Quick Broncos Mock Offseason

[ChangAlang24]

Wrote a whole write up then it deleted so here's the short version. Assuming we re-sign clady and important key vets like Vick

FA: Terrance Knighton - hopefully takes a little less to be on our team and reunite with JDR who would surely get the best out of "lazy" DT


Rd 1: Robert Woods, WR, USC - Tavon is popular pick but Woods is more versatile and can play outside and slot. WR core is LETHAL. Would allow Decker to kick inside occasionally. More of a conventional Peyton receiver with his route running more like Harrison or Wayne of his early days


Rd 2: TJ McDonald, S, USC - Size speed pedigree. Hard hitter who is big enough to match up with NFL trend of big, athletic TE's. Freak Athlete, hopefully can be our answer opposite Rahim if QC doesn't come back the same.


Rd 3: Jon Bostic ILB, Florida - Production is limited, but athletic, nasty competitor who could spot DJ and eventually take over. Skov returning to school, large drop off after Bostic. Was supposed to be the next great LB, has shown flashes but not complete. Lots of upside.


Rd 4: Alvin Bailey G, Arkansas - Big guard who would be value / need pick. Need him for depth and can take over for Kupe as he battles injuries often.


Rd 5: Kapron Lewis Moore, DT, ND - Stout member of insane ND front 7. would be great value here. Isn't flashy but would instantly be in the rotation. High motor and great leader.

Rd 6: Zeke Motta, S, ND- Double dip at S. Less physical than Harrison smith, but still solid, smart S. Can never have enough athletes to cover teams with multiple weapons. If anything a dynamite special teamer


Rd 7: Kerwynn Williams, RB, Utah St. - Explosive COP rb who would start on PS. I believe we start next season with McGahee, Moreno, HIllman, Hester, but if Hillman ends up not working out, williams can be our speed guy. Enough wiggle and top end speed to house call

[mozzerpete]

I would rather flip your picks:

R1 SS Matt Elam
CB C. Harris --- FS R. Moore --- SS M. Elam --- CB R. Bailey

This looks like a young promising secondary core.

R2 WR Stedman Bailey

WR D. Thomas ------------------------------------ Slot WR S. Bailey ------- WR E. Decker

We lose out on WR T. Austin but I think his teammate is equally as dangerous
whom is taller and heavier.

[Kansas Bob]

Good draft. I do believe once the players return from IR the G position won't be such a need position, but just my opinion.

[HDbroncos02]

I would rather flip your picks:

R1 SS Matt Elam
CB C. Harris --- FS R. Moore --- SS M. Elam --- CB R. Bailey

This looks like a young promising secondary core.

R2 WR Stedman Bailey

WR D. Thomas ------------------------------------ Slot WR S. Bailey ------- WR E. Decker

We lose out on WR T. Austin but I think his teammate is equally as dangerous
whom is taller and heavier.

I don't like Elam. What he does in college won't translate into the NFL. I'm from Florida and I've paid attention to how he plays. Those big hits won't do justice to any of the Marshawn Lynchs or the Ray Rices of this league. His height limits him in terms of covering the tight ends. Our team has had a bit of trouble when trying to cover them (Antonio Gates, Jimmy Graham, Dennis Pitta, Gronk, Aaron Hernandez, almost every receiving TE). Another knock on Elam is his attitude. He is always provoking or in the middle of fights. In the Sugar Bowl, I saw that he never made textbook tackles (as he was always trying to lay the hammer on opponents) and he wasn't that great in coverage. I wouldn't be happy if Elam became a Bronco, I could only envision rookie Rahim Moore 2.0 all over again except worse along with a couple fines from the NFL on illegal hits.

Despite the fact that I mocked Tavon Austin to us in my latest mock, I have been a season-long fan of Stedman Bailey. In a majority of my mocks, I have Bailey going to us in the 2nd or 3rd round. I like Bailey a lot, but I think EFX will fall in love with Austin's production and workout numbers, as well as him being the BPA at he position.

About the mock, we don't have a 6th round pick because of either the Mays or Bunkley trade. I like Robert Woods and I'd be very happy to have him in our offense. I like TJ McDonald, but I don't know if he'll fall to us at the end of the 2nd. I'm mixed on Jon Bostic, but I like him more than Elam. I like the Bailey pick, as I mocked him to us as well. I also like the Kapron Lewis-Moore pick and I think he could be a steal. Overall, I like his mock. Good job.

[beastlyskronk]

What Elam does doesn't translate to the NFL? Mike Adams does the exact same thing Elam does except Elam would be better than Adams.

[berlownacyo7s]

I would be fine with that offseason. Nice job.

[Blue Thunda]

I like Bostic a lot. He would be FANTASTIC value at the 3rd. I see the upside you talk about, could end up being a great ILB if he chooses to be.

Overall nice offseason. Would be happy with this

[ElwayArmy7]

Divisional Round Mock Draft

As has been proven this year, this team is a Super Bowl contender with it's dominant defense and Peyton Manning at the helm. I don't see a lot of shake-up in Elway's "final rebuilding offseason" instead just improving through the draft and with some low risk, high ceiling free agency moves. I have both Bannan, Brooking, and Stokely retiring after the season.

Re-signings
Ryan Clady
Pretty obvious re-sign, franchised if needed
Dan Koppen
Was a solid late pre-season pick-up, 2 year deal to compete with Walton at C
Kevin Vickerson
Has improved every season he's been in the league, definitely worth keeping in the rotation
David Bruton
Runner-up for Pro Bowl special teams, has been great all season in that role

Free Agency
Austin Collie
I don't think we have the cap room to try to reel in a Danny Amendola, want the headache that is Mike Wallace, or want to risk the age concerns with Wes Welker. Collie has rapport with Manning, and can help fill the Stokely role for the offense
Eben Britton
Has been misplaced on the offensive line, let him back-up Clady and Franklin as a swing tackle
Terrance Knighton
I look at this move similarly to Tracy Porter last season. Sign the underachieving but still young player to a one year show me what you've got contract. If he can regain what he had this would be a huge pick-up for the defense
Kicker to compete with Prater
He's grown too comfortable as the kicker, and if he's going to have that big a contract he better improve. Better to bring in some competition to give him a kick in the pants

NFL Draft
Round 1:Trade to Buffalo for picks #41 and #71 for #Late 1st
Buffalo trades up to grab Ryan Nassib who rises up the draft board, to create a Western New York re-connection
Pick #41
David Amerson, Safety
In this situation, I draft Amerson and move him to the middle of the defense like Antrel Rolle coming out of the draft and pair him with Rahim the Dream to round out our safeties for the forseeable future
Pick #Late 2nd
Margus Hunt, Defensive End
Though he will probably test off the charts at the combine, Hunt won't rise as much as expected due to his tendency to disappear in games, as well as his relative inexperience with the game. I think he is well worth the risk, and would round out our defensive line fantastically.
Pick #71
Stedman Bailey, Wide Receiver
In case of us not signing Collie, or any other receiver, we draft the other Mountaineer receiver in Bailey. I believe taking him in the third is a more frugal choice then going for Tavon Austin in the first. He can also return punts and kicks in case of a Trindon Holliday fumbilitis meltdown.
Pick #Late 3rd
Leon McFadden, Cornerback
I think McFadden would be the perfect cover corner to round out our now overstocked secondary. Corners are never a bad idea to take in today's NFL, and he's good value at this pick.
Pick #Late 4th
Marcus Lattimore
The ultimate risk-reward pick. If he can recover from a second knee destruction, he would cement our future backfield. The successes of Jamal Charles and Adrian Peterson's knee surgeries in the past year lead for a brighter look at the injury. Also, McGahee underwent a similary injury in his past as well.
Pick #Late 5th
TRADE Joe Mays
Not needed anymore, would probably need to maneuver his contract for this to happen
Mister Cobble, DT
We need more defensive line depth, and Cobble would fit into our hybrid 3-4/4-3 as a back-up NT
Pick #Late 6th
Offensive Line Depth
I won't pretend to know any late-round offensive lineman, but depth on the line even if they end up on the practice squad is always worth selecting
Pick #Late 7th
Underachieving athletic freak (Marquess Wilson WR, Ray Ray Armstrong S, Kenny Tate LB/S, Michael Dyer RB)
For whatever reason, any of the guys I mentioned whether it due to injury, stupidity, both, they've fallen out of early draft contention. I think any one of them is well worth the risk in the 7th whether they make the team out of camp, which is a bonus, or we can stash an athletic talent on the practice squad.

I think we may get a supplementary pick or two for last year's free agency releases, but I can't really mock them until they're reality.

Depth Chart
Manning, Osweiler
McGahee, Moreno, Hillman, Lattimore, Hester
No FB
Thomas, Decker, Collie, Bailey, Holliday
Tamme, Green, Thomas/Dreessen
Clady
Beadles, Blake
Koppen, Walton
Kuper, Ramirez
Franklin, Britton

Wolfe, Hunt, Jackson
Knighton, Cobble
Vickerson, Unrein
Dumervil, Ayers
Woodyard, Trevathan
Irving/Williams, Irving/Johnson, Johnson
Miller, Irving/Tate
Bailey, Harris, Carter, Bolden, McFadden
Moore, Adams
Amerson, Carter, Bruton

Prater/Kicker
Colquitt
Brewer

[FabrizioHC]

No one's gonna give you a 5th for Mays. Maybe a 6th/7th if you're lucky

[berlownacyo7s]

I like all of the FA signings, but I would prefer Sammie Lee Hill to Knighton. The draft is pretty good as well. I like the Amerson and Bailey picks in particular.

[Jack's Username]

I'm totally down with drafting a dude named Mister.

[primetime714]

Overall pretty solid, but I'm worried that Broncos would be way too soft up the middle and would take a hit in run defense. I mean you're going from Bannan, Brooking, and Adams to Knighton, Williams/Johnson (Irving is not a MLB) and Amerson/Moore at NT, MLB, and SS respectively. All three are downgrades in run defense. Bannan is one of our best run defenders on the DL, Knighton was benched because he struggled against the run this year and he was only a little bit better last year under JDR (still not as good as Bannan). At MLB DJ can cover better than Brooking, but he doesn't play the run as well from the MLB position (if he did he'd be starting there now). At S you're either moving a natural FS in Moore to SS and moving a CB to FS or you're moving a CB to SS. I think Amerson can play S in the pros, but he's more of a FS which is also the position that Moore is best suited to. Anyway you shake it I'm running it right at this defense if I'm an opposing team.

[Mosk]

Mosk's Ideal Mock Offseason 1.0

First mock attempt of the year, so, let's see how this goes!


RE-SIGN/FREE AGENT SIGNINGS
There is a very good vibe in the locker room, so I see the front office look to bring back a solid amount of our own free agents.

Ryan Clady - earned his pay, gets a contract extension
Britton Colquitt - borderline elite punter IMO
Kevin Vickerson - balling out this year, comes back cheap
Justin Bannan - playing well, comes back cheap as well
Dan Koppen - great pickup, can push for a job next year
David Bruton - special teams ace
Tony Carter - played very well, earned his pay
Chris Clark - swing tackle, provides depth
Brandon Stokley - Manning's bud comes back for one more year
Mitch Unrein - has created a role on this team, provides depth

Glenn Dorsey, DT, Kansas City Chiefs - Always thought he played out of position as a 3-4 end, so he comes to Denver and plays his more natural position. With a new regime, the former top-5 pick realistically could be on the move.


RESTRUCTURE
Elvis Dumervil - Doom has a fat contract, but will take a pay cut to help get Clady locked up
DJ Williams - Still has a couple years left on his contract, has obviously had his ups and downs in Denver, but he's been great on the field for us - takes a pay cut to stay on the team


CUT/FREE AGENT LOSSES
Tracy Porter
Joe Mays
Jason Hunter
Jim Leonard
Manny Ramirez
Keith Brooking
Matthew Willis
Andre Caldwell
Lance Ball
Chris Gronkowski
Sealver Siliga
CJ Davis


NFL DRAFT

1 - Kevin Minter, ILB, LSU
Probably my favorite player who realistically has a chance to be there come our pick. Could come in and start immediately, giving Denver a very, very respectable group of LBs in Wes-Kevin-Von. He's a captain (something Elway and Fox value heavily) of a stellar LSU defense and was an absolute animal this year. Remember when Denver won the Super Bowl and drafted Al Wilson? Well, Denver wins the Super Bowl this year and drafts another SEC linebacker at pick 32, who mans the middle and becomes the heart and soul of our defense for the next 10+ years.

TRADE Denver trades 2014 1st round pick and pick #64 to Cincinnati for picks #37 and #56. I can see this happening because Fox has traded future picks before in his career and next years first round talent is better than this years IMO, something that could attract Cincy into having two 1st round picks and possibly moving up higher in the draft. Denver knows they'll more than likely be an elite team again next year as long as Peyton is in town, so they sacrafice a future pick and look to target a few guys they like this year.

2A - Barrett Jones, OL, Alabama
With this selection, Denver picks up a hardnosed offensive lineman who can play all across the line. Could play center, could play guard, but all I know is Denver needs depth at the OL. Manny Ramirez should not be starting at all. Once Koppen retires, Jones could become our next Tom Nalen at center. Clady-Beadles-Jones-Kuper-Franklin is an incredible group.

2B - Markus Wheaton, WR, Oregon State
I believe Wheaton is going to shoot up draft boards come April and would be lethal in the slot. Wheaton had a terrific senior year and is blazing fast. He's a solid route runner with good, strong hands. Voted team captain by his teammates - again, something our team values a lot. One of my favorite receiver prospects in the draft class, he deserves some recognition.

3 - Phillip Thomas, S, Fresno State
A natural ballhawk, plain and simple. Lead the nation in interceptions and is also very active in the run game. Denver uses a lot of different safety packages, and with the return of Quinton Carter, along with Moore, that's a young, solid group right there. I like the value a lot right here.

4 - Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina
If it weren't for injuries, Lattimore would be a no brainer first round pick. The kid just hasn't had any luck. When healthy, he's a force. He runs fearless. With McGahee having gone through the same injury, this would be a perfect scenario for Lattimore. McGahee and Co will be there to support Lattimore, but let him sit behind McGahee/Moreno/Hillman until he gets healthy.

5 - Kapron Lewis-Moore, DL, Notre Dame
A fiery lineman, Lewis-Moore could be an absolute steal. He can play both end and tackle so his versatility will be valued by our front office. A captain of the Notre Dame defense, Lewis-Moore is a gem in the fifth round.

7 - Denard Robinson, ATH, Michigan
Robinson will not be a QB in the NFL. He's going to be a receiver and/or runningback. On some designed trick plays, sure, he can throw the ball, but not fulltime. Fox has selected this type of player before in Armanti Edwards. In the seventh, you really can't go wrong here.

[BroncoooJohnson]

I definitely would not like to lose all of those names in free agency, especially considering how many names we bring in (1?). Mays is worth a roster spot on any team because of his special teams play and run stopping ability, Leonhard is a great back up on any team, because, as JDR said, he does his job. Hunter was a starter for us. Willis and Caldwell are all the receiver depth we have going forward.

Also, a tactic that almost never pays off is giving away future first rounders. Last time we did it, we literally traded for Alphonso Smith, and gave up the pick used on Earl Thomas. Teams that build through the draft seek high value, and that usually happens by securing higher valued future picks for lower valued current picks.

I like some of the actual picks, though. Minter could be a DJ Williams type player for us, in terms of being good for a long while. I don't know if Jones will be there in the second, but if he was I'd jump on it. I like Thomas.

[ElwayArmy7]

Overall pretty solid, but I'm worried that Broncos would be way too soft up the middle and would take a hit in run defense. I mean you're going from Bannan, Brooking, and Adams to Knighton, Williams/Johnson (Irving is not a MLB) and Amerson/Moore at NT, MLB, and SS respectively. All three are downgrades in run defense. Bannan is one of our best run defenders on the DL, Knighton was benched because he struggled against the run this year and he was only a little bit better last year under JDR (still not as good as Bannan). At MLB DJ can cover better than Brooking, but he doesn't play the run as well from the MLB position (if he did he'd be starting there now). At S you're either moving a natural FS in Moore to SS and moving a CB to FS or you're moving a CB to SS. I think Amerson can play S in the pros, but he's more of a FS which is also the position that Moore is best suited to. Anyway you shake it I'm running it right at this defense if I'm an opposing team.

I was thinking about that while making this mock, I'm not sure that Mike Adams is a true SS either so I don't think Fox or JDR have much of a problem there. The obvious answer in my mind would to be that Bannan comes back, Knighton isn't signed, and we magically get enough cap space to sign Urlacher to a 2 year contract. He'd basically just be a Brooking upgrade, and would be working on a Manning-like timeline in terms of age of retirement