Arrington's Knee: The Waiver

Soooooooo they axe Arrington mere months after signing, still having a stable full of Moreno, Buckhalter, Jordan, Hillis, Torain and Moore.

Meanwhile, Marshall is unhappy with his contract and the owner recently expressed a lack of confidence in Orton.

What is this team going to do when they go 2-4 before their BYE week? I don't know, but it's going to make great television.

If Shanahan was running things we'd likely be on the hook for the full 1.8M. Nice one.

Now that's, smart business ;)

Paul - When did Bowlen express a lack of confidence in Orton? Must of missed that one. I would think Bowlen would have lack of confidence in anyone not named Elway or Shannahan, lol! You see how uncomfortable he looked in the war room this past April!

I always thought Orton was on the lower end of the QB rankings myself!

Not a bad consolation prize for signing a paper, rhabbing (which you'd be doing anyway), and seeing a few doctors. He'll play again if his knee gets back to near normal.

rehabbing*

http://broncotalk.net/2009/05/pat-bowlen-is-not-brimming-over-with-confidence-in-kyle-orton/

It was more of just stammering than lack of confidence, so I apologize for a preemptive judgment.

Bowlen definitely isn't the worst owner in the league, or really even in that conversation, but at the same time he needs to realize he has a new coach, a new QB and a defense that, while improved, couldn't stop spitwads last year.

It's a good move to dump Arrington, but I can't get the taste out of my mouth from the draft where Denver just seemed panicked and unsure of themselves. They created a new team identity with Cutler and since parted ways, and now they have no idea who is going to be under center or in the backfield come regular season.

Good team to keep an eye on, for better or worse.

Paul,

I listened to the interview on the radio and Bowlen didn't say anything other than, "It is too early to tell how it is going to play out at the QB position". Which I took as meaning he was unwilling to back either Simms or Orton, thus undermining Josh McDaniels.

Broncotalk seems to be issuing his own opinion on that interview, one that I disagree with. You seem panicked and uncertain, since you obviously have little grasp of what McD is attempting to do here.

Clearly. Please enlighten me.

From where I sit I see an owner who watched as his new coach ran his franchise QB out of town while still receiving flak for showing Shanahan the door, and who is going to struggle coping with mediocrity for the foreseeable future in an otherwise winnable division.

But, as you said, that's me being panicked and uncertain.

The Denver Post reported "the coach" as saying Chris Simms and Kyle Orton are in a dead heat for the starters job. I understand it's early since training camp is still over a month away but my question is: If Orton was the key piece to the Cutler trade, shouldn't he be the clear leader for the starting position or was the coach blowing smoke. Tlynch please enlighten us Bronco fans with what McD is trying to accomplish.

Goes to show that the current management of the Broncos has it's act together. This contract was well thought out, and protected the club financially.

This is an excellent article, because it goes deeper then the usual knee-jerk reactions in the media. Remember all the criticism on draft day about the Broncos paying for all those running backs in free agency and then drafting a RB? Well, turns out there was not big money lost on those signings.

When you have all the facts, the current group looks clever, not foolish. It's the press that looks foolish when they assume. (And not one of them will apologize for ranting irrationally either.)

Andrew Brandt is a class act for doing the research. How do we clone him? How do we restore integrity to the media?

Anybody who has been paying more than passing attention to what specifically McDaniels and co. are doing wouldn't say the Broncos appear panicked or unsure of their identity.

Unfortunately, that leaves out the majority of national sports writers, who find it easier to parrot each other (and Jamie Dukes) and pretend they've examined the Broncos' moves and found them silly, than to do any in-depth reporting.

Pace what some national and local media folks have told you, the Broncos' biggest problem on defense last year was not the d-line; it was horrific secondary play, coupled with out of position linebackers who couldn't tackle. We released two of our starting linebackers from last year's 4-3, and we've replaced nearly all of the safeties.

The Broncos had the worst safety play I believe I've ever seen last season. McDaniels added Dawkins and Hill, and then drafted McBath and Bruton for Dawkins to tutor. Barrett, a holdover, is a talent.

Similarly, the Broncos added Goodman to play with a healthy Bailey at corner, then drafted Smith, who will play nickel and ST and be mentored by Bailey and Goodman. Jack Williams is a talented holdover.

On the D-line, the Broncos brought in Ronald Fields to play NT -- a guy that Mike Lombardi noted is the perfect player for a 3-4 team. Beyond that, they have a host of beefy options to replace the departed Engleberger and Ekuban, and so will be playing much heavier on the d-line (Marcus Thomas, Carlton Powell, Ryan McBean, UFA Chris Baker -- nearly all are at 310 plus).

DJ Williams and Andra Davis will play ILB, with Williams playing Will, which should free him up to roam and make tackles. On the outside, the Broncos are loaded with the kinds of "hybrid" draftniks are always going on about -- from Dumervil and first rounder Ayers to erstwhile first round bust Jarvis Moss. Throw in Reid, Boss Bailey, Wesley Woodyard, and Spencer Larsen, and the Broncos have depth all along the front 7.

Learning new schemes takes time; but I think a lot of folks are underestimating the Broncos' this year -- for two reasons: first, the Cutler trade, and second, the Moreno selection (over, say, Orakpo, who at 260 is another hybrid type).

I think the naysayers are making a mistake, but as a Broncos' fan, I hope that not just the media, but other teams continue to underestimate us, as well.

Jim,
I don't believe that Orton WAS the key piece to the Cutler trade. I think that the two first round draft picks were.