Denver Post Broncos writer Ryan O’Halloran posts his Broncos Mailbag weekly during the season.
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Good morning, Ryan. What’s your view on the Broncos swinging and missing on first- and second-round tight ends when obviously the glaring need was linebacker? I’m sure Noah Fant will have a decent return on investment eventually, but you need linebackers to assist the D-line with stuffing the run. A 0-4 record is tough to swallow!
— Will, Athens, N.Y.
Hindsight is a part of the draft process … and for good reason. It’s interesting to track the players the local team passes on. For the Broncos, that’s linebacker Devin Bush. The Broncos could have selected him at No. 10, but opted to trade down 10 spots to take Fant while also acquiring enough chips to move back into the second round for quarterback Drew Lock and have a 2020 third-rounder in their cupboard. It’s almost like coach Vic Fangio wanted to see how the current group of inside linebackers (chiefly, Todd Davis and Josey Jewell) fared in his scheme before making any final decisions. Fangio and general manager John Elway had little use for the back-ups during camp or else they would not have signed Corey Nelson and started him in Week 1. As for Fant, he scored a 25-yard touchdown Sunday against Jacksonville.
Don’t you think it’s time to clean out the front office? Time for John Elway to start looking for a different job. I’m sure he can get a job at the city of Denver. He has pull.
— Larry Phelps, Mt. Vernon, N.Y.
In most franchises, three non-playoff years plus an 0-4 start to the fourth season would ratchet up the heat on the front office chief. But the Broncos aren’t most teams and Elway isn’t most executives. Since there is no controlling owner in place, Elway, as we’ve said time and again, has arguably the safest general manager’s job in the NFL after Dallas owner/GM Jerry Jones. It would be the boldest move of bold moves if president/CEO Joe Ellis decided to shake up the front office and I don’t expect him to do that. But if things go downhill, it would be prudent for Ellis to recommend to Elway a re-shaping of the football operations because the status quo isn’t working.
If the Broncos get a top-five pick in the draft would they consider taking one of the elite quarterbacks? They don’t grow on trees.
— John Travis, Akron, Ohio
The folks at CBS Sports on Monday afternoon posted a 2020 NFL Mock Draft and had the Broncos drafting South Carolina defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw third overall. But let’s be real. If the Broncos lose their way into the top five, they should consider left tackle if Garett Bolles’ time is up, inside linebacker because that remains an issue or quarterback. If the Broncos play Drew Lock over the final half of the season, that will be enough intel to decide if quarterback should be prioritized in next spring’s first round. I like Jacob Eason (Washington), Jake Fromm (Georgia) and Joe Burrow (LSU).
Realistically, how much time does Elway have as functional GM to get things right before senior management says, “That’s enough — let’s go in another direction.” He was my favorite player to watch all-time, but his decision making at GM — especially with coaches and letting free agents leave — is poor at best. I’d say this year. You? Thanks!
— Vance Valerio, Omaha, Neb.
I get a lot of questions and comments like Vance’s — fans will always like No. 7 The Quarterback, but are less-than-impressed by No. 7 The GM. But as we answered above, Elway isn’t going anywhere unless it’s by his choice. Senior management means Ellis. Senior management later this year could mean Brittany Bowlen, but as wild of a story as that would be, I don’t think one of BB’s first moves is to can Elway.
The news that cornerback Bryce Callahan is going to miss at least eight games surely leads to questions about the effectiveness of the medical team. Eight games is 17% of his three-year contract and there is a chance he will miss significantly more time. Is the Broncos medical team that bad or did the signing bonus cause an additional injury? From the outside this looks like another sign that things are currently broken in Broncoland and the lack of oversight/accountability needs addressing sooner rather than later.
— Greg Cash, Reykjavik, Iceland
I wouldn’t place the blame on the Broncos’ medical staff. Remember, Callahan played for Fangio and current Broncos defensive coordinator Ed Donatell in Chicago. He was their pick to sign and play opposite Chris Harris in the base defense. The three-year contract, in retrospect, looks dicey. As for the training staff, they helped nurse Callahan along from last December’s foot surgery. He was practicing in training camp when his foot was stepped on, which has set him back.
Ryan, what happens now that Bradley Chubb is out with a torn ACL? Who becomes that fierce pass rusher to complement Von Miller? After it looked like the defense was finally figuring things out, this happens. Is there a scenario the Broncos bring back Shane Ray into the mix? Also, how about Brandon Marshall to shore up that exposed inside linebackers corps?
— Frustrated in Denver
Ol’ Frustrated wants to get the old band back together. The Broncos’ plan without Chubb: Wait for next year? Seriously, they have to get through the next 12 games to fill Chubb’s expected outstanding production. First up will be rookies Malik Reed and Justin Hollins (I think). Reed has displayed some pass-rushing chops, but as Fangio said on Monday, most of that preseason work was against backups. Marshall is not in the team’s plans and it’s doubtful Ray is, either.
Look, I know John Elway gets a lot of heat from fans and media about this season and the last few years. Yes, the hiring of the previous head coach, whose name I shall not mention, was all on Elway. But I really believe fans, and Von Miller, need to hold back frustration. I really and truly believe that Vic Fangio and Co. will get this team right. This team needs to stop shooting themselves in the foot and hustle more. Joe Flacco needs to be gutsy and air it out more and target Emmanuel Sanders more. Phillip Lindsay needs to be in more on crucial downs instead of Royce Freeman. There are more issues but most of all, the DEFENSE NEEDS SACKS AND TURNOVERS! If all that clicks, the real Denver Broncos will be back. Oh, and a return to the Orange Crush uniforms and logo would be nice too.
— Victor, Alameda, Calif.
For the record, I provide free therapy sessions during the football season. Addressing some of Victor’s points. Frustration: If the players and coaches and fans weren’t frustrated, apathy would be setting in and that’s just as bad as losing. … Flacco/Sanders: A lot of that has to do with the protection holding up and you saw Flacco and Sanders connect on some deeper passes against the Jaguars. … Lindsay/Freeman: Freeman played nine more snaps (34-25) than Lindsay did vs. Jacksonville. … Sacks/takeaways: The Broncos have five of the former but still none of the latter so far.
