*** Official 2009 Denver Broncos Offseason Thread *** (1 Viewer)

[moleculo]

an interesting take...

link

Orton out of Elway's Shadow

by Rob Burson (Contributor)

Consider this: Kyle Orton is the first Quarterback since John Elway's retirement who wont be compared to the almighty number seven.

He'll get comparisons to the supposed next rising of the messiah, who was shipped off to Chicago with his bottom lip puckered out, but not to Elway.

That will be a huge component of his success.

The pressure of being held up to Saint John for comparison has ruffled the feathers or gotten under the skin of every previous quarterback who has come into the Bronco's fold. It comes from the fans and the media, who analyze each new QB and judge his worthiness by how stacks up against John Elway.

Brian Greise had the distinct disadvantage of following right on the heels of the departing Mile High Deity. He looked clumsy and lumbering after 16 years of Elway's dexterity and dynamism.

Plummer's displeasure with the Denver fans and the Elway comparisons is well documented, insert finger wave here.

Cutler had to feel the pressure also; in one interview he defensively quipped that he had a stronger arm than Elway.

In comes Kyle Orton and the inevitable comparisons to, wait for it, Jay Cutler.

For Orton, shaking away from the short legacy of Jay Cutler is much less a daunting task than sluffing the monkey of John Elway off one's back. It would take 16 years, five Super Bowl appearances, with two wins, a "Drive" or two, and a handful of successful auto dealerships to live up to the legend that is Elway in Denver.

But he doesn't have to worry about that. All he has to do is have a better 2009 season than Jay Cutler. That Or take Denver to the playoffs while Chicago stays home. Even if he breaks even, and goes nose to nose with Cutler through 2009, Orton wins.

Jay Cutler getting traded has unintentionally allowed Kyle Orton to step out from under a different shadow. One much smaller and a lot less intimidating than big John's.

In a sense, a curse has been lifted.

 

[Sonny Lubick Blowup Doll]

Wow, I see the mile high sky is most certainly falling in here. Silly fans, only time will tell.

Personally, I don't think so.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

Wow, I see the mile high sky is most certainly falling in here. Silly fans, only time will tell.Personally, I don't think so.

 

[Sonny Lubick Blowup Doll]

Wow, I see the mile high sky is most certainly falling in here. Silly fans, only time will tell.Personally, I don't think so.

 

[shredhead]

A running back in the first round?????? We got like 36 of them on the roster.

Josh McD has had me scratching my head ever since he got here. Time will tell.

 

[pinda]

Seattle Times is reporting its Denver's 1st, not Chicago's

I tap out!!!

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/seah...bdraftno37.html

 

[moleculo]

Seattle Times is reporting its Denver's 1st, not Chicago's

I tap out!!!

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/seah...bdraftno37.html

Denver Post says it's Chicago's.

 

[pinda]

Seattle Times is reporting its Denver's 1st, not Chicago's

I tap out!!!

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/seah...bdraftno37.html

Denver Post says it's Chicago's.

from your keyboard to the football gods ears, please let it be

 

[moleculo]

Seattle Times is reporting its Denver's 1st, not Chicago's

I tap out!!!

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/seah...bdraftno37.html

Denver Post says it's Chicago's.

from your keyboard to the football gods ears, please let it be

Seriously - Denver's pick will be top five, whereas the pick from Chicago will probably be 30+.

 

[pinda]

let's hope moleculo, let's hope

i think top 10 pick is easily a lock unless Orton performs some miracles, i'm not as down on him as much as others, but i just can't see them fixing that defense in one year

 

[Enforcer]

http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/seahawks/2...ade_with_denver

According to the Tacoma News Tribune Denver retains the Chicago pick and gave THEIR first round pick to Seattle.

Details of the trade with Denver

Posted by Eric Williams @ 04:54:33 pm

The Denver Broncos gave up their first round pick in 2010 for Seattle's 37th pick in the second round. The Broncos still have their second round pick.

Denver still has Chicago's first round pick next year from the Jay Cutler trade, but it's interesting that they felt Wake Forest cornerback Alphonso Smith was good enough to make that move.

Looks like Seattle is done now unless they make a deal to get into the second round.

 

[DrJ]

Perhaps McDaniels doesn't want another high pick because there's a risk he could think he's bigger then the team.

 

[moleculo]

link

some notes:

======================================

Moreno - earmarked from the start, good hands, pass protection, can play on three downs. Lots of emphasis on pass protection and catches ball well. (FF guys: take note for PPR leagues, Moreno will be heavily involved in the passing game).

Ayers - tough, smart, versatile, high character, one of highest rated guys on the board from beginning, targeted player all along.

Goal - get both Moreno and Ayers, took Moreno first because didn't think he would be there in 2nd.

not interested in freeman - when TB jumped up to take Freeman, McD speculated that some other team was talking to Cleveland

took calls from teams to move back to 12 (i.e. Den to trade up) and from teams to move up to 18 (i.e. Den to trade down); not interested; Moreno and Ayers were targets all along.

 

[Enforcer]

Found this on NFL.com

LINK

Broncos trade up to take Alphonso Smith

Seahawks receive:

» 2010 first-round pick

Broncos receive:

» 2009 second-round pick (No. 37): Alphonso Smith

Analysis: NFL Network analysts Charley Casserly and draft guru Mike Mayock are in agreement on this trade: Alphonso Smith is not worth next year's first round pick. They think the price is too high for a cornerback who is only 5-foot-9 with questionable speed. The Seahawks will receive the Broncos' natural pick in 2010 and not the one acquired from the Bears for Cutler.

 

[moleculo]

mother effer. Denver post article liked above was changed:

Broncos coach Josh McDaniels said earlier in the afternoon that he would trade up in the second round if a "valuable" player was available.He wasn't kidding. McDaniels dealt the Broncos' 2010 first-round pick to nab Alphonso Smith, an all-American cornerback from Wake Forest, at No. 37. The Broncos still have a first-rounder obtained from Chicago in the Jay Cutler deal.The Broncos retained their original second-round pick, No. 48 overall.Smith intercepted 21 passes during his four-year college career, including eight in 2007 and seven in 2008.

 

[Enforcer]

mother effer. Denver post article liked above was changed:

Broncos coach Josh McDaniels said earlier in the afternoon that he would trade up in the second round if a "valuable" player was available.He wasn't kidding. McDaniels dealt the Broncos' 2010 first-round pick to nab Alphonso Smith, an all-American cornerback from Wake Forest, at No. 37. The Broncos still have a first-rounder obtained from Chicago in the Jay Cutler deal.The Broncos retained their original second-round pick, No. 48 overall.Smith intercepted 21 passes during his four-year college career, including eight in 2007 and seven in 2008.

Cool. I still like watching AFC West teams lose and/or screw up even though Seattle isn't in that division any longer. Good day to be a Seahawk fan.

 

[moleculo]

so...it's Cutler for Kyle Orton (QB), Robert Ayers (OLB/DE), Alphonso Smith (CB), and Richard Quinn (TE).

what an absolute mess. Terrible.

Might as well be Chris Hinton, Ron Solt, and Mark Herman.

The fate of the Broncos for years to come was determined today, and early indications are not good.

 

[pinda]

not really, its even worse considering it is the Broncos 1st rounder not Chicago's

 

[thatguy]

so...it's Cutler for Kyle Orton (QB), Robert Ayers (OLB/DE), Alphonso Smith (CB), and Richard Quinn (TE).

what an absolute mess. Terrible.

Might as well be Chris Hinton, Ron Solt, and Mark Herman.

The fate of the Broncos for years to come was determined today, and early indications are not good.

What indications would those be? You've seen one of the above four players play at the NFL level.I think I'll reserve judgment for now.

 

[DrJ]

not really, its even worse considering it is the Broncos 1st rounder not Chicago's

They also gave up a 3rd and received 4th in return. Essentially Jay Cutler (QB)Broncos 1st in 2010Broncos 3rd in 2009Broncos 5th in 2009forKyle Orton (QB)Robert Ayers (OLB/DE)Alphonso Smith (CB)Richard Quinn (TE)Bears 1st in 2010Steelers 4th in 2009

 

[DrJ]

so...it's Cutler for Kyle Orton (QB), Robert Ayers (OLB/DE), Alphonso Smith (CB), and Richard Quinn (TE).

what an absolute mess. Terrible.

Might as well be Chris Hinton, Ron Solt, and Mark Herman.

The fate of the Broncos for years to come was determined today, and early indications are not good.

What indications would those be? You've seen one of the above four players play at the NFL level.I think I'll reserve judgment for now.

It's also possible that the Bears pick will be better than the Broncos pick. I wouldn't wager on it, but it's a possibility.

 

[ffldrew]

Looks like Broncos will go with 2 blocking TE's - 1 WR Brandon Marshall - Hillis at Fullback and Moreno at HB - it's going to be old school ram it down your throat football. If you bring everyone up we just chuck it to Marshall on short slant and let him run. What's old is new again as McDaniel has been watching old tapes of the Vince Lombardi offense. Who needs a defense when they never have to be on the field.

I like it - a genius indeed.

Now excuse me I have to go pour another glass of Crown.

 

[moleculo]

so...it's Cutler for Kyle Orton (QB), Robert Ayers (OLB/DE), Alphonso Smith (CB), and Richard Quinn (TE).

what an absolute mess. Terrible.

Might as well be Chris Hinton, Ron Solt, and Mark Herman.

The fate of the Broncos for years to come was determined today, and early indications are not good.

What indications would those be? You've seen one of the above four players play at the NFL level.I think I'll reserve judgment for now.

I don't think there's a single Bronco right now that could be considered even NFL starter average along the 3-4 DL. Our biggest weakness from last year has not been improved. Our greatest strength was traded away for a couple of magic beans.

I'm not convinced that this D will be any better than it was last year (based on personnel alone), and I don't think the O will be significantly improved. It will be different in terms of running more, but I don't think that this O McD is building will be able to outscore what the D allows.

 

[pinda]

wow to add to that he traded both 3rd's to get Quinn, a blocking TE who caught 12 passes in his college career, my god, nobody would have had this guy go in the 5th let alone the 2nd.........sigh

 

[KoolKat]

I have never been so depressed at the state of the Broncos.

Good thing we fired Mike Shanahan...

Alfonso Smith better be a stud.

 

[DrJ]

Alfonso Smith better be a stud.

See, this is the unfortunate thing for Smith. He's a 2nd round pick that's going to have high 1st round expectations placed on him. Unless he's spectacular, he'll get terrible press due to what they traded to get him.

 

[travdogg]

wow to add to that he traded both 3rd's to get Quinn, a blocking TE who caught 12 passes in his college career, my god, nobody would have had this guy go in the 5th let alone the 2nd.........sigh

I have to wonder if drafting this guy is a precursor to moving Scheffler and possibly recouping a 3rd rounder. I honestly think this team is a contender if they just would have kept Shanny and then none of this mess would have happened.I do really like the top 3 picks(especially Alphonso Smith, though the price was hefty) but the TE and S I'm not a fan of.

 

[flapgreen]

Next year's 1st for this year's 2nd? What the hell is wrong with this team?

 

[thatguy]

Next year's 1st for this year's 2nd? What the hell is wrong with this team?

My guess is the Broncos had Smith graded out as a top 20ish player. It makes sense from their POV if you look at it that way. But as another poster said, that means Smith has some very lofty expectations to meet. They also probably don't think they'll be nearly as bad as the rest of the world thinks they'll be. I also think there is tremendous pressure on Ayers to perform as he will always be looked at as the key piece on Denver's end of the Jay Cutler deal.

 

[bronco fan]

My family has been Bronco season ticket holders for 48 straight years. This string may come to an end now. I cannot tell you how much I HATE McDaniels and Xanders right now.

Let's see:

They trade a top 10 pick (maybe top 5) in next year's draft for a slow, short cornerback in the 2nd round that quite possibly could have been available to them in the 3rd round. BRILLIANT!!!!

They trade both of their 3rd round picks for a blocking TE who caught 8, yes count them 8 passes this past season (a TE that might not have even been drafted) even though they already have Daniel Graham, one of the league's best blocking TE's. BRILLIANT!!!

They sign a rediculous number of running backs in free agency, and then draft a running back with their first pick, when they desperately need defensive help. BRILLIANT!!!

All this on top of the absolute stupidity of trading Cutler.

I can't wait to see how they screw up the second day of the draft.

BRILLIANT!!!

 

[Simris]

I just don't get it either.

Bronco fan since Craig Morton was tossing the ball.

I now live in Lion's land and used to hold my head high, inviting my Lion fan buddies to switch over to a 'real team'.

I thought I would give McDaniels and Xanders a chance to redeem themselves with a good draft. So much for that.

In my mind the 'buck stops' (old poker term) on Bowlin's desk. Is he giving up all control over this team?

The team is looking more like the Lions than NE.

:X :( :X :(

 

[moleculo]

Congratulations!Your wait on the Broncos Waiting List is over, and you are now eligible to purchase Denver Broncos season tickets. Your 2009 season ticket package consists of 2 preseason home games, 8 regular season home games, and the ability to purchase any home playoff games. For complete schedule information, please visit DenverBroncos.com or nfl.com.As you are probably aware, current season ticket holders are upgraded into any cancelled locations on a priority number basis. Therefore, the remaining seating available to first year customers is typically in the upper level corners and end zones. Each year, you will have the opportunity to improve your seat location.To secure your season tickets for all 10 games at INVESCO Field at Mile High, please review the purchasing options below. Should you have questions regarding pricing, seating options or deadlines, please don't hesitate to call our office at 720.258.3333. Waiting List Sales Representatives can be reached by pressing Option #8.For more information on Season Ticket Benefits and Policies, please visit www.denverbroncos.com/ticketoffice.In fairness to those who continue to wait for seats, if you elect not to purchase season tickets for the 2009 season, you have the option of moving to the end of the waiting list (about a 15 to 20 year wait) or being removed from the season ticket waiting list. We will interpret a non-response as a request for removal from our existing list. Thank you for your understanding.All accounts are subject to an $8 per seat account creation and administrative fee. You are eligible to purchase up to four (4) season tickets. This offer is only valid for the account listed below.The deadline to purchase your seats is: June 10, 2009

I've been on the waiting list for 8 years or so, and my number finally gets called. I currently live in South Carolina, so going to any game is a multi-hundred dollar weekend - i.e. I can do one, maybe two a season. My plan was to sell the balance until I eventually get a job in Colorado and can then be a good season ticket holder. With the team rebuild and the tough schedule, I don't think the Broncos will be very good, which means it will be tough to move any tickets I can't use, even @ face value - especially given the recession and all. It's going to be tough for me to keep the tickets, and tough to give them up.

 

[moleculo]

one thing that strikes me about the Broncos O going into this year is versatility - McD will be able to set up some choice match-ups in the spread passing game for sure.

Mr. Versatility: Broncos' Hillis

...

"We're going to use every skill he has," McDaniels said. "He does a lot of things well. He can run the ball as a single back or he can catch the ball out of the backfield. He can block in two-back sets or he can split out wide. He's got great hands and he's a very tough runner to bring down when you give him the ball. So he'll do a lot of different things for us.

"As we tell our players, they all create their own roles. And he's certainly done a good job of taking what we're giving him and doing it very well."

...

Scheffler on board with Broncos' plan

...

"Tony is probably the most skilled pass-receiving tight end I've had an opportunity to be around," McDaniels said. "That's a weapon for us. We can move him around on the field, do different things with him. He can stretch the field at the third level, the second level, and he can take the short underneath level and turn it into a long gain."

...

Moreno draft notes: Carrying on a Tradition

"He catches the ball extremely well -- he has very good hands," McDaniels said. "One of the things that nobody will talk too much about is his pass protection. For a college back, that is something that doesn't get a lot of recognition. This guy stands in there and he can put his face right in their numbers and he'll keep them off the QB. So certainly on third down as the player grows in our system and he becomes more comfortable with what we are doing, I think he could definitely give us that versatility."

I'm imagining McD putting in a 2 TE, 2 RB set - Graham & Scheffler, Moreno & Hillis, plus Marshall to boot. This looks like a power running formation, and it really is. But there are some really good passing options here too... Scheffler can stretch the field, Hillis can split out wide, and Moreno can either be a good dump-off option or he can stay in and block. Out of a true power formation, Orton could audible to a spread and have up to five viable targets, with Graham as the weakest receiver. In a balanced 2 WR/2RB set, Denver could still have a good power running game, but with Royal and Marshall on the field, Hillis/Moreno/Scheffler should all have a LB's covering them - life gets easy in the short passing game.

The pressure this could put on a defense is scary. Go to nickel and you will open up some great holes for the running game. stay in base, and have LB's covering some good receivers. I can see this working out very well for the spread O passing game, as well as opening up the running game.

 

[Buffaloes]

Surprising how losing Cutler has so many people thinking this. I don't think the Broncos will be a top echelon team by any stretch of the imagination but I'm not ready to count the, out of the post season or wild card race before a down has been played. They lost Cutler but have made strides to improve the rest of their offense along with improving an historically bad defense.

What strides have they made to improve the rest of their offense? Drafting Moreno isn't anywhere NEAR enough to make up for the loss of Cutler, and RB was only a problem last year because we lost SEVEN OF THEM to season-ending injuries. The Broncos would have been just fine with Jordan, Buckhalter, Torain, and Hillis shouldering the load. And after Moreno, then what? Adding Jabari Gaffney? Drafting a rookie blocking TE to sit behind the best blocking TE in the league for a couple of years? Changing schemes from a proven offensive system which the personnel knew and fit perfectly (and were one of the best offenses in the league with) to another scheme that might or might not work with the personnel in place? No matter how you slice it, the offense took a massive step back (losing a stud at the most important and irreplaceable position, adding a highly touted crapshoot at the most fungible position, and changing schemes from a proven one to an unproven one).Also, the only hope I have for the defense AT ALL is "regression to the mean". The only reason I can come up with for them to play better is because they couldn't possibly play worse. I can't look at anything they've done and objectively consider it an upgrade. They added a lot of pieces to the secondary that makes it look better on paper, but they also turned it into one of the oldest starting secondaries in NFL history- I'm half expecting McDaniels to try to lure Lynch out of retirement so he could start next to Dawkins. The front 7, objectively speaking, actually looks worse this year than last year. The LBs are exactly the same, but now they're learning a new scheme. The D-line is every bit as terrible as it was last year (if not moreso), except now they're playing a scheme for which they're comically ill-suited. The two best front-seven players are D.J. Williams and Elvis Dumervil, and now you're asking the first guy to play a technique he's never played, and the second guy to play an ENTIRE POSITION he's never played. Sure, it might work, but I'd say there's a 5% chance that Dumervil will actually be better as a 3-4 OLB, and a 95% chance that he'll be significantly worse. Ditto that with Marcus Thomas, the only other decent d-lineman on the team, who is now playing... what, 3-4 DE? NT? Where does he fit in that scheme? Why not have all of your secondary guys become DLinemen, and all of your DLinemen play CB and safety while you're at it?Denver almost made the playoffs last year, but that was a fluke- their scoring margin was -80, iirc, which is generally the hallmark of a 5-11 or 6-10 team, not an 8-8 team. If nothing else, they SHOULD have been 7-9 last year (and even that was overperforming). They've done absolutely nothing to convince me that they're BETTER this year than they were last, which is why I've already counted them out of the postseason race before the season ever started. For the record, this is actually the first time since I followed the NFL that I actually did NOT expect the Broncos to make the playoffs before the season started.

I do think the Moreno and the free agent RBs can help the offense. In addition to those pickups, the backup TE, Quinn, should help in short yardage and GL situations, which Denver has struggled with in the recent past. Having another inline blocker who can catch down at the GL will help immensely. How many times have we Bronco fans been disappointed by the team settling for FG inside the 5 because they couldn't power it in? How many times have we watched Cutler turn it over inside the 5? Having an effective running game at the GL and having that extra TE who can block (sorry Sheffler) at the GL will help immensely, IMO.Would I have rather seen Denver go after some defensive talent rather than Moreno at 12? Maybe. But slice it any way you want, Denver has made additions to offensive positions. The loss of Cutler is going to hurt but let's not pretend he was in the Peyton Manning or even Philip Rivers territory yet. Perhaps this offense will be more prudent with the ball and will give its defense a little rest and a longer field to defend. A better running game and less turnovers would certainly ease the burden. I like the Jabar Gaffney pickup as well seeing how he can come in and play about any of the 3 WR positions in the new complex offense. This is especially important given Brandon Marshall's current status. I'll agree with your statement that the defense can't be any worse. But there are markedly better players on this year's defense. Andra' Davis may not be an exciting name but I have no doubt he is better than Nate "ole" Webster. Having a competent safety tandem will be nice as well. Dawkins and Hill are upgrae over Manuel, McCree, Barrett, Fox, et al. Having a competent defensive coordinator should help too. Bob Slowik might be a great guy, but an NFL defensive coordinator he is not. As far as DJ Williams playing a new technique, it's not the 1st time he has done this. The DL is probably as bad as it was last year unless guys like Fields, Thomas, Peterson or the 2nd year guy from Virginia Tech can step it up. You mention Dumervil playing out of position as well, which may or may not be the case. I think this coaching staff should see the error of the last staff's ways in trying to make Dumervil an every down player. He was beat up and overpowered against the run last year which kept him from being a fully effective pass rusher. If this staff recognizes that, maybe he will become the situation pass rusher that I think he is. As far as the Dawkins signing, I believe he was brought in mainly for his locker room presence and leadership abilities. This defense had no direction last year and had no leadership. Bailey and Williams are very good defender but vocal leaders they are not. Dawk can be a sort of coach on the field and I think his leadership will help immensely. His presence against the run won't hurt either.Maybe I am being overly optimistic here, but like I said, I don't expect Denver to be world beaters. I know going from Cutler to Orton is a major downgrade. But I think the team has upgraded at other key positions. I think there has been an upgrade at least in terms of defensive scheme. I'm not sure Denver will be in the playoff hunt come December, but it would not surprise me one bit if they were.

 

[Courtjester]

Why in the heck do you keep Jordan who has done nothing at all in the pre-season and cut Walker? Jordan had 1 rush for 0 yards yesterday and Walker worked his tail off and got almost 70.

The only thing that I can think of is Walker was trying to take a breather in this last game and asked to be removed for a play and the coaches wouldn't let him come out. Maybe they were trying to test his conditioning or his desire or something and by asking to be taken out, that didn't fly.

Still Jordan??? What a waste of a roster spot.

 

[shredhead]

Why in the heck do you keep Jordan who has done nothing at all in the pre-season and cut Walker? Jordan had 1 rush for 0 yards yesterday and Walker worked his tail off and got almost 70. The only thing that I can think of is Walker was trying to take a breather in this last game and asked to be removed for a play and the coaches wouldn't let him come out. Maybe they were trying to test his conditioning or his desire or something and by asking to be taken out, that didn't fly.Still Jordan??? What a waste of a roster spot.

I was really hoping Walker would make the team. Is he eligible for the prctice squad? Jordan should have been cut. Does Jeff garcia have anything left in the tank? I wouldn't mind hearing about the Broncos claiming him off waivers tomorrow. He's gotta be better than Orton doesn't he?

 

[broncofan13000]

(KFFL) Lindsay Jones, of The Denver Post, reports Denver Broncos TE Richard Quinn was arrested Monday, Sept. 7, on a harassment charge related to domestic violence. Quinn is being held without bond on a charge of harassment, obstruction of phone services/domestic violence and will appear before a judge at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8. Quinn's girlfriend called 911 from a neighbor's house after the couple got into an argument, according to an Arapahoe County (Colo.) Sheriff's report. She told deputies that Quinn "grabbed her and shook her to the ground" and took her cell phone away to prevent her from calling police. According to the report, Quinn admitted to taking the phone, but said he only grabbed the girlfriend after she "started hitting him in the face." The report says Quinn had no sign of injuries to his face.

Is McDaniels on suicide watch yet?

 

[SSOG]

Why in the heck do you keep Jordan who has done nothing at all in the pre-season and cut Walker? Jordan had 1 rush for 0 yards yesterday and Walker worked his tail off and got almost 70. The only thing that I can think of is Walker was trying to take a breather in this last game and asked to be removed for a play and the coaches wouldn't let him come out. Maybe they were trying to test his conditioning or his desire or something and by asking to be taken out, that didn't fly.Still Jordan??? What a waste of a roster spot.

Jordan's better in pass protection and has better knowledge of the offense. Neither player is going to be getting any carries this season, so the question of who is the better ballcarrier is moot. Players are evaluated on more than just the preseason- there's an entire month worth of training camps before that, as well as lots of film. Etc. Either way, it's pretty irrelevant unless we put 7 RBs on IR again.

(KFFL) Lindsay Jones, of The Denver Post, reports Denver Broncos TE Richard Quinn was arrested Monday, Sept. 7, on a harassment charge related to domestic violence. Quinn is being held without bond on a charge of harassment, obstruction of phone services/domestic violence and will appear before a judge at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8. Quinn's girlfriend called 911 from a neighbor's house after the couple got into an argument, according to an Arapahoe County (Colo.) Sheriff's report. She told deputies that Quinn "grabbed her and shook her to the ground" and took her cell phone away to prevent her from calling police. According to the report, Quinn admitted to taking the phone, but said he only grabbed the girlfriend after she "started hitting him in the face." The report says Quinn had no sign of injuries to his face.

Is McDaniels on suicide watch yet?

Eh, no big, he's only our backup blocking TE after all. The nice thing about wasting picks on players who don't do your team any good is that you're not out anything if you wind up losing them. Silver lining, my man!

 

[bocksheesh]

SSOG, any new insights as to what is expected out of Moreno and how soon?

Is the consensus in DEN that it will be RBBC for a while if not the entire season? Or is Moreno expected to become the primary guy sooner rather than later?

With all the mayehm surrounding Marshall, haven't heard much about Moreno lately.

 

[SSOG]

SSOG, any new insights as to what is expected out of Moreno and how soon?Is the consensus in DEN that it will be RBBC for a while if not the entire season? Or is Moreno expected to become the primary guy sooner rather than later?With all the mayehm surrounding Marshall, haven't heard much about Moreno lately.

To be perfectly honest, I don't think any Broncos fans have the slightest clue what to expect from McDaniels. With Shanny, in-the-know fans knew his tendencies, histories, idiosyncrasies, and preferences, so they could make educated guesses as to what he'd do in a certain situation. With McDaniels, that's all out the window.Still, if I had to make an educated guess, it would be informed by the following factors.1) Moreno was drafted 12th overall by a team with multiple glaring needs.2) McDaniels has said he envisioned Moreno as a 3-down back.3) Jordan and Buckhalter are on their last legs, and while I'm high on Hillis, McDaniels doesn't seem to share my enthusiasm.4) Moreno is one of the highest-paid RBs in the league before he sets foot on the football field, despite Bowlen reportedly facing minor cashflow issues.There's been very little buzz about Moreno because he didn't participate much in TCs and he was barely used in the preseason, but those four factors lead me to strongly believe that Moreno will be the workhorse this season, even if it takes him a couple of games to get up to speed. I know that New England ran an RBBC the last couple of seasons... but I also know that they ran Corey Dillon into the ground in 2004, so it seems that RBBC was more the result of the absence of a workhorse than any preference of the coaching staff.So, to summarize... absolutely nothing new, and there won't be until Moreno's actually on the field.

 

[bocksheesh]

SSOG, any new insights as to what is expected out of Moreno and how soon?Is the consensus in DEN that it will be RBBC for a while if not the entire season? Or is Moreno expected to become the primary guy sooner rather than later?With all the mayehm surrounding Marshall, haven't heard much about Moreno lately.

To be perfectly honest, I don't think any Broncos fans have the slightest clue what to expect from McDaniels. With Shanny, in-the-know fans knew his tendencies, histories, idiosyncrasies, and preferences, so they could make educated guesses as to what he'd do in a certain situation. With McDaniels, that's all out the window.Still, if I had to make an educated guess, it would be informed by the following factors.1) Moreno was drafted 12th overall by a team with multiple glaring needs.2) McDaniels has said he envisioned Moreno as a 3-down back.3) Jordan and Buckhalter are on their last legs, and while I'm high on Hillis, McDaniels doesn't seem to share my enthusiasm.4) Moreno is one of the highest-paid RBs in the league before he sets foot on the football field, despite Bowlen reportedly facing minor cashflow issues.There's been very little buzz about Moreno because he didn't participate much in TCs and he was barely used in the preseason, but those four factors lead me to strongly believe that Moreno will be the workhorse this season, even if it takes him a couple of games to get up to speed. I know that New England ran an RBBC the last couple of seasons... but I also know that they ran Corey Dillon into the ground in 2004, so it seems that RBBC was more the result of the absence of a workhorse than any preference of the coaching staff.So, to summarize... absolutely nothing new, and there won't be until Moreno's actually on the field.

Kind of what I figured. But wanted to get confirmation from someone who knows the team inside and out.Great insights, SSOG.I have Moreno as my RB4 in a 10-teamer so I can afford to wait on him for a while.

 

[SSOG]

I have Moreno as my RB4 in a 10-teamer so I can afford to wait on him for a while.

That's the smart play, imo. If you drafted him as your RB2... then start him. If you drafted him as your RB3 or RB4... then bench him and start the guy you drafted as your RB2.

 

[BusMan]

Wow. Crazy news regarding Shanahan planning to cut Marshall after the Pro Bowl.

link

ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports that ex-Broncos coach Mike Shanahan planned to release Brandon Marshall before Shanahan was fired this offseason.

According to Mortensen, Shanahan believed that Marshall (who the led the NFL in drops in 2008) hurt the Broncos more than he helped them. Lucky for Marshall, he's getting a second chance new coach Josh McDaniels. He's slated to play extensively Sunday, and how he fares may dictate his role going forward.

 

[moleculo]

Wow. Crazy news regarding Shanahan planning to cut Marshall after the Pro Bowl.

link

ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports that ex-Broncos coach Mike Shanahan planned to release Brandon Marshall before Shanahan was fired this offseason.

According to Mortensen, Shanahan believed that Marshall (who the led the NFL in drops in 2008) hurt the Broncos more than he helped them. Lucky for Marshall, he's getting a second chance new coach Josh McDaniels. He's slated to play extensively Sunday, and how he fares may dictate his role going forward.

wow. Kind of makes you re-evaluate the stink he pulled this off-season. I thought the Broncos did him wrong by not giving him a new contract - maybe the Broncos did him wrong by not cutting him free (even though the previous regime promised to).

 

[BusMan]

Shanny trying to screw with most important day (to date) of new regime?

 

[moleculo]

D was good today...so much better than last year, it's not even funny. There are still some gaping seams because we don't have any LB's capable of dropping into a decent zone, but IMO BDawk makes up for a lot of warts. Going with the 5-2 was getting some good pressure - I'd pretty much forgotten what it was like to see Broncos getting sacks or int's. I'd just have liked to see the D stay aggressive the whole game and not get soft in the last 5 minutes.

The O - not what I had hoped for. Orton did not look sharp - can blame recievers for getting the dropsies, maybe blame goes to lacerated finger; not sure what to make of that. Speculation on orangemane.com is that Kuper being out made a pretty big difference, and I think that's true.

Bottom line on this O - this is a unit that had some troubles making it out of camp intact - Moreno's knee, Ortons finger, Kupers lower extremity, Marshalls fit...4 starters had "issues", all while trying to digest a new playbook. looking back, we should have expected a slow start. I do expect things to get better on that side.

 

[rascal]

D was good today...so much better than last year, it's not even funny. There are still some gaping seams because we don't have any LB's capable of dropping into a decent zone, but IMO BDawk makes up for a lot of warts. Going with the 5-2 was getting some good pressure - I'd pretty much forgotten what it was like to see Broncos getting sacks or int's. I'd just have liked to see the D stay aggressive the whole game and not get soft in the last 5 minutes.The O - not what I had hoped for. Orton did not look sharp - can blame recievers for getting the dropsies, maybe blame goes to lacerated finger; not sure what to make of that. Speculation on orangemane.com is that Kuper being out made a pretty big difference, and I think that's true. Bottom line on this O - this is a unit that had some troubles making it out of camp intact - Moreno's knee, Ortons finger, Kupers lower extremity, Marshalls fit...4 starters had "issues", all while trying to digest a new playbook. looking back, we should have expected a slow start. I do expect things to get better on that side.

First, relying on the mane for any intelligent thought into anything is a mistake.The D did look today, although I don't remember seeing much of Ayers. Alphonso looked legit.Orton sucks. This offense will struggle all season. Kuper being out did hurt as Wiegmann couldn't help out Hamilton as much as he does against bigger DTs.

 

[Fiddles]

Whats the outlook for Royal? I missed the game yesterday. TIA

 

[az_prof]

Whats the outlook for Royal? I missed the game yesterday. TIA

He didn't seem to get targeted much. Not sure if he wasn't getting open or why.

 

[Buffaloes]

2-0 heading into Raider week is a good thing. This defense has given the team something to be excited about. If Ayers or Haggan can bring consistent pressure from the opposite side of Dumervil, this could turn into a very good unit. Hopefully the offense comes along by the time the meat of the schedule starts (week 4) and Denver may actually surprise all the nay-sayers. Moreno looks like he is going to be a real good back for the Broncos. I was impressed with what we saw from him and Buck yesterday, especially in the 2nd half.