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Published on 04/26/2012 at Thu Apr 26 22:20.
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Broncos have options in second round of draft

Posted Thu Apr 26th by

Denver Broncos vice president John Elway talks about trading the team's first-round pick in the NFL football draft at the Denver Broncos headquarters in Englewood, Colo., on April 26, 2012. The Broncos traded the 25th pick to New England for their 31st pick. They then traded that pick to Tampa Bay. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski)

The first round of the 2012 NFL Draft came and went without the Denver Broncos making a single selection after the team traded down, as we expected they would.  Going into day two of the draft, the team has options, with eight total selections.

“Our board looked the same, and we have the same players at No. 36 than we would have had at No. 31,” Vice President of Football Operations John Elway said following the first round of the draft. “We don’t have a new player yet, but we like where we sit. We’re excited.”

With picks in the second (36th and 57th), third (87th), fourth (101, 108 and 120), fifth (137th) and sixth (188th) rounds, the team has what Elway called “currency” to make more moves on Friday.  The team owns two 2nd round selections and three 4th round selections, so they’ll have plenty of ammunition to move around.

“I understand the fans being a little bit disappointed because they want to get excited and see who’s the next Denver Bronco,” Elway told DenverBroncos.com. “I think everybody naturally wants to do that, but that will be over as soon as we get started tomorrow and get that first pick. Where we sit, I think tomorrow will be exciting.”  

Elway noted following the draft that a lot of the players that the team liked at No. 25 and No. 31 will still be there when the team selects fourth overall in the second round (assuming they don’t trade down again).  Some of the top remaining prospect options for the Broncos  include running backs Lamar Miller and Robert Turbin, defensive tackles Jerel Worthy, Devon Still and Kendall Reyes, linebacker Courtney Upshaw, wide receivers Stephen Hill and Rueben Randle, cornerback Janoris Jenkins and tight end Coby Fleener.

“Anytime you’re picking in the second round — we have two tomorrow in the second and one in the third — we still feel like those impact guys are there,” Elway said. “As we talked about last year, we’re not going to fix this thing overnight, we’re not going to fix it with one draft. But to be able to get those impact guys plus be able to get a lot of quality young football players is what we need to do to build this base.”

In all, twenty of my thirty-two prospects to watch remain on the board entering the second round of the draft.  Former Broncos running back Terrell Davis is scheduled to announce one of Denver’s second round selections.

There are still some nice options available for the Broncos.  While they may have not gotten great compensation when trading down, the team has given themselves more options and the ability to select multiple prospects in the second and third rounds of the draft on Friday. 

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  • Jackson3793

    It’s not exactly like Cleveland.  The Browns traded up because (A) they had a ton of picks to work with, and (B) they were afraid that Tampa Bay [who also has a ton of picks] would work out a deal with the Vikings to scoop Richardson.  The Vikings won either way as they got more picks and still got the player they wanted.

    The Broncos are wanting to be like Minnesota in this scenario, but it just doesn’t seem like that yet.  They had a chance at Hightower (a definite impact guy) and Martin (a guy who would contribute right away as well as meeting one of Denver’s needs) and they passed on both.  Weird.

    I’m with you on being steamed about Denver not taking the best available when their pick came around.  I’m even more steamed that they let themselves get rolled in trade value (it’s like trading Tebow for a 4th all over again … he was worth more than that).  I think since the Orton to Miami deal fell through, the Broncos are gun shy about holding out for fair (or beneficial) value in their trades.

    Hopefully they do something and manage to secure another 2nd or 3rd round pick out of their late round guys.  I’ll be watching tonight, but I’m afraid I might be disappointed.

  • Anonymous

    ” I’m even more steamed that they let themselves get rolled in trade value (it’s like trading Tebow for a 4th all over again … he was worth more than that). I think since the Orton to Miami deal fell through, the Broncos are gun shy about holding out for fair (or beneficial) value in their trades.”

    Well said and I agree with all of it. I had not thought of it like this but you very well could be right on the money!!!

  • Anonymous

    I liked this… Alot!

  • Jackson3793

    I’d like to see the Broncos package a 4th and 5th for a second pick in the 3rd, though I’d be happy with your scenario(s) too.  

    It’s just frustrating to see talent like Hightower fall to the Broncos at 25 (I was sure the Steelers would grab the kid) and then have the Broncos give him up to the Patriots of all people … then have that scenario repeated at 31 with Martin.

    The Broncos will get to play against both teams this year.  So, if Hightower stuffs McGahee, shuts down Tamme, and sacks Manning while Martin racks up a 150 yard game (with another 30 receiving) against the Broncos … maybe then Elway will learn that if an impact player falls in your lap, you need to pull the trigger.

  • Jackson3793

    Man, I hope they don’t draft Jenkins.  The kid has off-the-field issues that make Perrish Cox look like a boy scout.  Then again, maybe they should draft him and then assign him to bunk with Cassius Vaughn.  After the Cox mess, Vaughn should be willing to do whatever he can to avoid being involved in another ridiculous trial.

  • Jackson3793

    Your logic makes sense … right up until St. Louis, Indianapolis, or Baltimore takes “our guy(s).”  

    People have legitimate gripes about the Broncos doing what they did yesterday.  They had two chances at impact players and desperate teams wanting to make trades with the Broncos (the Patriots knew that the Ravens wouldn’t pass up on Hightower, and the Buccaneers knew that the Giants would likely take Martin).  But rather than playing on those teams’ desperation, the Broncos settled for less-than-fair-value trades both times.  Given the circumstances, they should have gotten better-than-fair-value.

    I don’t mind that they traded back, honestly.  I just mind how they did it.  If they could still get “their” guy at #36 and ended up with TWO 4th rounders for their trouble, that’s much better than moving back and only getting one (which is what happened).

    Given the choice between an impact player that may not fit the team’s short term needs or a bad trade, I’d rather the Broncos take the impact player.  

  • Jackson3793

    Apparently they didn’t want those guys.  They didn’t want Tebow, and traded him (a 9-7 career record QB as a starter) for a 4th round pick and change.  They apparently didn’t want Hightower (who would have been an upgrade over Mays) enough that they traded the chance to draft him for less than fair value.  They didn’t want Martin (I kind of agree with that, honestly), and traded back again for MUCH less than fair value.  An upgraded 4th round pick to move back five spots at the top of the draft?  Really?  The Broncos should have demanded (and would have received) the Buc’s 2nd and 4th straight up for the 31st pick, but instead they let the Bucs play ’em for suckers.

  • Jackson3793

    They didn’t get two second round picks for giving up their first rounder … they gave up their first rounder for what is basically a high 2nd and a high 4th.  Now, they might be able to translate some of their late round picks (3 4ths, 1 5th, 1 6th) into another 2nd or 3rd round pick, but maybe not.  

  • Josh Ninagardner

     what makes everyone so sure a 3-4 guy (hightower) would have made an awesome 4-3 middle linebacker? Different players for different systems, the fact that Denver didn’t select means they weren’t that interested in him, Fox, Del Rio and others know defensive players yet they didn’t choose him. so does everyone here know more about football players then some of those guys? Remember when Shanahan drafted the LB from Florida at no. 10 or something? greatest linebacker who couldn’t play. case and point. Let’s see how it turns out, everyone just chill.

  • Josh Ninagardner

     good point, but just because there is mock draft somewhere that says we should draft this guy and that guy, don’t you at least think Fox and Del Rio have been there before? I there was the nest Julius Peppers out there they would have jumped on him, they’ve both drafted very well in the past, just because some of us wouldn’t have done that doesn’t mean it was wrong!

  • Josh Ninagardner

     again, why do you think a 3-4 linebacker will automatically become the greatest middle linebacker in a 4-3 scheme? Do we run a 3-4 or 4-3? Should we go out and draft the best 3-4 nose tackle? Different players for different schemes.

  • Josh Ninagardner

     Nuff said.

  • Christopher Hart

    Fleener, Randall and an OL are probably going before us.  With our needs and the players we like, yeah — our board is probably the same.

  • Stav

    I think we’re looking at the Broncos packaging picks to move that #57 up into the high 30’s/early 40’s.  Either combo of Lamar Miller and Still or Worthy is a great draft for us, but we need to sacrifice picks for this as there’s no way Miller drops to #57 if we go DT at #36. One of those DT’s will drop, but Miller? No way.

  • Anonymous

    Exactly.

  • Anonymous

    Amen.

  • Anthony

    yeah, because being a good player always translates to being a good manager. That’s why Jordan won 6 titles as an executive right? same for Larry Bird right? 

    Only 3 players have won superbowls as a player and a coach….

    Mike Ditka was won of them. Guess he doesnt have an eye for talent right??? Because he would have Tebow as your starting QB. 

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