Denver Post sports writer Mike Klis posted his Broncos Mailbag every Tuesday during the 2007 NFL season on DenverPost.com. This is a special offseason installment. Look for a new installment in July.
To drop a Broncos- or NFL-related question into the Broncos Mailbag or visit DenverPost.com’s .
Hey, Mike. I really like the fact , and I think he is going to do a good job in Denver. Is there any chance he will start?
— Ben, Chicago
Ben – Although stranger things have happened with the Broncos’ tailbacks over the years, I don’t see Pittman starting. I do see him playing a significant role, however, now that .
When the season begins, I would expect the Broncos’ top three running backs to be, in order, Selvin Young, Pittman and Ryan Torain. If there’s an upset, it would be Torain emerging as the No. 1 early in the season. But it’s too early to make that leap. Andre Hall would be the fourth back, providing the Broncos keep four backs. They might not, but all four had injury issues last year. I would also expect the Broncos to keep undrafted rookie Anthony Alridge on their practice squad.
It seems like a 7-9 team would have gotten a softer schedule than the Broncos got. Is this some kind of penalty or what?
— Jeff, Superior
Jeff – It’s not a 7-9 schedule but a second-place schedule. Not only was 7-9 good enough to finish second in the Mild, Mild AFC West last season, but also it was three games ahead of next-best Kansas City and Oakland. So the Broncos, at 7-9, share a similar strength of schedule as 11-5 Jacksonville and 10-6 Cleveland, who also finished second in their respective divisions.
Having said that, I think the Broncos have a favorable schedule this year, especially at home. And if a team has playoff aspirations, what’s so tough about Atlanta, the Jets, Carolina and maybe even Cleveland on the road?
What position do you think we addressed most efficiently this offseason with quality players? The worst?
— Mike, Rochester, N.Y.
Mike – The most significant upgrade was at linebacker. All three positions have markedly improved. Boss Bailey is a terrific strongside linebacker. D.J. Williams goes from a hesitant middle linebacker to a potential Pro Bowl weakside linebacker. And Niko Koutouvides is a natural middle linebacker. And now the Broncos have terrific backup linebackers in Nate Webster and Jamie Winborn.
The position the Broncos addressed the least was defensive line. And the reason is the team needs to allow its young players to develop. Defensive end Jarvis Moss, DE Tim Crowder and defensive tackle Marcus Thomas are all second-season players. Another defensive end, Elvis Dumervil, is starting his third season. The D-line will improve as they improve.
The most significant addition was defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson. He played five previous seasons with the New York Jets, the last two years in a 3-4 alignment. Robertson is a 4-3 tackle, so the thinking by both him and the Broncos is he will be a good fit here.
Mike – Does Mike Shanahan & Co. plan on using Peyton Hillis primarily as an H-back or are they going to bore me by ramming him into the middle of the pile repeatedly? The kid’s got GREAT hands and the size to play the position.
— Donnie, Richmond, Va.
Donnie – You have watched Hillis more than I have. But I do know this: If Hillis is going to make the team as a fullback, he better be able to ram into the middle. Call it a boring necessity for the position.
As for H-back, you might be on to something there. Personally, I think Tony Scheffler is one the top three or four H-backs in the league. If his foot continues to be an issue, then I can see the Broncos taking a look at Hillis as a backup to Nate Jackson at H-back. But that combination wouldn’t be as good as one that includes a healthy Scheffler.
Mike – This has turned into a real transition year for the Broncos with so many additions to the team, especially journeymen and rookies. Because there are so many new faces, do you think this will affect the team’s ability to jell quickly, or will it take a year of playing together before they become a real playoff contender?
— Larry, Minneapolis
Larry – You made an astute observation and stated a valid concern. We frequently used the word “transition” last season. But based on the number of unfamiliar faces I see walking off the practice field this spring, I believe there are even more changes this year.
The difference between this season and last season, though, is defensive scheme. Besides all the new players last year, the Broncos tried using the unique defensive system of new coordinator Jim Bates. The Bates’ system didn’t work because the Broncos were horrific in stopping the run.
This year, the Broncos are returning to the system coach Mike Shanahan has favored for most of his 14-season tenure. There will be eight men in the box, not seven, to stop the run. And there will be more zone coverage in the secondary. If the defense improves, as it should, and quarterback Jay Cutler improves in the red zone, as he should, expect the Broncos to be playing for a playoff spot in the final week of the season.
When was the last time the Denver Broncos were so low in the preseason rankings (23, ESPN)? I guess I’m bound to be happier with this approach than with a year that finds us starting out in the top five and dropping like coin in Vegas. But what does this say about Shanahan’s “sheen”? The Broncos are barely a threat to win six games.
— Suneet Bhatt, Somerdale, N.J.
Suneet – I like your name. I don’t know if sports journalism has a more wasted exercise than the preseason ranking. It starts with this fundamental problem: All projections are based on the recent past. If the past were truly an accurate indicator of the future, we’d all get rich in the stock market.
The Broncos were a “sleeper” pick to reach the Super Bowl in some preseason rankings last year. And look what happened. I’m not saying the Broncos are going to be a top 5 team this year, but I do think top 12 is realistic.
What gets me is the growing notion that the Raiders have now exceeded the Broncos. JaMarcus Russell, in his second career start, is supposed to beat Jay Cutler, in his 22nd start, in the Sept. 8 opener? I don’t see it.
Mike Klis enters his fourth season of covering the Broncos after previously covering the Colorado Rockies and Major League Baseball for 15 years. To drop a question into his Broncos Mailbag, or visit DenverPost.com’s .
