It's time to give Blake Watson a chance!

    When you follow an NFL team, and have been a fan since you were born, the weekends in the fall hold special meaning. When the team you follow hasn't had a winning season since 2016 when they finally get over the top guaranteeing their first winning season in 9 years it feels pretty good. Then injuries bring you back down to earth. Injuries are a fact of life in the NFL, and teams getting injuries towards the end of the season is also a harsh fact in the NFL. Running back Jaleel McGlaughlin hurt his quad during the Colts game game, and didn't practice on Monday. Usually this wouldn't be that big of a deal, but the Broncos play the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday night in LA. The Broncos and Chargers are currently battling for playoff position so Denver needs all of it playmakers available to play. 

    The Denver Broncos offense has been a bit on an enigma this season. Going into the year anyone who was paid to analyze the game would tell you that the Broncos were severely lacking playmakers on the offensive side of the ball. To be clear, any offensive player in the NFL is a playmaker, but there are players in the NFL who have the ability to potentially score every time they get the ball. Those guys are not exactly rare, but they are common either. Going into the year it was clear that the two playmakers on the Broncos offense were Jaleel McGlaughlin, and Marvin Mims. Each of those two players have the ability to make people miss, and then once they make you miss can out run everyone on the field to the endzone. It also seemed like Sean Payton was starting to give McGlaughlin the majority of the carries on offense essentially making him our #1 back over Williams, and Audric Estime. With the playoffs coming up the Broncos will absolutely need McGlaughlin to be at full speed. This is the perfect time of the year to give Blake Watson his first real chance in the NFL regular season. 

    Who is Blake Watson? Blake Watson is a running back from the University of Memphis that the Broncos paid the most out of any undrafted free agent they picked up. Prior to the draft Watson was being talked about a 3rd-6th round guy. He isn't the biggest guy at 5'9 and 195lbs, but he is a guy presents a low center of gravity, and is hard to bring down. He is another very explosive player running a 4.3 40 yard dash in the combine, and the other thing that I think could really make him stand out in this offense is his ability to catch the ball. I would say Watson is a back who is just as explosive as McGlaughlin, but might run harder between the tackles. I have been hoping Watson got his chance all year because I think he could be a hidden gem. I never want see a player get hurt, but that is the nature of football. If for some reason Jaleel can't play I really hope Blake Watson gets his chance. 

This Season Feels Different Than Previous Years

   In this post we are just going to be honest when it comes to the recent history of the Denver Broncos. The standard that Pat Bowlen set the day he purchased the Broncos is gone, and it left when Payton Manning retired. Being born in Denver basically makes you a Bronco fan at birth. I am an 80s baby, so I got to watch the Elway era, and some of the best memories of my life are walking into the original Mile High Stadium with my dad who would take me to games there. There was a standard of excellence here, and up until we had some losing seasons after Super Bowl 50 the Broncos had been to more Super Bowls than they had losing seasons. 

    A large part of the problem for a few years was the Bowlen family was fighting about keeping the team, or selling the team. They ended up selling it to the Walton-Penner group, and immediately there was a change in culture in the front office, but they didn't have a coach that could change the culture here on the field. To put it as honestly as possible, we were flat out a soft team. Nathaniel Hackett, who was supposed to be an offensive genius, is only a genius when he had Aaron Rodgers running the offense. The team was just as soft under Vic Fangio, and Vance Joseph. Enter Sean Payton, who is from the Bill Parcells coaching tree, and is exactly what the Broncos need. A guy who is about discipline, teaching, and demanding the best out of his players everyday, at every practice. When you listen to the reports of camp this year you hear about the heated competition for every rep. Players trash talking with each other, little pushing and shoving matches, and stuff like that where you can tell the intensity is really turned up, but they respect each other, so it never goes too far. Thanks to Sean Payton for changing the culture back to what we as Bronco are used to. Coach Payton has to have the right players for his system on offense which is essentially based on timing. What this means is that Payton's offense gets people open, but your QB has to know when, and where to throw the ball for each route. He has to deliver the ball to the receiver accurately, and on time (meaning during the window of time when the receiver comes open). That is not how Russel Wilson has ever played the game, so the writing was pretty much on the wall when Sean Payton was hired. 

    "With the 12th pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos select: Bo Nix, QB, from Oregon". It was pretty clear after the draft Sean Payton got "his guy" with Bo Nix. There might have been even a little gamesmanship from the Broncos to help build up JJ McCarthy so that the Vikings would take McCarthy leaving Nix for the Broncos to draft. So what were some of the things the Broncos liked about Bo Nix going into the draft that led them to taking him at 12? Personally I think they actually like that he is an older QB at 24 than other QBs being taken. Nix has played in a LOT of college football games, so he has more experience than other QBs who were taken. Nix played in the SEC, and then transferred to the University of Oregon in the Pac-12 where he was going to have to throw the ball a lot more. What really stands out with Bo is his accuracy, and decision making. During his first year at Oregon Nix threw for 3600 yards, had a 71% completion percentage, and threw 29 TDs to 7 INTs. Bo Nix 2023 season was absolutely incredible. Bo threw for 4508 yards, had 77.4% completion percentage, threw 45 TDs, and only threw 3 interceptions! Going back to how Sean Payton runs his offense he needs a QB who is accurate, can read a defense, and that doesn't throw interceptions. Bo Nix looks more comfortable with this offense than Russel Wilson was at any point last year! 

    This season feels like a corner has finally been turned. The ownership is in place, the GM and head coach seem to have a good relationship, and I think we finally have a QB that is going to turn out to be the real deal. The team is taking camp far more serious than pervious years, and players are competing for the few open positions on the team. It feels like there are far less questions going into this season than there has been in a long time. There are still questions regarding this team, but to have the big questions of team ownership, who the GM is, who the HC is, and who is QB answered things just feel different going into this season.   

The Position The Broncos Have Neglected for years.

    What does the Orange Crush defense, and '05 AFC Championship runner up defense, and the Super Bowl 50 defense all have in common? The answer is dominant inside linebackers! The Orange Crush had Randy Gradishar and Tom Jackson, the '05 AFC Championship team had Al Wilson, and the Super Bowl 50 team had Danny Trevathan, and Brandon Marshall. No offense to Josey Jewell or Alex Singleton, but they are not anywhere near the linebackers any of the above mentioned players. 

    Josey Jewell and Alex Singleton are the definition of special teams players. They aren't quite the athletes that we need to be starters, but they are good football players, and have the mentality to be special teams players. The cash strapped Broncos aren't in a spot where they can go out and spend on the top guys like Patrick Queen who signed with the Steelers, or even Devin Bush, but they need to have a plan to bring in guys who have the mentality Jewell and Singleton have, but more athletic ability. 

    This draft is full of inside linebackers that fit the bill for the Broncos. Athletic guys, who can cover, and tackle. The guy I would draft is Trevin Wallace from Kentucky. Wallace is 6'1, 231lbs, ran a 4.51 in the combine, and had a 1.62 ten yard sprint. Denver needs a leader on the defense like we had with Al Wilson, and when you look at the film, It is my belief that Trevin Wallace would be a guy who could come in, start, and make an immediate impact. With guys like Travis Kelce, and other TE's in the AFC West it's important we have inside linebackers that can cover, The guys we have at the position now are great at a very few specific things, but don't have everything needed to be starting LBs in the NFL today. 

 

Avalanche add variety of players for the playoff run

     "What are the Avs going to do about the 2C?" "What are the Avs gonna do about all the defensive problems?" "Who will be the defenseman to get traded Girard or Byram?" These, and MANY other questions were circulating about the Avalanche leading up to the trade deadline. The trade deadline came and left, and the Avs added a group of players that all provide various skills to the lineup. 

    One thing that all of the players we added have in common is the they are a little bigger players than we are use to having on the roster. This team looks FAR more like the Cup winning team than last years team, or even this years team leading into the trade deadline. I know prior to the trade deadline there were people in the media, and a growing number of fans saying that the team as constructed prior to the trade deadline would either be eliminated in the first round, or win one series, and be done in the 2nd round.

    All, or at least most of those opinions went away as the Avs began to make moves going into the trade deadline. The first trade was one that didn't go over well with the fan base, and that was trading Kurtis MacDermid to the New Jersey Devils. The team saved just under a million dollars, but lost the heavyweight champ of the league as far as enforcers go. This trade made sense however because MacDermid didn't get more than 5-7 minutes of ice time per game. It was after this trade that the chaos began. 

    The next trade was the one that would end up being the most notable trade for the day. The Avalanche reached into their pool of talented young defensemen, and sent the 22 year old Bowen Byram to the Buffalo Sabres for 25 year center Casey Mittlestadt. Ever since the Avalanche lost Nazem Kadri to the Calgary Flames they have been in need of a second line center to play behind Nathan Mackinnon. They tried with JT Compher before they looked outside the organization, so when Compher didn't work out the Avs traded for veteran Ryan Johansen, and when he didn't work out the Avalanche front office decided to make a move. Getting a young player like Mittelstadt not only solves the 2C problem, it makes what was once a weakness a strength. 

    Losing Byram created a hole in the defensive core. To solve this problem the Avalanche made another rather large trade in trading Ryan Johansen, and a first round pick to the Philadelphia Flyers for the defenseman Sean Walker. Walker is 29 years old, brings experience, and is an offensive defenseman like Bo Byram is. Walker is grittier than Byram, and will throw his body around more than Byram would. Being 22 years old Byram has a much higher upside than Walkers, but for what we are asking out defensemen to do Walker is more than sufficient. 

    The next two trades are trades that are just as important as the trades for Mittlestad, and Walker. They players we got in these trades are exactly the type of players teams need to win in the playoffs. They are players who will be fan favorites. The first player we traded for was wing Brandon Duhaime from the Minnesota Wild. Duhaime is known as a player who can get under other teams skin, and he is a talented fighter when it comes time to drop the gloves. While he isn't on the level of MacDermid, he is a better hockey player than Macdermid, and will be on our 4th line in the playoffs. Duhaime is known to be a player who gets other teams to take bad penalties, and will always stand up for his teammates, which will be a nice change here for the Avalanche. Duhaime is 6'2, and 200lbs, and while he is not known for his scoring ability, he is known for his skating ability, so he should fit in just fine with the Avs. 

    Yakov Trenin was the last player we were able to get prior to the trade deadline. We traded a 2025 3rd round pick, and a Jeremy Hanzel to Nashville for Trenin, and a minor league player named Graham Sward. The central piece of this trade was Trenin. While he played wing in Nashville, the Avs are going to turn him into their 4th line center. Trenin is known as being one of the best forecheckers in the league, and is also a very physical player as far as throwing his body around, and dropping the gloves when need be. Having a 4th line with guys like Trenin, Duhaime, and Cogs brings speed, and toughness to the bottom six we haven't seen in a long time. 

    Other than the obvious reason to trade for Mittlestadt, why would the Avs bring in a Brandon Duhaime, and Yakov Trenin? I can hear the Avs fans now saying "don't we already have Miles Wood, Ross Colton, Logan O'Connor, etc for that?" The answer is yes, that is why they were brought in, but playoff hockey is a different animal all together. In a 7 game series having a 4th line with Duhaime (he is an amazing skater), Trenin (known as one of the best forecheckers in the game), and Cogs (known for his speed and forechecking) where not only will they forecheck, they will wear down the defense by hitting them over, and over again how playoff series are won! Imagine the roaring 20s line as the 3rd line, and Duhaime, Trenin, and Cogs as your 4th line? They will wear down other teams with their skating ability, and physical play. This will make the top two lines jobs much easier. This team is now built for a playoff run. 

What Are The Differences Between The 2022 And 2023 Avalanche ?

    A new hockey season is kicking off, and every team is has playoff hopes, and Stanley Cup dreams! Last years team couldn't get out of the first round, so what has changed between last years team, and the 2022-2023 team? Simply put this years team is built for a playoff run, and not just to simply win games in the regular season like last years team. The core of this team has been solidified by the front office, and most of the core of the team are all locked into contracts for the foreseeable future. So what is different about this years team than last years team? Who are the new players on the team, and what role will they look to play? These are all things I will touch on in this blog. 

    The great thing about being an Avalanche fan right now is we have the best core of players we have had since the Joe Sakic, and Peter Forsberg days. I would say that the argument could be made that the core of this team is actually better than the core of the at least the 95-96 Stanley Cup winning team, and if they haven't surpassed the 00-01 team they are certainly nipping at their heels. The challenge each year is finding the right mix of players to put around them. There were of course many reasons the Avs weren't able to repeat as Cup champions like the health of the captain Gabriel Landeskog, who Avs fans were told was going to be coming back all year up until just before the playoffs, or the overall health of the team in general last year. At times it looked more like a Colorado Eagles game than an Avalanche game at Ball Arena last year.  It's hard to argue that Landeskog is the best captain in the NHL, and he simply brings so many things to the team that simply cannot be replaced. Issues like these made it hard to assemble the right players around the core. Simply put last years team was not built to win in the playoffs. The Avalanche front office is able to evaluate the skating ability of players better than any other team in the league as it seems like year in and year out the Avs are the best skating team in the NHL. Unfortunately that has led to the Avs being a little on the small side for a NHL team, and without the bigger body guys that will go into the dirty areas of the ice, and do what is necessary to win the battles for the puck you will not have much success in the playoffs. 

    

    In order to remedy this issue the Avalanche went out in free agency, and were looking to target a certain type of player. Obviously this player would have to be able to skate extremely well to be able to keep up with the core of the team as was mentioned above, but they also needed to be a little bit bigger than the 5'10-5'11 180lb players we had last year. The type of player they were looking for would also need to play with an edge, and be towards the top of the league in hits. Who would be able to fill all these roles? Enter Miles Wood, and Ross Colton. Miles Wood is one of the fastest players in the league, is 6'2, 195lbs, plays the body, and isn't hesitant to stand up for a teammate. Ross Colton has been among the league leaders in hits for the last few years. To put it in perspective last year Erik Johnson was the team leader with 120 hits. Last year Ross Colton had 188 hits. They also added guys like Frederick Olofsson who is 6'2 190lbs, and Riley Tufte who is 6'6 and 230lbs who came over from Dallas who both play physical, and are fantastic skaters as well. 

    Two bigger pieces the Avs were missing due to the departure of Nazem Kadri after the 2021-2022 season, and the injury to Gabe Landeskog were a second line center, and another top 6 winger. To fill the second line center role the Avalanche went out and traded for Ryan Johansen from the Nashville Predators. Following the narrative of adding more size Johansen is 6'3 and 218lbs, has put up some great numbers in Nashville, and due to him getting older the Predators were willing to retain half his salary, so he was relatively cheap to get. The Avalanche are not looking for him to have the numbers he did in Nashville when he was on their top line, but they are hoping he can be a productive second line center for them. In what might be the biggest low risk/high reward signing in the NHL Nathan Mackinnon's former teammate in the minors Jonathan Drouin was signed for a very team friendly deal in hopes he can reignite his career being back with Mackinnon. Again, Drouin being 5'11 and 200lbs he's able to win the battles in the corners when he needs to, but still has the speed to play with Mackinnon and Rantanen. 

    The additions to this team make them an instant threat in the playoffs. They now have the "dogs" to play the style of hockey you need to in the playoffs if you want to win. The skating ability of this team is still among the best in the NHL, and they managed to get bigger! They were able to find players to fill the second line center roll, and a top 6 winger without breaking the bank. This Avalanche team has all the makings of a team that could bring the Cup back home to Denver, and they will be absolutely one of the most fun teams in the NHL to watch! 

Concerns About The Avalanche After Beating Vegas

The Colorado Avalanche are starting to get healthy, putting some wins together, and settling in for the playoffs. They beat Vegas last night 3-0, and seemingly had the game in hand from 14 seconds into the contest when Mikko Rantanen scored a goal with a great play to knock the puck out of the air, and put in the back of the net. The Avs looked fast, and Alexander Georgiev had another amazing game in net! On the surface everything looked really good, but as the game went on I began to have some concerns.

The first thing I thought of was that Vegas has completely changed the way they play, and they are going to beat teams by grinding them down, and playing a more "boring" style of defensive hockey where they wait for you to make a mistake, and generate their offense that way. They really try to take away all the open ice, and make it hard for us to use our speed. I realize the Avalanche will be getting Cale, and hopefully Gabe back, but even with them back Colorado still needs to make a couple moves to set themselves up in order to repeat. 

Vegas has built a roster of players who have all bought into the defensive, grinding style they play. They have plenty of playmakers on the team, but they have bought into the system. It's almost like they know they have to play us that way because trying to skate with us, or get into a high scoring game with us doesn't work. While we won the game last night, the way Vegas plays is tailored to winning in the playoffs. Watching the game last night I couldn't help but think that Vegas is going to be a problem for a lot of teams, and I started thinking about all those years prior to last year when we would get beat in the 2nd round of the playoffs. All season we would look amazing being able to out skate, and out score teams, but the playoffs are a grind which is why we would get beat in the 2nd round. Last years team had guys like Kadri, Sturm, Aube-Kubel, Landeskog, and Darren Helm who all had different roles, but were either just under, or over 200lbs, and would throw their weight around. Eric Johnson was also healthy, and he plays a crucial role in shutting other teams top players down.

Even once we get Landeskog back I am hoping we make another move for a top 6, two way player with some size. The two names I am hearing the most are Max Domi, who is the style of player we need in our top 6, and the other name is Kevin Hayes from the Flyers who is 6'5 and 220lbs. Either one could slide right into the second line center position. I personally also think we need another bigger, stay at home defenseman because while Manson and Jack Johnson are great players, last year they had Eric Johnson who played a big role in the playoffs against opposing teams top players. I don't think it would hurt to bring a veteran guy to play the role Ryan Murray played last year where if he is called upon due to injury he can step in, play consistent, and won't get rattled. Regardless of what happens at the trade deadline this week the NHL playoffs are shaping up to be pretty incredible!

It's Time For The Avalanche To Make Moves

I didn't realize it had been so long between my posts! Seems fitting that my last post was about the Avalanche, and that's what my first post back will be about as well. 

Watching the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup brought back a lot of memories of the Cup runs with Joe Sakic playing, and not running the organization, Peter Forsberg, Adam Foote, Patrick Roy, and all the other big names of those teams. Something that I don't think people who aren't hockey fans truly grasp is just how hard it is to win the Stanley Cup. Winning back to back Cups is so difficult only 8 franchises have ever accomplished that feat. There are a number of concerns on this team going into the playoffs, and it is getting to that time where Chris Macfarland, and Joe Sakic need to make some moves in order to give the team the best shot to repeat. 

Going into the season there was talk that Colorado's one weakness could be their second line center. Losing a player like Kadri was going to leave a noticeable gap in our top 6, and team goal scoring prowess. The Avalanche have also been hit hard by the injury bug this season. All year the Avs have been playing without major pieces in their line up, and it doesn't look like that is going to improve anytime soon with Eric Johnson, and Cale Makar both missing time.  Here are a few moves I feel would benefit the team to make a push to be the 9th team win back to back Stanley Cup Championships. 

Trading Chicago for Jonathan Toews. 

Chicago is rebuilding, and are looking to trade Jonathan Toews, and Patrick Kane, who are the last two remaining members of their most recent Stanley Cup runs. He has a considerable cap number, but I am sure the Avs front office would be able to negotiate Chicago eating a good chunk of it. Toews would bring a bigger bodied, two way player, who is also very good at faceoffs. 

Trading Montreal for Sean Monahan

Monahan is another player similar to Toews. Both are team captains of their respective teams (Toews and the Blackhawks, and Monahan the Canadians), both are good at faceoffs, they are similar in size, but I would say Toews has the advantage on scoring ability, but Monahan is the more physical, and plays with more of an edge. 

Trading Florida for Radko Goudas

Eric Johnson just went down with an injury that is going to keep him out for what they said will be "weeks". Losing EJ takes away one of our two bigger, physical, shut down defensemen. One thing we know for sure is in order to win during the playoffs you need veteran, physical players for when the series start to "grind". Goudas has been linked to Edmonton, Pittsburgh, and Tampa Bay. He only has a $2.5 million dollar cap hit, and is a free agent next year. 

Trading St. Louis for Igor Barbashev

He's 6'1 195lbs, has a $2.25 million dollar cap hit, and he could provide us with the number 2 center we need. He can skate, score, and would provide a bigger forward that would wear on the opposing teams defenses.

Trading Chicago for Jack Johnson

After Eric Johnson going down bringing back Jack Johnson who played such a huge role for the team last year back.  

Trading Edmonton for Jesse Puljujarvi

There has been talk all year that Edmonton is going to trade him. We currently have another 6'4 Finnish guy on the team, but he is a goal score. Puljujarvi is a player who plays a physical, gritty game, and that is something we need, and especially in the playoffs. 

Finally......for my last suggestion, any player from the Vancouver Canucks. That is a dumpster fire if I have ever seen one, and if we can get a player like a Luke Schenn from them it wouldn't be the worst thing that's happened. 

 

Do The Colorado Avalanche Have Any Weakness? I Say Yes.....

      After taking pretty much the whole year off from writing anything, I figured rather than making another Broncos post I would write about the Avalanche, and how they might not be as ready to dominate as a lot of people around town might think!

     Growing up an Avalanche fan in the 90's and early 2000's I didn't realize how spoiled I was as far as hockey teams go. Watching guys like Peter Forsberg, Joe Sakic, Patrick Roy, Adam Foote, and the countless others that made those Avalanche teams perennial Stanley Cup contenders was amazing. When you look at the rosters of the Avalanche teams that won the Cup there is literally no real weakness to be found. They had the star power, leadership, and of course goaltending to give themselves a chance in any game they played. 

     Coming into the 2020-2021 season it is very easy to be just as excited for the current team playing down at Ball Arena as it was in either one of the years the Avalanche won the Cup. The 20-21 Avalanche might be the best all around skating team we have ever had in Colorado, and that is saying something considering the players I mentioned above. When the Avs put out their top line of Gabriel Landeskog, Mikko Rantanen, and Nathan Mackinnon along with defensmen Cale Makar, and Devon Toews it is the equivalent of another teams number 1 power play unit, where teams put their best players on the ice at the same time in hopes of scoring. Their second line would be the top line on most other NHL teams, and they have kids like Bo Byram, and Samuel Girard on the blue line with the big veteran Eric Johnson. When this team is skating well watching them play is a thing of beauty. Add in steady goaltending from Philipp Grubauer, and there's no stopping this team right? Not so fast!

     The sport of hockey has gone through a variety of rule changes to make the game safer. These rule changes have all be in favor of creating more scoring, creating harsher penalties for getting too physical, or dirty play. Despite all that, hockey is still a very physical sport, and as such you need a couple guys on your team that play with an edge, or are what some people would call "dogs". The days of the 'goons' are gone in hockey, so I am not talking about specifically fighting (though players like this should be able to at least be proficient in fighting). I am talking about guys who take pleasure in going into the corners and fighting for the puck. The big bodies that just grind on people, and wear them down especially over course of say a seven game series? Guys who finish checks, and don't let their teammates get pushed around. The Colorado Avalanche, as currently constructed don't really have anyone who fits this role. 

     What 'role' am I talking about? I can't really say, but the best way to describe it is by mentioning players who fit this role. Looking at the '95-'96 Avalanche roster players who fit this role are guys like Adam Foote, Mike Ricci, Mike Keane, Claude Lemieux, and others. The '00-'01 team had again, Adam Foote, but also guys like Dan Hinote, Rob Blake, Eric Messier, and others that fit the role I am speaking of. In a game of pond hockey with no walls, and no real physical play to speak of this Avalanche team might be the greatest team ever assembled, but when you add in the physical play suddenly that huge gap in talent becomes a little closer. Currently the Avs are ranked number 24 out of 31 as far as team size goes. The biggest team in the NHL is currently Las Vegas tipping the scales, on average at 203lbs, the Avs are number 24 weighing on average 197lbs. So if the difference isn't just being a smaller team, what is it? In my opinion it is attitude. Comparing rosters there is nobody on this team like Adam Foote who was big, played with an edge, and could shut down just about anyone in the NHL in his prime. I of course am not talking about his skill, as that is very tough to replicate, I am talking about his willingness to do the dirty work for his team. He, and others brought an edge to this team that was very important to have in my opinion with the star power that team could put on the ice. 

     My hope is that the skill on this team, and the way the league has changed will help the Avalanche in the playoffs when those bigger teams like Las Vegas, Dallas, Anaheim, St. Louis, etc start literally throwing their weight around. I think at some point the Avs will need to look to make a move or two in order to bring in a couple bigger bodies, that like to play physical to go along with the guys they have now like Matt Calvert, Eric Johnson, and Nazim Kadri who on the team now.  

Perspective On The Melvin Gordon Signing

     As the country locks down to combat the corona virus the NFL continues to do business, and news continues to be made. One of the bigger moves of the off season came when former Los Angeles Chargers running back Melvin Gordon signed a 2 year 16 million dollar contact to play for the Denver Broncos. Gordon was the running back who held out until the Chargers game on October 6th against Denver in hopes of getting a contract that paid him north of the 5 million he was set to receive. With the 13.5 million dollars he got guaranteed over two years he got paid a fair amount, but you have to wonder if he would've been paid more had he not held out, and put up similar numbers to his 2018-2019 season.

     The first thing I thought of when Gordon was signed was "we already have a number 1 back in Phillip Lindsey". There are people who think Lindsey is too small to continue get a lot of carries in the NFL, and there are people who believe he can get the job done despite his smaller size. I am in the group that believes he can get the job done. Today's NFL almost requires that you have multiple running backs on your team. Despite his toughness Lindsey was still suspect with his pass blocking, and pass catching abilities last season. I have no doubt those issues were due to the wrist injury he sustained the season before, and had surgery to correct. There is no doubt that as Lindsey heals he will improve in both of those areas. Known to be one of the hardest workers both on the team, and in the league, I believe with the added competition of Melvin Gordon both players will end up being better for it.

     Something I didn't think about immediately was that with the new collective bargaining agreement NFL game day rosters expanded from from 46 players to 48 players, with the only catch being that one of those two players has to be an offensive linemen. This means teams have an extra roster spot to play with. It makes sense that teams would use that roster spot to add another top quality running back on offense. The NFL is a league that constantly evolves, and over the last 10 years the running back position changed from a position you build an entire offense around, to one that is largely filled with role players outside of an elite few. Even for those elite few the lifespans of their careers are not very long. When you stop and think about it adding another top tier running back to the team makes total sense. While I do not think that the signing of Melvin Gordon is something that made Phillip Lindsey happy, I think they will push each other, and new Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Pat Schurmur will take full advantage of being able to have two top tier running NFL running backs to create mismatches against defenses with.

My First 2020 Denver Broncos Mock Draft

     Today is Thursday March 19th, and as of now the NFL draft is still scheduled to happen. I wouldn't be shocked if they postponed it, or at least changed the layout drastically to eliminate as much human interaction as possible. With that being said the NFL draft will take place at some point, and the Denver Broncos have 5 picks in the first 3 rounds. These are the players I believe Denver should try and draft at each position.

     "With the 15th pick of the first round of the 2020 NFL draft the Denver Broncos select......Kenneth Murray, Inside Linebacker from the University of Oklahoma. Murray is exactly what the defense needs in the middle. He is big, smart, and extremely athletic. Murray ran a 4.52 40 yard dash at the combine, and has shown on film that he is able to cover both tight ends, and running backs. Todd Davis and AJ Johnson are the current starters at inside linebacker for the Broncos. Both are solid tacklers, and physical players, but they are absolute liabilities in pass coverage. If your inside linebackers cannot cover tight ends, and running backs your defense will be at a severe disadvantage, and will be taken advantage of. Kenneth Murray has the ability to be a premier inside linebacker for years to come.

Denver's pick in the 2nd round is pick number 46.

     "With the 46th pick in the 2020 NFL draft, the Denver Broncos select Tyler Biadasz, Center, University of Wisconsin." One of the Broncos biggest additions this off season was offensive lineman Graham Glasgow. He is able to play both center, and guard, but I think ideally he would be a better fit at guard. Having Dalton Risner at left guard, Tyler Biadasz at center, and Graham Glasgow at right guard would give Denver potentially the best interior offensive line in the NFL.

Denver then has 3 picks in the 3rd round, 77, 83, and 95.

"With the 77th pick in the 2020 NFL draft the Denver Broncos select Denzel Mims, Wide Receiver, Baylor University". The Broncos need to add a legitimate number 2 receiver to play opposite of Courtland Sutton. Denver is also severely lacking in speed, and Mims will solve both problems. Mim's is a 6'2 205lb receiver who on film seems to catch everything thrown his direction. Mims turned in a blazing 4.38 40 time, and has shown the ability to get behind a defense to make a big play.

"With the 83rd pick in the 2020 NFL draft, the Denver Broncos select DaVon Hamilton, defensive tackle, Ohio State Univeristy." Hamilton is a 6'3 327lb beast in the middle of a defense. Most guys his size are typically known simply as run stuffers, but Hamilton can get after the quarterback as well. He had six sacks in 2019, and also put up the most amount of 225lb bench reps at the combine with 33 reps. Adding Jurrell Curry helped bolster the Broncos line, but all 3 starters from last year are being replaced. Adding Hamilton would give Denver a player who can play nose tackle, or the defense end/defensive tackle spot the 3-4 defensive scheme Denver runs.

"With the 95th pick in the 2020 NFL draft, the Denver Broncos select AJ Dillon, Running Back, Boston College." If I had to describe AJ Dillon in one word it would be violent. Dillon is 6' and weighs 247lbs. He ran a 4.53 40 yard dash, and has shown a good ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. Denver has a running back in Phillip Lindsey who has elite speed, and cutting ability. Every time Lindsey has the ball he is a threat to score. However, last year we saw a re-emergence of the bigger, power type back with a guy like Derrick Henry for the Tennessee Titans. Dillon is a back poured from the same mold. When you watch Dillon's tape you can see he runs with an aggression not shared by many. Dillon would be a fantastic change of pace back to Lindsey. Dillon would especially come in handy when it is late in the game, Denver has the lead, and is trying to run out the clock. AJ Dillon would look fantastic in Broncos Orange.

     As of right now Denver has 10 draft picks. It will be of vital importance that John Elway is able to find multiple players who can contribute this year if we want to beat KC for the division. I think getting these 5 players in the first 3 rounds could potentially be one of Denver's best draft classes ever.

Drafting A Power Running Back

     As we head into the combine for the 2020 NFL draft the Denver Broncos are sitting in a position where they need to find another running back to add to the roster. Phillip Lindsey is a dynamic back with elite speed, and an incredible will to compete. Described as a "smaller" back, Lindsey has the heart, and toughness to run between the tackles. Just because someone is willing doesn't necessarily mean they are able. For all of his effort Lindsey isn't an effective of a runner between the tackles as a back who is over 240lbs would be. That is simply physics. Currently the Broncos have a back in Royce Freeman who is a bigger back, but he hasn't shown the propensity to be an overly physical runner game in, and game out. This leaves the Broncos in a position where they need to look to add another running back that is a true bruiser. Despite the fact that Denver has a ton of cap room I would look to fill this position through the draft. After researching the running backs coming out this year I have narrowed it down to two guys who I think could step in and help the Broncos immediately.

     The first player, who also happens to be my favorite out of the two is AJ Dillon from Boston College. Dillon is 6 feet tall and listed at 249lbs. Watching him on film the first thing you notice is that he isn't just a big back, this guy can flat out move. When Dillon gets that 249lb body going full speed with his shoulders headed down field it is a sight to be hold. He absolutely punishes opposing players who attempt to tackle him. Dillon has had a minimum of 225 carries in each of the last 3 seasons, and in 2019 Dillon carried the ball 318 times, for 1685 yards, and 14 touchdowns. In 2018 he has 227 carries, for 1100 yards, and 10 touchdowns, and in 2017 Dillon carried the ball 300 times, for 1589 yards, and 14 touchdowns. With all those impressive numbers there is a stat that often times get overlooked, and that is the amount of times he has fumbled the ball. Impressively, according to ESPN stats, Dillon hasn't fumbled the ball one time in the last 3 years. Here is an impressive highlight of AJ Dillon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98Cfb-FC5wA

     Another running back similar to Dillon in this years draft is a guy named Sewo Olonilua from TCU. He is 6'3, and 240lbs, and runs with a punishing style just like Dillon does. The reason I like Dillon more is simply he has far more impressive numbers. Dillon was used the Boston Colleges primary back, whereas Olonilua shared time with other players. This means there isn't as much info on him, but it also means that his body hasn't taken the abuse that a back like Dillon has. In 2017 Olonilua had 64 carries, for 330 yards and 7 touchdowns. In 2018 he had 135 carries for 635 yards, and 2 touchdowns, and in 2019 he had 134 carries for 537 yards, and 8 touchdowns. Olonilua is a better receiver out of the backfield than Dillon having caught 24 passes in 2019, but with his size his pass catching ability is nice, but most likely will not be used. If Denver is throwing to a running back is it is going to be Phillip Lindsey.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIW332SOA8c&t=82s

     Obviously Dillon will most likely go in the top 2-5 rounds, so if Denver really liked him they might have to get him earlier than they would have to get Olonilua. It is impossible to watch the above highlights and not get excited for the possibility of one of those players taking hand offs in Denver. Either one would be the perfect compliment to Phillip Lindsey, and would push Royce Freeman to either be the back we drafted him to be, or to move on. One thing is for sure, and that is last year Tennessee proved that having a big body back absolutely wears opposing teams down late in the game, and a player like this would be huge dividends for the Broncos, and Pat Schurmer's offense.

A Draft Prospect The Broncos Should Pursue!

     Going over the list of offseason needs for the Broncos to address, and one of them is a finding a third running back to play with Phil Lindsey, and Royce Freeman. Last season Denver used DeVontae Booker as their 3rd running back, and predominantly used him as a receiving option on 3rd downs. Denver didn't use him much, but the Broncos need to find a guy who can play running back, but also can run routes from the wide receiver position. Before the season last year Denver tried to address this need with signing Theo Riddick, but Riddick never got healthy enough to see the field in 2019. Does Denver look to bring back Riddick? Sign another free agent running back who fits the profile? Or target someone in the draft? As luck would have it there is a guy in this years draft that fits the profile for what Denver needs, and his name is Antonio Gibson, who is a hybrid running back/wide receiver from the University of Memphis. 

     To say Gibson is not like other guys who played his position would be an understatement. At 6'2 and 220lbs he has the size to play, and excel at running back. The interesting thing about Gibson that jumps off the screen at you when you watch his film is that he is actually a wide receiver who plays running back very well! Usually for those types of players they are typically running backs who can play wide receiver, but in Gibson's case it is the other way around. 

     Gibsons is not a player I think the Broncos should target before the 4th round. In 2019 Gibson had 38 receptions in 14 games for for 735 yards, and 8 touchdowns. His rushing statistics show he was used as a running back on average of just under 3 times per game, as he had 33 carries for for 369 yards and 4 touchdowns. He also returned punts, and kicks for Memphis, and also had a touchdown doing that in 2019. With a total of 13 touchdowns in 2019 I think it is safe to say Gibson knows how to get in the end zone. 

     While a player with his ability to score is always nice to have, I think the most impressive thing about him is the athletic ability he has been able to show, and put on film. Whether it be at running back, wide receiver, or as a returner, Gibson possesses the quickness, speed, and has the size to be a threat to score every time he touches the ball. This is exactly the type of player the Broncos need. Even though Gibson is listed as a wide receiver, I think he would make the team as a running back/returner. However, just because he is listed as a running back, I think he could be used as the teams 4th wide receiver as well. This would would save Denver a couple roster spots, and finally give them a player with the size, and speed to score on punt, and kick returns. If Gibson is there in the 4th round or later in this years draft I think Denver should look to draft him, and use his unique abilities in the mile high city!

The Hybrid Inside Linebacker = The Future

     Offenses in today's NFL are forcing defenses to make adjustments to the way they do things. As the offseason begins to heat up, and we start to move into the draft, and free agency, NFL teams are now looking to fill a new role on their team. Like the "slot" receiver, "slot" corner, or "receiving" tight end, the hybrid inside linebacker is a position NFL teams are starting value more and more.

     These "hybrid" linebackers are really just bigger, physical, safeties. When you are talking about these players you are usually going to see a player in the 6'2/6'3 range that weighs about 220lbs that would be considered "big", and "slow" for a safety. Players like Deone Bucannon, Mark Barron, Thomas Davis, all played safety in college, but essentially now play inside linebacker in the NFL. A player Bronco fans might remember who played this role extremely well was TJ Ward. When Denver would go into the nickel formation they would move Ward up to an inside linebacker role. From there he could cover the tight end, running back, or in Super Bowl 50 even shadow Cam Newton.

     It use to be that you could more or less "hide" a bigger, run stuffing linebacker in pass coverage. Those days are over. Unless you are a pass rushing specialist, if you want to play linebacker in the NFL you have to be able to run and cover like a safety while still being able fill holes like a run stuffing linebacker. Teams that are unable to put out linebackers who can cover will find themselves being taken advantage of by the new wave of running backs, and tight ends who run routes like wide receivers. As I mentioned in a previous post, players who can do multiple things at well are becoming more and more valuable. Linebackers who play like safeties, safeties who play like cornerbacks, and running backs that play like wide receivers are just a few of the "unique" types of players teams will have to utilize be successful in the NFL.

    A player in this years draft who fits this role, who I think would fit well on the Broncos is a guy named Kyle Dugger from the tiny Lenoir-Rhyne University. Dugger is 6'2 and 220lbs, plays safety, inside linebacker, running back, and he also returns kicks and punts for the Bears. He is a physical, sure tackler, but also possesses the athletic ability to play safety, cover the tight end, back out of the backfield, and occasional wide receiver. I believe that Dugger, and players like him will one day be the "usual" inside linebacker. Teams that take advantage of players like Dugger will be able to have more flexibility on defense, and make it tougher for offenses to create mismatches.

The Wide Receiver The Broncos Should Be Targeting

     Now that the Super Bowl is over people can start looking to how they are going to improve their teams for next season. Luckily Drew Lock was able to step in and go 4-1 in the final 5 games, and gave Bronco fans reason to hope that we finally found the "QB of the future". There are many holes that the Broncos should look to fill, but one of the things on top of that list is finding a true number 2 receiver to go with Courtland Sutton. 

     Currently the Broncos have a two receivers who fill your typical big bodied receiver role in Tim Patrick, and as mentioned before Courtland Sutton. Even the back ups on the roster like Juwan Winfree, and DaeSean Hamilton are both 6'3, and 6'1 respectively. Something the Broncos do not have is a wide receiver is a player who is a legit deep threat. This is a glaring hole on the offense. They simply do not have a player scares the opposing team with their speed. This is something they need to fix in free agency. The Broncos need to bring in a veteran player, who has elite speed. There just so happens to be a player available this year who can fill that role, and his name is Robbie Anderson, and he played for the New York Jets last year. Coming off a 2019-2020 season Anderson had 52 receptions for 779 yards and 5 touchdowns. 

     What Anderson brings to this offense is elite speed. Off the top of my head there is really only one guy in the NFL I would bet would beat Robbie Anderson, and that is Tyrek Hill from the Chiefs. Along with elite speed, Anderson also fits the Broncos profile of having bigger receivers as he is 6'3 and 190lbs. This makes him different than other receivers who run the 40 yard dash in low 4.3's/high 4.2's. Most guys with that speed are not as big as Anderson, and therefore have trouble with bigger, more physical corners. Anderson's size makes him difficult to jam at the line, and his elite speed can keep opposing defenses to play a step or two deeper than they normally would. Courtland Sutton is a perennial pro bowl receiver, and could end up being a top 5 guy in the league, but he has to have a guy who defenses have to worry about playing opposite of him. Robbie Anderson has the speed to be able to do that. 

In Today's NFL Individual Match Ups Are More Important Than Coaching Scheme

     After stepping away from blogging for a few months I decided to go ahead and toss out an idea that goes against the most traditional logic in the NFL; that games in the NFL are no longer won simply by fitting college players into complex schemes, but instead are won by finding, and taking advantage of your players individual athletic, and mental strengths. Then building an offensive, and defensive scheme based around them.

     The game of football is constantly changing. Looking as far back to the time before the forward pass, football coaches have spent hours hunched over notebooks drawing up formations, and plays they feel will outwit their opponents own formations, and schemes. Decades have gone by, and coaches become very good at fitting players into their game plans, and the best coaches have risen to the top. This has been the status quo for as long as I can remember. The game has changed. Coaches, and organizations will either adjust, or suffer the consequences.

     In todays NFL we are witnessing players who are bigger, stronger, and faster than at any point in our history. During the 1960's and 1970's you were considered a big player if you weighed 230lbs. There are wide receivers in today's NFL who weigh 230lbs, and they can also run as fast as world class sprinters. You have tight ends like Rob Gronkowski who played the game at 6'7 and 270lbs going out for passes against linebackers, and safeties sometimes giving up 7 inches, and 70lbs to him. There have always been "special" players who seem to operate on another level than their competition. Players like Jim Brown, and Earl Campbell come to mind, but these players were the exception, not the rule. As players continue to get bigger, and more athletic the game has had to change to accommodate their skill sets.

     I would argue that in today's NFL having players who can play multiple positions, in multiple schemes is just as important as having players who tend to specialize in one scheme. Having that ability is probably more evident right now on the defensive side of the ball. Having linebackers who can play physical against the run, but also are able to cover running backs, and tight ends is becoming mandatory. We are seeing safeties having to be able to cover a wide receiver on one play, and be the eighth man in the box on the next play. I think this is a trend we are going to see continue to become what is considered the "norm".

     We are starting to see this in the most innovative offenses of today as well with players like Christian McCaffery, Alvin Kamara, Tyrek Hill, and others. These are players who are incredibly gifted athletically, so much so that they can play another position on offense and create glaring match up problems for opposing defenses. Tight ends have always been used as the proverbial "offensive multi tool". The best guys like Shannon Sharpe, Tony Gonzales, or Antonio Gates were rare in that they were excellent blockers, but could run routes like a wide receiver. As offensive coordinators become more creative we will probably see wide receivers who can line up and play tight end, tight ends who can play fullback, and whatever other match up problems they can exploit based on the physical abilities of their players. Make no mistake, having a good offensive, and defensive scheme is still important. However,  probably more so now than at any time in the history of the game, the ability to create, and take advantage of mismatches based upon the athletically ability of your players can be the deciding factor between winning and losing the game.

It's Been A Long Time......Let's Talk Rebuilding The Broncos

       The Denver Broncos are rebuilding. There, I said it. Since the first step is admitting it I am glad I have that behind me! It appears that Bronco fans feel the same way about the word 'rebuilding' as Leonidas, and the Spartans felt about the word 'submission' in the movie 300. Sadly, unlike the Spartans we really don't have a choice. Rebuilding has been the elephant in the room since Payton Manning walked out the door. It is time that Broncos Country, from John Elway and Joe Ellis, to the littlest Bronco fan embrace this fact.

       If you hadn't already noticed the Broncos are essentially in rebuild mode then the trade of Emmanuel Sanders should have brought that to your attention. Sanders is an amazing football player, and fan favorite. Sadly, though he is still talented he is over 30 and on the downside of his career. The Broncos need the money that they would spend keeping him here building the rest of the roster, and they also need the draft picks that his deal brought.

      Are the Broncos finished making moves? John Elway said they were, but there has also been rumors of Chris Harris Jr being on the trade block. Personally I think every player on the roster outside of Von Miller, Courtland Sutton, Phil Lindsey, Royce Freeman, Dalton Risner, and Noah Fant should be available. This is the last year of Chris Harris's contract, and I do not think he will resign here no matter what he tells you. Trading him to get something in return is better than watching him leave for nothing. Same thing with Derek Wolfe. Basically, if the player is not a core member of the long term plans of this team they should be on the market.

       I can hear people saying "but I do not want to just tank for the rest of the season." It is not tanking at this point. The Broncos are 2-5, are coming off a terrible loss to a division rival, and traded away their longest tenured wide receiver for draft picks. I do not think it is tanking at this point. The Broncos need to come out, try and win every game, and then evaluate what they have in their younger players so they know which direction to go. In order to rebuild you have to know the materials you are starting with so you know what materials you still need to get in order to finish the project.

       In my opinion the top question facing the Denver Broncos is, is Drew Lock going to be the type of starting quarterback we want him to be?  This is why I think it is important that we give him as much playing time as he can possibly get. We need to know if he is the guy or not by the end of this season so we know which direction to go in the draft. If Drew Lock is our guy and we get a top 10 pick then we get grab an actual left tackle to pair with Dalton Risner on the left side. If Drew Lock isn't the guy we know that we have to be competitive at the top of this draft for one of the many talented QB's coming out.

       Once the quarterback question is answered we can move forward with the rebuild. The Broncos should go out of their way to build both the offensive and defensive lines. If you want to build a championship team you do it up front. It doesn't matter who your QB is if your line cannot block for him, and it doesn't matter if you have Von Miller on the outside rushing the passer if the interior of your line can't stop the run or get a pass rush. The good news for Bronco fans is that with as much turnover as there is in the NFL each year you are never more than a year or two away from being back in the championship race. Denver fans always show up, so hopefully we will get to watch the emergence of the next core of Bronco players!

The Hole In The Middle Of The Broncos

The Denver Broncos have been active thus far in the offseason, and they have addressed some important needs. Adding Kareem Jackson and Bryce Callahan to Chris Harris Jr, Justin Simmons, and Will Parks suddenly makes our secondary an absolute strength for this team again. Elway addressed the offensive side of the ball by working out a trade with the Baltimore Ravens for quarterback Joe Flacco, and then went out and made Ja'Waun James the highest paid right tackle in the league.

Kareem Jackson, and Bryce Callahan will step right into a starting roles with Kareem Jackson playing opposite of Chris Harris Jr, and Callahan being the nickelback. Obviously Joe Flacco and Ja'Waun James will be instant starters on offense, but the football traditionalist in me has noticed a huge missing piece of the puzzle for a successful football team; they are incredibly weak up the middle on both sides of the ball. They lost Matt Paradis in free agency, and Garret Bolles is the only returning starter not coming off a major injury. As of right now Conner McGovern is the starting center, but he might be best used at guard. Ron Leary is coming off injury so there is no telling if he will be able to get back to 100%, and the only other guard listed on the roster with NFL experience is Conner McGovern. Defensively they chose to let Domata Peko go, and while they have Derek Wolfe, Adam Gotsis, and Shelby Harris, there isn't much depth on the team, and they are a bit undersized. Moving back to the linebacking corps, Von Miller and Bradley Chubb make up one of the best pass rushing tandems in the NFL. The starting inside linebacking duo made up of Todd Davis and Josey Jewell are great first and second down linebackers, but are a liability in coverage. In what seems to be a ongoing theme with the Denver defense they continually get shredded by tight ends and running backs out of the backfield.

So what should the Broncos do at this point in the offseason?

Defensively I am 100% on the bandwagon of drafting either Devin White, or Devin Bush with the 10th pick in the draft. Both of these players are the type of players you want in the middle of your defense. There is a rumor I have read that Denver is also looking to make a trade with the Jets for inside linebacker Darron Lee. I for one hope this is true. Darron Lee is a sideline to sideline player that can cover tight ends, and running backs out of the backfield. Devin Bush/White and Darron Lee would give the Broncos a lot more flexibility at linebacker, and give Vic Fangio the type of inside linebackers he has excelled with in his defense. This is a deep draft for defensive linemen, and hopefully Denver will be able to pick up one or two players that can contribute next year.

Offensively they have both their left and right tackles set with Bolles and James. I would not be shocked if they brought in a veteran center either in the coming weeks, or maybe after the June 1st cuts. The Broncos are going to have to address the interior of this line with both a veteran signing, and drafting a potential starter in this draft. Three names of players who have stood out to me on film are Chris Lindstrom from Boston College, Erik McCoy from Texas A&M, and Michael Jordan from Oihio State. Something that stands out about McCoy and Jordan are they are both players that have experience playing both guard and center with McCoy being the highest rated center, and Jordan being the 4th highest rated center in this years draft. Trading for Joe Flacco solidified the quarterback position, but it doesn't matter who your quarterback is if you can't protect him.

As of right now the Denver Broncos are weak up the middle on both sides of the ball. How John Elway addresses this issue will have a drastic effect on whether or not they avoid having a third losing season in a row.

All Signs Point To Denver Drafting..............

Devin Bush, inside linebacker, from the University of Michigan.

The Denver Broncos have multiple issues going into the 2019-2020 season, and I would say they have done a great job addressing those needs thus far in the offseason. Bringing in Kareem Jackson and Bryce Callahan has returned our secondary to being one of the strengths of the team, and Ja'waun James looks to give Denver it's first consistent right tackle in recent memory. As you begin to cross these holes off the list you come to one huge glaring need in a Vic Fangio defense, inside linebackers who can run.

If you look at the defenses that Vic Fangio is best known for they were his 49ers defense that featured Patrick Willis and Navarro Bowman in the middle, and last seasons Chicago Bears defense which had Danny Trevathan and Roquan Smith on the inside. Currently the Denver Broncos have Josey Jewell and Todd Davis as their starting inside linebackers. While both are pretty sure tacklers they lack the speed to cover backs out of the backfield, and tight ends. Vic Fangio's defense needs inside linebackers who can cover a lot of ground, and Devin Bush fits that criteria. He ran a 4.44 40 yard dash at the combine, but this is a player who looks even faster on film. Devin Bush was all over the field for the Michigan Wolverine defense, and he is exactly the type of player you want in charge on the field. Drafting Bush would also fit with the Broncos recent trend of drafting team captains. It is rare that you see linebackers with all the tools that Devin Bush has.

Devin Bush is one of two inside linebackers in this draft that can absolutely be a difference maker from day 1. The other linebacker in this draft that will be special is Devin White. At 6'1 and 240lbs White is 2 inches taller than Bush, and White ran his 40 in 4.41 seconds. His stock is rising in the draft and he most likely will not be there at 10 when Denver drafts. Devin Bush should be available at 10, and getting a 3 down linebacker like Bush who can has the speed to cover running backs and tight ends should be Denver's top priority.

A Quick Guess Who Denver Will Draft.......

This is going to be a quick post as I will go into individual positions closer to the draft, but taking a step back and trying to guess who Denver will pick there were a lot of scenarios that made sense. Taking into consideration our teams strengths and weaknesses, up coming free agents, and who is getting older and might not be what they once were is part of the draft process. Another part of the draft process is selecting players who the coaches think they can get the most out of. When you take all those things into consideration then look at coach Fangios most successful defenses, and you compare them to the Broncos current defense it becomes clear we are lacking what coach Fangio wants at inside linebacker. Right now Josey Jewell and Todd Davis are our inside linebackers. When coach Fangio coached the 49ers he had Patrick Willis and Navarro Bowman as his inside linebackers. Last year in Chicago he had Danny Trevathan, a former Bronco, and Roquan Smith as his inside linebackers. 

Looking at how coach Fangio uses his inside linebackers it is probably fair to anticipate Denver will add at least one inside linebacker this offseason through free agency, as well as through the draft. So without digging into any of the offseason information who would I guess Denver drafts? With the 10th pick of the draft Denver will pick Devin White, inside linebacker from LSU. Watching his highlights I have not seen a linebacker as violent as White since Vontaze Burfict came out of Arizona State. I think Devin White probably has a better head on his shoulders than Burfict, and with Fangios love for fast, and violent inside linebackers do not be surprised if Devin White is the Broncos pick at 10. Below is a Devin White highlight. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2vg38N3k40&t=78s

The Denver Broncos: Moving Forward

I debated continuing to write throughout the season, but I quickly realized I would essentially be repeating myself week in and week out. Now that the season is over I think it is time to put together a offseason plan to get this team back where we are use to it being year in and year out. 

First thing on this list of course is finding a new head coach, and before you do that you have to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your team. The Broncos biggest strength is their defense, and with young players like Bradley Chubb, Josey Jewell, and Justin Simmons the Broncos have a solid young core of players. When you add the young players with current stars Von Miller and Chris Harris you still have the makings for a very solid defense. 

The weakness of this team was its offense. They simply couldn't get the job done, and were inefficient at best. As bad as they were, there were a couple bright spots from this year. We found our starting running back of the future in Phillip Lindsey, and our starting wide receivers in Courtland Sutton and Daesean Hamilton. Those are pretty much the only positive things you can say about the offense. 

So what direction does Denver go for their head coach? Do they get a defensive minded head coach, and bring in a known offensive mastermind for offensive coordinator? Or do the get a offensive minded head coach, and a bring in a defensive coordinator that can continue to play to our strengths? Personally I think it is time to bring in an offensive minded head coach. It doesn't take a genius to coordinate a defense with players like Denver has, and the offense is in desperate need of an identity. Denver needs to find a coach on offense who knows how to play to his players strengths rather than forcing his players to play his system. 

After choosing a head coach, Denver will need to decide how they want to go about getting their next franchise quarterback. Case Keenum was never going to be your franchise QB, and I think everyone knew that even before they signed him. Some people are looking for Denver to draft their next QB this year. I think that would be a mistake. With the top 10 pick this year I think you take the best player available, keep Case as your QB for another season, and then go all in for Tua from Alabama, or Fromm from Georgia. My personal favorite is Trevor Lawrence, but many people are saying he will not come out until 2021. 

This is shaping up to be one of the most important offseason in the history of the team. I can't wait to see how John Elway puts this franchise back together, and how the team takes shape for next season.