Requiem
11-04-2007, 12:28 PM
As most of us know, this has been an absolutely terrible year for injuries to this team. I can't remember a time where our line-up has been changed so much due to the injuries of team leaders and veterans. To date, these are the people who are currently out for the year:
Rod Smith, WR [Starter last year]
Tom Nalen, Center [Starter last year]
Ben Hamilton, G/C [Starter last year]
Ebeneezer Ekuban, DE [Starter last year]
Stephen Alexander, TE [Starter last year]
Warrick Holdman, LB
Nate Jackson, TE
Jarvis Moss, DE
With so many returning players actually being original starters on our team (about half from last year) and considering five of them are out for the year - it's understandable that we've been having some struggles.
What I didn't even include are lingering injuries to players like Bly, Scheffler, Bailey, Williams, Lynch and I'm sure I'm forgetting some others that have also held our team back.
So which of these veterans come back next season? Which of them go? I believe Alexander and Ekuban are free agents this year, and it's uncertain whether Hamilton can or even should play football again.
Does Rod Smith want to go out as a Bronco on IR?
Does Tom Nalen want to suffer the same fate?
Where I'd love to see all of them come back and play next year and end their respective careers (the big three of them) with Denver, I don't think we can hold back the development of our young lineman like Myers and Kuper - who are all gaining valuable experience as starters right now, and have performed admirably, and the potential of younger wide receivers (who are on the team now, or future additions) with Rod coming back on the team.
It's just frustrating to be torn as a fan this way, and I was just wondering what all of you felt on the chances of those players coming back or if they'll decide to retire.
Rod Smith, WR [Starter last year]
Tom Nalen, Center [Starter last year]
Ben Hamilton, G/C [Starter last year]
Ebeneezer Ekuban, DE [Starter last year]
Stephen Alexander, TE [Starter last year]
Warrick Holdman, LB
Nate Jackson, TE
Jarvis Moss, DE
With so many returning players actually being original starters on our team (about half from last year) and considering five of them are out for the year - it's understandable that we've been having some struggles.
What I didn't even include are lingering injuries to players like Bly, Scheffler, Bailey, Williams, Lynch and I'm sure I'm forgetting some others that have also held our team back.
So which of these veterans come back next season? Which of them go? I believe Alexander and Ekuban are free agents this year, and it's uncertain whether Hamilton can or even should play football again.
Does Rod Smith want to go out as a Bronco on IR?
Does Tom Nalen want to suffer the same fate?
Where I'd love to see all of them come back and play next year and end their respective careers (the big three of them) with Denver, I don't think we can hold back the development of our young lineman like Myers and Kuper - who are all gaining valuable experience as starters right now, and have performed admirably, and the potential of younger wide receivers (who are on the team now, or future additions) with Rod coming back on the team.
It's just frustrating to be torn as a fan this way, and I was just wondering what all of you felt on the chances of those players coming back or if they'll decide to retire.