Denver Post Broncos writer Troy E. Renck posts his Broncos Mailbag on Wednesdays during the season.
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Is this Cody Latimer’s final shot to prove he belongs in the NFL? Hearing about his potential every year and he never seems to live up to it. Undrafted free-agent wide receivers are moving ahead of him on the depth chart pretty regularly.
— Daylon, Wyoming
Daylon: Latimer has to become more of a weapon offensively. He does a lot of things that don’t necessarily show up on stat sheets: blocking on special teams, special-teams coverage, blocking in running game. But he wasn’t drafted for that role. He should be the third receiver right now, making this an important summer to step forward to hold off Bennie Fowler, Jordan Norwood and possibly Jordan Taylor.
Can this defense with Todd Davis and Jared Crick be as good as last year? Or can we expect a Super Bowl hangover?
— Nelson Knuth, Daly City, Calif.
Nelson: Until they get into pads and play exhibition games, any conclusion drawn is risky. They will miss Danny Trevathan, who led the team in tackles last season, and Malik Jackson, who was unique in his versatility and brought a nastiness to the defense. Davis continues to impress, doing everything to win the job in Brandon Marshall’s spot as Marshall has moved to Trevathan’s position. Davis is bright, diligent. As several players have told me without prompting, “He gets it.” The guy has a film room in his house with a whiteboard to dissect plays to allow him to play faster. Will he be Trevathan? I don’t know. I know he has a chance to be really good. Crick will share the defensive end spot with Vance Walker. Crick is coming off a unimpressive season but has played well in Wade Phillips’ scheme in the past. The key, in my opinion, is Walker. Can he step forward with a five-sack season while also supporting the run?
Hi, Troy. Love the mailbag! You know how the north-end, upper-level sections of the Broncos’ stadium have the large image of the Broncos logo on them? Do you think a sponsor would ever be willing to give out blue, orange or white T-shirts, depending on the seat, to the people in those sections for a game in order to make a huge, three-section-wide image of the Broncos logo in the stands? Hockey and basketball teams do something similar — usually in the playoffs — to make it look like all fans are wearing the same color. I think this would look awesome at a Broncos game, and I hope someone considers it. Thanks, and go, Broncos!
— Mike Iserman, Reston, Va.
Mike: I love your thinking. But those types of color-coded fan participation play better in basketball than football. I love the orange. It’s what makes the Broncos stick out in every way. Shirt giveaways make more sense for teams that play tons of games — as in baseball and basketball — and need to entice fans into the tent. The Broncos have sold out every game for decades. The love for the team is organic and passionate. It’s passed down from generations. I like the shirt concept in broader terms, but for me there’s enough orange splashed naturally throughout to avoid forcing the issue.
With all the new pieces on offense, how long before they actually gel and become cohesive?
— Merle, Grand Junction
Merle: Aside from the quarterback, watch the offensive line. That’s when we will know. The line wasn’t comfortable last year until roughly Week 6. And it wasn’t until the Broncos moved the quarterback under center that the running game clicked. The line, on paper, is better. And Russell Okung and Donald Stephenson, the two new tackles, are well-versed in the zone-blocking schemes from their past teams. That should accelerate the process. I would imagine this season, the line will sync sooner. And as I say that, the offense needs certainty at quarterback or it will create potential dysfunction in other places.
I was wondering how defensive tackle Phil Taylor has looked so far. When the Broncos grabbed him at the end of last year, I thought that could be a sneaky-good pick if he could turn things around, but I haven’t heard anything about him since then.
— Bradon W., Salt Lake City
Bradon: It was a low-risk, high-reward pickup. It reminded me a little bit of the move that landed Marvin Austin in Denver. He had one productive season before fizzling out. Taylor looks the part. He’s a big, strong man. He should be able to provide depth on a line where it’s critical to rotate players to create optimal performance. So far, he looks fine. But I need to see him in pads in training camp to see if he’s a depth guy or a possible sleeper contributor.
Hi, Troy. In my opinion, the Broncos selected one of the top running backs in the NFL draft in Utah’s Devontae Booker. How’s he going to fit into the offense?
— Paul Hoffman, Colorado Springs
Paul: He is a player. He looks like he’s 30 years old. He wants playing time from the jump and appears to have an NFL body. The knee surgery in college slowed him down, but he was close to full go on Tuesday. Booker needs to show he can handle pass protection to earn snaps. And run with authority. The job is C.J. Anderson’s. The Broncos want him to be a bell cow. Anderson, initially, will have more say in how many carries he gets, as he did in the Super Bowl. If he’s effective and healthy, it will limit Booker’s chances. But having the kid in the stable provides real talent on the depth chart.
What is going to happen to Aqib Talib? Will he be suspended by the NFL? Will the Broncos cut him?
— David Salazar, Denver
David: There are many unanswered questions regarding Talib. He suffered a gunshot wound, and told the police, according to WFAA TV in Dallas, that he was “too intoxicated” to remember how it happened. If it is determined that Talib was carrying a gun while intoxicated, he could face legal ramifications. The incident is still under investigation. The NFL is looking into the incident as well. He could face discipline. How much depends on what his role is determined to be in this incident.
I know it’s still early, but how have the Broncos’ quarterbacks looked in OTAs so far? Has anyone stood out over the rest?
— Jimmy S., Greeley
The quarterbacks have all had their moments. Mark Sanchez looks like a veteran. And he didn’t play in this offense last season. He did play in it at USC, which has helped. He had a strong day on Tuesday and for my money is the slight leader. However, this is a competition. Trevor Siemian continues to impress teammates with his knowledge of offense and his strong arm. Paxton Lynch has shown remarkable ability to throw on the run left or right. His physical gifts are real. But he faces a steep learning curve going from a college-spread offense.
