I’m trying to wrap my head around all of the free agent comings and goings that have marked the beginning of the New Era Broncos. For the sake of being concise, we’ll just focus on the comings and bid a barely remembered tearless ado to the host of recent ex-Broncos. (We’ll miss you Nate Jackson… wherever you are…)
Defensively, the Broncos made some BIG steps forward in singing 3 of their starting DB’s directly from free agency. Now introducing Ian’s totally meaningless four-star free-agent ratings system.
Brian Dawkins, FSÂ ****
The safety position is the lynch-pin of any defense, no question. Dawkins is as seasoned as veterans come without being over the hill. He was the best player on a solid defense in Philly last season, and this season he gets to work with Champ Bailey who spent most of his healthy playing time last year wondering, “Where’s my safety help at?”
Andra Davis, LB ***
Under normal circumstances this would not be a three-star signing, but given our desperate need for LB’s who have played in the 3-4 defense before we’ll go ahead and count it. Davis is a solid tackler with very little success at pressuring the quarterback. But then, he was signed to be an anchor for the interior of a defense that hasn’t blitzed since every third down in the 2006 AFC Championship game.
Renaldo Hill, DB ***
Another veteran presense in the secondary, another wise signing by Xanders and Company. Amazingly, our defensive secondary just got very, very veteran heavy overnight. Hill is a nine-year veteran, Bailey is an eleven-year veteran, Dawkins is a fourteen-year veteran, and…
Andre Goodman, DB ****
…this eight-year veteran is just hitting his stride. He had five interceptions last season with Miami, and had his best game of the season with the division on the line in Week 17 (four solo tackles, two interceptions.) DB’s are typically at their best around their tenth season, as the secondary is all about knowing where to be and when. This upcoming group of Broncos DB’s will have seen almost every offensive look worth seeing hundreds of times by the time they all take the field in Orange and Blue in 2009.
Darrell Reid, DE ***
I don’t normally get excited about fifth-year players who have started two games in their careers, but Reid is certainly the exception. He played four seasons with the Colts as a Special Teams superstar. The Broncos needed some major firepower (I would have settled for competence) in kick coverage almost as badly as they needed a total defensive overhaul. Darrell fits the bill, and will be guaranteed to compete for playing time with the starting defense.
Ronald Fields, DT **
Another fifth-year man, and clearly hand-picked by Mike Nolan. Fields spent his first four seasons under Nolan in San Francisco. He is another guy who will almost assuredly be on the field as a starter for opening day, as he knows Nolan’s defense. This could be a break-out year for him playing in a revamped defense in a new city, but for now we’ll call it a middle-of the road signing.
And now for the offense…
Correll Buckhalter, RB ***
I want very badly to believe that Buckhalter can be really successful in Denver, but he’s never been anything more than a handicap for Brian Westbrook. The thing I do like about him is that he is a nine-year veteran that hasn’t taken anything remotely close to a full workload in his career. I am confident that McDaniels will make at least moderately good use of him.
Lamond Jordan, RB **
He doesn’t really need to have much left in the tank to take five carries a game and just plow head-first into linebackers, but I wonder… how much does he have left in the tank? I gave him two stars because he did so effectively pummel Broncos linebackers for so many seasons that I have a grudging respect for the ex-Raider, ex-Patriot.
J.J. Arrington, RB *
I have never been impressed with Arrington, even as a part-time, short-yardage back. Could he prove me wrong? Sure. Is he likely just an insurance policy for the likes of Jordan and Buckhalter? Probably.
Chris Simms, QB ***
This is a great signing for two reasons; A – Chris was definitely the best backup quarterback available this offseason and B – now that the younger Simms is wearing orange, perennial Bronco-hater Phil Simms will have to tone down his anti-Denver rhetoric at least a little. I mean, it’s not like anybody cares what that braying jackass has to say anyway, but it was getting a little old.
