Courtland Sutton And How The Broncos Offense Should Look

I will be the first to say that I was a bit shocked when the Broncos drafted Courtland Sutton in the 2nd round. Shocked that Denver took a WR that high, and also shocked that Sutton was still on the board at the time. As I mentioned in the Royce Freeman post some players have that "it" factor, and I think Denver got another one with Courtland Sutton. He probably has the best catching ability of any receiver or tight end that was in the draft, and his ability to make plays on the ball when it is in the air is second to just about none. This was a pick of opportunity for the Denver Broncos as I feel like they didn't think Sutton would be there when they picked. Demaryius Thomas is still the Broncos top receiver, and one of the top 10 to 15 receivers in the NFL when he is healthy, but Courtland Sutton will be able to step right in as Denver's top target in a few years when Thomas retires.

Again, you have to ask yourself why did he fall to the second round? If he is so good why was he the third receiver selected? Wide receiver is a weird position where so many things come into play that it is hard to really say why any player is taken ahead of another. There could be a variety of reasons, but if I had to pick what I think are the top reasons, I would say the first reason would be his 40 time, he clocked in 4.5 seconds. Like with Royce Freeman, a 4.5 40 isn't going to make you look special in comparison to other receivers. Not having elite speed could be a reason he fell, and another could be that he came from a university not known for being a football power house at Southern Methodist University. Simply put, the competition he faced wasn't as good as the competition a receiver from the SEC, or Pac 12 would face. I am sure those things played into him falling to the second round, but either way in my eyes the Broncos got a player who can make a difference for years to come.

How does Courtland Sutton fit into the Broncos offense this season? First and foremost he will be Demaryius Thomas's back up. Should anything happen to DT, Sutton will step in at his spot, and take over being the big target for Case Keenum. I personally have a different hope for how he is used this season. My hope is that he impresses enough in OTA's and training camp that he can actually play on the other side of Demaryius Thomas. This would mean that Emmanuel Sanders moves into the slot, which I think is the best possible option for the Denver offense. Sanders has the elite route running ability, and elite speed to be a match-up problem for every NFL team. Emmanuel Sanders in the slot, Demaryius Thomas on one side, and Courtland Sutton on the other could be one of the more dynamic, and special receiving corps in the NFL next season. Having two receivers with the size of Sutton and Thomas on the outside, and the playmaking ability of Sanders on the inside would bring a smile to every Broncos fans face. Most teams end up trying to double team Demaryius Thomas, but if Courtland Sutton can make the transition to the NFL it will make it hard to do that. This means DT will have more single man coverage, and Emmanuel Sanders will be able to use his speed and route running ability from the slot where he has a huge advantage over just about any corner in the NFL. As it stands, Emmanuel Sanders plays on the opposite side of Demaryius Thomas, and the slot receiver is open for competition, but hopefully Sutton will be able earn that spot on the outside, and move Sanders inside. Should Courtland Sutton be able to succeed in doing that the Broncos offense really has a chance to be a tough team to game plan for this year.

Denver Broncos Draft Critique Of Royce Freeman

Royce Freeman could prove to be one of the biggest steals of the draft. Watching film on him he simply has that "it" factor you look for in any player, but especially at running back. At 5'11 and 230lbs he is big enough to run between the tackles, but he also has the quickness to break off a big run. Another strength of his is catching the ball out of the backfield, so he will not have to come off the field for 3rd down. The NFL is changing, and a running back has to also be a receiver not just a runner. He had 79 receptions for over 800 yards in his college career which for a 230lb running back is impressive. Freeman has the ability to run over a defender, and the quickness to make them miss and run around him.

After reading that the question has to be why did he fall to the 3rd round? There are a couple reasons that I can see, and the first is he had a pretty serious knee injury in 2016. A serious leg injury to a college running back will make even the best running back drop in the draft. This also changed the way he ran the ball. Prior to the injury he was a "shiftier" back, and he had a little more speed. After he got hurt his style of running changed, and he became a runner who will look to run through a defender rather than around him. His 40 time also probably caused him to fall in the draft. His 40 time was 4.5 seconds, and that isn't going to turn many general managers heads when you have running backs routinely running in the 4.4s, and even 4.3s. Running a 4.5 also means he isn't the home run threat that other running backs in the draft were. Chances are if he breaks a big run he will probably get caught from behind especially if a defender has an angle on him. The final reason I think he fell was that Oregon used him a LOT for the 4 years he was there. He had 1026 touches in his 4 year career at Oregon, and also scored 64 touchdowns which makes general managers wonder if there is any tread left on the tires. Having over 1000 touches in 4 a year career means he got hit a lot. This causes NFL teams to worry that investing a high pick in him might not pay off due to him having already carried the ball so much.

After weighing the positives and negatives the Broncos selected him with the 71st pick in the 2018 NFL draft. Personally I think Denver got a steal. He was successful in every single year he played at Oregon. He has pass catching ability, and the ability to make the tough short runs are what makes him special. After letting CJ Anderson go Denver was in need of a running back who could be their "work horse". I was one of the people who believed that Devontae Booker could be a special back in the NFL coming out of college. As of now he has proven to be a big disappointment. I think this is why Denver chose to use a 3rd round pick on a running back. Freeman is 10lbs heavier than Booker, and catches the ball better out of the backfield. Devontae Booker finds himself in a position a lot of the veterans on the Broncos are after this years draft; they have to earn their starting job because these young rookies will take their spots if they don't. My personal opinion is that Royce Freeman is going to start if not to open the season by probably week 3 or 4. He simply is too good of a player to keep off the field. The only two reasons I see Freeman not being the starter is if he can't learn the playbook (which I think he will as Oregon has a dynamic offense, and he learned that and excelled for 4 years), or Devontae Booker comes out and lives up to the hype he had when he was drafted. It will be an exciting training battle to watch in training camp that is for sure.

My Thoughts On Denver Broncos OTA's Starting Tomorrow

The Denver Broncos have made some serious progress in regards to developing quality young talent for the future. Here are some of my thoughts on OTA's starting tomorrow.

1) I would LOVE to see Emmanuel Sanders move inside to the slot. With the draft the Broncos had in getting Cortland Sutton who is another big body wide receiver who will one day replace Demaryius Thomas. Sanders would be a match up nightmare in the slot for opposing teams. He has the speed to get deep, the quickness to get open, and the hands to make the grabs across the middle. It would allow Sutton to start outside on one side and Thomas starting on the other. It would also put our most dangerous playmaker on the inside against the opposite teams 3rd corner. Sanders would immediately be the most dangerous wide receiver in the NFL.

2) Bradley Chubb gives us so much flexibility on defense I am worried he will not be used correctly. There is no doubt this man is an outside linebacker, and will be a match up nightmare out there. However it is my belief that when Denver has put a team in a 3rd and long situation that he should be moved inside over the opposites team's worst interior linemen. Put Derek Wolfe on the inside next to him, with Von MIller and Shane Ray on the outside, and if there was a way to include Shaq Barrett on the field at the same time you would have probably the best pass rushing unit in the NFL.

3) How does Su'a Cravens fit into this defense? Is he the heir apparent to TJ Ward? Will he have a "special position" created for him in sub packages as a linebacker/safety roll? Cravens is a very physical player, and has a unique set of skills. Justin Simmons has emerged into a very good free safety, and has the ability to play "center field" as good or better than anyone on the team, so does this push Darren Stewart out the door? What about Will Parks? Safety is the Broncos deepest position so it should be interesting to see how everything shakes out.

4) How long will it take Royce Freeman emerge as the starter before training camp starts? Devonte Booker has had ample opportunities to take the starting spot for himself, but I really do not believe any positions are "set" on the team outside of Case Keenum at QB, and Von Miller at outside linebacer

5) Can Demarcus Walker re-gain the weight and be the interior lineman he was at Florida State before he was moved to outside linebacker last year? As a 2nd round pick I was excited to see him join the team and thought he could be a special player because he was a high motor player with great athletic ability at Florida State. Playing him next to Derek Wolfe, who is also a high motor player could give a starting pair of defensive ends we haven't had since Malik Jackson was here.

6) I have about 5 more thoughts, but I will conclude with this one. Which undrafted free agent will make the team this year? Most people from Colorado will be pulling from former CU Buff running back Phillip Lindsey to make the team, but another name I would watch is Jeff Holland who is a linebacker from Auburn. Holland played on the outside at Auburn, and showed he had knack for getting to the QB. It will be interesting to see if Denver keeps him on the outside or moves him to the inside linebacker spot where they currently list Todd Davis and Brandon Marshall as the starters, with draft pick Josey Jewell and Zaire Anderson backing them up.

These questions and others are ones that Denver needs to answer during the offseason so they do not remain questions when the season starts. Its an exciting time of year as football is back!!!!!!!!

Thoughts On The 2018 Denver Broncos Draft

The 2018 draft has come and gone, and I will get straight to the point. The Broncos did a fantastic job in this years draft. Going into the there were two main groups of people, and those were the fans who thought that Denver should take their next franchise QB, and those who thought they shouldn't. I don't think I made any doubts about the fact I didn't think that Denver should NOT draft a QB with the 5th pick, or make the mistake of trading up to draft one. I think the NFL has changed, and now it is about how you coach the QBs you have rather than which QB you have. Of course it will always be important to draft, or sign a talented QB, and there will always be the guys who are just have the gift from God to be a QB, but for the most part it is about how you coach the QB you have, and how receptive he is to that coaching. With that said I am going to dig into each pick. 

With their first pick at pick number 5 the Broncos selected arguably the best defensive player int he draft in Bradley Chubb. Chubb is 6'4 and 270lbs and has the ability to play both on the line, and at outside linebacker. This pick was an interesting one because after Denver made the pick it came out that Denver was set to trade their pick to Buffalo because it was assumed that Cleveland was going to draft Chubb with the 4th pick. When Cleveland instead chose a cornerback rather than Chubb, Denver canceled its trade with Cleveland to pick the player who most people thought was the best defensive player in the draft. Chubb will come in and make an immediate impact, and has Von Miller to help tutor him, and show him how to be a successful player in the NFL. 

With their second pick, at pick number 40 Denver shocked a lot of people and drafted Cortland Sutton, a wide receiver from SMU. This move wasn't necessarily a move Denver made out of necessity, but because Sutton was the best player still on the board at the time. Denver has a need for wide receivers, and I believe they would have taken a receiver at some point in the draft, but when Sutton was still there I think Denver made the decision to take the best player available. Sutton has the potential to be one of the top players in the NFL in a few years, and is the player who Denver has selected to replace Demaryius Thomas when he decides to retire. Sutton is a player who has the ability to be one of the top receivers in the NFL, and I believe that Denver took him with that in mind. This was a great pick for the Broncos, and he should be very exciting to watch next season. 

The third player the Broncos selected at pick number 71 is Royce Freeman who is a running back out of Oregon. At 5'11 and 234lbs he has the size, and ability to be a 3 down running back in the NFL. He was a 4 year starter for the Ducks, and was an absolute workhorse for them. Denver let CJ Anderson go, and Devontae Booker has largely been a disappointment from the hopes they had when they chose him. Freeman should immediately compete for the starting position this year, and in my opinion he should be the favorite to be the starter going into the season. 

Denver's 4th selection was at pick 99, and he is a cornerback from Boston College.He is 6'1 and 190lbs, so he has the size to cover any wide receiver in the league, but he also has the athletic ability to make plays on the ball. I think this was a great choice after last season Denver chose Brandon Langley, and when he got his opportunity to play he was exposed. Isaac Yiadom is a bigger, more physical corner from Boston College that should immediately compete for at least the 4th corner spot, and I wouldn't be surprised if he competed with Tramaine Brock for the 3rd corner spot as well. 

Denver's 5th selection came in round 4 and was the 106th pick overall. Josey Jewell is a player I suggested Denver draft on this blog. I am not going to lie, when a player I viewed as a player Denver should draft got picked it felt pretty good. Jewell is a player I think could compete with Todd Davis immediately for the starting job. He is a violent hitter, and has the speed to cover running backs out of the backfield. Covering running backs has been something that Denver has been lacking since they let Danny Trevathan go. Jewell is a guy who can come in immediately and compete for a starting spot, and will be an instant contributor on special teams. He was a team captain for the Hawkeyes, and will be a player that should have a very long, successful career for the Broncos. 

Denver had two picks in the 4th round, and with their second pick in the 4th round, at pick number 113 Denver picked wide receiver Daesean Hamilton from Penn State. Hamilton will have the inside track at being Denver's slot receiver next season. He isn't overly big at 6'1 and 198lbs, and isn't overly fast either with his fastest 40 time being 4.47. What he is, and what he is known for is being the one of, if not the best route runner in the draft, and when you are looking for a slot receiver route running ability is the main attribute you need to have. It should be exciting to see how he fits into the offense next year, and I would expect him to be the starting slot receiver going into the season. 

Denver also had one 5th round pick this year, and at pick 156 Denver picked another player who I went over in detail on this blog, and that is Wisconsin tight end Troy Fumagalli. He is a big body tight end at 6'6 and 248lbs, and is known more for his ability to catch the ball than block. At his size he should be able to develop into a blocker, and be a great compliment to Jake Butt who will be Denver's do it all tight end. Slot receiver and tight end were two of Denver's main weaknesses last year, and getting Jake Butt back from injury, and drafting Fumagalli should remedy that situation at tight end. Once again, I went over this guy in pretty good detail, and I am excited that he will be a Bronco next year. 

Denver had two 6th round picks, and with their first one, at pick 183 Denver drafted a offensive lineman who is also local product named Sam Jones who went to Arizona State. At 6'5 and 305lbs he has the size to come in and compete for a job, and everyone loves a feel good story where a local high school player gets to come home, and play for his hometown team. The second 6th round pick Denver had was pick 217, and they chose another linebacker named Keishawn Bierria from the University of Washington. Bierria will most likely be looked at to compete on special teams for his first few years, and then see what he can develop into. He is a physical player who was a solid pick for the Broncos. 

With their last pick in draft, in the 7th round Denver chose a big body running back out of the University of Arkansas named David Williams. At pick 226 I would expect him to be put at on the practice squad, and maybe turn into a player in the next few years. 

Overall I think would grade Denver's draft with a B+. They managed to pick up a player at all their positions of need, but I think they might have waited too long to draft an interior lineman. I think they only way this draft could've been better is if they traded up in the 2nd round and picked up Will Hernandez, or Ronald Jones who were all taken within 7 picks of when Denver picked in the 2nd round. Getting Hernandez, or a game breaking back line Ronald Jones would've been the only way I think this draft could've been better. That said, I think this was a great rebound drafts from the last few years. 

Against All Odds LET'S GO AVS!!!!!!!!!!

When look at sports, and what they're really about is of course competition. However it also provides real drama. Watching underdog stories, or seeing long standing records get smashed are what makes sports special. As a sports fan you can't help but love what the Colorado Avalanche are doing this year in the playoffs.

This post is going to be short, and sweet. The Colorado Avalanche, as an 8 seed, have taken the top seeded Nashville Predators to a 6th game. Now on the surface that might not seem like a huge deal, but the fact they have done it without their top goalie, and top defenseman is extremely impressive. What makes it even more impressive is they won a game 5 in Nashville with their 3RD STRING GOALIE between the pipes. It's an absolute feel good story, and you can't help but get behind this team as they go into game 6 tonight in Denver. All the pressure in on Nashville, and any team that has the deck stacked against them, that is playing for survival the way the Avalanche are makes them a dangerous team. This post will provide no insight to the game, nor will it give you any information you didn't have before. This post is strictly a GO AVALANCHE post, and here's to hoping that this team of young players, that have out played the top seeded Predators in every game can keep it going tonight. It would be an amazing story if a team with their 3rd string goalie can take a top seed to game 7, never mind if they some how can pull out a series win. My hope is they continue to out skate, and out work this predator team, and they give us a game 7 later this week! LET'S GO AVALANCHE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Avalanche, The Playoffs, and The Future

Last season the Colorado Avalanche had the leagues worst record. Professional hockey had hit an all time low in the mile high city, and things didn't look promising for a turn around. People were beginning to speak openly about letting Joe Sakic go as the teams general manager. In a city that has a long, and proud hockey history things were not looking too good. Colorado is one of the states that expect excellence from all its teams. The fan base here in Colorado holds it's teams to a high standard, and they do not put up with prolonged periods of losing. The stage was set for another season of struggles, and an offseason that would be considered turbulent at best. To further solidify the speculation that the Avalanche were going to struggle was the trading of one of its top players in Matt Duchene. He was a fan favorite, but made it clear he didn't want to be here, so he was traded to Ottawa.

After that trade it became clear that this team really came together. They believed in themselves, and went to work. One of the potential signs that this team was going to be successful was that they retained head coach Jared Bednar, and he continued to hold the teams respect despite finishing last in the NHL last year. Top to bottom this team was united, and they quietly went about their business. The team has a super star in Nathan Mackinnon, a number one defensemen in Eric Johnson, a team captain who is as good of a two way player you will find in Gabriel Landeskog, and a few up and coming stars in Mikko Rantanen, Tyson Barrie, and Tyson Jost. They then put together a roster of players that was a combination of solid veterans like Carl Soderberg, Patrick Nemeth, and Colin Wilson with young players like Alexander Kerfoot, Samuel Girard, and others. This team completely transformed itself from last year.

Making the playoffs this year was a surprise to everyone other than the guys on the team, and the fact that they have been able to give the Nashville Predators, who are the number one seeded team in the conference, all they can handle in the first two games shows that the future is incredibly bright for this team. Not to mention that the Avalanche are doing this all without its top goalie in Semyon Varlamov, and its top defensemen in Eric Johnson makes the effort they are giving that much more impressive. Those players being gone is not an excuse to lose this series, and it is clear the team doesn't believe that either. I believe this series is far from over, and Nashville knows they have their hands full.

Regardless of how this series goes the future of this team looks very bright. Does this team have a fe holes to fill? Absolutely. Playing a team like Nashville that is about as close as you can get to a complete team helps point out what those holes are. Briefly to wrap this post up I am going to take a look at next year and some of the things the Avs need to do in the offseason to ensure that next year they are not an 8 seed, but potentially win the division and get home ice advantage.

The Predators have 4 elite defensemen that can do a bit of everything. They are big, they are physical, and can score. Currently the Avalanche have player in Eric Johnson who fills that role, but they need a couple others to step up, and probably need to sign a veteran free agent who can come in contribute at an elite level immediately. The Avalanche have players like Nikita Zadorov who is big, physical defensemen, but struggles to score. They have players like Tyson Barrie and Samuel Girard who are both fit the mold of "offensive defensemen", but are both rather undersized. Girard and Barrie both have a very bright future ahead of them, and most likely get bigger as they age, but as of right now both are a bit undersized.

The other thing I feel the Predators have that the Avalanche don't is size. They are a big team that has earned the nickname "Smashville". Nashville plays a very physical style of hockey, and in a 7 game series they simply wear smaller teams down. I won't say that the Avalanche are a "soft" team, but they could absolutely benefit from picking up one or two guys that have the size to physically wear other teams down, and play a physical brand of hockey. As fighting becomes less and less of a thing in the NHL having big, physical players who can score, as well as play a physical style of hockey is even more important. Playing at altitude is an advantage, but adding a more physical style of play would only wear teams down more. Hopefully this offseason the Avalanche will add a defenseman, and a couple wings who have the size to wear down other teams down, and provide a physical style of play that currently this team doesn't have. One thing is certain though, and that is playoff hockey is one of the most fun things to watch, and it feels great that playoff hockey is back in Colorado!

GO AVS!!!!!!!!!!!

A Quick Free Agent Post

During the offseason most teams will do more via the free agent market than making trades for players. Denver has gone into this offseason and been more active in the trade market rather than the free agent market, but there are some free agents still available that in my opinion Denver should take a look at. 

The first player I will name is one everybody has heard of before (mostly because of his off the field issues), and that player is none other than Adam Pacman Jones. As Pacman has aged he has seemed to calm down with the off the field stuff, and even seemed as though to be a leader in the Bengals locker room last year. He brings the ability to return punts, and either cover the slot receiver, or play on the outside. Denver tried to fix the punt return issue last year with drafting Isaiah Mackenzie. Sadly things didn't come together for him, and while he will have another chance this offseason, signing Pacman Jones gives us a solid insurance policy. Jones is at the end of his career, and I think he would just like to find a team that is competitive, and gives him a chance to finish out his career at a high level. 

The second free agent I think Denver should look at is wide receiver Brandon Coleman from the New Orleans Saints. The consensus around Denver is DT is starting to show signs of aging, and Denver needs another big body WR that creates match up problems. Brandon Coleman is 25 years old, and 6'6 and 220lbs. He has the athletic ability to get open, and the size that he can do something with the ball after he catches it. Coleman is an exciting player who at 25 can be a player for the Broncos for years to come. Denver still will need a "slot receiver" who can get open in the middle of the field on a regular basis, but to have Emmanuel Sanders in the slot with Brandon Coleman and Demaryius Thomas playing on the outside sounds like a pretty solid plan to me. Coleman is bigger than DT, and if you add him in with Jake Butt it gives Denver a lot of real options in the red zone. It would be difficult for a team to cover Jake Butt at tight end with Brandon Coleman and DT on the outside. 

The third player I would like Denver to target is tight end Marcedes Lewis. He is getting a little up there in years, but at 6'6 and still playing between 260lbs and 275lbs with the ability to block, and catch the ball makes him a player worth looking into. He would give Keenum a very large target in the middle of the field, and be able to help out one of our tackles if they end up struggling against a Khalil Mack, or Justin Houston. 

Just food for thought, but all of these guys would be solid contributors to the team the first day they got here.