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Should Su'a Cravens start over Justin Simmons so Simmons can back up and learn from Cravens on covering running backs and tight ends?
-- Taylor Rhodes
Simmons has more experience than Cravens and offers more speed and range than most starting safeties in the NFL. If anything, this is an opportunity for Cravens, with 11 games and three starts on his resume, to learn from Simmons, who has played in 26 games with 16 career starts.
As safety Darian Stewart said March 9, Simmons could be set to soar.
"I think he's going to be a Pro Bowler, man," Stewart said. "He has all the natural attributes to do that, man, and he's a smart football player. He's going into Year 3, he has me next to him helping him grow, he has great players around him, and the only way you can get there is having other players around you doing their job."
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Hey Andrew, I love that the Broncos honored both Peyton Manning and Frank Tripucka with the retired No. 18 banner. But, I think it would look much better if it were, say, a "hologram" banner that showed Peyton's name from one angle, and Frank's from another, like the old trading cards. Thoughts?**
-- Alan Benedict
I favor simplicity. Furthermore, I always thought the trading-card holograms looked murky and dull. I'll take the banner as is.
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Much attention has gone to the QBs projected to go in the top of this year's draft, which the Broncos are reported to have met with including, Josh Allen and Sam Darnold. Have the Broncos been scouting lesser-known quarterbacks such as Texas Tech's Nic Shimonek who might also be viable options to develop behind Case Keenum?**
-- Michael Sutherland
I'm sure they have scouted Shimonek and plenty of other quarterbacks, as well. Several hundred players are scouted and evaluated in each draft class, even at positions where there may not be an obvious need. It's that sort of work that allowed the Broncos to find undrafted contributors such as Chris Harris Jr. and C.J. Anderson, among others.
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Why not get Kayvon Webster and Eric Decker signed before the draft so they can pick best available instead of reaching? Seems like it would be a no-brainer to bring back some valuable former players who would be awesome to have back! How much do you think they'll cost us? Is cap space a concerning factor? Thoughts?**
-- Chris Frost
In regards to cap space, the Broncos went into Friday with $10,694,385, according to the daily report posted by the NFL Players Association. A significant portion of that will be allocated to their draft picks, although with the offseason accounting that counts only the top 51 selections, there should be a bit of buffer.
They addressed the No. 3 cornerback position by signing Tramaine Brock, and they expect second-year cornerbacks such as Marcus Rios and Brendan Langley to develop. At wide receiver, second-year player Carlos Henderson and exclusive-rights free agent Jordan Taylor are expected to step forward and be part of the solution. The Broncos can supplement both areas the draft, but as of now, they feel they have players who a) have contributed as rotational contributors and b) have upside.
With what they have on the roster, the Broncos already feel like they have a squad that allows them to pick the best available player.
Case Keenum, in my opinion, will never get Denver to a Super Bowl unless we have a top-5 offensive line. Why is Elway not going all out on offensive linemen?
-- Rick Schermerhorn
Their top free-agent signee last year, Ron Leary, was an offensive lineman. So was their first-round pick. Then the Broncos traded for a proven veteran who can hold down right tackle in Jared Veldheer. Matt Paradis, a restricted free agent who is one of the game's best young centers, is expected back and will get a significant raise from his one-year tender.
It seems to me like they've actually put "all-out" resources into improving the offensive line in the last 13 months, especially considering that you can't put every dollar there, with sizable veteran contracts spread around the roster at other positions such as wide receiver, quarterback, defensive line, linebacker, cornerback, etc.
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The analysis, opinion and speculation in this story represents that of the author, gathered through research and reporting, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Denver Broncos organization.
