2011 Draft Special: Pick #2- Denver Broncos


I feel sorry for you Broncos fans, I do. Josh McDaniels ruined your franchise. While he also might have single-handedly saved it by drafting Tim Tebow in the first round in 2010, trading away top tiered talent in both Brandon Marshall and Jay Cutler (I don't care what you think about Jay Cutler/ how you view him in light of the 2011 NFC Championship game, he IS a top tiered talent).

In 2010, the Denver Broncos led the NFL in yards allowed totaling 6,253 yards in the NFL which equals an average of 391 yards per game. They also led the NFL in points allowed at 471 averaging 29.4 points per game. Their defense also allowed 154 rushing yards a game- which was second to last. Needless to say Denver's defense sucks.

Now 2009's sack leader Elvis Dumervil missing an entire season can have a dramatic effect on a defense. But losing one single player shouldn't have *that* drastic of an effect. Even with Dumervil, this is still a bad defense.

With the first pick in the draft the Carolina Panthers selected DT Nick Fairley. The two best defensive players on the board is DE Da'Quan Bowers from Clemson and CB Patrick Peterson from LSU. There's nothing like having a great shut down corner in any defense and not only is Champ Bailey not the same great player as he was in his prime, but I fear he'll be out of the league within a few years. But with that being said when both a defensive lineman and a cornerback rating the same (97 according to Scout's Inc) I'll take the defensive lineman every day of the week.

Sure, Denver also needs offensive players but they are pretty set at the skill positions. They have an elite, Pro Bowl number one wide receiver in Illinois' Brandon Lloyd (albeit he's a HUGE injury risk) and first round draft pick WR Demaryius Thomas, a number one draft pick (and a guy who looked really good in the second half of the season) in Knowshown Moreno and the best player ever in Tim Tebow. In all seriousness, Tebow was a great college quarterback and a first round draft pick so he at least he deserves a year or two to see if he develops into a great quarterback like he very well could.

Due to the Brandon Marshall trade with Miami last off season, Denver has the 34th and 47th pick in the second round. Either UCLA's safety Rahim Moore (ranked 31 according to Scout's Inc.) or Baylor's defensive tackle Phil Taylor (ranked 32 according to Scout's Inc.) is bound to fall to Denver's 34th pick seeing as normally draft experts top 32 players do not all go within the first round. As for Denver's 47th pick, (something you'll hear me preach throughout this entire series) the Broncos should draft an offensive lineman to improve the skill players.

Denver's Needs

- Offensive Lineman

Wanna help Tebow perform better? Give him time to throw and lanes to run. That or a better run blocking offensive line will help Moreno run better giving more options for Tebow to preform better

- Defense

Even if the Broncos draft defensive players with their first two or three picks and getting Dumervil healthy, Denver is weak EVERYWHERE on defense.

4 comments:

Dmitry said...

personally i would take peterson. he was the only college corner who literally took away half the field. He has the size or cromartie, the better half, and enough speed to also be LSU's returner.

but, given how small and bad denver is on defense, they should take bowers or fairley

but but, champ bailey is probably done in denver, and brian dawkins is like 70 years old so the secondary needs major help.

this team is screwed. i dont like moreno, tebow, and lloyd is a 2nd receiver at best.

Adam Kaplan said...

1) While you not not be a fan of the skill positions the Broncos have an offense, their good enough that Denver should not draft any of those positions.

Tebow was a first round pick and he needs time to develop. You can't just draft a QB in the first round and then draft another QB the next year

You and me have the same position on running backs- their fungible. Moreno has the power to get that extra one yard and if Denver builds up that offensive line, Moreno will do just fine

A receiving corps of Demaryius Thomas, Brandon Lloyd, and Eddie Royal is pretty darn good.

2) I agree a shut down corner is a great asset to a defense, but with a team "rebuilding" I would take a great defensive lineman over a great corner. Either way, Denver needs defense in a hurry

DB said...

Just as a correction, Tebow was 25th overall... not first overall

Adam Kaplan said...

oops, I meant first round not first overall. Thanks. Fixed.