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Elvis Dumervil signs 6-year extension, it's a BIG deal for Denver
By Jeremy Fleming
Denver Sports Blog
07/26/2010
The Denver Broncos have signed Elvis Dumervil to a 6-year extension worth $61.5 million, including over $43 million in guaranteed money. The extension included a raise for the coming season with an additional 5 years added on. This means Dumervil will be in Denver through the 2015 season. Many Broncos fans feel this was the best move Josh McDaniels has made since he took over as the Broncos Head Coach following the 2008 season.
For most teams, signing a key player is big news -- for the Broncos it was HUGE news. Prior the the Dumervil extension, many fans felt alienated by some of the surprising moves made by Josh McDaniels. Jay Cutler gone, Brandon Marshall gone, Tony Scheffler gone, Payton Hillis gone. Broncos fans saw their favorite players leaving town and wondered if Dumervil was next. He proved to be a great player in the first few years of his career and even led the NFL in sacks last season. There was still a feeling that since Dumervil was drafted by Mike Shanahan, it was only a matter of time until McDaniels ran him out of town. Well Broncos fans you can rest easy – Elvis will be in Denver for many more years.
To me the signing of Elvis Dumervil is BIG for a couple reasons.
1) The Broncos showed they are willing to spend money. There were some fans wondering if the Broncos were getting cheap (which under the current economic climate is understandable) or if the CBA was holding up the negotiations with Dumervil. I think it’s safe to say that if the Broncos think a player is worth it, they will have no problem doing everything they can to keep them in Denver.
2) The Broncos will have a dominant pass rusher for the foreseeable future. Elvis Dumervil is 3rd in the NFL in sacks since he came into the league in 2006 (behind Jared Allen and DeMarcus Ware ). When other teams game plan for the Broncos, they will have to spend a great deal of time figuring out what to do with Elvis. While opposing teams try to take care of Dumervil with extra blockers, Robert Ayers, DJ Williams and the rest of the linebackers should be able to pressure the opposing quarterbacks.
Who’s the best pass rusher in the NFL? Will Robert Ayers be able to improve and give the Broncos a nice 1-2 punch at outside linebacker?
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Elvis Dumervil signs 1-year tender...now what?
By Jeremy Fleming
Denver Sports Blog
6/14/10 6:00 MST
The Denver Broncos have announced that their Pro Bowl outside
linebacker, Elvis Dumervil has signed his 1-year tender. This one year
tender means that Dumervil will be back with the Broncos through the
2010 season and will make $3.168 million. For Broncos fans this is not a
huge surprise, but it is definitely good news. Anytime a great player
wants a big contract and the team is not willing to offer one (Brandon
Marshall) it can be a crazy time. So at least for one more season
Broncos fans can be excited to have the services of one of the best pass
rushers in the NFL.
My question is now that Dumervil has signed, what will happen with him? Will he have another huge season and then test the free agent market next year? Will he quietly sign an extension with the Broncos and avoid making headlines? Will the Broncos trade him for future draft picks? It will be interesting to see what happens with Dumervil after the 2010 season. The fact that the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) runs out after this season makes the Dumervil situation even more of a question mark. If a new agreement is signed the Broncos will most likely offer Dumervil a long term extension. If there is no new CBA reached, the Broncos will likely avoid adding to the payroll since there would not be a season in 2011.
What will happen with Elvis Dumervil?
How much is he worth?
How have the Broncos handled the situation?
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Denver Broncos 2010 NFL Draft Review
By Jeremy Fleming
Denver Sports Blog
4/27/10
Round 1
#22 Demaryius Thomas WR Georgia Tech
Thomas is a big, physical player that had a great career in college. The numbers he put up were very impressive, especially because he played in a triple option offense – needless to say, the passing game is not the emphasis in the triple option. Thomas had a remarkable 3 game stretch in 2008 where he caught a 70+ yard touchdown in 3 consecutive games. If the Broncos were trying to fill the shoes of Brandon Marshall, they may have found their man. I think Thomas may be a step faster than Marshall and is about the same size. Thomas has overcome some pretty big obstacles in his life and is known as a smart, hardworking player.
#25 Tim Tebow QB Florida
If you’ve never heard of Tim Tebow, you must have found a sizable rock to hide under. Tebow spent the last 4 years dominating college football and crushing records. Tebow set the SEC career record for rushing touchdowns this year when he passed Herschel Walker. Tebow won the Heisman Trophy as the best college football player in 2007. To top it off, Tebow even had an NCAA rule named after him (players are no longer aloud to wear eye black with messages on them). While some NFL scouts, coaches and GMs said they would never draft Tim Tebow, others wanted to add him for his great talent and even better character. Tebow may be a bit of a project, but he should be a fan favorite in Denver and hopefully an impact player sooner rather than later.
Round 2
#45 Zane Beadles T Utah
Beadles started a remarkable 50 games for the Utah Utes. He was credited with 313 knockdowns/key blocks and came up with key hits on 45 touchdown drives. He earned 1st team All-America honors from the Football Writers Association of America and College Football News. While he has a great deal of size, toughness and experience, many NFL scouts believe he’ll be a better fit at guard than tackle in the NFL. Beadles may have been a bit of a reach in the second round, but he should be a great addition to the Broncos offensive line.
Round 3
#80 JD Walton C Baylor
Walton is known as a very physical run blocker and gained attention from scouts for his ability to make “pancake” blocks (knocking the opponent the ground). He’s credited with 194 knock-downs over the last 2 seasons, while helping open up holes with 26 touchdown resulting blocks. Walton was also named an All-American and was a finalist for the Outland Trophy and Rimington Trophy as a senior. Many draft analysts rated Walton as the second best center in the draft behind Florida’s Maurkice Pouncey. He should be able to step in from day one and start. Walton should be an excellent addition and will greatly help the Broncos offense transition from a zone blocking scheme to power blocking.
#87 Eric Decker WR Minnesota
Decker is another big strong receiver. He may remind Broncos fans of former fan favorite Ed McCaffrey. While they have the same build, I think Decker is actually a better overall athlete. Decker has been drafted the last two years in the Major League Baseball draft, in addition to being drafted this year by the Broncos. He made a name for himself in college as one of the best receivers in the Big 10 conference. If not for an injury to his foot during the 2009 season, Decker may have been picked in the 2nd round. With Decker, Thomas, Eddie Royal, Jabar Gaffney and Brandon Stokely, the Broncos should have a very solid receiver group.
Round 5
#137 Perrish Cox CB Oklahoma State
Cox had a very solid career for the Cowboys. He ended his career with 36 pass breakups and 10 interceptions. In his senior season he led the nation with 19 pass breakups. Cox is has very good size for a corner and can matchup pretty well against bigger receivers. He’s good in man coverage, especially when playing bump coverage (jamming receivers at the line). Cox is also a very good return specialist. He set the career return yard record for the Big 12 Conference with 2,804 yards, including a school record 4 touchdowns on returns. Cox would have been drafted much higher, but he was suspended for OSU’s bowl game due to being late for curfew. Cox should be able to get on the field early on as a returner and I think he’ll beat out 2009 2nd pick Alphonso Smith for the 3rd corner spot.
Round 6
#183 Eric Olsen C Notre Dame
Olsen joins a few former Notre Dame players on the Broncos roster (David Bruton, Ryan Harris, Brady Quinn). Olsen is known as a tough, physical and smart player. He played in a very similar offense to the Broncos as he was coached by Josh McDaniels mentor, Charlie Weis. Olsen has experience playing both guard spots as well as center. With his knowledge of the offense and terminology, he may have a leg up on the starting center spot this year. I think he’ll end up being a backup guard/center, but if JD Walton struggles to learn the offense, Olsen may be called upon early.
Round 7
#225 Syd’Quan Thompson CB California
Thompson is a former 2-time All-Pac 10 selection and started all 52 games in his career at California. He finished his career as the all-time leader in pass breakups at Cal with 36. Thompson finished his career with 257 tackles, 7 interceptions, 2 sacks and 20 tackles for loss. Thompson is a little undersized, but he plays physically and is not afraid of contact. It may be tough for him to make the Broncos roster in 2010, but he should be able to stick around on the practice squad and step in if there are injuries.
#232 Jammie Kirlew OLB/DE Indiana
Kirlew was a very solid defensive end for the University of Indiana and in 2010 was voted All-Big 10 by the coaches and media. Kirlew led the team with 6.5 sacks and added 15 tackles for loss, 5 forced fumbles and 3 fumble recoveries. While he had a solid college career, and is a solid person, he may have a hard time making the Broncos roster in 2010. He’ll be transitioned from a 4-3 defensive end to an outside linebacker in the 3-4 (i.e. Elvis Dumervil in 2009).
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McDaniels talks about potential Broncos draft picks
Jeremy Fleming
Denver Sports Blog
4/17/10
With the 2010 NFL Draft less than a week away, fans are anxiously waiting to see which players their teams will draft. There have been thousands of mock drafts, blogs and stories written about where certain players will end up, which teams will draft who, etc. While most of the information will be completely wrong, certain parts of the mocks, blogs and stories will become reality. Josh McDaniels held a pre-draft press conference on Friday, April 16th and added to Broncos fans curiousity and excitement over who may potentially be drafted next week. Fans need to consider that everything McDaniels said could simply be to gain leverage with potential trade partners that are looking to draft a player McDaniels spoke about. Here's a summary of a few players McDaniels mentioned on Friday:
Dez Bryant WR Oklahoma State
“We had Dez Bryant here the other day, we spent time with him at the combine, we spent a lot of time with him actually. I’m not going to comment on Brandon, but with Dez Bryant, I think you need to be careful confusing character issues with some people who have made some mistakes. This guy has never been arrested, never had a drinking issue and never done anything to put himself in that position. I think he’s made a few mistakes that he wishes he hadn’t made but I think there’s a difference. You can say well, ‘This guy has made a couple mistakes that have been really glorified,’ and made a big deal of it and all of the sudden turn him into a really bad kid. That’s the farthest thing from the truth relative to (Bryant). We enjoyed our visit with him and he did everything we asked him to do. He had a smile on his face and he did everything well. I’ll tell you this, he’s on our board – there’s no question. I know there are other teams that may have taken him off their board but he is not one of the players who is off our board.”
Rolando McClain LB Alabama
"He understands the game at a level where most kids that come in as rookies will never be at. That’s a credit to the work he’s done at Alabama, the way he’s been coached and he has a very bright future ahead of him. He’s a good player; there are a lot of them. Like I said, there are a lot of players that we had in our building. We had a lot of great visits over the last couple of weeks here. We took our full allotment of 30 and really took an interest in a lot of players. The thing about this draft is that it’s deep enough where a lot of people are saying, ‘These players are all going to go in the first round.’ Well, they all can’t – Ithink that’s how deep this draft is. You’re going to be sitting there in the second round saying, ‘Wow, I never thought this guy would be here.’ Like you said, Rolando McClain, Dez Bryant and we’ve had a number of other players in here who are going to be picked right around where we pick. We’re going to finalize that process in the next couple of days because we have to have a plan for if we are picking at 11, what’s going to happen.”
Dan Williams DL Tennessee
"He's a big, athletic player. Obviously he has played inside at nose, really, for the most part at Tennessee. But the thing we think about Dan is that he's got what we would say a play radius that's a little different than some noses, meaning he can make tackles over there on the sideline. We've kind of gone back and forth on it. (He) could even play end because he's that athletic. He's an athletic player who has really had one solid year of production, which always is something you take a look at. But he's a good kid. We had a good visit with him here, we also worked him out at Tennessee. We've done our work and our research on him, and he's a player that I think is going to go probably somewhere right around where we pick, there's no question about it. But we do have an interest in Dan Williams. He is a good player, he is a good kid and we think that that would be a possibility."
Tim Tebow QB Florida
"No question. You look at the tape, and the only thing that you can say about the tape that isn't flattering or very impressive is that he dips the ball a hair. He has already fixed that. I think that's something that you can fix through repetition. He's already done it. He proved that at his pro day. Everything else that you're watching on film is accurate, tough, smart, good leader, versatile, can move out of the pocket, can move in the pocket, can run with the ball. This guy scored… What is he, the third-leading passer all-time and the leading scorer in rushing touchdowns over Herschel (Walker)? There are so many things that you can say about the kid. Then, to top that all off, he's every bit the person that you read about before you got the chance to meet him. He's very enthusiastic, wants to work hard, smart, bright, one of the smarter players I've ever been around in terms of coming out of college."
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Brandon Marshall traded to the Miami Dolphins for 2nd round picks
Jeremy Fleming
Denver Sports Blog
4/14/10
This morning the Denver Broncos traded Brandon Marshall to the Miami Dolphins for a 2nd round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft (#43 overall). ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the Broncos will also receive a 2nd round pick in 2011, but it's not official as of yet. Marshall has to pass his physical for the trade to be finalized. The Broncos will now have 3 pics in the first 45 of the 2010 NFL Draft (#11, 43, 45).
It is also being reported that WR Dez Bryant and QB Tim Tebow are in town to visit the Broncos today.
Did the broncos get good value for Marshall?
Will the Broncos draft a receiver in the 1st round?
Disuss the Marshall trade here.
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Broncos add beef to the D-line, cut two '09 starters
Jeremy Fleming
Denver Sports Blog
3/12/10
The Denver Broncos have added some major size to the defensive line so far in free agency. The Broncos added DT/DE Justin Bannan, DT Jamal Williams and DE Jarvis Green. Bannan recently played for the Baltimore Ravens and was a key part of their defense the second half of '09. Bannan played at the University of Colorado and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills. Jamal Williams has been terrorizing Broncos offensive lineman for the last 10+ years as member of the division rival San Diego Chargers. Williams resembles a house and is known for his ability to stop the run. He missed most of last season with a torn triceps, but should be healthy in '10. Jarvis Green has been a backup for most of his career with the New England Patriots. He will play DE in the 3-4 and will add veteran leadership and toughness to the Broncos defensive line. It's clear by these signings that the Broncos made stopping the run a key to the offseason.
Player profiles and contracts:
Justin Bannan: 6'3" 310 lbs 30 years old
Signed a 5 year contract worth $22 million. When he signed, it was thought that he would be playing nose tackle in the middle of the 3-4. After the Broncos signed Jamal Williams, that moved Bannan to the left defensive end position. Bannan will bring a great ability to stop the run and will most likely move to the nose tackle position on passing downs to help rush the passer. I really like this signing and look forward to seeing Bannan's toughness.
Jamal Williams: 6'3" 348 lbs 33 years old
Signed a 3 year contract worth $16 million. If you've watched any Broncos vs. Chargers games in the last ten years, you've seen Williams causing havoc. He outweighs many offensive lineman by close to 50 lbs and is a force in the middle. He made 3 consecutive Pro Bowls (2005-07) and has been part of some great run stopping defenses. I like this signing as well, but wonder if he will hold up over a 16 game season. He missed all of last year and is getting older, but I think he will greatly improve the middle of the Broncos defense. Look for him to play mostly on 1st and 2nd down.
Jarvis Green: 6'3" 285 lbs 31 years old
Signed a 4 year contract worth $12 million. Green has been an important part of the Patriots defense for many years. He's known as a versatile player that can play multiple positions. He will help stop the run and will be an upgrade as a pass rusher as well. Green should play the right defensive end position. I think this was another good signing, but don't think he will have as big of an impact as Bannan or Williams.
Players cut by Broncos:
Kenny Peterson: He was with the Broncos for a few years and started the last 2 seasons. In '08 he played DT and DE and was probably the best defensive lineman the Broncos had. In '09 he moved to the DE in the 3-4 defense and did a good job. I think Peterson will be a good pickup as a backup for other teams. Cutting Peterson was kind of questionable considering he was only due to make $1 million and he's been a starter for 2+ seasons. The Broncos resigned Le Kevin Smith once they cut Peterson, and this makes no sense to me. Smith is a former Patriot and didn't do much to help the Broncos defense in '09.
Andra Davis: He spent one season with the Broncos and was among the leading tacklers. Davis is a good run stopper, but is not great in passing situations. He's been a starter for 8 seasons and will mostly likely be added to another team's roster. This move surprises me, but makes me think the Broncos like Spencer Larsen. Cutting Davis leaves the Broncos thin at inside line backer, and leads me to believe they will go with an inside backer in the first round.
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Orange Crush back in Denver?
Jeremy Fleming
Denver Sports Blog
10-4-09
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The Denver Broncos beat the Dallas Cowboys 17-10 today. The Broncos wore their orange jerseys for the first time this season, just in time for the "Orange Crush" to make an appearance. The Cowboys were supposed to have the #1 run offense in the NFL, and Tony Romo was supposed to make big plays. The Broncos "Orange Crush" defense held the Cowboys to just 10 points by stopping the run and getting pressure on Tony Romo. The Broncos defense came up huge over and over in the win, finishing with 5 sacks, 1 interception and 1 fumble recovery.
Watching the game, I started wonder how many times the defense could stop the Cowboys from scoring. The Broncos offense was struggling to score and the defense needed to come up big. They did just that, and in doing so silenced many critics that said the Broncos hadn't played any good offenses yet. One play really stood out to me and it seemed to give the Broncos the momentum to win the game. In the fourth quarter, with the Broncos down 7-10, Cowboys receiver Roy Williams went up for a catch that would have given Dallas a first down and a chance to at least kick a field goal. As Williams reached up for the ball, DJ Williams hit him hard right in the chest and sent Roy Williams flying. The hit was devestating and Roy Williams didn't do much afterwords. The Broncos got the ball back and were able to finally score a touchdown and take the lead.
The great thing about the Denver Broncos defense is that they play tough, physical football. They make opposing offenses grind out yards on the ground and can get to the quarterback often. Tony Romo looked totally out of sync most of the game and I think the Broncos physical style had a lot to do with that. Romo was hit often and had to run for his life to avoid sacks. There were a hand full of passes where the Dallas receivers had balls bounce off their hands...maybe hearing footsteps? Defensive Coordinator Mike Nolan deserves a great deal of credit for the defense playing so well. With all the new players in 2009, most critics thought the Broncos would struggle....so far they've surprised everyone. I think It's officially time for the "Orange Crush" to be used when talking about the Broncos defense.
Tony Romo on Denver's defense - “They’re a good defensive unit and a good team. They’re number one in the league for a reason and you don’t go out there and move the ball like it’s nothing. They came out and showed why they are the number one defense."
Roy Williams on the hit from DJ Williams - “Never in my life have I been hit like that, from Pop Warner through my six years in the league. I’m 5,200 feet above sea level with asthma so I was obviously hurting.”
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Denver's version of James Harrison?
Can the outstanding defensive end make the move to outside linebacker?
By Jeremy Fleming
DenverSportsBlog.com
02/08/2009 6:20 PM MST
Denver, CO. --- The 2008 Denver Broncos defensive unit was one of the worst in the teams history. There were not many highlights in a season that ended with the Broncos having an explosive offense and a defense that couldn't keep the opposing team's off the scoreboard. Fast-forward to mid-February and the Denver Broncos look like a very different team.
Gone are Mike Shanahan and Bob Slowik, the former Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator.The Head Coach of the Denver Broncos is 32 year-old Josh McDaniels, the Defensive Coordinator is Mike Nolan. McDaniels and Nolan have a history of running the 3-4 defense, as opposed to the 4-3 Broncos fans are accustomed to. The change to a 3-4 defense means the 2009 Denver Broncos will look much different than the 2008 version, at least on defense. Many players will not be back, and many others will be playing new positions. The most important change will be moving Elvis Dumervil to outside linebacker.
Elvis Dumervil stands 5'11" and weighs 260, according to the Denver Broncos official roster. When he was drafted in 2006 out of Louisville, many scouts and coaches felt he was too small to play defensive end in the NFL. Dumervil has been the Broncos best pass rusher the last 3 seasons. His best season came in 2007 when he posted 12.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries and 56 tackles.
In 2006, some scouts saw Dumervil having to play outside linebacker to make it in the NFL. The Broncos took a chance on using him at the defensive end position. In 2009, the Broncos coaches will have to take a chance on Dumervil learning how to play outside linebacker. The biggest change will be learning how to play in space and make more open-field tackles than in the past.
This is where James Harrison, the outstanding outside linebacker of the Pittsburgh Steelers comes in. Harrison stands 6'0" and weighs only 242, according to the Pittsburgh Steelers official roster. Harrison came from relative obscurity to be arguably the best defensive player in the NFL. Harrison learned how to use his speed, power and leverage to beat opposing offensive lineman on his way to 24.5 sacks in the last 2 seasons. The amazing thing is that not only does he sack the quarterback, he makes many open-field tackles and plays tough run defense.
The success of the 2009 Denver Broncos defensive unit may depend on if Elvis Dumervil can learn the outside linebacker position. I see Dumervil making doubters out of many people across the country, just the way James Harrison did with Pittsburgh. Playing outside linebacker in the 3-4 defense will allow Dumervil to continue to make plays in the opponents backfield, as well as overpower running backs and wide receivers in the open field. Don't expect Dumervil to be the Super Bowl MVP or the AFC Defensive Player of the year, but he will be an impact player for an improved defense. Elvis Dumervil just might be Denver's version of James Harrison...
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