MircoScout: Part 2: Broncos' Draft Picks 2-7

With the 2017 NFL Draft wrapped up, I present another edition of the MircoScout featuring the remaining picks of the Denver Broncos. In part one, I gave an exclusive analysis on their first round pick, Garett Bolles. In part two, I will give my analysis and grade on the individual players and the Broncos draft overall.

Round 2: DE, DeMarcus Walker

DeMarcus was selected out Florida State. I saw some comments about him being soft, and I'm not sure what the hell they were looking at. This guy is strong and explosive, especially on inside rushes. He has a quick first step, he hustles, and doesn't give up on plays. He's versatile; he can line up at both end positions, and can line up inside-- which is definitely useful, with his dominant push on inside rushes-- in passing situations.

On top of that, he had 16 sacks! The only problem I see is that it's easy to get inside and engulf him sometimes, due to his short reach. Overall, I love the pick. He seems to have the heart, physicality, and strong character that suits what the Broncos are looking for. He was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year for a reason. At first glance, he reminds me of Malik Jackson, which is funny because Elway has mentioned that he believes Walker will provide a similar productivity. Perhaps that's why he drafted him? If he turns out to be better, splendid. I encourage that. Grade: A

Round 3: WR, Carlos Henderson

Elway addressed another need, drafting Carlos out of Louisiana Tech. I've said in a previous blog that I wanted someone to complement Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders. I'm not confident in their corps outside of those two. Enlisted at 5-11, 199 pounds, this guy plays bigger than his size. He led the FBS in all-purpose yards last season. Another physical individual, he's tough as heck to tackle. If he's not ripping away from a player, he's juking, or spinning out of their grasp. He's a willing and physical blocker on run plays.

He has sure hands; does an excellent job of locating the ball, and can out muscle defensive backs on back shoulder throws. He's more quick than fast. He's much better moving laterally compared to his straight-line speed, which is why some "experts" believe he's going to have a hard time running past defenders on the next level. There's also questions on whether or not he's capable of running the entire route tree. We'll see.

He's a good, but not a great kick returner. He may not always take it to the house, but he will consistently put your offense in good field position, which is desperately needed on special teams. All in all, I believe this is another sneaky good pick by Elway. He reminds me a lot of recently retired Steve Smith. It's expected that he will help out in the return game, but I like him as the third receiver on the depth chart. I believe he can contribute right away. Grade: A

Round 3: CB, Brendan Langley

Brendan was drafted out of Lamar University. Coming from a small college, it was difficult finding tape on him, but from what I was able to see, enlisted at 6-0 201 pounds, he has decent size for a corner back. He shadows his man and can locate him when going downfield. He's solid in man and zone coverage. Rangy, he can leave his man to break up a pass that's going to another receiver.

He's an inconsistent tackler; his tackling was nearly text book on one video, he was diving at opponent's legs on another video. His recovery speed can improve. When running with his man, the receiver can get the drop on him, if he stops on a dime. Practically labeled as raw, but talented, he's expected to contribute on special teams initially, but I believe there's a future for him in the No Fly Zone. All of the physical tools are there, and with the current crop helping him smooth out the rough spots, he may be contributing regularly on the field faster than some think. Grade: B

Round 5: TE, Jake Butt

Judging from his last name, it's safe to assume that he endured a lot of teasing growing up, perhaps till this day, but that's besides the point. I just hope he doesn't play like one. Drafted out of Michigan, he was one of the top tight ends, and perhaps could've been drafted higher if it wasn't for his injury. (He's rehabilitating from a torn ACL). He has good hands, and he seems to have a way of sneakily finding seams underneath the defense. 

He can line up in multiple positions along the line, even flanking out in the slot position, which gives him several ways to make plays. I didn't see him create a lot of separation in his routes, it was just enough for him to secure the catch. He has adequate speed, and he's an adequate blocker. He gives a good effort in blocking, but he doesn't get enough depth in his blocks. He has a willingness to improve in this area, which I like.

I like the pick. Although personally, I don't see anything wrong with the guys they currently have (Virgil Green, A.J. Derby, and Jeff Heuerman), they don't get that many targets. However, Jake is a good addition, and it has been said that Elway got (yet) another steal. Grade: B+

Round 5: WR/KR, Isaiah McKenzie

I love, love, love this pick. The Broncos return game has absolutely SUCKED the past two seasons, and I believe Isaiah (aka "The Human Joystick") will definitely change that. He's an electrifying returner with blazing speed. I mean, this guy can fly. I don't know how much time he will see as a receiver, but he has good hands (led the Georgia Bulldogs in receptions, yards, and touchdowns last season) and with his speed, versatility, and electric explosion, it's going to be hard to keep him off the field, particularly on trick plays. Offensive coordinator Mike McCoy is going to have fun using him.

The reason for my uncertainty of how much he will see the field outside of returns is because of his extremely small frame at 5-7, 173 pounds, but again, with everything I mentioned above, it's going to be hard to keep him off the field. Elway wanted more explosive playmakers, and this is a slam dunk pick, in my opinion. Grade: A

Round 6: RB, De'Angelo Henderson

I sense another sneaky good draft pick from Elway. Drafted from a small school (Coastal Carolina), this guy is a C.J. Anderson clone, except he's a little smaller, but more explosive. At 5-8, 208 pounds, he uses his low center of gravity to his advantage, making it easy for him to slip through the gaps almost unnoticed, and his deceptive strength makes him more difficult to tackle.

The only issue I see is his size. He seems to be more of a chip blocker on passing downs, but this could be due to his small frame. I would like to see him hold up a little better in those situations. I believe drafting him made former Bronco RB Kapri Bibbs expendable-- he was traded during Day 3 of the draft-- which is fine because, while he made a few good plays, overall, I wasn't that impressed with him. Along with C.J. and Devontae Booker, Elway has potentially put together a three-headed monster to be reckoned with. Grade: B+

Round 7: QB, Chad Kelly

Being the very last pick of the draft, Chad received the label of "Mr. Irrelevant,"(it's considered an honor as the last pick of the draft) but I deem this one, "Mr, Interesting." Known for his cocky demeanor, he was drafted out of Mississippi (aka Ole Miss). He was highly spoken of in terms of his talent. He has a rocket arm; can make all the throws. He's mobile; he can create and extend plays with his feet. Has an NFL pedigree, being the nephew of Hall of Fame QB Jim Kelly, who was drafted the same year (1983) and round (1st round, of course) as Elway.

So, what was the problem? Well, apparently, he had character issues, (e.g. being kicked off the team when he attended Clemson). He also dealt with injuries, suffering a torn ACL  and lateral meniscus last season, and tore his ACL  during a spring game in 2013. What I noticed is that he's not the most fundamentally sound in his mechanics, and his throws can sail at times.

He has an improvisational, unorthodox style of play, similar to Tony Romo. It has been said that he's  just as good as the QBs who were drafted before him. Some had him ranked as a first rounder, most between the second and fifth-- because of the baggage. Due to his medical and character issues, his stock was expected to drop, but I had no idea he would drop this low.

While I like the pick, his character concerns makes me downgrade him a little overall, until I see otherwise. He'll probably sit out his rookie season to recover, learn, develop, and get adjusted to the next level. He's a high-risk, high-reward guy; I can understand with his upside, that he was too good to pass up. I expect him to make the team as the third string QB this season, and although I like Trevor Siemian's upside (Paxton Lynch's as well), but with Kelly's talent, potential, and aforementioned NFL pedigree, I wouldn't be surprised if he's leading this team long-term in the future. Grade: B-

Conclusion

At the end of the day, I really like this draft class. I believe John Elway managed to draft some who can immediately contribute, and some diamonds in the rough, who will provide quality depth at their positions and become starters in the long run. No, the guy I wanted them to draft (Christian McCaffrey) wasn't available at No. 20, but I believe the players they picked between Days 2 and 3 (C. Henderson, particularly McKenzie, and D. Henderson), will more than bring to the table what I believe McCaffrey will bring to the Panthers. 

I was hoping they would've drafted another offensive lineman, such as a guard, or a guard/center hybrid, but that need was addressed, nevertheless. I await to see what they do this season. I expect them all to make the team, just like last year's rookie class. The Broncos wanted physically and mentally tough and talented players, and they definitely drafted what they were looking for. I love this class. Overall Grade: A-

MicroScout: Part 1: Garett Bolles, the Gentle Monster

"Damn! Damn! Damn!"

- Florida Evans, at the end of a Good Times episode

Before I get started on my analysis of the Denver Broncos' 2017 first round pick, I want to say that the Carolina Panthers are a bunch of haters. They drafted the versatile Christian McCaffrey; anyone who has spoken with me, kept up with my blogs, or even in the comment section of the Broncos Facebook page knows how much I wanted McCaffrey to come home to Denver at No. 20. Hence, #DraftChristianMcCaffrey.

Last night, that did not come to fruition, for the Panthers selected him with the 8th overall pick. Now, I read something on the RotoWorld website a few days prior that said it was unlikely that he would be available to Denver at No. 20-- it turns out that they were right-- but hey, the draft is crap shoot, so anything is bound to happen. Also, I've decided to do a blog covering Denver's first round pick exclusively; the blog covering their picks from rounds 2-7 will come later this weekend or early next week.

With that out of the way, I would like to welcome the Denver Broncos 2017 first round draft pick, offensive tackle Garett Bolles to the Orange and Blue. He was selected by Denver with the 20th overall pick last night. The adjective in the blog's title seems offensive, but I assure you, it's all good. I'll elaborate more later. When his name was announced as the Broncos' draft pick, my initial reaction was: "Who?"

Then it quickly came back to mind that I heard his name vaguely as one of the top tackles in his position. I didn't get a chance to look at film on him until afterwards. At the time, I studied the top two ranked prospects, Cam Robinson and Ryan Ramczyk, the latter was projected to be drafted by Denver on some mock draft boards. They both were solid blockers to me, I didn't see them as dominant blockers.

Then, I took a look at Bolles-- draft highlights and film-- last night and I was blown away. He's the dominant blocker that I'm looking for when evaluating offensive lineman. Apparently, Coach Joseph and Elway share the same sentiments. I looked away from the TV screen for a split second after Tampa Bay picked, and Denver's pick was already in.

Coach Joseph has mentioned that he wants his lineman to be physical and nasty on both sides of the trenches (offensively and defensively), and they drafted a personification of that last night. He's not a blocker, he's a bulldozer. At 6-5, 297 pounds, he's very mobile and nimble for a guy his size. I was amazed at how quickly he was able to get out and lay a hat (block) on his assigned man on pull plays. I haven't seen anyone move that quickly on a pull play since Mike Iupati.

My only critiques is that his strength is also his weakness. He can be aggressive to a fault. This is evident with him being one of, if not, the most penalized offensive lineman in college last season. He also needs to refine his balance; he would sometimes fall during his blocks. It was mentioned last night that he was expelled multiple times from schools, but this was during his teenage years, and it seems that he has put his dark past behind him.

Overall, I love this pick. Yes, I wanted McCaffrey, but you can't always get what you want, but you can get what you need, and Elway definitely addressed a need. He strikes me as a gentle monster; a gentle giant who, as the saying goes, will give you the shirt off his back, one with a bleeding heart who gets along with nearly everyone.

On the field, it's a different story. He becomes a monster that devours and slays anything in his way. He mentioned his loyalty, already making it clear that if one messes with any of his teammates, it's equivalent to messing with his wife. I already had that impression of him before he made that statement. 

If he can fix the problems I pointed out, and I'm confident that he will, John Elway will have once again stolen another valuable prospect. He's expected to compete for a starting OT position, and personally, I'm expecting him to be protecting Siemian's (or Lynch, but I believe it's Siemian's job to lose), blindside by Week One. The more I watch him, and the more he talks, the more I love this pick. Grade: A

Draft Night Special: MircoScout: A Review of the Broncos 2016 Draft Picks

I said that I wasn't going to post another Broncos blog until after the draft. That's what I told myself-- constantly throughout the week. However, the anticipation of tonight's draft moved me to take a look back at the Broncos draft picks from last year. On a side note, all eight of their picks made the team last year, a testament to John Elway's GM prowess. Without further ado, I present who the Broncos picked, my analysis on their season, my rookie grades on them, and where I see them going forward:

Round 1: QB, Paxton Lynch

Paxton was selected with the 26th overall pick out of Memphis. He was expected by most analysts and draft "experts" to be selected by Denver, due to their glaring need for a QB at that time. In the two and a half games he started in the place of an injured Trevor Siemian, he finished with 497 passing yards, 2 touchdowns, an interception, and a 1-1 record.

For whatever reason, there were some Broncos fans that were-- and still are-- determined to see Paxton start over Siemian, and I'm not sure what they're looking at. Paxton definitely showed some upside; one can clearly see he has the physical tools. In the game against Atlanta, he struggled, but he displayed determination and mental toughness, almost guiding the team to a comeback victory.

What could also clearly be seen was that Paxton wasn't ready. His footwork needs refining; he needs to work on following through with his throws, which goes back to the footwork. He needs to get more acquainted with the speed of the game, he looked overwhelmed at times. Apparently, one of his teammates is proving this assessment to be right.

Overall, I like his intangibles; he has a desire to learn, improve, and take advantage of whatever edge he can get to (possibly) win the starting QB position this year. Again, the physical tools are definitely there, I believe he just needs more seasoning. Grade: C

Round 2: DL, Adam Gotsis

Adam Gotsis was selected in the second round out of Georgia Tech. Honestly, I didn't get to see him play that much. I don't believe he saw much playing time until towards the end of the season, From what I saw, he plays with a high effort and generated some pressure at times. Obviously, defensive line coach Bill Kollar saw something in him that he went to Elway about drafting him.

Keep in mind, that Kollar was a part of the crew that drafted J.J. Watt when he was in Houston. People criticized the pick, because truthfully, he didn't have the name value as his peers in the draft, just like Gotsis. He turned out to be a three time NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Not saying that Gotsis is the next Watt, just something to consider. As I said before, I didn't see a lot of Gotsis; I definitely didn't see enough of him to give him a fair grade, so I'll pass on this one. Grade: N/A

Round 3: S, Justin Simmons

Justin was selected in the third round out of Boston College. Right now, he's more infamous (if you're a Saints fan) for the blocked extra point that led to the Broncos winning the game (see Will Parks). He wasn't expected to crack the lineup right away with T.J. Ward and Darian Stewart currently in front of him, but he has provided a lot of depth to the secondary.

I like his range and versatility. I'm sure some are going to give him some flak about Travis Kelce. I know it's still the NFL at the end of the day, and not to make excuses for him, but seriously, if I'm a QB, and I see a rookie trying to cover an All-Pro, Pro Bowl tight end, I know 9 times out of 10, Kelce's going to win that match-up, therefore, I would attack him all day. 

I'm confident Justin's past that nightmare; if anything, I believe he's using that night as a tool to get better. I said prior to the season that he might be their best pick in this class. A safety with his range, versatility, and coverage skills are a dime a dozen. The future looks bright for Justin Simmons. Grade: B+

Round 4: RB, Devontae Booker

Projected to be the next Arian Foster, Devontae was selected in the 4th round out of Utah. I was surprised he dropped that low; the only RB I had ranked ahead of him was Ezekiel Elliott. There's a ton of upside with him: can run north, south, can bounce it to the outside, good receiver, and decent in pass protection.

He got off to a good start, but became hot and cold as the season went on, particularly after C.J. Anderson went down. I saw too many plays where he would tip-toe through the line. He fumbled a few times as well, but that wasn't a glaring problem, although that will put you in the coach's dog house much faster.

Despite an up and down season, Devontae showed flashes of the Arian Foster comparison. Aside from Simmons, he was another pick that I deemed as one of Elway's best in the class. The NFL learning curve takes time; everyone isn't going to produce right away like Ezekiel Elliott, or an Adrian Peterson back in the day. I'm willing to be patient with him. 

He's no turtle, but he's not the fastest I've seen either, and I believe the newly implemented downhill running attack suits him (and Anderson) better. There's no doubt in my mind that he has the skills to be a dangerous back, it's just a matter of him putting it all together. Grade: B-

Round 5: OL, Connor McGovern

Connor was selected in the 5th round out of Missouri. He's the easiest one to grade; he basically was a red shirt during his rookie year, so I'm not going to give a him grade for last season. I'll wait and see what he does this season. Grade: N/A

Round 6: FB, Andy Janovich

In a league where the full back position is nearly obsolete, Andy is a part of a scarce bunch that still makes the position relevant. Former head coach Gary Kubiak still believed the FB had value, and wanted one in the draft. Another good find by Elway. He's everything one looks for from the position, and possibly more. He was the ideal blue collar, lead blocker that every running back loves, and he wasn't a bad runner and receiver when he was given some touches.

Even as a rookie, he made an immediate impact; the running game suffered after he went down with a season ending injury. I'm looking forward to seeing the havoc the Broncos backfield is going to cause with a healthy C.J., a more experienced Devontae, and a healthy Janovich helping to pave the way for them. Grade: A+

Round 6: S, Will Parks

Like his safety classmate Justin Simmons, Will is probably more infamous for their tag team play that won them the game against the Saints. After tying the game late in the 4th quarter, the Saints attempted an extra point to give them the lead, only for Simmons to take a leap of faith, if you will, and block the attempt. Will Parks scooped up the ball and returned it for a two point conversion, sealing the game for Denver.

The controversy is that Parks stepped out of bounds during the return. Of course, all of that is up for debate. As far as his play, to me, he resembled T.J, Ward. Decent in coverage, but his forte is head hunting, it's like having a smaller linebacker. He didn't crack the lineup either due to the aforementioned and Darian Stewart.

I like the dynamics Parks and Simmons brings; Simmons is more of the stealthy, rangy athlete, while Parks is more of a thumper. In the future, I believe this duo will continue to make the "No Fly Zone" great, and d*mn near impossible to throw against. Grade: B-

Round 7: P, Riley Dixon

Riley was selected in the final round of the draft out of Syracuse. He won a competition between himself and Britton Colquitt to become the Broncos punter, managing to win the job from the solid vet.  He turned out to be another steal by Elway. He posted a net punting average of 41.3 yards, an NFL rookie record, his 28 punts that landed inside the opponent's 20 yard line was tied for 11th best, and he was named to the All-Rookie team. Grade: A+

All in all, I love the upside of this rookie class that has the talent to get even better. I await tonight's draft, but most of all, I await to see this year's rookie class kick a** with last year's rookie class. Overall Grade: B

A Look at the Denver Broncos' Free Agent Acquisitions

This year, just like last year, John  Elway didn't make any splashes in free agency. He really doesn't have to, this is a stacked team in a lot of areas. Plus. there's the upcoming draft, and I'm interested to see the moves he's going to make.

With the moves he has made so far, he did address glaring needs. The Broncos suffered tremendously  in the trenches offensively and defensively, as I've said before, the protection up front was piss-poor, and the defensive line was a door mat for the opponent's running game.

He started by signing offensive guard Ronald Leary, a coveted player in that position heading into free agency. He was also a part of the massive Dallas Cowboys crew up front that made life easier for  DeMarco Murray, and currently Ezekiel Elliott. Head coach Vance Joseph stated that he wanted a nasty offensive line, and from I've seen from Ronald, he definitely fits the description.

Then Elway added former Raider offensive tackle Menelik Watson. I'm not sure what the plan is for him at the moment, whether he's going to be a left or right tackle, but he addressed a need. He seems to bring the same tenacity (as Leary) that Coach Joseph is seeking.

Next, he addressed the defensive line. He brought in former Bengals nose guard Domata Peko. I'll admit, I was hoping for Dontari Poe or Brandon Williams, but Peko is underrated and just as solid as those guys, they just have more recognition.The only problem that I have with this move is that he's long-in-the-tooth. Other than that, I was excited. Prior to the signing, I honestly didn't know he was a free agent. After the signing, last month, I made a comment on Facebook stating that he's an upgrade over former nose guard Sylvester Williams. I had an individual question me on this, which is fine if one disagrees, but to say that there's no evidence that suggests he's an upgrade over Williams tells me that he didn't pay attention to Peko, and probably didn't care to, when he played for the Bengals.

I had to inform him that the productivity of a nose guard isn't typically going to show up in the statistics-- if that's what he was referring to. He was one the reasons why the Bengals defensive front was so stout for so many years. While Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap got the sacks, Pro Bowls, and the glory, Peko was doing the dirty work, tying up offensive lineman, and being disruptive against the run.

*Sigh* Anyway, Elway later signed Zach Kerr, formerly of the Indianapolis Colts. Now, like Menelik Watson, I don't know too much about him, but from the little I've seen and heard about him, he's a massive, versatile lineman-- who's actually nimble for a guy his size-- who can play defensive end or nose guard in the three down lineman set. He has a lot of upside; kind of reminds me of Shaun Rogers.

Of course, we have to wait and see how it all translates on the field, but right now, I like the moves Elway has made in free agency so far, especially the Peko and Kerr signings. With the two of them alongside Pro Bowl-caliber Derek Wolfe, this has the makings of a nightmare for offensive lineman this year.  I plan to produce a blog covering the Broncos' draft picks next weekend. Stay tuned.

Vance Joseph: Prelude

On January 11, 2017, the Denver Broncos hired Vance Joseph-- previously the defensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins-- as their head coach, the 16th in the franchise's history. I'll admit, initially I wanted Kyle Shanahan, the son of former Broncos head coach, Mike Shanahan because of his familiarity with the staff and the offense, but he has a more aggressive approach with the offense.

When Joseph was elected instead, I was happy for a few reasons: he was someone John Elway had been pursuing for two years to join Denver's staff; his first attempt was to make him the defensive coordinator, but Vance was still under contract with the Bengals, and they wouldn't let him out of it, so legendary defensive mind Wade Phillips, the orchestrator of the historic 2015 defense was hired.

So when the head coaching job became available, I knew Elway would pursue him again. This time, he landed his guy. In terms of football, I trust John Elway's judgement, and there was obviously something about Vance that he pursued him so determinedly.

Another reason is because he's a brother (i.e. a black man). He's the first black head coach (full-time) in Broncos history, and I'm glad to see him make history. Not only that, he's a New Orleans native, just like myself. I know there's going to be some whining and crying, "Why does everything have to be about race?" Well, if mother f**ckers were just and fair in their dealings, this wouldn't even be a conversation.

Don't get me wrong, at the end of the day, as long as he's winning games (namely Super Bowls), I don't care what race or color he is, but at the same time, it's good to see a brother coaching my favorite team.

 So far, he's saying all the right things; well, at least in terms of what I want to see from the team. I want an aggressive, but smart offense, and he has stated that he wants an attacking offense as well. He seems to have the same gift of persuasion as Elway. As I mentioned before in my first blog, when the offensive coordinator spot became available, I was hoping for either Mike McCoy or Bill Musgrave, two offensive-minded guys that guided top ranked NFL offenses.

He managed to secure both of them, hiring McCoy as the offensive coordinator, and Musgrave as the QBs coach. That's like a young man trying to decide which of the two pretty young ladies he wants to take to the prom, and he shows up with both of them on his arms. I don't know how he did it, but kudos to him. The quarterbacks (Siemian and Lynch) can't help but improve under McCoy and Musgrave's guidance.

Joe Woods, formerly the team's secondary coach was hired as defensive coordinator after Wade Phillips departed for the Los Angeles Rams. The secondary players engaged Joe, and I believe the quality that made the secondary actively interactive with him will gravitate throughout the entire defense.

Brock Olivio, formerly the Chiefs assistant special teams coach, was hired to coach the special teams. Judging from his press conference, he's going to bring the spunk and energetic personality that will easily rub off on the players.

This is just a prelude of Coach Joseph; this is his first stint as a head coach, so the results remain to be seen. I love what I've heard from these guys so far. I'm looking forward to see how everything translates on the field.  After the 2017 season has concluded, I intend to give a more thorough analysis on Vance and his coaching staff.

The House Elway Built

This post will serve as part two of my blog covering John Elway. In his post football career, he took on business ventures such as car dealerships, restaurants, and was the CEO/co-Owner of an AFL (Arena Football League) team, the Colorado Crush (2003-08). In the franchise's six seasons, they won two division titles, made five straight playoff appearances, including winning the Arena Bowl Championship in 2005. The franchise was disbanded in 2009.

Meanwhile, the Broncos hired former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels to replace Mike Shanahan-- who coached the Broncos for over a decade-- as head coach. McDaniels got off to a fast start, winning the first six games of his career. Then it went downhill from there. The nail in the coffin was when he tried to pull the same tactic as Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. The difference is, McDaniels still lost the game. That's ridiculous; that's like pulling a sneak attack on someone, and still getting your a** whipped.

Thankfully, the plug was finally pulled on him. Since then, he has been the then-St. Louis Rams OC, and is currently back with the Patriots. They can keep him. He single-handedly desecrated the house Elway built.

2011: Re-Enter John Elway. John Elway was back in the saddle in Denver, this time as an executive, accepting the position as Executive Vice President of football operations. He was back to rebuild his house. The following season, he assumed the role of General Manager after the departure of Brian Xanders, giving him complete control of football operations.

Since then, the Broncos went on to win four division titles, made two AFC Championship appearances, and two Super Bowl appearances, winning Super Bowl 50. He has rebuilt his house that was reduced to freaking rubble after he left. In total, he has guided Denver to four division titles, eight AFC Championships (six as a player), seven Super Bowls (five as a player), winning three of them (two as a player). Of course, I'm expecting these numbers to increase as he continues his run as EVP/GM.  There's a great debate within me on which version of him I like more: John Elway the QB, or John Elway the EVP/GM.

I don't know. I'm torn, but I believe I'll lean slightly towards John Elway the EVP/GM. It's giving me an opportunity to get to know him from the outside looking in, and how he thinks and operates, to see  his ability to wheel-and-deal. It didn't take long for me to witness his power of persuasion. When Peyton Manning become available in 2011, the reaction was in a fashion similar to the most popular girl in school being dumped. Nearly everyone was after him. Honestly, I said to myself that it would be sweet if Denver targeted him-- I wasn't sold on Tim Tebow at all-- but I wasn't expecting them to actually be in the running, especially with Tennessee (where Peyton played during his collegiate career), being one of the front runners.

Although I was still holding a glimpse of hope, I thought Tennessee had the best chance of sealing the deal. They one of the best running backs at the time in Chris Johnson, a good receiving corps, and they were going to put in his contract a guaranteed position on the staff after he retired. Somehow, in typical Elway-esque, clutch fashion, he reeled in one of the greatest free agents to ever hit the market.

He has a willingness to adapt, which is key to success in nearly anything. He put together the pieces of a high-powered offense; they ran roughshod and shattered records during that time, only to get demolished in SB 48 against the Seattle Seahawks. Man, I want those bastards in a rematch, but I digress. He retooled and built perhaps the greatest defense ever assembled.

 I've seen great defenses in my time (e.g. the 2000 Ravens, 2002 Buccaneers, 2014 Seahawks), but in all of my years of watching football, I've never seen a defense as destructive as the 2015 Broncos. They single-handedly won games, and made the game's top quarterbacks look like sh*t throughout the course of the season. I've never seen any team terrorize Tom Brady the way they did in the AFC Championship game. I believe they saved their best for Cam Newton and the Panthers in Super Bowl 50.

They took a slight step back last season; the pass defense was still tops, but the run defense was deplorable. So far this off-season, he has revamped the defensive line, bringing in an underrated prospect in Domata Peko, and Zach Kerr, a massive, versatile DL, with a lot of potential. More on the acquisitions in another blog. With the draft and the remainder of free agency, I'm sure Elway's not done.

I also noticed that he won't break the bank to get anyone, either, which brings me to one of the major things that I respect about him: he won't nut up. He's aggressive and not afraid to go after players to accomplish the mission, but he's also smart and thorough, and won't give up the farm to bring in or secure players.

I don't want to emulate others, but I consider myself to be resourceful. If  there's a quality (or qualities) that I see in someone, and I find it applicable, I'll apply it to my own approach. From his clutch, never-say-die attitude and approach as a QB, to his calculating, aggressive, but shrewd prowess as an executive, there's definitely some things I'm learning from "No. 7 with the orange shirt."

"No. 7 With the Orange Shirt"

Before I begin, I want to start by saying I'm not an idolator. I don't idolize anybody. I don't want this blog to be mistaken as such. They are a few individuals that I have a great deal of respect for, and John Elway is one of those individuals. As I mentioned in my first blog, he's the reason I became a Broncos and football fan.

Growing up in New Orleans, I wasn't into sports at first. I didn't get into it totally until I was about 10. Prior to that, if the Saints game was on, my family would gather together and I would watch the games with them, but that was rare. Even when I was rarely watching football, I took notice of Elway, except I didn't know his name at the time. I would refer to him as "No. 7 with the orange shirt."

The game, more specifically the play, that made me a fan was during a playoff game against the then-Houston Oilers in '92-- known as "The Drive 2"-- when he avoided an oncoming pass rush and delivered a clutch throw to Vance Johnson on a critical 4th down. In the end, they went on to win the game and advanced to the AFC Championship game. Unfortunately, the ride ended with them losing to the Buffalo Bills.

That summer-- if I remember correctly-- I learned his name, and the rest, as they say, is history. I've been a Broncos fan ever since. I didn't see the first two Super Bowls they lost; I saw very little of the demolishing they suffered at the hands of the 49ers in 1990.

I watched as he played most of his career with average talent, at best, around him. I watched as he went through the hardships of keeping the team in contention. Yet he managed to maximize the talent around him and will them to three Super Bowl appearances in the process. I mean, don't get me wrong, there were some talented guys on these teams-- as well as strong defenses-- but not anyone you had to game plan for. He didn't have that kind of guy until Shannon Sharpe was drafted. 

This speaks volumes to Elway's ability to carry a team and make the players around him better, which is part of a QB's job. Another example of this is when he was paired with wide receivers Rod Smith and Ed McCaffrey in the mid-to-late 90s. Smith and McCaffrey were at best 3rd or 4th WRs on a team's depth chart prior to working with Elway. They teamed with him and became Pro Bowlers, and were key additions to the team's later success.

The addition that helped Elway get over the (Super Bowl) hump was running back Terrell Davis, who was (finally) inducted into the Hall of Fame this year. More on him in another blog. After suffering an unexpected, heartbreaking loss in the Divisional round of the playoffs to the Jaguars in '97, the criticism and attacks on Elway mounted at an all-time high.

In '98, Elway and the Broncos gained another shot at championship glory against the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl 32, who were making their second straight appearance. I remember watching that game intently. I wore my John Elway jersey that I had at the time. That was the first jersey I ever bought. I remember as a teenager when I was going to the mall, my parents gave me the money to buy a jersey. I was so excited when I saw and most of all was able to purchase Elway's uniform, but I'm digressing big time.

I was even more excited and overjoyed to see John Elway win his first Super Bowl with the odds stacked against them, facing a Packers team who was led by Brett Favre, the league MVP, and the hottest QB in the league during this era. I'll admit it was an emotional moment when Broncos' owner Pat Bowlen during the post game, before handing the Super Bowl MVP trophy to Elway, announced, "This one's for John!"

They went on to play in Super Bowl 33-- their second consecutive appearance-- defeating the Atlanta Falcons, 34-19, winning back-to-back Super Bowls. The one thing that avoided Elway most of his career, he captured in back-to-back fashion. How sweet it is! Shortly thereafter, John Elway announced his retirement from football after an illustrious career of 16 seasons filled with trials, success, more trials, and going out on top, not to mention, some monumental memories for me as a fan.

With everything I've said, I didn't even mention (thoroughly) how clutch he was. He led the Broncos to 35 fourth quarter comebacks and 46 game winning drives. One of those is known as "The Drive," which he orchestrated against the Cleveland Browns in a playoff game in 1987. He was a 9 time Pro Bowler, League MVP, Super Bowl MVP, 3 time All-Pro, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004, his first year of eligibility. I mean, of course. It would've been a travesty if he wasn't a first ballot Hall of Famer.

I planned to mention his current tenure as the Broncos' Executive Vice President of football operations/General Manager, but I've decided to make this a two-part blog, and will write about it in the next one. Stay tuned.

#DraftChristianMcCaffrey

During the off-season I started a campaign called #DraftChristianMcCaffrey. Although it was all in fun, I am hoping that the Broncos select Christian McCaffrey, if he's still on the board, with the 20th pick next Thursday night. Yes, an offensive lineman is needed, but with a 2nd round pick and two 3rd round picks, you can find quality offensive lineman in those rounds.

As far as his quest that I've heard he's on to dispel the myth of white athletes, I mean, whatever, that's him. If he's able to accomplish it, more power to him, but I digress. The reasons why I want the Broncos to draft him next week is one, I'll admit, I was a fan of his dad (Ed McCaffrey), who had his best career with the Broncos, so yes, it would be nice to see him follow in his father's footsteps.

Two, I believe his versatile skill set will have an immediate impact on the Broncos in two ways:
Offensively. His dual-threat ability as a running back and receiver. With his 5-11, 203 pound frame, he runs with more power than you would expect from someone his size. He finds and hits the holes quickly; he doesn't tip-toe through the line, and he has the speed and acceleration for the home run plays.

He has the ability to be an extra weapon in the passing game as a sort of an undercover Wes Welker, and again I revert back to his explosiveness and ability to make big plays, which would be a huge help for an offense that lacked this last season. On a side note, he would also be a dangerous safety valve for Trevor Siemian, who thrives in the intermediate-short passing game.

Another area where he is desperately needed is the return game. The Broncos have struggled mightily in this area, and hasn't had an electrifying returner to make the game easier for the offense since Trindon Holliday.

Overall, while I believe Christian McCaffrey is an every down back, I don't view him as a 25-30 carries type of back-- I view him as more of the Eric Metcalf type-- which is fine because they have C J Anderson and Devontae Booker to grind out the yards, and he will be an excellent addition and compliment to those guys.

All in all, I believe McCaffrey will be too good to pass up, and if he's still on the board by the time John Elway makes his selection for the 20th pick, #DraftChristianMcCaffrey.

MicroScout: Trevor Siemian

The term "microscout," is a hybrid of microscope and scout that I've created in reference to my honest, in-depth analysis on players. It also will serve as a theme for when I give my take on players, such as today's subject, QB Trevor Siemian. Obviously, everyone's entitled to their opinion, so I'm not expecting everyone to agree with me. However, I'm giving my take on these individuals as I see them or from what I've seen of them.

So, without further ado, my first edition of MircoScout, will focus on QB Trevor Siemian. Last season was his first as a full-time starter after not seeing the field-- with the exception of a kneel-- at all during his rookie season. He took over the reins after Peyton Manning retired, winning a three-way battle between him, Mark Sanchez, and Paxton Lynch for the starting position.

He finished the season 8-6 as a starter, throwing for 3,401 yards, 18 touchdowns, 10 picks, completing 59.5% of passes, and a QB rating of 84.6. As I alluded to in my last blog, considering the situation he was thrust into, I thought he played well for the most part. Is he far from a finished product? Yes. Was he frustrating at times? Yes.

Nonetheless, I thought he proved that he can play the QB position, and play it well in this league. I'll admit, in a Facebook post shortly after the season ended, I commented out of frustration that he's a quality back up, but not a starter. Cooler head prevailing, I honestly didn't see anything that moved me to say Denver needs to try someone else at quarterback.

It's a great divide on Siemian in the Broncos community. Some feel the same way I do, and believes his play was sufficient, and want to see what he can do going forward, while others feel differently, and want the Broncos to look elsewhere. With that aside, here's my analytical breakdown of Trevor Siemian, judging from last season.

Pros:

• Intangibles- One of the things that immediately stood out to me was his unflappability. The situation, no matter how critical, didn't seem too big for him. He didn't panic or freak out. I saw games where he bounced back strongly, played even better after he made a mistake. I saw a play during the season opener against the Carolina Panthers where the protection broke down and he side-stepped a jumping defensive lineman who obstructed his passing lane and delivered a side arm throw to Demaryius Thomas, whereas the average young QB probably would've panicked. He seems to have a Joe Montana-like calmness about him. Having a QB with that kind of poise is paramount, and it goes a long way.
• Accuracy- He had good timing and accuracy with his throws most of time-- there were some instances where he threw past his target, and he had me wondering who the f**k he was throwing to. Other than that, his mechanics and delivery was quick and smooth. The intermediate passing game was his strength.
• Leadership- His ability to lead goes under the radar due to his expressionless, laid-back demeanor, but his teammates lauded his confidence and ability to command the huddle.
• Durability- Some would argue that he needs to get stronger, but I actually think he showed great durability last season. A prime example was the game against the New Orleans Saints, where he took a major beating, but hung in there, and kept the team in the game. In general, I believe every player's goal is to get stronger, but he's more durable than acredited.

Cons:

• Red Zone Efficiency- He had a habit of turning the ball over in the red zone at times, particularly in the beginning, and I stated that if the problem wasn't fixed immediately, it would come back to bite them later, and it did in a game against the New England Patriots-- of all teams-- who's known for exploiting young, inexperienced quarterbacks.
• Holds the Ball Too Long- Although he's no Russell Wilson, he has adequate mobility and has the ability to maneuver out of harm's way-- as described above in intangibles-- or scramble and make plays with his feet. However, he had moments where he held the ball too long, and that was another cause of him constantly getting drilled in the pocket aside from the piss-poor blocking of the offensive line.
• Predictable- This ties into the red zone (in)efficiency. The passes that were intercepted came from him trying make the same throws, and the defense was all over it. Two instances that come to mind was against the Saints and the Patriots. Although the play calling was just as much to blame, this is an area that he needs to fix immediately. Constant red zone turnovers will find him on the bench-- I'm sure to the joy of some Broncos fans who want Lynch out there anyway-- and out of the league quickly.
• Settles for Short Throws/Long Ball- It has been said that back when he attended Northwestern, during practices, he was known as "Checkdown Trevor," and I saw where he would fall in love with the short-intermediate throws, when there were better throws available. Although he made some great plays throwing deep, I believe his deep ball could be better. I wonder if it's a confidence thing with throwing deep, and perhaps that ties into his infatuation with settling for short/intermediate throws.

Overall

My verdict on Trevor Siemian is that he has high ceiling. He's not going to blow you away with his play, but he's very fundamentally sound, which for me speaks volumes at that position. To me, a dangerously, fundamentally sound player (e.g. Tim Duncan, Larry Bird) is more dangerous than a flashy, freakish athlete. I believe he showed great poise and played well, for the most part. I know I'll receive some flak from Raiders fans, and perhaps some criticism from some Broncos fans, but from what I've seen so far, he reminds me of Rich Gannon with a slightly stronger arm.

He took a lot of blame for the Broncos falling short of the postseason, but the reasons why Denver didn't advance last season goes beyond the growing pains of a young quarterback. I believe he will make leaps from last season, and I'm interested to see how he operates in a flexible, yet more aggressive offense that's being installed.

With a new coaching regime in place, he finds himself once again in an open competition for QB spot with Paxton Lynch, but I believe it's Siemian's job to lose. If he strengthens his strengths, and fix his weaknesses, he has a great future ahead of him-- and so does the Broncos.

Introduction: My Season Review of the 2016-17 Denver Broncos

Welcome to my official Denver Broncos blog! I actually have two teams that I like, the NY Jets being the other, but I'm a die-hard Broncos fan. I've been a fan of the team since the 1991-92 season. During a playoff game in '92 against the then-Houston Oilers, I watched as John Elway-- on a fourth and long, with the game and season on the line-- escape pressure from a pass rush, and find Vance Johnson for a huge gain that kept their playoff hopes alive, as well as secure them a victory. The rest as they say, is history.

I've been a Broncos fan since. Actually, I watched football sparingly prior to that game, but even during that time, I took notice of John Elway. Back then, being a kid, and not knowing who was who, I referred to him as "No.7 with the orange shirt." John Elway is the reason I became a Broncos and football fan. More on that in another blog.

  As we enter the 2017 NFL Draft set to take place next week, I decided to recap and give my take on their 2016-17 season, and where I see this team going moving forward. Entering the season as the reigning Super Bowl champs, they finished the season 9-7. Despite the winning record on paper, they fell short of playoff contention.

Obviously, I was disappointed. Even if they fell short of returning to the Super Bowl, I thought they were good enough to contend in the playoffs. You can imagine my frustration to see them be as inconsistent as they were last season.

Granted, they entered the season with a quarterback (Trevor Siemian) who was practically a rookie out there. Although he was technically in his second year, he didn't play at all during his actual rookie season. I mean, he took a knee to end a game, I can go out there and do that much.

 Considering the situation he was in, receiving the torch from future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning, who went out as a Super Bowl champ, he went into the season under enormous expectations and pressure to guide the team-- with a historic defense-- back to the postseason, I thought he played well for the most part, but I'll save the rest for an upcoming blog where I'll give my full analysis on Trevor Siemian.

With Peyton Manning retiring, and Brock Osweiler-- who at one time was expected to be the heir apparent-- leaving for the Houston Texans in free agency, Siemian was the only QB on their roster before they traded with the Philadelphia Eagles for Mark Sanchez, by far the worst move by Elway so far in his time as a GM/VP, and they drafted quarterback Paxton Lynch in the first round later that April, which led to an open competition for the starting job between the three, which was won by Siemian.

Fast forward, the offense looked good for the most part at the beginning, but then reverted back to old habits that hindered them during their championship run. Trevor unfairly received a lot of blame for the offense's struggles. There were receivers dropping passes, the blocking was piss-poor most of time, and the run game struggled as well, especially after C J Anderson went down for the season.

Although the defense was still one of the best in the league overall, they didn't quite have the same tenacity that they had the year before, and it started up front, particularly-- in my opinion-- the game against the Cincinnati Bengals when Jeremy Hill ran roughshod on them in the first half. The run defense suffered miserably, finishing 28th last season, after finishing 3rd the season before.

Jared Crick gave a good effort, providing pressure and deflecting passes at the line of scrimmage at times, but the presence of Malik Jackson, who left for the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency, was sorely missed. Malik was quicker, more athletic and disruptive at the point of attack, and was a better pass rusher. Sylvester Williams, who went to the Tennessee Titans this off-season, wasn't consistent in holding up as an anchor on the front line.

They beat themselves in critical games (i.e. the first meeting against the Kansas City Chiefs, and against Tennessee), something they wouldn't have done the season before. Gary Kubiak, the head coach at the time, announced his retirement-- it's said that it was due to health reasons-- at the end of the season; they finished strong for him in the final game, defeating the Oakland Raiders 24-6.

They hired Vance Joseph as the new head coach in January. He has brought in an impressive staff, particularly bringing back Mike McCoy as offensive coordinator, and Bill Musgrave, who orchestrated the league's 6th ranked offense in Oakland, as the quarterbacks coach. Honestly, I was hoping for one of the two to run the offense, but he managed to hire them both. How the heck he did that, I don't know, but it was impressive. 

This blog went a little longer than I anticipated, so again, more on Vance, the staff, and my take on the free agent acquisitions thus far, on another blog. Overall, I like where this team is headed as we embark upon the upcoming season. There are definitely improvements-- mainly the offensive line and the run defense-- that need to be made, but it's not in abundance. I would also like to see a solid WR3 in the mix. From what I've seen, I don't have confidence in the guys after Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas.

What that, I believe the Broncos will claim their fourth Super Bowl championship by this season's end. It's all about the four!