dragondawg
06-30-2007, 02:53 AM
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Denver's head coach Mike Shanahan, left, hopes to watch over the development of quarterback Jay Cutler this season. The Broncos brought in running back Travis Henry, tight end Daniel Graham and wide receiver Brandon Stokley through free agency to bolster Cutler's supporting cast.
By Mark J. Rebilas, US Presswire
Denver needs Cutler to put new pieces together
By Jim Corbett (http://www.usatoday.com/community/tags/reporter.aspx?id=293), USA TODAY
The offseason began as one of heartbreaking loss for the Denver Broncos with the New Year's Day drive-by shooting death of cornerback Darrent Williams. Six weeks later, running back Damien Nash suffered a fatal heart attack after playing in a charity basketball tournament.
Players will wear black and white decals on the back of their helmets commemorating Williams' No. 27 and Nash's No. 29.
"We'll always be sad about it," safety John Lynch says. "But more so, our attitude is to try and honor these guys with the way we play and the way we live our lives."
Owner Pat Bowlen and coach Mike Shanahan spoke eloquently at the funerals of two popular and promising 24-year-olds and vowed to honor their legacies.
"Their memories are going to stay here for a long time," Shanahan told reporters. "We're going to embrace it and not be afraid to talk about it — two young guys that meant a lot to this organization that died at an early age. We don't understand why. But their memories are with us."
It has also been an offseason of bold steps meant to erase the bitter taste of a playoff-less 9-7 finish.
This offseason further signals the official start of the Jay Cutler era, right coach?
"Yeah, I think so," Shanahan told reporters. "I think anytime you start with a quarterback like Jay — with the type of ability he has, the type of leadership he has — I think you could say that. It's not very often you get a quarterback at that age, with that type of ability and that type of leadership skills.
"He's been working out here, and he's done a great job with the receivers and our players in general. And hopefully he can keep on leading. He can't do it by himself, though. And that's why we've got, I'm hoping, a pretty good supporting cast."
To better support his kid gunslinger, Shanahan signed former Tennessee Titans 1,200-yard running back Travis Henry, former New England Patriots tight end Daniel Graham and former Indianapolis Colts slot receiver Brandon Stokley.
How Cutler does in his first full season as a starter is the key to how the Broncos will finish.
Since replacing Jake Plummer with five games left last season, Cutler has impressed on and off the field. Inspired by the shooting deaths of Williams and a former Vanderbilt teammate within a 22-month period, the 24-year-old established The Jay Cutler Foundation, partnering with the Denver United Way to help inner-city schools provide educational alternatives in a bid to stop urban violence at a younger level.
"I've always been interested in helping kids," Cutler says. "I lost a teammate at Vandy, Kwane Doster, who was shot and killed outside a club, like D-Will. After losing two young guys like that, it makes you want to do something good for the community."
In the film room, Cutler spent two months with Shanahan and assistant head coach-offense Mike Heimerdinger breaking down film of Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Drew Brees and, of course, Broncos Hall of Famer John Elway.
"The clock in your head, that's what they've been preaching here the last couple of weeks with Mike (Shanahan) and Dinger," Cutler says, meaning getting rid of the ball quickly. "They've been around some great quarterbacks and great schemes. They've helped me out tremendously in what I need to attack and look for.
"We've watched Elway, Peyton, Drew Brees, Tom Brady— how they work in the pocket and their feet. It's been a real learning tool."
It helps that Stokley played with Manning and Graham with Brady. Both have offered subtle, helpful tweaks to routes based on how Manning and Brady successfully attacked defenses.
"Daniel and Brandon both offer advice: 'You might want to run this a little deeper. This is how Peyton or Tom Brady might do something,'" Cutler says. "They've been around some really great quarterbacks, and it helps make my job easier.
"Having Travis, Daniel and Brandon here, they simplify things for me. They take a lot of guesswork out of my job. I just have to get the ball into their hands."
And Shanahan's efforts to make Cutler's job easier are not lost on a second-year player saddled with great expectations. "It's a tribute to coach Shanahan and his desire to win and help make my life easier that he brought these guys in," Cutler says.
Henry is the one-cut-and-go downhill runner the Broncos lacked last season when Tatum Bell and Mike Bell shared the load but couldn't lock down the role as the team's feature back.
Henry also presents Cutler another check-down option.
"We didn't get to the playoffs, but Jay showed us a lot," Lynch says. "He's a very poised young man. There are some expectations there, and he wowed people with his arm strength. He's got it all. Now it's just our job as a team to come together around him.
"I went to the Broncos four years ago because you know you have a team whose goal every year is to win a championship."
Lynch hopes the franchise is that much closer to winning its third Lombardi Trophy, but its first in nine seasons.
"It hasn't happened in Denver for a long time now," he says. But when you don't make the playoffs, you're going to make some bold moves.
"We've done that in getting (cornerback) Dre' Bly to go along with a Champ Bailey, and when you get a player like Daniel Graham ... Travis Henry is just a great fit in our offense."
The trade for Bly was another good fit, potentially giving the Broncos the league's best ballhawking tandem of starting cornerbacks. Six-time Pro Bowler Bailey has 39 career interceptions, and two-time Pro Bowler Bly has 33 with the St. Louis Rams and, most recently, the Detroit Lions.
The Broncos are fully loaded with a bumper crop of fresh talent and armed with powerful inspiration to realize their potential. The deaths of Williams and Nash staggered the franchise and reminded players to treat every day with a sense of urgency and purpose, knowing how suddenly everything can be taken away.
AROUND THE FIELD IN DENVER
Quarterback: Jay Cutler has the cannon arm to threaten defenses vertically, a dimension unseen in the Mile High City since John Elway retired. Cutler's arm and pocket presence allow coach Mike Shanahan and assistant head coach Mike Heimerdinger to open up what was a limited playbook with Jake Plummer, who was at his best throwing on the move. Backup Patrick Ramsey also boasts a big arm.
Running back: Travis Henry could easily exceed 1,500 yards in the zone-blocking scheme. He gained 1,211 yards last season, when some would argue he was the Tennessee Titans' MVP while opening things up for Rookie of the Year Vince Young. Mike Bell is better suited as a backup and goal-line change of pace.
Wide receiver: Javon Walker added the big play to the passing attack last season and is a year further removed from 2005 knee surgery. Brandon Marshall will press veteran Rod Smith, who is coming off hip surgery. If Brandon Stokley isn't recovered from an Achilles' tendon injury, second-year man Domenik Hixon, who was the talk of passing camp, could win a role.
Tight end: Denver signed former New England Patriot Daniel Graham with the promise he would be more involved in the passing game. Tony Scheffler is coming off a foot injury but emerged as Cutler's favorite target late last season and has the speed to stretch the field.
Offensive line:Center Tom Nalen is entering his 14th season, but he hasn't slowed down while aiding Cutler with protection calls. Left tackle Matt Lepsis is coming off a torn knee ligament. Adam Meadows could be displaced by Erik Pears at right tackle.
Defensive line:This group has beefed up with the recent signing of 345-pound tackle Sam Adams and the trade for 320-pound underachiever Jimmy Kennedy. Adams figures to start alongside Gerard Warren, who played last season on two bad toes. Edge rusher Elvis Dumervil had 8 1/2 sacks last season, and the drafting of speed rushers Jarvis Moss and Tim Crowder should help.
Linebacker:Five-time Pro Bowl middle linebacker Al Wilson was released after a scary neck injury. D.J. Williams will move inside and has the athleticism to be a focal point in assistant head coach-defense Jim Bates' 4-3 scheme, which depends on athletic linebackers. Nate Webster, Warrick Holdman and Ian Gold provide a solid corps.
Secondary:Try to find a better duo than cornerbacks Champ Bailey and Dre' Bly. Bly gives the Broncos another proven ballhawk who should help generate more turnovers. Domonique Foxworth is an ideal third corner who can play some safety. Starting safeties John Lynch and Nick Ferguson are getting up there in years, but their play remains at a lofty level.
Special teams: Jason Elam remains rock steady entering his 14th season. Todd Sauerbrun returns as the punter. Punt-return duties could fall to Marshall after the shooting death of Darrent Williams. Hixon will get a chance to win the kickoff job.
Coaching staff: Shanahan figures to be more aggressive in 2007 with a workhorse running back and Cutler's downfield arm. The coach also surrounded Cutler with a better support system to take the pressure off his second-year quarterback. Heimerdinger was a key reason for Steve McNair's emergence and has clicked with Cutler. Some Broncos observers think the biggest offseason acquisition might be Bates, who will bring a more aggressive scheme, likely to feature blitzes.
Outlook: Denver's playoff hopes hinge on two inexperienced field generals — Cutler and D.J. Williams— effectively leading their respective units. Those are tall orders because nothing less than a Super Bowl championship will satisfy Shanahan.
BREAKING DOWN THE BRONCOS
Last season: 9-7, tied for second place, AFC West; missed playoffs
Additions /Subtractions/ Draft picks
DT Sam Adams /RB Tatum Bell /Jarvis Moss, DE, Florida (17)
CB Dre' Bly /DE Courtney Brown /Tim Crowder, DE, Texas (56)
TE Daniel Graham /LB Keith Burns Ryan Harris, T,/ Notre Dame (70)
RB Travis Henry /G Cooper Carlisle/ Marcus Thomas, DT, Florida (121)
LB Warrick Holdman/ DE Patrick Chukwurah
G Montrae Holland /T George Foster
DT Jimmy Kennedy /DT Michael Myers
LB D.D. Lewis /RB Damien Nash (death)
QB Patrick Ramsey /QB Jake Plummer
P Todd Sauerbrun/ CB Darrent Williams (death)
FB Paul Smith/ LB Al Wilson
WR Brandon Stokley
WR David Terrell
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/broncos/2007-06-27-offseason-report_N.htm
Denver's head coach Mike Shanahan, left, hopes to watch over the development of quarterback Jay Cutler this season. The Broncos brought in running back Travis Henry, tight end Daniel Graham and wide receiver Brandon Stokley through free agency to bolster Cutler's supporting cast.
By Mark J. Rebilas, US Presswire
Denver needs Cutler to put new pieces together
By Jim Corbett (http://www.usatoday.com/community/tags/reporter.aspx?id=293), USA TODAY
The offseason began as one of heartbreaking loss for the Denver Broncos with the New Year's Day drive-by shooting death of cornerback Darrent Williams. Six weeks later, running back Damien Nash suffered a fatal heart attack after playing in a charity basketball tournament.
Players will wear black and white decals on the back of their helmets commemorating Williams' No. 27 and Nash's No. 29.
"We'll always be sad about it," safety John Lynch says. "But more so, our attitude is to try and honor these guys with the way we play and the way we live our lives."
Owner Pat Bowlen and coach Mike Shanahan spoke eloquently at the funerals of two popular and promising 24-year-olds and vowed to honor their legacies.
"Their memories are going to stay here for a long time," Shanahan told reporters. "We're going to embrace it and not be afraid to talk about it — two young guys that meant a lot to this organization that died at an early age. We don't understand why. But their memories are with us."
It has also been an offseason of bold steps meant to erase the bitter taste of a playoff-less 9-7 finish.
This offseason further signals the official start of the Jay Cutler era, right coach?
"Yeah, I think so," Shanahan told reporters. "I think anytime you start with a quarterback like Jay — with the type of ability he has, the type of leadership he has — I think you could say that. It's not very often you get a quarterback at that age, with that type of ability and that type of leadership skills.
"He's been working out here, and he's done a great job with the receivers and our players in general. And hopefully he can keep on leading. He can't do it by himself, though. And that's why we've got, I'm hoping, a pretty good supporting cast."
To better support his kid gunslinger, Shanahan signed former Tennessee Titans 1,200-yard running back Travis Henry, former New England Patriots tight end Daniel Graham and former Indianapolis Colts slot receiver Brandon Stokley.
How Cutler does in his first full season as a starter is the key to how the Broncos will finish.
Since replacing Jake Plummer with five games left last season, Cutler has impressed on and off the field. Inspired by the shooting deaths of Williams and a former Vanderbilt teammate within a 22-month period, the 24-year-old established The Jay Cutler Foundation, partnering with the Denver United Way to help inner-city schools provide educational alternatives in a bid to stop urban violence at a younger level.
"I've always been interested in helping kids," Cutler says. "I lost a teammate at Vandy, Kwane Doster, who was shot and killed outside a club, like D-Will. After losing two young guys like that, it makes you want to do something good for the community."
In the film room, Cutler spent two months with Shanahan and assistant head coach-offense Mike Heimerdinger breaking down film of Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Drew Brees and, of course, Broncos Hall of Famer John Elway.
"The clock in your head, that's what they've been preaching here the last couple of weeks with Mike (Shanahan) and Dinger," Cutler says, meaning getting rid of the ball quickly. "They've been around some great quarterbacks and great schemes. They've helped me out tremendously in what I need to attack and look for.
"We've watched Elway, Peyton, Drew Brees, Tom Brady— how they work in the pocket and their feet. It's been a real learning tool."
It helps that Stokley played with Manning and Graham with Brady. Both have offered subtle, helpful tweaks to routes based on how Manning and Brady successfully attacked defenses.
"Daniel and Brandon both offer advice: 'You might want to run this a little deeper. This is how Peyton or Tom Brady might do something,'" Cutler says. "They've been around some really great quarterbacks, and it helps make my job easier.
"Having Travis, Daniel and Brandon here, they simplify things for me. They take a lot of guesswork out of my job. I just have to get the ball into their hands."
And Shanahan's efforts to make Cutler's job easier are not lost on a second-year player saddled with great expectations. "It's a tribute to coach Shanahan and his desire to win and help make my life easier that he brought these guys in," Cutler says.
Henry is the one-cut-and-go downhill runner the Broncos lacked last season when Tatum Bell and Mike Bell shared the load but couldn't lock down the role as the team's feature back.
Henry also presents Cutler another check-down option.
"We didn't get to the playoffs, but Jay showed us a lot," Lynch says. "He's a very poised young man. There are some expectations there, and he wowed people with his arm strength. He's got it all. Now it's just our job as a team to come together around him.
"I went to the Broncos four years ago because you know you have a team whose goal every year is to win a championship."
Lynch hopes the franchise is that much closer to winning its third Lombardi Trophy, but its first in nine seasons.
"It hasn't happened in Denver for a long time now," he says. But when you don't make the playoffs, you're going to make some bold moves.
"We've done that in getting (cornerback) Dre' Bly to go along with a Champ Bailey, and when you get a player like Daniel Graham ... Travis Henry is just a great fit in our offense."
The trade for Bly was another good fit, potentially giving the Broncos the league's best ballhawking tandem of starting cornerbacks. Six-time Pro Bowler Bailey has 39 career interceptions, and two-time Pro Bowler Bly has 33 with the St. Louis Rams and, most recently, the Detroit Lions.
The Broncos are fully loaded with a bumper crop of fresh talent and armed with powerful inspiration to realize their potential. The deaths of Williams and Nash staggered the franchise and reminded players to treat every day with a sense of urgency and purpose, knowing how suddenly everything can be taken away.
AROUND THE FIELD IN DENVER
Quarterback: Jay Cutler has the cannon arm to threaten defenses vertically, a dimension unseen in the Mile High City since John Elway retired. Cutler's arm and pocket presence allow coach Mike Shanahan and assistant head coach Mike Heimerdinger to open up what was a limited playbook with Jake Plummer, who was at his best throwing on the move. Backup Patrick Ramsey also boasts a big arm.
Running back: Travis Henry could easily exceed 1,500 yards in the zone-blocking scheme. He gained 1,211 yards last season, when some would argue he was the Tennessee Titans' MVP while opening things up for Rookie of the Year Vince Young. Mike Bell is better suited as a backup and goal-line change of pace.
Wide receiver: Javon Walker added the big play to the passing attack last season and is a year further removed from 2005 knee surgery. Brandon Marshall will press veteran Rod Smith, who is coming off hip surgery. If Brandon Stokley isn't recovered from an Achilles' tendon injury, second-year man Domenik Hixon, who was the talk of passing camp, could win a role.
Tight end: Denver signed former New England Patriot Daniel Graham with the promise he would be more involved in the passing game. Tony Scheffler is coming off a foot injury but emerged as Cutler's favorite target late last season and has the speed to stretch the field.
Offensive line:Center Tom Nalen is entering his 14th season, but he hasn't slowed down while aiding Cutler with protection calls. Left tackle Matt Lepsis is coming off a torn knee ligament. Adam Meadows could be displaced by Erik Pears at right tackle.
Defensive line:This group has beefed up with the recent signing of 345-pound tackle Sam Adams and the trade for 320-pound underachiever Jimmy Kennedy. Adams figures to start alongside Gerard Warren, who played last season on two bad toes. Edge rusher Elvis Dumervil had 8 1/2 sacks last season, and the drafting of speed rushers Jarvis Moss and Tim Crowder should help.
Linebacker:Five-time Pro Bowl middle linebacker Al Wilson was released after a scary neck injury. D.J. Williams will move inside and has the athleticism to be a focal point in assistant head coach-defense Jim Bates' 4-3 scheme, which depends on athletic linebackers. Nate Webster, Warrick Holdman and Ian Gold provide a solid corps.
Secondary:Try to find a better duo than cornerbacks Champ Bailey and Dre' Bly. Bly gives the Broncos another proven ballhawk who should help generate more turnovers. Domonique Foxworth is an ideal third corner who can play some safety. Starting safeties John Lynch and Nick Ferguson are getting up there in years, but their play remains at a lofty level.
Special teams: Jason Elam remains rock steady entering his 14th season. Todd Sauerbrun returns as the punter. Punt-return duties could fall to Marshall after the shooting death of Darrent Williams. Hixon will get a chance to win the kickoff job.
Coaching staff: Shanahan figures to be more aggressive in 2007 with a workhorse running back and Cutler's downfield arm. The coach also surrounded Cutler with a better support system to take the pressure off his second-year quarterback. Heimerdinger was a key reason for Steve McNair's emergence and has clicked with Cutler. Some Broncos observers think the biggest offseason acquisition might be Bates, who will bring a more aggressive scheme, likely to feature blitzes.
Outlook: Denver's playoff hopes hinge on two inexperienced field generals — Cutler and D.J. Williams— effectively leading their respective units. Those are tall orders because nothing less than a Super Bowl championship will satisfy Shanahan.
BREAKING DOWN THE BRONCOS
Last season: 9-7, tied for second place, AFC West; missed playoffs
Additions /Subtractions/ Draft picks
DT Sam Adams /RB Tatum Bell /Jarvis Moss, DE, Florida (17)
CB Dre' Bly /DE Courtney Brown /Tim Crowder, DE, Texas (56)
TE Daniel Graham /LB Keith Burns Ryan Harris, T,/ Notre Dame (70)
RB Travis Henry /G Cooper Carlisle/ Marcus Thomas, DT, Florida (121)
LB Warrick Holdman/ DE Patrick Chukwurah
G Montrae Holland /T George Foster
DT Jimmy Kennedy /DT Michael Myers
LB D.D. Lewis /RB Damien Nash (death)
QB Patrick Ramsey /QB Jake Plummer
P Todd Sauerbrun/ CB Darrent Williams (death)
FB Paul Smith/ LB Al Wilson
WR Brandon Stokley
WR David Terrell
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/broncos/2007-06-27-offseason-report_N.htm