Which draft class will have a larger impact in 2018?

[Broncofan]

38 minutes ago, BroncoBruin said:

Looking back, the 2016 draft is passable save for Paxton Lynch being one of the worst picks in team history. (Of course, Gotsis' situation could change this). That 2015 draft is as ugly as any we've had. Going back to 2013, the odd year drafts have been horrendous and the even year drafts have been mostly good with a couple eye sores. 

The sad part is that if we didn't get Lynch, we were very clearly linked to Chris Jones at 31 that year.   We get Chris Jones, we don't get Gotsis.   That would have been a massive compound effect - and that's before we get to whoever we would have used at 3.94.    The joke's been that Elway would have just thrown away the 3.94 pick anyways, but 2018's draft shows what you get with a top 100 pick.  Now, some years, the talent isn't nearly as deep, and 2016 it's iffier which good player Elway would have gone at 3.94.  But 2017 was a great year for depth, that was gut-wrenching to see Rd 3 go down as it did.     Judging by 2018's draft priorities, even Elway worries he just threw those picks away.   

Still, it could be worse.   A week ago today, most of us feared Elway was going to trade back and take 1.22 on WR, and then go 2.40 on a RB.   And that he'd reach miles ahead to get some insane-physical-tools, no-football-skills guys 2+ rounds too soon (cough DJ Chark 1.22 cough).    It sucks that Elway's Day 2 has been brutal, but if this is what it took for him to change his ways, well, I wish it was 1-2 years earlier, but I'll take it.

[AnAngryAmerican]

I think the 2017 class will look a little bit better this year than it did last year. One, I think Jake Butt is going to be a Heath Miller-like TE, never a real super star but a reliable, move-the-chains guy, a red zone threat and a plus-blocker. Bolles is never going to be an elite LT by any means but I think he takes a step forward in his second season, having an All Pro next to him in Leary instead of the turnstile that was Max Garcia will help, as will having a more-savvy, experienced QB and an OC who adapts his scheme to his talent rather than trying to fit square pegs into round holes a la Josh McDaniels Mike McCoy. I think Walker can carve out a niche as a situational pass rusher from the inside and the with attention being paid to the talent around him - Von, Wolfe, Chubb, Shaq, Ray - Walker might see an uptick in production. I don't think he will live up to his production in college or his draft status, but he should stick around as a situational role player. I don't have any faith in Carlos Henderson, who just doesn't seem to have it between the ears, and Isiah McKenzie will rightfully be cut in camp. I think DeAngelo Henderson can carve out a role as part of the RBBC with Booker and Freeman. Chad Kelly is intriguing but that's about it. I am excited to see what he brings but even if he beats out Paxton for the No. 2 job, a backup QB doesn't do much as long as we keep Case healthy. Thus, I think the draft will go from looking like a total disaster to only a disappointment. 

I think Chubb alone makes this draft better. I fully expect him to impact the defense is a huge way, against both the pass and run, take attention from Von and the others, and a be very positive force in the locker room. Sutton and Hamilton will each see work from the start as WRs and, like Chubb, both will help take attention away from the top-two, the RBs and TEs as well. Their presence on the field helps even if they don't put up gaudy numbers. Freeman I think sees a lot of work at RB and does well, particularly in short-yardage and goal line situations. I think Fumangali contributes but is overshadowed by Butt. Jewell I think is going to become a fan favorite and I think sees quite a bit of action on defense later in the year after making a name for himself as a special teamer. 

I'll go 2018 but I think there will be a player or two from 2017 that impresses us, at least somewhat. 

 

[AKRNA]

Well, I was sorta leaning towards 2017 but that was before I realized we'd drafted Aquaman to play on the OL. How can you not pick 2018 when you'll have a member of The Justice League on your OL.

https://www.denverpost.com/2018/05/04/broncos-selection-sam-jones-help-stabilize-offensive-line/

[thebestever6]

The athletic has an article on royce freeman I wanna read but you have to pay for it. Anyone read it that can summarize it?

It goes in depth why Broncos aren't concerned with Royces carries.

[jsthomp2007]

19 hours ago, AnAngryAmerican said:

I think the 2017 class will look a little bit better this year than it did last year. One, I think Jake Butt is going to be a Heath Miller-like TE, never a real super star but a reliable, move-the-chains guy, a red zone threat and a plus-blocker. Bolles is never going to be an elite LT by any means but I think he takes a step forward in his second season, having an All Pro next to him in Leary instead of the turnstile that was Max Garcia will help, as will having a more-savvy, experienced QB and an OC who adapts his scheme to his talent rather than trying to fit square pegs into round holes a la Josh McDaniels Mike McCoy. I think Walker can carve out a niche as a situational pass rusher from the inside and the with attention being paid to the talent around him - Von, Wolfe, Chubb, Shaq, Ray - Walker might see an uptick in production. I don't think he will live up to his production in college or his draft status, but he should stick around as a situational role player. I don't have any faith in Carlos Henderson, who just doesn't seem to have it between the ears, and Isiah McKenzie will rightfully be cut in camp. I think DeAngelo Henderson can carve out a role as part of the RBBC with Booker and Freeman. Chad Kelly is intriguing but that's about it. I am excited to see what he brings but even if he beats out Paxton for the No. 2 job, a backup QB doesn't do much as long as we keep Case healthy. Thus, I think the draft will go from looking like a total disaster to only a disappointment. 

I think Chubb alone makes this draft better. I fully expect him to impact the defense is a huge way, against both the pass and run, take attention from Von and the others, and a be very positive force in the locker room. Sutton and Hamilton will each see work from the start as WRs and, like Chubb, both will help take attention away from the top-two, the RBs and TEs as well. Their presence on the field helps even if they don't put up gaudy numbers. Freeman I think sees a lot of work at RB and does well, particularly in short-yardage and goal line situations. I think Fumangali contributes but is overshadowed by Butt. Jewell I think is going to become a fan favorite and I think sees quite a bit of action on defense later in the year after making a name for himself as a special teamer. 

I'll go 2018 but I think there will be a player or two from 2017 that impresses us, at least somewhat. 

 

I am pretty sure we've all been overshadowed by Butt at some point in our lives.

[broncos67]

On 5/5/2018 at 7:20 AM, thebestever6 said:

The athletic has an article on royce freeman I wanna read but you have to pay for it. Anyone read it that can summarize it?

It goes in depth why Broncos aren't concerned with Royces carries.

Yup- I have a subscription there.

Basically, they're just saying that his # of carries indicates he's durable and that's a benefit in the league.

[thebestever6]

42 minutes ago, broncos67 said:

Yup- I have a subscription there.

Basically, they're just saying that his # of carries indicates he's durable and that's a benefit in the league.

I mean a lot of his run lanes were wide open he probably only gets contact 30% of the time.

[paul-mac]

On 5/7/2018 at 1:05 AM, broncos67 said:

Yup- I have a subscription there.

Basically, they're just saying that his # of carries indicates he's durable and that's a benefit in the league.

 

Interestingly I remember some guys on here being low on Montee Ball because of his # of carries at Wisconsin and Elway picked him anyway. Seems like Elway just doesn't buy into the theory that a large number of carries in college is a bad thing for a RB.

[germ-x]

1 hour ago, paul-mac said:

 

Interestingly I remember some guys on here being low on Montee Ball because of his # of carries at Wisconsin and Elway picked him anyway. Seems like Elway just doesn't buy into the theory that a large number of carries in college is a bad thing for a RB.

I think part of Elway not carrying is he understands most of these guys are only legitimate for a handful of years unless they’re special talents.  Freeman isn’t a special talent, Elway knows this, but he’s fully capable of giving this team 4-5 years of 250-300 carries.

[thebestever6]

4 minutes ago, germ-x said:

I think part of Elway not carrying is he understands most of these guys are only legitimate for a handful of years unless they’re special talents.  Freeman isn’t a special talent, Elway knows this, but he’s fully capable of giving this team 4-5 years of 250-300 carries.

I think he has some special traits.  Like his running style and not shying away from contact.  He can pass block and catch. 

The line will make or break his success though. 

[germ-x]

7 minutes ago, thebestever6 said:

I think he has some special traits.  Like his running style and not shying away from contact.  He can pass block and catch. 

The line will make or break his success though. 

Yeah.  I mean he is a good well rounded back.  Has good explosive traits for a back his size too.  But by special I mean like Tomlinson, Peterson, special.  Guys with the traits to produce at an elite level for 8-10 years.  Freeman doesn’t have that, but I guess if he stays durable he could have a Frank Gore type of career, which id take in a heartbeat.

[jsthomp2007]

15 minutes ago, germ-x said:

Yeah.  I mean he is a good well rounded back.  Has good explosive traits for a back his size too.  But by special I mean like Tomlinson, Peterson, special.  Guys with the traits to produce at an elite level for 8-10 years.  Freeman doesn’t have that, but I guess if he stays durable he could have a Frank Gore type of career, which id take in a heartbeat.

Frank Gore has been productive for a long time and is still going.

[thebestever6]

Do we count the picks traded to aquire veteran talent in Cravens and Veldeer. Because if you do its 2018 by far.  

I think true winning teams don't pver value draft picks and Denver fits that,narrative.

[AkronsWitness]

This may have been talked about already (probably was) but anybody else notice the similarities between Sutton/Demaryius and Hamilton/Sanders?

Given that both WRs are 30+ years old and take up a bunch of cap, especially DT, could this be a transition year to cutting Sanders/DT next season ala Dez Bryant.

As soon they drafted both of them and looked at their strengths and sizes, that immediately popped in my mind.

I have sentimental value with DT so I really really dont want him to leave without a chance at restructuring his deal.

[Broncofan]

11 minutes ago, AkronsWitness said:

This may have been talked about already (probably was) but anybody else notice the similarities between Sutton/Demaryius and Hamilton/Sanders?

Given that both WRs are 30+ years old and take up a bunch of cap, especially DT, could this be a transition year to cutting Sanders/DT next season ala Dez Bryant.

As soon they drafted both of them and looked at their strengths and sizes, that immediately popped in my mind.

I have sentimental value with DT so I really really dont want him to leave without a chance at restructuring his deal.

DT-in-prime had way more explosion, YAC & home-run ability than present day Sutton.   Present-day DT isn't a whole lot different, though.   And yeah, a whole lot more expensive.

Hamilton is a slot-only guy.   In that way, he's not nearly as high-ceiling as Sanders proved to be (originally we thought he was a slot-only guy, how wrong we all were).   

But yeah, there's 100 percent likelihood one of DT/Sanders are gone after this year.    And I think it's a 75-80 percent chance both are gone by 2019.  I don't think it will happen with both guys after 2018, we'll be choosing to keep 1 guy.   I'd much prefer DT too, frankly, the $ difference isn't that great, and DT's actually proven to be a safer bet (for all the bad press he gets, never missed a game - that kind of longevity and reliability is just not seen).   Obviously we have all season to decide, but it's pretty clear given our cap situation, we have to shed 1 of the 2 guys...and likely, by 2019, both are done.    Either way, though, it's good to have this kind of flexibility - while nothing is written in stone, at no point last offseason did I feel like we had a clear long-term direction with who we took.  This clearly has 2019+ in mind.