Renovation - Carswell to IR ~ Sign new OG

[Needa Pass Rush]

Printed from www.denverbroncos.com



Monday, October 31, 2005
BRONCOS PLACE G DWAYNE CARSWELL ON RESERVE/NON-FOOTBALL INJURY LIST; SIGN FREE-AGENT G TAYLOR WHITLEY

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos on Monday placed guard Dwayne Carswell on the reserve/non-football injury list, Head Coach Mike Shanahan announced. Carswell suffered internal injuries in an automobile accident on Thursday.

The Broncos also signed free-agent guard Taylor Whitley on Monday. As per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Carswell (6-3, 290 pounds) is in his 12th NFL season and saw action in the Broncos’ first seven games in 2005. A tight end for his first 11 years in the NFL and a former Pro Bowl player at the position, Carswell caught two touchdown passes this season in tackle-eligible situations.

Carswell, who entered the NFL with Denver in 1994 as an undrafted free agent, has totaled 192 receptions for 1,707 yards (8.9 avg.) with 15 touchdowns In 163 career regular-season games (82 starts).

Whitley (6-4, 315 pounds) is a third-year guard who was out of football after Miami waived him in its final roster cutdown on Sept. 3. Selected by the Dolphins in the third round (87th overall) of the 2003 NFL Draft, Whitley spent his first two professional seasons with the team and has appeared in 16 career regular-season games (11 starts).

In 2004, Whitley played in every game for Miami and started the first 11 games at right guard. The 25-year-old was inactive for all 16 regular-season games during his rookie year with the Dolphins in 2003.

Whitley played 45 career games (34 starts) in four years at Texas A&M, earning honorable mention All-Big 12 Conference honors from the Associated Press as a senior. He started all 11 regular-season games at right guard in each of his final two seasons with the Aggies.

A three-time all-district selection along the offensive and defensive lines at Sudan High School in Sudan, Texas, Taylor Ross Whitley was born Feb. 21, 1980, in Baytown, Texas.

[-Slap-]

Well, he's started 11 NFL games, which is nice, but how bad do you have to be to get released from the lineman starved Dolphins?

[Needa Pass Rush]

Originally Posted by -Slap-

Well, he's started 11 NFL games, which is nice, but how bad do you have to be to get released from the lineman starved Dolphins?

Makes you wonder what they see in him. Obviously they see something they like vs other options.

I like the idea of having more jumbo guys as backups and perhaps bring them in 4th and goal from the one to knock someone's ass off the ball. I guess they have some time to work with him over the next couple weeks to see if he's a fit.

Where is Diaz-Infante when you need him??

[Drek]

He was also a 3rd round pick just three years ago.

We'll see, a lot of guys change teams in similar fashion to this Whitley guy and go on to be great players. He's got good size, played well in the Big 12, one of the top OL conferences in college football. He obviously showed something last season to take a starting job for 11 games.

I personally don't discount guys who get cut by a new front office/coaching regime. A lot of times they just want to go in a different direction. I worry how a guy as big as Whitley will fair in our offense where the guards pull a lot, without a scouting report I'd assume he's rather slow (most 315 pounders are). But then, thats a positive for him as well, if he does make it into games he's at least physically powerful enough to make up for getting on a rush lesson in the playbook.

[Needa Pass Rush]

Taylor Whitley
Position: Guard
College: Texas A&M
Height: 6-4
Weight: 321
Hometown: Sudan, Texas

Career Notes | Agility | High School | Personal | Stats

ANALYSIS
Positives: Has a thick frame with developed mass and a solid structure … Shows quickness, agility and balance on the move … Fires off the ball and into his blocks with force … Has above average lateral agility, showing a good kick slide in pass protection … Maintains balance on the move and delivers a forceful hand punch to rock defenders back … Plays with aggression, displaying strong leg drive and proper arm extension to finish off his blocks … Plays with good leverage and consistently sustains blocks … Quick to pick up stunts … Can anchor and play with good strength … Bends his knees and sinks his hips properly in pass protection … Uses his hands to steer and wall off.
Negatives: Has an offensive tackle's physique, but his lack of ideal foot speed and mobility limitations could dictate staying at guard at the next level … When he gets too upright in his stance, defenders quickly get into his chest … Tends to play on his heels when retreating in pass protection, causing him to struggle redirecting towards the edge rush … Aggressive, but needs to show it on a more consistent basis.

CAREER NOTES
Versatile offensive lineman who could play guard or tackle … Also excelled on the Aggies' track team, performing in the shot put … Known for the excellent push he gets on running plays and has developed into a solid pass protector.
2002 SEASON
Associated Press All-Big 12 Conference honorable mention … Lined up at right offensive guard, totaling 83 knockdowns as he helped the offense average 386.2 yards per game.
Louisiana-Lafayette - Posted 8 knockdowns, clearing a rush lane used by fullback Joe Weber for a 2-yard scoring run as the Aggies totaled 423 yards.
Pittsburgh - Upended linebacker Gerald Hayes as tailback Derek Farmer went around the right side for a 1-yard touchdown.
Louisiana Tech - Cut blocked defensive tackle Chris Van Hoy on a 25-yard scoring strike from QB Dustin Long to Jamaar Taylor as A&M amassed 444 yards.
Baylor - Made a reach block to level defensive end Ethan Kelly on Long's 12-yard scoring lob to Bethel Johnson, posting 10 knockdowns for an offense that accounted for 395 yards.
Kansas - Shoved linebacker Greg Cole to the ground to spring Farmer for a 4-yard touchdown run as the offense collected 566 yards.
Oklahoma - Registered 10 knockdowns, including one that upended defensive end Jimmy Wilkerson on QB Reggie McNeal's 40-yard touchdown pass to Terry Murphy that gave A&M a 30-26 upset win as their offense generated 404 yards.
2001 SEASON
Started all year at right offensive guard … Helped pave the way for an offense that averaged 305.7 yards per game, registering 84 knockdowns in the process.
2000 SEASON
Started every regular season game at right guard and then shifted to right tackle for the Independence Bowl … Credited with 53 knockdowns as he cleared holes for an offense that averaged 381.6 yards per game … The line allowed just 10 quarterback sacks, despite logging the second-most pass attempts in school history (355).
1999 SEASON
Saw action in every game as a backup to Semisi Heimuli at right offensive guard and also served as a backup at both tackle positions.
1998 SEASON
Redshirted as a freshman. TRACK Competed on the Aggies' outdoor track team in 2002, performing in the shot put.
INJURY REPORT
No injuries reported.
CAMPUS AGILITY TESTS
5.35 in the 40-yard dash … 420-pound bench press … 660-pound squat … 363-pound power clean … 27-inch vertical jump … 33¼-inch arm length … 9¼-inch hands … Right-handed.
COMBINE AGILITY TESTS
ARM HAND TEST 40 20 10 225 VJ BJ SHUTTLE CONE
33 8 7/8 32 5.15 3.01 1.79 28 30 8'10" 4.58 7.95


HIGH SCHOOL
Attended Sudan (Texas) High … Three-time all-district and All-South Plains selection at offensive and defensive tackle … Did not allow a sack as a junior or senior … Four-year letterman in track, earning three state titles in the shot put and one in the discus … Coached by David Quisenberry.
PERSONAL
International Business major … Son of Lanette and Dennis Whitley … Father, Dennis, played football at Baylor … Step-grandfather, Dick Todd, was one of nation's top all-purpose threats for Texas A&M in the late 1930s … Born Feb. 21, 1980 in Baytown, Texas … Resides in Sudan, Texas.

[Rascal]

Originally Posted by Needa Pass Rush

ANALYSIS
Positives: Has a thick frame with developed mass and a solid structure … Shows quickness, agility and balance on the move … Fires off the ball and into his blocks with force … Has above average lateral agility, showing a good kick slide in pass protection … Maintains balance on the move and delivers a forceful hand punch to rock defenders back … Plays with aggression, displaying strong leg drive and proper arm extension to finish off his blocks … Plays with good leverage and consistently sustains blocks … Quick to pick up stunts … Can anchor and play with good strength … Bends his knees and sinks his hips properly in pass protection … Uses his hands to steer and wall off.
Negatives: Has an offensive tackle's physique, but his lack of ideal foot speed and mobility limitations could dictate staying at guard at the next level … When he gets too upright in his stance, defenders quickly get into his chest … Tends to play on his heels when retreating in pass protection, causing him to struggle redirecting towards the edge rush … Aggressive, but needs to show it on a more consistent basis.

The negative part sounds exactly like Carlisle IMO.

[anthonypacino]

Originally Posted by Needa Pass Rush

Makes you wonder what they see in him. Obviously they see something they like vs other options.

I like the idea of having more jumbo guys as backups and perhaps bring them in 4th and goal from the one to knock someone's ass off the ball. I guess they have some time to work with him over the next couple weeks to see if he's a fit.

Where is Diaz-Infante when you need him??

Infante is in the play by play booth with Dave Logan on 850 KOA

[Rascal]

In all fairness though Carlisle has played much better this year but he still has a lot of room to improve.

For one thing he doesn't bend his knees and insteads bends at the hips to much to counter act that. The result is that he often lunges a lot and misses blocks. It also makes it harder to lock on to a defender and finish the block. If he fixed that it would improve a lot. He has some other issues but I think they all originate from this flaw in his technique. His being knocked back might also be a result of this, but it's hard to tell with this being the main culprit. Fix that and see what other problems stick around.

I really really wish Dennison, Shanny, or somebody would work with him on this and get him to correct it.

[Needa Pass Rush]

Originally Posted by anthonypacino

Infante is in the play by play booth with Dave Logan on 850 KOA

Thanks, AP. I actually knew that.... just your run-of-the-mill rhetorical question. I always liked DDI. He was in and out of Denver a lot it seemed. And he always came to play.

[anthonypacino]

Originally Posted by Needa Pass Rush

Thanks, AP. I actually knew that.... just your run-of-the-mill rhetorical question. I always liked DDI. He was in and out of Denver a lot it seemed. And he always came to play.

Me too DDI and Glen Cadrez were both pretty good guys, not super star talent but they showed up when the team needed them to.

[anthonypacino]

IMO our line has not been the same since Alex Gibbs left, I don't want to start a fight about why he left and the reasons, just that they have declined since his departure. I have never been a Rick Dennison fan not even when he was coaching the ST. Short yardage running game is hurting, Dayne is not a short yardage runner, never has been, and MA has even been struggling with it a little, we are a cut back team, zone blocking we wait for the holes to open themselves not force one open. I hope this new kid will at least contribute, worthy of the guy he is replacing.

[Rascal]

We have done a much better job this year at getting the tough yards.

[anthonypacino]

Originally Posted by Rascal

We have done a much better job this year at getting the tough yards.

yes we have but there is always room to improve.

[Needa Pass Rush]

Originally Posted by anthonypacino

yes we have but there is always room to improve.

The way I see it, improvement has been the hallmark of the Broncos team this year. Steady improvement each week in aspects of team play that require it. Also, it seems to me that the gameplanning has been very good with Shanahan adding wrinkles every week. He seems to be approaching games differently every week and the result seems to be troubling to opposing defenses.

I would like you all to take an extra moment at the Broncos altar during the bye and pray a prodominantly blue and orange prayer for the teams continued good health. This is such a huge part of making a deep run and I'm uneasy even mentioning it here!

Knock On Wood, baby!