2024 Team Outlook

[broncosfan_101]

I’ve seen a few of these models now that have us pegged as a bottom 3 team. The night is darkest before the dawn? (Bring me Deone Walker or Mason Graham next April)

[BullsandBroncos]

Teams like KC getting a top 5 easiest schedule is hilarious 

[MontanaBronco]

1 hour ago, BullsandBroncos said:

Teams like KC getting a top 5 easiest schedule is hilarious 

That is the benefit of sharing a division with the Broncos, Raiders and Chargers. We both play the NFC South and AFC North. The only difference is we play the Jets, Seahawks, and Colts and the Chiefs play the 49ers, Bills, and Texans. In other words, they have a harder schedule than we do. 

Edited May 17 by MontanaBronco

[AkronsWitness]

Im not sure whats more stupid, post-draft grades or schedule difficulty rankings based on last seasons teams

[broncos_fan _from _uk]

8 hours ago, AkronsWitness said:

Im not sure whats more stupid, post-draft grades or schedule difficulty rankings based on last seasons teams

Agreed but there are things about the timing of man schedule that can help or hurt a team. Specifically for a west coast(ish) team things like: back to back east coast road games, timing of the bye, do you play hot weather road games (mia, Jax, ect) in September, do you play cold weather road games (KC, Buf, GB, ect) in Dec, how often are you playing a team with more prep time than you? How often are you the 2+ team on an opponents road trip vs always being the first team?

As a cold weather team we can be helped by having Dome/warm weather teams play us in Denver in Dec.

Denver’s schedule is brutal because it’s like they did everything they could to hurt without helping. Late Bye, multiple eat cost road trips, TB in September, the second largest planning day deficit both in terms of number of games (6) and net (-17;  https://www.sharpfootballanalysis.com/betting/teams-hurt-helped-nfl-schedule-rest-disparity-2024/#iLightbox[gallery85130]/0) Denver’s Bye and two road games are in December with the Browns and colts (only real timing win in the schedule) as our home games. 
 

The teams and locations are what they are. The timing of this schedule is brutal.

[AnAngryAmerican]

Yeah this schedule is total nightmare. If there are silver linings to be found, I would say it will help a young team learn to deal with adversity and it’s likely to net us a higher slate of draft picks, and I believe next year we do have a full slate. If we’re out of the running late in the season, it could also allow us to sell high on player trades, like last year we could have gotten a 3rd and a 5th for Jeudy in-season instead of the 5th and 6th we got in the end.

To downside to a bad year is it could cause the fans to turn on Sean and Nix, among others, but them most notably. And the last thing you want is to go into 2025 with both facing questions about it being a “make or break year,” and the distractions that come with an embattled HC and QB. 

[AKRNA]

1 hour ago, AnAngryAmerican said:

Yeah this schedule is total nightmare. If there are silver linings to be found, I would say it will help a young team learn to deal with adversity and it’s likely to net us a higher slate of draft picks, and I believe next year we do have a full slate. If we’re out of the running late in the season, it could also allow us to sell high on player trades, like last year we could have gotten a 3rd and a 5th for Jeudy in-season instead of the 5th and 6th we got in the end.

To downside to a bad year is it could cause the fans to turn on Sean and Nix, among others, but them most notably. And the last thing you want is to go into 2025 with both facing questions about it being a “make or break year,” and the distractions that come with an embattled HC and QB. 

Hopefully no one seriously considers that 2025 should be a "make or break" year. We're still sliding down the hole George put us in. Next year we'll finally have the draft capitol and finances to begin to claw our way up. 

Patience however is not a strong suit of this fanbase. lack of it will keep us at the bottom forever. 

[AnAngryAmerican]

18 hours ago, AKRNA said:

Hopefully no one seriously considers that 2025 should be a "make or break" year. We're still sliding down the hole George put us in. Next year we'll finally have the draft capitol and finances to begin to claw our way up. 

Patience however is not a strong suit of this fanbase. lack of it will keep us at the bottom forever. 

Despite the Russ trade - and subsequent contract was part of the deal considering Russ’ no trade clause - George has done a decent job. Perfect? No. But not bad either.

And if Nix is a bust, or not Drew Brees 2.0 as the local media sycophants are all saying, that’ll be on Sean, not George. 

Edited May 20 by AnAngryAmerican

[AKRNA]

1 hour ago, AnAngryAmerican said:

Despite the Russ trade - and subsequent contract was part of the deal considering Russ’ no trade clause - George has done a decent job. Percent? No. But not bad either.

And if Nix is a bust, or not Drew Brees 2.0 as the local media sycophants are all saying, that’ll be on Sean, not George. 

I shouldn't have even mentioned George, it's irrelevant. The point is, we need to be patient. I'd think by year 5 of Seans contract if we're not seeing serious improvement then he's fair game. Prior to that he's got his hands full turning this ship around. He'll finally have a full contingent of draft picks next year but still has to deal with the final $32million cap hit for Russ. That's even with the $53 million hit this year.

What a tough way to start. He'll be entering into his 4th year before Russ's contract is behind him.

 

 

[broncos67]

13 hours ago, AKRNA said:

I shouldn't have even mentioned George, it's irrelevant. The point is, we need to be patient. I'd think by year 5 of Seans contract if we're not seeing serious improvement then he's fair game. Prior to that he's got his hands full turning this ship around. He'll finally have a full contingent of draft picks next year but still has to deal with the final $32million cap hit for Russ. That's even with the $53 million hit this year.

What a tough way to start. He'll be entering into his 4th year before Russ's contract is behind him.

 

 

No coach that you have to trade two premium picks for should need 5 years to turn the franchise around. This year is a grace year, but if Nix starts all year, you'd certainly expect that next year we're at least competitive. If we traded away those picks just to need 5 years for the coach to turn the team around, it was an idiotic hire to begin with and we would have been better off hiring a coach that didn't require draft compensation

[jolly red giant]

22 hours ago, AKRNA said:

We're still sliding down the hole George put us in.

We are sliding down the hole that Elway and Ellis put us in.

Paton did not want Hackett - he wanted Quinn - Elway overruled him in an attempt to get Rodgers for the Walmarts and reproduce what he did with Manning. When Rodgers turned them down, Elway wanted a marquee trade to assist the sale to the Walmarts.

[jolly red giant]

1 hour ago, broncos67 said:

No coach that you have to trade two premium picks for should need 5 years to turn the franchise around. This year is a grace year, but if Nix starts all year, you'd certainly expect that next year we're at least competitive. If we traded away those picks just to need 5 years for the coach to turn the team around, it was an idiotic hire to begin with and we would have been better off hiring a coach that didn't require draft compensation

There is an element of realism needed here - without a QB and a cap number strangling you - it is hard to produce a competitive team. Payton has the reputation that if he lives up to it, we will have a competitive team sooner rather than later - but if it takes a year or two longer, as long as the foundations are solid, it will be worthwhile.

Remember we have been mired in mediocrity for the last 8 years - give the guy a chance to do his job.

Now - saying that - if Nix doesn't produce then Payton has one foot out the door.

Edited May 20 by jolly red giant

[broncos67]

7 minutes ago, jolly red giant said:

There is an element of realism needed here - without a QB and a cap number strangling you - it is hard to produce a competitive team. Payton has the reputation that if he lives up to it, we will have a competitive team sooner rather than later - but if it takes a year or two longer, as long as the foundations are solid, it will be worthwhile.

Remember we have been mired in mediocrity for the last 8 years - give the guy a chance to do his job.

Now - saying that - if Nix doesn't produce then Payton has one foot out the door.

I'm fully onboard with giving Sean the chance because we paid a ransom for a coach, I'm just saying when you do that kind of thing, it should be because the results will come quickly. Otherwise it's idiotic to give up a first round pick for a the hope that a coach will fix the team 5 years in.

[AKRNA]

51 minutes ago, broncos67 said:

I'm fully onboard with giving Sean the chance because we paid a ransom for a coach, I'm just saying when you do that kind of thing, it should be because the results will come quickly. Otherwise it's idiotic to give up a first round pick for a the hope that a coach will fix the team 5 years in.

But that's a different conversation.

As @jolly red giant points out we have to face reality. So does Sean. No coach in history could rapidly turn around this franchise IE: little talent, loss of premium draft picks, huge dead cap numbers, no retained coaching staff, no QB ......................  We'll be entering Seans 4th year before he's out from under Russ's contract (Another $32 million next year on top of the $53 this year)

So, lets be patient.

 

[paul-mac]

Drew Sanders torn achilles.

 

Why can’t this team have nice things?