Tag Archives: Denver Broncos

Broncos’ Focus Should Be on Offensive Line

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There’s been an awakening. Have you felt it?

No, I’m not talking about the Force or Kylo Ren. This is all about the start of training camp and a merciful end to a very long offseason. The Broncos are going to start playing some actual football and there will be concrete stories worth discussing. We can finally put all of the pointless, high school drama behind us (at least until next year).

Naturally, most of the attention will be geared toward the quarterbacks. Everyone will be anxiously waiting for Mark Sanchez to screw up badly enough so that preseason darling Trevor Siemian or first-round pick Paxton Lynch gets a chance in the spotlight. Quarterbacks are always the top priority for the fans and media, even if they aren’t the most important one for the team.

Regardless of who winds up playing under center, it is imperative that the Broncos correct one of the weaknesses that has plagued them for the past couple of seasons: the offensive line. If they don’t, it’s not really going to matter who the starting quarterback is. They are all dead men walking.

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With Von Back in the Fold, the Real Work Begins

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The Super Bowl is the hardest championship to win in professional sports. “Bunk!” you might say. “You have to play 162 games just to make the playoffs in baseball, or have to topple the superteam Warriors or the Lebron-led Cavs in order to win the NBA Finals.” If you said that, I would agree that you made some good points, but I’d stand by my opinion.

Sure, the NFL season is only 16 games long and at most you only have to claim four victories to get that Super Bowl ring, equivalent to a series win in other sports. Those games are hard to pull out though, people, and it only takes one bad day for everything to come crashing down. Stink out the joint in an NFL playoff game and your season is over. No game two. No series to tie or opportunities for redemption. It was this level of failure during the most crucial times that cost John Fox his job here in Denver, and why despite all of their domination over the rest of the league, the Patriots have lifted the Lombardi trophy just one time over the past 11 years.

Resigning Von Miller may have seemed like an arduous task, mostly thanks to all of the silly and media manufactured drama, but it’s a day at the beach compared to what it will take for the Broncos to be back-to-back champions.

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Von Miller and the Broncos Will Find Common Ground

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Contract negotiations in sports are like relationships. You have to compromise, talk things out and come to an arrangement that makes both sides happy. Oftentimes, feelings are hurt and that will cause someone to lash out or send a not so subtle message about how disgruntled they are. Look no further than Von Miller’s somewhat comical cropping of a White House picture that left John Elway on the outside looking in.

Maybe these negotiations are more like high school relationships?

Nevertheless, from Elway “lowballing” Miller to Von supposedly threatening to sit out the season if he doesn’t get the deal he is looking for, the prevailing theory is that tensions are high between the Broncos and their franchise player, making the likelihood that a new contract will be reached dismal at best. It’s kind of pathetic how much drama the media tries to fabricate surrounding these situations every year. What’s really alarming is how many people seem to take the bait, hook, line and sinker.

My prediction? You will hear a lot more about how contentious these talks have been, only to watch as Miller signs a long-term deal by the July 15 deadline that will either make him very rich or super rich. A lot of journalists will feign surprise even though absolutely no one should be surprised. Here’s why.

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Broncos QB’s Will Be Better in 2016 (Seriously)

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If you’ve been watching SportsCenter lately, you know that the experts don’t think much of the Broncos’ chances to defend their Super Bowl title. Apparently, the team is about to endure its first losing season since 2010, when some guy named McDaniels was sent by Bill Belichick to ruin the Broncos flaming out as a head coach. The losses of Brent (or is it Brad?) Osweiler, Malik Jackson and Danny Trevathan are insurmountable. Never mind the fact that the Broncos had some of the worst quarterback play in the league last season, or that Super Bowl MVP Von Miller and members of the No Fly Zone still spearhead the NFL’s no. 1 defense. The “experts” have spoken and 2016 is going to be a horrible year at Mile High, right?

Well, maybe for Sports Authority, but for the team? Not so much.

I don’t think I have to defend the idea that despite the loss of two starters, the defense will be pretty good again this season. Probably damn good. I also believe that it won’t be overly difficult for the Broncos to improve on their quarterback situation from a year ago, and that is indeed an idea worth exploring. Hit the jump and we’ll take a look.

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Mark Sanchez Won’t Ruin the Broncos Next Season (Probably)

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A day after the Broncos introduced Mark Sanchez as their most notable offseason acquisition, it’s understandable if there is a general feeling of angst permeating throughout Denver. That’s what happens when a future Hall of Famer rides off into the sunset, his supposed successor walks out the door and the next signal caller brought in is the infamous Butt-Fumbler. It’s a good time to mention that the Broncos are the defending Super Bowl champions.

Although defections are taking place all over the roster, quarterbacks always draw the most attention and set off the loudest alarms. That’s why Brock Osweiler’s desertion hit the hardest and why Sanchez’s arrival is treated with the most scrutiny. Never mind the fact that Osweiler and Peyton Manning quarterbacked the Broncos to the second-worst passer rating in the league last season. Those guys are gone, Sanchez is here and everything is horrible, right?

Well, not really. Truth be told, there are a few ways the Broncos can improve on offense even if Sanchez is under center next season.

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The Price of Going Back-to-Back

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John Elway spoiled Broncos’ fans during free agency his first few years on the job. There were always huge, splashy signings to look forward to and he had a knack for signing the biggest names available on the market, like a kid playing Madden with the salary cap off. That changed last year when the most notable players who came to town were Owen Daniels and Darian Stewart. Don’t get me wrong, those were two solid players, but it was a far cry from the days of reeling in Peyton Manning, Wes Welker, DeMarcus Ware and Aqib Talib. That’s what happens when you draft and develop great players and then have to resign them.

Like last year, a lot of those players will be leaving us. Here’s my look at what our free agents should do, even though we all know what they will do.

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This One’s for Peyton

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As you get older you start realizing how much time you have wasted in your youth. This realization can easily make you feel depressed and anxious. Why didn’t I learn to play the guitar? Why didn’t I read all of those books? It’s a very difficult feeling to shake. You start making new goals and new promises to yourself. You imagine all you can accomplish if you just buckle down, starting today. You tell yourself there is still time.

Unfortunately sometimes it is too late. Sometimes your window of opportunity has closed. Sometimes you have no choice but to give up on a dream, a goal, or even a legacy.

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Pegboards’ Third Annual NFL Mock Draft

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Welcome to our third annual NFL Mock Draft! What we lack in analysis we make up for in poor attempts at humor! This year Kevin will be picking the odds and Jesse the evens. Trades are allowed and encouraged.

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Jameis Winston, QB Florida St

Kevin: Finally a draft that actually has some talented QBs at the top of the board. Far more interesting than picking between two top tackles. You know what isn’t interesting? Trying to predict Jameis Winston’s off the field behavior. The first overall pick isn’t as risky as it used to be thanks to the rookie scale. So if he messes up off the field then it is what it is. But he is worth the risk. It is a good fit for Winston as he gets to throw to big ol’ Vincent Jackson and hand off to Doug Martin.

2. Tennessee Titans- Marcus Mariota, QB Oregon:

Jesse: I desperately tried to avoid slotting Mariota to the Titans here. I thought that Kevin would bite if I let him know that the Titans were interested in moving back. No dice. Then I attempted to work out a deal with one of my other teams. Nothing came to fruition. Finally, I contemplated passing on Mariota all together and taking someone else. Alas, it was futile. I do think that some team is going to trade up and get him (Cleveland reportedly already offered two first-rounders to do just that) but in this scenario, Tennessee had a chance to land their first franchise QB since Steve McNair. And they took it.

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Broncos Offseason Evaluation: Rebuilding or Replacing?

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Before free agency started, I was planning on doing a preview for every position on the Broncos that was about to undergo some addition or subtraction. I made it through a couple of these and was determined to power through the rest, but then a funny thing happened. Teams were given an unofficial window to negotiate with players the weekend before free agency, during which they could discuss terms with players but couldn’t actually sign them. That didn’t prevent a flurry of “agreements” from being announced during that window, as teams were practically backing up the money trucks to the front lawns of the players they coveted and took full advantage of the leeway that the league offered to them.

Once it became abundantly clear that A) the Broncos were not going to be major players in free agency and B) they wouldn’t even be resigning the majority of their own free agents, it just didn’t make a lot of sense to move forward with my initial plan. It’s nice when life provides you with an excuse to be lazy, but I still feel like I owe you guys something after we promised that there would be all those others posts to look forward to. Thanks a lot NFL, you made me feel guilty.

Here is a rundown of what the Broncos have been doing so far in the new league year, and why most of it isn’t nearly as bad as you may think.

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Broncos Free Agency Primer: Offensive Line – Part 2

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As the years go by, I find myself becoming more and more appreciative of Tom Nalen. For over ten years, Nalen was the foundation of the Broncos’ offensive line and one of the leaders of the team. He was a great player and was the very model of stability during his time in Denver. Very rarely do you see such consistency at one position for such a long period of time, and it’s really made the Broncos’ issues at center all the more glaring since his retirement.

The good news is that the Broncos have an opportunity to finally recapture the peace of mind that Nalen brought to the middle of the line. The bad news is that they’ve already squandered this opportunity a few times before, as having an opening is no guarantee that you will actually bring in anyone worthwhile.

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