The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has an article about former Falcons free safety Chris Crocker making the rounds. The Texans have an offer on the table for Crocker, but he met with the Steelers Thursday and has meetings scheduled with the Titans and the Broncos. Sounds like he wants to lock up a deal with the Steelers, “Let’s hope I don’t have to make those trips.” referring to Tennessee and Denver.

This one is an outside chance at best, but it looks like the front office is keeping their options open at this point. I would prefer that we land McCree, he seems to be the cream of the Free Agent crop right now. Also, I don’t know if I really want anyone named Chris Crocker playing for the Broncos after recent events.

Tribune Full Article

So, sticking to the theme of brothers working together on the Denver Defense, what do you all think about the Broncos adding another defensive back with the last name Abdullah?

Hamza’s younger brother, Husain Abdullah, is in this year’s draft class as a safety coming out of the same school that produced Hamza (as well as Karl Paymah). Since we have a couple of Washington State guys, and Husain is not projected to go until very late, do you think Mike Shanahan might give him a chance if we can pick him up as an undrafted free agent?

Husain is a few pounds lighter and 2 inches shorter than his older brother, but their combine numbers look pretty similar…

Hamza draft class of 2005
40 yard dash: 4.62
20 yard dash: 2.73
Bench reps: 18
Vert Jump: 39
Broad Jump: 9′ 06″
Cone: 6.96

Husain draft class of 2008
40 yard dash: 4.63
20 yard dash: 2.63
Bench reps: 16
Vert Jump: 32.5
Broad Jump: 9′ 07″
Cone: 7.07

Husain may not be starting material in the NFL, but isn’t it fun to imagine opposing WR’s thinking they’re suffering from double vision?

• Champ and Boss Bailey make the third brotherly tandem in Broncos history.  [DenverBroncos.com]
• Champ’s been hoping and waiting a long time for this reunion.  [Denver Post]
• Mike Klis points out that with the additions of Boss and Koutouvides, the Broncos linebackers have really sized up.  [Denver Post]
• Fellow fan says the moves are growing on him. [Orange Bucksnorts]
• Three signed, two to go.  [The Beat]
• Jason Elam talks are still on hold.  [Denver Post]

The Denver Post is reporting that Cleveland defensive tackle Orpheus Roye and Carolina safety Marquand Manuel are visiting the team today. Roye would most likely be signed to add run stopping depth to the Defensive Tackle position. Manuel is being looked at most likely in case the McCree deal falls through. McCree visited the team yesterday, but has moved on to visit Buffalo his other team of choice. Broncos Briefing

Jack Reale, who is the agent for the Baileys and Elam told the Denver Post that the Broncos are also interested in another of his clients, former Raven running back Musa Smith. The article also has a few tidbits on why Elam hasn’t signed with Denver so far this off season. Link to full story

Within hours of signing Boss Bailey, Andrew Mason is reporting that Denver has also signed WR Edell Shepherd to a contract. He spent last year out of football after spending training camp with the Lions. He had spent time prior to that with both Houston and Tampa Bay.

Edell has spent most of 2005/2006 as a return specialist posting 37 returns for 809 yards (21.9 average).

Mason’s Morsels Post

Adam Schefter is reporting that Boss Bailey has signed a 5 year, $17.5 million dollar deal to become a Bronco and play alongside brother Champ. NFL.com news release

Well, I’m glad the Denver Post feels they no longer have to even pretend to pull for their home team these days….

Today, as Kyle mentioned in his Daily Links, Jim Armstrong from the Post wrote an article on Brett Favre’s retirement. And as a nice slap in the face to all of us Denver fans, he proceeded to use Favre’s exit as an excuse to rip on the Broncos.

Take a read:

“The truth is, there’s little reason to think they’ll be a playoff team in 2008. Even if they patch up some of their holes and emerge as good team, good doesn’t figure to be good enough in the big, bad AFC.

As things have turned out, the Broncos’ trip to the AFC championship game after the 2005 season was an aberration, a tease, anything but a sign of things to come. The Broncos even then were a team in transition, a fact validated three months later by Mike Shanahan’s decision to trade up in the first round to draft Jay Cutler.

The team Favre is leaving is loaded with young talent, so much so that the Packers could make the playoffs even without their Hall of Fame quarterback. The Broncos? There are question marks across the board, from the offensive and defensive lines to the linebacker corps to safety to wide receiver to tailback, where Travis Henry is one toke away from the end of his career.”

May I point out a couple of facts that you have TOTALLY wrong, Jim?

“…the 2005 season was an aberration, a tease, anything but a sign of things to come. The Broncos even then were a team in transition…” — FALSE!

2005 wasn’t a transition year — that team won the AFC Championship game and should have gone on to win the big game… but Plummer stumbled and the decision to upgrade the QB was made AFTER the 2005 season. That makes 2006/2007 the transition years, Jim.

“The truth is, there’s little reason to think they’ll be a playoff team in 2008.” — FALSE!

Let’s take a look at Shanahan’s history with the Broncos and his QB’s…

1995: 8-8 (transition year – Shanahan’s first year with Elway)
1996: 13-3 (play-off year)
1997: 12-4 (Superbowl win)
1998: 14-2 (Superbowel win)

1999: 6-10 (transition year – Shanahan’s first year with Griese)
2000: 11-5 (play-off year)

2003: 10-6 (transition year – Shanahan’s first year with Plummer)
2004: 10-6 (play-off year)
2005: 13-3 (Conference Championship)

2007: 7-9 (transition year – Shanahan’s first year with Cutler)
2008: ???? (play-off year)
2009: ???? (Possible Conference Championship or Superbowl win???)

As you can clearly see, Shanahan’s second full year with QB’s Elway, Griese and Plummer resulted in a playoff berth. What would make you think that Shanahan’s second full year with Cutler would be any different?

You might also note that two out of the three QB’s went on to win Conference Championships in year three under Shanahan, so you might even go out on a limb and say the team (and it’s fans) have some very good things to look forward to in ’08 and ’09.

But rather than write a positive article about the possibility of our team’s future, you choose to take this opportunity to make fun of your home team. Congrat, Jim. You’re an A-hole.

• Jim Armstrong over at the Denver Post surmises that the Broncos don’t have much hope for a 2008 playoff berth. [Denver Post]
• Marcus Thomas was released on $2,502 bail Sunday morning. Meanwhile, his attorney is wondering why his companion’s confession was not included in the police report. [Denver Post]
• Brothers Champ and Boss attended the Suns-Nuggets game last night, and the Broncos hope to iron out a contract some time today. [Denver Post]
• Marlon McCree is also undergoing contract talks today. [Rocky Mountain News]
• The Broncos are also eyeing Jake Scott. [BroncoTalk]
• Yahoo! Sports has ushered its apology. Case closed. [Rocky Mountain News]
• Fellow fan blogger – Javon Walker was all about the money. [All Things Broncos]

So, I have returned from my business trip down in Miami to find that Denver has already been very active in the free agency market. I like most of the moves we’ve made but I feel like I need to comment on one in particular.

I was pleased to see that we signed linebacker Niko Koutouvides. He seems like a talented guy and a great special teams captain. However, I was shocked and appalled at all the media coverage that has followed this signing. Most of the coverage seems to imply (if not state as fact) that Niko will be taking over DJ William’s middle linebacker job this year.

Now, before we all go throwing DJ under the bus for being a captain of a sinking ship last season, let’s review the facts…

1. The failure of the 2007 Denver defense rests squarely on the shoulders of Jim Bates. He attempted to beat a square peg into a round hole… and failed. We didn’t have the correct personnel to become Green Bay or Miami, but that didn’t stop Bates from trying to force our team into that mold (I might also add, that in the process he ditched at least a few players that had preformed very well for us in past schemes – Gerard Warren anyone?). End result, the defense sucked… but not because DJ changed the scheme… Jim Bates owns that screw up.

2. DJ Williams took over the leadership and MIKE role on the defense last year under the worst possible conditions. Beloved defensive leader Al Wilson had just left the team for good. DJ’s former coach, Larry Coyer, had been replaced with Jim Bates, and the entire defensive scheme was about to change (and then change back midseason). That’s a tall order for anyone to fill.

3. Despite those conditions, DJ led the team in tackles racking up 141 tackles (109 solo), 5 pass deflections, a couple of forced fumbles and a sack. He also developed noticeably each week into a stronger leader and a constant force in the middle of our defense.

Let’s put DJ’s performance last year in perspective, shall we?

DJ Williams not only led our team in tackles… He led the ENTIRE LEAGUE in tackles by a MLB last year. His 141 tackles tops Al Wilson’s best year (131) and his average (96). Heck, John Mobley and Romo didn’t top 100 tackles when they were playing (at least in the years after the NFL started to track tackles).

But what about Niko?

Well, Niko was drafted in 2004. He has started a total of 2 games. In the 59 games he has playing time in, he has racked up 52 TOTAL tackles, one pass deflection and one sack.

…um… THIS is guy ordained to take over the MLB position?

Now, before anyone gets too upset with my rant, I want you to understand that I support the idea that EVERYONE on Mike Shanahan’s team competes for their starting position every year. Mike and his coaches will put the very best players on the field regardless of past service or personal feelings. That’s one of the things I love about our organization – and it’s one of the things that makes our team great.

However, I feel that the media is doing a disservice to our team (and specifically to a very talented and great performer in DJ) when they continue to herald Niko’s arrival as the end of DJ William’s time in the middle. DJ deserves to compete for his starting job just like everyone else on the team, and the media (especially the Denver Post) has no business declaring changes to the depth chart in March, before any OTA days have given these players a chance to battle it out.

I’m not starting a ‘GIVE DJ A CHANCE’ campaign yet, but I will if this nonsense keeps up.

Even more troubling is our new defensive coordinator Bob Slowik’s comments prior to any off-season signing (including Niko) in which he all but resigns William’s to a fill-in role.

“Where ever our linebackers corps winds up, [We’ll] try to fit DJ into a position where you can get the best guys on the field.” — Bob Slowik

Hey, Bob. You might want to try DJ out at the MIKE position… I hear he’s pretty good.

Turns out the Chiefs and the Broncos have been trade talk partners over the last two seasons when it comes to Greg Wesley. Wesley feels obsolete in Kansas City and wants a piece of the free agent pie. Wesley states his 7 year starting position “was given away without competition when the Chiefs made regulars of Jarrad Page and Bernard Pollard”.

“He asked out last year, and the Chiefs almost had a deal in place with Denver for a fourth-round draft pick. The Chiefs, not wanting to send him to an AFC West rival, backed out right before the trade was made.”

Come this off season-

“The Chiefs recently tried to rekindle trade talks by offering Wesley to the Broncos for cornerback Karl Paymah. Denver refused.”

I’m willing to bet that Denver didn’t want Paymah playing for a division rival, much like the Chiefs wouldn’t like Wesley playing here. But their last minute retraction previously with the Broncos is creating problems trying to deal the safety this off season.

Wesley’s Agent Drew Pittman: “It’s going to be almost impossible for the Chiefs to trade Greg now. The Chiefs gave me permission to find a trade for Greg, and I’ve talked to all of the other teams. There’s no interest. Part of the reason is that the Chiefs had a trade worked out last year and backed out of it.”

You can get the fully story here at kansascity.com I would bet that signing McCree as a free agent is the more likely situation for the Broncos right now. If we don’t land McCree, maybe Wesley can be had for cheap on the market even though he thinks he is worthy of big money?