PALM BEACH, Fla. — All the Broncos need now is someone who can block and tackle.
As in one more offensive tackle and one more defensive tackle.
All signs point to the Broncos picking up one of each April 26, the first day of the NFL draft. The defensive tackle could well be Dewayne Robertson of the New York Jets.
No, April Fools, trade talks between the Broncos and the Jets regarding the 317-pound Robertson are described as active but holding, according to three NFL sources. A major obstacle is nearly cleared as the Broncos have the parameters of a restructured contract in place for Robertson.
The biggest hang-up is draft-pick compensation. Robertson has a knee condition that flunked examinations for the Cincinnati Bengals and the Broncos.
However, many NFL linemen have played years with knee bones rubbing against knee bones (see Mark Schlereth). Robertson has not missed a game since 2005, and only three in his five-season career.
The knee has the Broncos wanting to give up a low-round draft pick. Robertson’s performance has the Jets seeking at least one and possibly two midround picks.
The deadline for executing the trade would be in the minutes prior to the draft.
“He’s a guy that if you do take, there’s going to be some question marks, because if you take a look at his knees, he hasn’t passed a physical, but he’s still played 80 percent of his games,” Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said. “So how big of a risk are you going to take?”
The Broncos’ new offensive tackle is expected to come directly from the draft, perhaps even with their No. 12 overall pick. Until then, Shanahan said Tuesday his tackles are Ryan Harris, Erik Pears and Chris Kuper, who will be shifted from left guard now that Ben Hamilton has returned from an injury.
Grabbing opportunity.
After spending his first four NFL seasons primarily as a No. 3 receiver for the run-first Carolina Panthers, Keary Colbert isn’t well-known to fantasy players, much less his new Broncos fan base.
But Shanahan said Colbert reminds him of two other late- blooming Broncos wide receivers.
“Rod Smith was a free agent. Ed McCaffrey was cut,” Shanahan said. “There’s a lot of guys like that, that make it when they get an opportunity to play.”
Remembering Jake.
The Broncos will get only an extra seventh-round draft pick from Tampa Bay, not a fourth-rounder, for quarterback Jake Plummer. Tampa Bay’s preference would have been to give up the fourth-round draft choice if Plummer played for the Bucs, but Plummer remains retired for a second season.
“It’s too bad because I really wanted to coach him,” said Jon Gruden, Tampa Bay’s coach. “I loved the guy. He’s a winner and he’s the kind of quarterback players loved playing for. I was hoping the fire would return after he took a year off.”
Tired of prime time.
One reason the Broncos are playing their season-opening Monday night game at Oakland is because Denver officials have asked the league to schedule fewer prime-time games at home.
Surveys of Broncos ticket holders revealed fans want fewer night games and more 2:15 p.m. starts.
Mike Klis, The Denver Post
