Here’s a picture you thought you’d never see. Josh McDaniels smiling holding up something that kind of looks like a dingy Raiders’ jersey with Jay Cutler’s number on it. These jerseys will be worn in one home and one away game this year titled the “Legacy Games.” Of course McDaniels was asked about holding up the Cutler jersey, according to the Denver Post he responded:

“I wouldn’t have wanted it to be any other player.”

The article went on to say,

McDaniels had just finished an hour-long interview with a handful of Denver reporters and a gaggle of national media. At one point I counted 30 reporters crowded around his table. McDaniels was the only coach who attracted a “standing room only” crowd.

It is no surprise really that his table would be the most flooded out of the eight coaches. McDaniels’ table probably would be the most crowded even if all 32 were there. You can find another picture of the jerseys here, the rest of the original 8 AFL jerseys here, and a video at NFL.com. 

What do you think of the jerseys Bronco nation? What about the Cutler gesture? Is McDaniels really trying to patch things up? Air out it!

The title of this article is music to the ears of all Denver fans around the globe. According the Denver Post, Mike Nolan has had held personal work outs with Brian Orakpo, Brian Cushing, Malcolm Jenkins, Maryland corner Kevin Barnes (wonderlic of 41), and Cincinnati defensive end Connor Barwin. The article continues to state that Denver is high on Everette Brown, Aaron Maybin, and Tyson Jackson.

There hasn’t been much buzz about Nolan in the media this offseason, and he hasn’t really spoken publicly either. Nolan is obviously staying out of the limelight and getting all of his work done without making a big deal out of it (something he needs to teach Josh McDaniels). With so many draft picks in Denver’s arsenal, the Cutler fiasco, and Tony Scheffler on the trading block it will no doubt be a very interesting draft day to say the least.

What do you think Bronco nation? Which one of these guys is worth the 12th overall pick, or even a pick at all?

Selvin Young

The Denver Post reports that all of the Bronco running backs are on the trading block. Yes, this includes Peyton Hillis. The Post writes:

Two NFL executives say the Broncos have been asking teams if they are interested in acquiring one of their running backs. It makes sense after the Broncos signed three free-agent tailbacks: Correll Buckhalter, J.J. Arrington and LaMont Jordan.

The Broncos’ holdover running backs who can be had for trade: Selvin Young, Ryan Torain and Peyton Hillis.

Personally, I have been pretty trusting in Josh McDaniels, but I swear I’ll lose it if Peyton Hillis is not a Bronco this season. However, barring a strong offer I don’t see Hillis or Torain leaving because of their low round costs, both 2nd year players will get paid $385,000 this season if kept on the team. Selvin Young is most likely the odd man out.

Gridiron Experts sent me a few questions yesterday in regards to the Josh McDaniels-Jay Cutler fiasco. The questions they asked were:

Question 1
Do Bronco fans really believe the rift between McDaniel’s and Cutler can be mended? Or is it now a matter of trying to figure out who to get in to replace him?

Question 2:
With Rumors of Tony Scheffler also on the way out, and with the Broncos signing more players than any other team in free agency, is this team quietly being re-rebuilt and in for a long season?

Question 3
Who is the one player on the Broncos squad that no one talks about, but should? In other words, who’s your sleeper player?

The link is right here, so you should check it out.

Also, I’m calling upon you Bronco nation. Answer me these three questions, and visit Gridiron Experts their site rocks your socks off.

 

The 2009 prime time teaser schedule was announced today, and the Denver Broncos will be participating in one of the NFL’s marquee match-ups this season.

For the first time in 46 seasons, the Broncos will host a Thanksgiving game when they welcome the New York Giants to INVESCO Field at Mile High. The prime time game game will take place on Thursday November 26 at 6:20 pm MT and air on the NFL Network.

Other games announced today include the season opener, the Tennessee Titans at Pittsburgh Steelers followed by the San Diego Chargers at Oakland Raiders, along with the first Sunday night game of they year and two other Thanksgiving games. The full schedule will be announced in April. Full press release after the jump. Click here to read the rest of this entry »

Josh McDaniels (Reuters photo)

Josh McDaniels will appear in an interview on the NFL Network’s Total Access Monday to address the ongoing Jay Cutler trade situation. During the interview, McDaniels urges Cutler to “keep the line of communication open,” and tells the world that the young QB is “our quarterback.”

Total Access airs at 7pm ET/5pm MT on the NFL Network and is simulcast on Sirius NFL Radio.

I can’t wait to hear this interview. We know McD will discuss the current situation with Cutler, but maybe McDaniels will even shed some light on how the Matt Cassel trade talks went down and where the Broncos go from here. I know already I agree on one point — Cutler, your boss just asked you to call him in front of millions of people. The ball’s in your court. Pick up the phone.

Jay Cutler (AP Photo)

The latest from the ongoing Jay Cutler saga comes from the NFL Owner’s Meetings in Dana Point, California, and it’s good news for Broncos fans. Word on the street – brought to you by SI.com’s Peter King – is that the Broncos plan on sitting on Cutler and hoping this whole thing blows over.

“Say you’re the Broncos, and Tampa Bay offers you two ones [two first-round picks] plus [second-year quarterback] Josh Johnson for Cutler,” one NFC coach told me. “Denver makes the deal and picks a quarterback with one of the ones. You’ve traded the best young quarterback in football for two guys who might have a chance, but might be washouts too. Denver’s problem is they could never get fair value for him.”

He speaks to a few other people about Cutler and comes to this conclusion:

With agent Bus Cook on record as saying Cutler will report to mandatory mini-camps and training camp, why trade the guy, there’s certainly no reason to do anything fast … even if that means you don’t have a definitive answer on Cutler by draft day.

While I applaud the new Broncos management for being patient and not jumping to action, there has to be a solution to this problem at some point. The Broncos and Cutler have to make nice for this season (and beyond) to be a success. Here’s hoping cooler heads prevail, on both ends.

This just in! Andre Smith is not the smartest guy out there. Smith’s range used to be 1-6 and now it would be stupid for a team to take him in the top 10. For the post-combine version check out this link.

 

Round 1

 

1. Detroit Lions
   Eugene Monroe, T, Virginia

The Lions made a mad dash for Jay Cutler. I don’t think they’re to thrilled to get Matt Stafford as a quarterback. Expect to see some quarterback be picked up in free agency and for them to protect him with Eugene Monroe or possibly Jason Smith.

Previous: Matt Stafford, QB, Georgia.

 

2. St. Louis Rams
   Jason Smith, T, Baylor

Once again… Marc Bulger has been sacked 126 times over the past three seasons. Michael Crabtree needs to impress real well at his pro-day. Jason Smith is starting to emerge as the premier tackle of this draft class. Just check out his interview at NFL.com, he’s just overall a great person.

Previous: Jason Smith, T, Baylor. 

Click here to read the rest of this entry »

Josh McDaniels and Jay Cutler tearing apart the Broncos. (Drew Litton, DrewLitton.com)

There are plenty of conflicting reports out there – the latest, from John Czarnecki of FoxSports.com, indicates that Jay Cutler and his agent Bus Cook did indeed request a trade after Mike Shanahan was fired, long before any Matt Cassel trade talks began.

It’s frustrating as a fan because you develop an opinion based on what you believe to be true, only to have new information come out that can alter that opinion to a certain degree. It makes me wish I could get these four doofuses in a room, shove some magic truth serum down their throats/hook them up to a polygraph test/put them in a room with Jack Bauer and get some straight answers!

So there’s your hypothetical situation, Broncos fans. You can ask any one of these gentlemen – Cutler, McDaniels, Bowlen or Cook – one question, and you’re guaranteed to get a straight answer. One man. One question. What would you ask, and how would that help you develop an idea of what the Broncos should do from here?

Mine would be pretty simple. I’d ask Cutler, straight up, “Did you ever ask to be traded from the Broncos before the Cassel trade rumors were leaked?” I could draw my conclusions from there.

We want to hear from you Broncos fans! What question are you dying to ask, and to whom? Shoot them off in the comments.

I had a friend named Luke who I will probably never talk to again; we were watching a game and at 6:40 he said something pretty prolific,

“A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher.”

Hmm.

That’s been going through my head more than a few times since this team started coming apart at the seams. Who is the pupil? Who is the teacher? Who is training and who is learning, what has been learned and who is teaching?

Is it– was it Mike Shanahan? Dan Reeves? George Seifert, Bill Walsh? Bill Belichick? Josh McDaniels?

Or was it Jake Plummer?

Did Jay Cutler pull a page from the Plummer playbook and doom himself to moving back to Tennessee to marry a Vol’s cheerleader and take up flip-cup as his sport of choice?

You really want to go that road Cutler? I guarantee that you’re heading to 0-16 Detroit, in my younger days I would have done that trade out of spite: The number one pick in the 2009 draft, a six-pack and a blueberry snow cone… Easy.

Click here to read the rest of this entry »