KRIEGER: Lynch ponders possible role change

By Dave Krieger, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published July 25, 2008 at 7:39 p.m.

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Photo by Barry Gutierrez

Denver Broncos safety John Lynch smiles after the team's first training camp workout at Dove Valley on Friday.

It's a little more complicated than this, but put yourself in John Lynch's cleats for a minute: The same club that urged you to come back now wants to take away half your snaps. Maybe more than half your snaps.

It went like this: Head coach Mike Shanahan told the veteran safety he wanted him back on the last day of last season, when an emotional Lynch was dealing internally with the possibility that he had walked off a football field as a player for the last time.

Next, while Lynch was at the Pro Bowl, Shanahan let him know he would have to take a pay cut.

Next, as Lynch was considering free agency, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen lobbied him to return. Bowlen's team was dealing with character issues and already looking at the retirement of Rod Smith, a key veteran leader.

Lynch agreed. His family liked it in Colorado. And let's be honest - there's not that big a market for 16th-year pro football players.

Now, Lynch shows up at training camp to hear defensive coordinator Bob Slowik say the nine-time Pro Bowler's chances of starting "are just as good as anyone else's chances." He hears Shanahan say, "I think John knows that as you get older there are no promises."

He certainly does.

"It's difficult," Lynch said Friday after the first practice of camp. "I think that's what a lot of older players go through. But I made a decision to come back irrespective of that. They asked me to take a pay cut, so you don't have to be a brain surgeon to know something's up."

When you hear Shanahan talk about 99 percent participation in the team's offseason workout program, Lynch is the other 1 percent.

With Shanahan's permission, he went home to San Diego, where he could be with his family and still do three-a-day workouts (5:30 a.m., 10 a.m., 5 p.m.) with his brother-in- law, former Bears tight end John Allred, under the direction of his longtime trainer (and former Marine), Pete Egoscue.

He says his soon-to-be 37-year-old body handled them well. Ask him if he feels, being as objective as he can, that he's still capable of NFL pass coverage and he looks you right in the eye. "I do," he says. "I don't know what their opinion is, but I do."

Their opinion seems to be that they don't. In the first practice of camp, he lined up with Marlon McCree in the base defense and watched McCree and Hamza Abdullah line up in the drill that generally reflects the nickel and dime packages.

Combined with Slowik's guarantee that the Broncos will put more defenders at the line of scrimmage to play the run this year, this suggests Lynch as an eighth man in the box on first down and short yardage, but Abdullah in his spot the rest of the time.

Of course, this turns Lynch into a one-stop checkoff signal for the opposing quarterback, which can't thrill Slowik.

"I've got a lot of pride," Lynch said. "Believe me, and the coaches know this, it's not easy for me to come out. I don't want to come off for a play, let alone make it an everyday thing. But knowing that that's the deal, rather than sit there and stew about it, I'm going to go have fun whenever I'm out there and make the decision tough on them.

"The thing I know in the back of my mind is there's a lot of football to be played, and when the real bullets start flying, I know what I can do."

But what if it comes down to being a part-time player? Will he accept that, or might he reconsider his decision to play another season?

"Enjoy every second of every day," he said, laughing, avoiding the question. "Part of that is a feeling-out process for me. We'll see. It's uncharted territory for me."

It's a delicate situation for everybody involved. Especially with Smith gone, the Broncos need Lynch's intensity and leadership. They can use his still-acute nose for the ball along the line of scrimmage and as a blitzer. But from the press box, he does look like a liability in pass coverage, or at least did last season, before his Pete Egoscue three-a-days.

Of the four athletic greats that have been considering retirement lately in Colorado, Lynch is the one least willing to pull that trigger. Joe Sakic is weighing the possibility deep into hockey's offseason. Peter Forsberg is putting it off for medical reasons. Rod Smith finally did the press conference Thursday.

For Lynch, the reason is simple. He still has a little boy's enthusiasm for playing the game. He made his decision to play another year at the Pro Bowl. He had just come from practice. He told his wife, Linda, he was having too much fun to give it up.

"I had a smile on my face when I came out here today because I get a chance to do this for another year," he said Friday.

"Just enjoy every bit of it and let the cards fall where they fall."

For the Broncos, it's not quite that simple.

Lynch's leadership and fierce pride are a package deal. The club can't necessarily have one while doing damage to the other. It might turn out to be all or nothing.

• July 26, 2008

  12:40 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Outlaw writes:

  There is no doubt in anybody's mind that John will be a factor in next year's team. Shanny dumps any wannbe's right out of the gate. There is no loyalty with the Broncos. John Lynch is the real deal. Just like Rod Smith; heart and determination will show up on game day. John's work ethic and heart will beat out the show boat crowd every time. Maybe not on every down, but most certainly on every game day. The man can start on most teams in the NFL---Add in the leadership and x-factor and he is a bargain.

• July 26, 2008

  12:47 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Dynamicdave writes:

  This will be John's last year in the NFL. I'd love to see him go out on top, with a ring on his finger. He is still a hard hitter and he will put some damage on opposing offenses. By the way, does anyone know what happened to the Sam Adams forum? I was not able to get on for the past week and now it's completely disappeared?

• July 26, 2008

  11:24 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Brain writes:

  Lynch ponders possible role change?? No it sounds like Krieger is the one pondering it, Lynch knows where he stands on this team. Leave it to a poor sports writer to print something that is asinine.

• July 26, 2008

  12:01 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  RockyMts69 writes:

  John Lynch brings loyalty, integrity, and respect to the game on and off the field. But most of all... EXPERIENCE & LEADERSHIP!!! And that's something you can't put a price on!

  Just because you're the head coach, that doesn't make you the smartest guy on the field. If John Lynch wants to play EVERY down, then let him play the game HIS way!

• July 26, 2008

  12:02 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Pigskin writes:

  "They asked me to take a pay cut, so you don't have to be a brain surgeon to know something's up." - John Lynch

  You don't have to be a brain surgeon, but you have to be a little smarter than "Brain."
  Good column, Krieger. If you write more Broncos stuff, maybe it's a bit less Lincicome we'll have to endure.

• July 26, 2008

  12:07 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Brain writes:

  They asked me to take a pay cut, so you don't have to be a brain surgeon to know something's up." - John Lynch
  Exactly, as I pointed out Lynch knows where he stands on this team, he is not "pondering" anything, crappy column as usual from both kreiger and lincocome.

• July 26, 2008

  1:02 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Spider writes:

  You can may try and make determinations of a persons performance by his age and speed, but never underestimate heart, soul and experience.

• July 26, 2008

  1:11 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Spider writes:

  Dave,

  Try this link:

  http://blogs.rockymountainnews.com/sa...

• July 26, 2008

  1:33 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Dynamicdave writes:

  Spider, thanks, but the one I'm looking for is the one with his face, framed in the little square box. You click it and it gives the list. It was formatted different and I signed in with just my screen name and password, not like this one where they want the URL, as well. I could not get in to the blog for almost a week, then it disappeared, altogether? I think they canceled it?

• July 26, 2008

  3:11 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  trekers writes:

  The whole Denver community is fortunate to have this quality man as part of it! I've had some personal experience with this "gentleman" & am proud to say so. We no longer reside in Colorado but will remain Bronco & Avalanche addicts forever & have such fond personal memories. Not all players remember how being men, sons, husbands, fathers & friends are their most important roles & teammates is for fun! John emulates all of this; we all appreciate & respect him for that. Have fun this season John & maybe the Broncos will have the foresight to make you part of their coaching staff for future years!

• July 26, 2008

  5:11 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Spider writes:

  Dave,

  I think they replaced it with the link I posted. BTW you don't have to type in a URL, it's not a required field.

• July 27, 2008

  1:19 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Dynamicdave writes:

  Spider, thanks. I'll look into it tomorrow.

• July 27, 2008

  8:42 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  myerda00 writes:

  John is a HOF, but he is a liability to the defense this year. The good QB's will see his limitations and take advantage. If he can not stay on the field through training camp he must retire since he does not play special teams. Coaches were smart to stockpile safties (McCree, Manuel) this off season and also get Barrett in the draft. Hamsa and McCree to start.
  IMO you may see Foxworth taking more reps at RCB.

• July 27, 2008

  1:21 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Soonerhorse writes:

  Lynch is one of those rare players who has always enjoyed a reputation that is well beyond his abilities and production. I think its the football version of the 'great white hope' phenomenon. Two years ago, when Denver had that classic shootout with Indy at Mile High, the tide turned when Manning started to work Lynch's area exclusively. A few weeks later, after Denver built a huge home lead against San Diego, it was like the Chargers didn't remember until half time that it was effectively 11 on 10 with 47 out there. When they started going at Lynch, they couldn't be stopped, and Denver basically mailed in the rest of the season. In that game and since against the Chargers, you all most feel sorry for Lynch because Gates make him look so bad play after play after play. I think it was last season when a far angle replayed showed that when a rushed and off balance Phillip Rivers threw a dead duck in Gates' direction, Lynch had perfect position and Gates was on the ground. Gates got up, got position, and scored.

  Loyalty is the only thing that has Lynch in camp. Steve Atwater was essentially forced into retirement when his skills declined and he was still better when he retired than Lynch has ever been in a Bronco uniform.

  The dude is running on fumes and has been for years.

• July 27, 2008

  7:50 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  raoul writes:

  he oughta retire now before he tackles with his head down one too many times and becomes mush. He's a classic example of spearing with his helmet first and a cheap shot artist too.

• July 28, 2008

  11:29 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Dynamicdave writes:

  raoul, you're an idiot. Plain and simple. Now, let's say it together...IDIOT!

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