Author: Nick

Broncos Acquire AJ Derby From Patriots

The Broncos are projected to get a 5th round compensatory pick for Danny Trevathan, thus buffering the loss of either this comp pick or their own 5th rounder, both of which are likely to be near each other anyway.  Derby is under contract through 2018, and should only count about $265,000 against the 2016 salary cap.

UPDATE (2:50 PM MT): Mike Klis says it’s instead a 7th round pick, and as Bob mentions in comments, news of a 5th rounder could only be conditional depending on Derby’s performance.

UPDATE #2 (4:30 PM MT): Klis has deleted the above tweet, and now has concurred with Schefter in that it was an unconditional 5th rounder.  Here’s a snapshot of the official report of both the trade of Derby and also the Patriots’ acquisition of Kyle Van Noy from Detroit.

“Old Friends” Of The Broncos In The NFL, 2016 Edition

It’s become tradition on this site to refer to any former Bronco as an “old friend” when he makes news with another team.  In honor of one of the most notable current old friends coming back to Denver tonight, I thought I’d put together a reference list of former Broncos that are active in the league today.  I built this list manually, so it’s likely I forgot a few people–please speak up so I can add them to the list.

And yes, in 2016 one team sticks out blatantly as being a safe space for old friends.

Buffalo

  • Lerentee McCray

Miami

  • Adam Gase
  • Chris Kuper1

New England

  • Josh McDaniels*

NY Jets

  • Ryan Clady
  • Brandon Marshall3
  • Eric Decker

Baltimore

  • Elvis Dumervil

Cleveland

  • Britton Colquitt

Pittsburgh

  • Ryan Harris

Houston

  • Rick Smith
  • Brock Osweiler
  • Chris Clark

Indianapolis

  • Mike Adams

Jacksonville

  • Julius Thomas
  • Malik Jackson

Tennessee

  • Wesley Woodyard
  • Perrish Cox2
  • Brett Kern

Oakland

  • Jack Del Rio

San Diego

  • Mike McCoy
  • Orlando Franklin

Dallas

  • Mark Sanchez

NY Giants

  • Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie

Washington

  • David Bruton
  • Vernon Davis
  • Kory Lichtensteiger
  • Vinston Painter

Chicago

  • John Fox
  • Jay Cutler
  • Danny Trevathan
  • Eddie Royal
  • Tracy Porter
  • Mitch Unrein
  • Lamin Barrow
  • Connor Barth
  • Ben McDaniels
  • Ed Donatell

Detroit

  • Matt Prater

Minnesota

  • Ronnie Hillman

Atlanta4

  • Jacob Tamme
  • Ben Garland

Arizona

  • Evan Mathis
  • Aaron Brewer
  • Bobby Turner
  • Richard Smith
  • Marquand Manuel

San Francisco

  • Zane Beadles

Seattle

  • Stephen Hauschka
  • Sealver Siliga

*C’mon, you knew an asterisk had to be placed by him in an list entitled “Old Friends”.
1Yes, I was surprised but happy to learn that he’s entered coaching.
2Without a doubt, this is the one former Bronco I just can’t refer to as an “old friend”.
3However, if I’m going to be adamant in creating footnote 2, then in the interest of fairness there should probably be a footnote here.  I might write more on this later this week.
4I feel like Kyle Shanahan deserves an honorable mention–despite coaching frequently for two of the greatest coaches in Broncos history, he surprisingly has zero tenure as a Bronco himself.

The Go For It Range: A Different Look At 4th Down

The longtime conventional wisdom of coaches results in teams rarely going for it on 4th down.  Recent analytical studies argue for going for it far more often.  My own sensibilities reside somewhere in the middle of these two approaches. I certainly feel coaches are too conservative, but I also have yet to buy into some of the excesses of the other side.  With this article, I want to explore the subject further by starting with some common sense observations, and then extrapolating it with some data that could be useful to build upon that common sense into a possible model.  That model is what I’ll term the Go For It Range, dividing the field into areas where going for it on 4th down is advocated, opposed, or debatable.  To see the Go For It Range in action, visit this page, in which I’ve programmed the model for any offense versus any defense.

Continue reading The Go For It Range: A Different Look At 4th Down