KRIEGER: Broncos' disappointments temper optimism

By Dave Krieger, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published September 5, 2008 at 11:15 p.m.

Text size  

• 11 Comments
• Email
• Print

The gathering optimism of spring and summer in football is no different from the gathering optimism of winter and spring in baseball, except you get a lot less poetry about life being reborn.

Which is a good thing. Surprisingly, it turns out there aren't that many actual poets among sportswriters.

In either season, the key to preseason optimism is forgetting the previous season, which gets easier to do the closer the new season comes. For Broncos fans, it's particularly easy this year because of all the carnage.

Between the player turnover, the coordinator turnover and the front- office turnover, these Broncos have almost nothing to do with those 7-9 Broncos. At least, that's what they're saying, repeatedly, in Dove Valley.

These Broncos have 10 first-year players, nine second-year players and a new coordinator on each side of the ball. They have two assistant general managers and no general manager. Innovation is running rampant.

Youth is not generally served by the NFL standings, but decider Mike Shanahan, who did not turn over, insists his team will not miss the playoffs for a third consecutive year. For the orange assembly that follows his every utterance, this is good enough.

And maybe it will be. It's been a while since a Broncos offensive combination produced the anticipation of Jay Cutler to Brandon Marshall.

But somebody has to lower expectations, if only for the sake of the fragile municipal psyche. Check out these disappointments coming out of camp:

* Niko Koutouvides, who signed a three-year, $7.5 million free-agent deal to play middle linebacker, was beaten out by holdover Nate Webster and will start the season doing what he did last year in Seattle - playing special teams. On the bright side, he's a very good special-teamer.

* Keary Colbert got a $2.5 million signing bonus to play wide receiver opposite Marshall. Going into the season, he is the fifth of five wide receivers.

* Jarvis Moss, the 2007 first-round draft pick they traded up to get, failed to win a starting job at defensive end coming out of his second pro camp. His competition was undersize Elvis Dumervil and journeyman John Engelberger.

Shanahan seldom criticizes a player in public, so it is no surprise that he attributes these outcomes to outstanding play by the winners rather than disappointing play by the losers.

"That's what you get these guys for," he said. "You don't know if guys are going to start. You have guys that compete. Felt very good about our linebacking corps, but I thought we needed some more depth. One guy goes down, you're one play away from being the starter.

"Nate Webster came back and had a heck of a camp. He did everything you could ask a guy to do. He's played better than he's ever played. We always play the best players, regardless. So I like what we've got there. But we got Niko, he's a team player, he'll help us on special teams.

"And then you never know about the wide receiver position. You don't want to put all the pressure on a young guy coming out, a guy like Eddie Royal. Eddie Royal has earned that position.

"Then you have the other veterans compete. (Darrell) Jackson, Colbert, we'll find out at the end of the season who really takes the bull by the horns. But when you've got guys that have some playing experience and guys that have made some plays in the National Football League, you feel pretty good about where you're at."

If Shanahan's analysis is correct, it won't matter if the club overspent in free agency for Koutouvides and Colbert. Webster and Royal will have big seasons, the needs at their positions will be filled, and the preseason optimism, at least at those spots, will be justified.

Royal earning a starting job could more than make up for Colbert failing to. That Webster, in his ninth season, has become a top-shelf middle linebacker, or Dumervil-Engelberger an imposing tandem at defensive end, is a tougher sell.

"Two guys competed and one guy won," Koutouvides said. "I probably could have done some things better. It's a new team, new environment. That's just the way it goes. If you have your opportunity, you have to take advantage of it."

Moss is penciled in as a situational pass rusher. The Broncos insist he's coming along fine, but '07 fourth- rounder Marcus Thomas has already won a starting spot at defensive tackle and both of this year's top picks - Ryan Clady and Royal - made the first team coming out of camp.

Not everybody can start, of course. Maybe the Broncos have so many good players their second-teamers would be starters elsewhere. That's what they said about Koutouvides in Seattle.

If that's the case, they become merely payroll anomalies. You don't generally pay seven-figure bonuses for backups or special-teamers. And you hope that a first-round choice you traded up to get is having some impact by his second year.

Of course, it's a long season. Injuries might still give these guys a chance to prove that Shanahan was right about them before he was wrong about them.

• September 5, 2008

  11:42 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  crushon77 writes:

  damn you, krieger.

  stop making sense.

• September 6, 2008

  1:22 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  LarryB writes:

  Wow, Krieger. Moss was beaten out by an "undersized" Dumervil? I can understand "journeyman" Engelberger, but wouldn't it have been a tad more accurate if you would have said something such as, "Moss was beaten out by a journeyman on one side, and, of course, no one is going to beat out a defensive end who had 12.5 sacks last year (Dumervil) on the other." Something like that?

  A decent article, otherwise . . .

• September 6, 2008

  5:56 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  esaxxman writes:

  You know looking though the looking glass the way we do sometimes we do fine dents, however it's all about beleiving, if we beleive then they beleive. Logical press at times can put a damper on things, but it also can fortifiy a human emotion. Football is football and on any givin Sunday..., any givin Sunday.

• September 6, 2008

  6:56 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  DeimosJB writes:

  Some good points, but let's be realistic here - Webster is back to playing his natural position after being miscast for years. Of course he's going to play better there. The expectations for Webster at Mike cannot be equated with Webster's play at Sam. On your second point, I'm not worried at all that Jarvis Moss hasn't unseated Dumervil. Dumervil was a beast last year, and is only going to be better this year - particularly if he gets some help on the line and doesn't get double-teamed constantly. Besides, Moss is essentially a rookie. Engelberger is another story, and if Moss hasn't surpassed Engelberger by the end of the year, that will be cause for concern. At least give Moss a chance to play in a few games before you start labeling him a bust.

• September 6, 2008

  8:05 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  broncodano writes:

  First of all, you refer to Niko, Moss, and Colbert as disappointments. It suprises me that, since you carry the title of sports journalist, that it is LOST on you that Shanahan brings in players to COMPETE for positions. Niko is an insurance policy at middle linebacker, and if Nate goes down, we have a heck of a back up, not to mention, if Niko gets fired up, he could steal the job back.

  Its called competition, and it makes the team stronger...

  Secondly, Moss is in, arguably, his first year. Last year really doesnt count because of the season ending injury. Mario Williams, Pro Bowl defensive end, only had 4 sacks his first year. Some other moron of a sportswriter considered Mario Williams the biggest bust since the Hindenburg... and we all know how THAT turned out... so give the kid some time.

  And if you think the club OVERSPENT on Niko and Colbert... why dont you look at the numbers the Raiders are throwing around...

  Damn, can the Broncos EVER get a fair shake in this town? First, they were too old, then too costly, now?

  Too young and no leadership experience.

  If they make the Super Bowl this year, you journalists will complain that they took all the fun out of the season by getting to the big game too fast....

  bd

• September 6, 2008

  9:46 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  aragornzxl writes:

  I do not think that niko was a dissapointment. True, he did not win the starting spot, but he is screw-up insurance, not to mention a great special teamer. All through training camp and into the preseason, the middle linebacker position was tied between Webster and Koudo. Webster finally won the job because webster was a little better than Koudo. The brocnos need koudo because if webster goes down, or if he underperforms, Koudo will be right there with a grin on his face.

• September 6, 2008

  10:15 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  JohnnyBallgame writes:

  Kreiger play a sport in your life then we will take you seriously, riding pine all your life does not make you an expert. Thanks for making us all dumber.

• September 6, 2008

  10:18 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  ballhead writes:

  Yeah, Krieger's right on pretty much the whole thing. You don't pay a really good special teamer $7.5 million or whatever. Sorry, Niko needs to be much better than that. Hopefully, he gets acclimated and starts to bring it soon.

  Colbert should've been cut and, IMHO, really tests Shanahan's "the best player always plays" mantra. (That is, unless you've already given a guy a few million up front, in which case he makes the team).

  Moss gets a little more slack... but seriously, has the guy shown us anything? I mean ANYTHING? Everytime I look at the guy he's on his a** watching a running back go by. Please, please pick it up Jarvis.

  All that said, there's always busts and surprises and the Broncos seem to be more than making up for busts with lower draft picks and undrafteds.

• September 6, 2008

  12:03 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Max_Inman writes:

  Great well thought out article! Keep it up!

• September 6, 2008

  4:56 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  incognitoboy writes:

  good article, dave. the thing that concerns ME most relating to moss, is that he is incapable of adding bulk. that's not speculation on my part, that's what moss himself said. i'm concerned about a lack of bulk meaning a plateau effect of the strength he needs at his position. can't really go up against behemoth OTs with nothing but speed forever.......is it possible he'll have to move to LB before his career is done?

  shannon sharpe was the poster child for adding bulk without the 'roids. get him on the phone!! at least DON'T let jarvis push away from the table, like, EVER. except to work out.....

• September 7, 2008

  9:49 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  den2mke writes:

  'Shannon Sharpe poster child for adding bulk without 'roids'? Do we know that for sure? I love Shannon as much as anyone, but I still find it a bit hard to believe how quickly he went from undefined WR/TE to bulking adonis physique--happened pretty much in one off-season.

  As for Moss, this guys is just starting to get his wheels underneath him. Let's give him a little time before casting him a bust. And that draft included Thomas, Crowder, Harris and others. Not every pick is going to succeed--though you'd like to think a number-one will.

  As for Colbert, let's also see when the real playing starts if he demonstrates a bit more than we've seen in limited pre-season time. That all starts Monday Night.

  Definitely ready for some football. KC, SD, Indy and Jax all lost and the Patriots plan may be severely altered if Brady is out. A win on Monday night and things couldn't be off to a better start :)

Featured

• Denver turns 150

  

  Read about the city's history, look at old photos and see a list of influential Denverites.

• Mount Crushmore

  

  Which four Broncos greats should be immortalized on Mount Crushmore? Vote here.

• Winter Escapes

  

  Your insider’s guide to the copious joys of the coolest season.

• Rocky Multimedia

  

  The news comes alive in our videos and slide shows. Catch up on what's happening today.

• Weekend plans?

  

  Figure out things to do this weekend with the help of our entertainment calendar.

• Bronco Dean's rant

  

  Listen to Bronco Dean's pregame rant on the Raiders.

• Season To Share

  

  The Post-News Season To Share campaign provides grants to area nonprofits.

• The Rocky @ 150 Years

  

  The Rocky was there when Colorado became a state in 1876. Read our coverage.

• A Dozen on Denver

  

  And the winner is... Robert Ziegler! See the whole fiction series by clicking here.