There's not much debate about one thing - Alphonso Smith is the second 2nd-round pick in two years to ignite an instant firestorm of controversy in Denver. Eddie Royal managed it first - think back, now, to that weekend and to the things that were said.
When that 42nd pick came in, Broncos fans were shocked, stunned and horrified. Begrudgingly, they accepted that perhaps he could be worth the pick by his prowess in the return game.
Giving up a 2nd-round pick on a scrawny kick returner with some receiving skills was a big stretch, the media agreed, but perhaps Mike Shanahan really felt that the team needed a return guy. DeSean Jackson, the consensus went, would have been a better pick. Getting a defensive tackle would have been a much better way to go all around. And so it went. This year may prove to be somewhat redundant in that respect - everything that I've been able to accumulate about Smith indicates that he, very much like Eddie Royal, may become a favorite of the Broncos' fan base in the near future.
Here's what you probably know about Rulon Davis. If you've been reading at all about him, you probably know that he was a Marine in the Iraqi conflict. He was in a fire zone, fought for his country, and came home.
Tyson Jackson stunned a lot of people by being the third player taken in the NFL draft. Many said that this was, in part, because of the laws of scarcity – there were few true 5-technique defensive ends in this year’s draft, making the ones that were there more valuable. The 5-technique DE lines up on the outside shoulder of the offensive tackles, giving them a chance to stack the line, stuff the outside run or rush the passer with equal verve. It’s a staple of the modern 3-4 defense, which the Denver Broncos will be switching to from their traditional 4-3 as quickly as circumstances permit.
Continue reading "Tales from the SunnySide: Everette Pedescleaux"
A lie can run around the world twice while the truth is still getting its shoes on. - Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)
Like all college players whose names weren't called on Draft Day, Chris Baker knows that he has something to prove. He's heard all the opinions - "Boom or Bust," "Must be in the right system," "Left school too early," "Character concerns abound," "Troublemaker," "Takes plays off."
Excellence in athletics is a goal that many long for, yet few achieve. Most of us have desired, however briefly, to attain the level of neuromuscular skill and hand/eye coordination that would permit us to reach the pinnacle of pro sports that the NFL represents. Some of us guide young people on that path as coaches. Others teach their children and grandchildren a respect and appreciation for the game of football, that wonderful combination of human chess and unceasing effort and competition.
Charles and Erin Dimry run Velocity Sports Performance in Carlsbad, CA. This facility stands on the cutting edge of the development of the younger as well as the professional athlete. Walk inside with me and take a tour through the new ways we can maximize the performance of the players, whether they are preparing for the Combine, or preparing for an NFL career...
Mike Nolan brought several things with him from San Francisco. He brought the plans for a nascent 3-4 defense, with some hybrid attributes, that is yet to be unveiled. He brought a background in working for the Denver Broncos, an understanding of the traditions of the organization and a knowledge of the town. Oh, yes, and he brought with him the wide-load defensive tackle and nose tackle Ronald Fields.
Sometimes you just like a pickup. The Broncos signed one this weekend that has a non-stop motor.
Andre' Goodman has come a long way from Greenville, SC. He was born there on August 11, 1978; Goodman was born a Leo and has the heart of a lion. He brings that fierce quality to his play on the field.
He was an all-state selection in South Carolina and was rated the state's 20th-best prospect and 10th-best receiver after only two years of football. He was a top performer in track and ran a 10.5 in the 100-meter dash. In NFL terms, he ran a 4.36 40 before being drafted. That’s a lot of speed. And we all know that you can’t coach speed.
When the awards for the Broncos MVP come up next month two names won’t be on the short list. They aren’t players – they get less press, but have greater responsibilities. Jim Goodman is the architect of the Denver youth movement, and has been rightfully praised to the rafters on this and many other sites. But there is probably a man who is getting more press this year than he has in his 13 year history with the Broncos – running backs coach Bobby Turner.
Champ Bailey calls the safety position: "...your last line of defense." With the Broncos preferred defensive formations, that has often included the cornerbacks. But, with the hiring, starting and releasing of R. Rogers in four days, the Broncos gave new meaning to the phrase, "Speed at the safety position." In a season-long search for simple competence in the defensive backfield the Broncos seem to have finally stumbled on a decent pair of players: Josh Bell at CB and Vernon Fox at Safety.
