Building Offense Around Cutler

[Rascal]

No kidding, but some interesting quotes.

Phoenix - Standing tall, wearing No. 6 in orange and blue, is a kid with a magic arm and practically an entire career in front of him.

Surrounding this kid is a newly acquired, well-established running back in Travis Henry and a $15 million tight end in Daniel Graham. There is a bigger offensive line, two relatively large, physical wide receivers in Javon Walker and Brandon Marshall, and two more veteran pass-catchers with glittering résumés in Rod Smith and Brandon Stokley.

Plus, there is the kid's favorite target going back to last preseason, Tony Scheffler.

This is the picture the Broncos kept in mind as they planned their offseason. They may not admit it, and they will never say it, but everyone else paying attention can see it.

The Broncos have just built their offense around their kid quarterback, Jay Cutler.

"Every year, they kind of load up in areas they feel they have a need," said Tony Dungy, coach of the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts. "A couple years ago they went heavy with the defensive backs. Then they went with the defensive linemen. And I think this year they're putting some offensive weaponry in place. And there's no doubt, they've got some weapons."

Cutler's enormous potential is one reason the Broncos prioritized offensive improvement during their offseason. Mediocrity was another. Among the 32 NFL teams, the Broncos ranked 21st in total offense last season.

An offensive-minded coach such as Mike Shanahan was not about to tolerate a 21st-ranked offense, not when his units were ranked in the top five in eight of his first 11 seasons, and seventh in another.

"To not be in the top five is embarrassing," Shanahan said Tuesday during the AFC coaches' breakfast. "That's the standard we should put ourselves in. I'll be very disappointed if we're not back there."

Broncos fans may recall Shanahan made his first significant offensive change last year, when he replaced veteran quarterback Jake Plummer with the rookie Cutler. In the 11 games under Plummer, the Broncos averaged 304.3 yards and 17.7 points per game. In five games under Cutler, the numbers went up to 320.8 and 24.8.

During his five-game test, Cutler was shaky in his first game, concussed in his last and exceptional in the three games in between. His ability to open up all four quadrants of the field with his big arm gives the Broncos an offensive asset they haven't utilized since John Elway retired after the 1998 season.

To polish his performance for 2007, Cutler must develop his feel of the pass rush and the patience to dump off the ball instead of waiting for patterns to develop downfield.

"He goes to our facility and you can see him working on footwork, and different quarterback drills," Shanahan said. "You can see he loves the game. He wants to get better; he wants to be the best at what he does. And to do that, you have to work all year- round. He has that type of mindset."

If the franchise quarterback has arrived, why wait to bring in his complements? Perhaps nothing aids a quarterback more than a strong running game, and the Broncos fortified this area first by adding Henry, who in only three full seasons amassed about 1,200, 1,300 and 1,400 yards rushing, and Graham, who just became the league's highest-paid blocking tight end.

The risk in those investments is that Henry is one more infraction away from getting a one- year suspension through the NFL substance-abuse program.

"I've talked to him about that," Shanahan said. "He knows that this is his last chance. He knows if he screws up, he's gone. Sometimes that's better than a guy who has only one strike.

"To keep on playing the game, the guy knows he's got a chance at financial security, he's on a great team. He's got a chance to do something special. For him to take a chance to do anything would be completely stupid."

In Walker, the Broncos have an elite receiver talented enough to single-handedly win road games at New England and Pittsburgh last year. The best bet to start at No. 2 receiver is Marshall, a second-year player who came on late in his rookie season.

"He's got a chance to be a No. 1," Shanahan said before learning of Marshall's arrest on a domestic violence charge Monday. "He's got that type of ability. He's got great speed, great hands. He finished very strong. His potential is unlimited. It all depends on how hard he wants to work and what his goals are. He's got a chance to be a difference-maker."

Add Smith, who was hampered all last season with a hip injury that since has been surgically repaired; Stokley, a former Broncos nemesis coming off a torn Achilles tendon; and Scheffler, whose production went up the minute Cutler went in, and the biggest problem the Broncos' offense may have is figuring out how to share one ball.

"I always believed this, even though you have a great quarterback, he's even better when you put people around him who can make plays," Kansas City Chiefs coach Herm Edwards said. "Where all the pressure is not just on him - (the Broncos) have done that, especially at the receiver position. They've got big, strong guys and that quarterback is going to be a good player, so yeah, they're building around him."

They're also building in front of him. With the return of Matt Lepsis at left tackle, the Broncos are planning to put 300-pounders Erik Pears and Chris Kuper on the right side.

"It's almost funny when I hear, 'Denver's going to a different- style offense because they're getting bigger,"' Shanahan said. "That has nothing to do with it. You want quick linemen. Now if you have quick linemen and big linemen, that's even better. That helps your pass protection."

Pocket pass protection is a greater need now that the Broncos' new quarterback is primarily a pocket passer. Get the picture? This offense is built to fit Cutler.

"That's what you do - when you have a guy, you have to give him some players," said John Madden, a TV analyst and former Oakland Raiders coach. "That was the Patriots' problem last year. They had Tom Brady, but you look at the guys around him and they realized, you better go get some guys. That's what Shanahan's doing now."

http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_5534836

[Drek]

Not a bad article. I'm looking forward to the '07 offense even if the defense is still very open to questions.

[Billy Clyde Puckett]

We all know the defense needs the most attention now, but I bet the moves on offense are not complete yet. Shanahan wants a top 5 offense.

[Odysseus]

If we are serious about offense how many of our guys on offensive line are getting pro bowls or other consideration?

[cutthemdown]

If Broncos can force teams to throw by scoring early and often that will only help guys like Bly and Bailey make plays. It may expose our pass rush a bit but at least teams won't be running on us and controlling the clock. The Broncos in 96-98 were so good because the game started we got up on people early and forced them to the air. Meanwhile we would get a lead and then run ball all 4th quarter. The defense needs to get better but with more scoring it would get easier for the defense.

[watermock]

Not much of an article.

[Odysseus]

We need a defensive tackle that actually warrants a double team.

We need an offensive tackle that gets pro bowl consideration or hall of fame or something besides "Golly. You are being to hard on him."

We don't have either one.

I think running the ball and planning on running the ball are two different things. I think BECAUSE Cutler can haul off a 70 yard strike and having the TIME to haul off a 70 yard strike is two different things.

I don't think our lines are horrible unfortunate disasters. I just don't think we can execute effective ALL YEAR without at least two upgrades.

[Dr.5280]

Give JC all the tools he needs. The one thing he needs to develop is pocket awareness. Getting concussed in game 16 was as much his fault as George Foster's. Save them brain cells. Taking the hit ain't all it's cranked up to be.

[Drek]

Originally Posted by quiettiger

We need a defensive tackle that actually warrants a double team.

We need an offensive tackle that gets pro bowl consideration or hall of fame or something besides "Golly. You are being to hard on him."

We don't have either one.

I think running the ball and planning on running the ball are two different things. I think BECAUSE Cutler can haul off a 70 yard strike and having the TIME to haul off a 70 yard strike is two different things.

I don't think our lines are horrible unfortunate disasters. I just don't think we can execute effective ALL YEAR without at least two upgrades.

You don't think Lepsis or Nalen, both of whom have been to pro-bowls before, could have another pro-bowl level season?

I think our OL is being overhauled on the fly pretty well. I'd like to see a young OT with a mean streak and some power brought in to develop, but I don't think it warrants one of our first two picks. Outside of that we're going to see a quality upgrade at RT, at least a size and pass blocking upgrade at RG, and an upgrade at LT over what we had for the last half of '07.

You can't predict our OL's future based on what we saw at the end of '07 when we'd lost Lepsis, had no choice but to play Foster, and Carlisle was doing a poor job in pass protection. We're going to be a bigger, more pass friendly unit next year.

[WoodMan]

Originally Posted by watermock

Not much of an article.

agreed, mostly fluff. Tell me something I don't already know. It will be interesting to see who actually ends up starting on the right side of O-line.

[Odysseus]

Originally Posted by Drek

You don't think Lepsis or Nalen, both of whom have been to pro-bowls before, could have another pro-bowl level season?

I think our OL is being overhauled on the fly pretty well. I'd like to see a young OT with a mean streak and some power brought in to develop, but I don't think it warrants one of our first two picks. Outside of that we're going to see a quality upgrade at RT, at least a size and pass blocking upgrade at RG, and an upgrade at LT over what we had for the last half of '07.

You can't predict our OL's future based on what we saw at the end of '07 when we'd lost Lepsis, had no choice but to play Foster, and Carlisle was doing a poor job in pass protection. We're going to be a bigger, more pass friendly unit next year.

I like your optimism. No. I don't think we have a pro bowler on our offensive line next year. I think our OL is going to be hot and cold. I think there will be some games where they are going to look like trench gods. I think they are better without Foster. I think if they don't find some depth on the OL even if it's for development next year they are making a mistake.

[Drek]

Originally Posted by quiettiger

I like your optimism. No. I don't think we have a pro bowler on our offensive line next year. I think our OL is going to be hot and cold. I think there will be some games where they are going to look like trench gods. I think they are better without Foster. I think if they don't find some depth on the OL even if it's for development next year they are making a mistake.

I actually like our depth as well. Holland and Kuper will compete for the starting RG spot, the loser will either be a 30 game starter or a impressive young talent that the coaching staff liked enough to try getting on the field as a rookie. At OT Meadows will have a full off-season of conditioning so he should be a capable vet backup behind Lepsis and Pears. Meyers and Eslinger make for a pretty good 3rd and 4th interior lineman to battle for one spot in camp.

What we really need at this point is a developmental OT. I think Pears can do a solid job at LT or RT so we just need the best guy we can get regardless of if he projects to RT or LT. He can be a middle round pick because he just needs to be ready two or three years down the road when Lepsis hangs it up.

[Inkana7]

Did John Madden....actually say something....that made sense?

[Odysseus]

Originally Posted by Drek

I actually like our depth as well. Holland and Kuper will compete for the starting RG spot, the loser will either be a 30 game starter or a impressive young talent that the coaching staff liked enough to try getting on the field as a rookie. At OT Meadows will have a full off-season of conditioning so he should be a capable vet backup behind Lepsis and Pears. Meyers and Eslinger make for a pretty good 3rd and 4th interior lineman to battle for one spot in camp.

What we really need at this point is a developmental OT. I think Pears can do a solid job at LT or RT so we just need the best guy we can get regardless of if he projects to RT or LT. He can be a middle round pick because he just needs to be ready two or three years down the road when Lepsis hangs it up.

Good points.

I want to try get a guy whose actually a world beater at OT who can play R, L or reserves without a drop off. We aren't going to be able to get that kind of guy. Broncos OL is home grown so what you are saying is probably the way that things are going to roll.

[Moon§hiner]

Originally Posted by cutthemdown

If Broncos can force teams to throw by scoring early and often that will only help guys like Bly and Bailey make plays. It may expose our pass rush a bit but at least teams won't be running on us and controlling the clock. The Broncos in 96-98 were so good because the game started we got up on people early and forced them to the air. Meanwhile we would get a lead and then run ball all 4th quarter. The defense needs to get better but with more scoring it would get easier for the defense.

Good point....I always felt that Robinson wasn't really much of a defensive guru as he was the benefactor of getting a quick 2 touchdown lead. Granted, his defenses came through in some close games against the Jets in the playoffs and the Super Bowl against the Packers but getting an early lead can make any defensive coaches job much easier. I'm not expecting "super" things this year, but I like the emphasis.

[usedupbraids]

nope we always get a QB for or good running game Offense.ELWAY,CUTLER,JAKE PLAY ALMOST THE SAME.

[Cito Pelon]

I'm all for a powerful, efficient O. It's great to have at least one super-duper unit, that's usually enough to get you into the playoffs. Then come playoffs, you hope whatever units were the weaker during the reg season play over their average.

[watermock]

Originally Posted by Inkana7

Did John Madden....actually say something....that made sense?

Boom! Madden makes sense, in a retarded sense when he repeats the obvious over and over again.

"gets out telestrator"..."Now See",,,No John we are on radio..."You got this guy and that guy(draws circles)...and Boom the tackler makes the play..."