Broncos flush with talent as camp opens

[dragondawg]

The Denver Broncos are the last team in the National Football League to open training camp, doing so today.

Not to worry. They’ll catch up.

Questions abound because new faces in critical places also abound.

The big question, of course, revolves around second-year quarterback Jay Cutler, Mike Shanahan’s hand-picked savior.

Cutler certainly showed late last season that he has the talent and moxie to succeed as a quarterback in the NFL. He showed off a terrific arm and a willingness to stand in the pocket until the last possible second before delivering the ball.

Now he just has to show that, in a relatively short time frame, he has learned to throw the ball consistently to the right-colored jersey and the correct receiver.

I’m not worried, largely because of the supporting cast Cutler has been handed.

The Broncos made two huge offseason acquisitions to help the offense.

First, they signed free agent tight end Daniel Graham. Graham was mostly a blocker with the New England Pats, one of the league’s best.

And that can’t do anything but help Cutler and the other huge pickup, running back Travis Henry, a free agent from Tennessee.

In my mind, last year’s biggest problem with Denver, particularly late in the season when they tumbled out of the playoff chase, was lack of a running game. They could not punch the ball up the field. Instead, they hoped the now-departed Tatum Bell or rookie Mike Bell would occasionally break a long gain. That does not make for good offense.

Henry will.

He’s a slasher who is tough to bring down at the line of scrimmage and will do exactly what Denver needs for lengthy periods of time — rush for 4, 5 and 6 yards at a clip and move the chains.

That will allow Cutler play-action pass opportunities galore.

Another thing that will help Denver offensively is the return of left tackle Matt Lepsis, who returns after tearing up a knee early last season. He is one of the league’s top pass blockers and his return will allow his replacement, Erik Pears, to move to the right side and battle with veteran Adam Meadows for the starting job.

With Javon Walker and Brandon Marshall penciled in at starting wide-outs and the additions of Brandon Stokely, the former Colt standout, and, at some point, veteran Rod Smith, as the third receiver, the Broncos have plenty of talent and depth offensively.

Defensively, Shanahan addressed the team’s biggest need, the defensive line, through free agency and the draft. Shanahan brought in eight new interior linemen to compete with the holdovers, a group that deteriorated in the second half of last season.

Free agents Sam Adams and Jimmy Kennedy, both in the 335-to 350-pound range, add plenty of beef in the middle, as do 295-pounder Alvin McKinley, a free agent from Cleveland, and 300-pound draftee Marcus Thomas. Those four are added to line holdovers Gerard Warren (325 pounds) and Ebenezer Ekuban (285 pounds), who moves inside from his end spot.

Denver is suddenly huge and deep in the middle.

Add draftees Jarvis Moss, a first-rounder, and second-round pick Tim Crowder to Elvis Dumervil, John Engelberger and Kenard Lang and there is hope of a consistent pass rush.

D.J. Williams, now in his third year, moves into the middle of the linebacking corps to replace Al Wilson. Ian Gold is still the weakside backer and still flies to the ball. Those two will be fine. The question is who plays the strong side, Warrick Holdman, or T.J. Hollowell, both free agent pickups.

The secondary should be a strength despite the stunning death of Darrent Williams.

Dre Bly, a Pro Bowl player, was brought in to replace Williams at the corner opposite Champ Bailey and those two provide Denver with the best cover duo in the league.

Safeties John Lynch and Nick Ferguson, despite age, provide leadership, plenty of nasty attitude and consistency.

Overall, it’s a talented group, right now. If it stays healthy, we’ll all enjoy the show well into 2008.

http://www.gjsentinel.com/sports/con..._bits_WWW.html

[Dedhed]

I don't think that Ekuban is going to end up in the middle, especially given the number of DTs we brought in. I think that was a desperation move towards the end of last year. We need him on the edge where we're deep on talent, but thin on experience. I think Eb can be a nice veteran anchor for what looks like it may be a very youthful DE rotation.

Last time I checked, DJ was going into his 4th year.

[Inkana7]

I don't know. They moved him in the middle on passing downs during the last 4 or so games of the season, and I read somewhere that he had 2.5 sacks and 14 or so tackles during that span.

[ICON]

The Broncos made two huge offseason acquisitions to help the offense.

Jim Bates makes 3 huge offseason acquisitions to help the offense.

[theAPAOps5]

Originally Posted by ICON

Jim Bates makes 3 huge offseason acquisitions to help the offense.

QFT.....

And to add to that. Shanny makes a key trade that immediately bolsters the O-Line, he sends Foster to Detroit.

[ward63]

Engleberger...not a pass rusher and T.J. Howell is likely to not make the team, let alone get the Sam position.

[dragondawg]

i was playing madden the other day and did a shotgun and wanted to scramble with jake to pick up the first down, after the snap i staye din the pocket first to see which isde would be open, so the right side was, which was fosters so i started running and all foster had to do with lock up the lineman or one of their defenders and he couldn't even do that in the game

[Paladin]

He's a screw up in Madden too?

Jeepers. Tell me. What does Cutler do