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Interview w/Jeff Legwold (Broncos Reporter) (1 Viewer)

David Dodds

David Dodds

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About Jeff Legwold

Jeff Legwold covers the Broncos for the Rocky Mountain News. He had been the Tennessee Titans/NFL reporter for the Nashville Tennesseean since the franchise announced its move from Houston to Nashville in 1995. Legwold also has been a sports columnist for the Rochester (N.Y.) Democrat and Chronicle, Gannett Newspapers in Pittsburgh, the Danville (Ill.) Commercial-News and the Saratogian of Saratoga Springs, N.Y. He is a 1985 graduate of the University of Illinois. Legwold has served on the Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Selectors since 1999.

 
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As a football site that focuses a lot on fantasy production, I thought we would start by covering some of the bigger issues regarding the Broncos skill positions this year.

 
Q1. Mike Shanahan told us last year that Mike Anderson would start. Many did not believe him and took the explosive Tatum Bell too early in fantasy drafts. Fast forward a year and Shanahan is saying that Ron Dayne is going to start. There are many disbelievers again this year. What can you tell us about Ron Dayne in Denver? Convince us he is not the same player that played soft with the Giants.

 
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A1. When it comes to running back take Mike Shanahan at his word. Ron will enter camp as the starter and it will be tough to nudge him out unless he has a bad preseason or the Broncos don't swing a trade for Ashley Lelie that includes a running back.

As it stands right now no team is willing to part with a front-line player for Lelie. Tatum is considered by the coaches to be a situational runner whose average yards per carry goes down as he carries the ball more.

Last season, I believe, he had just one game with more than five yards a carry over the final eight of the season. He has a long way to go to change their minds on that. They believe he will be more effective in that role.

Ron is a zone runner. He was at Wisconsin and did not play that way in New York. He is a one-cut runner and the Broncos have made that work with players with far less raw ability than he has. He's been in good shape. I think he could be productive down to down.

He just won't have big play after big play. He'll be a grinder in the offense.

 
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A2. It's possible, but at best he is the third back at this point -- a role Dayne found himself in last season.

There aren't many carries for the No. 3, especially if the Broncos keep two fullbacks up on gameday because of special teams.

But he was a 1,200-yard rusher at Arkansas in his final season and is another bigger zone runner like the Broncos like. His time would come if Bell got injured.

 
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Q3. Any teeth to the rumor that Shanahan wanted Ricky Williams? Obviously any deal with RW is dead for this year at least. Are the Broncos shopping for someone to add at the running back position?

 
A3. Certainly there was. Mike looks at everybody. At his best Williams is a dominant one-cut runner. Trouble is his off the field troubles.

The Broncos talked about him internally, but it didn't go much beyond that. They certainly reviewed him though as they went into free ageny and before Williams was suspended.

 
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Q4. The zone blocking that Denver utilizes has shown that under-sized lineman can be dominant. Why do you think its taken the rest of the league forever to figure this concept out?

 
A4. The difficulty is in finding the players to do it and having the patience to wait until they are ready to play.

I think there was only one or two offensive limemen at the combine this year who wasn't 300 pounds. The Broncos only start one who is, George Foster.

So that's the first issue, especially now that college linemen are getting bigger, not smaller. The other is most of the time, Foster being the exception, the linemen wait here to play.

Nalen may go to the Hall of Fame, he waited a season before he was the starter. Cooper Carlisle waited, Matt Lepsis was a converted tight end at Colorado. Also since guys are not always blocking specific defenders, but instead must decided who is the "most dangerous'' defender in their area on each play, it takes some instinct and decisiveness.

Hard to find a lot of guys with that kind of quick thinking, quick feet and strong enough to hold up at the point of attack when they're giving away 20-30 pounds a guy.

It also takes a coaching staff with longevity that is in place long enough to develop not only the starters, but have the backups ready as well. Most staffs just aren't place long enough to do it.

All you have to see is Greg Eslinger may be the most decorated player the Broncos have drafted since Floyd Little -- Eslinger won the Outland and Rimington -- and he waited until the sixth round to be selected because he doesn't really fit everybody else.

 
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A5. In going back throught he video and talking to personnel guys, I think Carlisle had a solid season at guard while Nalen and Lepsis were very good. Nalen can't quite get out as quickly to the second level as he once did, but he's so savvy and tough it rarely costs him in the play.

They want more from Ben Hamilton. He didn't always show the punch they want in the run game and they're hoping he can improve that in the coming months.

Foster, at right tackle, is a player they believe still has a big upside. Shanahan has even said he believes it's time Foster play a like "potential Pro Bowl player.'' He still favors a wrist from an injury at Georgia from time to time -- at least that's what opposing defensive linemen say -- but he was solid last season.

They're all back so there's no reason to expect the Broncos won't put the numbers again in the run game. With Eslinger they are a little more prepared for any potential injury to Nalen, a luxury they did not have last season.

 
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Q6. Going to switch to the passing game here. Tell us what you are seeing with Javon Walker. Do you expect him to be the #1 WR in Denver by the end of the year?

 
A6. I may be in the minority, but as long as Rod Smith is in a helmet I believe he is the team's No. 1 in both name and performance when it counts.

He is still the best third-down receiver on the team and will be the guy Plummer looks to when things get tight. However, that said, Walker if he can return to his pre-injury form will give Smith even more room to work.

Walker should return, if his early workouts here are any indication, with his same speed. The deal will be the sharpness of his cuts in and out of routes. He's also a better intermdiate route runner than Lelie as well so that gives the Broncos more options as well.

Walker may indeed finish with more catches and touchdowns than Smith, but Smith still makes it go.

 
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Q7. With Lelie demanding a trade, who do you think wins the #3 job? Any chance rookie Brandon Marshall grabs that spot with a great training camp?

 
A7. Tough call here. I will say no team has offered anywhere close to what Shanahan wants for Lelie (a second-round pick or a productive starter) yet. Lelie, who is in the last year of his deal, doesn't have much leverage.

He can't sit out a contract year in his prime, that will cost him millions. He will have to come in at some point if the Broncos don't move him.

They think he can be the No. 3 and have a productive year and they also believe if they don't trade him he would have to come in and try as hard as he could because it is his contract year.

So there is still a scenario where Lelie is the No. 3. Besides if Shanahan moves Lelie after Lelie didn't show up for camp without at least forcing Lelie to come in and face his teammates and coaches, other guys may try the same thing.

But if Lelie comes in and is then moved, right now I'd say Darius Watts has the inside line on the No. 3 spot. He has looked good according to his teammates, in passing camps.

Getting open hasn't been his problem -- Champ Bailey said Watts is one of the toughest guys he's ever faced in terms of short area quickness -- it's consistency catching the ball.

Watts can fix that with the right mindset and he appears to be doing that at the moment. Also the demotion of last season finally seems to have triggered the response the team wanted to see earlier -- he wants to play and is trying to do what he can to get on the field.

Marshall will get some time -- he's big and strong. His hurdle will be the precision of the routes in this offense. He could round it off and college and still manhandle the defensive back to get the ball.

That won't work any more, so he's going to have to know his responsibilities.

You also have to keep David Terrell in mind. Shanahan is not in the habit of keeping a guy around for year and not playing him unless he believes there is potential for the future. I think Terrell and Watts are fighting for the No. 3 at this point if Lelie is not in the equation -- fighting for the No. 4 if Lelie is in the equation.

 
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Q8. The Broncos appear to have a big hole at Tight End. Again from the rumor mill, Lelie is said to possibly be moved for one. What are you hearing here? Any chance someone like Daniel Graham or Eric Johnson ends up with the Broncos?

And if not, can Scheffler play a role similar to Putzier this season?

 
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A8. They certainly expect Scheffler to fill Putzier's role. Sheffler has the hands and speed and is a little bigger than Putzier.

You hear all kinds of stuff around the league about Lelie being moved for a running back or tight end. But, again, no team has yet offered a player of Johnson's or Graham's ilk for Lelie.

A lot of teams are still waiting to see if the Broncos will cut Lelie so they can get him without surrendering anything.

That may change if another team does up the ante at some point, but they have not done that yet.

Also with their depth at wide receiver -- with or without Lelie -- I think it's a good bet you see a little more three wide this year with Mike Heimerdinger calling plays.

The Broncos will still be a two-back set as their base formaton, but last year the two tight end look was their most frequent, at this point I will be surprised if the three-wide look is not the second-most used formation after the two back this time around.

 
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Jeff, Thank you so much for your time. You are always welcome to talk football here. Your insights into the Broncos have been appreciated and you have helped clear up some issues many of us have around here.

 
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What kind of carry total and ypc can we expect from Dayne, if he indeed is the starter all year?

My personal guess is around 230 and 4.5 ypc.

 
Good old Legwold.

I think the only unanswered question now is whether people will disbelieve Shanahan, Sundquist, Denver Homers, *AND* Jeff Legwold.

Great job, FBG's. :thumbup: :thumbup:

 
Good old Legwold.

I think the only unanswered question now is whether people will disbelieve Shanahan, Sundquist, Denver Homers, *AND* Jeff Legwold.

Great job, FBG's. :thumbup: :thumbup:
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It's JuneHe was asked Qs today. His, Shanahan's Sundquist's opinion might change as the summer wears on. It's the nature of the business as they evaluate players all summer long

 
Good old Legwold.

I think the only unanswered question now is whether people will disbelieve Shanahan, Sundquist, Denver Homers, *AND* Jeff Legwold.

Great job, FBG's. :thumbup: :thumbup:
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It's JuneHe was asked Qs today. His, Shanahan's Sundquist's opinion might change as the summer wears on. It's the nature of the business as they evaluate players all summer long
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Ron will enter camp as the starter and it will be tough to nudge him out unless he has a bad preseason or the Broncos don't swing a trade for Ashley Lelie that includes a running back.
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Quoting just in case you missed it.For the record, I can't think of a single time when Shanny has changed his mind during the offseason. Outside of an unforseen trade, Training Camps and Preseason will be the only chance for the depth chart to get shaken up... and even then, Dayne's got a strong advantage to hold on the job. As Legwold said, "it will be tough to nudge him out unless he has a bad preseason".

 
Good old Legwold.

I think the only unanswered question now is whether people will disbelieve Shanahan, Sundquist, Denver Homers, *AND* Jeff Legwold.

Great job, FBG's. :thumbup:   :thumbup:
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It's JuneHe was asked Qs today. His, Shanahan's Sundquist's opinion might change as the summer wears on. It's the nature of the business as they evaluate players all summer long
Click to expand...
Ron will enter camp as the starter and it will be tough to nudge him out unless he has a bad preseason or the Broncos don't swing a trade for Ashley Lelie that includes a running back.
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Quoting just in case you missed it.For the record, I can't think of a single time when Shanny has changed his mind during the offseason. Outside of an unforseen trade, Training Camps and Preseason will be the only chance for the depth chart to get shaken up... and even then, Dayne's got a strong advantage to hold on the job. As Legwold said, "it will be tough to nudge him out unless he has a bad preseason".
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didn't miss the quote, thanks for asking
 
For the record, I can't think of a single time when Shanny has changed his mind during the offseason. Outside of an unforseen trade, Training Camps and Preseason will be the only chance for the depth chart to get shaken up... and even then, Dayne's got a strong advantage to hold on the job. As Legwold said, "it will be tough to nudge him out unless he has a bad preseason".
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Fair enough, but ..... who really expects that Dayne will NOT have a bad preseason. The real question is, "What then?"That is the question that DD missed. Otherwise, excellent information. :thumbsup:

 
For the record, I can't think of a single time when Shanny has changed his mind during the offseason. Outside of an unforseen trade, Training Camps and Preseason will be the only chance for the depth chart to get shaken up... and even then, Dayne's got a strong advantage to hold on the job. As Legwold said, "it will be tough to nudge him out unless he has a bad preseason".
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Fair enough, but ..... who really expects that Dayne will NOT have a bad preseason. The real question is, "What then?"That is the question that DD missed. Otherwise, excellent information. :thumbsup:
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You've got your Dayne biases mixed up. The knock on Dayne is that he always looks PHENOMINAL during the preseason, averaging 10+ yards per carry and looking like a stud, which causes people to overspend on him in fantasy drafts, only to see him bust during the regular season. I imagine pretty much NO ONE expects Dayne to have a bad preseason, since he hasn't yet.I think that's a lot of the reason why there's so much vitriol directed at Ron Dayne. I think a ton of people have been burned by him in the past, as opposed to, say, a Thomas Jones. As a result, people are less adamant that Jones will fail than Dayne when, in reality, they're basically the same player- a high first round selection with high expectations who failed miserably and then landed the starting job somewhere else.

 
F me. Ron Dayne.

Well I am starting to believe now. Count me in the overvaluing Tatem Bell club.

GB FBG's

 
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Jeff, I am a member of the Broncos.com board as well and have started a thread about Dumervil being a beast, so go check it out. I have read all the press; 78 sacks in high school, another 32 in 2 1/2 years at Louisville. He slipped in the draft because of size.

What do you think Dumervil's production will be in Denver?

 
Jeff, I am a member of the Broncos.com board as well and have started a thread about Dumervil being a beast, so go check it out. I have read all the press; 78 sacks in high school, another 32 in 2 1/2 years at Louisville. He slipped in the draft because of size.

What do you think Dumervil's production will be in Denver?
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Jeff is on vacation now, but when he gets back we're going out for breakfast. I will ask him your question. :thumbup: Just curious, how did you hear about Footballguys?

 
This was a great interview. :thumbup: The only criticism I have is there was no discussion of the QB position at all. Plummer is the starter for now with Cutler drafted as the future franchise QB, that we know. But not one question about a guy with such tremendous upside........ Look at it this way......

49ers A) Montana, then B) Steve Young

Broncos A) Elway B) ?????????

I think Cutler could be Denver's equivalent to the 49ers" B) Steve Young.

I'm wanting this kid to succeed. I think he could be 2006' Ben Roethlisberger.. Vince Young (#3) , Leinart (#10) , Cutler (#11). Eli Manning (#1) , Philip Rivers (#4) , Big Ben (#11).

I can see why Cutler wasn't discussed because he won't provide much redraft value (or might he? who knows?) but I wanted you guys to indulge me in my case of "man love". :wub: :wub: :wub:

I have :stalker: for Jay Cutler like Jon Gruden had :stalker: for his Cadillac. :wub:

:blush: I can't believe myself. :doh:

 
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