Krieger says Al wasn't hurt against SF...he was BENCHED!

[spdirty]

Hope this sheds some light.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drm...439886,00.html

Krieger: Wilson fails physical; Broncos fail chemistry


Dave Krieger
email | bioMarch 24, 2007
Not to suggest that your nap went a little long, but when you went to sleep, Al Wilson was the heart and soul of the Broncos defense. When you woke up, he was persona non grata, dangling before the rest of the league like a worm on a hook.

One minute, he's the leader of the fastest linebacking corps in football. The next, the Giants are reportedly nixing a trade for him after giving him a physical exam.

You knew football was a business, but you didn't know it was the used car business.

Here's the deal, as best I can make it out: Wilson has become the top organizational scapegoat for the collapse of the Broncos' defense down the stretch last season.

Well, departed defensive coaches Larry Coyer and Andre Patterson were the first scapegoats, but put down Wilson's name right after them. The organizational view is that Wilson's performance deteriorated as the season went along, to the point that he was called into Mike Shanahan's office near the end of the season and told as much.

In fact, the season finale against San Francisco was the first time in Wilson's pro career that he was active but did not play. Earlier in that week, when he was held out of two practices, Wilson said he had a stiff back. But he was not inactive for the game, the usual recourse when a player is unavailable due to a short-term injury. He was simply benched. In a game that would determine whether the Broncos went to the playoffs, Nate Webster played middle linebacker.

Now the Broncos are shopping Wilson with the assistance of his new agent, Peter Schaffer, who seems to be developing a side specialty of getting guys out of Denver, having recently made the necessary arrangements for Trevor Pryce and Ashley Lelie.

From the team's perspective, part of the motivation might be to avoid a confrontation over reduced playing time next year. Broncos brass has been talking for some time about adding D.J. Williams to the nickel package to increase his impact.

That would require subtracting someone - namely, Wilson or Ian Gold. Gold is the team's best cover linebacker, which means the odd man out would likely be Wilson.

There is no reason to think he would be happy about that.

Wilson has never been the most fundamentally sound tackler in the game, but his speed and athleticism often allowed him to recover from mistakes. In the year he turns 30, the club may feel that's no longer a winning formula.

On the other hand, Wilson's leadership and heart haven't gone anywhere. These things matter, too. Neither Gold nor Williams has exhibited the personality to replace them. Champ Bailey and John Lynch are fine leaders, but the secondary is a different deal. The front seven needs its own tough-guy leadership.

So you can't evaluate the apparent decision to unload Wilson without answering this question: Who takes his place?

You don't jettison a five-time Pro Bowl middle linebacker without having a line of succession in mind. Maybe the Broncos do, but it's not readily apparent.

If they want to convert Williams into a middle linebacker, they've kept quiet about it. What you do hear is that Williams would be more effective on the weak side, in Gold's spot, where he wouldn't have to bounce off tight ends all the time. If they're trying to free him of blockers, the middle is not the place to put him.

Webster looks like a short-term solution at best. About to turn 30 himself, with a history of knee trouble, Webster has never cracked triple digits in total tackles, something Wilson has done six times in eight NFL seasons, including the last one, when he led the team with 113, despite sitting out the finale.

My understanding is that trading Wilson would save the Broncos only about $2 million of salary-cap space. Every little bit helps - it looks like they had to cut Courtney Brown to sign quarterback Patrick Ramsey and wide receiver Brandon Stokley - but that savings is not enough to justify the deal by itself. The Broncos appear to have decided for football reasons that it is time for Wilson to go.

Why he failed his Giants physical is anybody's guess. Could have been the neck, the back, the oft-repaired thumb. Could have been too much cumulative risk for a guy with four years and more than $20 million left on his contract. Still, another team might reach a different conclusion. If all the Broncos want is a middle-round draft pick - they don't have a fourth or a fifth in the April draft - some team seems likely to take a chance.

Which brings us back to the main questions: If the Broncos trade Wilson, who plays middle linebacker? Who assumes his role in the locker room?

Whether shopping him is a good move depends entirely on what comes next. Presumably, Shanahan has a plan. In view of what he's prepared to give up, it had better be a good one.


kriegerd@RockyMountainNews.com

[SoCalBronco]

Wtf

[-Slap-]

I'm not accepting this as gospel truth, but if we benched Wilson for Webster, I think we were trying to lose the Frisco game on purpose.

[RhymesayersDU]

"This neighborhood is turning into Melrose Place."

-Dale Gribble

[Kaylore]

Kind of highlights those comments we heard from Shanahan about everyone's job being on the line at the end of the year, and whatnot.

[shakenbake]

As I said in another post: If Al is considered the "heart and soul" of our defense and our defense has not played up to par the last few seasons, then there is a reason to get rid of him. He simply is a steady, solid linebacker, not a playmaker and not worth 20 million over the next 4 years.

[Play2win]

I thought this was especially interesting...

Originally Posted by spdirty

Webster looks like a short-term solution at best. About to turn 30 himself, with a history of knee trouble, Webster has never cracked triple digits in total tackles, something Wilson has done six times in eight NFL seasons, including the last one, when he led the team with 113, despite sitting out the finale.

[Rascal]

Wow.

So even the Broncos brass recognizes that DJ is better suited at WLB. And that going to MLB won't alleviate his problems either. Are they thinking about getting rid of Gold as well next year?

We have so many holes on that defense it's impossible to fill them all this year. Not to mention Lynch being old and Ekuban being a FA next year.

[-Slap-]

I can't remember a worse effort by a Bronco MLB than Webster turned in against San Francisco. Al Wilson never had a game that bad. I honestly don't believe Allen Aldridge or Glenn Cadrez ever played that poorly, either. You would probably have to go back to one of Elijah Alexander's rodeo efforts at ILB.

I can live without Al Wilson, but replacing him in the starting lineup with Nate Webster is nothing short of suicide. If that's truly the plan, LJ and LT might trade the single game rushing record back and forth a couple times next year.

[wabbit]

Not so sure about the benching, but I agree with the substance.

Shanahan just couldn't believe his defense...the same one flirting with defensive statistical history the first five weeks of the season...was easily surrending substantial leads the second half of the season.

Also, I would wager that Bates has added valuable, painfully frank objective input as well.

[Play2win]

I guess in this age of the salary cap, a team needs to pick and choose where they put their top-notch, high dollar tallent. The D-Line would seem to be the most wise, and from then on, it is just a question of correctly managing your assets

[eddie mac]

Krieger knows I'd like to crawl in the same snuggie with all about I'd like to crawl in the same snuggie with all. Even Williamson knows more than that tube. As for his statement about the Broncos having to cut Brown to sign Ramsey and Stokley, quit talking out yer ass. Smith saved $5.5m in room just prior to that and the last I heard NFL franchises cant go over the cap at present.

[Rascal]

Originally Posted by -Slap-

I can't remember a worse effort by a Bronco MLB than Webster turned in against San Francisco. Al Wilson never had a game that bad. I honestly don't believe Allen Aldridge or Glenn Cadrez ever played that poorly, either. You would probably have to go back to one of Elijah Alexander's rodeo efforts at ILB.

I can live without Al Wilson, but replacing him in the starting lineup with Nate Webster is nothing short of suicide. If that's truly the plan, LJ and LT might trade the single game rushing record back and forth a couple times next year.

No kidding. I'll have to bump them up on my fantasy rankings.

HA!

[Rock Chalk]

Originally Posted by -Slap-

I'm not accepting this as gospel truth, but if we benched Wilson for Webster, I think we were trying to lose the Frisco game on purpose.

Wow, thats exactly what I first thought.

But why? I dont understand why we would tank a game.

[Requiem]

Originally Posted by -Slap-

I can't remember a worse effort by a Bronco MLB than Webster turned in against San Francisco. Al Wilson never had a game that bad. I honestly don't believe Allen Aldridge or Glenn Cadrez ever played that poorly, either. You would probably have to go back to one of Elijah Alexander's rodeo efforts at ILB.

I can live without Al Wilson, but replacing him in the starting lineup with Nate Webster is nothing short of suicide. If that's truly the plan, LJ and LT might trade the single game rushing record back and forth a couple times next year.

Slap, that's why we draft Patrick Willis and are set for 10 more years at MLB before we do this to him.

[Rock Chalk]

Originally Posted by Requiem

Slap, that's why we draft Patrick Willis and are set for 10 more years at MLB before we do this to him.

Or Willis turns out to be Terry Pierce The Second.

Draft picks are gambles, all of them.

[Play2win]

SAM-
MIKE- Patrick Willis
WILL- DJ

[SoCalBronco]

Originally Posted by Rascal

Wow.

So even the Broncos brass recognizes that DJ is better suited at WLB. And that going to MLB won't alleviate his problems either.

I don't know about that, I think that part was Krieger speculating. Remember, in that article earlier about the linebackers in Bates scheme, it was noted that the MLB position is expected to be the most productive.

I am glad though, to see the staff is finally figuring that they made a colossal ****up when they displaced DJ.

[Rock Chalk]

Fat chance DS49. Gold isnt going anywhere unfortunately.

[azbroncfan]

And this is just coming out now? I highly doubt the truth to this story as someone or one of the players would of brought it up by now.

[TheDave]

Originally Posted by Alec

Wow, thats exactly what I first thought.

But why? I dont understand why we would tank a game.

Just a guess... So that we didn't get embarrassed again against Indy

[NFLBRONCO]

Originally Posted by wabbit

Not so sure about the benching, but I agree with the substance.

Shanahan just couldn't believe his defense...the same one flirting with defensive statistical history the first five weeks of the season...was easily surrending substantial leads the second half of the season.

Also, I would wager that Bates has added valuable, painfully frank objective input as well.

First 5 weeks reality was sucky offenses not awesome D. Better offenses exposed our weak D.

[Requiem]

Originally Posted by Alec

Or Willis turns out to be Terry Pierce The Second.

Draft picks are gambles, all of them.

Terry Pierce pretty much became a non-factor after we re-signed Al. If I recall correctly, he was drafted because we didn't know that he'd be coming back?

[Willynowei]

Originally Posted by Alec

Wow, thats exactly what I first thought.

But why? I dont understand why we would tank a game.

I don't think we were trying to tank the game by taking Wilson out. I think Shanny figured we would win without him, but wanted to lay down the law in Bronco land.

[eddie mac]

Originally Posted by Alec

Fat chance DS49. Gold isnt going anywhere unfortunately.

More to do with Shanahan's ego as well. If they're prepared to dump Al just to save a few million in cap space they could do a similar thing with Gold but Mike will never lose face by doing that.