Part two of today’s series focuses on the reasons why the Denver Broncos should not select a cornerback in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft. Enjoy.

The Broncos have a lot of talent at the cornerback position. I already broke that down in the first post, so I won’t get too repetitive, but the fact remains that cornerback is way down near the bottom as far as pure “need” is concerned.

Where would the new guy fit in the scheme of things? Obviously we’d want this guy to contribute to the return game, so he’d see playing time there. Would the rookie replace Dre Bly in the lineup? Can we afford to have either contract sitting the bench?

Finances are a big part of this decision, too.  The Broncos already have a ton of money tied up in the cornerback position – is it feasible, financially, that they add the 12th overall pick’s contract to the lot? I tend to think not.

In the end, it’s doubtful the Broncos would take a cornerback in the first round. The roster is already well set, and the finances behind the move would be really difficult for Denver to get over. Again, they have greater needs elsewhere, and addressing the trenches in the first round would help the Broncos a lot more than adding another corner.

Six down… three to go. Today we’re breaking down CB – why the Denver Broncos should draft one in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft, why they shouldn’t, and then ask you in the daily poll. Enjoy!

The Denver Broncos are incredibly deep at cornerback. Led by future Hall of Famer Champ Bailey and multiple Pro Bowler Dre Bly, the Denver Broncos have one of the most talented starting CB duos in the league. Behind them they’re not too shabby either – Karl Paymah, whose measurables are simply outstanding and lends himself to the freak-of-nature type, and versatile talent Domonique Foxworth, who can play both CB and S. Why would the Broncos even dream of drafting a cornerback in the first round?

Look past the coming year of 2008 and everything changes. Neither Paymah nor Foxworth are under contract in 2009. If Bly does not improve to some degree from his 2007 campaign, I doubt the Broncos will pay him the money he’s owed. And Champ has been hinting at wanting a new contract for two consecutive offseasons – how long can we leave his situation “as is” until he begins threatening a holdout? How much do either have left in the tank?

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Now that the Dolphins are settled on Jake Long at #1 overall, how does that affect the rest of the draft? In particular, how does that affect the Broncos’ plans this year?

It’s well known how fluid and dynamic the draft can be. One surprise move can completely shake up the next 10 or so picks – sometimes more – and in this case, I think the Broncos could be sweating a little bit more.

Just look at last year. Joe Thomas was rated very high on a lot of boards, but no one was certain if the Lions or Browns would pull the trigger. Some thought he would then fall down to #5 and the Arizona Cardinals. Instead, of course, the Browns did select Thomas (great move), but what really interests me is how the Cards reacted.

They still took an offensive tackle, someone a lot of people had slated in the 8-12 range, Levi Brown. With Long off the board now this year, will other teams follow suit?

I think now the Chiefs definitely are a little more tempted to take a guy like Ryan Clady or Branden Albert. I’ve expressed my thoughts on the two several times over (in brief, I like Clady. Albert not so much). All 3 could even be gone, depending on where Matt Ryan falls.

And to me, that’s when things really get interesting. If Ryan goes to Atlanta or 3, or Kansas City at 5, how much more likely are the Ravens to taking the best offensive lineman on the board?

The draft shakeups could continue through the week, as now the St. Louis Rams can start negotiating with different prospects at #2 overall.

• Mike Klis must have dug deep to find the Broncos wish list for the draft. Yes, I’m being sarcastic. [Denver Post]
• More pointing out of how bad the Broncos drafts have been between 2000 and 2005. [Rocky Mountain News]
• Have the Charger humiliations made Mike Shanahan think that offensive line is the answer? [Denver Post]
• How much do finances matter to teams picking high in the draft? [Colorado Springs Gazette]
• The Eagles offered the Chiefs Lito Sheppard with picks for Jared Allen. [Yahoo! Sports]
• It appears the Dolphins and OT Jake Long have agreed to terms, making him the first pick in the draft. [ESPN]
• MLB: Phillies 9, Rockies 5. [Yahoo! Sports]

As Kyle reported earlier, Jay Cutler was on NFL Total Access hosting the Harlem Globetrotters for his charity the Jay Cutler Foundation. The whole segment can be seen in this clip of NFL Networking tailing Jay for the day along with the antics of the trotters’.

I’m not sure how many of you woke up yesterday to this love fest for Philip Rivers by the Denver Post’s own Jim Armstrong.  He basically goes into a sixteen paragraph rant about how Rivers is currently the cream of the AFC West QB crop and how the other 3 quarterbacks don’t even compare.  The piece also has a round about way of bashing Jay Cutler with back handed comments and contains excerpts that slaver to Rivers like no other.

Frankly, given the state of the AFC West these days, Rivers has every right to chirp.

When it comes to quarterbacks, Rivers is the man for all seasons in the West. He’s the best quarterback in the division and the most experienced. He has won 25-of-32 starts and twice taken the Chargers to the playoffs.

The problem with Mr. Armstrong’s article is that it’s severely lacking in realistic individual statistics.  He uses team records to compare the two.  Rivers does have the better team record being 25-7 compared to Cutler’s 9-12. But he doesn’t take into account that Rivers inherited a team on the cusp of the playoffs finishing 9-7 in 2005.  He has arguably the best running back and tight end playing the game behind him.  Many experts think it was a mistake to ever let Drew Brees go to New Orleans.  Armstrong makes the assertion that there is a large disparity between River’s game and the remaining three starting QBs in the division.  (Cutler, Russell, Croyle)

At the moment, it isn’t a close race. Not between the Chargers and the other teams in the West, and not between Rivers and the other quarterbacks in the division. But Mike Shanahan is hoping things tighten up in 2008, when Cutler will embark on his third NFL season.

I don’t think so Jim.  Lets look at the individual statistics for the only full season the rivals played against each other to see how much of a disparity there is between Jay and Philip.

2007 Individual Quarterback Statistics

• Total Yards [Cutler – 3497]    [Rivers – 3152]
• Completion Percentage [Cutler – 63.6%]    [Rivers – 60.2%]
• Yards per attempt average [Cutler – 7.49]    [Rivers – 6.85]
• Longest Pass of the Season [Cutler – 68yrds]   [Rivers – 49yrds]
• Touchdowns [Cutler – 20]    [Rivers – 21]
• Interceptions [Cutler – 14]    [Rivers – 15]
• QB Rating [Cutler – 88.1%]   [Rivers – 82.4%}          (the most telling)

This doesn’t look like a close race?  It looks like a real close race with Cutler in the lead!  Also to compare Cutler to on and off again starter Croyle and a holdout who only played five games in Russell is ridiculous.  I thought it was sad the only complement for Cutler came from River’s own coach Norv Turner.  I could go on about intergrity, sportmanship and leadership qualities but I’ll let the numbers speak for themselves.

Should the Denver Broncos use their first round pick in the 2008 NFL Draft on an interior offensive lineman (center or guard)?

We’ve given you the reasons they should, and the reasons they shouldn’t.  Now you tell us.

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Part Two of today’s series explores why the Denver Broncos should avoid drafting a center or guard in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft. Enjoy.

The argument of “We have greater needs elsewhere” is getting old, I know, but it comes to a head again. Currently signed centers or guards total over 8 at the moment… more than enough to have solid competition come training camp to find 4 or 5 guys. The Broncos have much greater needs at defensive tackle and offensive tackle. They could also use help at linebacker, safety, and running back before considering an interior offensive lineman.

What’s more, centers and guards are very, very rarely taken this early in the first round. Last year, Baltimore used the 29th overall selection on Ben Grubbs, a guard out of Auburn. In 2006, Tampa Bay used the 23rd overall pick on a guard named Davin Joseph. Both were the first taken at their position that year. Taking a guard this early isn’t unheard of, but it’s close.

That being said, there is one player who has shot up the draft boards of late named Branden Albert. Some mocks even have him going as high as 5th overall to the Chiefs. His ability to also play tackle has seen his stock skyrocket, and if he falls to 12, the Broncos could be tempted. Is he worth the first round pick?

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Todd McShay‘s most recent article on ESPN has a juicy tidbit about fan favorites Chris Williams and Jonathan Stewart.

RB Stewart headed to Denver?

Following up on a note from last week, RB Jonathan Stewart continues to be a hot topic in scouting circles as he moves back up the board following turf toe surgery in March. Stewart’s surgery combined with several nagging injuries during his college career sent his stock sliding, but now that he has healed and tested for teams again it is clear most are comfortable that his toe is not an issue.

Denver (No. 12) and Carolina seem to have the most interest among teams in the top 20, and we’re told the chances are good that the Broncos will take Stewart if their favorite offensive tackle prospect — Chris Williams — is off the board. Denver has always felt it could find running backs in the later rounds and turn them into 1,000-yard rushers in its zone blocking system, but that philosophy has not worked out in recent years and the Broncos obviously think Stewart would be a nice fit in their offense.

I’m not sold personally on anything this article said: first, that the Broncos will take Stewart, and second, that Williams is their favorite tackle prospect. Everyone is tight lipped in Dove Valley right now, and I find it hard to believe that McShay has infiltrated Mike Shanahan‘s infamous steel barrier this close to the draft.

There are probably 2 to 3 people who actually know where the Broncos are headed come draft day, and I find it hard to believe Pat Bowlen or Jeff Goodman leaked anything.

After a busy week last week, we still have a lot to do to get ready for Friday’s final report. The rest of these (week-) daily breakdowns are C/G, CB, WR, and S. Today we’re breaking down the interior offensive line – why we should and shouldn’t draft one in the first round, and then ask you to tell us what you think. Enjoy!

Mike Shanahan has called Denver Broncos center Tom Nalen the greatest center he’s ever coached several times. In my relatively short lifetime, born the year after John Elway was drafted, I scratch my head at trying to think of someone I’ve seen play it better. Nalen’s dominant present on the offensive line, both physically and mentally, was sorely missed last year and will be missed again in the years to come. He’s 36 years old now, and it’s common opinion that he has only one or two years left in the tank.

It’s well known that Nalen was drafted the year before Shanahan’s coaching debut in Denver, and that he was drafted for a mere 7th round pick. Some would say that the Broncos can again dig into the depths of the draft to find his replacement… I’m inclined to disagree. You can’t “count” on drafting someone of Tom Nalen’s caliber in the later rounds of the draft – most first round centers don’t live up to Nalen’s credentials.

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