This is for Zac and Ryan.

With the Jets trade up, should we worry that other teams might trade up too and then we have a run on QBs? I feel that we are in an AWESOME spot with the 5th pick. If there is a run on QBs then we get either Barkley or Chubb. If one of them or both are gone then we get a QB.

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Ryan and Zac…this is Josh from Redwood City. It’s been a while since I last called with my marathon take on Kirk Cousins…but I’m back and will do my best to be a tad more efficient this time..lol.

So as we approach what is undoubtedly an uber-critical draft for the Broncos…I can’t help but step back to take a birds eye view of the state of the team, and how they should allocate resources going forward. And I think it’s important to look beyond the coming season to address needs, because that’s what teams do as they approach the draft. As you know, they look beyond the coming season to identify whose contract is up the following season, likely cap casualties, etc.

One thing that concerns me is I see this team approaching an identity crisis, where they lack dominance in any one area, and instead are trending towards mediocrity across the board – aka sports purgatory.

On offense, while they just signed Keenum to a team friendly deal that’s limited in term, unless they draft a QB at #5 it appears they’re rolling forward with him as their solution. His 2 year contract doesn’t suggest that, but what alternatives do they have if they don’t draft a QB at #5? And even if they strengthen the OL, or draft a dynamic playmaker in Barkley at 5, can you name a dominant offense without a top tier QB? Maybe a season here or there, but certainly there hasn’t been one that’s sustainable. So even if they draft Nelson or Barkley, add a guard or RB in rd. 2, and try to build around Keenum, there’s no historical data that suggests building a dominant offense around a mediocre QB is sustainable. And while he is a clear upgrdae from what we’ve had, it’s very difficult to claim Keenum is anything more than a top 15-20 QB in the league.

On defense, there’s obviously been more recent success, but I think we’re all still hanging onto that SB defense and pretending that defense still exists. Basically half of it is already gone (and aside from turning Sylvester Williams into Peko), I’d argue not one player we let walk has been upgraded on, and I think there’s potential for even more turnover after next year with Wolfe/Stewart likely cap casualties, Harris/Peko/Kerr are UFA’s, and there’s uncertainty with Roby and Barret, who both require extensions. And I won’t even go into the uncertainty surrounding Gotsis.

So basically along the DL (or front 7) we’re looking at Von Miller surrounded by nothing but question marks. Are we sure Shane Ray is a dependable impact player? And if we can’t consistently surround Von with impact players to force offenses to “pick their poison” by doubling Von and freeing up impact rushers elsewhere, or try to block Von with one guy, we’re allowing him to get neutralized. And then we’re looking at our number one asset, a $20M pass rushing LB allowed to be ganged up on so he’s unable to truly impact the outcome of games.

When I look at dominant defensive players going back, I don’t always see dominant defenses. Khalil Mack is legit, but the Raider defense stinks. Suh in Det was dominant, yet the Det D was average. Even Aaron Donald’s defenses haven’t been good enough to carry them anywhere significant. Unfortunately, Von plays a position where teams can take him away if they so choose, with little repercussion if we don’t have the requisite talent next to him, also rushing the passer. When we HAVE surrounded him with superior talent, he wrecks offensive game plans.

So as we approach the draft, I think we all need to think about the long-term identity of this team. If you’re opposed to drafting a QB at 5, then please ask yourself if there’s really a legitimate chance of building a dominant offense around Case Keenum. If that answer is NO, then we should absolutely build around our one true star, Von Miller, so he’s able to continue to effect games like he has in the past.

AS Bill Walsh once said – “the key to winning on the big stage is a 4th quarter pass rush”.

Andre – I was listening to an interview with Ben Albright, who appears to have his finger on the pulse of the draft, and what each player brings to the table. He’s recently been somewhat critical of S. Barkley as a primary back, which goes against the grain of most media members’ perception of the young back. He says Barkley, even at 230+ lbs, shies away from contact and lacks interior vision. Basically, his running style is more conducive to a change of pace or 3rd down back, who is more about “touches” than a traditional “bell cow” role. A comp he threw out is Jerrick McKinnon, who basicallly put up the same numbers at the combine. McKinnon just got a big deal from SF, but in Shanahan’s offense it’s for a specific role (think T. Coleman in ATL), and one you usually wouldn’t use a top 5 pick on.

Your thoughts on this analysis?