A question for our insiders about the O-Line

[JCMElway]

How many O-lineman will we carry? In for sure are:

Lesis, Hamilton, Nalen, Carlisle, Foster.

Possible backups are:

2nd team: Green, Stuber, Watton, Carswell, Clement

3rd team: Pears, Spikes, Myers, Wilson, Clabo

4th Team: Ben Nowland

I think the Broncs keep 8 OL. If I had to say who the 3 left over will be, I would say Cornell Green, Carswell and Watton. If they keep 9 Clement sneaks in. But that's all guessing. We have apretty good idea who is excelling at the 2nd team DL, but the OL is a little more fuzzy. So I pose this question:

To those who saw training camp or have inside info, what's the status on the backup O-linemen? Who has a leg up?

[watermock]

No clue. I would guess Clement, Spikes, Green, Meyers, and Carswell make it. Why am I posting? I haven't a clue. It's like trying to get UFO information from Gerald Ford. This team needs a bigger roster dammit.

[JCMElway]

Originally Posted by watermock

This team needs a bigger roster dammit.

Very true. I like your 55 idea.

[JCMElway]

Originally Posted by watermock

No clue. I would guess Clement, Spikes, Green, Meyers, and Carswell make it. Why am I posting?

I think we lose 1 or 2 guys from that list. If we ran with 10 OL I'd be shocked.

Originally Posted by watermock

Why am I posting?

Why do you ever post? It seems that's all you ever do!

[watermock]

I just set up the pins. I was just waiting for the first fool to knock them over. I figured Slappy, but he is probably losing at the SportBook at the Frontier, as usual.

[JCMElway]

Color me foolish!

[wabbit]

Originally Posted by JCMElway

How many O-lineman will we carry? In for sure are:

Lesis, Hamilton, Nalen, Carlisle, Foster.

Possible backups are:

2nd team: Green, Stuber, Watton, Carswell, Clement

3rd team: Pears, Spikes, Myers, Wilson, Clabo

4th Team: Ben Nowland

I think the Broncs keep 8 OL. If I had to say who the 3 left over will be, I would say Cornell Green, Carswell and Watton. If they keep 9 Clement sneaks in. But that's all guessing. We have apretty good idea who is excelling at the 2nd team DL, but the OL is a little more fuzzy. So I pose this question:

To those who saw training camp or have inside info, what's the status on the backup O-linemen? Who has a leg up?

Shanahan has said on multiple occasions that you can't have enough O-lineman...then again, he has said the same thing about DBs & RBs as well, so pick your poison.

Watton has gotten a lot of positive press recently, but I noticed rookie Chris Myers moved up to second team...if only briefly, and that's a reflection of a lack of confidence in Watton.

No-body seemed to notice, but Carswell had a horrible game against the San Fran scrubs. I noticed it more when I watched the game a second time. He is, by no means, assured of a spot on this team.

Green & Stuber...I know absolutely nothing about, so I can only suggest they haven't exactly cemented their place in Bronco lore.

Clement will make the team because he can play Guard & Tackle at a reasonably adequate level...but only that.

Coaches love Myers, but they also know they might be able to get away with a final cut that they can put on their practice squad & develop...especially as a long snapper.

Pears & Wilson appear to be goners...why...they aren't getting any reps...or extremely limited reps.

Spikes is another of those versatile guys, but he's not all that great at run or pass blocking.

Shanahan had hoped to find a little sparkle in all that junk, but it's a pretty shaky proposition if any of our 'depth'...using the term generously...has to sub for any length of time.

The key indicator is, and always had been that none...not 1 of these 'contenders' has seriously threatened the starter...not even Cooper Carlisle who looks like John Hannah next to some of these fellows...and that's pretty scarey.

Lets face it, the O-line...often the pride of Denver's offensive scheme over the years, has fallen on hard times...not desperation by any means, but a significant injury could do very serious damage to this teams' chances.

[24champ]

very scary indeed but like everyone says lets wait until the final cuts and maybe we can pick up someone better suited for this bronco scheme?

[Bronco LB 59]

Wabbit

What did the Broncos think of Josh Sewell's future prospects before he decided to hang them up?

[SoCalBronco]

Great report Wabbit. Thanks a bunch.

Depressing that no one has seriously challenged Cooper.

Myers is very smart but I knew it would take awhile for him to adjust but Im glad the coaches like him. I had really high hopes for Clabo especially after his shining performance across the Atlantic. Sewell leaving us high and dry didnt help either.

The Good Lord is going to have to bless us on the injury front for the OL or else....

[wabbit]

Originally Posted by Bronco LB 52

Wabbit

What did the Broncos think of Josh Sewell's future prospects before he decided to hang them up?

Rick Dennison said Sewell was 'doing fine' and had a fighters chance for a roster spot. Dennison seemed mystified about his sudden departure.

I heard that he became very frustrated with Denver's complex blocking schemes...and vented a bit to teammates, but the staff was working with him when he decided, for whatever reason, to just give up.

He could re-surface with another team...one with a very straightforward blocking scheme...more to his liking.

[JCMElway]

Originally Posted by wabbit

Lets face it, the O-line...often the pride of Denver's offensive scheme over the years, has fallen on hard times...not desperation by any means, but a significant injury could do very serious damage to this teams' chances.

Well, color me depressed. This is our achilles heel to be sure. It was a very encouraging camp and off season except for this area.

Pray for no injuries here.......

Call me a homer, but I can't believe that Dan Neil isn't back on the team considering all of our current instability along the O-line..

[JCMElway]

Originally Posted by wabbit

Rick Dennison said Sewell was 'doing fine' and had a fighters chance for a roster spot. Dennison seemed mystified about his sudden departure.

Have there been any thoughts about bringing Neil back? To me it would seem like the perfect solution to have him backing up Coop and Hamilton, maybe even pushing Coop for playing time.

Thoughts?

[wabbit]

Originally Posted by JCMElway

Have there been any thoughts about bringing Neil back?...

Yes, there was considerable talk about it before the first mini-camp and then again the first week of camp...ironically enough, just about the time coaches got a good hard look at the people they had brought in.

Since that time..say, three weeks ago, I haven't heard any talk about bringing Neil back. I can't say why. I hadn't even thought about it until now.

[24champ]

Originally Posted by wabbit

Yes, there was considerable talk about it before the first mini-camp and then again the first week of camp...ironically enough, just about the time coaches got a good hard look at the people they had brought in.

Since that time..say, three weeks ago, I haven't heard any talk about bringing Neil back. I can't say why. I hadn't even thought about it until now.

Does anyone know if NEIL is interested in coming back?

[JCMElway]

Originally Posted by 24champbailey

Does anyone know if NEIL is interested in coming back?

I would certainly be very happy to have him back. It seems like it would bring a TON of stability to the line, even if he was just a backup.

[footstepsfrom#27]

OK...this isn't as sexy a topic as Tatum vs MA...BVP...Watts vs Rice...etc...but it might be more important.

Looking at our depth in the OL, it's obvious how thin we are in the interior. Tackle looks OK with Clement but the guard/center backups are the weak link on the team...filled with UFA's, practice squad rejects, NFL Euro guys and castoffs... Tyson Clabo, Cameron Spikes, Chris Watton, etc...don't exactly inspire confidence in where we'll be if Hamilton, Nalen, or Carlyle go down. Spikes is the only guy with starting experience (30 games with AZ) but was let go by the Cardinals, which doesn't bode well. Clabo's been cut three times by three different teams including Denver. Stuber's been on 9 teams in 4 years...you get the point. I was hoping Chris Meyers would be ready as a rookie but it looks like it will take more than one training camp for him to make the roster here.

That is also part of the problem. It might not be so easy to just pick up another guy off somebody elses waiver wire and plug them in with a couple week's worth of work and playbook time if we get in trouble. The system isn't like the rest of the NFL...it will take time to learn it since it's unique.

Well...almost...Alex Gibbs is still out there.

Obviously Gibbs still knows how to coach. So why not take a long look at the Falcon backup guard/center prospects to see who is likely to miss the cut. Steve Herndon is still there and I think he'd certainly fit here at least as well or better than what we've got now. The other Atlanta backup candidates are Martin Bibla (6'3", 306; 4th year/Miami), Michael Moore (6'2", 318; 6th year/Troy State) who was signed and waived by Denver twice in 2002, Dave Pearson (6'3", 297, 2nd year/Michigan) a UFA singed and cut by Detroit last year and an All-Academic type of guy, Mike Mabry (6'1", 295; 2nd year/Central Florida), a Ravens 7th rounder cut and signed in Atlanta w/a year in NFL Europe...powerlifting guy, Austin King (6'5", 303; 4th year/Northwestern), 4th rounder by Tampa...

Herndon's the only one I'm familiar with and who knows if any of the rest are any better than what we have now. Herndon's listed #3 on the depth chart but a Falcon fan said he's slated to backup both guard spots as well as center now. If we had to, we could send a 7th for somebody who at least knows the system. Unless at least one of the current 2nd unit guys steps up and shows something, I'm thinking we might need to orchestrate a trade of some kind to shore this up sooner rather than later.

[watermock]

I think that Neil gave about 110 percent, when he needed 120 percent as his body degraded, he couldn't do it.

He's moved and is gone.

[JCMElway]

I agree Footsteps.

I think Shanny will pull off a trade if absolutely nothing on the interior OL pans out. If things progress as they have been, we stay with what we have and pray for no injuries, OR we pick up the best thing we can after final cuts.

I don't think the Falcons would let Herndon go for just a 7th.

[24champ]

Originally Posted by JCMElway

I agree Footsteps.

I think Shanny will pull off a trade if absolutely nothing on the interior OL pans out. If things progress as they have been, we stay with what we have and pray for no injuries, OR we pick up the best thing we can after final cuts.

I don't think the Falcons would let Herndon go for just a 7th.

Begs the question...with all the draft picks next year do we use them in the first round or what? Anyone know any premier lineman in college?

[footstepsfrom#27]

Originally Posted by JCMElway

I agree Footsteps.

I think Shanny will pull off a trade if absolutely nothing on the interior OL pans out. If things progress as they have been, we stay with what we have and pray for no injuries, OR we pick up the best thing we can after final cuts.

I don't think the Falcons would let Herndon go for just a 7th.

No...they wouldn't, but then neither will anyone else give you a good player for that if they're going to keep him. But maybe one of these other guys they have is a numbers victim they'd like to sneak through waivers but don't want to risk it. Their bio's sound like typical Denver O-Line guys...smart, mobile, undersized gamers etc...if have to go somewhere for help, Gibbs has 'em already trained at least.

[footstepsfrom#27]

Originally Posted by footstepsfrom#27

No...they wouldn't, but then neither will anyone else give you a good player for that if they're going to keep him. But maybe one of these other guys they have is a numbers victim they'd like to sneak through waivers but don't want to risk it. Their bio's sound like typical Denver O-Line guys...smart, mobile, undersized gamers etc...if have to go somewhere for help, Gibbs has 'em already trained at least.

D'Brickashaw Ferguson, OT from W Virginia, Eric Winston OT from Miami, and Marcus McNeil OT from Auburn are all top 10 pick types...Ferguson is rated as high as #1 overall at this point.

[JCMElway]

Originally Posted by footstepsfrom#27

No...they wouldn't, but then neither will anyone else give you a good player for that if they're going to keep him. But maybe one of these other guys they have is a numbers victim they'd like to sneak through waivers but don't want to risk it. Their bio's sound like typical Denver O-Line guys...smart, mobile, undersized gamers etc...if have to go somewhere for help, Gibbs has 'em already trained at least.

Also very true. And I'd love to put the screws to Gibbs. It seems like he kind of burned the Broncos and forced them into letting him go. That and the whole David Gibbs fiasco.

[watermock]

There is alot of OL talent in the draft, and we could use a vet OL released in a final cut. Shanahan never rests, he will get another OL in...just wait.

There are some fine LT's in the early draft next year, don't be surprised if we go there.

[SoCalBronco]

I dont think Dan can even walk properly right now. I dont think there was much debate that he was far, far superior to Cooper, after all he held Cooper at bay for 4,5 years now, but as Mock said, his body just broke down. He cant play. Its no coincidence that he hasnt signed with a single team. New England talked to him earlier but never offered him something. He just cant do it physically anymore. The guy is a hero and I wont ever forget him but it he cant help us.