TonyR
09-08-2011, 10:07 AM
Here's the Broncos write-up on Grantland's NFL Preview. The Broncos have been classified as a team that should improve this year.
While Josh McDaniels kept the Denver offense going before he was fired, the Broncos defense collapsed under a string of injuries last season. The 2009 unit had the league's seventh-best DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average), but it also fielded a group of 11 starters, many in their 30s, who combined to miss a total of just two games all season. When star pass-rusher Elvis Dumervil went down with a torn pectoral muscle last August and went on season-ending injured reserve, it was the first sign of an impending flood. By the end of the year, the Broncos' defensive starters had missed a combined 40 games. They fell to 30th in DVOA and allowed more points than any other team in football. It was ugly.
We can start with our reasons to be hopeful right there. Dumervil is back, which should change the entire complexion of their defense. He's also got a buddy in second overall pick Von Miller, who had 10.5 sacks as an outside linebacker in Texas A&M's 3-4 scheme last year. Outside linebackers in the 4-3 rarely rush the passer, so they don't normally accrue heavy sack totals, but John Fox is reportedly going to use Miller as a defensive end in pass-rushing situations. With Dumervil on the other side, Miller should get plenty of opportunities to rush the quarterback one-on-one against an overmatched right tackle. He may not get 10.5 sacks, but he should be a credible second threat.
On the other hand, it's hard to see where the meat of the defense is going to come from. Despite investing five high draft picks over the past five years into defensive talent, the Broncos have essentially nothing to show for it. In 2007, the Broncos used their first-round pick on Jarvis Moss and added Tim Crowder in the second round. Moss and Crowder were expected to be the team's defensive ends of the future, but neither player remains in Denver.
McDaniels' first draft, though, is quickly becoming a legendarily bad production. He spent the 18th pick on pass-rusher Robert Ayers, who started only for one season at Tennessee and had just nine sacks in his four-year college career. Ayers has been a washout as a pro, but at least he's still in town! McDaniels dealt a first-round pick to move up and acquire Alphonso Smith with the 37th pick, but after Smith struggled during his rookie season, the Broncos dealt him to Detroit for practice squad tight end Dan Gronkowski. The team shipped Gronkowski out of town on Saturday and sent safety Darcel McBath, the 48th pick in that year's draft, along with him. That's five first- and second-round picks and one terrible pass-rusher to show for it.
It's not much prettier on the offensive side of the ball. The Broncos used the 12th pick in that year's draft on halfback Knowshon Moreno, who they're convinced isn't a full-time running back after two years of middling production. After spending the offseason staring longingly at DeAngelo Williams, they settled for Willis McGahee. The final second-round pick from that year's draft was blocking tight end Richard Quinn, whom the team also cut this offseason. The jury's still out on their two 2010 first-rounders, but wide receiver Demaryius Thomas has a torn Achilles and will miss the first half of the 2011 season, while Tim Tebow is currently third on the depth chart at quarterback and falling. Utility lineman Zane Beadles, the team's lone second-rounder, might be the best draft pick McDaniels made. That's not high praise, either.
Best-case scenario: Injuries to Orton and Brady Quinn force Tim Tebow into the lineup, and he leads the Broncos on a long winning streak that culminates in their winning the AFC West.
Worst-case scenario: The dismal draft classes of 2009 and 2010 continue to haunt the team, as a total lack of depth causes it to collapse with even a small number of injuries.
http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6936469/grantland-mega-nfl-preview-part-iii
While Josh McDaniels kept the Denver offense going before he was fired, the Broncos defense collapsed under a string of injuries last season. The 2009 unit had the league's seventh-best DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average), but it also fielded a group of 11 starters, many in their 30s, who combined to miss a total of just two games all season. When star pass-rusher Elvis Dumervil went down with a torn pectoral muscle last August and went on season-ending injured reserve, it was the first sign of an impending flood. By the end of the year, the Broncos' defensive starters had missed a combined 40 games. They fell to 30th in DVOA and allowed more points than any other team in football. It was ugly.
We can start with our reasons to be hopeful right there. Dumervil is back, which should change the entire complexion of their defense. He's also got a buddy in second overall pick Von Miller, who had 10.5 sacks as an outside linebacker in Texas A&M's 3-4 scheme last year. Outside linebackers in the 4-3 rarely rush the passer, so they don't normally accrue heavy sack totals, but John Fox is reportedly going to use Miller as a defensive end in pass-rushing situations. With Dumervil on the other side, Miller should get plenty of opportunities to rush the quarterback one-on-one against an overmatched right tackle. He may not get 10.5 sacks, but he should be a credible second threat.
On the other hand, it's hard to see where the meat of the defense is going to come from. Despite investing five high draft picks over the past five years into defensive talent, the Broncos have essentially nothing to show for it. In 2007, the Broncos used their first-round pick on Jarvis Moss and added Tim Crowder in the second round. Moss and Crowder were expected to be the team's defensive ends of the future, but neither player remains in Denver.
McDaniels' first draft, though, is quickly becoming a legendarily bad production. He spent the 18th pick on pass-rusher Robert Ayers, who started only for one season at Tennessee and had just nine sacks in his four-year college career. Ayers has been a washout as a pro, but at least he's still in town! McDaniels dealt a first-round pick to move up and acquire Alphonso Smith with the 37th pick, but after Smith struggled during his rookie season, the Broncos dealt him to Detroit for practice squad tight end Dan Gronkowski. The team shipped Gronkowski out of town on Saturday and sent safety Darcel McBath, the 48th pick in that year's draft, along with him. That's five first- and second-round picks and one terrible pass-rusher to show for it.
It's not much prettier on the offensive side of the ball. The Broncos used the 12th pick in that year's draft on halfback Knowshon Moreno, who they're convinced isn't a full-time running back after two years of middling production. After spending the offseason staring longingly at DeAngelo Williams, they settled for Willis McGahee. The final second-round pick from that year's draft was blocking tight end Richard Quinn, whom the team also cut this offseason. The jury's still out on their two 2010 first-rounders, but wide receiver Demaryius Thomas has a torn Achilles and will miss the first half of the 2011 season, while Tim Tebow is currently third on the depth chart at quarterback and falling. Utility lineman Zane Beadles, the team's lone second-rounder, might be the best draft pick McDaniels made. That's not high praise, either.
Best-case scenario: Injuries to Orton and Brady Quinn force Tim Tebow into the lineup, and he leads the Broncos on a long winning streak that culminates in their winning the AFC West.
Worst-case scenario: The dismal draft classes of 2009 and 2010 continue to haunt the team, as a total lack of depth causes it to collapse with even a small number of injuries.
http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6936469/grantland-mega-nfl-preview-part-iii