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.
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