Off Season Thread

[TDs3nOut]

Few things about this...I don't think DT was left with much choice. If he gets hurt at the off season workouts or the passing camp then he hurts his value big time. This is about the only leverage as a player that they have in these negotiations so might as well use them. My only thing is with us having a different offense this year it does hurt in him working on and building with Peyton and the receivers.

At this point though honestly not sure I want the Broncos to sign him long-term. I love DT and what he brings to this team but giving $15 million to a receiver just seems crazy to me. With how many great receivers seem to be entering the league lately it is a position that I can see going the way of the RB and the value actually going down not up. Throw in us drafting Latimer I wouldn't mind seeing what he has for a year and if he shows up big then I think it negates our need to sign DT and gives us the ability to sign somebody else at a position that is harder to find. I mean if it comes down to it who would you rather have of DT or Miller? They are probably going to cost about the same price and if you had to choose at least for me I would pick Miller every time.

I hope it doesn't come to a choice between Miller and DT. Both would be difficult to replace.

 

[TDs3nOut]

Not much news about the team as we wait for the draft, other than to speculate which players the team should, or is likely to, pick. This short article about how Michael Schofield might be a good fit at RT is at least mildly interesting to me, since I figure that RT (along with NT) is perhaps the most likely position to address early in the draft.

Opportunity beckons for Michael Schofield

Reads as if he's worked hard on his strength and conditioning this offseason and that his experience in a ZBS at MI might make him a strong candidate to win the starting RT job this year. Best case is for him to develop into a solid RT who is also athletic enough to replace Clady at LT when the need for that arises.

 

[cdumler7]

I really do hope that Schofield can win that position. Would be huge to have our draft picks from last year really begin to hit. I really do like the potential especially from the first 3 picks of last year but they definitely need to show up. Elway has pretty much put them on the spot and said we are depending on these 3 guys to be great for us. Really a big chunk of how our season plays out is whether these young guys can pan out or not. Williams at NT and Schofield at RT are the two in my opinion that matter most. If Latimer doesn't pan out then we still have DT, Sanders, Green, and Daniels. If Roby has a sophomore slump we still have Harris, Talib, and Webster. Obviously those two stepping up just helps out that much more but with Schofield and Williams we really have nothing behind them.

 

[TDs3nOut]

I really do hope that Schofield can win that position. Would be huge to have our draft picks from last year really begin to hit. I really do like the potential especially from the first 3 picks of last year but they definitely need to show up. Elway has pretty much put them on the spot and said we are depending on these 3 guys to be great for us. Really a big chunk of how our season plays out is whether these young guys can pan out or not. Williams at NT and Schofield at RT are the two in my opinion that matter most. If Latimer doesn't pan out then we still have DT, Sanders, Green, and Daniels. If Roby has a sophomore slump we still have Harris, Talib, and Webster. Obviously those two stepping up just helps out that much more but with Schofield and Williams we really have nothing behind them.

I agree that Williams and Schofield are likely keys to the season, particularly Williams, since it would be probably be more difficult to get a rookie NT that can significantly contribute this year than it would be a rookie RT. Not really basing that on anything more than what is historically true.

Probably going to need Austin to step up too, since Williams can't play every defensive play.

 

[Duffman]

Looks like we've traded the Ravens for a Center.

 

[TDs3nOut]

Looks like we've traded the Ravens for a Center.

Might or might not be a big deal, but it sounds like the price (i.e., 2016 draft considerations) is right.

 

[cdumler7]

Looks like it was the Broncos traded their 4th round pick for the Center and the Ravens 5th round pick next year. Kubiak coached him last year so obviously the guy saw this kid has potential. Heck he took Chris Myers who was cut by the Broncos and turned him into the best Center in football. Not saying that is what will happen here but it does help add some depth and maybe the best thing it does is get rid of Ramirez. The dude did decent a couple of years ago coming in at Center but teams figured out his weaknesses pretty quick and attacked that big time to get pressure up the middle.

 

[TDs3nOut]

Raiders release defensive lineman Antonio Smith, who may interest Broncos - Mile High Report

Will Montgomery joining Chicago Bears - reunites with John Fox | GiveMeSport

 

[cdumler7]

Antonio smith just signed with the Broncos! Good depth guy for the DL and knows the system well.

 

[TDs3nOut]

Antonio smith just signed with the Broncos! Good depth guy for the DL and knows the system well.

Agreed.

That reminds me, do you think that Q Smith will convert to OLB or is he done in Denver?

 

[cdumler7]

Agreed.

That reminds me, do you think that Q Smith will convert to OLB or is he done in Denver?

Q Smith will be given the chance for sure. My thought right now though is the Broncos will use a high draft pick on a pass rusher and then Q Smith, draft pick, Kenny Anunike, Lerentee McCray, Shaq Barrett, and Chase Vaughn will all fight for the two spots on the roster behind Miller and Ware. The draft pick will win one of those of course so really one spot for all those other guys to compete. Smith had his chance this past year. I think the Broncos knew his rookie year was pretty much going to have to be a red shirt year but they seemed to expect big things from him this past season and he just disappeared and of course then ended up on IR for a 3rd straight year (counting his last year in college as 1 of those years). He will definitely be given the chance to earn it as maybe the 3-4 defense is what he needs but right now he has got some interesting competition. I actually would predict Shaq Barrett to win between all those guys.

 

[cdumler7]

Also just a cool little stat about Antonio Smith in he finished as the 3rd best pass rushing DT in all of football this past season. He still ended up with a negative grade on PFF but I think some of that is the guy's aggressive nature makes him a bit easier to push out of the hole and let a RB get by him. Now thankfully for the Broncos the new system we are putting in actually encourages our DT/DE's to actually attack certain holes even in the run game to make plays in the backfield. So now the Broncos have a very nice combination of run stuffers in Wolfe, Walker, and Austin and then a pass rushing group of Jackson, Williams, and Smith.

 

[TDs3nOut]

Heard McShay on the radio this morning say that he thinks both Grayson and Brice Petty are conscencous second round picks. Also said that he could possibly see a team trading up into the end of the first to get Petty, who said might end up becoming the best QB in this draft, but he'll need a year or two to develop.

 

[TDs3nOut]

James Casey is a Bronco.

Denver Broncos, James Casey strike one-year deal - NFL.com

Not going to get a lot of attention now, but I think this could be pretty significant. Certainly hope so.

 

[TDs3nOut]

Have to think that the plan is for Casey to get a shot at FB. Hope that he and Juwan Thompson can combine to produce like Howard Griffith once did.

 

[cdumler7]

James Casey is the only player in the league to have 300 snaps on special teams, as a full back, and TE over the past 3 years. Very underrated signing in my book. The team now has 5 TE's and 3 of them have FB experience. I would say we have set ourselves up nicely to be able to go BPA in this draft. WE have positions that can be upgraded but I wouldn't say a position that just desperately needs a starter. Obviously OL has some question marks but we now have Clady, Smith, Gradkowski, Ramirez, Vasquez, Clark, and a couple of others that all have starting experience. Doesn't mean it was always the best but they do have experience.

 

[TDs3nOut]

I wonder if signing Smith and Casey recently suggests that the team is optimistic about signing Demarius Thomas to a new deal. According to this article, those two signings have our payroll closer to the cap limit than we might like to be.

Denver Broncos sign James Casey to make cap a very tight squeeze - NFL Nation - ESPN

The article also reports that both the team and DT have recently expressed optimism that he will get a new deal before the season begins.

 

[cdumler7]

That was a good read TD. My guess is the Broncos are not too worried at this time. Still a very good chance they cut a few veterans with some high price tags at least for their value to the team that should save around $5-6 million for the team.

Good to hear though that the Broncos and DT might be getting closer to a deal. That would definitely be huge to get that all figured out so that we don't go into next season having both DT and Miller up for new contracts.

 

[TDs3nOut]

Here is a piece on the defensive line.

Broncos' D-linemen adjust to new roles on 3-4 line

Not too informative, but it mentions how guys are moving around between positions, presumably trying to figure out where and how guys best fit. Also mentions how Wolfe, in particular, might benefit from the switch to the 3-4.

 

[cdumler7]

Nice read. I am excited to see how these guys do in this system. I know Sly Williams is another I can see being more successful in this role. When he was drafted they kept talking about how many TFL, Sacks, Hurries, and QB Hits he had while in North Carolina. So essentially he is a guy that penetrates in the middle of the defense. Then he comes here and we made him become a 2-gap 3-Tech essentially eliminating the best part of his game in having that quick first step to make plays in the backfield. It was a great system for Knighton but not for Williams. I actually think Malik Jackson is the guy that will shine. It would not surprise me to see him with 8 sacks this year from the DE position.