Rascal
05-10-2007, 12:21 PM
http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=334&storyID=6796
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- If a team wants to make a trade, it can't do so merely for the desire to shake things up and execute a swap. Nor can it do so for what it perceives to be too high a cost -- or to target a position of strength when pressing needs exist and can be addressed with later selections.
But until the Green Bay Packers tapped defensive tackle Justin Harrell with the 16th pick, the Broncos had designs on grabbing two of their first-round targets -- by dealing their way into a pick after their 21st selection.
"The hope was this -- we would get one of the three guys at 21, and I had contacted everybody from 22 to 27," General Manager Ted Sundquist said. "I had commitments from Philly -- who traded its first-round pick -- and I had a pretty firm commitment from Dallas, the next pick behind us. On draft day, we were sitting very, very pretty with regards to having two first-rounders."
But with Harrell and Lawrence Timmons -- another player Sundquist cited as a target -- off the board, those plans were scuttled, and the Broncos zeroed in on pick No. 17 and Jarvis Moss
"I think it's important that the fans know that we were sitting to move, but we're not going to do it just for the sake of saying, 'We had two No. 1s,' but we end up taking somebody at a particular position we didn't need because we had already filled that through other avenues," Sundquist said.
Indeed, the Broncos went into the draft believing they had addressed many of their needs through the various modes of free agency.
Cornerback? Dre' Bly.
Blocking tight end? Daniel Graham.
Tailback? Travis Henry.
Guard? Montrae Holland.
Wide receiver depth? Brandon Stokley and David Terrell, the latter of whom re-signed in April after being released at the end of last year's preseason.
"We liked him when he was here before. (Head) Coach (Mike) Shanahan liked him," Sundquist said. "We'll give him another shot."
Linebacker depth? Warrick Holdman and D.D. Lewis signed less than 48 hours before the draft.
"If you take a look at some of the linebackers (assistant head coach) (Jim) Bates had at Green Bay and Miami, I don't know that they were any more athletic or explosive than what we've already got on the club here," Sundquist said.
As for safety -- where the Broncos' starting tandem of John Lynch and Nick Ferguson are both over 30 years of age?
"If you're going to draft a safety in the first day, then the guy's probably going to need to play. Where's he going to play? If there's a healthy John Lynch and a healthy Nick Ferguson, he's probably not going to play; He'll probably be a backup," Sundquist said. "Where does a (new) guy fit?
"I guess the question is do we spend two or three million dollars for a second-rounder for two or three years down the road who won't play right away when you can draft that guy next year?
"To have gone after a Brandon Meriweather or Reggie Nelson or one of those guys knowing full well that he'll probably be sitting -- no, not when we felt we needed defensive linemen."
GOING BACK TO DEFENSIVE END
Denver had zeroed in on Atlanta's Patrick Kerney in the opening days of the free-agent signing period, but the Broncos lost out to the Seattle Seahawks in the bidding war for his services.
That setback, though, might turn out to be a blessing in disguise if the Broncos' draft picks can blossom.
"In unrestricted free agency – you're normally going to overpay," Sundquist said. "Am I a little more excited about having Tim Crowder and Moss than, say, (Patrick) Kerney? To be honest with you, yeah, I am. I know Kerney's done it in the league, but to be honest with you, I think these kids are as talented - or more talented -- than Patrick Kerney was coming out of college. Now, give them an opportunity to develop and grow, and be coached by (defensive line coach) Bill Johnson as well, and let's see where they get."
Even with the pursuit of Kerney, Sundquist had already prioritized defensive line as a draft target, owing to the unusual depth of prospects at the position in this year's class.
"Absolutely," he said.
In selecting Crowder with their second-round pick, the Broncos found a defensive end with the starting experience that first-rounder Jarvis Moss could not accumulate due to the staph infection that cost him nearly two years of his playing years at Florida. Crowder was healthy and durable at Texas, starting 47 consecutive games as part of one of the most successful senior classes in Texas Longhorns annals.
"We had a block of second-round players that we thought were deserving and could help our football team at that point in time," Sundquist said. "There's a lot of people that will argue that this guy (Crowder) is a first-round talent -- and that's what you're looking for. You're looking for first-round talent, and he's got that talent.
"We had the need at that spot, and we felt (Crowder) has the ability to help us on the defensive front and it was a very similar thought to the year we took all the cornerbacks (in 2005)."
ON TO ROUND THREE
Fourteen selections later, the Broncos were back on the clock with the 70th overall selection -- acquired last year from the Washington Redskins -- and it was time to change the focus.
"There was some discussion about linebacker and some other places," Sundquist said, "but we hadn't addressed offensive line on the first day (of the draft) since George Foster (in 2003)."
Notre Dame's Ryan Harris emerged as a logical choice for the Broncos. With 305 pounds on his 6-foot-4 frame, he fit the size the Broncos typically seek in an offensive line that is sleeker and slimmer than almost any other in the league. With four years of starting experience in pro-style schemes -- including three at left tackle and one on the right side -- he comes with a bit more polish and refinement than many of the other prospects at his position.
His position also naturally gives him a greater chance to push for playing time immediately, although Sundquist added that Harris could "eventually" have the opportunity to play on the left side. Veteran Matt Lepsis has been the primary left tackle since 2004.
"At tackle, a lot of times you can get them out there and get them going a little more quickly than you can the interior guys," Sundquist said. "Most of our offensive-line picks are on the second day, and those guys are still developing: Chris Myers, Chris Kuper, Greg Eslinger; those kids need multiple years."
At tackle, the Broncos returned three players who started at various points last year, but two have injury concerns: Lepsis -- recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament -- and Adam Meadows, who battled a hamstring problem late last year and spent two years in retirement after a series of shoulder problems.
"We feel like we had good depth at tackle already with Adam Meadows, Matt Lepsis, Erik Pears and those guys, but yeah, there's some injury factor there," Sundquist said. "We felt ... that the need at linebacker at that point did not outweigh the need on the offensive line."
But as the draft continued, it was back to the defensive front.
DEALS: DISCUSSED, DEBATED OR DEBUNKED:
Although the Broncos would turn their attention to Florida's Marcus Thomas at the end of the draft's first day, there was one defensive tackle upon whom Sundquist did not cast his eye.
"(The report about) trying to trade for (Carolina's) Kris Jenkins, I have no clue where that came from," Sundquist said. "Draft-day deals involving (Eagles running back Ryan) Moats and people like that -- I have no idea where this stuff comes from."
Such conjecture is inexorably linked with the 24/7, no-true-offseason, feed-the-beast chronicling of the Broncos and the NFL in general that is a defining characteristic of professional football in the 21st Century. At the dawn of an epoch where information is granted -- and grabbed -- whenever and wherever anyone desires it, sorting through rumors, speculation and opinion is part of Sundquist's job.
He just wants the record straight when the opportunity for reflection arises -- which is why he and Shanahan both pointed out that the talks with the Detroit Lions about trading for the No. 2 overall pick took place in the days following the Scouting Combine, and why Sundquist took the time to explain that the Broncos weren't in the mix for Moats and Jenkins.
"What I don't want to have linked with it is that the club failed to pick that player up," Sundquist said. "We may not have been pursuing him in the first place."
But the Broncos were pursuing Thomas, and as the first day of the draft ended, Sundquist was working the telephones. Having traded the 86th pick to the Jaguars in order to move up four picks in the first round and take Moss, he was using his sixth- and seventh-round selections this year and a third-rounder next year as negotiating chips.
If the Broncos had been able to hang onto their third-round pick ...
"He's probably taken at 86," Sundquist explained. "But herein lies the deal. I started trying to trade from the back end of the third round until the end of the first day. I called every single team and offered them the exact same thing that Minnesota took at the end of the fourth round and nobody would take it."
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- If a team wants to make a trade, it can't do so merely for the desire to shake things up and execute a swap. Nor can it do so for what it perceives to be too high a cost -- or to target a position of strength when pressing needs exist and can be addressed with later selections.
But until the Green Bay Packers tapped defensive tackle Justin Harrell with the 16th pick, the Broncos had designs on grabbing two of their first-round targets -- by dealing their way into a pick after their 21st selection.
"The hope was this -- we would get one of the three guys at 21, and I had contacted everybody from 22 to 27," General Manager Ted Sundquist said. "I had commitments from Philly -- who traded its first-round pick -- and I had a pretty firm commitment from Dallas, the next pick behind us. On draft day, we were sitting very, very pretty with regards to having two first-rounders."
But with Harrell and Lawrence Timmons -- another player Sundquist cited as a target -- off the board, those plans were scuttled, and the Broncos zeroed in on pick No. 17 and Jarvis Moss
"I think it's important that the fans know that we were sitting to move, but we're not going to do it just for the sake of saying, 'We had two No. 1s,' but we end up taking somebody at a particular position we didn't need because we had already filled that through other avenues," Sundquist said.
Indeed, the Broncos went into the draft believing they had addressed many of their needs through the various modes of free agency.
Cornerback? Dre' Bly.
Blocking tight end? Daniel Graham.
Tailback? Travis Henry.
Guard? Montrae Holland.
Wide receiver depth? Brandon Stokley and David Terrell, the latter of whom re-signed in April after being released at the end of last year's preseason.
"We liked him when he was here before. (Head) Coach (Mike) Shanahan liked him," Sundquist said. "We'll give him another shot."
Linebacker depth? Warrick Holdman and D.D. Lewis signed less than 48 hours before the draft.
"If you take a look at some of the linebackers (assistant head coach) (Jim) Bates had at Green Bay and Miami, I don't know that they were any more athletic or explosive than what we've already got on the club here," Sundquist said.
As for safety -- where the Broncos' starting tandem of John Lynch and Nick Ferguson are both over 30 years of age?
"If you're going to draft a safety in the first day, then the guy's probably going to need to play. Where's he going to play? If there's a healthy John Lynch and a healthy Nick Ferguson, he's probably not going to play; He'll probably be a backup," Sundquist said. "Where does a (new) guy fit?
"I guess the question is do we spend two or three million dollars for a second-rounder for two or three years down the road who won't play right away when you can draft that guy next year?
"To have gone after a Brandon Meriweather or Reggie Nelson or one of those guys knowing full well that he'll probably be sitting -- no, not when we felt we needed defensive linemen."
GOING BACK TO DEFENSIVE END
Denver had zeroed in on Atlanta's Patrick Kerney in the opening days of the free-agent signing period, but the Broncos lost out to the Seattle Seahawks in the bidding war for his services.
That setback, though, might turn out to be a blessing in disguise if the Broncos' draft picks can blossom.
"In unrestricted free agency – you're normally going to overpay," Sundquist said. "Am I a little more excited about having Tim Crowder and Moss than, say, (Patrick) Kerney? To be honest with you, yeah, I am. I know Kerney's done it in the league, but to be honest with you, I think these kids are as talented - or more talented -- than Patrick Kerney was coming out of college. Now, give them an opportunity to develop and grow, and be coached by (defensive line coach) Bill Johnson as well, and let's see where they get."
Even with the pursuit of Kerney, Sundquist had already prioritized defensive line as a draft target, owing to the unusual depth of prospects at the position in this year's class.
"Absolutely," he said.
In selecting Crowder with their second-round pick, the Broncos found a defensive end with the starting experience that first-rounder Jarvis Moss could not accumulate due to the staph infection that cost him nearly two years of his playing years at Florida. Crowder was healthy and durable at Texas, starting 47 consecutive games as part of one of the most successful senior classes in Texas Longhorns annals.
"We had a block of second-round players that we thought were deserving and could help our football team at that point in time," Sundquist said. "There's a lot of people that will argue that this guy (Crowder) is a first-round talent -- and that's what you're looking for. You're looking for first-round talent, and he's got that talent.
"We had the need at that spot, and we felt (Crowder) has the ability to help us on the defensive front and it was a very similar thought to the year we took all the cornerbacks (in 2005)."
ON TO ROUND THREE
Fourteen selections later, the Broncos were back on the clock with the 70th overall selection -- acquired last year from the Washington Redskins -- and it was time to change the focus.
"There was some discussion about linebacker and some other places," Sundquist said, "but we hadn't addressed offensive line on the first day (of the draft) since George Foster (in 2003)."
Notre Dame's Ryan Harris emerged as a logical choice for the Broncos. With 305 pounds on his 6-foot-4 frame, he fit the size the Broncos typically seek in an offensive line that is sleeker and slimmer than almost any other in the league. With four years of starting experience in pro-style schemes -- including three at left tackle and one on the right side -- he comes with a bit more polish and refinement than many of the other prospects at his position.
His position also naturally gives him a greater chance to push for playing time immediately, although Sundquist added that Harris could "eventually" have the opportunity to play on the left side. Veteran Matt Lepsis has been the primary left tackle since 2004.
"At tackle, a lot of times you can get them out there and get them going a little more quickly than you can the interior guys," Sundquist said. "Most of our offensive-line picks are on the second day, and those guys are still developing: Chris Myers, Chris Kuper, Greg Eslinger; those kids need multiple years."
At tackle, the Broncos returned three players who started at various points last year, but two have injury concerns: Lepsis -- recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament -- and Adam Meadows, who battled a hamstring problem late last year and spent two years in retirement after a series of shoulder problems.
"We feel like we had good depth at tackle already with Adam Meadows, Matt Lepsis, Erik Pears and those guys, but yeah, there's some injury factor there," Sundquist said. "We felt ... that the need at linebacker at that point did not outweigh the need on the offensive line."
But as the draft continued, it was back to the defensive front.
DEALS: DISCUSSED, DEBATED OR DEBUNKED:
Although the Broncos would turn their attention to Florida's Marcus Thomas at the end of the draft's first day, there was one defensive tackle upon whom Sundquist did not cast his eye.
"(The report about) trying to trade for (Carolina's) Kris Jenkins, I have no clue where that came from," Sundquist said. "Draft-day deals involving (Eagles running back Ryan) Moats and people like that -- I have no idea where this stuff comes from."
Such conjecture is inexorably linked with the 24/7, no-true-offseason, feed-the-beast chronicling of the Broncos and the NFL in general that is a defining characteristic of professional football in the 21st Century. At the dawn of an epoch where information is granted -- and grabbed -- whenever and wherever anyone desires it, sorting through rumors, speculation and opinion is part of Sundquist's job.
He just wants the record straight when the opportunity for reflection arises -- which is why he and Shanahan both pointed out that the talks with the Detroit Lions about trading for the No. 2 overall pick took place in the days following the Scouting Combine, and why Sundquist took the time to explain that the Broncos weren't in the mix for Moats and Jenkins.
"What I don't want to have linked with it is that the club failed to pick that player up," Sundquist said. "We may not have been pursuing him in the first place."
But the Broncos were pursuing Thomas, and as the first day of the draft ended, Sundquist was working the telephones. Having traded the 86th pick to the Jaguars in order to move up four picks in the first round and take Moss, he was using his sixth- and seventh-round selections this year and a third-rounder next year as negotiating chips.
If the Broncos had been able to hang onto their third-round pick ...
"He's probably taken at 86," Sundquist explained. "But herein lies the deal. I started trying to trade from the back end of the third round until the end of the first day. I called every single team and offered them the exact same thing that Minnesota took at the end of the fourth round and nobody would take it."