The Run Game and Gary Kubiak

[SpiritOf77]

Gary Kubiak: Super Bowl winning head coach ..... And if you think about what Kubiak had going against him and his style, it makes this accomplishment even more amazing ..

Kubiak inherits Peyton Manning, who, while being a great football mind in his own right, does not possess the qualities that seem suited for Kubiak's style of offense .. Add to this the fact that Manning is coming off some age related poor performances going back to the last few games of the previous season and has been forced into a pay cut, and this makes the situation both physically and emotionally awkward ...

Instead of employing what he is known for, Kubiak is now being forced to play a role in propping up the legacy of a QB whose skills have completely eroded ...

In other words, Kubiak cannot come in and do exactly what he is comfortable with, and as the season progresses, and the 3 and outs start accumulating, and the James Caseys are cut because the offense is slipping back into the Tom Moore - Peyton Manning offense, Kubiak must be feeling completely handcuffed - esp with the lack of talent available on the offensive line and at running back ..

Kubiak has no bullets, and couldn't do what he does best ..

Cue, the offseason

I can imagine Kubiak and Elway want to get this offense on track - Kubiak Style

Do they want Hillman back ?? ... I can't see how they would, as what Hillman contributed - esp in the playoffs - could be duplicated, even upgraded, by a draft pick, and we have a bunch ...

This is why I think guys like Malik Jackson and Danny Trevathan are probably not going to be offered what they might deserve ..

Offensive lineman, and at least one good vet RB, and maybe even a FB

I'm going to continue to harp on Lamar Miller, and I also like the idea of John Kuhn ..... These are guys who, IMHO, could excel here with the Broncos, and while they come at a price, the cost isn't anything out of the question ...

I think running back is a very important part of Kubiak's offense, and while we won with a fantastic defense, a lot went right for that to happen - This is Gary Kubiak's team, and I cannot see this offense relying on the defense again as it did ..

And we are about to see how much Kubes likes Oz

The offseason should be fun ...

Go for it John !

.

 

[SpiritOf77]

Here we go

NFL Free Agency 2016: Lamar Miller could fit into the Broncos long term plans

 

[TDs3nOut]

Here we go

NFL Free Agency 2016: Lamar Miller could fit into the Broncos long term plans

Haven't watched a lot Miller, but more often than not, I've liked what I've seen from him. Also, @58crash just posted a link that listed Araian Foster as a likely FA. He's obviously been injury prone, but he certainly had a lot of success in Kubiak's offense. That makes him an interesting potential addition to me, since I agree that Hillman is unlikely to return.

Given the success we had this year, I would be reluctant to reallocate resources too much from defense to offense. I do like your idea about remaking the roster in such a way that we are better suited to running Kubiak's offense, but I think we might be best off trying to do so "on the cheap" when it comes to offensive players. Really fell in love with having a great defense, even though the offensive futility was often frustrating to watch.

 

[Malibu]

Gary Kubiak: Super Bowl winning head coach ..... And if you think about what Kubiak had going against him and his style, it makes this accomplishment even more amazing ..

Kubiak inherits Peyton Manning, who, while being a great football mind in his own right, does not possess the qualities that seem suited for Kubiak's style of offense .. Add to this the fact that Manning is coming off some age related poor performances going back to the last few games of the previous season and has been forced into a pay cut, and this makes the situation both physically and emotionally awkward ...

Instead of employing what he is known for, Kubiak is now being forced to play a role in propping up the legacy of a QB whose skills have completely eroded ...

In other words, Kubiak cannot come in and do exactly what he is comfortable with, and as the season progresses, and the 3 and outs start accumulating, and the James Caseys are cut because the offense is slipping back into the Tom Moore - Peyton Manning offense, Kubiak must be feeling completely handcuffed - esp with the lack of talent available on the offensive line and at running back ..

Kubiak has no bullets, and couldn't do what he does best ..

Cue, the offseason

I can imagine Kubiak and Elway want to get this offense on track - Kubiak Style

Do they want Hillman back ?? ... I can't see how they would, as what Hillman contributed - esp in the playoffs - could be duplicated, even upgraded, by a draft pick, and we have a bunch ...

This is why I think guys like Malik Jackson and Danny Trevathan are probably not going to be offered what they might deserve ..

Offensive lineman, and at least one good vet RB, and maybe even a FB

I'm going to continue to harp on Lamar Miller, and I also like the idea of John Kuhn ..... These are guys who, IMHO, could excel here with the Broncos, and while they come at a price, the cost isn't anything out of the question ...

I think running back is a very important part of Kubiak's offense, and while we won with a fantastic defense, a lot went right for that to happen - This is Gary Kubiak's team, and I cannot see this offense relying on the defense again as it did ..

And we are about to see how much Kubes likes Oz

The offseason should be fun ...

Go for it John !

.

No John Kuhn. I watch every Packer game living in Wisconsin and even some Packer fans will say he is so overrated. He is not that good of a blocker and not as good once he was on special teams. Just because he makes the Pro Bowl doesn't mean he is good. He is a fan favorite due to his last name. Watch the NFC Championship game of 2 years ago at Seattle. He got destroyed and missed many blocks. He has gotten worse by the year. For once trust me just like on Montee Ball. I don't want to see John Kuhn anywhere near Denver. Can get a FB late in the draft or an undrafted FA FB. No to Lamar Miller as well. C.J. Anderson is good enough and draft someone. Don't want anyone elses garbage. If there is one guy if he could come cheap and wants to win is Matt Forte but I'd rather go young and draft a RB.

 

[Malibu]

No Foster as well. Can't play a full season. Go young.

 

[Malibu]

WalterFootball.com: 2016 NFL Draft: Fullback Rankings

 

[58crash]

image: http://walterfootball.com/college/KansasState_logo.gif

Glenn Gronkowski, FB, Kansas State
Height: 6-2. Weight: 238. Arm: 30.88. Hand: 9.38.
Projected 40 Time: 4.74.
Projected Round (2016): 5-7.
2/6/16: Gronkowski totaled five receptions for 76 yards and 11 carries for 45 yards in 2015. He flashed some receiving ability at the Senior Bowl and looks more athletic than the other fullbacks in this class.

8/8/15: Gronkowski totaled six yards on four carries in 2014 along with five receptions for 99 yards and a touchdown. He was able to get some starts in 2013 and did well blocking for running back John Hubert.

Personal: Glenn Gronkowski is the youngest of five brothers, including Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski. Son of Gordon and Diane Gronkowski.

Read more at WalterFootball.com: 2016 NFL Draft: Fullback Rankings

 

[SpiritOf77]

No John Kuhn. I watch every Packer game living in Wisconsin and even some Packer fans will say he is so overrated. He is not that good of a blocker and not as good once he was on special teams. Just because he makes the Pro Bowl doesn't mean he is good. He is a fan favorite due to his last name. Watch the NFC Championship game of 2 years ago at Seattle. He got destroyed and missed many blocks. He has gotten worse by the year. For once trust me just like on Montee Ball. I don't want to see John Kuhn anywhere near Denver. Can get a FB late in the draft or an undrafted FA FB. No to Lamar Miller as well. C.J. Anderson is good enough and draft someone. Don't want anyone elses garbage. If there is one guy if he could come cheap and wants to win is Matt Forte but I'd rather go young and draft a RB.

I can see your point on Kuhn, but not Miller

Miller was completely mishandled and underused in Miami .. He is still very young but is still experienced

I like Miller here

 

[SpiritOf77]

ok, I didn't realize Kuhn will be 34 by the start of the season

That changes my thinking on him

 

[SpiritOf77]

Part of my point here is also that Kubiak walked into a situation that was not his creation

I feel that the run game will be more of a priority this offseason .. I think it must be

 

[TDs3nOut]

. If there is one guy if he could come cheap and wants to win is Matt Forte but I'd rather go young and draft a RB.

I am sure that a lot of teams would love to get Forte for a cheap price. I know I would love for the Broncos to do so. Only problem, in my opinion, is that Forte will cost a lot more than we can afford and still pay the defensive players that I imagine Elway rightly wants to keep. Over the past three seasons he has played in 45 of 48 games, accounted for nearly 5,000 yards from scrimmage, and scored 29 TDs. Pretty sure he is the RB who gets paid the most in free agency this year.

 

[TDs3nOut]

Part of my point here is also that Kubiak walked into a situation that was not his creation

I feel that the run game will be more of a priority this offseason .. I think it must be

Totally agree with that. Our passing game figures to be far less effective than it was the first two and a half years that Manning was our QB. Makes good sense to me, particularly if we can maintain the stellar defense from this past season, to use a strong run game to control TOP, get into favorable down and distance, and set up the pass.

 

[58crash]

Part of my point here is also that Kubiak walked into a situation that was not his creation

I feel that the run game will be more of a priority this offseason .. I think it must be

I said this a week ago and I still believe it ... This is our priority during the off season .

No matter who we signed there was going to be yang ... You sign Jackson you are probably going to lose Ware ..

In getting our Running game going you will give our D a breath on the sidelines .

 

[58crash]

Also By not singing Jackson

You keep 5 to 6 players

 

[cdumler7]

Love this topic! This is something I have been thinking about a lot lately of just how many players we had playing and coaches trying to coach on the offensive side that just didn't have a good fit for the system. Part of me thinks some of the issues with DT this year was him struggling to grasp the system. He just looked like he was thinking so much more than he needed to be.

Now I will say there are some decent RB's hitting the market that fit our system well. We have Lamar Miller who I think could do really well. Doug Martin will be out of our price range but I think he would thrive with the Broncos. Alfred Morris already played in a ZBS and did really well. James Starks is another name I will throw out there of a guy I wouldn't mind the Broncos trying to bring in.

To me though the biggest thing the Broncos need to do is fix the OL. Schofield is at best a back up. Vasquez is my surprise veteran who will be cut because he was completely out of place in this system. Mathis is a FA and not sure he returns but I wouldn't mind signing him to another 1-year deal. Does Clady still fit with the plans of the Broncos? If we can get this unit right then I think our offense can really take off and get back to being that top-10 type unit.

 

[theknight307]

I don't think it is economically prudent to pay for free agent RB at this point. I believe that with an improved OL and a serviceable QB, the offense will improve significantly. The key for the Kubiak west coast stretch run Shanahan offense is that QB. Not so much the RB. The next most important aspect imo is the OL. An OL that is mobile and agile. Next is that RB with the vision and patience to allow those cut back lanes to open. Actually, they are pretty much equal in importance if you want to tell the truth.

In the salary cap Era we are in, it is rather imperative that we value each position accordingly. Yes, the RB position has slowly but significantly lost value. Not importance, but value which are essentially two different things.

CJ has shown to be quite good in the offense Kubiak wants to run. I would rather secure the defense. Secure OZ cause I think he will be effective enough and make sure that OL is improved.

 

[cdumler7]

I don't think it is economically prudent to pay for free agent RB at this point. I believe that with an improved OL and a serviceable QB, the offense will improve significantly. The key for the Kubiak west coast stretch run Shanahan offense is that QB. Not so much the RB. The next most important aspect imo is the OL. An OL that is mobile and agile. Next is that RB with the vision and patience to allow those cut back lanes to open. Actually, they are pretty much equal in importance if you want to tell the truth.

In the salary cap Era we are in, it is rather imperative that we value each position accordingly. Yes, the RB position has slowly but significantly lost value. Not importance, but value which are essentially two different things.

CJ has shown to be quite good in the offense Kubiak wants to run. I would rather secure the defense. Secure OZ cause I think he will be effective enough and make sure that OL is improved.

The problem is how do you do all that with the budget we have? I don't think we can fix it all unless we luck into some draft picks that really produce early and often. IF we pay Osweiler and the defense then we have no money to fix the OL. If we pay Osweiler and the OL then some guys on the defense have to go. If we pay the defense and fix the OL then I can't see us affording Osweiler. One of the units we are going to have to go into the season with some major question marks. This is the hard part of being a Champion in it is much tougher to keep the team together than sometimes almost to build it.

 

[theknight307]

The problem is how do you do all that with the budget we have? I don't think we can fix it all unless we luck into some draft picks that really produce early and often. IF we pay Osweiler and the defense then we have no money to fix the OL. If we pay Osweiler and the OL then some guys on the defense have to go. If we pay the defense and fix the OL then I can't see us affording Osweiler. One of the units we are going to have to go into the season with some major question marks. This is the hard part of being a Champion in it is much tougher to keep the team together than sometimes almost to build it.

How much money do the Broncos have right now? Are you factoring in the money freed upon Manning's retirement?

 

[cdumler7]

How much money do the Broncos have right now? Are you factoring in the money freed upon Manning's retirement?

Well we can't factor everything perfectly yet because we don't know what the Cap will be but most likely the Cap will be around $155 million. If that is the case the Broncos have $8.16 million in cap space after signing Wolfe. You add in the $19 million freed up from cutting/retiring Manning and we have 27.16 million. Von with getting the Franchise Tag will cost something like $14 million. You then add in the $5 million needed for the draft picks, another about $7 million for the RFA/ERFA signings and we are down to $1-2 million at that point. That is without signing Osweiler, Trevathan, or Malik at this point.

Now there will be other cuts to free up cap space or at least restructures of contracts but still we can't sign Osweiler, the defensive players, and still have a ton of room to do anything for the OL in my opinion. One of those 3 groups will be left out and will continue to be a question mark heading into the season. Just depends on which one you want to do that to.

 

[randymon]

I think Elway and co. know what their up against as well folks. We can speculate all we want ( cause we got nothin else to do ) but until this FA thing gets over,even they are stuck in which positions they may forced to address. I have a feeling they'll have to end up keeping some players,especially on O line, that they'd rather not but money is going to force their hand. So if some of you want to fix and improve that offense, then common sense says you lose Malik and Trev on D. If others want to keep those guys,then you can probably figure the Offense will look a lot like last year. You can't have both, so pick your poison. Personally I pick O side because I think Denver will still have the talent to be top 5 D this year even without Malik and Trevor. Truth is, I have no idea at this point.