The Run Game and Gary Kubiak

[58crash]

You need to subtract $4 mill CD Manning got his booty ...LOL See that was all the colts should of done to get the eye of a tiger in manning ... 4 mill every year would be worth it .. Manning loves that cash ..

 

[cdumler7]

You need to subtract $4 mill CD Manning got his booty ...LOL See that was all the colts should of done to get the eye of a tiger in manning ... 4 mill every year would be worth it .. Manning loves that cash ..

Actually that is with the Manning $4 million gone if I remember right.

 

[eaglesnut]

Good God people, appreciate a great thing when you have it and keep it intact! Kubiak will make the offense work if the QB doesn't totally suck. His type of Olinemen are not expensive. He'll make cheaper RBs work too. You won it all because of the defense. You should try to repeat doing it the same way.

 

[TDs3nOut]

Good God people, appreciate a great thing when you have it and keep it intact! Kubiak will make the offense work if the QB doesn't totally suck. His type of Olinemen are not expensive. He'll make cheaper RBs work too. You won it all because of the defense. You should try to repeat doing it the same way.

I don't think that your point is entirely lost on Broncos fans.

 

[Mingo]

Last summer - I was very excited about the Kubiak offense. For various reasons (some predictable) it didn't unfold as planned. It was an incredible muddle of an offense. One thing I admire about the Bronco players - is the Defense never complained about the offense - during the past season - not publicly.

I do agree with the thought that Kubiak and company - believe they can acquire Olinemen and especially RBs cheaply in the current system. Fullbacks - too don't have much of a market to drive up a cost for them either.

Oz is athletic enough to run this offense successfully - Trevor Seimian is even closer to the proto type - so he is lacking in experience, but he impressed enough in pre-season last season fans thought he looked better than Oz. If the rumor is true that Oz is asking for $12Mil and the Broncos are offering $10Mil - then the obvious solution is to increase the guaranteed and build in incentive bonuses tied to QB production and recognition to get to $12Mil. I don't think the Broncos have a QB problem. They will probably add a vet (TJ Yates) and a draftee to the mix for TC.

When the Kubiak offense works - the defense has to worry about 6 guys on every play who could be running at them to block them or to be an offensive target. Does the defensive player close to make a tackle - only to find out they put themselves into ideal position to be blocked? Or do they delay and have the play and the ball break away from them in a flash. I never once saw the Bronco offense achieve that kind of result last season - where the defense was confused about the Bronco's intentions. The QB reads are simpler - the run game gets dynamic when it works. The passing game is usually short lower risk passes - wanting yac after the catch. The reverse roll out bootleg is the deep play - along with play action.

I don't see why this offense won't improve - just from a 2nd year of talent acquisition and practicing together.

 

[SpiritOf77]

Good God people, appreciate a great thing when you have it and keep it intact! Kubiak will make the offense work if the QB doesn't totally suck. His type of Olinemen are not expensive. He'll make cheaper RBs work too. You won it all because of the defense. You should try to repeat doing it the same way.

This is a very good point, however, there are a few things that must be factored in here:

- I am a big believer in desire and hunger in a player, or in an entire side of the ball .. Does doling out huge contracts to players that have just gone through this incredible take away some of the fire, and desire ? .. Perhaps bringing in guys who have not won - who come in wanting to keep it rolling - guys who do not want the wheels to fall off on their watch - this might be the best way to continue the success ... I like Malik and Trevathan, however, Trevathan, for example, miraculously returned from multiple knee surgeries - on the same knee - and Jackson is a good fit in this system, but not the only guy who would fit ...

- A lot fell the right way for the Broncos - Miami beating New England the final week for example ... So many thing fell into place this past season, and we cannot hope for that again ....

The offense must be addressed

 

[Mingo]

Who says I can't hope for that again?

As for your suggestion (Lucas) - on the value of roster churning - that would work - if it were possible to pull off - as it is a very narrow needle you are threading that way. The alternative theory is that you have to reward the guys in the locker room who do all the right things over the course of their contract and delivered obvious excess value over expectation.

It is an undoubtedly a more difficult salary cap job than the Broncos were looking at when Elway started. Remember - Elway got in the first year back with the union contract - which meant the Broncos had a huge amount of rookie contract relief - on what they would have had to pay Von Miller as the 2nd pick in the draft. The Panthers got similar relief that year with Cam Newton. The Broncos had managed to be bad at just the right time - based on the player contract.

 

[SpiritOf77]

If Alex Collins is still there when we pick in the 2nd round, do you take him ?

Do Elway / Kubiak go RB that early ?

Some are saying he goes at the end of the first, some say in the third ... I like Collins a lot .. I doubt he's still there at the end of the third

 

[Mingo]

I don't know about a RB early, but I do think the Broncos tend to draft for value with the first pick - much more than need. I fully expect another TE early in the draft - the Broncos didn't seem to find the guys they wanted and their top new guy was lost for the season.

 

[iknowftbll]

The two biggest questions on offense next year are QB and OL.

At WR the team is more than set: DT, Sanders, Latimer, Caldwell, Norwood, Fowler. My guess is Caldwell will not be with the Broncos next season because Norwood and Fowler can replicate his production at a lower cost. Latimer was drafted too high to give up on so soon. I am confident DT will return focussed and ready to recover from his "down" year in which he had 105 catches for over 1300 yards. Let that sink in. It should make Chiefs fans soil themselves.

TE is an interesting position because I don't expect Daniels to return (maybe I'm wrong, but did I read somewhere he's considering retiring?), and Davis is good as gone. I'd like to see Virgil Green return but honestly for the life of me cannot understand why he is so under-used in this offense. It makes me wonder if he is just not a big part of the plans going forward. And of course we have Jeff Heuerman returning from injury. While he has a huge upside he's a big unknown because we haven't seen him in any real-time action. If Daniels retires the Broncos will be bringing in another veteran TE (rather than do the obvious and make Green a bigger part of the offense).

RB is another position that has me excited this off season. I like Hilman and am glad he reached full term with the Broncos because in year 1 I honestly couldn't figure out why the hell we'd draft such an ineffective player. He has proven me wrong about his potential, and I am very happy for this. At the same time I think it's time the Broncos bring in a player who can break tackles behind the LoS. I've been talking up Alfred Morris for months now, and believe he'll be a huge upgrade to Hilman while a lethal complement to Anderson. A true 1a and 1b situation at RB.

When you consider what the offense had at its disposal in 2015 the conclusion is simple: They under performed. But even though they were below our expectations they did a lot of things right. They moved the ball and scored when they needed to. The play calling was maddeningly conservative along the way but it was pretty clear, especially in the Super Bowl the Broncos were playing to the strength of their team and also trying to deny a damn good Panthers defense opportunities to make the big play. While it may have made watching games difficult at times, it proved to be the right thing.

The offense of 2016 I believe will be a lot better. I think Oz will return. I think he represents the best chance for the Broncos to repeat, and the only way they let him walk is if he won't budge and values himself more than the team does. That'll be hard to see because the Broncos don't reach the Super Bowl in 2015 without Oz.

As for the O-line help is on the way with Sambraillo and Clady returning. Paradis developed into a solid center. Schofield actually stepped up in the playoffs and held his own, not getting beat every other play like he did at times in the regular season. If Mathis and Vasquez aren't back for 2016 Schofield may actually be a good candidate to replace on of them by sliding over a place. There is some benefit in this because if he's relegated to a backup role and Mathis and Vasquez aren't back, coupled with the assumption that Harris will be spelled, this line runs the risk of having just 1 returning starter from 2015 to 2016. That's ugly, even with upgraded talent. Schofield was a pretty solid run blocker and may be a good option at guard.

All of this gives very little thought to FA and the draft. We think we've got this team figured out but we know there will be a lot of new faces for 2016. And that's okay: the offense looks to be a lot better this year. If they can average 24-25 PPG, and the defense/ST can bump that average up to 25-26 PPG this team is going to be really good. Because even if we lose Trev and Jackson on defense that side is going to be a top-5 unit.

The Broncos go no worse than 10-6 in 2016, and another 12-4/13-3 season isn't out of the realm of possible.

 

[Mingo]

Mathis may be back at a reasonable price, but I think Vasquez (as $6 Mill) on the salary cap doesn't really fit the Broncos zone blocking type.

Schofield will probably move inside - and I expect Sambrailo will be at RT. I don't know if the Broncos believe Clady will be ok for the LT spot or not, but they need a guy to play LT in their offense to groom behind Clady if need be.

I do agree that Oz will be back and the Offense will get better.

 

[58crash]

Actually that is with the Manning $4 million gone if I remember right.

Good broke enough .that is for sure

 

[SpiritOf77]

Nicki Jhabvala ‏@NickiJhabvala Feb 18

Hillman, on seeking a contender vs. big payday in free-agency: "I want a lucrative contract, but I still want to be able to compete .

Doesn't sound like Ronnie is expecting to resign with the Broncos

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Thank God

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[Mingo]

Dennison and Kubiak have a history of scrap heap RBs. I liked HIllman, but he can make more on the open market - especially since he is still very young.

 

[SpringStein]

It seems that every reporter and sports radio guy around here expects Hillman to be a Bear next year.

 

[Mingo]

It seems that every reporter and sports radio guy around here expects Hillman to be a Bear next year.

Finally - the Bears will have a RB worthy of Sayers and Sweetness.

 

[58crash]

Dennison and Kubiak have a history of scrap heap RBs. I liked HIllman, but he can make more on the open market - especially since he is still very young.

And very health ..Glad for him ..

 

[Broncos6482]

I'm ok with the Broncos bringing in Lamar Miller or Alfred Morris, provided they come pretty cheap. I'm not a big fan of signing free agent running backs, but those two don't have nearly the wear on them that a lot of other guys do.

Otherwise, just go to the draft for running backs. I'm a big fat no on Doug Martin (too pricey), Arian Foster (too injury prone), and Matt Forte (wrong side of 30).

 

[randymon]

I like Miller. Somebody posted days ago that Miami didn`t use Miller enough or properly. True story. I know. He was on my FF team/teams. Guy would have 5 runs for 50-60 yds in first half at most,and then they would not get him the ball. I would take Miller easy over the others but I guarantee you he`ll want to get paid. So... I`ll stick with CJ`s backups in Thompson and Bibbs, draft one and look at some FA`s as well.

 

[58crash]

Miller wants a pay day . We will Draft short of a Really cheap UFA