Let’s Discuss the 2011 and 2012 Draft Classes

I keep my own blog and recently did two separate posts, one about how I evaluate draft picks, and the other in which I used that criteria to evaluate the Broncos 2011 and 2012 draft classes.

Thought it would be good to discuss what people here thought of the draft classes. Specific questions for everyone:

1. How would you grade the overall 2011 draft class?
2. How would you grade the overall 2012 draft class?
3. Which draft pick in those classes do you consider the best value pick?
4. How would you currently evaluate the selection of Brock Osweiler? How would you change your evaluation depending on what he does in the future?

Most Broncos Draft Picks Have Now Signed

Sambrailo is the highest-drafted player of the Broncos to have signed. Also signed to deals, per Renck and Jeff Legwold the past few days: 4th-round pick Max Garcia, 5th-round pick Lorenzo Doss, 6th-round pick Darius Kilgo, and 7th-round picks Trevor Siemian, Taurean Nixon, and Josh Furman.

The only draft picks who remain unsigned are 1st-round pick Shane Ray and 3rd-round pick Jeff Heuerman. Given how quickly the other picks have signed, though, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them agree to deals fairly soon

And per Renck, Heureman’s season-ending ACL injury won’t change anything… he will get a deal done, just as Dante Fowler Jr. did with the Jaguars.

Pat Bowlen Named to Broncos Ring of Fame

Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen will be inducted into the Broncos Ring of Fame.

Team owner Pat Bowlen has been elected into the Broncos’ Ring of Fame this year as the 28th member of the group, the team announced on Wednesday following the club’s annual selection committee meeting. His addition will be made official at halftime during the Broncos’ Week 8 game against the Packers on November 1.

I think we can all agree that Pat Bowlen is most deserving of this honor. Congratulations!

2016 Compensatory Draft Pick Update for the Broncos

I wrote a more general article about this at OTC, since that now we’re past the crucial date of May 12 (the artist formerly known as June 1). This means that there will be no more players added to the compensatory formula for 2016 (there will only be subtractions from here on out). I thought I’d give a Broncos-specific forecast here. If you’re not interested in the gritty details beyond the fold, the short answer is that the Broncos are likely to only get three comp picks in 2016 instead of four—but those three are also likely to be of much better value (a 3rd/4th, 4th, and 6th) than the 4th and the three consecutive late 7ths they had in 2015.

Continue reading 2016 Compensatory Draft Pick Update for the Broncos

The Curious Case of Cody Latimer

The Associated Press: Cody Latimer says he learned his lesson from feeble 2014

Looking back, (Cody) Latimer said he just didn’t prepare properly for the pros and tried too hard to please Peyton Manning.

“I’ve got to accept the fact I messed up,” Latimer said. “I wasn’t on my Ps and Qs. I can’t let that happen again. It’s like when you touch a hot stove when you’re a little kid. I’m not going to do that again.”

Latimer would regularly wow everyone as a member of the scout team. But he couldn’t translate that into games because he couldn’t always decipher Manning’s many changes in the play call at the line.

When the season was over, Latimer hit the playbook, the game film, the weight room and the football field with a renewed vigor.

The results are a more chiseled physique, more confidence, and, he insists, a better brain for the game.

“I’m more mentally into it this year,” Latimer said. “I go home and study a lot now. I spend extra time with coaches after practice. In meeting rooms, actually paying attention. Last year, just a mess-up on my part. But this year, I’m making sure I don’t have that same downfall.”

As Latimer alluded to, there may be more reasons why he did not see the field and was often a game day inactive, beyond John Fox’s reluctance to play rookies. Latimer’s sophomore campaign will be an intriguing storyline to follow.