Episode 3.1 is live — we recapped the 2009 campaign, talked about Josh McDaniels‘ first season as Head Coach, and discussed the Denver Broncos‘ restricted free agent situation at length.  And then we talked about Woody Paige. Thanks to Danh and Ian from The Orange Page for having me on!  Check back for more BT Staffers as guests on the show in the near future.

You can also download the podcast .mp3 here. (Some explicit language)

• Don’t expect any of these Broncos to sign their tender offers anytime soon, says Mike Klis of the Denver Post.  [All Things Broncos]
• “Welcome to what promises to be another tumultuous offseason at Dove Valley,” he continues.  [Denver Post]
• Frank Schwab breaks down what each tender offer means for the player’s future in Denver.  [Colorado Springs Gazette]

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UPDATE: Elvis Dumervil has been tendered a first and a third round draft pick according to the Broncos official website. This doesn’t mean Dumervil is out the door, but it also doesn’t mean other teams won’t try.

Kyle Orton and Chris Kuper are the first to receive tenders for the Denver Broncos this off-season. It’s fitting that they both received first round tenders from Denver. Tony Scheffler received a second round tender, Mike Klis of the Denver Post is reporting.

The Broncos have tendered three of their six restricted free agents. They slapped first-round tenders on starting quarterback Kyle Orton and right guard Chris Kuper. The Broncos also gave a second-round tender to tight end Tony Scheffler.

According to Adam Schefter and Vic Lombardi via Twitter, Brandon Marshall has also been tendered a first round pick.

Adam_Schefter:  Come and get him: Broncos placed the first-round tender on WR Brandon Marshall.

VicLombardi: The Broncos tendered Brandon Marshall. It would take a 1st rd pick for another team to sign him. Ditto for Orton and Kuper.

The fact that Marshall has been tendered only a first indicates that the Broncos are open to letting him go. Click here to read the rest of this entry »

The Chicago Bears GM Jerry Angelo has never had the reputation of being a big spender until last offseason where well, you know. Rumor has it that Angelo won’t revert to his old ways this offseason either. The McCaskey family (who own the Bears) have given Angelo the green light to spend the $25 million of upfront money this offseason. What better way for Chicago to start off their offseason by trading for another disgruntled Denver Bronco Pro Bowler?

According to Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun Times, that just might be Chicago’s direction.

One NFL source wagered a steak dinner on troubled Denver Broncos star Brandon Marshall being in a Bears uniform by the time training camp opens.

However, the Bears have a lot of needs on both sides of the ball. For starters they couldn’t keep a middle linebacker healthy to save their lives last year. To make matters worse the defense allowed a rusher to gain 75 yards or more in nine games. Offensively the front five couldn’t keep Jay Cutler upright or let Matt Forte see daylight, and Orlando Pace was just cut. Click here to read the rest of this entry »

• Yet again the combine “official” timing is under question. C.J. Spiller ran an unofficial 4.27 but somehow the official time was a full tenth slower. [PFT]
• Bill Williamson takes a shot at draft prospects for the AFC West teams. [ESPN]
• Another victim of the timing issue was USC safety Taylor Mays. Mays ran an unofficial 4.24 and the “official” clock recorded a 4.43. The link shows a video of Mays’ overlay out running Trindon Holiday who ran a 4.34. [Huffington Post]
• Apparently this draft has the potential not to suck. [PFT]
• Monte Kiffin told Eric Berry that “he’d be a fool to come back” for another year. [NFL.com]
• Rolando McClain sat out the majority of the combine drills. [Bama Beat]
• Florida’s Joe Haden is expected to be the first corner off the board this draft. However, Haden really struggled in the 40 with a 4.57 and a 4.60 which may have teams reconsider. [NFL.com]

Around the League

• Rumor is that the Bears really want Brandon Marshall, like really really. [Sun Times]
• Tight end Greg Olsen is taking a page from Jay Cutler’s book, and asking for a trade because of what a coach has said. [PFT]
• Redskins QB Jason Campbell is expected to be tendered next week despite the trade rumors at the combine. [NFL.com]
• Michael Vick wants to play in Carolina? Really? Have fun backing up Matt Moore. [ESPN]

The Darrent Williams trial continues this week and the prosecution is using everything they have. Let’s hope it’ll be enough.

• “Drug Dealer Testifies that Clark was the lone shooter in Darrent Williams’ death.” [DPO]
• Another witness testifies that he saw Willie Clark shoot as well. [DPO]
• Frank Schwab weighs in on Josh McDaniels’ comments at the combine. [CSG]
• Is Chris Simms on HGH? Really? [PFT]
• Josh McDaniels has “high hopes” for Tom Brandstater. [RotoTimes.com]
• The Broncos 2009 fourth round pick Seth Olsen is expected to get a shot to start at left guard. [DPO]

Around the League

• Jay Cutler needs to take out a wanted ad for a new left tackle now that Chicago has cut Orlando Pace. [ESPN]
• The Jets are expected to release RB Thomas Jones despite just having a career season, putting up over 1,100+ yards for five straight seasons, and tallying 6,378 yards since 2005. [ESPN]
• Apparently Jets players aren’t too happy about Jones’ imminent release as well. [NY Daily News]
• Shawne Merriman is expected to receive the highest tender a restricted free agent can get, and he’s not too happy about it. [PFT]
• The Redskins are expected to bid on Julius Peppers. Which makes one think if Mike Shanahan would have pursued Peppers last season if he wasn’t fired. [Washington Post]
• Jeff McLane thinks that the Eagles will take part in the Peppers war as well. [Philly.com]
• Could LaDanian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles possibly end up on the same team next season? Dan Synder might provide the financial means. [ESPN & PFT]

Comparing these players performances is like comparing apples to oranges. Hell, I’ll try anyway.

10. C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson

With a blazing 4.37 forty, C.J. Spiller is locked in to be the first off the board running back wise. This however was a no brainer, most people expected Spiller to be around that area. After his forty, Spiller opted out the rest of the drills.

9. Jahvid Best, RB, California

Jahvid Best put up the best forty times for all the running backs a 4.35. With a scorching time like that Best could peak into the first round.

8.  Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma

How in the hell does a 315 pound man run a 4.88 forty? How in the hell was he not the top performer for all of the offensive tackles? Trent Williams will go before the top 20 is over. Click here to read the rest of this entry »

NFL Combine begins today in Indianapolis, IN.

Jay Cutler stays losing!

Okay, that was a little harsh, but today at the NFL Combine the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Chicago Bears had a coin flip to see who would have the pleasure of drafting 10th overall in this April’s NFL Draft.

The Jaguars won, so the Bears would have drafted 11th, except they gave their pick to Denver last season in the Cutler trade.

This may actually end up being good news for Denver as the difference between a 10th and 11th pick in the first round has recently been $1.5 to $2-million dollars in guaranteed money.

Denver has drafted 12th the last two seasons, the 11th pick in those two seasons ended up being the Buffalo Bills cornerback Leodis McKlevin (2008) and Bills linebacker Aaron Maybin (2009). The last time the Broncos had a number 11 pick they drafted, you guessed it, Jay Cutler (2006).

I’m sure East will have more on this, but I personally see Denver going with a skill position, even in an anemic free agency as far as defensive lineman go. Who do you think nation? I’m going receiver…

For what it seems for ages to take place is finally underway. The trial of murder of Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams. According to the Denver Post two of the witnesses that the prosecution subpoenaed refused to testify. These witnesses being Mario Anderson and Kataina “Markie” Jackson-Keeling. Both of these witnesses are said to have been in the white Tahoe in which the gunshots came out of killing and prematurely ending the life of the young Darrent Williams. The person who the prosecution claim to have fired the shots within the white Tahoe is the defendant, Willie Clark.

Two other witnesses prosecutors subpoenaed to testify Wednesday in Clark’s trial refused and were held in contempt of court.

Mario Anderson and Kataina “Markie” Jackson-Keeling, already indicted on perjury charges and accused by prosecutors of lying to a Denver grand jury about the events of that night, were handcuffed in the courtroom and taken to jail by sheriff’s deputies.

The judge presiding of the case, Judge Christina M. Habas Click here to read the rest of this entry »

Knowshon Moreno celebrates with Correll Buckhalter follwing a fourth quarter touchdown vs. Cleveland in September. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey )

This will be a three part article humorously (or not so humorously) titled, ‘Freshman Fifteen,’ not meant to offend. Just the facts and some outlook into the next season.

[Part I]

Knowshon Moreno

2009 Analysis:

Denver drafting a running back in the top 15, really? How is this guy not the next Walter Payton? Expectations were sky high for this kid, anything under 1,500 yards and rookie of the year and this pick is a bust. Most mock drafts had Denver picking a defensive lineman or a linebacker, so everyone was surprised by the Moreno pick at number 12. Then again, I’m not telling you anything that you didn’t already know.

The Broncos had just finished a season in which they’d gone through nearly every available running back, not just on their team, but who had NFL experience. Most fans had crowned Peyton Hillis heir apparent and had prepared Madden rosters accordingly, but with the signing of Correll Buckhalter, J.J. Arrington and LaMont Jordan (sorry Kyle) in free agency there was a shift in the winds around Dove Valley.

Moreno held out in training camp and though it wasn’t apparent at the time, this was the kiss of death on his freshman campaign in Denver. Though he appeared in every game he never cracked 100-yards rushing in a single one of them. It is worth noting that one-hundred yards isn’t the new measure of success however, as the year of the workhorse running back officially ended prior to 2008; Mike Shanahan’s last season in the Rocky Mountains. Running by committee, best man for the job, running backs being judged on average yards per carry, not yards per game and the Broncos had one of the better ones in the league (just wasn’t Moreno).

2010 Outlook:

Moreno had a fair share of rookie of the week awards; so I’m going to use football writer speak and say that Moreno will work on his mechanics, his cuts, not falling when he turns to go, but that’s all obvious. The game at the NFL level speeds up, with a season under his belt an entire off-season to prepare will do him wonders. I don’t expect him to crack 2,000-yards, but if he is going to amount to anything in the NFL he’s going to have to start proving it in 2010. In my heart of hearts I see Moreno’s improvement being directly linked with the interior offensive line being beefed up this March and April. The easiest way to tell won’t be in  OTA’s, but during preseason games. However, by then the dice will have been rolled.

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