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. 

Broncos vs Seahawks Thoughts

Its been a long time since I have updated this, so rather than try to talk about everything to catch up I will just go from where we are at, and that is winning game one of the regular season.

The first thing that stood out in my mind watching this game was the group of rookies we have is special. Bradley Chubb had a tackle and half sack, Courtland Sutton had 2 receptions for 45 yards, Royce Freeman had 71 yards on 15 carries some of which were key running out the clock, and finally Phillip Lindsey who also had 71 yards rushing, and 2 receptions for for 31 yards and a touchdown. These are numbers I think we can expect for a lot of this season. Royce Freeman is the running back we have been missing here for years. He can carry the load of an every down back, and is a good receiver as well. He is going to be the workhorse this year. Bradley Chubb was disruptive and played very well. He would get consistent pressure, set the edge, and play various positions. Courtland Sutton showed he was no training camp all American and came up with some big catches at big times. Finally, Philip Lindsey who is going to be a special player for the Broncos. Along with being able to carry the ball, he can split out as a slot receiver, return kicks, cover kicks, and be a huge match up problem. Lindsey runs a 4.3 in the 40, but has the toughness to try and run a defender over. His ability to catch the ball makes him that much tougher to deal with as it leaves defenses with the problem of who do the cover him with? He will run around a linebacker, and run through most safeties. There isn't much this kid can't do, and the Broncos are getting the most out of him.

The defense has adjusted well from year one to year two under Joe Woods. They allowed less than 70 yards rushing, sacked Russell Wilson 6 times, and only had a problem with the big plays. The other good thing was the sacks didn't just come from the linebackers. Chris Harris Jr got a sack, and Darian Stewart was in on a half sack as well. This shows that Woods isn't afraid to get creative with his blitzes. The combination of Chubb, Ray, and Shaq came up with 1.5 sacks, but more importantly got consistent pressure which gave Von Miller the chance to to his thing and he got 3 sacks in the game. Adam Pac Man Jones was a surprise this game as a solid returner, but more importantly he played a very good game at corner and played with that edge Denver with lost with Talib. Keenum threw 3 interceptions, and even though the first touchdown came after their first interception Case Keenum did not let them get to his head and played an overall good game 25/39, 329 yards and 3 TDs.

Finally I will say the last big reason we won this game was Marquette King. With 6 punts he put 3 inside the 20, and had a 44 yard average. Last year Denver did not have a punter that could bail the offense out when they didn't move the ball. Forcing any opponent to start inside their own 20 makes things much tougher on their offense.  King is a weapon that Denver has the a lot of other teams don't have. He has the leg to flip the field when he needs to, but also has the accuracy to pin teams down inside their own 20 yard line.

This first game showed there is reason to be excited to be a Bronco fan. It also showed that there is a big reason to be excited about the young core of players Denver has from this years draft. Something that Denver fans haven't been able to say in years!

An Important Time Of Year For Rockies

    The Colorado Rockies are right in the middle of the most important stretch of the season. It started with sweeping the Giants in San Francisco, and then going on to see them take 2 of 3 against a Seattle Mariner squad making an American League playoff push. Coming home to take 2 of 3 against the Diamond Backs, followed by a home sweep against the Mariners, it sets the stage for the opening series against the Diamond backs in Arizona, followed by a 2 game home stand against Houston. After that they host Oakland and then go to St Louis to round out August.
   
    It was back at the beginning of July things were starting to look bleak for the Rockies. Their ace was proving to not be the player the front office thought he was, and one of the reliever's they signed to close out games ended up not living up to par in Bryan Shaw. To remedy this the Rockies sent both down to the minor leagues to get right, but until they prove they are who they thought they were Rockies fans can't trust the Jon Gray and and Bryan Shaw are what the Rockies signed.

    Even with all the issues with the pitching staff Denver has remained to within striking distance of the division, and absolutely in wild card contention. It was the beginning of July that the team caught fire. Some comments Nolan Arrenado made to the public seemed to set the team on fire as they have won multiple key games since then. Were the wins due to Arrenado speaking up? Maybe. One things is for sure is the team is absolutely in running for a playoff positions.

    At this point I think management needs to admit they need help in the 7th inning. It has simply become a killer for the Rockies. There have been too many games where the Rockies took a lead into the 7th inning that they ended up going to extra innings, or the Rockies found themselves battling for a victory that prior to the 7th looked locked up. It is my opinion the Rockies should be buyers, not sellers as far as trades, and they should not be afraid to pull the trigger on getting a 7th inning guy. It is time for another playoff run for the Rockies, and to do so they are going to need to get a guy who can come in for the 7th inning and get outs. Here's to hoping management can put something together!

The Colorado Avalanche and Their Offseason Plans

Free agency, has started, and the draft has come and gone for the NHL. Colorado has been somewhat active in free agency, and the Avs have been fairly active. They added a goaltender in Philipp Grubauer who the Avs are hoping will be their future goalie, and in they bought out the contract of Brooks Orpik at the same time. They then added defensemen Ian Cole, and 3rd/4th line player Matt Calvert from the Columbus Bluejackets to replace Blake Comeau who signed with the Dallas Stars.

In the draft Colorado selected some players who most likely won't make the roster next season, but in the coming years could provide Colorado with the talent in the farm system that will give them leverage in the future, or give them the opportunity to add players in the coming years. With their first selection the Avs drafted Martin Kaut, who played in the Czech league and had 16 points in 38 games. He is young, and at 6'2 176lbs has room to grow. Along with him the Avs selected 4 other forwards, one defensemen, and two goalies in the draft. None of which will probably make the team this year, but as I said could be future pieces of this team.

It is apparent that the Avs are looking to find a goalie for both now and the future with the addition of Grubauer, and drafting two goalies in the draft. Adding Cole gives them a guy who can play solid defense against in the NHL, and Calvert will replace Comeau on the penalty kill, and the 3rd and 4th lines. I think the Avs need to grab two more pieces in the offseason this year. One is a guy who can win faceoffs consistently. We have been terrible in faceoffs and it is something we need to improve on. The next thing is a big power forward type who can drop the gloves. We lacked a sense of toughness last year, and while we do not need a goon, we need a player who will stand up for the rest of the team.

The Avs are a young, exciting, up and coming team that are a couple pieces away. Hopefully Joe Sakic can find the right mix of players for next year for us to make a playoff run.

The Outlaw Josey Jewell

Going into this draft at some point Denver was going to have to draft an inside linebacker. Last season Brandon Marshall was injured, and Todd Davis played well, but he can be exposed when he has to cover a running back or tight end. The Broncos also lost Corey Nelson in free agency so there was a need at that position anyway. 

Leading up to the draft I broke down film on players I thought could be a good fit for the Broncos, and Josey Jewell from the University of Iowa was a player I targeted as one who I think could help right away. An on going trend among Denver's draft picks this year is they are all high character guys, and that streak isn't broken on Jewell. He was voted team captain multiple times, and was a leader on his team. Jewell is a  player who isn't going to blow anyone away by his workout numbers. At 6'1 and 238lbs he ran a 4.8 in the 40. When you hear those numbers you get the picture of a pretty average inside linebacker, but then you put on this kids film. He has football instincts that are second to none. Jewell simply has a knack for making plays. 

Brandon Marshall is the only guaranteed starter at inside linebacker. I think Todd Davis is vulnerable to Josey Jewell if Jewell comes in, picks up the playbook, and creates more plays than Davis. Jewell has that intangible ability to make the big play that you either have, or you don't. At Iowa it seemed as though he was always batting passes down, creating fumbles, and just making plays. Big plays are something that Denver's defense lacked last year. He understands angles so he is able to cover running backs out of the backfield, and he is a great tackler. What do I expect from Jewell this year? I think he will largely be a special teams contributor, and be able to step in should Davis or Marshall go down. To be completely honest though, I also would surprised if he beat out Todd Davis for the other inside linebacker job opposite Brandon Marshall. Jewell has a bright future with the Denver Broncos, and I will not lie, it does feel good to have a player I personally looked into get picked up by the team. 

Who Is The Best Pure Route Runner On The Broncos Roster?

Demaryius Thomas? He's good, but he's more of a straight line runner at his age. Emmanuel Sanders? I would say prior to this year Sanders was Denver's best  route runner, but he has been dethroned. The Broncos drafted who I believe to be their best pure route runner on their roster. His name is Daesean Hamilton, and he could easily be the most used rookie on this year's team. He played for Penn State University which is just now returning to being a powerhouse program after one of the worst scandals in college football history.

A team not usually known for producing good wide receivers found a diamond in the rough in Daesean Hamilton. Penn State is coming off a terrible sports scandal, but seemed to have found their way back to being one of the top programs football programs in college football. A team not known for throwing the ball found an amazing receiver while making a comeback to being one of the stronger programs in the country. Daesean Hamilton set the Penn States all time receptions record last year, and has shown over 4 years he is a player who can get open. He is an average size receiver at 6'1 and 204lbs, so on top of being a top route runner, he can also provide yards after he catches the ball.  Setting an all time receptions record at a Big 10 school is no small feet. Even though he his best time in the 40 was 4.47 seconds he is mostly known as a 4.5 40 guy who has the ability to run routes and get open. 

Is he physically gifted? Sure, but I think that by drafting Hamilton the Denver Broncos stayed the course of valuing the players leadership ability, and personality a little bit higher than pure athletic talent in their pre draft grades.  Drafting Daesean Hamilton is an instance of this of working in Denver's favor. He had 214 catches over 4 years at Penn State. Without blazing speed, or elite size  Hamilton's route running ability is what made him an elite college receiver. His work ethic is what I believe will make him a successful receiving threat for the Denver Broncos for the next coming years. 

Denver has positioned itself in a very smart position here from the stand point of their receiving corps. Should Courtland Sutton come in, and convincingly take the other outside receiver role moving Emmanuel Sanders inside I think we will see less of Daeseaan Hamilton, but he will get on the field. If Emmanuel Sanders stays on the outside next season I think that will mean Daesean Hamilton has a very good chance of being the slot receiver next year. Hamilton exploded onto the scene as a freshman with 82 receptions, and there is no reason he couldn't make the same splash in his 1st NFL season. 

Not being overly fast, or especially big, to be able to become a record holder for receptions at a Big 10 school is a clear sign he knows how to get open. If you asked most draft scouts who the best route runner in the 2018 draft was I feel a good number would say Hamilton.  He won't run away from many people, and he isn't a big body receiver like Courtland Sutton or Demaryius Thomas, Hamilton will make his impact in his ability to get open across the middle. This is a talent Denver has missed for the last couple years. It is hoped that along with Jake Butt, Daesean Hamilton will provide another threat over the middle of the field for Case Keenum. This is why, of all the Denver Broncos draft  offensive draft picks Daesean Hamilton might be the one to make the biggest impact in 2019. 

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.