Part Two of today’s series explores why the Denver Broncos should NOT draft a linebacker in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft. Enjoy.

In the first segment, I tore down our linebacker depth and revealed its weaknesses. D.J. Williams is only under contract for one year; Niko Koutouvides has been, thus far, a career backup; Boss Bailey has a history of injuries. The depth behind these players is decent enough, though – Jamie Winborn played well to end the season in Ian Gold‘s absence. Nate Webster struggled at the end but started the year strong. Winborn will be the backup Will behind Williams, and Webster can back up both Sam and Mike. The Broncos also have Jordan Beck and Louis Green on the roster.

That’s a lot of names – enough to fill the need for the roster. The Broncos have enough bodies at this position, while other spots like OT and DT have three or less potential guys to fill holes in case of injuries. The need for elite talent is there, but there are greater needs elsewhere.

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As draft day approaches, BroncoTalk will be giving you game tape highlights of some of the bigger (and smaller) names around the draft.  We’re trying to get into the later rounds again so here is a player projecting in rounds 2 or 3.  Today’s installment: Auburn Defensive Tackle Patrick Sims.  The first video is Sims’ Sports Illustrated highlight reel.  The second clip he is breaking up a running play making a goal line stance in a big game vs Florida.  Third contains his combine highlights and last is another highlight clip of pretty much the same stuff from Fox Sports.
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Bill Williamson is still showing Denver some love at his new digs for ESPN with a nice writeup on Shannon Sharpe being a 7th round pick.  This goes hand in hand with our “Draft Memory Lane” video on Shannon.  It sounds like our future hall of famer had an even worse combine than Mecklenburg.

“Shannon probably had the worst workout in the history of the combine,” Hill said. “He had a lot of dropped balls. It just wasn’t very good. But I still had a second-round grade on him. He was a talent. I’m just glad he was there for us when we took him.”

This article also has a good little back story on Sharpe and Elway’s history together.

“It was all John Elway,” said Sharpe of the quarterback who was in his eighth NFL season when Sharpe came to Denver. “He was really the first one to tell me I could make it. He said, ‘Sharpie, you could really be good. You are big, you are fast. You could be something if you just put it together and studied and get serious.’

“I remember one game; I was out there at H-back and John was pointing to me, telling me where I had to be on every play. That wasn’t right. John didn’t have to be worrying about some rookie not being in the right place. I drove home from the stadium that day and promised myself I would be prepared for John. And from that point, it was all good but it wasn’t easy.”

For the full writeup check out For Sharpe, the waiting was the hardest part

Similar the the NFL Network Top ten draft steal videos we posted earlier, ESPN is running the same type of segment.  “Brady is the Gold Standard for Draft Steals” This one has Shannon higher than TD, but neither is above #3 Steve Largent.  But hey at least Maurice Clarett is the only Bronco pick (at the bottom too) in their all time draft busts list.  That makes me feel better after writing that 2003 Draft post.

The BroncoTalk breakdowns continue, and today we’re tackling linebackers (instead of the other way around). We’ll tell you why we should draft one in the first round, why we shouldn’t, and then ask you in the polls. Enjoy!

If there’s one position the Denver Broncos and Mike Shanahan have simply nailed as far as first rounders are concerned, it’s linebacker. They’ve spent 3 first round picks on this position, as many as any other position in Shanahan’s tenure, and each one became great players for the Broncos. John Mobley, Al Wilson, and D.J. Williams are among some of the biggest success stories in the last decade of Broncos drafts, so drafting a linebacker would follow a road to success the Broncos haven’t necessarily enjoyed in other years past.

With the Broncos’ piss poor run defense last year, the argument is strong that drafting a highly talented linebacker would improve this defense from the start. While the Broncos added a few pieces to the linebacker corps, one is a career backup and the other has serious health concerns. Arguably the need is there.

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• Shanahan says new passing game coach Jeremy Bates is “ahead of the curve.” Added bonus: Mike Klis talks about bridging Bon Jovi and Bow Wow!  [Denver Post]
• What teams look for in draft prospects. [Rocky Mountain News]
• I credit RMN for going ‘outside the box,’ not simply following the law of averages with the different mocks out there, and coming up with their own unique top 10.  But no Ryan Clady?  Three running backs?  Maybe they’re looking at different tape than I.  [Rocky Mountain News]
• It’s American Idol – Broncos style! [CBS4 Denver]
• Three items on the Bolts… here we go.  Philip Rivers is on the mend.  [Hashmarks]
• NT Jamal Williams had his other knee cleaned out, too.  [San Diego Union Tribune]
• The Chargers have no plans to move to LA.  [SDUT]
• MLB: 22 innings?!  Twenty-two?!  Hey, but the Rockies won!  [Rocky Mountain News]
• NBA: It’s true.  I have to be careful, because I’m a die-hard Suns fan, but I still root for the Nuggets as a distant #2 team.  But they seriously have no shot. [Deadspin]
• NHL: The Avs take back control of the series for the first time since Game 1 with a 3-2 (sound familiar?) bashing of the Wild. [Denver Post]

For as long as I can remember Ralph Routon has been the lead sports editor here in Colorado Springs for the Gazette.  Recently Ralph took an executive editor position for our other paper, the Independent or “CSIndy”.  They are more of the anti establishment, anti-gazette paper.  I was never particularly enamoured with Routon’s work at the Gazette so when I came across this article I was impressed.  Cutler’s Words Might Stop Broncos’ Woes Routon does a nice little writeup on the Cutler-Marshall, Elway-Cutler, Cutler-Elway mini saga we’ve had of late.  He also calls out his fellow sports writers on misreporting just about every quote.

Then there was Elway, asked for the millionth time in the past nine years (since his retirement) what he thought of the Broncos’ latest soap opera. Candid as always (OK, almost always), Elway said he was surprised at Cutler’s tactics, especially being so public about it, and the Hall of Famer added that he preferred to deal with such problems one-on-one.

Presto, instant headlines. Even though, actually, Elway added some thoughtful follow-up remarks, but those words got lost in the hubbub. He said perhaps this was simply Cutler using the situation to show his readiness — and willingness — to take charge of the team as a true, forceful leader.

Elway’s actual words: “I was impressed by the fact it meant something to him to come out and say something about it, which I think is something that the Broncos need … The situation Jay’s in as a quarterback, he’s the leader. You have to take a leadership role. You need somebody to take over, and that’s one thing I saw on Jay’s part. … It’s a matter of when you get the respect of your teammates. That’s when leadership comes.”

On that note, old No. 7 was right on target.

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So ESPN reports that Steve McNair‘s retirement puts him in a quite unique/elite group of quarterbacks in NFL history.

Except that the crack researchers at ESPN forgot somebody.

Of course ESPN Radio repeats it as gospel, along with the good folks at Sirius NFL Radio.

Don’t worry, though. NFL.com got it right. Sorta. Apparently John Elway‘s 3,407 rushing yards isn’t ‘versatile’ enough. Only those with 3,500 deserve mentioning there.

(H/T jth1331 at the Orange Mane)

As we take a look back at all of the draft selections in Denver’s history we have to peer in on the ugly as well. The Broncos draft class of 2003 sticks out as one of the poorest overall in any team’s history. Which raises the question that titles this story, can we take a mulligan on that one? Of the 10 picks Denver had that year not one player resides on the current roster only five offseasons later. We will take a look at each player selected and what value the team received from the pick if any at all.

1st Round: George Foster, Tackle, Georgia 20th Overall – Foster anchored the Georgia offensive line of 2002 that was an integral part of their wins in the SEC Championship and Nokia Sugar Bowl. For his efforts Foster was nominated to the senior bowl and “had the skills all NFL teams desire” according to ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. at the time. Denver Drafted Foster 20th overall expecting their franchise lock on the tackle position for years to come. The hope was for George to become a monster left tackle, keeping Bronco QB backsides clean but it never quite panned out that way. It took a full season and 3 games before he became a starter, playing all 16 games in 2005 and 2006 but was a decent right tackle not the all pro left tackle the front office thought they spent a first round pick on.

Foster was traded in March of 2007 along with Tatum Bell and a 5th round pick to acquire Pro Bowl corner Dre Bly. The value Denver received from this first round pick is still arguable. They did employ the services of a consistent RT for more than 2 seasons. The true measure of this may have to be given another season or two to be weighed. Bly’s play will have to be that yard stick. Was one every game starter, a fallen out of favor starting halfback and a 5th round pick worth the former pro bowler in Bly?

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As draft day approaches, BroncoTalk will be giving you game tape highlights of some of the bigger (and smaller) names around the draft. In today’s installment: Virginia Left Guard now projected to be a top Left Tackle Branden Albert. Some of the videos he is hard to pick out being an interior lineman, so watch for #71 playing left guard.

The first video is Albert’s sports illustrated highlight reel with an overview of what type of player he is. After the jump the second video is NFL Network’s “First Draft” segment on the prospect. The third and forth videos are individual game highlights of Albert’s play and finally the last segment contains his combine clips.

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Should the Denver Broncos select an offensive tackle in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft? Whether it be Ryan Clady or Chris Williams or Branden Albert or someone else, would you approve the choice?

We’ve given you reasons they should… we’ve given you reasons they shouldn’t. Now you tell us!

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Tomorrow: LINEBACKER