Denver RBC

[Kareighuis]

From Mike Klis, of the Denver Post:

"Broncos reporter Mike Klis analyzes the team's top five running backs for 2009.
"1. Knowshon Moreno: Rookie will get approximately a $12.5 million guarantee before his first carry.
"2. Correll Buckhalter: May start the season playing Chester Taylor to Moreno's Adrian Peterson.
"3. J.J. Arrington: If he fully recovers from knee surgery, he'll be the third-down specialist.
"4. LaMont Jordan: At 230 pounds, he'll be the power back on third-and-1 and the goal line.
"5. Peyton Hillis: His versatility should win over the new coach if Hillis fully recovers from hamstring injury."

[bungle613]

That would be a RBBBBBC

While the enitre league is embracing a RBBC approach there is a fine line to walk. A RB still has to get carries to get into the game. You can't give 5 backs 5-7 touches a game.

IT will be Moreno and the next best guy at a 60-40 split. POssibley Jordan getting goal line. Moreno does what Hillis does much better. Arrington will be released is my guess.

[mattb47]

Teams wont have more than 3-4 max active RBs on the roster for any given game...I'd also guess that Arrington would be released and while Jordan is a "big" back, he's never been a very powerful runner and I'd be surprised if he was more effective on those runs than someone like Moreno or Buckhalter would. I think Arrington/Jordan could both find themselves on the outside looking in as far as this RB situation goes.

I think we'll see Moreno as the "featured" back getting roughly 60-65% or so of the carries on the season which will probably leave him close to the 300 carry mark or just under on the season if he plays all year.

[Kensat30]

Moreno = Maroney
Buckhalter = Morris
Arrington = Faulk
Jordan = Jordan
Hillis = Evans


McDaniels is trying to turn this team into New England West. If Moreno doesn't pan out, this situation is going to be a mess. I fully expect Denver to be picking in the top10 or even top5 next year, Chris Simms will be their starting QB at one point, and McDaniels will no longer be coach within two years.

Guy is trying to make wholesale changes overnight and he doesn't have the patience or pieces to make it happen quickly. A couple 5 win seasons will turn that leash hes got into a noose. I feel sorry for Denver fans to see their franchise being destroyed the way it has this offseason. Probably they don't compete for the Super Bowl in 2009 if Shannhan comes back, but at least they are legitimate contenders. In the coming years .500 might start looking awfully good to this once successful franchise.

[mrblitz]

Although all of these rbbc's in Denver suck for us in the fAntasy world. They have a really nice crop of rb's at their disposal.

[mattUTD20]

Moreno = Maroney
Buckhalter = Morris
Arrington = Faulk
Jordan = Jordan
Hillis = Evans


McDaniels is trying to turn this team into New England West. If Moreno doesn't pan out, this situation is going to be a mess. I fully expect Denver to be picking in the top10 or even top5 next year, Chris Simms will be their starting QB at one point, and McDaniels will no longer be coach within two years.

Guy is trying to make wholesale changes overnight and he doesn't have the patience or pieces to make it happen quickly. A couple 5 win seasons will turn that leash hes got into a noose. I feel sorry for Denver fans to see their franchise being destroyed the way it has this offseason. Probably they don't compete for the Super Bowl in 2009 if Shannhan comes back, but at least they are legitimate contenders. In the coming years .500 might start looking awfully good to this once successful franchise.

This is pretty much what I was going to say. I would be surprised if Moreno sees 300 carries, or total touches for that matter.

[Timbathia]

Moreno = Maroney
Buckhalter = Morris
Arrington = Faulk
Jordan = Jordan
Hillis = Evans


McDaniels is trying to turn this team into New England West. If Moreno doesn't pan out, this situation is going to be a mess. I fully expect Denver to be picking in the top10 or even top5 next year, Chris Simms will be their starting QB at one point, and McDaniels will no longer be coach within two years.

Guy is trying to make wholesale changes overnight and he doesn't have the patience or pieces to make it happen quickly. A couple 5 win seasons will turn that leash hes got into a noose. I feel sorry for Denver fans to see their franchise being destroyed the way it has this offseason. Probably they don't compete for the Super Bowl in 2009 if Shannhan comes back, but at least they are legitimate contenders. In the coming years .500 might start looking awfully good to this once successful franchise.

Sorry to say Kensat that while I think most of your post are well thought out and good quality, this one is total nonsense to me.

I am not saying I agree with everything McKid has done, but here are some things to keep in mind:

- The Broncos def and special teams have been absolute trash for years now (since the AFC championship game). This is absolutely Shanahans fault - he neglected both in favor of the offense, and when he did draft defense it was obvious he had no idea what he was doing (unless they were named Williams).

- The Broncos had the worst def in the league last year under Shanahan, and were extremely lucky to win 8 games in the worst division in football (yes, we split with the chiefs and raiders). The offense moved the ball well, but struggled to score. We stole several wins - and they were more luck than Cutler before you start that line of thought.

- McDaniels had come from a highly productive offensive scheme to one that didnt control the ball well and struggled to score - why wouldnt he introduce the system he played a big part in running? All new coaches worth a damn introduce something new into a team that needs fixing.

- Of course McDaniels is being patient. If he wasnt he would have draft 6 d-lineman and linebackers last month. Instead he took a RB that can pass-protect and catch, and a second TE that is one of the best blocking TEs in football. Necessary parts of the offense he wants to run. He stockpiled old veteran RBs that could do similar things before the draft because he had hoped to get Raji or Jackson. didnt pan out, so be it. He also added a cb and safety that will contribute in the next few years instead of reaching for front seven d guys that would play this year.

- The d-line is no better than last year, but at least he has added safeties to the secondary to stop the 5 yard runs turning into 30 yard runs as happened last year.


Make no mistake - Denver will be bad this year, but it is because McDaniels inherited a pathetic defense, and because he is changing the offensive scheme. No-one could have come in to coach this team and plugged all the holes. While 5wins this year is a possibility, I am firmly convinced that in years 2 and 3 of McDaniels tenure the Broncos will be a significantly better team than they were last year under Shanahan.

[biju]

I fully expect Seattle to be picking in the top10 or even top5 next year.

I fixed that for ya!

[TheDiplomats]

From Mike Klis, of the Denver Post:

"Broncos reporter Mike Klis analyzes the team's top five running backs for 2009.
"1. Knowshon Moreno: Rookie will get approximately a $12.5 million guarantee before his first carry.
"2. Correll Buckhalter: May start the season playing Chester Taylor to Moreno's Adrian Peterson.
"3. J.J. Arrington: If he fully recovers from knee surgery, he'll be the third-down specialist.
"4. LaMont Jordan: At 230 pounds, he'll be the power back on third-and-1 and the goal line.
"5. Peyton Hillis: His versatility should win over the new coach if Hillis fully recovers from hamstring injury."

Moreno is a better receiver out of the backfield, and player in general for that matter, than Arrington so I don't think he'll get any touches aside from special teams. My guess is 70% of the touches will go to Moreno with the other 30% being split between Buckhalter/Jordan (Basically whoever isn't injured). I expect Hillis to return to FB duties or step into the 30% role if both Buckhalter and Jordan get injured. I don't think the Broncos are going to designate a "goal line back" as Moreno is just as effective inside the 20 as Jordan and Buckhalter are.

[LS2throwed]

Make no mistake - Denver will be bad this year, but it is because McDaniels inherited a pathetic defense, and because he is changing the offensive scheme. No-one could have come in to coach this team and plugged all the holes. While 5wins this year is a possibility, I am firmly convinced that in years 2 and 3 of McDaniels tenure the Broncos will be a significantly better team than they were last year under Shanahan.

Sorry I don't buy it, McDaniels is going to be gone in a few years anyway...You know you have screwed up royally when in a matter of a few months you have alienated your franchise pro bowl QB, and made the owner question what the hell you are doing:

• He would have preferred that the Broncos had drafted more defensive players last weekend.

• His new coach, Josh McDaniels, committed "rookie mistakes," but he fully supports him and is growing more assured he will be outstanding in the long term.

Bowlen is pleased with the quarterback, Kyle Orton, and the draft picks the Broncos got in return from Chicago, but when told many were puzzled why McDaniels didn't choose more defensive players in the recent draft, Bowlen replied:

"Me, too."

http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_12281980


So McDaniels couldn't even get through the draft without having the owner questioning his moves? How many times have we seen a disciple of Belicheck go on to fail elsewhere?

- Romeo Crennel went 24-40
- Eric Mangini was a failure at NY and looks like he'll follow those footsteps in Cleveland
- Charlie Weiss is breaking all the wrong kinds of records at ND and a few losses away from being fired


Even Nick Saban who coached under him at one point failed miserably in the NFL, what makes you think McDaniels will be different? Just because he's the shiny new toy from under the Belicheck tree who hasn't had his shot yet? These guys leave NE with an arrogance and ego as if they have accomplished something already, and it usually doesn't take long for them to be looking for another job, McDaniels has BY FAR gotten off to a worse start then any of those other guys.


Alot of coaches could of came in and plugged the holes on this team, Spagnuola who went to the Rams is one guy, it's not like you can't turn around a defense in one off-season to be respectable, it's been done plenty of times before, Miami for instance was 10x better last year then they were when they won 1 game the prior year.


What gives you ANY reason to believe McDaniels will have this team better then Shanny did? I'm curious to hear that.


You don't have any room to be making "rookie mistakes" this early into the process, he hasn't even had to made any tough decisions yet, and if the Owner is doubting him now how long before he jumps ship totally? Don't think Bowlen's patience will be high with this guy...Drafting a RB at 12 when guys like Jennings went in the 7th, and taking a TE that early was pointless, but he's an offensive minded guys and wanted some new toys even though Denver had more offensive weapons then 90% of teams already.


You don't need those luxury picks this early, but he doesn't know any better, and that's why he'll be a failure just like the rest of those guys on the list...You don't have that much room to come in somewhere and continually make questionable moves without getting fired.