Who Will Make the 2009 Denver Broncos’ Final Roster?

This past week’s cuts started me thinking about what the Denver Broncos active roster will look like and the gauntlet of competition that a football player will have to endure to make an NFL team.

The Broncos released five players Thursday including linebackers Boss Bailey and Louis Green, safety Herana-Dave Jones, running back Kestahn Moore and cornerback Rashod Moulton.

Though none of these cuts may have come as much of a surprise to any Broncos fan, they are nonetheless interesting because they begin to shape the 2009 Roster.

It was necessary to bring the roster size down to 80 because that is the maximum number of players an NFL team is allowed to bring to training camp. more cuts will follow in the coming months as each NFL team continues to whittle down their rosters as the dawn of a new season creeps ever closer.

Cuts can happen at any time during training camp when it becomes apparent to the coaches that a player is simply not able to keep up and compete with the others at his position.  There are also some set times where teams will be required to dump players from their rosters.

After the third preseason weekend the rosters are required to drop to 65 players or below and after the fourth and final preseason weekend all NFL teams are required to have an active roster of no more than 53 players as they head into the regular season. 

Each team is also allowed to form a practice squad, which may consist of no more than eight players.

That means that there are 19 more broncos on the current roster who will not even make Denver’s practice squad. 

After that there are eight more players who are on the bubble and will fall just short of making the roster and will have to settle for serving time with the team on the practice squad in hopes of improving their skills for another shot somewhere down the line.

53 of the current 80 players will make the active roster, but even then they will have to compete each week in order to make the 45 man game-day roster, which will no doubt change each week depending on the team’s game plan.

All of this does not even mention the competition between the players who make the roster to gain playing time on Sundays, let alone to secure a position as one of the 22 starting Denver Broncos.

With so much turnover in the off-season between coaches and players alike, there are few players who can rest assured that they will be one of those starters.  Even a Champ Bailey needs to work and both mentally and physically to adapt to scheme changes and prove his worthiness to his new set of coaches.

With all of this in mind, here are my predictions on where the current 80 players on the roster will end up going into the 2009 season.

Cut List

#   Name                Pos. Ht. Wt.  Age  Exp. College

60  Matt McChesney  G  6’4″  307   27  3rd  Colorado

72  Pat Murray          G  6’3″  310   24  1st  Truman State

61  Mitch Erickson     G  6’6″  290   23  2nd  S.Dakota St.

76  Tyler Polumbus    T  6’8″  310   23  2nd  Colorado

68  Stanley Bryant    T  6’5″  282   23   R    East Carolina

77  Brandon Gorin     T  6’6″  308   30   7th  Purdue

87  Jeb Putzier        TE 6’4″  256   30   7th  Boise State

82  David Grimes     WR 5’10” 177  22    R    Notre Dame

84  Brandon Lloyd   WR  6’0″  194  27  7th   Illinois

12  Matthew Willis  WR  6’0″  195  24   3rd   UCLA

11  Kenny McKinley  WR 6’0″  189  22    R    S. Carolina

17  Lucas Taylor      WR 6’0″  185   22   R    Tennessee

42  Ryan Torain        RB  6’1″  225  22  2nd  Arizona State

99  Mathias Askew    DT  6’5″  302 26  2nd  Michigan State

57  Mario Haggan     LB  6’3″  263  29   7th  Mississippi State

51  Lee Robinson      LB  6’3″  245  22    R   Alcorn State

37  Tony Carter       CB  5’9″  177  22    R   Florida State

39  Vernon Fox        S   5’10”  203  29  8th  Fresno State

4   Britton Colquitt    P   6’3″   205  24   R  Tennessee

 

Active Roster

Offense

#   Name                 Pos. Ht. Wt.  Age  Exp. College

62  Casey Wiegmann   C   6’2″  285  35  14th  Iowa

67  Kory Lichtensteiger  C  6’3″ 295  23  2nd  Bowling Green St.

73  Chris Kuper           G  6’4″  302  26  4th  North Dakota

50  Ben Hamilton       G/C 6’4″  290  31  9th  Minnesota

78  Ryan Clady          T  6’6″   325  22  2nd  Boise State

74  Ryan Harris         T  6’5″   300   24  3rd  Notre Dame

71  Clint Oldenburg   T  6’5″   300  25  2nd  Colorado State

89  Daniel Graham    TE  6’3″  257  30  8th  Colorado

88  Tony Scheffler   TE  6’5″  250  26  4th  Western Michigan

81 Richard Quinn     TE  6’4″  260  22   R   North Carolina

15 Brandon Marshall WR 6’4″  230  24  4th  Central Florida

19 Eddie Royal         WR 5’10” 182 22 2nd Virginia Tech

14 Brandon Stokley  WR  5’11” 192 32 11th S. Western-Louisiana

10 Jabar Gaffney     WR  6’1″  200  28  8th  Florida

16 Chad Jackson     WR  6’1″  215  24  4th  Florida

8   Kyle Orton          QB  6’4″  216  26 5th Purdue

2  Chris Simms         QB  6’4″  220  28 7th  Texas

3  Tom Bradstater    QB  6’5″  222  24  R  Fresno State

27 Knowshon Moreno RB  5’11” 205 21  R  Georgia

28 Correll Buckhalter  RB  6’0″  217  30 9th Nebraska

32 Lamont Jordan      RB 5’10” 230  30  9th Maryland

22 Peyton Hillis         FB 6’1″  250  23  2nd Arkansas

Active Roster

Defense

 

#   Name                 Pos.  Ht.  Wt.  Age  Exp. College

91 Ronnie Fields        DT  6’2″  315  27  5th  Mississippi State

79 Marcus Thomas    DT  6’3″  305  23  3rd  Florida

71 Chris Baker          DT  6’2″  326  21   R  Hampton

69 J’Vonne Parker      DT  6’4″  325  26  5th  Rutgers

90 Kenny Peterson     DL  6’3″  300  30  7th  Ohio State

98 Ryan McBean        DE  6’5″  290  24  3rd  Oklahoma State

65 Rulon Davis          DE  6’5″  281  25   R   California

64 Everette Pedescleaux  DE 6’6″  305  23  R   Northern Iowa

75 Carlton Powell       DT  6’3″  300  23  2nd  Virginia Tech

92 Elvis Dumerville    DE  5’11”  260  25  4th  Louisville

96 Tim Crowder        DE  6’4″  275  23  3rd  Texas

56  Robert Ayers    DE/LB 6’3″ 272 23    R   Tennessee

95 Darrell Reid       DL/LB 6’2″ 288 26   5th  Minnesota

55 D.J. Williams       LB   6’1″  240 26   6th  Miami (Fla.)

54 Andra Davis       LB   6’1″  250 30   8th  Florida

59 Wesley Woodyard LB 6’1″  230 22  2nd  Kentucky

46 Spencer Larsen  FB/LB 6’2″ 240 25 2nd Arizona

58 Nick Greisen       LB  6’1″ 250 29  8th  Wisconsin

24 Champ Bailey    CB  6’0″  192  30  11th  Georgia

21 Andre Goodman  CB 5’10” 190  30  8th  South Carolina

33 Alphonso Smith  CB  5’9″  193  23  R  Wake Forest

25 Joshua Bell        CB 5″11″ 177 24 2nd Baylor

26 Jack Williams      CB 5’9″  185 23  2nd Kent State

20 Brian Dawkins     S 6’0″  210  35  14th Clemson

23 Renaldo Hill        S  5’11” 205 30  9th Michigan State

31 Darcel McBath    S  6’0″  198  23  R  Texas Tech

36 Josh Barrett        S  6’2″  225 24  2nd Arizona State

30 Davis Bruton      S  6’2″  219 21    R   Notre Dame

 

Special Teams

#   Name                Pos.  Ht.  Wt.  Age  Exp. College

5 Matt Prater           K    5’10”  188  24   3rd  Central Florida

1 Brett Kern            P     6’3″    205  22  2nd  Toledo

66 Lonnie Paxton     LS    6’2″   260  31  10th  Sacramento State

 

Practice Squad

#   Name                 Pos.  Ht.  Wt.  Age  Exp. College

63  Blake Schlueter    C   6’3″   284   23    R     TCU

35 D.J. Johnson         CB  6’2″  200  23     R   Jackson State

94 Jarvis Moss           DE  6’6″ 265  24    3rd  Florida

93  Nic Clemons         DT  6’6″  300  29  3rd   Georgia

70  Seth Olsen           G  6’4″   306  23   R   Iowa

34 Darius Walker       RB  5’11”  205  23  3rd  Notre Dame

85 Marquez Branson   TE  6’3″  248  22   R    Central Arkansas

83 Nate Swift           WR  6’2″  195  23  R  Nebraska

I am sure that there will be plenty of disagreement on these predictions.  I made my picks based on my personal opinions of the player’s abilities and the experience these players have had in McDaniels system.  The list is open to debate, so let me know what you think.

B-MarshGate?: Discerning the Truth Through the Speculation

The Denver Broncos page here at Bleacher Report has been inundated as of late with a myriad of articles about Brandon Marshall.  As news gets slow in the off-season this story has made many writers experience a rubbernecking effect. 

 

It seems that no one can help themselves. Writers here at B/R just can’t look away and as a result editorials have run amok.

 

Many of these articles were written by hateful rivals who couldn’t pass up the chance to relish in the misfortune of the team they disdain. For them this was a welcome distraction from the issues of their own teams and a chance for some retribution for past attacks.

 

For others it was an exercise of arrogance.  It helped their self-esteem to write an article that would receive a lot of traffic. 

 

Unfortunately, all the reads in the world couldn’t change the fact that they spoke from a place of ignorance about the team, player and situation in question. These “writers” have speculated wildly and have muddied an already complicated situation. 

 

So let me simplify it for everyone by simply stating the facts:  

 

Brandon Marshall was drafted in the fourth round (119^th overall) of the 2006 NFL draft. Brandon has had a productive NFL Career.

 

Receiving Stats (Regular Season)
Year	Team	G	GS	Rec	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	1st	Fum	Fum Lost	YAC	Trgt
2006	Denver Broncos	15	1	20	309	15.5	71	2	14	1	0	110	37
2007	Denver Broncos	16	16	102	1,325	13.0	68	7	70	3	1	505	170
2008	Denver Broncos	15	15	104	1,265	12.2	47	6	65	4	3	419	181
Totals		46	32	226	2,899	12.8	71	15	149	8	4	1,034	388

 

(Due to this production many consider Marshall to be one of the top ten wide receivers in the NFL.)

 

Brandon Marshall has only ever had Jay Cutler throwing him the ball in the NFL. Jay Cutler made more pass attempts to Brandon Marshall than any other receiver on his team during his time in Denver.

 

Brandon Marshall is in the final year of a four-year rookie contract where he is scheduled to make $2.198 million this season. Many NFL players renegotiate and seek contract extensions in the final year of their contracts.

 

Based on an NFL salary database compiled by USA Today last season; 58 receivers made more than $2.2 million last season. Brandon Marshall walked into Dove Valley headquarters the afternoon of Friday June 13^th  for a private meeting with team owner Pat Bowlen.

 

Marshall walked out a little more than an hour later carrying packed boxes to his car before driving away from the players’ parking lot. Marshall has complained about the Broncos’ medical staff, accusing them of not discovering the full extent of his hip problem last year.

 

Brandon Marshall has not yet participated in any off-season activities with the Denver Broncos in 2009. Marshall  has been arrested three times in the span of 12 months, twice for domestic disputes.

Marshall was suspended for three games at the start of the 2008 season.  The suspension was knocked down to one game after a Marshall appeal.

A Broncos player has not held out from training camp since receiver Ashley Lelie in 2006. Lelie eventually was traded to San Francisco, a move that helped clear playing time for a rookie named Brandon Marshall

 

Jay Cutler demanded to be traded this off-season, and was later traded to the Chicago Bears.

 

Brandon Marshall released the following statement on his personal website:

 

“To whom it may concern. Life is filled with change, and where I am in my life now change is probably best. It’s hard leaving an organization ran by one of the best owners in all of sports, and someone who’s been there for me through my ups and downs. The hardest thing was hearing Mr. B wish me luck in the future, but we both came to the conclusion that this is probably the best thing for me to grow on and off the field.”

 

When questioned about Marshall’s situation in light of the above statement Josh McDaniels responded “We look forward to having Brandon at training camp.”

 

These are the Facts of the Situation, and as such they are undisputed.

 

In the end this whole situation is about Money and Trust.

 

Should Marshall get paid?  Yes.

 

Despite Marshall’s legal issues, immaturity, injury and possible suspension he is still one of the best receivers in the game (In my personal opinion) and he warrants a contract that reflects his ability. 

 

Do the Denver Broncos have a right to protect their own interests? Yes.

 

Along with elite talent, Marshall brings with him a hailstorm of concerns that could be a major liability to the franchise.  For all the benefits the Broncos would garner from Marshall’s services they also get a player with a lot of question marks. 

 

He could be suspended for half a season, he might not be able to return to form after injury, or he may struggle to adapt to McDaniels’ new offensive system.

 

Marshall has also taken issue with the Broncos medical staff, who were either incompetent or were not completely honest with him about his injury.  Can this trust be mended with Marshall?  I don’t know.

 

Marshall has requested to be traded.  This could be merely a tactic in contract negotiations or it could be a legitimate desire to no longer play in Denver.

 

If this relationship can be mended with money, I believe that the Broncos should pay the man.  I understand that it is a gamble, you are taking the risk that in paying him he may under perform or get himself into further trouble that prevents him from playing, but in my estimation it is worth it to role the dice with Marshall. 

 

The Broncos can help protect themselves from Brandon’s troubles by structuring the contract with clauses that penalize Marshall for his misdeeds off the field while satiating his desire for a larger paycheck.  

 

If Marshall really wants out of Denver though, the Broncos need to get as much as they can for him.   If a player doesn’t want to be with your team you have three options:  you can keep him and make him play, make him sit, or let him go. 

 

If you keep him he can be a distraction and a cancer a la T.O.  If he plays he is playing for himself and not the team a la T.O.

 

If he sits, the organization is wasting their money on a player that adds no value to the team. If you let him go you may not get equal value for the player in return, but you allow your team to move on. 

 

Cincinnatiis not all the better for keeping Ochocinco instead of cutting him loose.  He has underperformed and his value has degraded over the past few years. 

 

The Eagles were better with T.O. than without him, yet everyone in Philly will tell you that letting him go was the right thing to do.

 

There is a way to manage this situation where all parties come to the table and leave satisfied.  As long as the communication lines stay open, Denver can keep Marshall while still protecting themselves and ensuring the balance of power stays with the franchise. 

 

Personally, I don’t buy the desire to be traded.  It is just a dance, a posturing for position in the game of contract negotiation.  Marshall is trying to gain the upper hand by saying he wants out, when he really just wants to get paid. 

 

The Broncos are not succumbing to the fear of loss Marshall is trying to create.  Denver knows they hold all the cards and they are going to play it cool. 

 

The story is not over yet and I’m sure the speculation will not end here.

NFL Decides Not to Discipline Marshall

NFL league officials have announced that Brandon Marshall is free to play the entire 2009 season.

League spokesman Greg Aiello told the AP that after reviewing the facts of the incident, which occurred March 1, 2009, the league notified Marshall that they decided against taking any disciplinary action.

The incident in question stemmed from an argument with his fiancee Michi Leshase Nogami-Campbell outside of his Atlanta condo.  Both Marshall and his fiancee were arrested, but charges of disorderly conduct were dropped the next day for lack of evidence.

Many speculated that Marshall could have been suspended up to eight games this season, due to his history of run-ins with the law.  Fortunately for the Broncos, this latest incident was not deemed worthy of such discipline.

The League did not come to this decision lightly.  All the facts of the situation were fully investigated with due diligence by the league.  Sufficient evidence was not found by the Atlanta Courts or by the NFL to warrant any action though.

Though one thing is for sure, Marshall needs to change all of his circumstances that have lead him to getting to the point where he is on the personal conduct watch list, if he wishes to continue his career in the NFL with Denver.  McDaniels doesn’t want selfish players who cause distractions.  He needs players focused on working hard and winning.

Marshall is not out of the weeds yet either.  He still has to stand trial in Atlanta next week for two counts of misdemeanor battery, charges that stem from a March 2008 domestic incident involving his former girlfriend Rasheedah Watley.   

Provided that Marshall does not have any further setbacks and he heals well from his recent hip surgery, he will be able to play the full season for the Denver Broncos.

Another Bronco Gets Cut

The Broncos announced that undrafted free agent linebacker Jeff Schweiger was waived on Friday, May 29th.

Schweiger saw time at defensive end for San Jose State as a senior, after spending his first three seasons at USC.

Schweiger, who joined the team on April 28th, spent just a month with the Broncos, but was unable to earn a roster spot.

Schweiger was the second player to be waived this week as J.J. Arrington was let go earlier this week due to nagging injury concerns.

Schweiger and Arrington are just a few, but many will follow in the coming weeks and months as the Broncos have over 80 players on their roster, and they can only keep 53 on the teams active roster and eight practice squad players. 

As the team tries to get better we will see more players bite the dust.  Players who can’t compete or were only added as insurance players will get handed their walking papers. And the Roster will continue to narrow even before training camp begins.

Let Schweiger’s departure be a warning to the rest of those players trying to make the team.  Bring it or go find a new job.

 

Denver Broncos Should Make Orange Their Primary Color Once Again

There are many NFL teams that have orange among their teams colors. It used to be when you would think about the color orange in the NFL, you would think Denver Broncos. I submit that it should be that way once again.

The Bears, the Bengals, the Browns, the Dolphins, and even the old school Buccaneers have had a measure of orange in their uniforms. These teams along with the Broncos have resigned orange to their secondary color. It really only gets showcased in their change of pace jerseys, worn only one or two games a year.

Gone are the days when orange is immediately associated with the Broncos. What happened to the Orange Crush?  What happened to the orange pride? 

To find the answer, lets take a look back.

The Broncos original uniforms were brown helmets, brown pants, white and mustard yellow jerseys with vertically striped socks. These uniforms were vilified by the public and the club eventually got rid of these jerseys two years after they debuted in 1960.

They celebrated the occasion by holding a public bonfire to burn the striped socks.

These uniforms will be revisited this year in honor of the AFL’s 50th anniversary for the following games:  Sunday, Oct. 11 New England Patriots (Boston Patriots) at Denver Broncos, and Monday, Oct. 19 Denver Broncos at San Diego Chargers in prime time.

The Broncos changed their team colors to orange, blue, and white in 1962 and unveiled a new logo featuring a bucking horse.

In 1968, the Broncos debuted a design that became known as the “Orange Crush.” Their logo was redesigned so that the horse was coming out of a “D.” The helmets were changed to blue and thin blue stripes were put onto the sleeves.

Denver undated their logo and uniforms once again in 1997—a design that they continue to use to this day. The current logo is a profile of a horse’s head. The biggest change was that the Broncos changed their primary uniform color from Orange to Navy Blue.

The press and fans spoke out against the change from the signature color up until the Broncos won their first ever Super Bowl in the newly designed uniforms that same season.

The issue seemed to die there. 

Especially since head coach Mike Shanahan was not a big fan of the orange jerseys.  Joe Ellis, current chief operating officer of the Denver Broncos, has been pushing over the past few years for the Broncos to keep the current styling, but go back to orange as their primary uniform color.

Eilis is most likely a proponent of this change because he wants to sell more jerseys. Regardless of his reasoning, I agree with him.

The orange Jerseys were iconic. 

They separated the Broncos from the rest of the pack. During the glory days of the late 70’s and 80’s, they were called the “Orange Crush.”  They were feared and rightfully so. They even got deep into the playoffs, including several Super bowls dawning their orange colors with pride.

The orange Jerseys can be iconic once again. And what better time than now to make the switch. 

The Broncos have a new head coach, a new GM, a new 3-4 defense, just an overall new identity.  With all the changes, why not change the Broncos image back to the glorious orange jerseys?

Maybe I’m talking crazy, but I would love to see the orange restored to the Denver Broncos primary jersey color.

What do you think?

What Should Broncos Fans Expect From B-Dawk?

Brian Dawkins: No. 20 S

Height: 6’0″  

Weight: 210  

Age: 35

Born: Oct. 13, 1973 Jacksonville, Fla.

College: Clemson

Experience: 14th season

High School: William M. Raines HS [Jacksonville, FL]

Over the course of Brian Dawkins’ career (all of which he has spent in Philly until now) he has been given several nicknames. The majority of Philly fans simply refered to him as B-Dawk, but Dawkins has also been called “The Beast,” “Weapon-X,” and “Wolverine.”

Wolverine, the low-key leader of the X-Men, is known for his animal-keen senses that allow him to track his adversaries with great ease, very much like Brian Dawkins hunts down opposing ball carriers and receivers delivering earth shattering train-wreck hits.

Dawkins senses are sharp, too. With 34 interceptions and 21 sacks over the course of his career, B-Dawk is one of four players in the history of the NFL to post at least 32 interceptions and 18 sacks, joining the company of Leroy Butler (38 INTs, 20.5 sacks), Rodney Harrison (34, 30.5) and Ronde Barber (37, 23).

One thing that can always be said about Dawkins is that he comes to play. While a mild-mannered, calm, and confident person off the field, when Dawkins steps out onto the field, he transforms into a beast.  He becomes a loud, pumped up, vocal leader.

“Weapon-X,” a man possessed, who cannot wait to get out there and make receivers pay for trying to go across the middle, to make running backs think twice before deciding to run to his side of the field, and get into a quarterback’s head knowing that he could be coming for him at any point in time.

After making a big play, B-Dawk will often celebrate (as defensive players sometimes do) with a bit of a pose, as he seemingly draws energy from the crowd as they show their appreciation for his fine play. 

Dawkins, being unabashed and unashamed about his faith, will also be heard shouting “Hallelujah!” and pointing his index finger skyward at INVESCO field in thanks and recognition to the Lord for blessing him with the ability to play the great game of football. 

While the Eagles organization may not realize just how great of a player that they let slip through their fingers, the Eagles fans sure do. When the news broke back in February that Dawkins had signed with the Denver Broncos, the fans in Philly were in complete and total disbelief. 

You had people crying on the news they were so distraught. That is the kind of impact that Dawkins is capable of having on a city.

Eagles fans will tell you, Dawkins in no joke.

A seven time Pro Bowler, including an appearance in 2008, Dawkins has proven that he can still play at an elite level.

Despite being a defensive back in his mid-30’s, there has not been a dip in Dawkins production on the field.  In fact, over the past five seasons, he has averaged 70 tackles (58 solo) 2.1 sacks, and 2.6 interceptions.  

Dawkins shows no signs of slowing down either.  If anything his resolve has been strengthened by his change of scenery, and looks forward to the opportunity to prove himself to his new coaches and new teammates.

B-Dawk also has a small chip on his shoulder, and looks to prove wrong those who doubted his ability.     

I expect Coach Nolan to utilize “Weapon-X” in ways that play to his strengths, which should mean big plays in the form of sacks, turnovers, and big hits.

In a denverbroncos.com article, Ronnie Fields had this to say about the defense that Mike Nolan is installing in Denver: “It’s not really the usual 3-4, it’s an attack 3-4, it’s like an offensive mindset. Some people play the 3-4 different; they’re more like ‘sit back and wait.’ But as far as us, we attack.”

With that in mind I expect Nolan to use B-Dawk to Blitz the quarterback, move around, and confuse the offense. Maybe place Dawkins in some robber coverage where he can use his instincts to pick off the ball in a very Ed Reed kind of way.

Dawkins will also be asked to be a teacher and a mentor to the young defensive backs who the Broncos recently acquired, a task he is more than qualified to accomplish. 

If I was Darcell McBath, David Bruton, Josh Barrett, Alphonso Smith, Josh Bell, Jack Williams, D.J. Johnson, or Tony Carter, I would be thrilled to be able to learn from Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins.  I would watch them incessantly, pick their brains, ask for advice, and soak up as much as I could. 

If even a little bit of Champ and B-Dawk rub off on any of these young guys, the future of the Denver Broncos secondary will look pretty bright.    

In the shorter term, though, Dawkins joins a secondary that has been reloaded with experienced players who know how to play in the National Football League.

In Nolan’s attacking style defense, they will have a mandate to create turnovers and limit the ground they give up. As the strong safety, Dawkins ability to read the play and attack the run will play a huge role in making that happen.

Regardless of all the change and scheme and age, I think that Denver can expect B-Dawk to be B-Dawk.  He is going to prepare, play explosively, and create havoc for the opposing team.  “Weapon-X” is going to live up to his name as the X-Factor of the defense.

He brings leadership, experience, poise, intensity, big play ability, and character.  On the field he will play like a beast, giving it his all. Off the field he will conduct himself as an upstanding member of the community.        

Denver can expect big things from B-Dawk in 2009.

Which Is More Important to a Team’s Success: A Great QB or Great WRs?

There is a question I have been thinking about for a while now.  A question that I have posed to my friends who are also sports fanatics. 

The question simply is this: If you were building a team, which would you rather have 1) An elite quarterback and serviceable receivers or 2) A pair of Elite receivers and a serviceable quarterback?

Now I admit up front that this is a loaded question, to which there is no wrong answer and there are many other factors that play into the success of a team than just these two positions. Nonetheless, what is more important to a team’s success Great WRs or a Great QB?

It is the nature of team sports that each individual needs to work in harmony with the others on his team in order to achieve success.  One individual cannot do it alone; it takes a team. In no sport is this truer than in football.

A players success is therefore deeply tied to the success of his teammates success. Quality receivers can elevate the play of a decent quarterback, and a quality quarterback can make his receivers look far better than they really are.

Though it is the abilities of both parties that contribute to the teams success, it is the individual’s achievements which are recorded and highlighted into statistics.  And it is by these statistics that we measure the greatness of a player.

So let’s look at some case studies to try to determine which pairing (great QB w/ o.k. WR or great WR’s w/ o.k. QB) would be most preferable all things being equal.

 

There have been a number of amazing quarterbacks who have played in the National Football League who have achieved very high levels of success without a great supporting cast.

The first that comes to my mind is Dan Marino.

Dan Marino set just about every quarterbacking record there was. 

• Most Attempts, Career: 8,358 (surpassed by Brett Favre in 2007)
• Most Completions, Career: 4,967 (surpassed by Brett Favre in 2006)
• Most Yards Passing, Career: 61,361 (surpassed by Brett Favre in 2007)
• Most Touchdown Passes, Career: 420 (surpassed by Brett Favre in 2007)
• Most Yards Passing, Season: 5,084 in 1984
• Most Touchdown Passes, Season: 48 (surpassed by Peyton Manning (49) in 2004 and by Tom Brady (50) in 2007)
• Most Games, 400 or more Yards Passing, Career: 13
• Most Games, 400 or more Yards Passing, Season: 4 in 1984
• Most Games, 300 or more Yards Passing, Career: 63
• Most Seasons, 3,000 or more Yards Passing: 13 (1984-92, 1994-95, 1997-98) (surpassed by Brett Favre in 2005)
• Most Consecutive Seasons, 3,000 or more Yards Passing: 9 (1984-92) (surpassed by Brett Favre in 2001)
• Most Games, Four or more Touchdown Passes, Career: 21
• Most Games, Four or more Touchdown Passes, Season: 6 in 1984
• Most Games, Three or more Touchdown Passes, Career: 62 (surpassed by Brett Favre in 2007)
• Lowest Percentage, Passes Intercepted, Rookie Season: 2.03 in 1983 (296-6) [surpassed by Charlie Batch, Detroit, 1.98 in 1998 (303-6)]
• Most Seasons Leading League, Attempts: 5 (1984, 1986, 1988, 1992, 1997)
• Most Seasons Leading League, Completions: 6 (1984-86, 1988, 1992, 1997)
• Most Seasons, 40 or more Touchdown Passes: 2 (1984, 1986)
• 100 TD Passes in Fewest Number of Games to Start Career: 44 (9/7/1986 at San Diego)
• 200 TD passes in Fewest Number of Games to Start Career: 89 (9/17/1989 at New England)
• 300 TD passes in Fewest Number of Games to Start Career: 157 (9/4/1994 vs. New England)
• Highest TD-INT differential: +168

With these laudable statistics one would think he had amazing receivers, capable of great feats who made these achievements possible.  But I dare you to name one of Marino’s receivers. 

Sure, if you were a fan of the Dolphins back in the day you may be able to, but no receiver Marino ever threw to is in the hall of fame (outside of when he appeared in the pro bowl). 

Marino was an Elite Quarterback, unmatched in his time with the statistics to back that bold statement up.  Yet, with all his “individual” achievements he never won a Super Bowl.

Quality quarterback with just o.k. receivers.

 

Some other examples are:

When Tom Brady won three Super Bowls with the Patriots.  He wasn’t throwing to elite wide outs.  He was throwing to Deion Branch, Troy Brown, David Patten, David Givens, and Bethel Johnson.  None of those guys are even on the team anymore, and all of them have had trouble seeing any kind of playing time with other teams.

Hall of Famer Warren Moon was a journeyman who had success wherever he played.  And other than having Cris Carter for two seasons later in his career, never had a receiver to throw to with laudable skills.

Jim Kelly is another quarterback who many consider to be great.  The closest thing he had to an elite receiver was Andre Reed at the end of his career.

Peyton Manning is another. Now I may lose some of you here and I realize that, but  Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne have never played with anyone but Peyton Manning.  I know many if not all of you would acknowledge that both these players are great receivers. 

Yet, I feel that one can question whether or not Wayne or Harrison are elite talents in the NFL without Manning. (Highly debatable I know, but i still felt it worth mentioning.)

 

On the flip side of the coin, there have been a number of amazing receivers who have played in the National Football League who have achieved very high levels of success without a “great” quarterback.

The best example we have for this scenario is Cris Carter. 

The dailynorseman.com put it best:

Carter, as a member of the Vikings, had eight consecutive 1,000 yard seasons from 1993 to 2000.  Here, according to Pro-Football-Reference.com, was the Vikings’ leading passer in each of those seasons.

1993 – Jim McMahon
1994 – Warren Moon
1995 – Warren Moon
1996 – Brad Johnson
1997 – Brad Johnson
1998 – Randall Cunningham
1999 – Jeff George
2000 – Daunte Culpepper

In those eight 1,000-yard seasons, the man played with six different primary quarterbacks.  There’s one Hall of Famer on that list in Warren Moon, a guy that Carter played with towards the tail end of Moon’s career.  None of the other guys on that list are going to the Hall, and frankly none of them are close. 

Not to mention the transitions at QB that were made in those years (the change from Moon to Johnson in 1996, Johnson to Cunningham in 1998, Cunningham to George in 1999).

Great wide receiver who had an amazing career despite a laudable quarterback.

 

Other examples include:

Hall of Fame Receiver Art monk whose quarterback was Douq Williams.

Hall of Fame Receiver Steve Largent whose quarterbacks were Jim Zorn & David Krieg.

Future Hall of Famer Tim Brown who had Rich Gannon, Jeff George, and Jeff Hostettler throwing to him 

Matt Cassel who threw to Randy Moss and We Welker last season.

How about the greatest receiver of all time, Jerry Rice.  Again I may lose you here, but the point is worth noting.  Jerry Rice had Joe Montana and Steve Young throwing to him.  Montana is in the Hall of Fame, and Steve Young is regarded as a great quarterback. 

The question I would pose is, would either Montana or Young have had success without having the luxury of throwing to Jerry Rice?  Montana didn’t have laudable success with the Chiefs after leaving the 49ers.  Difficult question to answer, I know.

Still need convincing?

How about Kurt Warner.  I think is is pretty fair to say that Kurt Warner is not a quarterback that comes to mind if someone were to ask you to think of a great quarterback.  He may not even make the top 50.

So it is fair to characterize Warner as a serviceable, so-so, decent quarterback, but not an elite player.

Yet Warner has had success in the NFL. He won a Super Bowl with the Rams, and made an appearance in another with the Cardinals. Both of these teams had something in common.  Elite wide receivers.

Warner was throwing to Torry Holt and Issac Bruce with the Rams, and Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin with the Cardinals.

Both Holt and Bruce continued to play at a high level of success after playing with Warner, and I find it safe to assume that the same will be true of Fitzgerald and Boldin post Warner. 

In both cases Warner perfectly exemplifies a mediocre quarterback paired with fantastic wide receivers.

 

So we come back to the original question: All things being equal, If you were building a team, which would you rather have 1) An elite quarterback and serviceable receivers or 2) A pair of Elite receivers and a serviceable quarterback?

 

This conundrum finds its place in the current NFL this year with two teams linked by blockbuster trade this offseason. 

The Chicago Bears have an great quarterback in Jay Cutler and barely serviceable receivers, while the Denver Broncos have a pair of great receivers in Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal with a serviceable quarterback in Kyle Orton.

I’m interested to find out, which would you choose?

Brandon Marshall: Is No News Good News?

There are some players in the NFL that are just difficult to figure out; players that have amazing talent and yet seem to find ways to jeopardize their potential with injuries and off-field issues.  Some of these guys get into messes because they are immature, others because they are thugs, some seek attention, and some people are just unlucky.

The Denver Broncos have a player who perfect exemplifies a player who, for whatever reason, cannot keep his name out of the headlines and himself out of trouble.  His name is Brandon Marshall.   

When we look at B-Marsh’s history in the league, it is one that is plagued with injury and with controversy.

2006

In 2006, Marshall suffered a slight tear to his PCL in a preseason game against the Detroit Lions. This injury only sidelined Brandon for a couple of weeks. He was able to return and play in 15 games during the regular season in his rookie year.  Despite his injury and only starting one game, he caught 20 balls for 309 yards and two touchdowns in his rookie season.

2007

In 2007, Marshall again sustained injuries before the start of the 2007 season. He suffered a groin strain that kept him out of Broncos’ preseason camps during May and June. Then Brandon also pulled his quad during a mini-camp that left him out for nearly all of training camp.

In March 2007, Marshall was also arrested on suspicion of domestic violence after his girlfriend reported that following a domestic dispute, he prevented a taxi she was in from leaving his house. Charges from the incident were later dismissed after Marshall completed anger management counseling.

Then in October 2007, Marshall was arrested for DUI. Marshall pled down to a reduced charge of driving while ability impaired. He was sentenced to one-year probation and 24 hours of community service.

Marshall had a breakout year in his sophomore season, catching 102 passes for 1,325 yards and seven touchdowns.

2008

In 2008, Marshall again got himself injured.  This time he slipped on an empty McDonald’s bag while wrestling with family members, and subsequently fell through a television set at his home in Orlando, Florida, cutting his right forearm.

According to Broncos head athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos, Marshall “sustained right forearm lacerations to one artery, one vein, one nerve, two tendons, and three muscles.”

He was treated at a local hospital and later released after needing a cast and several stitches. In early April, Marshall had the cast removed from his surgically repaired right forearm and was in a sling until May.  He was cleared in late June to practice with the Broncos. 

He later revealed that his right hand was numb during the entire 2008 season.

In June 2008, Marshall was also ticketed for an illegal lane change, then found to be without his license and proof of insurance. The case was eventually dropped as part of a plea bargain.

In September 2008, Marshall had misdemeanor battery charges filed against him by a County in Georgia for an alleged incident in March 2008 in Atlanta. Marshall was booked, then released the next day after posting a $1,000 cash bond.

As a result of Marshall’s continued off-field issues, he officially received a three-game suspension from the NFL, which was later reduced to a one-game suspension and a fine.

It seemed that Marshall was getting the picture after sitting down with Commissioner Roger Goodell and that these off-field issues were going to be a thing of the past.

Marshall had an another amazing season, catching 104 balls for 1265 yards and six touchdowns (in only 15 games, due to suspension).  Marshall had established himself as one of the best wide receivers in the game, earning himself his first Pro Bowl appearance.

2009

Brandon Marshall was named a starter in the Pro Bowl, and while in Hawaii he proposed to his now fiancé, Michi Nogami-Campbell. Many people saw this as a good sign that their relationship had moved beyond the issues that led Marshall to have altercations with the police.

Then in March of 2009, out of nowhere, Brandon Marshall had hip surgery to repair an aggravated hip that bothered him during the 2008 season. His recovery time is expected to last until training camp in late July.

Also in March, Marshall was arrested in Atlanta for disorderly conduct after allegedly being involved in a fight with his fiancé. Marshall was released on a $300 bond.  The charges were dropped the following day. He may still be disciplined by the NFL for repeated violations of the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

Brandon Marshall has had an impressive professional career.  In just three years, he has caught 226 balls for 2,899 yards and 15 touchdowns, has started in a Pro Bowl, and has established himself as a top-tier receiver in the NFL. 

I both take pause at the fact that he seems to get himself injured every year and I admire the way he is able to play through his injuries, still being able to compete at such a high level.

The big question right now with Brandon is, how many games is he going to play in 2009?  It is expected that Commissioner Goodell will issue him another suspension, given that he was involved in another situation that led to the police being called. But he has yet to do so.

This could be good news.

Given the fact that the charges for which he was arrested were dropped the following day means that there was not enough evidence for the police themselves to press charges and that nobody else wanted charges to be pressed.  

It is my understanding that someone called the police to report a domestic dispute.  When this, happens the cops are bringing the parties at that address in no matter what the circumstances are that they find at that scene. 

The people in that residence could be laughing and watching TV, but authorities will still bring you in because they cannot take a chance that things were not violent before and a victim is too scared to tell the truth of what happened for fear of repercussions.

Therefore, this recent situation that Brandon was in could have been a huge misunderstanding.  Sometimes people fight (verbally) and sometimes people have loud arguments, but that does not necessarily mean that abuse occurred.  The fact that no charges were filed tells me that this was probably just a misunderstanding.  

Either way, Marshall and/or his fiancé probably have communication issues they need to work out.

All this being said, the commissioner could let this one slide (if he so chooses) without suspension. The fact that he has not addressed this situation publicly yet may mean that it is not going to be addressed at all.  Given the circumstances (since there were no charges filed), it may not warrant suspension.

Many speculated that if a suspension was going to occur that Goodell would do it before the draft to give the Broncos a chance to account for his absence in their draft plans.  Goodell’s silence, even now, could mean Brandon got lucky this time.

I hope that there is no suspension in Marshall’s future.  Some pundits have speculated that Marshall could be facing up to an eight game suspension.  If that were to occur, it would be a devastating blow to the Broncos’ offense.  

When Brandon’s on the field, you need to account for him; you need to recognize his ability.  He opens up the field for other players to get open and make plays.  Without his presence, it makes things that much more difficult for Denver’s offense.

Brandon Marshall is a great football player, but he needs to find a way to keep himself injury-free and keep himself away from situations that could end with him having to talk to the police.  

I hope to see Marshall on the field all season long.  I hope that the commissioner does not penalize Brandon with a suspension because of a misunderstanding where police found no crime being committed. 

I hope Marshall recovers from his hip surgery and comes back to the Broncos even better physically than he was last year.  I hope he can develop a chemistry with Kyle Orton so they can hoop up with each other on the field to score some points. 

It’s up to the commissioner, and ultimately up to Brandon.  He has had success as an athlete, but now he needs to take that success with him off the field to his personal life to make him a better person and allow him to continue to do the latter.

MiniCamp: Time to Step it up and Win Your Roster Spot

The Broncos second mini-camp starts Friday and runs through the weekend.  Camp provides players the opportunity to show how valuable they are to the team, and some players have more to prove than others.  

This camp allows coaches get their first look at the incoming rookies in their own team specific drills.  It will allow coaches to compare players abilities as they work out alongside the veteran players who have been competing and learning this new system for the past month. 

Everyone is trying to make the team, from established veterans to undrafted free-agent rookies. Everyone needs to up their game. 

This is especially true for players who are holdovers from last year who were Mike Shanahan’s choices to be on the team, not Coach McDaniels.  Players like J.Moss, T. Crowder, and R. Torain need to prove right now that they can contribute or they may soon be looking for work elsewhere.

Selvin Young is the latest player to find he no longer has a home with the orange and blue, and he certainly won’t be the last.  Young’s situation was a different one, with multiple injuries playing a role, but nonetheless his services are no longer required. 

So, Who will be next?

Career backups like LB-L.Green, CB-R.Moulton, LB-M.Haggan, S-H.D.Jones and S-V.Fox will have to fight hard to stay with the team, given the influx of rookies and the change in scheme.

And there are many undrafted free agents who will also find it difficult to stay in Denver for very long either.

It is time for all the players to take their destiny in their own hands and use this weekend’s mini-camp to make a statement loud and clear that they deserve to wear the Broncos uniform. 

This is only the beginning, with a long summer of work ahead, but if the Broncos truly desire to win games, then there is no time to waste.  It starts right now.

Tony Gonzalez Out: AFC West Relieved

 

After 12 seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, Tony Gonzalez has been traded to the Atlanta Falcons. Last year Gonzalez caught 96 passes for 1,058 yards and 10 touchdowns.

In a dozen NFL seasons, Gonzalez has caught 916 career passes for 10,940 yards and 76 touchdowns, and holds almost every major NFL record for tight ends. He is arguably the best to ever play the tight end position.

And the best part is: the Denver Broncos don’t have to play against him anymore.

When a guy is that good, you have to account for him on the field, you have to cover him closely or double team him.  Tony was probably KC’s biggest offensive weapon over the past few years and now we don’t need to worry about him.

With empty-jerseys safeties on the field and back-up LB’s attempting to cover Tony, he had eight catches for 120 yards and two touchdowns in two games against Denver last year with Tyler Thigpen throwing to him. 

The Denver Broncos will likely never have to compete against Tony Gonzalez again since he will probably only play one or two more seasons, and Denver just played the NFC South last year, so they will not come up in the rotation for a while.

Gonzo is an amazing player and well respected, and he will be missed by Kansas City Chiefs’ fans everywhere, but the fans of the rest of the teams in the AFC West are breathing a sigh of relief.  We no longer have to play against Tony Gonzalez twice a year.   

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