BroncoTalk Offseason Award – Best and Worst Cuts

All through July, I’ll be grading the different aspects of the offseason and keeping track of them. Soon you’ll find the BOAs replacing the 2007 draft section as the featured section of the site – and soon after I’m done with these, I’ll be making my picks for each division. The regular season can’t come soon enough – but BroncoTalk is here to get your NFL fix as well as your Broncos specific news and discussion.

And the BOA for Worst Cut goes to…

Losing Al Wilson broke Denver’s heart

The Denver Broncos for cutting Al Wilson
HONORARY MENTION:
2) Pittsuburgh Steelers for cutting Joey Porter
3) New Orleans Saints for cutting Joe Horn
4) Carolina Panthers for cutting Keyshawn Johnson

Al Wilson has been the heart and soul of our defense for the past seven years. While not getting the national recognition of a Ray Lewis or Brian Urlacher, he has been the anchor in the middle of one of the best linebacking corps over the past few years. And boy will he be missed. Next to Jay Cutler, is there a bigger question on anyone’s mind than how will our defense suffer from losing Wilson? I don’t think so, and I’ve said time and time again that we went from true Super Bowl contenders to suspect defensively the moment we cut Wilson. I hope he’s healthy to continue his career, and I hope the feelings aren’t so strained that we wouldn’t consider resigning the 5-time Pro Bowler.

And the BOA for Best Cut goes to…

Baltimore Ravens for cutting Jamal Lewis

HONORARY MENTION:
2) Dallas Cowboys for cutting Drew Bledsoe
3) Denver Broncos for cutting Courtney Brown

Sometimes change is hard for a team, and losing a fan favorite can be the hardest. But then again, sometimes the best way to improve is to cut the fat, and that’s what the Ravens showed they were capable of when they cut their longtime runningback. The Ravens showed they’re moving on from the Jamal Lewis tradition – one that saw them gain 2,000 yards and a Super Bowl victory. And it’s a great move. Lewis isn’t the back he used to be since his huge injury a few years ago. The offense is worse than ever, and with new QB/RB tandem Steve McNair and Willis McGahee (along with personal favorite Mike Anderson backing up their RB position), their offense may just do something it hasn’t done in years – score 30 points. It was addition by subtraction, and it promises to be a great move.