Broncos have been rebuilding since Shanahan drafted Jay Cutler and benched Plummer

[dragondawg]

Broncos are rebuilding with help of NFL Draft
Mark Knudson

A dazed and confused opposing quarterback once said after being hounded and beaten by the Oklahoma Sooners that "Oklahoma doesn't rebuild, they re-load."

I recall that quote from the mid 1970s and while it might have been uttered some years before, it has undoubtedly been said over and over since. Great teams, great programs do re-load, they don't rebuild. Saying that you're "rebuilding" is taken as a sign of weakness.

No one loathes the word "rebuild" more than Denver Broncos coach Mike Shanahan. Mention it around him, and you get an icy stare that scares 350-pound men. The Broncos, no matter the situation, no matter the results, no matter who they have or don't have under contract, always are trying to re-load. It's always Super Bowl or Bust at Dove Valley.

Until this year, it seems.

Rebuilding is not something to be ashamed of. The need to do a full-fledge rebuild has happened to the best franchises in professional sports over the years. In football alone, it's easy to recall the glory days of the Dallas Cowboys of the mid 1990s. Can you also remember when those same Cowboys were 1-15 just a couple of years earlier? The Broncos were down and out under Wade Phillips during that same time period, only to build themselves back into a contender and finally a Super Bowl champion at the end of the decade. The New England Patriots didn't light the world on fire in the late 1990s, but they spent the time building a team that would become a mini-dynasty for the next decade.

In truth, the Broncos have been rebuilding since Shanahan drafted Jay Cutler and benched starting quarterback Jake Plummer midway through the 2006 season. For reasons only he will know, Shanahan decided, following the Broncos' disheartening AFC title-game loss to Pittsburgh at the end of the 2005 season, that Denver was not good enough. Even though the Broncos had beaten New England and advanced to that title game, the Mastermind saw something in that team he did not like, and over the course of the next two years, he effectively gutted it.

So be it. Whether you agree with what he did or not, it's done. It's time to focus on 2008 and beyond. That means...rebuilding.

The good news is that they believe they already have the cornerstone in Cutler, as well as key pieces in receiver Brandon Marshall, some young and talented defensive linemen and some strong secondary players.

The bad news is that the Broncos' draft history is suspect at best, and if you're going to successfully rebuild, you have to do it through the draft. The number of players drafted by Denver in the past eight years who have made a lasting impact in predominantly orange is scant. That makes it a little be scary going into what probably is the most important draft day since the Broncos last won the Super Bowl 10 years ago.

It's easy to look at the just released schedule for 2008 and see the Broncos going, say, 6-10. Road games at New England, Carolina, Cleveland and the New York Jets loom, along with a pair against the powerful Chargers and home tilts with Jacksonville, New Orleans and Tampa. In their own division, the Broncos have not only San Diego, but Oakland (gulp) will be better and Kansas City probably will be, too.

It's not going to be a great season. Instead, it's going to be an important season - a stepping stone in the rebuilding process that is needed and should be welcomed, not avoided.

http://www.coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080420/COLUMNISTS36/804200343/1006/SPORTS

[fontaine]

In truth, the Broncos have been rebuilding since Shanahan drafted Jay Cutler and benched starting quarterback Jake Plummer midway through the 2006 season. For reasons only he will know, Shanahan decided, following the Broncos' disheartening AFC title-game loss to Pittsburgh at the end of the 2005 season, that Denver was not good enough. Even though the Broncos had beaten New England and advanced to that title game, the Mastermind saw something in that team he did not like, and over the course of the next two years, he effectively gutted it.

What a douche.

Since Cutler took over we were one game away from being in the playoffs that season.

That's not rebuilding, that's competing for a realistic shot at the postseason.

If you want to look at rebuilding, go see what KC is trying to achieve with trading away their best player.

[Drek]

It's easy to look at the just released schedule for 2008 and see the Broncos going, say, 6-10. Road games at New England, Carolina, Cleveland and the New York Jets loom, along with a pair against the powerful Chargers and home tilts with Jacksonville, New Orleans and Tampa. In their own division, the Broncos have not only San Diego, but Oakland (gulp) will be better and Kansas City probably will be, too.

I'll give him NE and Jacksonville, but the Panthers didn't do any better than us last year, Cleveland has only had one worthwhile season in about a decade of existence, and the Jets were the 6th worst team in the league prior to spending a ton of money in FA, that didn't fix the Redskins problems. New Orleans is another team that finished worse than us last season, and Tampa Bay used a weak division in the weaker conference to put up an only passable record.

As for Oakland and KC, the first has spent a fortune on middling and unsafe contracts this off-season but haven't added much in the way of difference makers. The second is about to see its only reliably healthy impact player walk out of town for some draft picks.

So how exactly is that a hard lineup of teams to face? I'd gladly see us take on NO and Tampa Bay at home. Give me the Jets, Browns, and Panthers on the road too. None of them have any substantial home field advantage and they have very little to fear for a healthy Broncos squad.

[lex]

He says all that but oddly, we've been closer to a Super Bowl with Cutler as QB because we werent going to do it with Jake. And its about SBs in Denver. The media likes to jump up and down about missing the playoffs and some of us buy into this, but when it comes down to it, its about positioning ourselves to win SBs, and thats what the Cutler move was about. And that move alone didnt signal the rebuilding phase. If theres one thing that signaled the rebuilding it was 1) bringing in Bates, and 2) dumping his system only partway through the season. And along the way we lost Gerard Warren. If we would have had 06's defense and 07's offense, we would have been in decent shape.

[Kaylore]

For reasons only he will know, Shanahan decided, following the Broncos' disheartening AFC title-game loss to Pittsburgh at the end of the 2005 season, that Denver was not good enough. Even though the Broncos had beaten New England and advanced to that title game, the Mastermind saw something in that team he did not like
Um, the same year he drafted a quarterback in the first round and then benched Plummer by the end of the 2006 season. This was after Plummer's four turnover performance against the Steelers in the AFC championship game.

Reasons unknown, my foot:

http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2005/writers/jeffri_chadiha/11/01/plummer/p1_plummer.jpg

[footstepsfrom#27]

He's 100% correct. This team is not good enough to compete for the division title, let alone the Superbowl. If you want to see Cutler hoisting a Lombardi, you have to start from the ground up and build him a foundation. That means putting major talent in both lines first and foremost and then filling in the skill positions. We need to make ENORMOUS strides in improving our draft day results because if we continue the current rate of failure with the draft we will be relegated to mediocrity from this point forward. I give Shanahan credit for at least trying to work on the defensive line last year with Moss/Crowder/Thomas even though the results are less than advertised at this point. Now I just hope he sees the same urgency in the O-line as well. Even more important...will the recent shakeup in the front office lead to improved draft day success? Or will we simply fire another defensive coordinator next year?

[Rock Chalk]

What a douche.

Since Cutler took over we were one game away from being in the playoffs that season.

That's not rebuilding, that's competing for a realistic shot at the postseason.

If you want to look at rebuilding, go see what KC is trying to achieve with trading away their best player.

Dude you are the douche.

When Plummer was benched, Mike threw the season away. One game away means you stick with what was working. 7-4 is not out of it and the team played well except offensively. When Mike benched Plummer (rightfully or not is not important here), the team packed it in. They were no closer to the playoffs then than they are now.

We are rebuilding or does 7-9 sound like a competitive year douche?

[lex]

Dude you are the douche.

When Plummer was benched, Mike threw the season away. One game away means you stick with what was working. 7-4 is not out of it and the team played well except offensively. When Mike benched Plummer (rightfully or not is not important here), the team packed it in. They were no closer to the playoffs then than they are now.

We are rebuilding or does 7-9 sound like a competitive year douche?

If he was throwing the season away try reconciling the fact that the offensive output actually increased and the running game actually improved when Cutler entered the lineup.

[rovolution]

Dude you are the douche.

When Plummer was benched, Mike threw the season away. One game away means you stick with what was working. 7-4 is not out of it and the team played well except offensively. When Mike benched Plummer (rightfully or not is not important here), the team packed it in. They were no closer to the playoffs then than they are now.

We are rebuilding or does 7-9 sound like a competitive year douche?

The defense was the reason we didnt make the playoffs, not Jay.

[broncosteven]

The bad news is that the Broncos' draft history is suspect at best, and if you're going to successfully rebuild, you have to do it through the draft. The number of players drafted by Denver in the past eight years who have made a lasting impact in predominantly orange is scant.
http://www.coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080420/COLUMNISTS36/804200343/1006/SPORTS

And yet he mentions Cutler and Marshall. They moved up to grab Cuts and teams were not lineing up to draft Marshall.

Elvis was a good pick, DJ, We still have 2 CB's that were drafted, both LT prospects.

The reality is that they have not been reaching like they were with players like Middlebrooks and Tovessi for a couple of years.

I do think this year's Draft makes or breaks this team.

[orinjkrush]

we apparently have new scouts/personnelists at the helm with the departure of the GM who is not to be named.
will be very interesting to see if we have improved in the most critical task: evaluating talent and talent/system matches.
if not, gonna be a long long season.
my guess is we keep going back to the major college and SEC well and pull out a coupla good rooks.

oh, and IMHO jake wasn't the real reason we lost at home against peeteysburg. it was our pathetic o line who couldn't keep them out of our backfield for 1.5 seconds. jake just couldnt carry the team on his shoulders. he tried and messed up. big time.

[Kaylore]

You guys need to remember what really happened that year. We traded for Javon Walker and that showed immediate dividends with huge wins in Pittsburgh and New England on the road. Unfortunately Lepsis was lost for the year in Cleveland and so we had Pears at left tackle. We also decided to go with Tatum "softie" Bell as our running back. The result of those two things meant that Plummer's speciall gimmick of rolling out wouldn't work because people weren't respecting the run like they used to. Plummer ended up being forced to stay in the pocket all year - where he failed horribly. Plummer always was that player, but good line play and a solid rushing attack allowed us to use his strengths. Without those things it all collapsed. Shanahan had no choice. If he didn't play him it would look like he was favoring a player and that he wasn't honoring the "the best player will play." My belief was always that playing a rookie couldn't be any worse than Plummer was playing and at least Cutler had upside unlike the then uncaring Plummer.

Jay playing QB opened up the middle of the field for the first time that year. Cutler started making plays over the middle of the field and suddenly we weren't seeing stacked boxes every down. Unfortunately Alec is right in that much of the team gave up on their chances at the postseason following the defense collapse toward the end of the year and took Cutler starting as Shanahan packing it in. Ian Gold kept missing tackles and an injured Al Wilson was no long anchoring the middle of the line. Poor pass rush thrown into the mix meant the team didn't have a lot of confidence. Plummer getting benched probably put the nail in the coffin. It doesn't really matter because we weren't going anywhere that year anyway.

[fontaine]

Dude you are the douche.

When Plummer was benched, Mike threw the season away. One game away means you stick with what was working. 7-4 is not out of it and the team played well except offensively. When Mike benched Plummer (rightfully or not is not important here), the team packed it in. They were no closer to the playoffs then than they are now.

We are rebuilding or does 7-9 sound like a competitive year douche?

Shouldn't you be on some handball message board where you can fawn over Jake's left handed throws?

[PaintballCLE]

well i obviously dont agree with all shanny's moves.....he obviously realized that the team he had with plummer wasn't going to get it done. Why keep trying something that isn't going to work. With a new Qb and hopefully some good young talant this year we can be a SB contender this year or next while our pro bowl players are still in their prime.

[Blueflame]

The truth is, the Broncos have been rebuilding since Elway hung 'em up and TD tore his ACL. Plummer was never anything more than a FA "temp"; he was never a bona fide blue chip QB because he was too inconsistent. And Griese was the proverbial square peg in a round hole (an immobile QB behind a patchwork O-line). Our RBs have been journeymen at best, with the possible exception of Portis, who still wasn't (and isn't) anywhere near as good as TD.

[Taco John]

Reasons unknown, my foot:

http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2005/writers/jeffri_chadiha/11/01/plummer/p1_plummer.jpg



Reasons unknown! That's some awesome journalism right there...

[Taco John]

Shouldn't you be on some handball message board where you can fawn over Jake's left handed throws?



LOL ROFL! Ha!

I'm glad I don't work in an office with other people... They'd wonder what the hell I'm laughing maniacly over.

By the way, good to see you around Alec. I hope the young' uns are happy and healthy.

[Taco John]

You guys need to remember what really happened that year. We traded for Javon Walker and that showed immediate dividends with huge wins in Pittsburgh and New England on the road. Unfortunately Lepsis was lost for the year in Cleveland and so we had Pears at left tackle. We also decided to go with Tatum "softie" Bell as our running back. The result of those two things meant that Plummer's speciall gimmick of rolling out wouldn't work because people weren't respecting the run like they used to. Plummer ended up being forced to stay in the pocket all year - where he failed horribly. Plummer always was that player, but good line play and a solid rushing attack allowed us to use his strengths. Without those things it all collapsed. Shanahan had no choice. If he didn't play him it would look like he was favoring a player and that he wasn't honoring the "the best player will play." My belief was always that playing a rookie couldn't be any worse than Plummer was playing and at least Cutler had upside unlike the then uncaring Plummer.

Jay playing QB opened up the middle of the field for the first time that year. Cutler started making plays over the middle of the field and suddenly we weren't seeing stacked boxes every down. Unfortunately Alec is right in that much of the team gave up on their chances at the postseason following the defense collapse toward the end of the year and took Cutler starting as Shanahan packing it in. Ian Gold kept missing tackles and an injured Al Wilson was no long anchoring the middle of the line. Poor pass rush thrown into the mix meant the team didn't have a lot of confidence. Plummer getting benched probably put the nail in the coffin. It doesn't really matter because we weren't going anywhere that year anyway.

Don't forget Tatum Bell fumbling nearly every opportunity he got, away.

[BlaK-Argentina]

Don't forget Tatum Bell fumbling nearly every opportunity he got, away.

Shanny missed big time with Tatum Bell.
I'll be eating my fingers this saturday...
Let's all hope for a good draft... :thanku:

[Cmac821]

The defense was the reason we didnt make the playoffs, not Jay.

B-I-N-G-O
:yayaya:

[crazyhorse]

Denver hasn't been a winner since they put Cutler in.

Now that's a fact.

[watermock]

speakin' of Defense...How 'bout them Nuggets?

Good thread. It was time for Jake to go..just like SOB.

Cutler is the franchise.

we got him three years ago rather than this year, and Matt who??? Jay is going to be a great QB... lets get him some blindside protection and a real RB.

[watermock]

Denver hasn't been a winner since they put Cutler in.

Now that's a fact.

KC hasnt been a winner since Elway was here. HA! THAT's a fact.

[rovolution]

Denver hasn't been a winner since they put Cutler in.

Now that's a fact.

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/461/kcsucksqw2.png

[crazyhorse]

I can see I have hit a nerve.

I expect you wont like hearing that you'll likely not be winners with him this year either.

[Inkana7]

I can see I have hit a nerve.

I expect you wont like hearing that you'll likely not be winners with him this year either.

Your assumptions of yourself being correct always crack me up. What's your hat size, buddy?

[crazyhorse]

Your assumptions of yourself being correct always crack me up. What's your hat size, buddy?

More often than not, I am correct. That's why I get the knee jerk retorts that seldom have anything to do with the context of my post. Like yours.

That cracks me up.

I dont wear a hat.

[cutthemdown]

The NFL today you reload and rebuild at the same time. Rebuilding the team sometimes can take place in only 2 offseasons. With player movement and so many college street FA because draft only 7 rounds it's not like it used to be.

[watermock]

At least KC still has that great line for "Dookie" Johnson to run behind...

[watermock]

\.

I dont wear a hat.

You should. HA!

[BroncoMan4ever]

It's easy to look at the just released schedule for 2008 and see the Broncos going, say, 6-10. Road games at New England, Carolina, Cleveland and the New York Jets loom, along with a pair against the powerful Chargers and home tilts with Jacksonville, New Orleans and Tampa. In their own division, the Broncos have not only San Diego, but Oakland (gulp) will be better and Kansas City probably will be, too.


People, i am saying it right now. Denver will go at least 11-5 and will make the playoffs. They will split the season series with San Diego and sweep KC and Oakland.
They will beat New England(always do) and will win against the Saints and Bucs.
This season will not be the disaster these so called "experts" are making it out to be.
It will be a fun season with the occasional but rare slip that pisses off fans.
I say 11-5 or 12-4 and at least to the 2nd round of the playoffs.

[watermock]

10-6 but swept by Bolts.

[Calif. Bronco]

The defense was the reason we didnt make the playoffs, not Jay.

^^^^^^ Exactly!!!! We were ahead late in San Francisco and the D let it get away. Not saying we would have done anything in the playoffs that year, mind you, but the fact of the matter is we would have made it with a better D.

[rovolution]

^^^^^^ Exactly!!!! We were ahead late in San Francisco and the D let it get away. Not saying we would have done anything in the playoffs that year, mind you, but the fact of the matter is we would have made it with a better D.

Jay also forced OT in that game with that incredible clutch drive and that laser to Tony S.

[BlaK-Argentina]

I can see I have hit a nerve.

I expect you wont like hearing that you'll likely not be winners with him this year either.

That's a possibility, but it won't be because of Jay Cutler and you know it as well as we do. So STFU. :wiggle: