Bronco Bits

[Mingo]

Just some thoughts:

1) Will we see wholesale changes in personnel on the Oline, or will we see past busts - rehabilitated by new coaches? It seems there are quite a lot of draft pick investment in McGovern, Schofield, M. Garcia, and Ty boy Sambraillo. Only pick that has worked out is Paradis - and he is having hip surgery. If those fellows are a wash - the drafting of Olinemen in the Elway's era has been very poor. I expect new draft picks and some free agents brought in for competition - but will it be the old draft picks or the new guys getting snaps in the regular season?

2) Vance Joseph - had better be a great leader - because the Denver Broncos have assembled a cast of offensive coaches with so much experience - I wouldn't blame them if they had a lot of "Who's this guy?" attitude about Vance Joseph. In my reading of events - John Elway assembled the offensive team of coaches - with his new HC VJ agreeing with him along the way - and probably even made the decision to promote Joe Woods to DC and say goodbye to Wade Phillips. If I'm right - VJ - has a coaching staff that has reason to look to John Elway as the decision maker and not V. Joseph.

3) The big winners for bringing McCoy back to run the offense are the RBs who can catch the ball - like Mr. Booker and like CJ. I think there might be a 100 receiving targets between them in a McCoy offense.

4) The Bronco pioneered the idea of throwing an extra Olineman out there as a TE in most blocking situations, but strangely did not do that much (or at all) under Kubiak.

5) Fewer injuries - more tosses to the RB and the use of extra linemen will make this Oline look better most of the time.

6) McCoy is also good news for Paxton Lynch - Paxton is a guy who played college mostly out of the shot gun - Kubiak has him 50& under center and only in the shot gun during obvious passing situations. McCoy is a guy who runs a lot of shot gun - he is famous for tailoring the offense to the QB - and in Lynch the Broncos have a guy who has special talents - the team didn't get to see last year. Siemian is also better in the shot gun - so I don't know what to tell you about that - except to say - the Broncos need to run more shot gun.

7) I'd have to say - with McCoy being the OC - and more shot gun - that the Broncos will do well to get a slash type offensive player - like Christian McCaffrey - to play RB (who can catch the ball - line up in the shot or wide - and return punts. Please powers that be - arrange for this or something like it.

8) The Broncos need a guy who can cover and play ILB. Even Marshall had a down year for that, but Trevathen left a bigger hole than the Broncos thought to cover last season.

9) Also - there needs to be some run stopping and pocket collapsing going on from the center of the Broncos Dfront.

10) Let's try running an offense even Latimer can understand.

 

[CEH]

I hope Booker is more a power blocking scheme back vs a zone

 

[fightinredantz]

What do you guys think about moving TJ Ward down to be an ILB at times and playing 3 or 4 safeties. Parks and Simmions played pretty well at times, and should be able to help with pass coverage.

 

[cdumler7]

What do you guys think about moving TJ Ward down to be an ILB at times and playing 3 or 4 safeties. Parks and Simmions played pretty well at times, and should be able to help with pass coverage.

We actually did this quite a bit. He became more of our nickle LB as the season progressed and it was obvious that Todd Davis just couldn't get it done in coverage. So I'm sure with the depth/strength of safety on this team we will see it quite a bit. Throw in now with our Secondary Coach getting promoted I"m sure he will want to get his guys on the field as often as possible.

 

[iknowftbll]

1) Will we see wholesale changes in personnel on the Oline, or will we see past busts - rehabilitated by new coaches? It seems there are quite a lot of draft pick investment in McGovern, Schofield, M. Garcia, and Ty boy Sambraillo. Only pick that has worked out is Paradis - and he is having hip surgery. If those fellows are a wash - the drafting of Olinemen in the Elway's era has been very poor. I expect new draft picks and some free agents brought in for competition - but will it be the old draft picks or the new guys getting snaps in the regular season?

I am all for upgrading the talent on the O-line, but I wonder if some of these guys may be better as a unit in a power oriented system. The ZBS Kubiak used is complex and it has its advantages, but the disadvantage is it's hard to get a line to gel quickly. I think the talent level is the bigger issue here, but the system may have made it even worse than it would have otherwise been.

 

[cdumler7]

I am all for upgrading the talent on the O-line, but I wonder if some of these guys may be better as a unit in a power oriented system. The ZBS Kubiak used is complex and it has its advantages, but the disadvantage is it's hard to get a line to gel quickly. I think the talent level is the bigger issue here, but the system may have made it even worse than it would have otherwise been.

Exactly. Plenty of ex-OL players that have played under Kubiak/Shanahan have said it took at least a year to learn the scheme. So changing 4 OL players year after year doesn't exactly help the group. PBS is much simpler and easier to plug and play.

My biggest concern is just who we have that fits the change. Garcia and McGovern I think could be 2 huge benefactors from the change. I think Okung can do ok in the PBS. The rest of the players though I would really wonder how well they will do.

 

[iknowftbll]

Exactly. Plenty of ex-OL players that have played under Kubiak/Shanahan have said it took at least a year to learn the scheme. So changing 4 OL players year after year doesn't exactly help the group. PBS is much simpler and easier to plug and play.

My biggest concern is just who we have that fits the change. Garcia and McGovern I think could be 2 huge benefactors from the change. I think Okung can do ok in the PBS. The rest of the players though I would really wonder how well they will do.

The benefit of the ZBS is it CAN work with marginal talent if everyone is on the same page. You and I both forwarded this narrative when Kubiak was first hired. The problem is getting everyone on the same page. The ZBS can cover the weaknesses of the individual players but the Brocnos under Kubiak never reached a point where they had the time and continuity to reach that. And let's face it: we have sub-par talent on this line. A return to the PBS doesn't fix that, and now each player being able to individually block his guy is even more important. If you are a Broncos QB looking at the talent on the line this prospect probably should scare the hell out of you. I hope like hell this position group is a priority this off season.

 

[cdumler7]

The benefit of the ZBS is it CAN work with marginal talent if everyone is on the same page. You and I both forwarded this narrative when Kubiak was first hired. The problem is getting everyone on the same page. The ZBS can cover the weaknesses of the individual players but the Brocnos under Kubiak never reached a point where they had the time and continuity to reach that. And let's face it: we have sub-par talent on this line. A return to the PBS doesn't fix that, and now each player being able to individually block his guy is even more important. If you are a Broncos QB looking at the talent on the line this prospect probably should scare the hell out of you. I hope like hell this position group is a priority this off season.

That is again why I think the idea of Romo is not going to happen. IF Romo comes here good chance he is behind a terrible OL in part because of the money we would have to commit to him. That $14 million could be 2 high quality starters on the OL. For me I would rather have one of our two young guys behind a better OL than Romo behind a terrible OL. We have seen him behind a great OL get injured. He wouldn't survive the season here in Denver.

 

[iknowftbll]

That is again why I think the idea of Romo is not going to happen. IF Romo comes here good chance he is behind a terrible OL in part because of the money we would have to commit to him. That $14 million could be 2 high quality starters on the OL. For me I would rather have one of our two young guys behind a better OL than Romo behind a terrible OL. We have seen him behind a great OL get injured. He wouldn't survive the season here in Denver.

I am in complete agreement. I think a young QB like Siemian or Lynch stands a better chance of holding up behind that line, even if the team is able to make an upgrade to two pieces of it. Also the fact that McCoy uses the shotgun more bodes well. That extra distance gives more time to react and a better perspective of the field. It'll be harder on the RBs but getting them involved in the passing game again can maybe offset that too.

 

[cdumler7]

I am in complete agreement. I think a young QB like Siemian or Lynch stands a better chance of holding up behind that line, even if the team is able to make an upgrade to two pieces of it. Also the fact that McCoy uses the shotgun more bodes well. That extra distance gives more time to react and a better perspective of the field. It'll be harder on the RBs but getting them involved in the passing game again can maybe offset that too.

Well it should help the QB's with making some quicker reads. Manning talked about the adjustment to running under Center and turning his back to the defense. Really messed with his mind that he would take that quick glance away. So could lead to a quicker release.

Yeah the run game is where it could hurt but can the run game be any worse than this past season? I mean even with operating from under Center we were down right terrible. So I'll take the change in direction with this offense and see what happens.

 

[iknowftbll]

Well it should help the QB's with making some quicker reads. Manning talked about the adjustment to running under Center and turning his back to the defense. Really messed with his mind that he would take that quick glance away. So could lead to a quicker release.

Yeah the run game is where it could hurt but can the run game be any worse than this past season? I mean even with operating from under Center we were down right terrible. So I'll take the change in direction with this offense and see what happens.

Good point.

I am really curious what this team does in the off season. The O-line needs some serious work but the rest of the pieces are there on offense. Can the team make a marginal enough improvement in the performance and play of the line to elevate the offense as whole? Can the Broncos get themselves to 10th-15th on offense and remain a top 3 unit on defense? My guess is they can, and that'll be bad news for the other teams in the AFC West. But it's early still.

 

[cdumler7]

Good point.

I am really curious what this team does in the off season. The O-line needs some serious work but the rest of the pieces are there on offense. Can the team make a marginal enough improvement in the performance and play of the line to elevate the offense as whole? Can the Broncos get themselves to 10th-15th on offense and remain a top 3 unit on defense? My guess is they can, and that'll be bad news for the other teams in the AFC West. But it's early still.

Yeah the Broncos have plenty of work to be done to improve this offense and keep the defense looking good. AT the same time the improvement to the coaching staff on the offensive side of the ball makes me feel much better about our chances for improvement.

 

[Orange Crush77]

If we can snag 2 starters, primarily RT AND RG in FA, we can piece together a respectable unit. Paradis is solid, Garcia will benefit from the new system, Okung (while not ideal) can hold his own. Now I'm now expert by any means, but what I saw was Okung out of position a lot of times. It seemed like he was trying to make up for Garcia's struggles.

 

[Mingo]

Broncos have to decide how big offensive line makeover will be

I brought this up a day before Legwold.

 

[Mingo]

Report: Paxton Lynch will get every opportunity to win starting job

This article supports my Paxton Lynch theory (shared by many here -in one version or another).

 

[randymon]

If we can snag 2 starters, primarily RT AND RG in FA, we can piece together a respectable unit. Paradis is solid, Garcia will benefit from the new system, Okung (while not ideal) can hold his own. Now I'm now expert by any means, but what I saw was Okung out of position a lot of times. It seemed like he was trying to make up for Garcia's struggles.

There saying Leary from Dallas will be free agent.

 

[randymon]

Report: Paxton Lynch will get every opportunity to win starting job

This article supports my Paxton Lynch theory (shared by many here -in one version or another).

I'm all for Lynch winning job and being the great franchise qb for years to come. Right now,what I've seen, has me skeptical. That said, Trevor hasn't won the gig next year either. A key sentence in this story was " don't trade Trevor yet ". Couldn't agree more. I also like all these guys saying " just grab a vet qb to back up/mentor Lynch". Is there anybody besides me that doesn't see a vet out there or even one that " might " become available that would be an upgrade over Trevor if they traded him even ? Seriously, like to here who.

 

[Orange Crush77]

Hoyer is respectable.

 

[Orange Crush77]

I'm still intrigued with McCarron if the price can be right

 

[randymon]

I'm still intrigued with McCarron if the price can be right

Don't think McCarron will become available. Hoyer...Don't see much improvement there. Problem is a quality backup has become extremely valuable and necessary these days. Starters are going down with such frequency anymore and when they do, the teams season is toast if they don't have a good backup to hold the fort till they get back. Theirs very few teams that have good backups that they've become a big priority to keep and find. Teams are throwing the money at these guys to keep them more than ever before. Look at last season. Couple backups got some pretty hefty raises.