Jay Cutler has Type 1 diabetes. But that’s not the bad news from Dove Valley.
By all accounts, Cutler’s illness is under control. Brandon Marshall should be so lucky. He’s gone, in all likelihood, for the first two games, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s suspension for Marshall’s off-field issues.
Then there’s Ryan Torain, a fifth-round draft choice who was in the mix to start at tailback. He sustained a broken radial bone in his left elbow Wednesday, forcing him to the sidelines for six to eight weeks.
Now for the biggest issue of all at Dove Valley: Fixing a defense that allowed a whopping 409 points in 2007. Only the 1-15 Dolphins allowed more.
There’s no overstating the depth of the Broncos’ defensive issues last season. Of those 409 points, 238 came in the second half and overtime. In other words, the Broncos’ defense wasn’t up to the challenge after the coaches made halftime adjustments and when the game was on the line.
Maybe the Broncos can put those issues behind them. It is, after all, a new season, and they do have a handful of new starters. But it isn’t going to be easy. As opposed to figuring out how they got in this mess. That’s very easy.
When the Broncos’ first official depth chart came out, nine out of 11 offensive starters were drafted by the Broncos or signed as undrafted free agents. Meanwhile, on the defensive side of the ball, three out of 11 were homegrown products. The rest were the products of trades or free-agent signings prompted by swings and misses on draft day.
Jim Armstrong: 303-954-1269 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com
