Clayton: Broncos #1 winners from day 1

[Double_L]

Clayton puts us at the top:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft06/columns/story?columnist=clayton_john&id=2427335

[Double_L]

The 2006 NFL draft moved to Radio City Music Hall, but the event was a soap opera.

Musicals are normally funny and whimsical. This draft wasn't. The Texans used business techniques, drafting and signing defensive end Mario Williams over Reggie Bush. Texans fans weren't happy not getting Bush or Vince Young. Bush wasn't happy losing more than $6 million of guarantees.

Titans general manager Floyd Reese had to keep his coaches happy while drafting Young over Matt Leinart. The Bills baffled everyone with their selections. Players whi expected to go higher fell.

Here are the winners and losers.

The winners

1. Denver Broncos: Mike Shanahan whipped all the critics by acquiring the Cleveland Browns defensive line in 2005 and parlaying those acquisitions into a trip to the AFC title game. This year, Shanahan draws nothing but praise. Instead of drafting wide receiver Santonio Holmes with the 15th pick, the Broncos traded up to the 11th pick to get quarterback Jay Cutler. Then they found the reciever that they needed, trading just a second-round pick to the Packers for Javon Walker. Clearly, they were the biggest winners on the first day of the draft. Shanahan hasn't had any luck drafting receivers, so being able to trade for Walker instead of drafting a reciever was a better move. Getting a veteran as talented as Walker for a second-round pick is a steal. Shanahan set the franchise up well for the short-term and the long-term. They get Walker for the 2006 season and they have Cutler as the quarterback of the future.

2. Arizona Cardinals: Normally, the Cardinals are the bad luck team. Twice this offseason they struck gold. They headed into free agency without the intention of paying big money for a running back. But with a surprising $17.5 million increase in the salary cap, the Cardinals were able to sign Edgerrin James. Then, Matt Leinart was gift-wrapped for them at No. 10. Green rated Leinart among the top five players in the draft. He said the selection was similar to 1999 when Green was with the Vikings and selected Daunte Culpepper, whom he rated as the No. 1 quarterback in that draft. "We really had him ranked as one of the top five players,'' Green said. Green doesn't have to rush Leinart. Kurt Warner is the starting quarterback, and even though Leinart is the most ready to play of the rookie QBs, he has the luxury to sit and learn. Green loves the fact that Leinart throws a very catchable ball and he knows he won't have a problem preparing a left-handed quarterback. After all, Green coached Steve Young.

3. San Francisco 49ers: Acquiring Maryland tight end Vernon Davis was a bigger break for the 49ers than you would expect. Davis is a 254-pound tight end who can run a 4.38. Because quarterback Alex Smith doesn't have the strongest arm, Davis should help Smith as much as Alge Crumpler helps Michael Vick and Tony Gonzalez helps Trent Green. Davis can work the seams, which are easier, more accurate throws for Smith. He could add three to five percent points to his completion numbers. The Packers considered taking him at No. 5 to help Brett Favre and the Rams tried to trade up to get Davis. Getting Davis will cause changes in the NFC West because teams will have to find bigger, faster safeties to cover him.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers: Thanks to having 10 draft choices heading into Saturday, the Steelers had the flexibility to use two draft choices -- a third and a fourth -- to get Ohio State wide receiver Santonio Holmes. It's those type of bold moves that keep the Steelers among the top teams in the AFC. Sure, they could have sat at No. 32 and picked LenDale White, but as soon as they saw Holmes drop below 15, they knew they could make a move. After losing Plaxico Burress and Antwaan Randle El in the past two years to free agency, the Steelers were close to becoming too thin at wide receiver. With a quarterback as talented as Ben Roethlisberger, the Steelers needed to bulk up the talent on offense at the skill positions. Roethlisberger has to be happy adding Heath Miller last year and Holmes in 2006.

5. Tennessee Titans: Give Floyd Reese some credit. He was in a tough situation. His coaches wanted Leinart. His owner wanted him to draft Young. It was a debate that carried into Saturday morning. Reese found a way to satisfy everyone. In Young he got a quarterback back whom he believes will be better than Leinart in two or three years. Young might not do much during his first season, so Reese gave the coaching staff White, a big, bruising running back who can help immediately. It helps that White worked with Norm Chow, the Titans offensive coordinator at USC. The toughest job is ahead, with the likely release of Steve McNair, the team's franchise quarterback for the past decade.

6. New York Jets: The smartest thing the Jets did was resist the temptation to trade up to No. 2 and get Bush. Of course, the Saints helped by making the price so high that it was impossible for them to make the move. Though it may have bored Jets fans to not get Bush or Leinart, the Jets made good football decisions. D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold are a great start towards rebuilding the Jets' offensive line. They drafted Kellen Clemens to develop at quarterback. That all would have been lost if they packaged two extra picks to get Bush. The Jets have a lot of needs. A lot of Jets fans left after the first round because they were bored, but sometimes it's better to do things the right way.

[str8jacket]

thanks for this post! cp!

[Skywalker]

Clayton puts us at the top:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft0...ohn&id=2427335

*faints*



since when have we ever been rated at the top for a draft?

[str8jacket]

*faints*



since when have we ever been rated at the top for a draft?

seriously lol, hey has Bell been taken yet? the broncos pick is coming up in 20 picks

[Nick]

gj thanks for the post

[deer_dance9]

yes very good read thanks

[NoFairWthrNKc]

Mike Bell is still out there as of pick #93
FoxSports has one of the better filtered views I have found for tracking players still available at this point. Link below...

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/draftTracker?position=RB

[ReleaseTheBeast7]

Ya damnnnn right!

JAVON BABY

[BroncoStampede]

Ya damnnnn right!

JAVON BABY

You called it. I didnt think it would happen and I thought you were crazy because all you would do is talk about Javon. Anyway, I hope we can get him signed long term because I think he can help us.

[MilitantDBFan]

Broncos are going to get some solid prospects in the 4th.

DT Availabe:

Gabe Watson
Rod Wright
Babatunde Oshinowo
Jonathan Lewis

Saftet Available:

Darnell Bing
Ko Simpson
Pat Watkins

[WorstTrollEver]

John Clayton has once again proven himself to be a complete idiot. First he states the Broncos had a great draft when they did very little to improve their chances at a Super Bowl next year, and then he calls USC one of the biggest losers of the draft.

Clayton is the loser. He always was and always will be.

[Superchop7]

Anybody notice that he didn't mention the ballerina we drafted at TE ?

[Mat'hir Uth Gan]

This draft is ridiculously deep. This is a heck of a year to have 3 4th round choices. Very excited for tomorrow.


Not thrilled with the TE selection over Leonard Pope, but we'll let that play out first before forming a firm opinion.

Not thrilled we passed on Ngata for Cutler, but I can see that in the long term interest of the franchise, it might be the right decision. In the short term, it would not be.

I'm fine with the trade for Walker, now just have to hope he produces.

[JetterIsBetter]

Broncos are going to get some solid prospects in the 4th.

DT Availabe:

Gabe Watson
Rod Wright
Babatunde Oshinowo
Jonathan Lewis

Saftet Available:

Darnell Bing
Ko Simpson
Pat Watkins

wow, that really surprises me, and makes me very happy. Rod Wright, Gabe Watson, ko simpson, and darnell bing have all been mentioned as projected 1st rounders at one point. 3 pics in the 4th, here we come.