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[Imperfect611]

Welcome to the broncos forums where there will be updates on our favorite Denver football team. These updates will range from off season personnel changes to trade rumors to weekly recaps. Follow the thread and updates will start coming ASAP.

 

[Imperfect611]

Free Agency Recap (Season 3)

Scheme Change:

This year the defense will be moving from a Tampa 2 style 4-3 to a 3-4 zone blitzing team. This change was done to enable our star players to be true star players. It will free up Von Miller and Ward to flow across the whole field while forcing QBs to throw quickly against one of the league's best pass rushing teams. The AFC West is stacked with great passing teams and you can't sit back and let them pick you apart it will never work.
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Roster Moves:

Every year the team moves around and with major scheme changes on defense a few players are going to find a new home this year.

1. Starting DTs to DE
Justin Johnson and Andrew Jolly are both moving our to DE in the new 3-4 defense. Neither really possess the raw run stopping talent needed to start at NT, but they have a similar and interesting skill set that allows them to control the edge with their athleticism and handle multiple blockers to free up LBs. Jolly really came onto the scene late last season teamed up with Johnson to cause disruption up the middle and was a huge part of the late surge of wins for Denver. The team hopes that they can keep defenses guessing and work as a protection for the big hitters like Miller and Ward and allow them to flow freely this year.

2. Starting OLBs moving inside
AJ Hawk is moving to MLB in the new system. He has great knowledge for the game, but lacks the explosiveness off the edge which will be key this year. Hawk can read the field and make tackles and will most likely function as a 3rd down MLB behind Woodyard. Woodyard was a surprise return after nearly getting through FA without an offer the Broncos brought him back fro 2 more years. He was a lock down coverage linebacker outside last year and will be moving back inside to continue his job. A LB who can cover TEs is invaluable in today's league and Denver is happy to have him return.

3. Von Miller back home
After much discussion, Von Miller has moved back to OLB. While he was 2nd in the league in sacks last year due to a late season surge (partially due to the team up with young gun Jolly) he is best when being unpredictable. Teams would frequently double cover him and this is a chance to let him get open in one on one match ups on the edge. Von Miller is a guy who can do anything so we are going to let him do everything.

4. Talib to FS
Talib spent the second half the season last year at FS and he showed his old ball hawking skills. Yes he is a great corner, but he lacks the speed to cover today's new crop of WR. He may lack the tackling expected from this position, but we trust his to stop plays before they get to the point he needs to make a tackle. He was also know for getting into fights with opposing players and while we like his passion it was decided it was best for him to be off the line so he can focus on the game not the match-up.
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Major Signings:

Free agency has just ended and the Broncos have made some excellent signings on veteran and new players.

1. Ngata to NT
Haloti Ngata is a two time Superbowl winning DT (BAL 2012, LA 2018) and he will be Denver's anchor this year. His job every down is to take on as many blockers as he can. He is a force to be reckoned with at 335 lbs standing a 6 foot 4 inches. He knows how to win and he is determined to do so.

2. Solder on Blindside
Eric Hill's injury last year definitely made Denver reconsider their O line situation. Solder spent most of his career guarding future HOF Tom Brady and now he is coming here to find the same success he had in NE. Generally known for his explosiveness off the line and pinning defensive linemen, Solder is ready to stop any rushing attack this year.

3. New Slot WR
So usually you don't expect teams to talk about their new slot WR when coming out of FA, but after the loss of Cody Latimer, a hometown favorite, it needed to be addressed. People loved Latimer for his big play ability and making defenders miss in the open field, but Jaron Brown is better than Latimer in almost every way. He is a much better route runner so he won't need to rely on making the big play to be useful, but he can still make defenders miss. Latimer will be missed, but Brown is a welcome addition and waiting to prove himself to his new hometown team.​

 

[Imperfect611]

Draft Possibilities

1. Nickel Corner
   
   The Broncos first 2 CBs are some of the best in the league, but there is a huge drop off when the next squad comes in. They may look to improve here as a way to shut down the passing attack of their rivals.
   
   
2. Offensive Line Depth
   
   O Line was a huge question mark last year and now it has a few seasoned vets filling out the roster this year, but vets get hurt easy. One or two pieces wouldn't be out of the question here and would be welcome addictions to develop under some great players.
   
   
3. Pass Rusher
   
   Von Miller is a star and Johnson and Jolly are able to put out pressure all on their own, but another edge rusher could be needed to help this defense reach elite levels again. There are also talks of Denver possibly getting a smaller more athletic LB and developing him while Miller takes on major responsibilities.
   
   
4. Running Back Depth
   
   We love Ardic Austin and Taliaferro is a great addition, but injuries happen and after those two the depth is weak. Expect a late round pickup for a "break in case of emergency situation."
   
   
5. Defensive Line Development
   
   We will keep this short and sweet. Ngata is old and has a one year deal. There may not be another Ngata in this draft, but there may be a stud that Denver likes.
   
   
6. Free Safety
   
   Talib is in a similar situation as Ngata a great player, but is mostly a stop gap until a young replacement is found. Safety is hard and this draft doesn't look very deep at the position. We will have to see how confident the GM is on risking a pick on someone he isn't sure of.
   
   
7. Future Wide Receiver
   
   One of the most consistent WR core in the league being DT and Sanders has grown to be 30 years old. This isn't so much of a need, but a luxury that the Broncos can afford at the moment. They may pick someone this year while they aren't forced into need picks.

 

[Imperfect611]

2018 Draft Recap

Last week the Broncos organization released a general outline of what they were looking for in the 2018 draft. Well Denver fans, the draft was a major success. Most of the needs were filled and a few of those "luxury picks" paid off and then some. It is only preseason, but it looks like a bright future for the Men of Mile High. Analysis of specific players will come out later this week as their own segments. Analysis will come out by pick order and will not include SS Trey Parker and DT Terrell Davis, because they have already been cut due to a bad showing in summer workouts. There is more to come Denver fans stay tuned.​

 

[Imperfect611]

A Surprising Start:

Derek Hunter had a great career at USC holding down the right side of the line for 2 years as a starter. He was most known for his explosiveness off of the line and was picked by Denver because he reminded them of what they saw from Nate Solder when they grabbed him in FA. He was expected to go somewhere in the middle of the 2nd round, but the new Broncos management stated that "you don't wait on a player you know is a star." Denver put a heavy focus on getting players who impressed at the combine and pro days this year and Hunter certainly fits the bill.

Hunter is extremely athletic for an O lineman and spends extra time in the weight room every day. His combination of strength and speed is so uncommon for his position he even found himself playing FB in goaline situations in college. This is no surprise being that he was a 5 star FB recruit coming out of high school, but converted to tackle to fulfill his dreams of playing in the NFL. USC is a great program and Denver keeps an eye on the school at all times (2nd Round pick Algrenon Godfrey is also a USC alumni). Last year Denver had trouble running the ball consistently off the edge and with Hunter starting at RT this year the edge will be open to Austin once again.

Our 1st round pick is young for the NFL at 21 years old and he has time to develop the skills to become a Pro Bowl tackle. While he has that dangerous explosiveness off the line, if he doesn't immediately beat his man and throw him to the ground (which he is known to do) he has trouble holding blocks in the run or pass game. The Broncos organization believe this is a matter of footwork and just need some time to work with him. To quote owner Alex Imperfect "If he can show the same commitment to his footwork and trench game as he does to the weight room, he will be an all star in no time." ​

 

[Imperfect611]

Hometown Hero:

Quintaze Ball started his career out of Fort Collins, Colorado just north of Mile High stadium. He began his journey to the NFL in high school when he joined his JV football team as a backup on the O line. Although he rarely found playing time in his first 3 years he kept putting everything he had into it for the love of the game. In his senior year he came in on the scout defense during two a days and took over. He had been putting in his time in the weight room for 3 years, his blood, sweat, and tears went into that practice field, and it all finally paid off.

Jump forward a year and he comes in as a 3 star recruit to Nebraska and due to the lack of tape on him he was undervalued by top tier schools. He struggled at first until he built up his size, then people started to realize he was out-lifting everyone in the room. The sled started to hop a few feet off the ground from just one hit. His teammates started shying away from him in drills. He may have been red-shirted his freshmen year, but for 3 years he was the Nebraska D line and when draft day came around at the 13th pick in the second round he came home.

Now to today in Denver. He is the current starting LE after converting to a 3-4 scheme from Nebraska's 4-3. Him and Derek Hunter hitting each other in practice sounds like a thunder clap. He is playing next to Von Miller and learning from Justin Johnson. And at the end of the day he can still go home to his family and get a home cooked meal.

So that's his story what about the player? What can he do for Denver. Well it is simple he has three jobs. Stop the run, seal the edge, and take on double teams to let Von Miller make plays. He was coveted by much of the AFC West and Denver wasn't going to let this man be undervalued again. This once again shows that you can't wait to pick somebody who you know is a star. We can't wait to see him in Mile High this year.​

 

[Imperfect611]

Trusting the Board:

Another man from USC for Denver and they are happy with their new starting ROLB. This was the first guy that the Broncos were't sure about this year due to his lackluster combine being an edge rusher, but throughout summer workouts he has shown to be the best in class for Denver. He was a very welcome surprise when he dropped so late in the 2nd round. The owner attributed this to much of the league holding onto the 4-3 scheme which he really doesn't fit into.

The pick was acquired from the Cleveland Browns for Shane Ray who spent all of last year opposite Von Miller. Ironically enough the Broncos traded away Ray for this man essentially. He is a great fit and, now with the combo of him and Ball filling out the front 7, the Broncos are looking to be one of the best defenses in the league.

Being that he is 23 he doesn't have the raw potential of Hunter and Ball, but he is already such a great edge player. His tackling is a little suspect, but the Broncos pride themselves on technique and plan to fix this as soon as possible. With so many colleges forgetting to teach the fundamentals it is a wonder how some players even survive in the NFL. You can't rely on raw talent here you have to have a good head on your shoulders.

Godfrey is a great player and is learning how to study film from Miller and learning new ways to attack the offense. He has great chemistry with the new Denver scheme and looks to a name we will be hearing about for years as the crowd roars from Mile High. Welcome Algrenon Godfrey to the Broncos and we hope to see you in the backfield.​

 

[Imperfect611]

More Local Boys:

Say what you will about the Denver scouts, but it seems they start looking for guys as they come out of rec. ball. Another Colorado native joins the Denver Broncos in Gordon McKenzie. He wasn't in the discussion for Denver until his Senior Bowl and then suddenly news about him started spreading like wildfire to every team. Denver knew he wasn't the best Center in the draft, but they saw his potential and there is a lot of it.

Most people find a mentor at their own position to look up to, but McKenzie walked right up to Haloti Ngata (the biggest man on the field) and challenged him day one. He was beat every day for 2 weeks until he started to up to speed. Over summer workouts he showed his competitive spirit and did everything he could to beat up on the starting defensive line. The man is not afraid of anything or anyone. The Denver coaching staff promotes this mentor training during player's first year to build team chemistry, but Ngata and McKenzie is like watching a buddy cop movie. On the field you would think the two hated each other, while off the field they are playing pranks on the rest of the locker room.

The coaches didn't expect him to be the beat Center like they said, but they feel that in a few years he will be one of the best linemen from this draft class. He probably won't see much playtime this year unfortunately. De La Puente will be filling his role in the middle, but is inly on a one year contract. Expect him to get a lot of reps in practice and come out swinging next year or in the last quarter of games. You have to love a team that builds from its own hometown.​

 

[Imperfect611]

Following His Heroes:

An early 4th round pick as actually more than expected for young man Jordan. He was supposed to be a late 5th round kind of player. The guy you pick and hope that maybe he can return kicks or in a few years play slot. Well just like his hero Steve Smith Sr. he fell in the draft due to his size as an NFL receiver. Standing tall at 5 foot 9 inches he is easily the shortest guy on the field, but it is impossible to miss him.

People thought that his career at TCU was mostly a fluke due to the lack of skilled CB at the college level and the size jump in the NFL would kill him. After weeks of watching him catch the ball against the likes of Denver's secondary it is safe to say heart and tenacity overcame pure size. He is even competing for Emmanuel Sanders starting role on the flank. He is reminding a lot of people of Steve Smith or Anquan Boldin on the field where he isn't afraid to make catches and when he has the ball he is as shifty as a RB.

He isn't perfect, but his heart and drive show that he is going to go a long way. He needs to clean up his route running and focus on catching the ball in traffic before trying to make a move. His release is good, but against strong elite cornerbacks he may struggle due to his lack of power. This will probably be remedied by keeping him on the flank to avoid the press. Jordan just needs to calm down sometimes and make the good play instead of the highlight reel. At the end of the day though he is a diamond in the rough for Denver and we are proud to call him a Bronco.​

 

[Imperfect611]

Needed Some Power:

So Ardic Austin quietly came in and had a fantastic rookie year ending 5th in total rushing yards, but only 8 rushing TDs on the season. Of course we are excited that Austin was able to pick apart teams when there was green grass ahead of him, but he lacked the power to finish the job or at least be a threat to finish the job. Teams would cover the outside and over the top on goalie and dare Austin to run the ball. Austin has hit the weight room this offseason, but Denver needed more firepower.

Enter Alani Irvin out of Notre Dame. The day he was drafted the head coach told him his job and he is ready to do it. He will be the 3rd RB on the roster, but the depth was much needed. As Irvin said "all I need to do is run straight and fall forward." It may be a narrow sighted attitude, but for a goalie back we can't asked much different.

Austin will definitely get most of the carries with a few going to Taliaferro for a breather, but expect to see Irvin in special packages and goalie. His speed will probably keep him out of the open field and his hand will keep him blocking on trick plays. He is going to hit the line and hit it hard every down. If your 5th round pick gives you a few extra TDs a year then it was a successful pick.

This man rounds out what is left of the 2018 Denver Broncos draft class after cuts. Everyone is expected to make an appearance and an impact this year. Keep an eye out for these men during the preseason and watch for the Broncos come February.​

 

[Imperfect611]

Week 1 Recap
Sending A Message
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Week 1 for Denver came and went with a bang. A team known for slow and steady play came out throwing haymakers and landed many heavy body blows on Cincinnati early. Stunned, the Bengals never recovered. The final score was 45-14 Denver, but the game was basically over in the first half. There wasn't much to take away from this game for the Broncos as far as things to learn from, but faces new and old came out to play. Here is what stood out to us at Mile High this week.


Austin is in Gear

Ardic Austin came out of the draft last year as an undersized running back expected to play mostly a 3DRB role due his solid hands and shiftiness. In college he showed great potential making people miss, but he always seemed afraid of the big hit. He started for Denver last year who were willing to give him a shot and he was great of the outside and on passing downs, but couldn't run up the middle. Just like everyone expected. Well today Austin showed that he didn't take the offseason off and he was using his agility to hit holes in the middle of the field and getting to the second level. Averaging 7.7 yards per carry he was seen all over the field. While he is still most comfortable on the outside he is now forcing opponents to respect him going anywhere. Looks like the new offense suits him. Also, he is still breaking ankles.



Ball Reporting for Duty

Someone's first sack is always a huge milestone. Ball may have only had the one tackle today, but that will happen when the guard tackle combo spend all day double teaming you. He refused to give up his gap all day and the hometown boy came to play for the hometown crowd. It may only be one game, but Ball looks like he is going to have a nice long career here at Mile High.



Roby is No Sub

When Denver announced that Talib would be moving to FS fans were worried about how the defense would work without their trash talking vet ruining WR days. Roby may not be as vocal, but he doesn't let anything past him. He had an amazing pick when Dalton tried to challenge him over the top on a corner route. He was supposed to be covering the flats, but he read the QB and made the play. Talib came away with a pick of his own in the game. Coaches always like it when they don't need to talk about their decisions and they simply speak for themselves.



King of the Hill

Who completed 14/15 for 360 and 5 TDs? Eric Hill coming back to his city after a season ending injury last year. He abused match-ups all over the field leading to nearly every throw being a big play. The King needed a good game after a broken collarbone to get his confidence back and he is ready for Los Angeles next week. Nobody expects him to put up these numbers again, but who doesn't love to see their team dominate and have their QB do almost anything he wants. The only incompletion was from rookie WR Antoine Jordan who made the mistake of trying to juke the defender before catching the ball. We can forgive him due to his amazing catch for his first career touchdown through Brandon Browner's pass interference. Once these two get on the same page no defense is safe.



Where Can We Improve?

Well this is a loaded question this week because there really wasn't a place that the Broncos struggled. There were some holes that seems prevalent though. Jordan seems a bit to eager to make the big play when if he just calms down and lets the play develop he will do just fine. The LBs ned to be more aggressive in the run game because the linemen are mostly there to take up blockers, but at the same time they need to control their gap. The stats from the Bengals run game are basically pointless this week because the Broncos used a bend, but don't break approach in the 2nd half. They allowed 4 and 5 yard runs to contain the Bengals pass game and just ran out the clock. We didn't get to see a consistent drive all day and last year Denver would stall in the red-zone most drives. More games are needed to show the weaknesses in this team because nobody is perfect.

Week 2

Next week is the defending champion Raiders. This will be a game where the Broncos are huge underdogs, but we took the Raiders to OT last year with Colt McCoy under center. With the King back on his throne the Raiders may not be able to rely on forcing Denver to throw the ball because they are most comfortable there this year. The Raiders pass rush is deadly and the offense is one of the best in the league. It won't be easy, but every good coach has a gameplay. See you next week Broncos Nation.​

 

[Imperfect611]

Roby Being Targeted



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Roby has Aqib Talib over-top and Chris Harris Jr on the other side. Of course teams are going to attack him one on one every chance they get. It has become interesting though. Fans have been questioning his high tackle numbers stating that a CB shouldn't be in competition for most tackles on your team. Broncos coaches don't seem to be worried. Roby knows the ball is coming to him and he likes the challenge. He has been beaten, but he has also caused the most takeaways this year. Roby is no pushover, but at the moment he is standing in the shadows of some of the best DBs in the league. His games say that he is thriving in that shadow.

The Raiders were the best at attacking him and they did it by forcing two on one match-ups to the outside. Roby relies on his athleticism and they matched him up with multiple elite receivers who beat him with route running. He made the tackles and broke up as many passes as he could, but there is only so much he can do. The Broncos need to do a better job to help him out this week.

"This can be done in two ways" says owner Alex Imperfect. "We need to improve the pass rush and actually hit the quarterback as the first priority. We are getting into the backfield almost every play, but we need to finish the play. This week vs the Cheifs we hit the QB a lot, but never got to him before he let go of the ball. Yes it lead to turnovers, but it also lead to broken plays getting first downs. Second we need to disguise and change up the defensive calls more. Last time we played LA we lost in 2 majors ways. We got too aggressive with the lead and we couldn't cover the TE. Roby is doing great and if he wants to keep causing a takeaway a game more power to him."​

 

[Imperfect611]

Week 1 Recap
Unstable Success
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This whole game had every fan in the great state of Colorado on the edge of their seats. Jeff Demps saved the day with a walk off kick return touchdown. Broncos are just showing teams that you only win games by playing every down. This game was close due to a good showing from the Ravens' offense in clutch situations. Barkley showed weakness with a few trips after taking the snap and a few bad throws that slipped out of his hands. Through it all the final score was 27-21 for Denver picking up their first win on the road this season.



Austin's Redemption

After Austin's suspension last year many people wondered if he actually deserved his rushing title. He dropped jaws this weak with a 73 yard run bouncing off of blockers and would be tacklers alike. He was eventually chased down just yards short of pay-dirt. The Ravens are fast and a hard defense to break and he ripped them wide open rushing for 121 yards off of 10 attempts with a TD.



Quintaze Ball is Maturing

The Ravens' pocket was not a safe place today as many Broncos racked up sacks or at least had a hand in them. This was more due to coverage many times, but one man would not let up. Ball ran through 3 people to drop the quarterback barely being slowed down. He racked up 2 sacks in his first game this year and if he can keep up his production than Johnson, Godfrey, and Miller will all have freedom wreak havoc. The offense may not being running as planned, but the defense is ruining teams.



Turnovers Needed

Chris Harris Jr. got his first pick of the season by jumping a quick route in the flats. He has become one of the veterans of the defense and is still showing lots of quickness. No longer relying on his athleticism, CHJ is now playing using his knowledge and instincts which is a happy change. The defense also caused 3 forced fumbles recovering only one. This team needs to win the turnover war and it is going to be hard. Barkley and Nassib are not top tier quarterbacks and the defense needs to step up. This week they played well, but let's temper expectations until a few more games are in the books.



What Can Barkley Do?

Matt Barkley is a decent quarterback, but he is not NFL starting caliber. He is still making rookie mistakes on the wrong side of 30 and we can't expect that to change. He overthrew the ball twice in the red-zone one which led to a tough 3rd down and the other led to an interception. He did manage to throw two TDs one of them for a little over 15 yards. He has the ability to make great plays and the ability to completely lose the game. Barkley needs to fall back into the role of a game manager and let the rushing game carry the offense. Below we see Barkley getting ready to throw his first TD of the season to new signing Victor Cruz.



Final Thoughts

Basically the defense played well most of the time and only let up a few big plays. They need to be more consistent on 3rd down, but that could just be first week jitters. Barkley needs to step back into his role as a game manager and simply avoid losing the game. This team needs to play with a lead and control the tempo with an elite running game. Everyone is going to put 8-9 guys in the box so Matt will need to throw just enough to keep them honest. Austin is out to prove he is truly elite and good luck stopping him. The keys to this season will be staying healthy, a stout defense, and a clean offense.