With Bill Williamson on vacation, fellow Denver Post staff writer Mike Klis takes the wheel of the Broncos Mailbag for this special offseason installment.
To drop a question into the Broncos Mailbag or visit DenverPost.com’s .
It seems like everyone is talking about needing a pass rusher, but I think being in a division with LaDainian Tomlinson and Larry Johnson requires a run-stuffing defensive lineman as a bigger need. Thoughts?
— Dave S., Bountiful, Utah
Good observation, Dave. The Broncos went from 5-1 to 9-7 last year. In five of those six losses, their defense played extremely well in the first half, only to wilt in the second. When a defense collapses in the second half of the season, and primarily in the second half of games, it’s a sign the unit wore down. Twice, L.T. had huge second halfs against the Broncos. So did Larry Johnson and Frank Gore. New Broncos’ coach Jim Bates loves girth up front. Gerard Warren is back healthy. If he stays that way, the Broncos will be stronger up front.
Among the University of Florida defensive linemen the Broncos drafted, tackle Marcus Thomas, who was taken in the fourth round, may well play a more significant role long-term than end Jarvis Moss, a pass rusher who was taken in the first round.
I was extremely disappointed the Broncos let Al Wilson go. What is the possibility of the Broncos signing Al Wilson for less money to back up D.J. Williams?
— Patrick Bennett, Kaiserslautern, Germany
Patrick – I can see Captain Al returning to the Broncos in 2009, but not before then. First, Wilson probably needs to take a year off to heal his neck. He can then come back with another team to prove he is physically capable of playing.
Get healthy, first; prove he can play, second; then maybe Denver and Wilson can reunite so he can retire as a Bronco.
My prediction: Wilson doesn’t go to training camp, but once teams lose a linebacker or two to injury, Wilson’s agent Peter Schaffer will start receiving calls. I can see Wilson joining a team not named the Broncos at midseason.
What did you think of the Broncos’ performance in the 2007 NFL draft? Were you surprised by the trades and the focus on linemen?
— Ted, Highlands Ranch
Ted – I was a little surprised at first but after thinking about it over a beer and burger, it all made sense. Remember, heading into the 2005 draft, Peyton Manning had shown how vulnerable the Broncos were in the secondary. So the Broncos’ first three draft picks were all cornerbacks – Darrent Williams, Karl Paymah and Domonique Foxworth.
This time, the Broncos identified a need for defensive linemen and by draft’s end, they had overstocked again.
I thought the Broncos would draft a safety within the first 2 rounds, but their feeling was no rookie was going to play ahead of John Lynch and Nick Ferguson this year. The team’s thinking was, “Why waste a high-draft pick on a bench player?”
Something else to remember about the Broncos: Because Mike Shanahan never goes into a rebuilding mode, he increasingly tinkers with his roster through trades and free-agent acquisitions. The draft is just one-third of the Broncos’ offseason plan and it’s becoming the less significant third.
Do you think the fans here have gotten a little selfish? I mean, this organization – year in and year out – puts forth a valiant effort to win the Super Bowl. Yet, I hear so many fans complaining about Mike Shanahan and the organization. Look at the Rockies; that’s an organization that doesn’t care about winning. Your thoughts?
— Charles B., Denver
Charles – By selfish, do you mean spoiled? Because, yes, I think the Broncos are dealing with a more spoiled customer base since they won back-to-back Super Bowls in 1997-98. Your comparison to the Rockies struck a nerve. I had covered the Rockies/Major League Baseball for 13-some years until The Denver Post switched my assignment to the Broncos two years ago.
I tell everybody this – the biggest difference between the beats is the Broncos strive to win the Super Bowl every year while the Rockies merely try to get better.
I disagree with assertion the Rockies don’t care about winning. They do care about winning. They just don’t know how. Big difference. The Broncos have excellence permeating their front-office walls; the Rockies have a bunch of people with losing records.
The Broncos also have a huge economic advantage over the Rockies. Or, more accurately, the Rockies are at a huge economic disadvantage. In the NFL, all are equal because of shared revenues and the salary cap. In baseball, the payroll disparities are absurd.
What does the signing of Brandon Stokley say about Rod Smith’s job security? Since Smith, Stokley, Javon Walker and possibly Brandon Marshall won’t play special teams this year, could Rod possibly be the odd man out?
— Joel Spencer, Aurora
Joel – First, there’s a chance you will see Brandon Marshall return punts this year. But more to your point, I see Stokley and Smith competing against each other for the No. 3 receiver spot. Both are proven veterans. Both have their best years behind them. Both are coming off debilitating surgeries – Smith to the hip and Stokley to his Achilles.
First one to heal and show during the preseason he’s closer to form gets a roster spot. I don’t see them both making it.
Walker and Marshall should be the Broncos’ top two receivers this year. Smith, Stokley or Domenik Hixon – who has been impressive in minicamp after missing his rookie season with his own injury issues – will be No. 3.
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