My offseason rant

[PRBronco]

Ok, this is probably gonna ruffle some feathers, but i'm getting really annoyed here. Maybe we've been been a little spoiled here, but i'm used to seeing the broncos as contenders. Before I always just blamed our losing on griese, but going into this offseason with jake, and then swinging the bailey-portis trade, I really thought management was gearing up for a super bowl run. (the guy at the pro bowl who mentioned the broncos were interested in TO got me pretty pumped too). I know our cap situation is a little tight, but you'd think some of the guys would take pay cuts if they knew the money would be spent to improve the team. Instead, who are we signing? 3 corner backs who, if possible, make walls and herndon look like pro bowlers, a 34 year old DE with half a sack and people are touting him as a STARTER? (not to mention the fact that we're actually considering raylee johnson ) Didn't we learn last year what happens when you sign old, washed up defensive linemen? Now we're meeting with john lynch. Don't get me wrong, john lynch is awesome, but not something we need, our safeties are actually solid. And if they want to sign kordell, fine, just maybe put a clause in his contract that forbids him from ever starting a game. Ok, but what i was trying to say is, instead of spreading out our meager cap space over like, 5 old, brutal free agents, why didn't we just add another quality one? (and for the love of god, someone talk some sense into ian gold). Well, those are my thoughts, anyone feel the same way?

[Almost Heaven]

I agree, althoug i'd take lynch and scrap the rest of those players.
I just wish we'd get a little more agressive with some of our targets. Like moving up in the draft. We never do, we just sit there and wait for the best athlete thats there. I'd would love to see us move up in the draft to land Sean Taylor, He's got the potential to be better than Lott and Atwater and i love those two guys dearly!

I guess we just stay in the upper half of the league consitently which is great but i'd like to have one of those top 3 draft choice just once. An impact player from day one!

[PRBronco]

Oh yeah, i forgot to rant about willie jackson too. He better just be one of those guys brought in to "push" the younger guys in training camp.

But yeah, your idea sounds cool, sean taylor definitely looks awesome.

[L.B-7]

B Berry was 37 he did pretty good didnt he ?
We got younger at that spot. ) gotta think positive.

[O&B_Forever]

too much madden. Bert berry is 28 not in his 30's...

[L.B-7]

I stand corrected. Anyway the broncos will be fine.

[myoung]

I am not opposed to your rant but I think alot of it is off based. Several of the players you mentioned signed for the veteran minimum and don't actually count against the cap at this point. We are only charged for our highest paid 51 players. If we signed Lynch he would certainly demand more.

So we are signing these players for the minimum to increase competition. If we were giving them lots of money I would be concerned as well but we didn't.

So currently these moves don't impact our cap like you are claiming they do. I am under the belief that these players are brought into compete. There is no way that Coleman and Johnson would be expected to be our starters at DE. I think we are hoping they could provide depth. If they are cut before final roster then they don't impact at all.

Don't worry as much as you are. I think this is impacting far less than you think.

Should we make other moves... In my opinion we should but what those moves are I am not sure. There are not alot of good FAs left out there.

I am like you I wish we could have gone even bigger but I don't see that fish out there anymore.

[PRBronco]

Hmm, that actually makes me feel a little better, I didn't know it worked that way. thanks

[myoung]

Yeah actually teams can sign up to 80 players which alot of them do. But alot of these weak signings get cut far before final roster. You see Shanahan do it every year. The cap is based on the potential roster on opening day which is 51 players so they don't punish you for signing other guys to compete.

I still wish we had a chance to get another difference maker. Currently I see we have three of them on d but far less on offense.

[Ravage!!!]

I disagree

I think that people get WAyyyyy to anxious to sign all these BIG names in the beginning of FA. When in reality, you build your team in the draft and in the later FA period after June. There is going to be a LOT of good players released in June do to cap restrictions. Look at all the high priced FA pick-ups last year in the beginning of FA. Who were the bigger names? What did they do? Other than Plummer, I remember a guy by the name of Hugh Douglas. The BIG DE that everyone was hoping for from the Eagles. What did he do last season? TWO sacks!!

The patriots don't go after big name FA, and sign quality second tier guys and draft. Moving up in the draft COSTS more draft picks! How MANY first round draft choices do you think make it in this league??? Seriously. I know its easy to focus in on the Broncos, but do you realize the percentage of 1st round draft picks that actually make it are small?? The more picks you have, the better chances you have at picking someone up that CAN play. Shannahan LOVES to have a draft with LOTS and LOTS of picks. He knows thats how you find steals.

Willie Jackson is a solid pick up that can compete for the 3rd WR spot. The DT we picked up will fit into the rotation, NOT as a starter. Remember THIS... ITS ONLY MARCH.... relax a lil and let things develop. Going after the big names isn't the answer.

[Ravage!!!]

Myoung

thanks for the info on the salary cap.. but I think its a 53 man roster

[PRBronco]

Hey, I'm not suggesting we jump on the warren sapp bandwagon or anything, i was just annoyed at all these crappers on defence we were getting, i didn't understand how it worked. I can't actually think of any UFAs i would even want right now, the only one i was really pumped on was antoine winfield. Yeah, i've got tons of faith in shanny's drafting, i can't wait, i just hope we don't get another willie middlebrooks or deltha.

You really think jackson can compete for the #3 spot?

[NOLABroncofan]

Three words....

Cheap Veteran Depth....

Nuff said...

[Ravage!!!]

Willie Jackson

Yes.. I do. I remember how solid he was opposite of Joe Horn in NO before they drafted the young Stallworth. I'm HOPING that Madise is good enough to keep Jackson at the 4th WR spot. This would boost My confidence in his ability. But Jackson certainly IS good enough to provide some good hands there.

[myoung]

Yes you are correct it is a 53 man roster but I believe we only count 51 players against the cap until opening sunday. At least that is the information provided in the following article.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/s/2001/0228/1115767.html

At roster day all 53 count but up until then I believe it is just 51. Good article on Salary cap.