Official Broncos Draft/Off-season Thread

[Gibbs]

OFFSEASON MOVES THUS FAR:

Signed WR Keary Colbert to a three-year, $7.2 million contract, including a $2.5 million signing bonus

Signed LB Niko Koutouvides to a three-year, $7.5 million contract.

Signed LB Boss Bailey to a five-years $17.5 million contract

Signed S Marquand Manuel to a three-year $4.5 million contract.

Signed S Marlon McCree to a one-year $2 million dollar contract, including a $0.5 million signing bonus.

Signed C Casey Wiegmann (Haven't found his salary)

Signed QB Cullen Finnerty (Haven't found his salary)

OT: Cutler is getting abused right now. In the last two games it's been rare to see Cutler not lying on his back after every play. OT is the easiest way to fix this. Lepsis has lost his step and it's time to move on. Has not been addressed

OG: While Guard has something to do with Cutlers protection, the biggest problem of being weak here is that throughout the season there has been a lack of a running game. An improvement at Guard should help open up Shanny's bread and butter running attack. Still a small need

RB: Yes, Running back. Even though we have Hall, Young and Henry I'm still not happy with our running attack. Henry has been a bum for the majority of the season and his salary is holding the team back from bringing in an impact guy. Henry should re-structure, be cut or be traded this off-season. I don't believe Young and Hall are the answer, thoguh they could both be reliable number two guys. still needs be addressed

DT: Easiest one to spot, we are awful on the defensive line and stopping the run, this is our biggest need. Thomas is a good start but we need to put someone next to him. Still needs to be addressed

DE: I like what I've seen in the develop of Dumervil and Crowder, and with Moss coming back we have no where to go but up. I'd still like to see some veteran depth coming back in, it will help having Ekuban healthy again. Ekuban is back for sure now this becomes a moot point

LB: I know there hasn't been much clamoring about MLB on Realgm but there has been on many other Broncos forums that I regularly post and visit on. DJ has improved and will continue to at the MLB position. The last 8 weeks have been awesome. DJ is easily our second best defensive player next to Champ. With that said OLB needs some work. Webster is a back-up and Gold has been playing poorly. I forsee a Gold cut to help free up some room. I think we need to draft early in the draft but not necessarily the first round. Signed LB Niko Koutouvides is now supposedly going to be our MIddle Linebacker, DJ will slip over to Weakside. Also signed Boss Bailey to be our strong side linebacker. Late round depth is really all that's left for at least this upcoming season.

S: Simple, Lynch is closing in on the end of his career and we need an impact replacement. Abdullah has come out this year a proved to be a player to be in our future, but really we don't have much. Paymah isn't the answer. Lynch is back for another season!! Signed Manuel and McCree, this is a need that we can revisit after this year.

WR: With Javon gone a number 2 receiver has become a huge need. We signed Colbert which is a start but we need more

[TSC25]

Do we mainly look for these guys in the draft,or free agents?

[Gibbs]

I'd think O-Line would be best addressed in FA, but everything else should be built mostly through the draft, especially on the D-Line.

[Gibbs]

I believe we pick 12th, nice to end off on a high note.

[TSC25]

I believe we pick 12th, nice to end off on a high note.

I agree,it was great to end on a winning note,but I hated seeing us blow a lead once again,it started reminding me of the Chicago game.

[berserker]

I disagree, however slightly.......

I think our #1 priority is MLB. I would argue that DJ is much more effective as an OLB, and IF we can pick up an impact draft player (ie Patrick Willis -49ers) at that position we do it. Second area of need has got to be DT. I agree about cutting Gold, but if we do we need to have a solid replacement and I don't see that yet. Abdullah's a nice up and comer, but we need safety help badly....As far as the run game, I'm content with Young being a starter. He reminds me of Terrell Davis when he runs....hits the hole hard and fast.

So, trade Javon Walker for a pick and an established offensive lineman to replace Lepsis.....Move DJ back to OLB, and pick up a young hard hitting safety and a BIG DT....and then focus on our O line. We have Stokely and Marshall, but even so we should look at another WR as well in the draft. Depends on who's available, we should look DT or MLB first round....

[Gibbs]

I think we could go either way with DJ, he can play both positions very well. If we give him more time to become that prototypical MLB, he will. If we want to make a quick fix and not groom him we can draft MLB and move him back to the weakside.

[Elway=GOAT]

It has not been up dated since December 20th but, nfldraftcountdown.com has us taking Keith Rivers out of USC. Here is alittle bio on him from that site:

http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/scouti ... ivers.html

He would probably still be there at 12. What do you guys think of him? He is another undersized speed linebacker. I do not know, if he is an every down player at the pro level just yet.

I would prefer to pick a player along the DL/OL. Someone always drops, hopefully it is one of the positions I think we need. But, I feel linemen make a bigger impact on the game, than a Linebacker does and I do not feel that Rivers will be a great impact player, atleast not right away.

If a player like Jake Long does drop a couple slots, I would not mind if we did trade up.

Sam Baker from USC is another OT I like. He has potential to be dominate. He is a smaller linemen compared to some that are coming out, at 6-5 305. More of an athletic linemen than a smash mouth player.

http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/scouti ... baker.html

Thats his bio.

Couple other LT's are:

Jeff Otah, Ryan Glady, Gosder Cherilus who are projected 1st-2nd rounders. The entire list of prospects for the draft are here:

http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/rankings/ot.html

It is a deep class, so if we do not take a OT in the first round, we can get a decent prospect later on.

http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/rankings/dt.html

Here is a list of the DT's this group is not as deep at the OT group. Depending on who is available at 12. I do not think any of them are worth it outside of Dorsey, obviously, that includes Ellis, I do not like him much. Especially in our system. Unless we get some stud run stuffing linebackers and safteys, stuffing the run would still be an issue with him in there. It would be one hell of a pass rush though.

Other positions of choice are, OLB/ILB. DJ Williams got it together the back half of the season, but I really believe he is more effective toward the outside.

The ILB class is stronger up top imo, than the OLB class. We get an ILB who can stuff the run, and allow DJ to run around sideline to sideline would help us alot more than getting another athletic OLB, imo.

Runningback class is here:

http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/rankings/rb.html

I live in Phoenix, so Obviously im partial to Ryan Torain. I think he would be terrific in our system. Matt Forte' would be a star in our system, does alittle bit of everything. Especially if Shanny wants to be a fantasy football team killer, and rotate is backs. Because Forte' can block and play alittle fullback, and be a very nice 3rd down back. He could be a Kevin Faulk type, receiver, blocker, and just a very valuable third down back. I only throw these guys out, who are mid round picks because I do not believe we will draft a RB in the first couple rounds, because we have more pressing means.

It will be intresting to see where players stand, rise, and fall in the next few months.

[Gibbs]

I don't think we'll go OT first round but you never know with Shanahan. I'm starting to become a Phillips fan, so unless another top tier talent falls to us (Like Ellis, McFadden, or the Longs) I can see us taking Phillips.

[Gibbs]

http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/pr ... pyid=57269

Kenny Phillips draft profile. We'll see after the combine how quick and fast he really is. Depending on his numbers he could move into the top 10 out of our reach.

[JurassicJake]

I agree with everything you say, but I think they should move D.J. back to the Will, which is where he belongs. They need to get someone else at the Mike not because D.J. can't play the position (he definitely can), but I just think it is a waste of his pass-rushing abilities and speed.

[Gibbs]

I want to see DJ another season at MIKE and then evaluate him afterwards.

If he isn't playing at a high level then an another move would be beneficial, but at this point he has switched positions 3 times already in his short career. 4 wouldn't really benefit him.

[Disco_Biscuit]

Im thinking the biggest move we could make this offseason will be to find a way to snag Vima away from the Jets, Think about it, would answer the LB needs i feel he would be a perfect fit. Plus he played with DJ at the U and they would Gel instantly i think that move alone would move us in the top 5-10 defences

[Gibbs]

I'd LOVE Vilma on the Broncos but I xan't see that happening with him coming off that injury. I would have no problems with moving DJ back to weakside if we could get a top tier MLB.

I'm starting to fall in love with Mendenhall the back from Georgia. I would want to trade down and pick up maybe Mendenhal or Stewart as well as a second rounder. We only draft RB in the first if we fill some holes in FA, Even if we don't get a RB trading down for Ernie Sims, Dan Connor or Kenny Phillips (Yes, Connor and Phillips are falling in the mocks) would be probably the mocks.

I will update my first post after the combine

[Disco_Biscuit]

I'd LOVE Vilma on the Broncos but I xan't see that happening with him coming off that injury. I would have no problems with moving DJ back to weakside if we could get a top tier MLB.

I'm starting to fall in love with Mendenhall the back from Georgia. I would want to trade down and pick up maybe Mendenhal or Stewart as well as a second rounder. We only draft RB in the first if we fill some holes in FA, Even if we don't get a RB trading down for Ernie Sims, Dan Connor or Kenny Phillips (Yes, Connor and Phillips are falling in the mocks) would be probably the mocks.

I will update my first post after the combine

isnt he from illinois?

I think this season was a fluke too many distractions i think Henry could thrive on the team but wont stop smoking. im hoping we can make a big splash on the Dline and get Terrell Suggs or someone of that magnitude. imagine Dj and Terrell in our linebacking core with bly and Bailey behind them

[Gibbs]

Suggs just got franchised so unfortunately we can't get him anymore

Yes, I made a mistake Mendenhall is from Illinois, for some strange reason I mixed up Thomas Brown's and Mendenhall's schools. There is an article saying we might be in the running for Pacman.

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll ... 002/SPORTS

If it was a Walker for Jones straight up I would do it in a second. Pacman could be our new nickel with Foxworth most likely gone and could KR/PR.

[Gibbs]

Mayock has just put McFadden below Mendenhall on his mock

http://www.nfl.com/draft/story;jsession ... nfirm=true

So it's strating to look like Mendenhall may not even last until 12 let alone us getting him after trading down.

[Disco_Biscuit]

Suggs just got franchised so unfortunately we can't get him anymore

Yes, I made a mistake Mendenhall is from Illinois, for some strange reason I mixed up Thomas Brown's and Mendenhall's schools. There is an article saying we might be in the running for Pacman.

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll...002/SPORTS

If it was a Walker for Jones straight up I would do it in a second. Pacman could be our new nickel with Foxworth most likely gone and could KR/PR.

F that Walker when healthy gives us an explosive one-two punch with Marshall and Stokley is best in the slot I would love pac man though Bly doesnt seem to be workin out as well as i thought he would Im thinking with Deshaun out of Carolina now we should go after him he is more reliable than henry will be. Maybe now we can also get Dan Morgan he would be a force in the middle, but if we got both of them we would have to be careful about them getting injured.

[Gibbs]

Broncos have just cut both Walker and Gold.

We get a bit of a cap hit but shanny wanted them gone. Tells ya something if we couldn't unload them for even a future low-round pick.

[Gibbs]

Boss Bailey is coming in to interview with shanny. He would be a solid addition to the LB corps. And yes it's Champ's brother.