TheDave
01-23-2006, 05:48 PM
Position-by-position look at BroncosAssociated Press
National Football League News Wire
DENVER -- A position by position look at the Denver Broncos in 2005 and what's in store for 2006:
< ^OFFENSE=
QUARTERBACK: Jake Plummer, Bradlee Van Pelt.
2005: This was Plummer's best year as a pro. He threw for 3,366 yards and 18 touchdowns with only seven interceptions, a career low. But as the playoff game showed, Plummer needs to be playing with a lead to be at his best. When he has to force things or come from behind, it can get ugly. That's not a slam on Plummer and, in fact, pretty much the same thing can be said about the majority of quarterbacks in the NFL.
2006: Plummer appears to be the guy for the future. Because he's mistake-prone when under pressure, everything coach Mike Shanahan does in building his team must reflect that. In other words, make sure every other facet of this team is good enough to get leads and keep them and win close games. It's an extremely delicate balance, as was seen in the season-ending loss to the Steelers.<
RUNNING BACKS: Mike Anderson, Tatum Bell, Ron Dayne, Kyle Johnson, Cecil Sapp.
2005: Anderson (1,014 yards) was good and Bell (921) gave the Broncos an explosive change of pace, the likes of which they haven't had in a long time. Watching Bell flail on some routine blocking assignments in the playoffs may explain why he was a second-stringer despite having more apparent talent than Anderson. Dayne was a nice pickup and Johnson proved a capable blocker as a fullback.
2006: For Bell to become the feature back, it's clear he'll have to work on the blocking and pass-catching. Dayne signed a one-year deal and, good as he was in spots this season, his future is cloudy. Don't be surprised if the Broncos draft a running back in April. Much as the running backs hate to hear it, the Broncos have a knack for making lots of people look good, assuming, of course, the offensive line is clicking.<
OFFENSIVE LINE: Cooper Carlisle, Dwayne Carswell, George Foster, Cornell Green, Ben Hamilton, Matt Lepsis, Chris Myers, Tom Nalen, Taylor Whitley.
2005: This line had as good a season as it has had since the Super Bowl years, staying healthy and opening holes with those vaunted blocking schemes that drive the rest of the NFL mad. Nalen was a consummate pro. Lepsis was solid at left tackle, although he got exposed in the Pittsburgh game. Foster struggled a bit and shared some time with Green for a while.
2006: Continuity is always critical for an offensive line and the futures of both Lepsis and Nalen are in the air. The Broncos will have to decide whether they want to keep Nalen, a 12-year veteran who is still playing well, or start developing another center. Last year, they said goodbye to longtime guard Dan Neil, although Nalen is better and he's not injured, the way Neil was last year. How they feel about Green and Myers, the sixth-round pick out of Miami last season, could dictate the rest of these decisions.<
RECEIVERS: Charlie Adams, Todd Devoe, Ashley Lelie, Rod Smith, David Terrell, Darius Watts.
2005: Smith was, once again, the star, catching 85 passes for 1,105 yards and becoming the first undrafted receiver in NFL history to surpass the 10,000-yard mark. Lelie was OK, probably not as good as the Broncos hoped he'd be by now. Devoe showed promise and Watts looked every bit like a guy who will soon be an ex-Bronco.
2006: Could they use a playmaker like Terrell Owens? Who couldn't? The question there is whether Shanahan wants to deal with the distractions. Owens or no, it's clear Lelie needs to take another step forward and the Broncos need to develop someone to eventually replace Smith. And isn't it about time the Broncos found a legitimate threat as a third receiver? Maybe Devoe's the guy.<
TIGHT ENDS: Stephen Alexander, Wesley Duke, Nate Jackson, Jeb Putzier.
2005: Alexander was a nice find for a team that likes to use the tight end in different ways to confuse defenses. Putzier catches lots of passes, but isn't a great blocker and was no factor in the red zone (zero touchdowns). Duke is a prospect. But why was he on the field so much Sunday against Pittsburgh?
2006: A pretty stable position. Putzier signed a five-year deal last offseason.<
SPECIAL TEAMS: Charlie Adams, Jason Elam, Todd Sauerbrun, Darrent Williams.
2005: Elam missed eight of 32 field goals this season, not quite as good as some past years, but nothing that cost the Broncos any games. Sauerbrun did exactly what Shanahan hoped he would, improving field position and fitting into the locker room despite his troubled past. The return game was OK, although Williams didn't turn out to be the game-breaker many thought he might be.
2006: If Williams isn't considered too valuable as a cornerback, he'll probably continue as a returner. Elam will be in his 14th year, still under contract and solid. The Broncos would probably like to find someone other than Plummer to handle the holding duties.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=nfl&id=2303394
National Football League News Wire
DENVER -- A position by position look at the Denver Broncos in 2005 and what's in store for 2006:
< ^OFFENSE=
QUARTERBACK: Jake Plummer, Bradlee Van Pelt.
2005: This was Plummer's best year as a pro. He threw for 3,366 yards and 18 touchdowns with only seven interceptions, a career low. But as the playoff game showed, Plummer needs to be playing with a lead to be at his best. When he has to force things or come from behind, it can get ugly. That's not a slam on Plummer and, in fact, pretty much the same thing can be said about the majority of quarterbacks in the NFL.
2006: Plummer appears to be the guy for the future. Because he's mistake-prone when under pressure, everything coach Mike Shanahan does in building his team must reflect that. In other words, make sure every other facet of this team is good enough to get leads and keep them and win close games. It's an extremely delicate balance, as was seen in the season-ending loss to the Steelers.<
RUNNING BACKS: Mike Anderson, Tatum Bell, Ron Dayne, Kyle Johnson, Cecil Sapp.
2005: Anderson (1,014 yards) was good and Bell (921) gave the Broncos an explosive change of pace, the likes of which they haven't had in a long time. Watching Bell flail on some routine blocking assignments in the playoffs may explain why he was a second-stringer despite having more apparent talent than Anderson. Dayne was a nice pickup and Johnson proved a capable blocker as a fullback.
2006: For Bell to become the feature back, it's clear he'll have to work on the blocking and pass-catching. Dayne signed a one-year deal and, good as he was in spots this season, his future is cloudy. Don't be surprised if the Broncos draft a running back in April. Much as the running backs hate to hear it, the Broncos have a knack for making lots of people look good, assuming, of course, the offensive line is clicking.<
OFFENSIVE LINE: Cooper Carlisle, Dwayne Carswell, George Foster, Cornell Green, Ben Hamilton, Matt Lepsis, Chris Myers, Tom Nalen, Taylor Whitley.
2005: This line had as good a season as it has had since the Super Bowl years, staying healthy and opening holes with those vaunted blocking schemes that drive the rest of the NFL mad. Nalen was a consummate pro. Lepsis was solid at left tackle, although he got exposed in the Pittsburgh game. Foster struggled a bit and shared some time with Green for a while.
2006: Continuity is always critical for an offensive line and the futures of both Lepsis and Nalen are in the air. The Broncos will have to decide whether they want to keep Nalen, a 12-year veteran who is still playing well, or start developing another center. Last year, they said goodbye to longtime guard Dan Neil, although Nalen is better and he's not injured, the way Neil was last year. How they feel about Green and Myers, the sixth-round pick out of Miami last season, could dictate the rest of these decisions.<
RECEIVERS: Charlie Adams, Todd Devoe, Ashley Lelie, Rod Smith, David Terrell, Darius Watts.
2005: Smith was, once again, the star, catching 85 passes for 1,105 yards and becoming the first undrafted receiver in NFL history to surpass the 10,000-yard mark. Lelie was OK, probably not as good as the Broncos hoped he'd be by now. Devoe showed promise and Watts looked every bit like a guy who will soon be an ex-Bronco.
2006: Could they use a playmaker like Terrell Owens? Who couldn't? The question there is whether Shanahan wants to deal with the distractions. Owens or no, it's clear Lelie needs to take another step forward and the Broncos need to develop someone to eventually replace Smith. And isn't it about time the Broncos found a legitimate threat as a third receiver? Maybe Devoe's the guy.<
TIGHT ENDS: Stephen Alexander, Wesley Duke, Nate Jackson, Jeb Putzier.
2005: Alexander was a nice find for a team that likes to use the tight end in different ways to confuse defenses. Putzier catches lots of passes, but isn't a great blocker and was no factor in the red zone (zero touchdowns). Duke is a prospect. But why was he on the field so much Sunday against Pittsburgh?
2006: A pretty stable position. Putzier signed a five-year deal last offseason.<
SPECIAL TEAMS: Charlie Adams, Jason Elam, Todd Sauerbrun, Darrent Williams.
2005: Elam missed eight of 32 field goals this season, not quite as good as some past years, but nothing that cost the Broncos any games. Sauerbrun did exactly what Shanahan hoped he would, improving field position and fitting into the locker room despite his troubled past. The return game was OK, although Williams didn't turn out to be the game-breaker many thought he might be.
2006: If Williams isn't considered too valuable as a cornerback, he'll probably continue as a returner. Elam will be in his 14th year, still under contract and solid. The Broncos would probably like to find someone other than Plummer to handle the holding duties.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=nfl&id=2303394