Welcome back and keep the queries coming.
Today’s question is a blast from the not-so-distant past in my newspaper life. Dennis Smythe asked:
Q: How would you grade the Broncos’ rookie class thus far? Typically fans hear about one or two rookies each training camp who are positive surprises, and I haven’t heard much along those lines this year. Also, have there been any rookies who might be classified as disappointments?
A: Dennis, there was so much new this season, with just about every portion of the way the Broncos conduct business, that the rookies kind of got swept up in the wash some.
Overall, you’d have to say it was been an incomplete preseason for some of the higher-profile rookies, but it has been a solid class overall. Knowshon Moreno showed some flashes, but he had all of three carries in the preseason and missed much of camp with either his holdout or a knee injury.
Robert Ayers was a little late to camp because of contract gymnastics too, and started a little behind. He’s already playing in the nickel, and when he gets more comfortable with his drops in coverage, I think he’ll play more.
Ayers has to cut down on alignment mistakes through the week to give the coaches enough confidence to play him, but I’d say he’s right on track in terms of learning a new position.
Alphonso Smith is the nickel corner and will do some return work if he can take care of the ball. He may face the most pressure of any of the picks in terms of fan reaction, since the Broncos traded their own first-round pick in the ’10 draft to then take him in the second round this past April.
But he’s shown some good ball skills on the field. It will be a matter of adjusting to the strength of the receivers he’s now facing in the middle of the field.
Darcel McBath started in the preseason while Brian Dawkins was hurt, and I thought he played with some confidence.
Seth Olson played with the starters on the offensive line in training camp when Ben Hamilton was either not practicing or had moved to center to spell Casey Wiegmann. The team likes his potential there and he may even compete to start next season.
David Bruton will be a regular on special teams.
Kenny McKinley, in the receiver rotation, led the team in receiving in the preseason and had the two longest plays as well. He wasn’t always consistent catching the ball, and will need a little more strength to fight his way off some of the bigger corners.
Tom Brandstater started the preseason finale and likely earned his way onto the 53-man roster with that performance.
Richard Quinn can’t be judged as a receiver. A second-round pick is pricey for an on-the-line tight end, but he’ll have to prove his worth in that blocking role.
Quinn hasn’t had many chances yet, but he figures to get some work in the two tight-end look if he’s one of the 45 guys in uniform on game day.
Seventh-rounder Blake Schlueter was released in camp and was not signed to the practice squad, so the Broncos obviously did not get what they’d hoped from him. He is an undersized center who plays with power, but he doesn’t fit the mold of where they’re going up front.
Jeff Legwold: 303-954-2359 or jlegwold@denverpost.com
