2009 Draft: Resurrect the D-Line

I agree with your analysis. I’d just add that middle linebacker and safety are probably just as critical a need.
Laurinitis or Mays should be available at No. 12. I’d like to see either one in a Broncos jersey next year.

They invested the 2007 draft into the defensive line (Jarvis Moss/Tim Crowder) and have not showed the success the young offensive has produced.
I like the direction, but I think with the exception of Raji, these players lack the girth that Denver needs up front.

all these prospects accept Raji are too small. thats exactly what we need to get away from is these smaller D-linemen. they get tossed around and cant collapse the pocket. Raji would be perfect. Mays and Laurinaitis wouldnt be good picks because the D-line is the biggest problem on the team. and Laurinitis wont even be a MLB in the NFL. he will be drafted and moved outside where his speed and smaller size will be better utilized. and Laurinitis isnt even that good of a prospect to begin with. this past season was a serious down season for him. Laurinits wont even go in the top twenty and isnt even the second best MLB in the draft. that is Brandon Spikes behind Rey Maualuga. BJ Raji should be the pick. we are in a spot to get a premiere DT.

i think you get a more reliable impact player using the 12th for a monster FS than a DL, where the broncs need to use a number of picks. get an impact FS with the first pick, move DJW to mike and start woodyard at will, move barrett to ss, and then use several picks to take some risks with some project DEs (or pass-rushing OLBs if the new DC plays a 3-4). i think our need for DEs is much greater than DT, where thomas and robertson, with a restructured contract, are fine. i continue to believe that some decent DEs, and some creative blitzing through interior gaps, would free up both thomas and robertson to have more meaningful impact against single-blocking.

Possible exception of corner. Maybe. To say we were a little thin there this year is an understatement.

Additionally, everyone is VASTLY overrating Woodyard. He’s a quality back-up and special teamer but is in no sense of the term, a starter.

agreed that DJW isn’t a pro bowler at MLB, doesn’t do a good enough job blowing through blocks, and generally doesn’t seem to have the temperament you want there, but as josh points out, the broncs have a LOT of holes to fill. DJW is good enough at MLB, and that means you get to also use WW, who’s a lot like a young ian gold at WLB. i am a huge fan of guys like WW/gold that play with a nonstop motor and great speed and most importantly, are textbook tacklers (excl gold’s last year). i don’t care what people say, DJW doesn’t have that much speed, and i thought WW was more effective at the will. stav, i agree a high-pick MLB would be wasted behind a bad DL, but the DL will take a number of people to fix, whereas an impact FS can change the way the secondary plays regardless of the DL.

east you’re confusing woodyard for winborn on over-running plays, and woodyard didn’t get a lot of exposure on nickel downs. i watched him carefully and he didn’t get “blown up” with blocks — sometimes he couldn’t shed them fast enough to limit gains, and he does get pushed around a bit, but you can’t say he didn’t produce results considering how active he was tackling.

rob4broncos: moss’ failure was not a product of the scheme — if you watched him, he was embarrassingly uncoordinated. he’s awkward. he once tried a spin move (*gasp*) where he basically spun in place and fell down untouched with the opposing tackle standing there in bewilderment. i’m not saying he’s a lost cause, because he’s got a great build in the mold of the active giants DEs, but he’s got a long way to go and doesn’t seem to have the natural fluidity or the technical skill set. he is, however, suprisingly stouter holding his ground against the run than overrated dumervil is.

yah gold played so well that after signing a lucrative free agent contract with the Bucs they cut him at the end of the season.

As to Woodyard, I guess well agree to disagree and find out how right/wrong I am as the new season progresses. Keep in mind, depending on the scheme Woodyard might not even make the squad.

obsessed: gold was moved to sam at TB because the will was played by derrick brooks, not an easy guy to displace. gold was too small for sam (as would woodyard). let’s not forget that the wilson/gold/djw and wilson/gold/mobley LB crews were highly respected.

east: i’m not saying woodyard is a superstar. i’m saying he’s good enough that the broncs should get him on the field and plug some other, more pressing, holes. do i think maualuga at mike and djw at will would be better than djw/woodyard? yes. BUT i’d take djw/woodyard and spend the #12 pick on a polamalu-type rather than be stuck with maauluga/djw/mccree at MLB/WLB/FS. i’m just arguing priorities.

Trade every defensive starter not named Champ or DJ for Justin Tuck.

If Denver switches to a 3-4, there’s no question – you have to get a premier nose tackle. You have to draft BJ Raji. Zero technique NT’s are so rare in the league, I don’t see any team giving them up in free agency. In fact, I’m not aware of any this off season.

Plus, a 3-4 potentially upgrades several of the struggling players and doesn’t downgrade any, with the possible exception of DJ Williams.

1) Dre Bly is not a cover corner. I was pissed when they traded for him. He’s a zone-type/read the QB type corner. He will instantly perform better. Champ is amazing and reads the QB while being cover corner.

2) Moss and Dumervil are strictly pass rushers. Move them to OLB positions. They are both quick and will react better to running plays when they are spread out and don’t immediately engage with OTs.

3) I’m pretty sure that the Steelers ILBs are smaller and more athletic. Boss and DJ aren’t perfect but will fit in and both tackle well. Plus you have adequate back up with Winborn and Woodyard. Plus Boss can cover a TE from the ILB position (what he was brought in for).

The trick is, Marcus Thomas is athletic enough to play a 3-4 end, but you’d have to get another 3-4 end, also.

There are going to be potentially great safeties available in round 2 (Rashad Johnson and Sean Smith if they declare, which they should). Moore won’t drop – no chance.

I will never give Dre Blah a break, Green Bay OT in 2007 that’s all I have to say. DJ Williams can never be a MLB and back to the Elvis trade scenario, we let Bert Berry, Reggie Hayward, and Pryce walk. Each one would still be better than what we have right now, Pryce being the exception with his 13 sacks after walking as that number was easily inflated by the attention that other Raven defenders got. I don’t care if Elvis gets 10 sacks and all ten are in one game, if he had a decent bookend on the other side he’d be at 8 consistently per year. I still believe that we go MLB or DL line first – whoever is the better talent available, Free Safety in the second round if there’s a quality pick there, and then comeback to Strong Safety. I heard talk of selecting Moreno from Georgia with the #12? I say Hillis and Torain deserve a shot at 2009 and even Tatum Bell earned a spot as the changeup back. The 2009 Denver draft should be Defense specific – no question on that. Everyone loves Woodyard, but he’s no starter, glorified special teamer who can be effective in spots but not a starter, at the same time you never let a guy like that walk.

No Pac-Man, but the Broncos should definitly draft Taylor Mays, everyone has seen the impact of Ed Reed, Troy Polamalu, Bob Sanders, and even Adrian Wilson or Antrel Rolle from the Cardinals, safety isn’t just run of the mill position any more and Marlon McCee and Marquand Manuel don’t cut it. Also, we need to sign either Albert Haynesworth or Julius Peppers, even if they are injured theyre better than anyone else and their defenses were league tops centered around either of these players. And we need a Middle line backer if we don’t get mays i suggest malaluga.

Depending on free agency 1st. Rey Malaluga 2nd. Shon Greene

I agree, Peterson is old and obviously has a problem keeping his mouth shut so he’d be a bad fit with all the young players we have. Unless there’s an absolute steal at D-Line, I’m not backing down from Mauluaga if he’s available at #12, and then Safety with the 2nd pick. I’d rather they get Mauluaga (or Spikes if he comes out and Rey is gone already) and then throw cash at Haynesworth or Peppers, preferably Haynesworth.

SSC – Aldridge, I completely forgot about him. He looked 4.4 fast against Arizona before tearing up his ankle. Between Torain, Hillis (proven he can get tough yards), giving Bell a shot as a change up, and Aldridge, I think there’s no need to go higher than their 4th round pick on an RB only if there’s a huge talent that falls somehow, maybe, but remember the problem wasn’t the quality of the running game, if was the unprecedented injuries to the backfield which I don’t think any team has ever faced such an in-season issue before. Shanahan had no clue how to draft defense, but he knew how to pick ’em on the other side of the ball, let’s give that group a shot at a healthy 2009 to see what they can accomplish.

I’d still go MLB, FS, DL or SS (possibly RB if someone falls) with the first three picks, cut Boss “I’ve spent my career injured” Bailey and start Winborn in his spot, and cut Josh “I’ll give you a 15yd cushion” Bell. If they go offense with anyone of their first three picks its just stupid considering how much of a joke the defense was this year.