From: jic@vexcel.com (jic account for NAVY)
Subject: Broncos thoughts
Organization: VEXCEL Corporation, Boulder, CO
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 23:48:41 GMT

I received this request, typed up a response, and found that
I couldn't get mail to Scott, so figured I'd post here after 
typing it all in.  

Sorry for distributing redundant information but... C'est la vie!

>Tom,
>
>A Denver fan from 49ers country. Any other
>news at the Denver camp?
>
>thanks
>scott
>

Well lots actually,  let's start with some interesting 
cuts made by the Broncs

QB Steve Pelleur:
 Brought into camp in the hopes that he could be a veteran backup
to Elway after Kubiak's retirement.  His performance was lame at
best.  Maddox even outperformed him, and certainly Moore has shined.

Tackle Harvey Salem:
 Brought in last year on plan B from Detroit.  It was hoped that he
would shore up a weak offensive line, but demonstrated that he wasn't 
much help, (they say he was responsible for 11 of last years 44 QB sacks).

Kicker Tracy Bennet:
 Treadwell has a lot of problems with kickoff lengths, and hasn't really 
shown much improvement in the preseason, IMHO.  However he has developed 
a lot of leg strength.  Early in training camp they had an article about how
his thighs have grown so much he's had to buy new shorts twice now.  
Bennet seemed to be doing pretty well, although he never kicked off to the
endzone, so...

Those are the biggies, now for some concerns:

Offensive line:
  Big problems here.  The number of sacks in the preseason has been really
bad, (although granted mostly against Maddox and Pelleur).  Expect to see
(if you get it), some revamping for the Phoenix game.  They have some 
rookie guard who they say is performing extremely well on the right so
they're gonna move him to the left, and move Jeff Davidson from left 
guard to left tackle, (might have my guards and tackles backwards here).

Hopefully things will come around here, but if they don't I think we can
expect the NFC East killer D's causing Elway some serious problems, I 
hope he doesn't get injured!


Wide Receiver:
  With Michael Young now on IR, (out for 6 games?), Vance with a torn 
Pectoral muscle, and Nattiel traded, things are a little worrysome.
However, Derreck Russel, Mark Jackson, and a new guy Marshall, (especiallY)
are showing a lot of promise.  Further Natteil got cut by Tampa Bay and
rumor has it we may pick him up.  Russel has shown a lot of ability to
run with the ball once he has it, (something we've definitely been lacking
for  ?? years).  If Elway gets the time, (see OL), I think that these guys
can get the job done, (but the press doesn't really agree with me).

Steve Sewell is out for the SEASON!  fractured his ankle in 5 places, (ouch!),
This is really disconcerting when you look at how excellent he's been at 
third downs.  However, 2nd year man Reggie Rivers seems to have taken
advantage here.  He made some really nifty catches and runs from the 
backfield so I think we may be ok.

Running Back:
 Right now probably our biggest concern, Gaston Green ran for a total of
-2 yards against Dallas, Lewis didn't look much better, and Sammie Smith
has been out much of the preseason with a groin injury.  Further Sammie
did play against Dallas, ran pretty well, but after a nifty 10 yd run 
he lived up to his namesake, (fumblin' Sammie).  He seems like a guy 
who can really run with the ball for us, but if he drops it...  Anyway
Reeves says he's gonna play Sammie a lot on Friday against the Cards.
I hope he does well!  Again here I think we see problems in the O line,
they dont' seem to be making the holes that our guys need.

The defense is looking pretty damn good, (although they missed a lot of
what should have been interceptions against Dallas).  I'm a little concerned
that some of these guys, (Dennis Smith, Mecklenburg, and Fletcher), are
getting on in years, but we've been drafting Defensive players, so we
seem to have a lot of depth.

Warren Powers finally signed, but seems to have some serious competition
with Brian(?) Sochia who is really impressing Wade Phillips.


The RED ZONE:

Once again as we've seen over the past few years, Elway and Co seem to
have some serious problems getting TDs once they've reached the Red 
Zone.  They move the ball beautifully between the 20s, but then...
They've not scored a single TD after getting there, and have turned
the ball over a ton of those times.


I'm hoping that my concerns are a result of Reeve's and PHilips really
testing people in the preseason, but the way we're looking right now
I would suspect that our schedule is gonna kill us!

But we'll see when the Raiders come to town!  (God what a way to start
the season!)

Go Broncos!

Tom.