TE Dan Gronkowski Traded to Denver (1 Viewer)

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

Broncos trade CB Alphonso Smith to Detroit for TE Gronkowski

By Mike Klis

The Denver Post

POSTED: 09/04/2010 02:39:40 PM MDT

Former Lions tight end Dan Gronkowski catches a short pass in the fourth quarter during a preseason game last week against the Browns. The Broncos traded for the pass-catching tight end today in exchange for disappointing cornerback Alphonso Smith. (Getty Images North America | Leon Halip)

The Broncos used disappointing cornerback Alphonso Smith to fill a need at tight end by acquiring Dan Gronkowski from the Detroit Lions today.

Besides Gronkowski, who had seven catches for 80 yards during the Lions' preseason, the Broncos will get a late-round draft pick in exchange for Smith.

Considering that the Broncos traded away a 2010 first-round draft pick in order to move up in the second round to select Smith in the 2009 draft, the former Wake Forest product was a major disappointment.

However, talks that Smith was a colossal bust must be tempered by the fact the Broncos exchanged him for a receiving tight end. Gronkowski is expected to replace Marquez Branson as the Broncos' top receiving threat, a position filled by Tony Scheffler the three previous years.

Scheffler was traded to the Lions in April.

Dan Gronkowski, 25, was drafted in the seventh round by the Lions in 2009. His younger brother Rob Gronkowski, is a tight end who was drafted in the second round this year by the New England Patriots.

Read more: Broncos trade CB Alphonso Smith to Detroit for TE Gronkowski - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_15993935#ixzz0ycB9JVrj

It's not my fault you don't know your guys names...

 

[kevzilla]

Well played, sir. Consider me hooked.

 

[Max Power]

The Broncos selected Smith in the 2nd round (37th overall) in the 2009 NFL Draft. The Broncos traded their first round pick in 2010 in order to move up to select him.

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

Just another in the long line of horrible moves by McDaniels.

 

[sho nuff]

Just another in the long line of horrible moves by McDaniels.

Didn't the Bears just cut their top 2 draft picks from last year?

 

[thecardiackid]

Just another in the long line of horrible moves by McDaniels.

This.Not to mention moving up to pick the "blocking" TE. Dude has been digging a very big hole.

 

[destro]

To make matters worse, it's hard not to notice that he traded Scheffler, a perfectly fine receiving TE, for a 5th rounder. Is there anyone out there who would not rather have Scheffler over the elder Gronkowski?

Really, we can break this down as follows:

Denver's 2010 1st rounder (14th overall) and Tony Scheffler

for

Dan Gronkowski and a 5th rounder

I would add in the fact that they traded up into the second round to draft Richard Quinn, a blocking TE who has yet to earn serious PT, but the resulting cost/benefit analysis would be too gross for me to stomach.

Keep up the good work, Josh.

 

[Max Power]

Just another in the long line of horrible moves by McDaniels.

Didn't the Bears just cut their top 2 draft picks from last year?

no one here is saying Jerry Angelo is any good either. Guy is probably on his way out if the Bears miss the playoffs.

 

[The Jacket]

McDaniels is just awful. He's the type of coach who would drive me away from my team until the owner sacks up and fires him.

I know they had a fluke half-season last year (before collapsing and looking like one of the worst 2 or 3 teams in the league), but the consistency of beyond terrible personnel moves they're making will catch up with them.

They also cut a guy yesterday to whom they gave a 4-year, $20M contract in March. :(

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

Just another in the long line of horrible moves by McDaniels.

Didn't the Bears just cut their top 2 draft picks from last year?

Are you really trying to do this Sho Nuff??Trade away CutlerTrade away MarshallTrade a first rounder for a second round pick than trade that player for a TEDraft Tim Tebow in the firstLets look at TE moves:Trade Tony SchefflerDraft a 2nd round TE that is a blockerTrade a player you gave up a 1st to obtain for another TE

 

[sho nuff]

Just another in the long line of horrible moves by McDaniels.

Didn't the Bears just cut their top 2 draft picks from last year?

Are you really trying to do this Sho Nuff??Trade away CutlerTrade away MarshallTrade a first rounder for a second round pick than trade that player for a TEDraft Tim Tebow in the firstLets look at TE moves:Trade Tony SchefflerDraft a 3rd round TE that is a blockerTrade a player you gave up a 1st to obtain for another TE

Not saying he is great either. Just a funny little jab.But they did all that and ended up 8-8 with Kyle Orton at QB.Now, with their injuries in the backfield, the poor moves, and Dumervil, they will likely be worse this year.

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

Just another in the long line of horrible moves by McDaniels.

Didn't the Bears just cut their top 2 draft picks from last year?

Are you really trying to do this Sho Nuff??Trade away CutlerTrade away MarshallTrade a first rounder for a second round pick than trade that player for a TEDraft Tim Tebow in the firstLets look at TE moves:Trade Tony SchefflerDraft a 3rd round TE that is a blockerTrade a player you gave up a 1st to obtain for another TE

Not saying he is great either. Just a funny little jab.But they did all that and ended up 8-8 with Kyle Orton at QB.Now, with their injuries in the backfield, the poor moves, and Dumervil, they will likely be worse this year.

I'll remember the jab for no reason.But only two of the above moves happened before last season...and they finished 8-8 b/c of defense and a lucky tipped ball...not Kyle Orton.

 

[daveR]

I remember the (recent) chuckle I got when I first saw the DET Gronkowski. I couldn't believe there were two in the league with that name. Later, that same day, the DAL Gronkowski carried the ball on fourth and one - LOL!

 

[moleculo]

threads like this will make my LAUGH in November.

I did not like the drafting of Alphonso last year. I think that was a result of an inexperienced, largely unprepared coach and front office. Just because a 1st round talent slips into the second round does not mean you have to get him...I think McD got a little excited in pulling the trigger.

That being said, I appreciate that McD has the balls to call a loss a loss and move on. When he sees that someone isn't as good as they had hoped, I'm glad that they don't keep him around to justify the selection. I'm even happier that McD was able to get something instead of simply cutting him.

Alphonso wasn't cutting it last year and the had to bring in Ty Law. He was never the special teams ace he was supposed to be, and he certainly wasn't the ball-hawking playmaker his bio claims. He was passed on the depth chart this bear by rookies Perrish Cox and Sid-Quan Thompson (both drafted by the McD regine), who have played very well this pre-season, and Cassius Vaughn, who has been a phenomenal in punt coverage (gunner). DB is/was a position of depth for Denver this training camp, Alphonso was odd-man out.

On the TE situation - clearly there was a locker room issue w/ Scheffler. He was a healthy inactive in week 17 vs KC, they say he had given up on the season in the middle of the playoff hunt. Scheff was a cutler nuthugger, and was pretty much on his way out as soon as cutler cried his way out of town. Getting another TE in the mix became necessary when Marquez Branson (TE prospect Denver had had stashed on PS all last year) jacked up his knee last week.

Here's an article discussing the need to bring in another TE (and DB depth) published a few days ago.

Bottom line - alphonso was a bad pick. Every team makes bad picks. The sooner you can acknowledge you made a bad pick and can move on, the better of you will be in the long run.

 

[destro]

Just because a 1st round talent slips into the second round does not mean you have to get him...I think McD got a little excited in pulling the trigger.

He should never have been considered a 1st round talent. He was generously listed as 5'9", way too short for an NFL CB, and he had below average speed. I don't care how great some people said his "ball hawk" skills were, he didn't have the physical size or abilities to be a starting CB in the NFL.

 

[Ghost Rider]

But they did all that and ended up 8-8 with Kyle Orton at QB.

Because the defense played out of their minds for the first half of the season.

 

[Ilov80s]

threads like this will make my LAUGH in November.

I did not like the drafting of Alphonso last year. I think that was a result of an inexperienced, largely unprepared coach and front office. Just because a 1st round talent slips into the second round does not mean you have to get him...I think McD got a little excited in pulling the trigger.

That being said, I appreciate that McD has the balls to call a loss a loss and move on. When he sees that someone isn't as good as they had hoped, I'm glad that they don't keep him around to justify the selection. I'm even happier that McD was able to get something instead of simply cutting him.

Alphonso wasn't cutting it last year and the had to bring in Ty Law. He was never the special teams ace he was supposed to be, and he certainly wasn't the ball-hawking playmaker his bio claims. He was passed on the depth chart this bear by rookies Perrish Cox and Sid-Quan Thompson (both drafted by the McD regine), who have played very well this pre-season, and Cassius Vaughn, who has been a phenomenal in punt coverage (gunner). DB is/was a position of depth for Denver this training camp, Alphonso was odd-man out.

On the TE situation - clearly there was a locker room issue w/ Scheffler. He was a healthy inactive in week 17 vs KC, they say he had given up on the season in the middle of the playoff hunt. Scheff was a cutler nuthugger, and was pretty much on his way out as soon as cutler cried his way out of town. Getting another TE in the mix became necessary when Marquez Branson (TE prospect Denver had had stashed on PS all last year) jacked up his knee last week.

Here's an article discussing the need to bring in another TE (and DB depth) published a few days ago.

Bottom line - alphonso was a bad pick. Every team makes bad picks. The sooner you can acknowledge you made a bad pick and can move on, the better of you will be in the long run.

I wouldn't say you really got much for him, the Lions were planning on cutting Gronkowski anyway.

 

[metoo]

But they did all that and ended up 8-8 with Kyle Orton at QB.

Because the defense played out of their minds for the first half of the season.

And they rewarded this by firing the def coordinator.

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

But they did all that and ended up 8-8 with Kyle Orton at QB.

Because the defense played out of their minds for the first half of the season.

And they rewarded this by firing the def coordinator.

Considering he was the 3rd coach on staff to leave after one year and "they decided to part ways" is different form getting fired.http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4837350

 

[Courtjester]

Just because a 1st round talent slips into the second round does not mean you have to get him...I think McD got a little excited in pulling the trigger.

He should never have been considered a 1st round talent. He was generously listed as 5'9", way too short for an NFL CB, and he had below average speed. I don't care how great some people said his "ball hawk" skills were, he didn't have the physical size or abilities to be a starting CB in the NFL.

With the exception of Ayers and Moreno and to a lesser degree McBath (and the jury is out on all of them) McDaniels 2009 draft has to be deemed a D- and if the aforementioned do not pan out it is a solid F-.With the number of picks they has last year and the fact 3-4 of them are not with the squad. Smith, Olsen, Brandstater, (and McKinley would have not made the active roster were he not on IR)...it shows just how poor it was. I mean a blind man pointing to a group of names on a piece of paper would've gotten luckier than McDaniels.And now that the smoke clears, we have two TEs that have a combined 2 catches TOTAL in their NFL careers. Just great.