The Denver Post’s Nick Kosmider on Tuesday answered questions from readers about the Denver Broncos in a live chat. Here are the highlights:
Is there anything we can actually learn about the Broncos heading into next season from their game vs. the Chiefs?
Nick: That’s a good question. I’m of the mind that most of the evaluation that will be done by the staff heading into a critical offseason will pull from data that has already been compiled. That being said, it never hurts young players to put their best foot forward. There are a number of rookies and second-year players — guys like RB De’Angelo Henderson, CB Marcus Rios, WR Isaiah McKenzie and others — who could do themselves a favor by putting themselves on the radar with a big game Sunday. That kind of momentum heading into an offseason can be big for players.
If Paxton Lynch plays well Sunday, does it matter since it’s against the Chiefs backups?
Nick: For Lynch himself, playing well against whoever is put in front of him certainly does matter. He’s been on the field such a short time in his first two seasons that he can’t be picky about the opportunities he has. It’s not as if the Chiefs will present a new team full of practice squad players. There will be guys playing who have helped Kansas City win the AFC West this season, so it’s paramount Lynch performs well for his own future in the league. That he’s playing against so-called lesser players is immaterial, in my mind.
Who has been the Broncos’ MVP in 2017? And, because surely it can’t be an offensive player, who has been the most valuable offensive guy?
Nick: That’s a great question, Corey, and it’s one we’ve discussed often in the media room out there at Dove Valley. If you look at the numbers, and the resources applied to slow him down, it’s hard to argue Von Miller as the team’s most valuable player. Teams devote their entire game plans to slowing Miller down. Yet, he still has 10 sacks for the fourth straight season and has played at a Pro Bowl level all year. On offense, my vote goes to C.J. Anderson. He has a real chance at becoming the first Broncos RB since Knowshon Moreno in 2013 to rush for 1,000 yards, a mark that has become harder to reach in the NFL.
Is it too late for the Broncos to #EmbraceTheTank?
Nick: I’ve said here before that the Broncos’ players have no interest in tanking. Convincing victories over the Jets and Colts on the heels of an eight-game losing streak showed the players were still fighting. At this point, there may not be a major difference in where the Broncos select whether they win or lose their finale against the Chiefs on Sunday.
Would just starting Brock from the start this season have helped anything?
Nick: It’s an interesting question to consider. Remember, Trevor Siemian got this team to a 3-1 start and certainly looked like a capable starting NFL quarterback in the process. Then came the collapse. After Siemian led the Broncos to three straight losses, defeats lowlighted by crippling turnovers, Osweiler entered and went 0-3 as a starter. Brock helped the Broncos beat the Colts in relief of Siemian two weeks ago, but then guided the Broncos during a 27-11 loss to Washington on Sunday. I just don’t see the evidence that having Osweiler start more would have been the answer.
What do you think attendance will be like Sunday? If I remember right, even last season there was still something on the line in the last game.
Nick: Last season, the Broncos had already been eliminated from playoff contention entering their Week 17 game against the Raiders. Oakland, however, was playing for the AFC West title. The Broncos wrecked that by beating the Raiders and finishing 9-7. This season, there is no winning record that can be achieved. And the Chiefs have already locked up the division and their playoff seeding, so there is far less to watch for. The Broncos had about 5,000 unused tickets in their last home game — against the Jets on Dec. 10 — and I would not be surprised if there were a few more than that Sunday.
Which quarterback on the roster do you see sticking around next year?
Nick: It would not surprise me if Osweiler did enough to earn himself a high-paying backup QB job elsewhere next season. As for Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch, they are both under contract for next season. Could they be trade chips? Could they be released? I think all those options are on the table. I don’t think next year’s starting quarterback is currently on the roster, but I don’t yet have a feel for how the Broncos may look to address the backup role.
Has Bill Musgrave done enough to keep the OC job?
Nick: I think Musgrave will certainly be given a look when the Broncos begin their question to fill the permanent offensive coordinator job that was created when Mike McCoy was fired back in November. Musgrave has done some good things since taking over against the Raiders on Nov. 26, including producing a more consistent running game that could help C.J. Anderson reach the 1,000-yard mark. But there figure to be a number of candidates the Broncos will consider for the position. And that decision could be tied to who the team might pursue as its quarterback of the future.
Just saw Jamaal Charles comments about being released. Why wasn’t he successful this year?
Nick: Simply put, there weren’t a lot of opportunities for Charles this season. He played in only about 21 percent of the team’s snaps and finished under 300 yards. To me, the turning point for Charles was the Dec. 30 game in Kansas City. After a strong start in the first quarter, his fumble, which was returned by a touchdown by Marcus Peters, was a critical blow, and he was never given a heavy load again after that. Part of it, too, is that Charles, at nearly 31 years old and coming off major knee surgeries, simply isn’t the same back he was when he was starring in highlight reels in Kansas City. Plus, C.J. Anderson has had a strong season and has been healthy the whole year for the first time in his career, creating less of a need for a RB committee.
OK, other than Musgrave, what do you see as the future of the assistants?
Nick: Turnover could certainly be possible. That’s what happens when you lose eight games in a row and finish 5-11 or 6-10. As to who would be on the chopping lot first, I can’t say I have a clear vision of that right now. But it would be naive not to expect some turnover on this coaching staff going forward.
Do you think Talib is here next year? I am guessing they ask him for a payout and he says no. I love Talib, but I think Roby is ready and we could use that money.
Nick: Aqib Talib is still a force in that league, evidenced by his Pro Bowl selection. He’s an elite lockdown cornerback most teams would love to have. But he’s also owed $12 million next year, with a dead cap hit of just $1 million. It’s a contract that could present flexibility for the Broncos to pursue a marquee QB like, say, Kirk Cousins, who will likely command at least $25 million per season. But can you really afford to lose a player, even with an improving Bradley Roby behind him, who has been so dominant and still has prime years left? That’s among the many difficult questions the Broncos will have to ask themselves this offseason.
Jamaal Charles was a BUST. Brock Osweiler was a BUST. Is it worth finding a veteran free agent QB out there or should the Broncos draft a rookie in the first round and just ride him out?
Nick: My sense is that the Broncos want to fix their quarterback situation sooner rather than later. It’s why I wouldn’t be surprised if Denver becomes a big player in the Kirk Cousins sweepstakes should the Washington QB indeed hit the open market. They likely won’t be high enough in the draft to select one of the top two QBs, unless they were to depart with key assets. It’s why I think free agency will be the preferred route, with a QB possibly selected on the early side of that draft. That being said, that could change should the front office fall in love with a QB during the draft evaluation process. One thing is for sure: the Broncos’ 2018 QB search won’t be dull?
How serious are the Broncos about drafting Josh Allen, and what are their chances of getting him?
Nick: General manager John Elway and director of player personnel Matt Russell were on hand in Boise, Idaho last week to watch Allen play his final college game for Wyoming — a bowl win over Central Michigan in which he tossed three touchdown passes. Any team with a need at quarterback selecting in the first round is going to do its due diligence to evaluate the players who could be selected in that area of that draft, so Denver will certainly be closely scrutinizing the big-armed QB who hails from a small town in Northern California. Whether that evaluation will turn into a desire to draft Allen? We won’t know the answer to that question for some time.
Also, are we certain the Broncos will draft a QB with their first pick?
Nick: There’s nothing certain when it comes to the draft. The NFL is structured so that free agency hits before the draft. If the Broncos pick up their QB of the future in free agency, I think it’s unlikely they’d also draft a QB with their early to mid first-round selection.
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