Should Denver try to trade for Jordan Gross?

Ted Bartlett Sep 26, 2013 6:18 PM

The NFL's trade deadline is still 4.5 weeks away (4pm ET on Tue, Oct 29), and no team (except for the Browns) is ready to cut bait on 2013.

Of course, trades can occur anytime between now and then, and Robert Mays has a few ideas, including one that would have Denver send a fifth-round pick to Carolina in exchange for left tackle Jordan Gross:

Why the Broncos should pick up the phone: With Ryan Clady done for the year, Denver’s only real weakness appears to be at left tackle. Replacement Chris Clark played very well against Lamarr Houston on Monday night, but Gross is a proven commodity. Denver has the inside track to the Super Bowl right now, and bringing in a proven left tackle as a one-year rental would be a perfect way to keep it. You can replace “Denver” with “Seattle” in that last sentence, and the point stands

I'd give up a fifth-rounder for Gross, no question about it.

That's the kind of trade where the acquiring team does get good value for a draft pick; I did an article about this last year.

Here are a few reasons why a deal would make sense:

For a team like the Broncos, the roster can be so stacked that fifth-rounders get stashed on IR (Quanterus Smith) or sent to the practice squad (Tavarres King).
Gross has played for John Fox and Dave Magazu, and he's from the mountain west. It seems like he enjoys the familiarity of Charlotte, but Denver would probably be the second-most familiar place he could go in the NFL.
Finally, a good left tackle is scheme-indifferent, so the risk that Mays mentioned isn't there. He just has to go out and block his guy.

1. I’m not in the arguing business, I’m in the saying what I think business.
2. I get my information from my eyes.

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Rosterbation • Ted's Analysis • Bite-size Nuggets

buyers?: ravens, giants, jets, raiders, possibly titans
and of course the pats...but we all know that will never happen

tamme, although not exactly a stud, is pretty underrated both as a receiver and a blocker - overall solid and a likely starter on most teams

they definitely will be waiting for the deadline to assure maximum value, but it could also be joel dressen instead

with shrinking depth in the secondary now it makes no sense to keep 4 decent TE's

Posted by Evan on 2013-09-28 05:13:39

decker won't be going anywhere this year...it would undermine the broncos strategy of always being able to have coverage mismatches...however it will be very interesting to see what happens with him next year being that they will soon have to give proper contracts to von miller and demaryius thomas...

Posted by Evan on 2013-09-28 05:00:53

I believe Winston Justice was their insurance policy.

Posted by SterlingMalloryArcher on 2013-09-27 14:56:37

Well, I'm going to disagree with you here, because that wasn't a personal slap at Legwold. I've made those before, but this was simply me noting that what I hold to be the right answer differs from what some other dude who writes about the Broncos claims. If I just let his nonsense hang, and don't directly contradict it, I feel like it's a he-said, he-said kind of deal, and the clarity of the point suffers.

You know, when I started writing 5 years ago, I took a lot of shots at a lot of writers, most especially Peter King. I did it because it was fun, and because I grew up with hip hop, and in hip hop, if your music is hot, but your recognition is low, the best way to get noticed is to go right at somebody who's established, and get them into a beed. Who was KRS-One before he took on Marley Marl and the Juice Crew?

Sometimes, it felt like clowning established MSM guys was the end that I had in mind. I got bored with doing that, and continued to grow up, and it became clear to me that I didn't want to write as a career anyway, so why worry that much about getting noticed on a widespread basis? I've worked toward limiting it, but as a commentator, it's sometimes unavoidable to comment on what somebody else said, if it contradicts what I'm saying.

I could be more flowery about it, I suppose, but it's not really my style. You know, when Paul Krugman disagrees with something another economist writes, he'll explain why he differs with that person, and put it in writing. I've said a few times that ESPN's coverage of the Broncos has improved with Jeff's hiring, and also that his stuff has improved since he left the DP. He's fine as a football reporter, but he's terrible when he starts trying to play analyst. I didn't say he was stupid, I said he didn't know what he's talking about. If I was being flowery about it, I might have said "I believe that Jeff is mistaken in this case" but it's more than that. He's mistaken most of the time when he talks about schemes or anything technical.

Like Doug does with the Lard, I'm just telling readers what's worth reading, and what isn't. If I start making fun of Jeff's height again, come see me. If I'm challenging him on the merits of his work, sorry, that's all in the game.

Posted by Ted Bartlett on 2013-09-27 10:11:50

Interesting how Gase took responsibility for a bad play call on the Manning sack and fumble....thoughts?

Posted by denverkewl on 2013-09-27 09:05:10

After witnessing what the Broncos have been doing this season, watching those two teams last night was like watching a couple of neighborhood teams play. What a train wreck!

Posted by John Tomasik on 2013-09-27 08:09:09

Re-written without gratuitous slaps:

The Broncos have the simplest playbook in the NFL. For an LT it's pretty simple: etc., etc. Ted, the other day you wrote one of the finest analyses I've ever read, because you used your football knowledge, which is pretty awesome, and you refrained from gratuitous insults. Apparently that part is still a work in progress. Only a mediocrity needs to pull down others in order to make himself look taller. You don't. You don't need to show off, you don't need to tacitly compare yourself to others by saying how stupid they are. When you simply talk football and analyze plays and players it's obvious you know what you're talking about better than 99% of the (not idiots, but non-geniuses) out there, and it makes for compelling reading. Just saying.

Posted by spock on 2013-09-27 07:53:10

Tonites game ahahahahaha

I tape all the games (not broncos) and then fast forward thru at double if not triple speed. If I see a flash worth looking at I rewind and look at it.

Tonight I watched the sideline gal after half time behind that not much.

As for the bronco games I also tape them and watch and rewind a lot as for the most part I watch OL play and often misss the real play. So have to go back and watch what happened with the actual ball.

Posted by Lonestar47 on 2013-09-27 01:37:49

Only one year and one game too long.

Posted by Kibbles on 2013-09-27 00:17:55

I had a keyboard, and STILL screwed up my post, so you don't have anything to apologize for.

As for content, I don't mind this. It's a fun academic exercise, but really, the NFL has, by far, the most anti-climatic trade line of any major sport. The original article was fun in that respect (especially in light of the Richardson trade), and I think every writer here has earned the right to have a little fun with posts like this. If every post were on the lighter, fluffier side, with multiple clicks required, that would be a problem. And if some come here and freak out, they should probably work on reading comprehension.

Besides...this is still better football content than tonight's game.

Posted by DiscoStu on 2013-09-26 23:38:48

If they continue to play 3 TEs as a variation, I suspect they keep 4.
And since they've used 3 TEs in both run schemes and pass schemes, it will give future opponents pause. Probably keep Tamme.

Posted by ivanthenotsobad on 2013-09-26 23:35:31

Sorry about that good old safari vs disqus. iPad self edits and once on the page nigh impossible to eit.

The key is those folks that come here (for the most part) come here for the meaningful commentary, while there are a few that like to see their stuff in print, most want to read legit posts from the legends.

They realize that they do not know more than our legends that run the site.

The others I ignore much like the ignoramuses from the DP.

Posted by Lonestar47 on 2013-09-26 23:13:11

1. Stupid typos...well played.

2. I'm sure Doug, TJ, Doc, and Ted would all be writing top-notch content, day after day, with no one visiting the site. Now, if TJ's Gut Reactions required you to click through each point individually, you might have a point.

Posted by DiscoStu on 2013-09-26 22:40:45

1. Glad you were stimulates into thinking..
2. I was always thinking this website was for Bronco content.. not clicks..

Posted by Lonestar47 on 2013-09-26 22:07:49

As long as we're talking 'sell high', you could make the case that Decker is expendable. Sure he's due for a new contract at season's end, but if there were a solid pash rusher or left tackle being dangled, I'd at least entertain the notion.

Posted by krissberg on 2013-09-26 22:04:53

1. The article this was based on is actually prettying fun as a thought experiment. I don't mind a post going through it with a bit more Broncos-centric depth.

2. I'm pretty sure the whole point of a website is to get clicks.

Posted by DiscoStu on 2013-09-26 20:56:58

I would do this in a minute, but Carolina won't trade Gross. They don't have a remotely suitable replacement on the roster and he's spent his entire career as a Panther, most of it as a team captain. Carolina is also strangely sentimental about their players. John Kasay, who screwed up their chance to win the Super Bowl remains mysteriously and enormously popular and they kept Jake Delhomme around about four years too long.

Posted by Yahmule on 2013-09-26 20:14:30

I think injuries would create the market and though the team wouldn't want to help out a playoff caliber team, esp in the conference, we have a very good player to dangle who could make us better this year or next year.

Posted by Benjamin Funderburk on 2013-09-26 20:10:08

Ah all the nervous nellies in 3, 2, 1.

Better yet all the arm chair GMs wan be John Elways.
I realize that things are slow but fishing for hits?

Posted by Lonestar47 on 2013-09-26 20:06:05

I don't know who the buyers would be. The best teams with holes might want to buy, sure, but do you really want to help them? No mediocre team or rebuilding team is going to trade for a guy like Tamme.

Posted by Ted Bartlett on 2013-09-26 20:01:38

The Broncos have the simplest playbook in the NFL, despite what Jeff Legwold would have you believe. He doesn't know what he's talking about. For a LT, it's pretty simple:

1. On passes, execute assignment on the called protection scheme, which tend to be pretty standardized across the NFL.

2. On a zone-blocked run play, zone-block.

3. On an angle-blocked run play, execute the specific assignment (down-block, pull, double-team, etc.)

Most of the variation between plays doesn't affect a tackle, and there isn't as much variation between the plays in Denver as there is anywhere else.

Posted by Ted Bartlett on 2013-09-26 20:00:27

I see this year as a Super Bowl or bust kind of year. Does Denver really need Tamme? Probably not but unless they can get a relatively high pick in return for him I would rather keep him for insurance in case JT goes down. Just like giving up a 5th isn't that big of a deal for a team like Denver, getting one for Tamme doesn't do much for me in this kind of a year.

Posted by IDBronco on 2013-09-26 19:43:22

Along trade talk lines, do we think the Broncos would try to move players such as Tamme? With JTs emergence as more than a training camp star and Dressen and Green being entrenched as solid blocking with good to above average receiving skills, one would think we could get a good player or a higher draft pick in return. Of course I don't see any move until we're closer to the trade deadline but with Elway and company always looking to improve the team now and tomorrow, I think moving Tamme makes sense.

Posted by Benjamin Funderburk on 2013-09-26 19:25:41

I hear you, I hear scheme indifferent, but doesn't the knowledge of playbook and coherence with the rest of the line (they have played together a ton without Clady) offset the experience and skill of bringing in an outsider like Gross?

Posted by GreasyQtip on 2013-09-26 19:00:00

Even if Clark does well, how's the line depth holding up? Obviously Clady's gone. Would it be worth it to get some insurance?

Posted by John Tomasik on 2013-09-26 18:56:00

Of course, by then, Chris Clark may be doing great, and the Broncos don't feel like they need Gross.

Posted by Ted Bartlett on 2013-09-26 18:49:13

It is conjecture, and I don't think Carolina would do the deal today. Maybe 3 weeks from now, if they've lost 2 of 3 to Arizona (road), Minnesota (road), and St. Louis (a distinct possibility of a home loss) and they sit at 2-4, they might do the deal.

As for them being a great team, I think we have different definitions of "great." I think they're good enough to compete to be 8-8 as they're currently constructed.

Posted by Ted Bartlett on 2013-09-26 18:39:02

Is the article just pure conjecture? Why would Carolina make the deal? Despite the first couple of games they have a great team with an unfortunately mediocre in-game coach.

Posted by Guest on 2013-09-26 18:25:07

I'm totally on board for this.

Of course we all could be and it won't matter if Denver isn't, or they are but Carolina isn't interested. (Maybe they want to see if they have a shot at contending this year, but it seems clear to me that they won't.)

Posted by underdog on 2013-09-26 18:21:32

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