Im very excited that the Broncos will be wearing blue jerseys with white pants against the Packers; recreating the Super Bowl XXXII look. Pat Bowlen will be inducted into the Ring of Fame on that night against the Packers, which is why they are going with this style. It will be a night to remember because Bowlen was integral to the success that the Broncos have had since he bought the team. During his tenure, the team appeared in more Super Bowls than they had losing seasons. I'm very excited that I decided to get tickets to this game because there is going to be a great atmosphere and there are few things better than watching a legend being honored live.
They will wear the all blue alternates against the Raiders on December 13th. They have worn these once per year since they have switched to Orange as the primary color. I really like the all blues, but I wish they would have just chose the Packer game to wear the alternates because then they could have used all blue against Kansas City on week two Thursday night because the NFL said they might start using color-on-color for Thursday night broadcasts.
Saturday, August 22, 2015
Broncos @Texans Backup Preview
Brock Osweiler played well against Seattle and proved to me that he can be the QB after Manning calls it quits. He at least has the potential of Jake Plummer and he lead the Broncos to an AFC championship game. He should be able to handle Houston's second team well. I am more interested in seeing if Siemian or Dysert receive third team reps. Siemian clearly outplayed him in Seattle, but I am not sure if he has convinced coaches to keep him on the final 53. He seemed very poised against Seattle, which is something he should carry over into Houston. Dysert might not see any playing time considering his struggles and that Manning could be playing the entire first half.
Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman are firmly number two and three on the depth chart and are not fighting for a roster spot. However, if Hillman has another good game and Ball struggles, he could find himself receiving more touches than Ball in the regular season. Hillman ran very well in the first game and I would love to watch him repeat that performance in Houston. Montee had some decent runs, but did not have a great game overall. Hopefully he is able to string together some quality runs in this game. Juwan Thompson did not run well, but he did not get any help from an offensive line that struggled to give him lanes. He is still likely to make the roster considering Jeremy Stewart and Kapri Bibbs have not done anything spectacular. I hope the line can block at least semi decently so he at least has a chance to run well.
Cody Latimer is the third receiver when everyone is healthy, but he will get a lot of playing time in this game since Sanders is not going to play. Bennie Fowler will also get a lot of playing time because he has had a great camp along with a productive first game. With another excellent showing, he could solidify a roster spot for himself. Jordan Norwood also has a chance to make the roster, but he needs to do better on special teams to give him a boost. Jordan Taylor and Solomon Patton also have a shot, but Andre Caldwell stands in their way because of his relationship with Manning and his veteran leadership. The coaching staff probably would like to see more out of Dominique Jones. He only had one catch in the first game and I am sure the coaching staff would like to keep a third tight end on the roster even though James Casey will play fullback and tight end. Hopefully he is able stand out on Saturday.
The backup offensive line was not any good against Seattle. They struggled to produce holes in the running game and also had some trouble pass blocking. Ben Garland, Michael Schofield and Gino Gradkowski all had bad games. Each of them had a chance to start this season and it is a relief to know that they aren't likely to anymore. However, they really need to show improvement just in case one of the current starters is lost due to injury.
Darius Kilgo played very well against Seattle and demonstrated to fans why he has jumped up the depth chart. He should have a good follow up game and should prove to be a good rotational player during his rookie season. Marvin Austin was placed on IR, which means Sione Fua likely makes the team. Kenny Anunike will miss this game, which means Antonio Smith will see plenty of snaps. Chuka Ndulue and Josh Watson will also get chances, but their hopes lie in a spot on the practice squad.
Shaq Barrett looks to dominate much like he did in the first game. I go to CSU so I have been a fan of him, but his game against Seattle opened the eyes of many fans. If he lives in the backfield against the Texans, he could start earning himself some decent rotational time during the regular season. Unfortunately, Lerentee McCray will not see any action this week because he is still in the process of returning from multiple injuries. Chase Vaughn had a pretty good first game, but his chances of getting on the 53 man roster are slim, but he will be fighting for a spot on the practice squad. Lamin Barrow, Steven Johnson and Corey Nelson are all looking to make an impact in this game because one of them could find themselves off of the roster. Lamin Barrow has struggled on defense, but seems to be a good special teams player, which significantly help his chances to make the roster. My guess is that if the decision had to be made today, Corey Nelson would be the odd man out, but there are still three games left for players to prove their worth.
As I have mentioned before, the battle for the last corner spot on the roster will be important for the coaches to watch. I would rather Curtis Marsh and Lorenzo Doss win the job than Tony Carter. Fans know what they will be getting from him and to be honest, he is a solid player, but he gambles too much for the fifth corner on the depth chart. I want to see Omar Bolden playing safety. He missed the first game, but if he proves himself against Houston, I can rest easier about the safety situation after Ward and Stewart. Hopefully Josh Bush or Ross Madison stand out in this game, but for a safety that deep in the depth chart, they need to show coaches that they can make plays on special teams.
Brandon McManus, in my mind, has a legitimate shot of supplanting Barth if he is able to keep making field goals. I would like to see him kick some new extra points to prove that he has the consistency to be the only kicker on the roster. Some might think this is crazy considering the bad position the Broncos were in last season because of their confidence in him, but kickers do improve. Matt Prater also had accuracy issues at the beginning of his career and he ironed those out. Another reason to keep him over Barth is that he can boot it into the end-zone at a higher angle, which gives the kick team more time to get downfield and they could obviously use that. Spencer Lanning was signed right before the Seattle game, which he was not able to play in. He has a legitimate shot at supplanting Colquitt because he struggled at Seattle and during the 2014 season. If Lanning is able to have a net yardage in the 40's, he will likely make the team. The return team needs to perform better. They muffed two punts against Seattle and nobody really stood out to supplant Omar Bolden. Patton, Norwood, Burse, Fowler and Caldwell will all likely get shots to return. All of them need to do a lot better than they did against Seattle to catch the coaches eye.
There are many roster spots to be won, which is what makes preseason football watchable. I am excited to see which backups are able to make a name for themselves and get on the coaches radar.
Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman are firmly number two and three on the depth chart and are not fighting for a roster spot. However, if Hillman has another good game and Ball struggles, he could find himself receiving more touches than Ball in the regular season. Hillman ran very well in the first game and I would love to watch him repeat that performance in Houston. Montee had some decent runs, but did not have a great game overall. Hopefully he is able to string together some quality runs in this game. Juwan Thompson did not run well, but he did not get any help from an offensive line that struggled to give him lanes. He is still likely to make the roster considering Jeremy Stewart and Kapri Bibbs have not done anything spectacular. I hope the line can block at least semi decently so he at least has a chance to run well.
Cody Latimer is the third receiver when everyone is healthy, but he will get a lot of playing time in this game since Sanders is not going to play. Bennie Fowler will also get a lot of playing time because he has had a great camp along with a productive first game. With another excellent showing, he could solidify a roster spot for himself. Jordan Norwood also has a chance to make the roster, but he needs to do better on special teams to give him a boost. Jordan Taylor and Solomon Patton also have a shot, but Andre Caldwell stands in their way because of his relationship with Manning and his veteran leadership. The coaching staff probably would like to see more out of Dominique Jones. He only had one catch in the first game and I am sure the coaching staff would like to keep a third tight end on the roster even though James Casey will play fullback and tight end. Hopefully he is able stand out on Saturday.
The backup offensive line was not any good against Seattle. They struggled to produce holes in the running game and also had some trouble pass blocking. Ben Garland, Michael Schofield and Gino Gradkowski all had bad games. Each of them had a chance to start this season and it is a relief to know that they aren't likely to anymore. However, they really need to show improvement just in case one of the current starters is lost due to injury.
Darius Kilgo played very well against Seattle and demonstrated to fans why he has jumped up the depth chart. He should have a good follow up game and should prove to be a good rotational player during his rookie season. Marvin Austin was placed on IR, which means Sione Fua likely makes the team. Kenny Anunike will miss this game, which means Antonio Smith will see plenty of snaps. Chuka Ndulue and Josh Watson will also get chances, but their hopes lie in a spot on the practice squad.
Shaq Barrett looks to dominate much like he did in the first game. I go to CSU so I have been a fan of him, but his game against Seattle opened the eyes of many fans. If he lives in the backfield against the Texans, he could start earning himself some decent rotational time during the regular season. Unfortunately, Lerentee McCray will not see any action this week because he is still in the process of returning from multiple injuries. Chase Vaughn had a pretty good first game, but his chances of getting on the 53 man roster are slim, but he will be fighting for a spot on the practice squad. Lamin Barrow, Steven Johnson and Corey Nelson are all looking to make an impact in this game because one of them could find themselves off of the roster. Lamin Barrow has struggled on defense, but seems to be a good special teams player, which significantly help his chances to make the roster. My guess is that if the decision had to be made today, Corey Nelson would be the odd man out, but there are still three games left for players to prove their worth.
As I have mentioned before, the battle for the last corner spot on the roster will be important for the coaches to watch. I would rather Curtis Marsh and Lorenzo Doss win the job than Tony Carter. Fans know what they will be getting from him and to be honest, he is a solid player, but he gambles too much for the fifth corner on the depth chart. I want to see Omar Bolden playing safety. He missed the first game, but if he proves himself against Houston, I can rest easier about the safety situation after Ward and Stewart. Hopefully Josh Bush or Ross Madison stand out in this game, but for a safety that deep in the depth chart, they need to show coaches that they can make plays on special teams.
Brandon McManus, in my mind, has a legitimate shot of supplanting Barth if he is able to keep making field goals. I would like to see him kick some new extra points to prove that he has the consistency to be the only kicker on the roster. Some might think this is crazy considering the bad position the Broncos were in last season because of their confidence in him, but kickers do improve. Matt Prater also had accuracy issues at the beginning of his career and he ironed those out. Another reason to keep him over Barth is that he can boot it into the end-zone at a higher angle, which gives the kick team more time to get downfield and they could obviously use that. Spencer Lanning was signed right before the Seattle game, which he was not able to play in. He has a legitimate shot at supplanting Colquitt because he struggled at Seattle and during the 2014 season. If Lanning is able to have a net yardage in the 40's, he will likely make the team. The return team needs to perform better. They muffed two punts against Seattle and nobody really stood out to supplant Omar Bolden. Patton, Norwood, Burse, Fowler and Caldwell will all likely get shots to return. All of them need to do a lot better than they did against Seattle to catch the coaches eye.
There are many roster spots to be won, which is what makes preseason football watchable. I am excited to see which backups are able to make a name for themselves and get on the coaches radar.
Friday, August 21, 2015
Broncos @ Texans Starter Preview
The Broncos and the Texans kickoff in Houston at 6:00 mountain standard time. Peyton Manning and Demaryius Thomas will be making their 2015 preseason debuts so it will be great to see those two work together again even if it is only preseason. Kubiak stated that Manning and Thomas will likely play one and half quarters or into halftime depending on how it is going. This will be a good test for the line because they will have to accommodate for JJ Watt.
The offensive line needs to show improvement from last game. They struggled against Seattle, but they improved throughout the game, which gives me some hope. However, they still need to prove themselves early in the game. Playing against JJ Watt and the rest of Houston's starters will be a big test even though it is preseason. Ty Sambrailo needs to show that he can handle the Houston pass rush. Having Manning back there makes it a little more high stakes than Brock. I believe he has the ability to be really good and will likely show positive steps during this game. Max Garcia and Paradis need to show consistency after they both had good first games.
Virgil Green showed that he will be a formidable receiving option against Seattle. He is not as talented as Julius Thomas, but he is still able to create matchup problems. He will likely be targeted often again as the new offense will give him plenty of opportunities. Owen Daniels will see his first action as well and it will be nice to see him and Green in two tight end sets.
Demaryius and Emmanuel will see the field together for the first time. Hopefully Manning will be able to connect on one long ball to either of the two. We could see some three wide sets with Cody Latimer which adds another dimension to the number one offense.
The starters on the defensive line performed well in the first game, but I would like to see continued growth from Sylvester Williams at nose tackle. Keep and eye on Vance Walker because he will be starting for Wolfe during the first four games. He was solid against Seattle and that is all Denver needs him to be since he will be backing up Wolfe for most of the Season. I am not worried about Wolfe or Jackson this game, they have proved that they will be effective.
Brandon Marshall will see his first action this season, but Trevathan will miss this game. I love Marshall and am ready to see him work in the new defense. Todd Davis will be lining up next to him. As I have said, I want to see him play much better than he did in Seattle. He needs show that he can stop the run after only having one tackle last week. Von Miller and Shane Ray are going to start again. Both of them were fantastic last week. Miller obviously had the strip sack, but Shane was in the backfield consistently as well. Expect to see more of the same on Saturday.
TJ Ward most likely will play after being excused from practice. If he plays, I hope that he gets more work covering players one on one. If he is able to be serviceable in that area this season, this defense will be dangerous. Darien Stewart will start and hopefully play well again. Rahim Moore plays for Houston so Bronco fans can get a glimpse of how Stewart and Moore compare.
Connar Barth and Britton Colquitt are still the starters ay kicker and punter, but they could both lose their jobs. They cannot afford to make any major mistakes in these upcoming games because of the competition.
I cant wait to see how all of the starters perform against Houston. It's only preseason, but it can be an indicator of how a team will play in the regular season.
Update: I now know that Sanders will not be playing in this game. Hopefully we will see Demayius and Emmanuel on the field at the same time in the third game.
The offensive line needs to show improvement from last game. They struggled against Seattle, but they improved throughout the game, which gives me some hope. However, they still need to prove themselves early in the game. Playing against JJ Watt and the rest of Houston's starters will be a big test even though it is preseason. Ty Sambrailo needs to show that he can handle the Houston pass rush. Having Manning back there makes it a little more high stakes than Brock. I believe he has the ability to be really good and will likely show positive steps during this game. Max Garcia and Paradis need to show consistency after they both had good first games.
Virgil Green showed that he will be a formidable receiving option against Seattle. He is not as talented as Julius Thomas, but he is still able to create matchup problems. He will likely be targeted often again as the new offense will give him plenty of opportunities. Owen Daniels will see his first action as well and it will be nice to see him and Green in two tight end sets.
Demaryius and Emmanuel will see the field together for the first time. Hopefully Manning will be able to connect on one long ball to either of the two. We could see some three wide sets with Cody Latimer which adds another dimension to the number one offense.
The starters on the defensive line performed well in the first game, but I would like to see continued growth from Sylvester Williams at nose tackle. Keep and eye on Vance Walker because he will be starting for Wolfe during the first four games. He was solid against Seattle and that is all Denver needs him to be since he will be backing up Wolfe for most of the Season. I am not worried about Wolfe or Jackson this game, they have proved that they will be effective.
Brandon Marshall will see his first action this season, but Trevathan will miss this game. I love Marshall and am ready to see him work in the new defense. Todd Davis will be lining up next to him. As I have said, I want to see him play much better than he did in Seattle. He needs show that he can stop the run after only having one tackle last week. Von Miller and Shane Ray are going to start again. Both of them were fantastic last week. Miller obviously had the strip sack, but Shane was in the backfield consistently as well. Expect to see more of the same on Saturday.
TJ Ward most likely will play after being excused from practice. If he plays, I hope that he gets more work covering players one on one. If he is able to be serviceable in that area this season, this defense will be dangerous. Darien Stewart will start and hopefully play well again. Rahim Moore plays for Houston so Bronco fans can get a glimpse of how Stewart and Moore compare.
Connar Barth and Britton Colquitt are still the starters ay kicker and punter, but they could both lose their jobs. They cannot afford to make any major mistakes in these upcoming games because of the competition.
I cant wait to see how all of the starters perform against Houston. It's only preseason, but it can be an indicator of how a team will play in the regular season.
Update: I now know that Sanders will not be playing in this game. Hopefully we will see Demayius and Emmanuel on the field at the same time in the third game.
Thursday, August 20, 2015
Who and What to Watch For on Saturday Against the Texans
Peyton Manning: He will be making his debut in the new offense against the Texans, which is probably the most intriguing thing about this game. Everyone knows Manning is a great QB, but for some reason, some talking heads don't think he will be able to succeed in this offense. Some have said that the Broncos wont even win the division and a few have questioned their ability to make playoffs this season. Most of this stems from Manning's unspectacular finish to last season, but that was caused by a torn quad and is not indicative of his future. Manning will come out strong on Saturday and prove to everyone that he is ready to ball out this season.
Ronnie Hilliman: He played great against Seattle and it would be nice to see him prove that he can continue to play well. I think he will show that he will play an important role in this offense after his performance on Saturday.
Demaryius Thomas: He will be seeing his first action since signing his new contract. He will be playing for as long as Manning does and it will be fantastic to see both of them work in Kubiak's offense.
Left side of the offensive line: Sambrailo, Garcia and Paradis were all making their first starts and it showed during the game. Sambrailo mostly struggle. Hopefully he is able to correct his mistakes because Manning will be behind center on Saturday. Garcia and Paradis both played well. Garcia could improve his pass blocking a little bit, but he should he will be a very effective run blocker in his first season. Paradis also played well and coaches love him and it would be great if he followed with another good performance.
Shaq Barret: He was outstanding against the Seahawks and with another stellar performance he could solidify a roster spot. His new physique was obviously beneficial to his game and it will be great to see dominate again.
Todd Davis: He did not play well against the Seahawks, but I know that he has the potential to be a good player in this league. I think he will be able to demonstrate his potential when he gets into the groove against Houston.
Competition for the Fifth Cornerback Spot: Tony Carter, Curtis Marsh, Lorenzo Doss and Taurean Nixon are all competing although it looks as if Nixon could find himself on the practice Squad. Doss likely would not pass through waivers because he is a fifth round pock so it is important that he wins the job. I'm not a fan of Tony Carter and am indifferent to Marsh. I think the battle will boil down to Marsh and Doss, but their performances in this game will have a lot sway in that decision.
Ronnie Hilliman: He played great against Seattle and it would be nice to see him prove that he can continue to play well. I think he will show that he will play an important role in this offense after his performance on Saturday.
Demaryius Thomas: He will be seeing his first action since signing his new contract. He will be playing for as long as Manning does and it will be fantastic to see both of them work in Kubiak's offense.
Left side of the offensive line: Sambrailo, Garcia and Paradis were all making their first starts and it showed during the game. Sambrailo mostly struggle. Hopefully he is able to correct his mistakes because Manning will be behind center on Saturday. Garcia and Paradis both played well. Garcia could improve his pass blocking a little bit, but he should he will be a very effective run blocker in his first season. Paradis also played well and coaches love him and it would be great if he followed with another good performance.
Shaq Barret: He was outstanding against the Seahawks and with another stellar performance he could solidify a roster spot. His new physique was obviously beneficial to his game and it will be great to see dominate again.
Todd Davis: He did not play well against the Seahawks, but I know that he has the potential to be a good player in this league. I think he will be able to demonstrate his potential when he gets into the groove against Houston.
Competition for the Fifth Cornerback Spot: Tony Carter, Curtis Marsh, Lorenzo Doss and Taurean Nixon are all competing although it looks as if Nixon could find himself on the practice Squad. Doss likely would not pass through waivers because he is a fifth round pock so it is important that he wins the job. I'm not a fan of Tony Carter and am indifferent to Marsh. I think the battle will boil down to Marsh and Doss, but their performances in this game will have a lot sway in that decision.
Sunday, August 16, 2015
How Good Will the Bronco Defense Be in 2015?
The Broncos had a good defense last season, but they had the potential to be so much better, which is why they chose to hire Wade Phillips as Jack Del Rio's replacement. Wade brings a new style of defense with him that I think suits the Broncos' needs much better than Del Rio's style. The switch to the 3-4 could automatically make some players better than they were in 2014. I believe that Derek Wolfe, Malik Jackson and Demarcus Ware are all better suited for the 3-4. Demarcus Ware started off 2014 fantastically, but ran out of gas and was unable to sustain his success. Now that the Broncos have Shane Ray, they likely rotate him a lot of Ware. This should keep him fresh for the entire season, which is necessary for the Broncos to have a top five defense. It should also be noted that Ware plays really well in a 3-4 defense and reuniting with his old coach could help him out. Derek Wolfe will miss the first four games of the regular season due to a suspension that involved PED use. However, when he returns I expect him to have his best season in the league. He was a tweener on the line in a 4-3 because he was too small to play defensive tackle and not quick enough to effectively play defensive end. He should be a perfect fit as a 5 technique in Wade's 3-4. Malik Jackson is sort of the same story, but he was a little more effective than Wolfe in the 4-3 last season.
Every Bronco fan should be ecstatic at just how much potential this defense has in 2015. Just the talent alone is staggering. Chris Harris, Von Miller, Aqib Talib, TJ Ward, Brandon Marshall, Danny Trevathan and Demarcus Ware are all top 10 at their respective positions in my mind. Malik Jackson will make waves around the league in my opinion. They also had In 2014 they had the second best run defense in terms of yards and the 9th ranked passing defense in terms of yards. However, they were 16th in terms of points scored per game. They did this without Danny Trevathan for most of the season and Brandon Marshall also missed a couple of games. This season they hope both will be healthy and flourish in the new defense. Bradley Roby will take a step forward and teams will struggle to pass against the Broncos. The pass rush combined with the sheer talent on the outside will disrupt the flow of the opposing teams passing game. It should also be noted that Trevathan and Marshall are good coverage linebackers which will help take away check downs to the tight end or running back. If everyone were to stay healthy, this defense could be top ten on talent alone, but when combined with Wade Phillips taking over the defense, I think it makes them a lock to be a top five defense. In 2014, Del Rio was way too conservative for me and many other fans. At times it seemed like he refused to blitz, even though he had one of the best blitzing safeties in the league at his disposal. Wade should change that this season. Expect the defense to blitz a lot and to go after the football much more than previous years.
The defense played wonderfully in the first preseason game. They got to the quarterback seven times and forced four fumbles. That is what Kubiak and Elway want to see from this defense. This makes me exited to see what they are capable of in the regular season. I honestly believe this team could be a playoff contender with Brock at QB because of the talent on the defense. Manning makes them Super Bowl contenders.
Expect big numbers from Von Miller this season. He is one of the best defensive players in the NFL and is in a contract year. He is going to ball out. Also, the transition to the 3-4 might benefit him too. Shane Ray will have plenty of chances to get after the quarterback when he is relieving Demarcus Ware. I think he could het 8 or more sacks this season. Maybe I am too excited and will be disappointed, but just thinking about the changes and their performance on Friday makes me believe they are going to be elite.
Every Bronco fan should be ecstatic at just how much potential this defense has in 2015. Just the talent alone is staggering. Chris Harris, Von Miller, Aqib Talib, TJ Ward, Brandon Marshall, Danny Trevathan and Demarcus Ware are all top 10 at their respective positions in my mind. Malik Jackson will make waves around the league in my opinion. They also had In 2014 they had the second best run defense in terms of yards and the 9th ranked passing defense in terms of yards. However, they were 16th in terms of points scored per game. They did this without Danny Trevathan for most of the season and Brandon Marshall also missed a couple of games. This season they hope both will be healthy and flourish in the new defense. Bradley Roby will take a step forward and teams will struggle to pass against the Broncos. The pass rush combined with the sheer talent on the outside will disrupt the flow of the opposing teams passing game. It should also be noted that Trevathan and Marshall are good coverage linebackers which will help take away check downs to the tight end or running back. If everyone were to stay healthy, this defense could be top ten on talent alone, but when combined with Wade Phillips taking over the defense, I think it makes them a lock to be a top five defense. In 2014, Del Rio was way too conservative for me and many other fans. At times it seemed like he refused to blitz, even though he had one of the best blitzing safeties in the league at his disposal. Wade should change that this season. Expect the defense to blitz a lot and to go after the football much more than previous years.
The defense played wonderfully in the first preseason game. They got to the quarterback seven times and forced four fumbles. That is what Kubiak and Elway want to see from this defense. This makes me exited to see what they are capable of in the regular season. I honestly believe this team could be a playoff contender with Brock at QB because of the talent on the defense. Manning makes them Super Bowl contenders.
Expect big numbers from Von Miller this season. He is one of the best defensive players in the NFL and is in a contract year. He is going to ball out. Also, the transition to the 3-4 might benefit him too. Shane Ray will have plenty of chances to get after the quarterback when he is relieving Demarcus Ware. I think he could het 8 or more sacks this season. Maybe I am too excited and will be disappointed, but just thinking about the changes and their performance on Friday makes me believe they are going to be elite.
Saturday, August 15, 2015
Pro Football Focus Grades Are Out
Kenny Anuike and Shaquil Barrett registered the best scores on the team with +4.5 and +3.5. It was obvious that both of those players were disruptive whenever they were on the field. However, one surprising grade, at least to me was a +2.6 for Gino Gradkowski. I thought he had a solid game, but that was a higher grade than I was expecting. Chris Clark had a solid +2.5, but he was playing against backups and we already know that he can hold his own against backups. Von Miller had a +2.2 and it was obvious that he was disruptive, even in his limited playing time, as highlighted by his strip sack on the second play. Max Garcia pulled in a +2.2 run blocking, which is a very good sign that he will keep his starting job. He did have one hurry tallied against him, but overall he still played well.
A Very Early Look at Potential Nugget Draft Picks in 2016
The Nuggets should be able to garner a top five pick since they have a shot with their pick as well as the Knicks since they will get to keep the better of the two. The Nuggets can forget about drafting Jamal Murray or Kris Dunn, two of the top point guard prospects, because Mudiay fills that need. I would also be surprised if the Nuggets went with a center unless Nurkic took no steps forward in his game. That leaves power forward, shooting guard or small forward if a prospect really sets himself away from the field. I really believe they need to upgrade at the power forward spot. I love Faried, but I think it is time for him to start coming off of the bench where he would be better suited. If the Nuggets end up getting a top two pick in the draft, they would be set with either Ben Simmons Skal Labissiere. They are the two best prospects in the draft. Drafting either of these two would be a dream come true for the Nuggets. Ben Simmons can possibly play either forward spot, although he is probably better fit for playing the four in the NBA. He has tremendous athleticism and once finds an offensive game in the NBA, he will be deadly on both sides of the floor. Skal can play either center or power forward, but I think he will fit better at the four in the NBA due to his light frame. Both of these guys can shoot, which is a almost a must for big men now. Drafting either of these two would be the best case scenario for the Nuggets at this point.
Say the Nuggets land the fifth pick, they would probably draft Ivan Rabb or Dragan Bender. Both of them are a bit more raw than Skal and Simmons. Rabb is a 6-10 220 pound power forward who needs to work on expanding his post move repertoire. He also needs work on his low post defense, other than shot blocking he does not seem to provide anything else on defense. Dragan Bender is a 7-0 215 pound power forward coming out of Croatia. It is not known if he will come to the NBA the year that he is drafted. He also needs to put on weight and still has a very raw game, he is much like Porzingis in that regard.
The Nuggets will likely also have Houston's draft pick as long as they make the playoffs. If Portland surprises and makes the playoffs (not likely), then they would also get their pick. Houston's pick will likely be in the late 20's. The Nuggets might want to look at a 2 guard in order to add depth at the position. If Gary Harris does not improve, they will be very thin in that area heading into the 2016 season if they do not pick someone up.
*Obviously it is very early and things could change dramatically considering all of the players I listed had not played one minute of college basketball. However, it fills the gap between free agency and training camp.
Say the Nuggets land the fifth pick, they would probably draft Ivan Rabb or Dragan Bender. Both of them are a bit more raw than Skal and Simmons. Rabb is a 6-10 220 pound power forward who needs to work on expanding his post move repertoire. He also needs work on his low post defense, other than shot blocking he does not seem to provide anything else on defense. Dragan Bender is a 7-0 215 pound power forward coming out of Croatia. It is not known if he will come to the NBA the year that he is drafted. He also needs to put on weight and still has a very raw game, he is much like Porzingis in that regard.
The Nuggets will likely also have Houston's draft pick as long as they make the playoffs. If Portland surprises and makes the playoffs (not likely), then they would also get their pick. Houston's pick will likely be in the late 20's. The Nuggets might want to look at a 2 guard in order to add depth at the position. If Gary Harris does not improve, they will be very thin in that area heading into the 2016 season if they do not pick someone up.
*Obviously it is very early and things could change dramatically considering all of the players I listed had not played one minute of college basketball. However, it fills the gap between free agency and training camp.
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