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Chris James: What Went Right for the Denver Broncos
There usually isn’t much to look forward to for a 5 – 11 team but the Broncos are a rare case. What went right for a recent Superbowl champion that ended the season six games under .500?
The defense improved against the run with the addition of Domata Peko Sr. A unit that was bottom ten in 2016 moved to 5th in 2017. The highlight came in week two, holding the Dallas Cowboys to 40 yards on the ground. Zeke Elliott had a career low output with 8 yards on 9 carries. The passing defense continued to be dominant as Harris Jr. & Talib proved to be one of the best duos in the league. We also saw the emergence of Justin Simmons as a big play safety. He looks like another stud to add to the Denver no fly zone.
There was week-to-week improvement from 1st round pick Garret Bolles who was my top-rated OT. We also Demaryius Thomas prove his status as a top flight WR despite the horrendous play at QB. The run game regained its swagger late in the season once CJ Anderson was at full strength. And the position with the most depth heading into 2018 is TE players like AJ Derby, Jeff Heuerman, Virgil Green, and Jake Butt.
It’s not often that a team with this much talent gets to draft in the top 5. Broncos fans should relish in the outcome for the Dallas Cowboys following a top 5 pick in the 2016 draft.
Follow Chris on Twitter @cjflorida9
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Gene Clemons: What Went Wrong for the Denver Broncos
Denver could have traded for Colin Kaepernick. They could have also picked him up when he left San Francisco. John Elway rolled the dice on the quarterbacks on his roster and he crapped out. The Broncos offense was one of the worst in the NFL in 2017. Three different quarterbacks were under Center for Denver and not just because of injury, but because of 
ineffectiveness.
That offensive inconsistency impacted a defense that was built on pass rushing and pass defense. They simply spent too many snaps on the field and opposing offenses were able to take advantage of that fatigue.
First year head coach Vance Joseph had some growing pains but Elway did him no favors with the roster he constructed offensively, and in the manner he allowed his head coach to be blamed for that construction. The smartest move Elway made all season was pulling Joseph out of the fire that had become extremely hot with media takes that said he should be fired after his first season on the job.
That would have been another bad move by Elway.
Follow Gene on Twitter @geneclemons
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Brandon Howard: Grading the Broncos 2017 Rookies
Denver Broncos D+
Much like the Oakland Raiders, the Broncos also got little contribution from its rookies. Garett Bolles made the move to left tackle and played well in the final quarter of the season. Bolles plays with a mean streak that shows up in his willingness to finish blocks. The Broncos also got help in the return game from wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie, who was the Broncos 5th round selection. Players like wide receiver Carlos Henderson and tight end Jake Butt were essentially redshirted in 2017 and were not able to help the team in their rookie seasons due to injury.
Follow Brandon on Twitter @bhoward_81
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Turron Davenport: Where Do the Broncos Go From Here?
The Broncos made the first, right decision of the offseason when they elected to keep head coach Vance Joseph around. Now it’s time to get things right with the offense.
The first order of operations will be to get some kind of competent quarterback play. This team can win next year if they approach the offseason correctly. Denver should monitor the Colts situation closely.
If the Colts are willing to part with Andrew Luck, John Elway should be on the phone
offering the No. 5 pick for him. Kirk Cousins may not return to the Redskins, but is he worth $30 million per year? I would say no.
One way or the other, Elway has to get the Broncos a quarterback. The roster isn’t as bad as the record indicates. They have talent at wide receiver and CJ Anderson is a serviceable running back.
However, if a player such as Saquon Barkley is there when Denver is on the clock, he should be the pick. The team has to make their offense explosive again. Barkley is the kind of player that can score anytime he touches the ball. They can use him in a multitude of ways.
Free agency wise, they need to find a way to fit resigning Bradley Roby into the budget. Having him as their nickel corner allows Chris Harris to move inside and take away slot receivers. Roby, Harris, and Aqib Talib are the best trio of corners in the league. Their ability to smother receivers helps Von Miller and the pass rush get to the quarterback.
Overall, Denver’s roster isn’t that bad. They just need a quarterback to guide the offense.
Follow Turron on Twitter @TDavenport_NFL
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A trade was made sending Phillip Dorsett to the New England Patriots in exchange for quarterback, Jacoby Brissett. Brissett did an adequate job in his first start against the Cardinals nearly pulling off an overtime victory. The next was his best of the season posting a QBR of 94.3 on the way to a 31 – 28 victory over the Browns. A rookie RB also emerged as Marlon Mack flashed the talent that got him drafted in the 4th round. We didn’t get to see much of Mack as the Colts made a point to get Frank Gore as many yards as possible near the twilight of his career. Mack possesses the speed and quickness that the next HC will covet.
with Jacoby Brissett. The problem was early on they treated him like a stopgap guy and by the time they realized Luck wasn’t returning, it was too late to make a playoff run.
Malik Hooker has Ed Reed potential and he displayed his range as a center-fielding safety prior to tearing his ACL and MCL in Week 7 versus the Jacksonville Jaguars. Cornerback Quincy Wilson is a smart player whose football instincts and football intelligence make up for what he might lack in raw athleticism. The Colts fourth-round pick is now a member of the Cleveland Browns but with their second fourth-round pick they selected running back Marlon Mack who has the potential to be an every-down running back in the NFL. Fifth-round pick Nate Hairston was the surprise of the bunch posting 34 tackles and intercepting Marcus Marriota in Week 6.
first round pick and more?
The Giants were in a situation where they needed to produce immediately (Superbowl or bust) or completely blowup the situation. Anything resultant that differed from those two scenarios was a negative for the Giants. Now they will begin the season with a healthy OBJ, a player that is likely to get a new contract done in the offseason. The team also has the chance to acquire a GM that will hire a coach that fits his vision. The Giants also have the #2 pick locked up. The Giants can bring in a quarterback of the future and alleviate themselves of Eli Manning’s contract. They also have talented, young players in tight end Evan Engram and running back Wayne Gallman.
would signal top five draft pick for almost any team in the league, so there’s no surprise the Giants will find themselves picking there. There was such hope for this group coming into the season with talents like Odell Beckham and Brandon Marshall as a one-two punch; they would have been a handful for any defense.
If the Giants’ quarterbacks were given more time to throw the football, rookie tight end Evan Engram could’ve easily gone for over 1,000 yards on the season. Despite playing in less than ideal circumstances as a rookie, Engram still managed to put up 722 yards and six touchdowns on 64 receptions. Second-round pick Dalvin Tomlinson figures to be a entrenched as the Giants starting defensive tackle for years to come as a result of his ability to remain stout against the run. After Engram and Tomlinson, the Giants got little help from its rookies as selections of quarterback Davis Webb and running back Wayne Gallman did not pay dividends in 2017.
has already served notice by releasing right tackle Bobby Hart and Ereck Flowers could be next.
The 2017 draft went the well as they grabbed three 1st round picks. A franchise caliber QB was picked 52nd overall in Deshone Kizer. The 21-year-old out of Notre Dame has the requisite size, arm strength and athleticism that NFL GMs drool over. The Browns added depth at every level with ten total selections.
Jackson decided to bench Kizer for a worse option, then the trade-for-AJ McCarron-that-wasn’t ensured the Browns would once again be the laughingstock of the league.
is still raw but his athleticism is palpable and will pay dividends in the near future. Jabrill Peppers flashed his athleticism not only on defense, but in the return game, while the embattled Deshone Kizer showed more than enough poise in an untenable/ unenviable situation to warrant another chance with better surrounding parts in 2018. The Browns also acquired two talented defensive linemen in defensive tackles Caleb Brantley and Larry Ogunjobi who will team up with Garrett to form a formidable defensive front for the foreseeable future.
They will have two of the first four selections in the 2018 NFL Draft which will help them add talent to the roster. The blueprint has been established by the Eagles, Cowboys, and Rams…give a young, talented QB weapons.