Defense is the focus in the Broncos Draft - The Orange Mane

Sassy · 04-20-2009, 07:24 PM

Defense Broncos’ focus in McDaniels’ first draft
By ARNIE STAPLETON, AP Sports Writer
6 hours, 3 minutes ago

Buzz up!5 votes PrintENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP)—Josh McDaniels has serious work to do to win back some of the Denver Broncos fans who aren’t happy he chased off Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler just three months into the job.

McDaniels can begin to earn their trust this weekend by turning the bevy of draft picks he garnered into gold in the NFL draft.

The Bears sent the Broncos a starting quarterback in Kyle Orton and two first-round draft picks, one this year and one next, and a third-rounder for Cutler and a fifth-round draft pick. So the Broncos own five of the first 84 draft picks, including the 12th and 18th in the first round Saturday.

“First of all, it gives us a lot of flexibility,” McDaniels said. “The more you can have the better off you are, because if you need to maneuver to try to get some players you really feel good about, you have the ammunition to go do some of those things.”

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McDaniels suggested the Broncos will take a quarterback in the draft— although not necessarily one of the big names early on—to compete with Orton and free agent Chris Simms for the starting job.

“We’ve evaluated all the quarterbacks in the draft and there’s more than a handful that are pretty good players that would be able to fit in and play well in this league and for our team,” said McDaniels, who earned his stripes coaching the offense in New England, where Tom Brady (sixth) and Matt Cassel (seventh) were drafted late.

McDaniels said he won’t go after a guy who will just hold a clipboard and watch Orton and Simms duke it out for snaps.

“You certainly would love to have a third quarterback that could be competitive,” McDaniels said. “That’s the big thing is we’re not just looking to bring players in here at positions just to fill a spot. If the guy can compete and actually have a chance to win a role on our team, then we’re all for it.”

After a tumultuous start to his tenure, McDaniels, who turns 33 this week, will get to show what he learned from Bill Belichick in New England.

He’ll be running the draft along with rookie GM Brian Xanders, 37, who replaced Jim and Jeff Goodman, architects of several solid drafts, in the second big front-office shakeup of the offseason.

They’ll try to refurbish their front seven, especially the line, where there’s a decent pool of hybrid defensive ends who can fit into the Broncos’ new 3-4 scheme, but also a thin crop of nose tackles.

“We’re definitely interested in adding those kinds of players to our roster,” McDaniels said.

He said he feels like he has a jump-start in that regard with the return to health of defensive tackle Carlton Powell, a fifth-rounder from Mike Shanahan’s final draft last year who tore an Achilles’ tendon during offseason conditioning and sat out his rookie year.

McDaniels also re-signed defensive tackle Kenny Peterson and signed free agent defensive tackles Darrell Reid and J’Vonne Parker.

With the extra minicamp allowed for new coaching staffs, McDaniels held his a week before the draft, and some of what he saw will shape the Broncos’ approach next weekend.

“We’ve got a lot of film now to watch. We’ve learned some things about some people,” McDaniels said Sunday. “It’s hard to learn a lot when you’re not out here hitting and really doing those kinds of things, particularly up front.”

McDaniels is hoping he won’t have to select a wide receiver too early.

Pro Bowl wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who is recovering from hip surgery, is awaiting word from commissioner Roger Goodell on possible punishment for ending up on the police blotter again. He got into a fight with his fiance in Atlanta last month. Although charges were dropped, the NFL metes out its discipline separate from the nation’s judicial process, and a conviction isn’t a prerequisite for a suspension.

Marshall sat out last season’s opener after seven police-related incidents with his former girlfriend. He talked Goodell into reducing his original suspension of three games by promising to keep his nose clean and working with kids in the community.

The Broncos feel that no predraft news from the commissioner’s office on this matter is good news. The thinking is that if Marshall were going to get a lengthy suspension, they’d learn about it this week so they could draft accordingly.

On his way out the door, Shanahan practically begged his successor to keep the league’s No. 2 offense intact. That obviously didn’t happen with Cutler’s departure, but beyond that, McDaniels didn’t see his offense in the same light.

While Cutler & Co. were great between the 20s, they were middle of the road in points scored last year, and McDaniels brought in three free agents to compete with holdover running backs Ryan Torain, Peyton Hillis and Selvin Young, all coming off injuries.

Although the 2008 defense ranked at or near the bottom in every major category, the Broncos have signed eight free agents on that side of the ball. So McDaniels just might use some of his 10 draft picks this weekend on surprising areas.

“I’ve said from the first moment I landed in Denver that our goal was to improve the team,” McDaniels said. “We have significant improvement to do on both sides of the ball and in the kicking game.”

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slu...v=ap&type=lgns

Los Broncos · 04-20-2009, 07:25 PM

I sure hope so.

azbroncfan · 04-20-2009, 07:28 PM

I bet Cushing is a Bronco since New England loved him last year and hoped he came out early.

mattob14 · 04-20-2009, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azbroncfan

I bet Cushing is a Bronco since New England loved him last year and hoped he came out early.

Man, I hope you're wrong, but I just have this sinking feeling he's the pick at #12.

Br0nc0Buster · 04-20-2009, 07:37 PM

I like how he calls special teams "the kicking game"

Paladin · 04-20-2009, 07:57 PM

"........Denver Broncos fans who aren’t happy he chased off Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler just three months into the job." Lost me right there. Stupid, and it tells me the article has not a thing new in it....

I was right.

BroncoBuff · 04-20-2009, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sassy

“First of all, it gives us a lot of flexibility,” McDaniels said. “The more you can have the better off you are, because if you need to maneuver to try to get some players you really feel good about, you have the ammunition to go do some of those things.”

Sounds like somebody's gonna make a move up .....

PLEASE make it for Tyson Jackson

RMT · 04-20-2009, 08:46 PM

"He’ll be running the draft along with rookie GM Brian Xanders, 37, who replaced Jim and Jeff Goodman, architects of several solid drafts, in the second big front-office shakeup of the offseason."

"architects of several solid drafts" - with which team? the Broncos haven't had "several solid drafts" - far from it.

BroncoBuff · 04-20-2009, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RMT

"He’ll be running the draft along with rookie GM Brian Xanders, 37, who replaced Jim and Jeff Goodman, architects of several solid drafts, in the second big front-office shakeup of the offseason."

"architects of several solid drafts" - with which team? the Broncos haven't had "several solid drafts" - far from it.

Disagree ... let's review:

2006 - One of the best offensive drafts the league has seen in many, many years. 5 of the 7 players drafted are now solid starters, and another - Domenik Hixon - played a big role in the Giants Super Bowl run.

2007 - Just four picks, and the first two look very shaky. But the 3rd and 4th picks will probably be Broncos starters for many years to come. Plus it was a pretty good CFA year, Selvin Young and Tyler Polumus both made the team and contributed.

2008 - Looks like another amazing draft. Not just Clady and Royal and Hillis, but perhaps as many as FIVE future starters on defense. JMFW might be a longshot to start, but Larsen, Woodyard, Powell and Barrett could all become starters (Woodyard wasn't drafted, but Goodman scouts the CFAs, too.)

SonOfLe-loLang · 04-20-2009, 08:57 PM

The more and more i think of it, i really hope its Jackson and 12, Maualuga at 18

baja · 04-20-2009, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SonOfLe-loLang

The more and more i think of it, i really hope its Jackson and 12, Maualuga at 18

Current speculation says Jackson will be gone by 12.

maher_tyler · 04-20-2009, 09:07 PM

No matter what we do...it'll be interesting...i just hope we don't go QB early.

SonOfLe-loLang · 04-20-2009, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baja

Current speculation says Jackson will be gone by 12.

I guess we shall see. Fine, if Jackson goes before...perhaps it opens up Raji. Gimme Raji and Rey

TheDave · 04-20-2009, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baja

Current speculation says Jackson will be gone by 12.

I think we are going to need to leap frog GB and San Fran to gaurantee we get him...

SonOfLe-loLang · 04-20-2009, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BroncoBuff

Disagree ... let's review:

2006 - One of the best offensive drafts the league has seen in many, many years. 5 of the 7 players drafted are now solid starters, and another - Domenik Hixon - played a big role in the Giants Super Bowl run.

2007 - Just four picks, and the first two look very shaky. But the 3rd and 4th picks will probably be Broncos starters for many years to come. Plus it was a pretty good CFA year, Selvin Young and Tyler Polumus both made the team and contributed.

2008 - Looks like another amazing draft. Not just Clady and Royal and Hillis, but perhaps as many as FIVE future starters on defense. JMFW might be a longshot to start, but Larsen, Woodyard, Powell and Barrett could all become starters (Woodyard wasn't drafted, but Goodman scouts the CFAs, too.)

Polumbus made the team last year, not in 07...i think?

BroncoBuff · 04-20-2009, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SonOfLe-loLang

Polumbus made the team last year, not in 07...i think?

Yeah, I guess you're right.

Still .... Jim Goodman drafted two of the Broncos very best draft classes ever.

BABronco · 04-20-2009, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BroncoBuff

Yeah, I guess you're right.

Still .... Jim Goodman drafted two of the Broncos very best draft classes ever.

Agreed! I hope he isn't missed much. But I highly doubt it.

BroncoDoug · 04-20-2009, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BroncoBuff

Yeah, I guess you're right.

Still .... Jim Goodman drafted two of the Broncos very best draft classes ever.

well two still doesn't equal several

BroncoBuff · 04-20-2009, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BABronco

Agreed! I hope he isn't missed much. But I highly doubt it.

You just don't know how these guys are gonna do ...

... but it'll be borderline impossible to manage an '06 or '08 quality draft. Don't hold your breath on that.

Josh does have one big advantage going in: Our current roster is so lop-sided in talent, offense-to-defense, that multiple defensive picks mean a greater likelihood we'll yield some real contributors.

Plus, we have FIVE intriguing second-year men on defense - Larsen, Barrett, Powell, JMFW, Woodyard.

There IS light at the end of this tunnel....

NFLBRONCO · 04-20-2009, 09:38 PM

I just found the undisputed best draft of the past decade: In 2007, the New England Patriots traded their second- round pick to Miami for Wes Welker and their first fourth- round selection to the Oakland Raiders for Randy Moss.

Go ahead, scour the draft picks of every year, for every team. Good luck finding a draft in which a team got the likes of Welker and Moss with back-to-back picks — neither of which were plucked from the first round.

Don't be surprised if new Broncos coach Josh McDaniels, New England's offensive coordinator in 2007, keeps the Welker-Moss heist in mind as he enters this draft with extra picks in the first and third rounds.

BroncoBuff · 04-20-2009, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NFLBRONCO

I just found the undisputed best draft of the past decade: In 2007, the New England Patriots traded their second- round pick to Miami for Wes Welker and their first fourth- round selection to the Oakland Raiders for Randy Moss.

Go ahead, scour the draft picks of every year, for every team. Good luck finding a draft in which a team got the likes of Welker and Moss with back-to-back picks — neither of which were plucked from the first round.

Don't be surprised if new Broncos coach Josh McDaniels, New England's offensive coordinator in 2007, keeps the Welker-Moss heist in mind as he enters this draft with extra picks in the first and third rounds.

You make a good point there, but Brandon Marshall and Jay Cutler are a better duo (although Cutler was a 1st rounder). Plus Kuper, Hixon, Dumervil and Scheffler ... 2006 was an amazing draft haul.

Show me a draft where ALL SEVEN players are still in the league 3 years later, and FIVE ARE STARTERS ... that is just amazing, just amazing. The rate for draftees making a team just their FIRST year is maybe 60%, and much much lower than that three years in.

NFLBRONCO · 04-20-2009, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BroncoBuff

You make a good point there, but Brandon Marshall and Jay Cutler are a better duo (although Cutler was a 1st rounder). Plus Kuper, Hixon, Dumervil and Scheffler ... 2006 was an amazing draft haul.

Show me a draft where ALL SEVEN players are still in the league 3 years later, and FIVE ARE STARTERS ... that is just amazing, just amazing. The rate for draftees making a team just their FIRST year is maybe 60%, and much much lower than that three years in.

BB I agree with what you said, above. I just posted this to remind us fans the route McD might take this weekend picks for vets.

BroncoMan4ever · 04-20-2009, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SonOfLe-loLang

The more and more i think of it, i really hope its Jackson and 12, Maualuga at 18

Jackson and Matthews. i am not high at all on Maualuga

baja · 04-20-2009, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDave

I think we are going to need to leap frog GB and San Fran to gaurantee we get him...

I don't want to trade up for the same reason you don't want to trade a pick now for picks next year, too many holes. BTW you don't see a conflict in your thinking here given your position is fill all holes possible this year?

listopencil · 04-20-2009, 10:32 PM

God, what a bull**** article. This is what he said about the extra draft picks:

"First of all, it gives us a lot of flexibility,” McDaniels said. “The more you can have the better off you are, because if you need to maneuver to try to get some players you really feel good about, you have the ammunition to go do some of those things.

...and the QB's:

"We’ve evaluated all the quarterbacks in the draft and there’s more than a handful that are pretty good players that would be able to fit in and play well in this league and for our team,” said McDaniels, who earned his stripes coaching the offense in New England, where Tom Brady (sixth) and Matt Cassel (seventh) were drafted late.

"You certainly would love to have a third quarterback that could be competitive,” McDaniels said. “That’s the big thing is we’re not just looking to bring players in here at positions just to fill a spot. If the guy can compete and actually have a chance to win a role on our team, then we’re all for it.”

Then there are a few generic quotes. Where are the quotes that show that the Broncos are focusing on Defense?

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04-20-2009, 07:24 PM	#1
Sassy Ring of Famer Join Date: May 2001 Location: ND Posts: 37,952 Adopt-a-Bronco: Eddie Royal	Defense is the focus in the Broncos Draft Defense Broncos’ focus in McDaniels’ first draft By ARNIE STAPLETON, AP Sports Writer 6 hours, 3 minutes ago Buzz up!5 votes PrintENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP)—Josh McDaniels has serious work to do to win back some of the Denver Broncos fans who aren’t happy he chased off Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler just three months into the job. McDaniels can begin to earn their trust this weekend by turning the bevy of draft picks he garnered into gold in the NFL draft. The Bears sent the Broncos a starting quarterback in Kyle Orton and two first-round draft picks, one this year and one next, and a third-rounder for Cutler and a fifth-round draft pick. So the Broncos own five of the first 84 draft picks, including the 12th and 18th in the first round Saturday. “First of all, it gives us a lot of flexibility,” McDaniels said. “The more you can have the better off you are, because if you need to maneuver to try to get some players you really feel good about, you have the ammunition to go do some of those things.” ADVERTISEMENT McDaniels suggested the Broncos will take a quarterback in the draft— although not necessarily one of the big names early on—to compete with Orton and free agent Chris Simms for the starting job. “We’ve evaluated all the quarterbacks in the draft and there’s more than a handful that are pretty good players that would be able to fit in and play well in this league and for our team,” said McDaniels, who earned his stripes coaching the offense in New England, where Tom Brady (sixth) and Matt Cassel (seventh) were drafted late. McDaniels said he won’t go after a guy who will just hold a clipboard and watch Orton and Simms duke it out for snaps. “You certainly would love to have a third quarterback that could be competitive,” McDaniels said. “That’s the big thing is we’re not just looking to bring players in here at positions just to fill a spot. If the guy can compete and actually have a chance to win a role on our team, then we’re all for it.” After a tumultuous start to his tenure, McDaniels, who turns 33 this week, will get to show what he learned from Bill Belichick in New England. He’ll be running the draft along with rookie GM Brian Xanders, 37, who replaced Jim and Jeff Goodman, architects of several solid drafts, in the second big front-office shakeup of the offseason. They’ll try to refurbish their front seven, especially the line, where there’s a decent pool of hybrid defensive ends who can fit into the Broncos’ new 3-4 scheme, but also a thin crop of nose tackles. “We’re definitely interested in adding those kinds of players to our roster,” McDaniels said. He said he feels like he has a jump-start in that regard with the return to health of defensive tackle Carlton Powell, a fifth-rounder from Mike Shanahan’s final draft last year who tore an Achilles’ tendon during offseason conditioning and sat out his rookie year. McDaniels also re-signed defensive tackle Kenny Peterson and signed free agent defensive tackles Darrell Reid and J’Vonne Parker. With the extra minicamp allowed for new coaching staffs, McDaniels held his a week before the draft, and some of what he saw will shape the Broncos’ approach next weekend. “We’ve got a lot of film now to watch. We’ve learned some things about some people,” McDaniels said Sunday. “It’s hard to learn a lot when you’re not out here hitting and really doing those kinds of things, particularly up front.” McDaniels is hoping he won’t have to select a wide receiver too early. Pro Bowl wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who is recovering from hip surgery, is awaiting word from commissioner Roger Goodell on possible punishment for ending up on the police blotter again. He got into a fight with his fiance in Atlanta last month. Although charges were dropped, the NFL metes out its discipline separate from the nation’s judicial process, and a conviction isn’t a prerequisite for a suspension. Marshall sat out last season’s opener after seven police-related incidents with his former girlfriend. He talked Goodell into reducing his original suspension of three games by promising to keep his nose clean and working with kids in the community. The Broncos feel that no predraft news from the commissioner’s office on this matter is good news. The thinking is that if Marshall were going to get a lengthy suspension, they’d learn about it this week so they could draft accordingly. On his way out the door, Shanahan practically begged his successor to keep the league’s No. 2 offense intact. That obviously didn’t happen with Cutler’s departure, but beyond that, McDaniels didn’t see his offense in the same light. While Cutler & Co. were great between the 20s, they were middle of the road in points scored last year, and McDaniels brought in three free agents to compete with holdover running backs Ryan Torain, Peyton Hillis and Selvin Young, all coming off injuries. Although the 2008 defense ranked at or near the bottom in every major category, the Broncos have signed eight free agents on that side of the ball. So McDaniels just might use some of his 10 draft picks this weekend on surprising areas. “I’ve said from the first moment I landed in Denver that our goal was to improve the team,” McDaniels said. “We have significant improvement to do on both sides of the ball and in the kicking game.” http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slu...v=ap&type=lgns

04-20-2009, 07:25 PM	#2
Los Broncos Ring of farmers Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Anaheim Hills, Santa Ana Mountains CA Posts: 18,766 Adopt-a-Bronco: Ryan Clady	I sure hope so.

04-20-2009, 07:28 PM	#3
azbroncfan Ring of Famer Angry guntoting,meateating AMERICAN Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Scottsdale Posts: 8,669 Adopt-a-Bronco: TEBOW	I bet Cushing is a Bronco since New England loved him last year and hoped he came out early.

04-20-2009, 07:37 PM	#5
Br0nc0Buster 2012 AFC West Champs stiff arming through the playoffs Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Kansas Posts: 4,434	I like how he calls special teams "the kicking game"

04-20-2009, 07:57 PM	#6
Paladin Ring of Famer Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 9,150	"........Denver Broncos fans who aren’t happy he chased off Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler just three months into the job." Lost me right there. Stupid, and it tells me the article has not a thing new in it.... I was right.

04-20-2009, 08:46 PM	#8
RMT Rocky Mountain Thunder Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: United States Posts: 3,211	"He’ll be running the draft along with rookie GM Brian Xanders, 37, who replaced Jim and Jeff Goodman, architects of several solid drafts, in the second big front-office shakeup of the offseason." "architects of several solid drafts" - with which team? the Broncos haven't had "several solid drafts" - far from it.

04-20-2009, 08:57 PM	#10
SonOfLe-loLang Young Buck Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 13,234 Adopt-a-Bronco: Thunder (RIP)	The more and more i think of it, i really hope its Jackson and 12, Maualuga at 18

04-20-2009, 09:07 PM	#12
maher_tyler Ring of Famer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: AZ Posts: 5,679 Adopt-a-Bronco: Champ Bailey	No matter what we do...it'll be interesting...i just hope we don't go QB early.

04-20-2009, 09:38 PM	#20
NFLBRONCO Ring of Famer Go Nuggets Go Lakers Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Lafayette Colorado Posts: 7,394	I just found the undisputed best draft of the past decade: In 2007, the New England Patriots traded their second- round pick to Miami for Wes Welker and their first fourth- round selection to the Oakland Raiders for Randy Moss. Go ahead, scour the draft picks of every year, for every team. Good luck finding a draft in which a team got the likes of Welker and Moss with back-to-back picks — neither of which were plucked from the first round. Don't be surprised if new Broncos coach Josh McDaniels, New England's offensive coordinator in 2007, keeps the Welker-Moss heist in mind as he enters this draft with extra picks in the first and third rounds.

04-20-2009, 10:32 PM	#25
listopencil [sarcasm]text[/sarcasm] BOOM! Winner. Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: The People's Republic Of California Posts: 8,580 Adopt-a-Bronco: Broncos FO	God, what a bull**** article. This is what he said about the extra draft picks: "First of all, it gives us a lot of flexibility,” McDaniels said. “The more you can have the better off you are, because if you need to maneuver to try to get some players you really feel good about, you have the ammunition to go do some of those things. ...and the QB's: "We’ve evaluated all the quarterbacks in the draft and there’s more than a handful that are pretty good players that would be able to fit in and play well in this league and for our team,” said McDaniels, who earned his stripes coaching the offense in New England, where Tom Brady (sixth) and Matt Cassel (seventh) were drafted late. "You certainly would love to have a third quarterback that could be competitive,” McDaniels said. “That’s the big thing is we’re not just looking to bring players in here at positions just to fill a spot. If the guy can compete and actually have a chance to win a role on our team, then we’re all for it.” Then there are a few generic quotes. Where are the quotes that show that the Broncos are focusing on Defense?