 178th pick the Denver Broncos take OT Adam Ulatoski from Texas.  6'8"  305lbs

He is the big one on the left.  And by big one I mean really big one.  The injury to Harris this year just showed that we need depth at tackle.  Polumbus, while good at moments, really let us down and proved he is not able to be a starter at this point of his career.  You bring in Ulatoski for the 'in case' scenario that we lose a tackle for either a game or a longer period of time.  He is young and powerful and you let the new line coach mold him.

*With the 205th pick in this years draft the Denver Broncos take DT Jay Ross from East Carolina.  6'3  308lbs

You bring in Ross and you play him at defensive end.  The man can move.  He makes your line bigger without sacrificing speed off the ball.  With Pickett an anchor and Fields moved to one side, you put Ross instantly into rotation on the other side.  He is surprisingly good at getting to and pressuring the QB and he eats up blockers and gaps in the running game.

Thus concludes the 2010 draft, and therefor our player acquiring offseason.

So if this were to be our offseason what would you think?