DeMarcus Walker

[Champ>NFL]

Common sense would suggest the coaches make coaching decisions and the GM acquires personnel. This is not Jerry Jones or Al Davis we are talking about here. Elway has never had a hand in player decisions, so why would common sense dictate that Walker would be the one time he has?

Your comments about Elway’s involvement were speculation, which would be fine if not spoken as fact.

So.... you assume GMS draft players with no idea with how they fit on a team?? That makes no sense

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

So.... you assume GMS draft players with no idea with how they fit on a team?? That makes no sense

You were suggesting you knew Elway had a scouting report stating a 275 pound player with 4.9 speed would be a good OLB.

[samparnell]

So.... you assume GMS draft players with no idea with how they fit on a team?? That makes no sense

Do you mean no sensley?

[listopencil]

You were suggesting you knew Elway had a scouting report stating a 275 pound player with 4.9 speed would be a good OLB.

Yeah, lol, that whole line of reasoning is goofy. He was drafted as a DE/DT. Not an EDGE DE/OLB. Some people want to blame Elway for everything.

[Champ>NFL]

Yeah, lol, that whole line of reasoning is goofy. He was drafted as a DE/DT. Not an EDGE DE/OLB. Some people want to blame Elway for everything.

Yes I’m suggesting that Elway scouted Walker with the potential to play both positions. That’s exactly what I’m saying

[Rich_C]

Yes I’m suggesting that Elway scouted Walker with the potential to play both positions. That’s exactly what I’m saying

There is a major difference when you have a player your asking to play both positions in a rotational role. Almost how we sometimes used D.Ware as an OLB and a DE....There is a completely different aspect to Walker's situation though....he was asked to fundamentally alter his body in a major way and completely CHANGE positions. So yes I agree Elway likely scouted him with the potential of moving him around....that is NOT how we first started to try and use him as a team though....

[Champ>NFL]

There is a major difference when you have a player your asking to play both positions in a rotational role. Almost how we sometimes used D.Ware as an OLB and a DE....There is a completely different aspect to Walker's situation though....he was asked to fundamentally alter his body in a major way and completely CHANGE positions. So yes I agree Elway likely scouted him with the potential of moving him around....that is NOT how we first started to try and use him as a team though....

Finally someone gets what I’m saying

[Fantaztic7]

So.... you assume GMS draft players with no idea with how they fit on a team?? That makes no sense

Your previous comments spoke to specific conversations between Elway and Vance Joseph. The fact is that we don’t know what they spoke about with respect to DeMarcus Walker. It’s one thing to generalize how a GM might assess a player however it’s completely different to act as if you know Elway’s thought process and/or the specific details of his discussions with the coaching staff.

[listopencil]

Yes I’m suggesting that Elway scouted Walker with the potential to play both positions. That’s exactly what I’m saying

What are you basing that on?

[Rich_C]

What are you basing that on?

Well I think it is a fair statement. I mean Walker entered into our building nearly immediately after we lost D.Ware. D.Ware weighed in at 260ish pounds. So a guy who weighted in at 275 LBS who had a general reputation for beating guys with a combination of speed and power.... basically a stretch attempt to replace D.Ware. Ware was used in both DE/OLB spots. I don't think it is a stretch to think that Elway and the scouting staff saw an opportunity to get a larger younger version of D.Ware.

Before you try to go off on me comparing the two...NO I am not saying Walker is anywhere NEAR D.Ware in terms of skills or skill-sets. AS far as draft profiles go though...I would say they are more similar than not. IE. DE/OLB role NOT DE/DT role.

[beastlyskronk]

Well I think it is a fair statement. I mean Walker entered into our building nearly immediately after we lost D.Ware. D.Ware weighed in at 260ish pounds. So a guy who weighted in at 275 LBS who had a general reputation for beating guys with a combination of speed and power.... basically a stretch attempt to replace D.Ware. Ware was used in both DE/OLB spots. I don't think it is a stretch to think that Elway and the scouting staff saw an opportunity to get a larger younger version of D.Ware.

Before you try to go off on me comparing the two...NO I am not saying Walker is anywhere NEAR D.Ware in terms of skills or skill-sets. AS far as draft profiles go though...I would say they are more similar than not. IE. DE/OLB role NOT DE/DT role.

I disagree, even in college Walker had the majority of his success inside as a 3 tech. Elway typically drafts his replacement guys a year or two before their contracts expire so Ray was supposed to be the guy. I think Walker was drafted because Gotsis was still a question mark at the time. There was little depth on the dline in 2016 with Wolfe, Winn, Crick, Gotsis, Kilgo, and Williams. Crick and Williams weren’t retained and Kilgo was let go midseason. Then in the offseason we never really addressed the depth signing bargain guys like Kerr and Harris and I think Rubin at some point. Kerr was just a guy to fill out the rotation and Harris ended up being a gem but wasn’t brought in with the intention of being a big contributor. Walker was drafted in the 2nd round and we brought UDFAs Kyle Peko and Jarrett.

I definitely believe he was brought in to play dline and be an interior rusher but when Mount, Ray, and Barrett were all hurt someone had to come in and play and pass rushers aren’t on the market by that time in training camp and with Harris playing very well throughout camp plus with Walker needing to add weight to be a regular contributor he ended up being the odd man out. If we didn’t suffer all those injuries at OLB, I don’t believe Walker ever gets moved and we’d be having a totally different conversation about him right now.

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

Well I think it is a fair statement. I mean Walker entered into our building nearly immediately after we lost D.Ware. D.Ware weighed in at 260ish pounds. So a guy who weighted in at 275 LBS who had a general reputation for beating guys with a combination of speed and power.... basically a stretch attempt to replace D.Ware. Ware was used in both DE/OLB spots. I don't think it is a stretch to think that Elway and the scouting staff saw an opportunity to get a larger younger version of D.Ware.

Before you try to go off on me comparing the two...NO I am not saying Walker is anywhere NEAR D.Ware in terms of skills or skill-sets. AS far as draft profiles go though...I would say they are more similar than not. IE. DE/OLB role NOT DE/DT role.

I don’t know man, it still seems like a move of desperation by the coaching staff. Ware had 4.5 speed coming out of college. There is nothing about Walker that tells me he could be like Ware, maybe similar to Malik by bulking up to 290 and playing inside, but similar to Ware? Not even close

[listopencil]

I don’t know man, it still seems like a move of desperation by the coaching staff. Ware had 4.5 speed coming out of college. There is nothing about Walker that tells me he could be like Ware, maybe similar to Malik by bulking up to 290 and playing inside, but similar to Ware? Not even close

Here's Elway referencing Malik Jackson when talking about Demarcus Walker right after the draft:

“You look at our defense and where our defense was two years ago,” Elway said Friday night, “and [Coach Vance Joseph] and I were talking about this, how effective we were when we had Malik inside and rushing inside. DeMarcus has that ability and will have that ability. That’s why we’re so excited about him.”

https://milehighsports.com/second-ro...enver-lineman/

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

Here's Elway referencing Malik Jackson when talking about Demarcus Walker right after the draft:

“You look at our defense and where our defense was two years ago,” Elway said Friday night, “and [Coach Vance Joseph] and I were talking about this, how effective we were when we had Malik inside and rushing inside. DeMarcus has that ability and will have that ability. That’s why we’re so excited about him.”

https://milehighsports.com/second-ro...enver-lineman/

And there you have it

[Sam_Z]

And there you have it

So basically it was VJ who contradicted Elway’s plan to play Walker inside. VJ is gone now while Walker is still here and Vic will give him his fair shot to make a difference and that’s all that’s important.