bloodsunday
05-27-2005, 06:55 AM
May 26, 2005
By Pete Prisco
CBS SportsLine.com Senior Writer
What in the heck is going on in Denver? The Broncos have spent the offseason loading up on players with questionable character and questionable injury histories and creaky veterans such as Jerry Rice, who would be better off hitting golf balls than trying to hang on to a career that's starting to smell like Johnny Unitas wearing a Chargers uniform.
Is Broncos coach Mike Shanahan, who we call the Teflon Coach since all the criticism simply rolls off his back, in panic mode in an attempt to win a playoff game for the first time since John Elway retired?
Or are all the moves he has made ones that can pan out and potentially get this team back to a Super Bowl?
"You have to wonder about that team," said one NFC personnel director. "Some of those guys he brought in are big bums. They flopped at other spots badly. What's to think they'll make it there?"
Rice became the latest to join the Broncos when he signed a one-year contract Wednesday for a chance to be the team's fourth receiver. To me, Rice is the best football player ever to wear pads. He is so far ahead of everyone else at his position, he has to earn that moniker.
He was a joy to watch. Now he's not. Rice was never a burner, but now he'd have trouble separating from a high school corner. Why he continues to play is mystifying. Let's hope his magical career isn't tarnished by this move.
We never liked seeing Joe Namath in a Rams uniform or O.J. Simpson wearing the San Francisco 49ers colors. How about Tony Dorsett in a Broncos jersey?
In some cities, the coach can't be blamed for personnel moves. In Denver, he certainly can. Shanahan runs the show, and the roster is his to fill.
He takes the heat for all the moves.
Back when Elway was throwing lasers and Terrell Davis was ripping off a 2,000-yard season, Shanahan was billed as a mastermind, a label he never backed away from. Now many in Denver, including some of his players, know the pressure is on more than ever. The tarnish is ruining his shine.
"Guys talk," said one player. "They know that Mike has to start winning. They know we haven't won a playoff game in a long time."
Teams that make the playoffs -- which Denver has the past two years -- and get defeated in the first round sometimes have a tendency to panic. The carrot is hanging so close, so they sell their soul to get it.
Is this what Shanahan is doing?
In giving him the benefit of the doubt, there isn't a lot of big money being spent to take a chance on the questionable players he's acquired. That lessens the hurt if they do flop.
The real issue, though, is can the players help? Can three defensive linemen Shanahan acquired from a Cleveland team that finished 28th against the run really help improve the Denver defense?
Can doughboy runner Ron Dayne resurrect his career, or is he destined to be known as the biggest tap-dancer in running back history for a man his size? What about the Michelin Man with the attitude, Maurice Clarett? Or troubled punter Todd Sauerbrun, whose flabby body makes one wonder what the heck he did with those supplements he reportedly got from a doctor in Carolina?
Good luck, Mike. You'll need it with your Three Wide Men.
Here's a closer look at the players the Broncos brought in this offseason.
Signing Rice: At 42, what does he have left? Rice works out as hard as anyone in the offseason and has insisted he can play until he's 45. But he did little last year with Seattle, catching 30 passes for 429 yards -- the lowest production of his career for a non-injury season. The Broncos would have been better off letting a young, faster player emerge as their fourth receiver. Rate the move: This one makes no sense. Play a kid as the fourth receiver.
Signing Dayne: He has been a major flop since the Giants used a first-round pick on him in 2001. He has never run like a guy who weighs 250 pounds. Soft is a label he's earn, not only for his midsection, but also for the way he pounds the rock. It's a belief in Denver that any runner can have success in the Broncos system, a belief proven over time. Can Dayne? Not likely. Rate the move: Bad. Dayne isn't very good.
Trading for Sauerbrun: Sauerbrun, despite his off-field issues, is one of the league's best punters. He has a booming leg, finishing tied for third in the league last season for Carolina with a 44.1 average. That will go up kicking in Mile High Stadium. Keeping him in line might be another story. Rate the move: Outstanding -- as long as he stays clear of problems.
Acquiring Cleveland defensive lineman Ebenzer Ekuban, Gerard Warren and Courtney Brown: Brown and Warren are former high first-round picks -- Brown the first overall in 2000 -- while Ekuban was a first-round pick of the Cowboys. So the pedigree is there. All have had problems, though. Brown has battled injury woes for most of his career, and he failed a physical in Cleveland before he was let go because of a foot injury. Brown's a great guy, but injuries have made him a bad trivia question since he's the last non-quarterback to go first overall in the draft. Warren has loads of ability, but he was a major problem for the Browns. He didn't practice hard, and when coach Butch Davis allowed him to get away with it, there was friction in the locker room. If Warren does get committed to the cause, he can be an impact player. That's an "if" that's as wide as his waistline. Ekuban had a good year for the Browns last season, starting 14 games and getting eight sacks. But he had shoulder problems and had knee surgery after the season. Damaged goods. Can any of the three have productive 2005 seasons? The guess is Warren can if the Broncos stay on his ample behind. One out of three would be a good hit for Denver. Rate the move: So-so. If Warren becomes a starter and Ekuban can give them pass-rush help, these moves could work out.
Drafting Clarett: Using a third-round pick on Clarett opened a lot of eyes around the league. Clarett last played football as a freshman at Ohio State in 2002. He was then declared ineligible the next season for taking illegal benefits and hasn't played since. He tried to force his way into the draft last year through the courts but was denied. He then showed up out of running shape to the combine this year and didn't wow many at his Pro Day Workout. But this could be a move that pays off big for Denver. Clarett can run the football. "You look at him get into the hole so quickly and you know he's going to be successful," said one NFC scout. "He may not be a burner, but he knows how to run." Rate the move: Good. Clarett will help this team in a year or two. Once he makes over his body into an NFL physique, he will be a 1,000-yard rusher.
By Pete Prisco
CBS SportsLine.com Senior Writer
What in the heck is going on in Denver? The Broncos have spent the offseason loading up on players with questionable character and questionable injury histories and creaky veterans such as Jerry Rice, who would be better off hitting golf balls than trying to hang on to a career that's starting to smell like Johnny Unitas wearing a Chargers uniform.
Is Broncos coach Mike Shanahan, who we call the Teflon Coach since all the criticism simply rolls off his back, in panic mode in an attempt to win a playoff game for the first time since John Elway retired?
Or are all the moves he has made ones that can pan out and potentially get this team back to a Super Bowl?
"You have to wonder about that team," said one NFC personnel director. "Some of those guys he brought in are big bums. They flopped at other spots badly. What's to think they'll make it there?"
Rice became the latest to join the Broncos when he signed a one-year contract Wednesday for a chance to be the team's fourth receiver. To me, Rice is the best football player ever to wear pads. He is so far ahead of everyone else at his position, he has to earn that moniker.
He was a joy to watch. Now he's not. Rice was never a burner, but now he'd have trouble separating from a high school corner. Why he continues to play is mystifying. Let's hope his magical career isn't tarnished by this move.
We never liked seeing Joe Namath in a Rams uniform or O.J. Simpson wearing the San Francisco 49ers colors. How about Tony Dorsett in a Broncos jersey?
In some cities, the coach can't be blamed for personnel moves. In Denver, he certainly can. Shanahan runs the show, and the roster is his to fill.
He takes the heat for all the moves.
Back when Elway was throwing lasers and Terrell Davis was ripping off a 2,000-yard season, Shanahan was billed as a mastermind, a label he never backed away from. Now many in Denver, including some of his players, know the pressure is on more than ever. The tarnish is ruining his shine.
"Guys talk," said one player. "They know that Mike has to start winning. They know we haven't won a playoff game in a long time."
Teams that make the playoffs -- which Denver has the past two years -- and get defeated in the first round sometimes have a tendency to panic. The carrot is hanging so close, so they sell their soul to get it.
Is this what Shanahan is doing?
In giving him the benefit of the doubt, there isn't a lot of big money being spent to take a chance on the questionable players he's acquired. That lessens the hurt if they do flop.
The real issue, though, is can the players help? Can three defensive linemen Shanahan acquired from a Cleveland team that finished 28th against the run really help improve the Denver defense?
Can doughboy runner Ron Dayne resurrect his career, or is he destined to be known as the biggest tap-dancer in running back history for a man his size? What about the Michelin Man with the attitude, Maurice Clarett? Or troubled punter Todd Sauerbrun, whose flabby body makes one wonder what the heck he did with those supplements he reportedly got from a doctor in Carolina?
Good luck, Mike. You'll need it with your Three Wide Men.
Here's a closer look at the players the Broncos brought in this offseason.
Signing Rice: At 42, what does he have left? Rice works out as hard as anyone in the offseason and has insisted he can play until he's 45. But he did little last year with Seattle, catching 30 passes for 429 yards -- the lowest production of his career for a non-injury season. The Broncos would have been better off letting a young, faster player emerge as their fourth receiver. Rate the move: This one makes no sense. Play a kid as the fourth receiver.
Signing Dayne: He has been a major flop since the Giants used a first-round pick on him in 2001. He has never run like a guy who weighs 250 pounds. Soft is a label he's earn, not only for his midsection, but also for the way he pounds the rock. It's a belief in Denver that any runner can have success in the Broncos system, a belief proven over time. Can Dayne? Not likely. Rate the move: Bad. Dayne isn't very good.
Trading for Sauerbrun: Sauerbrun, despite his off-field issues, is one of the league's best punters. He has a booming leg, finishing tied for third in the league last season for Carolina with a 44.1 average. That will go up kicking in Mile High Stadium. Keeping him in line might be another story. Rate the move: Outstanding -- as long as he stays clear of problems.
Acquiring Cleveland defensive lineman Ebenzer Ekuban, Gerard Warren and Courtney Brown: Brown and Warren are former high first-round picks -- Brown the first overall in 2000 -- while Ekuban was a first-round pick of the Cowboys. So the pedigree is there. All have had problems, though. Brown has battled injury woes for most of his career, and he failed a physical in Cleveland before he was let go because of a foot injury. Brown's a great guy, but injuries have made him a bad trivia question since he's the last non-quarterback to go first overall in the draft. Warren has loads of ability, but he was a major problem for the Browns. He didn't practice hard, and when coach Butch Davis allowed him to get away with it, there was friction in the locker room. If Warren does get committed to the cause, he can be an impact player. That's an "if" that's as wide as his waistline. Ekuban had a good year for the Browns last season, starting 14 games and getting eight sacks. But he had shoulder problems and had knee surgery after the season. Damaged goods. Can any of the three have productive 2005 seasons? The guess is Warren can if the Broncos stay on his ample behind. One out of three would be a good hit for Denver. Rate the move: So-so. If Warren becomes a starter and Ekuban can give them pass-rush help, these moves could work out.
Drafting Clarett: Using a third-round pick on Clarett opened a lot of eyes around the league. Clarett last played football as a freshman at Ohio State in 2002. He was then declared ineligible the next season for taking illegal benefits and hasn't played since. He tried to force his way into the draft last year through the courts but was denied. He then showed up out of running shape to the combine this year and didn't wow many at his Pro Day Workout. But this could be a move that pays off big for Denver. Clarett can run the football. "You look at him get into the hole so quickly and you know he's going to be successful," said one NFC scout. "He may not be a burner, but he knows how to run." Rate the move: Good. Clarett will help this team in a year or two. Once he makes over his body into an NFL physique, he will be a 1,000-yard rusher.