What should the next steps be?

[Pruke]

That's the crazy thing. How many teams didn't think Watson would be a good NFL QB? Looking at this draft report it talks about how some scouts judged him as a third round prospect, and one playoff team was thinking late third to early fourth.

With QBs I really think it's just a guessing game.

So true - all the more reason to sign an established FA

[rst08tierney]

What i like about Cousins is the fact we know what we are getting. Then, we can also use our hi first rounder on a stud OT or Barkley or a stud front-7 defensive player.

This is best route if we are going to be good next year.
And with H Cousins we also have another 2 years to see if Paxton or Kelly can develop.

What I like about cousin's here is already having DT.

DT might actually start playing again knowing the team has a QB that's going to feed him week in l and week out. Would be nice to cash in on the back end of Thomas's contract.

[Broncos1963]

Play Paxton for the remainder of the year. Start someone else at RT. Why did they even pick up that weird named guy from Buffalo if they never dress him? Start McGovern at LG. Work Carter in nickel packages a few more reps per game. Work in the backup cornerbacks a few reps per game. Play Walker at DE, for some reps to see if he can contribute something. Work the backup receivers into the lineup. Yep, I'm in pre-season mode and would like to see if there is anyone worth keeping in that list.

For the offseason: go after Luck (depending medical) first, or Brees, or Smith, or Cousins (my order of preference). If it's Brees or Smith, aggressively decide on a replacement(draft or roster) and groom them well. If it's Luck or Cousins, find a solid vet backup and flush all the QBs currently on the roster. Either way, flush Trevor, Brock, and depending on this season Paxton. Trade DT for the best free agent RT. Trade S.Ray for best free agent guard. Focus early picks on best Olineman available in the draft. If they have someone to take Roby's spot, find his trade value. Same thought for any of the LBs on the team. Same thought for either CJ or Booker or Charles. They need solid draft picks on LB, Oline, one corner, and two receivers.

As frustrated as the coaching staff has been, I waver on starting over or sticking one more year and see if they can improve. Then coach Sanders to stop strutting on every.single.catch! and stop asking for flags on every.single, incompletion. I love that dude but his showboating is getting old, unless it's a TD. Coach someone (S, or LB, or CB) to specifically cover TE/RB like Gronk, Kelce, Hunt, etc.

[TheAsianPA]

I think the Kirk Cousins talk needs to be put to bed. He's going to command the highest contract in NFL history in all likelihood. The Broncos aren't going to pay that.

I think a journeyman free agent and draft is likely going to be the route with the quarterback position.

as long as we start our high draft QB and sit the vet. I never want to see another QB competition for this team ever again or waste draft picks on projects

[VonElway758]

as long as we start our high draft QB and sit the vet. I never want to see another QB competition for this team ever again or waste draft picks on projects

I mostly agree with you but i’d switch the starter if the vet was good quality because I’m not sure any QB we can get in the draft is gonna be ready unless you’re ready to write off next season as well,because Carson Wentz got found out pretty quick in his rookie season and does Dak without Zeke look like such a huge upgrade this week?
Franchise QBs are hard to come by,and now we’ve lost that edge which meant we could get a big name at a discount.
The college schemes place so much reliance on dual threat that none of the first picked QBs have got near a SB bar Cam this decade.
I really thought if the Saints tanked we had a chance at Drew for two years but that’s gone and if anyone thinks Kirk is worth paying more than Rodgers and hoping the cap hit sorts itself out throughout the squad then I’m sorry,but I think that’s crazy optimism.
More than anything,we need that coaching team bleached from top to bottom and realise that the best we can hope for is a run at 2019.
Like i’ve said,people are sleeping on the fact that Aqib is so quiet and even when we weren’t great last year,he was yanking chains and still giving us pride in the team.
He’s already being badly missed and he’s still on the team.

[TheAsianPA]

I mostly agree with you but i’d switch the starter if the vet was good quality because I’m not sure any QB we can get in the draft is gonna be ready unless you’re ready to write off next season as well,because Carson Wentz got found out pretty quick in his rookie season and does Dak without Zeke look like such a huge upgrade this week?
Franchise QBs are hard to come by,and now we’ve lost that edge which meant we could get a big name at a discount.
The college schemes place so much reliance on dual threat that none of the first picked QBs have got near a SB bar Cam this decade.
I really thought if the Saints tanked we had a chance at Drew for two years but that’s gone and if anyone thinks Kirk is worth paying more than Rodgers and hoping the cap hit sorts itself out throughout the squad then I’m sorry,but I think that’s crazy optimism.
More than anything,we need that coaching team bleached from top to bottom and realise that the best we can hope for is a run at 2019.
Like i’ve said,people are sleeping on the fact that Aqib is so quiet and even when we weren’t great last year,he was yanking chains and still giving us pride in the team.
He’s already being badly missed and he’s still on the team.

We've already been found out as a team. All playoff bound teams know the formula to beating us. Stack the box to stop the run, force the QB to throw. Then beat the defense by throwing quick short passes to tight ends, or just wait for Roby to screw it up. At this point we need to take a look and realize how far down the drain talent-wise this team is. We have no tight ends. Only one decent wide receiver. Half an offensive line. No quarterbacks that show any potential. On defense our MLB/ILB situation is bad. Our DL finally is better, only to have our pass rush completely disappear and become neutralized. Then on top of that, our No Fly Zone is apparently gone. We'll probably need to find another CB that is good, and soon. Don't get me started on Special Teams or coaches.

So to me it looks like we need at least a dozen new faces to play for this team, and play at an elite level to do anything. Unless we start getting home runs in the draft, and maybe at pick 5 that can finally happen, this team is in a rebuild, whether or not the FO will admit it.

[VonElway758]

We've already been found out as a team. All playoff bound teams know the formula to beating us. Stack the box to stop the run, force the QB to throw. Then beat the defense by throwing quick short passes to tight ends, or just wait for Roby to screw it up. At this point we need to take a look and realize how far down the drain talent-wise this team is. We have no tight ends. Only one decent wide receiver. Half an offensive line. No quarterbacks that show any potential. On defense our MLB/ILB situation is bad. Our DL finally is better, only to have our pass rush completely disappear and become neutralized. Then on top of that, our No Fly Zone is apparently gone. We'll probably need to find another CB that is good, and soon. Don't get me started on Special Teams or coaches.

So to me it looks like we need at least a dozen new faces to play for this team, and play at an elite level to do anything. Unless we start getting home runs in the draft, and maybe at pick 5 that can finally happen, this team is in a rebuild, whether or not the FO will admit it.

I just made a thread in the Draft/Scouting section about four FAs we could go for and I think Tyler Eifert could well be worth the risk to fill the TE position where we are sorely lacking.

[swinginhorseman]

Step One In The Rebuilding Process, Replace The Broncos Scouting Dept

We can all agree the Broncos have been horrible. I've heard everything from fire VJ to Elway. IMO canning Elway is ridiculous. I think the Broncos dept. however needs a face lift. I believe a good evaluation of the personal and draft recommendations should be evaluated. If a scouting personal strong suite is in defense, than pick up another guy to evaluate other areas.


I relate this to any other business. If you go to Elway's restaurant and order a steak and the chef is not cooking it right, what do you do? Fire Elway or get a new cook? You replace the cook.

Now if Elway is in the kitchen consistently burning steaks and refuses to hand over the duties to someone more qualified, than maybe a new owner would be the best fix.

[Warhawk]

Order of operations:

1. Resolve the ownership situation
2. Restructure the FO - bring in an actual GM and have Elway focus on operations, let Matt Russell go
3. Bring in an established HC who can impose discipline and establish a direction
4. Confirm Musgrave as the OC going forward
5. Resolve the QB problem - cut Lynch, cut Oz, move Siemian to backup, decide whether the starter role will be addressed through draft or FA and stick with that decision
6. Shed salary of veterans who have worn out their welcome
7. Improve talent at RT, ILB and TE positions

[BroncosDivision]

Order of operations:

1. Resolve the ownership situation
2. Restructure the FO - bring in an actual GM and have Elway focus on operations, let Matt Russell go
3. Bring in an established HC who can impose discipline and establish a direction
4. Confirm Musgrave as the OC going forward
5. Resolve the QB problem - cut Lynch, cut Oz, move Siemian to backup, decide whether the starter role will be addressed through draft or FA and stick with that decision
6. Shed salary of veterans who have worn out their welcome
7. Improve talent at RT, ILB and TE positions

That sounds like a great plan.

You make a great point at number 5. We need to stick with our decision this time around. No open training camp competition. Go get the guy and name him the unquestioned starter so he can develop (if drafted).

[$Broncos$]

ummm next steps? lets see replace pads with palm palms and if we see the ball we run away from it. haha

[Sam_Z]

Get more than 44yards in 77 days. The last time the broncos lost this many games straight, the Brady Bunch was a hit tv show and Linden Johnson was president.

Something tells me that this is not what Mr B has visioned

[TheAsianPA]

Order of operations:

1. Resolve the ownership situation
2. Restructure the FO - bring in an actual GM and have Elway focus on operations, let Matt Russell go
3. Bring in an established HC who can impose discipline and establish a direction
4. Confirm Musgrave as the OC going forward
5. Resolve the QB problem - cut Lynch, cut Oz, move Siemian to backup, decide whether the starter role will be addressed through draft or FA and stick with that decision
6. Shed salary of veterans who have worn out their welcome
7. Improve talent at RT, ILB and TE positions

Those are good ideas that I sincerely hope are addressed at one point. I think that right now though the best that can really happen after this season is the bottom half of the list, starting at #4. The ownership situation is simply what it is. Elway is tied to this franchise, for better or for worse. I acknowledge he's done well for this franchise in the past, but this is now his mess to clean up. The head coaching situation is probably going to remain the same for at least another season, whether the fanbase likes it or not. No coach is going to want to come here after seeing give only one year to our newest hire. And to be perfectly clear, I think VJ is a joke. Never should have been hired, but now that he's here we have to give him a year with improved O-line and QB to see if he can make something out of it.

As for the other suggestions I think they are going to happen in some fashion or another. I don't think Lynch or Oz will be on our team next season, or at least as an active roster member. Siemian can be a solid backup and based on reports from Walter football on aggressively scouting college QBs, we're probably going to draft one. And we should, especially when there's a need and we're a top 5 pick. I can see Talib, DT, CJ Anderson, and maybe Virgil Green being on their last days in this team. All likely cuts to save for the future cap space, and hopefully that money will be used to find a franchise RT, ILB, etc. I think were actually okay at TE based on the fact that Traylor is looking decent, as well as Jake Butt coming on roster next season.

[swinginhorseman]

Order of operations:

1. Resolve the ownership situation
2. Restructure the FO - bring in an actual GM and have Elway focus on operations, let Matt Russell go
3. Bring in an established HC who can impose discipline and establish a direction
4. Confirm Musgrave as the OC going forward
5. Resolve the QB problem - cut Lynch, cut Oz, move Siemian to backup, decide whether the starter role will be addressed through draft or FA and stick with that decision
6. Shed salary of veterans who have worn out their welcome
7. Improve talent at RT, ILB and TE positions

I like that plan. I hope Denver takes on some of those steps.

[lvbronx]

1. Hire Mike Shanahan. He and Elway can work out their differences. Shanny ran the same offense as Kubiak and it's only been a year so there should be some continuity. Kube is also our offensive scout and has a great idea on the type of players we need. I believe if Shanny was coaching this team we would have won at least 2 more games and we'd still be in the hunt.

2. Trade down and pick up extra picks.. I don't think there's much difference between the 1-2 rated QBs this year and the 3-4. Maybe gamble with Josh Allen, Baker or Jackson. If not, draft O or BPAL.

3. With our extra picks, trade for established vet help. Our pro scouting has been much better than our college scouting. Focus on what we do best. My opinion has been for a very long time draft picks are overrated. Scout players against NFL competition, not college. Start with a couple of solid OL.

4. Trade or sign a QB like Brissette, Tyrod or Alex Smith. Keep Siemian and Kelly and let Paxton and Os go.

5. Elway needs to shift his priorities. On offense he said he favors LT, QB and WR. I agree with QB and LT but LT needs to expand to the entire OL. Instead of WR, find TEs and pass catching RBs. These are the players that cause mismatches with LBs and safeties and they're less expensive against the cap.

6. Poach players from other teams' practice squads. Think if this as a mini draft. There are about 300 players on NFL practice squads. To think there aren't 3-4 practice squad players that are better than 3-4 players on our roster is ridiculous.

7. Scout college basketball teams for a 6'9' - 6'10' player that has good hands and can jump. There are hundreds of these guys every year than don't make the NBA. Scout for intelligence, hard worker, dependable, etc. This player has only one job and that's to catch touchdown passes. In the red zone have the QB throw the ball up and either he'll get it or it's incomplete. There isn't a player in the NFL that can match up and a 6'9" player would always be "open".