THE CLOCK IS TICKING ON JOHN ELWAY AND THE BRONCOS
By, Trevor Rich
On Sunday December 31, 2017, the Denver Broncos play host to the Kansas City Chiefs at Mile High. This will be the final game of the 2017 campaign for the Broncos, and a tune up for the Chiefs. On Wednesday it was reported by Adam Schefter of ESPN: that Patrick Mahomes will start his first NFL game on Sunday. Due to the Chiefs already clinching the AFC West, this might as well be a preseason game for them. As they can see some of there young players shine while, giving some of there long time veterans a quick rest right, before the playoffs. As for the Broncos, they are going to treat this game this same way. It has been reported that Paxton Lynch will start Sunday for the Broncos. Paxton is coming off an achilles injury that has sidelined him the last four weeks. This is clearly a move by the front office wanting to see there 2016 first round quarterback play. We should also see some more of the younger guys like Deangelo Henderson and Demarcus Walker take a few extra snaps this week. Jamal Charles is done and wants out. He didn't hold back about wanting out of Denver. "I ain't playing. Might as well. No reason for me to just sit around and look at people play". This release should of happened a long time ago. Right when the Broncos were eliminated from the playoffs. The game of Sunday may not be the highlight of the day. Sunday night could be full of drama, and that drama starts with John Elway.
Not everything this year is Vance Joseph's fault, but it may not matter. The level of humiliation of the losses is an embarrassment. Vance Joseph was not a unanimous choice but Elway had the final vote. There are serious regrets that are so deep it seems impossible to get away from. Despite the infamous "there's no plan B" quote, all organizations have a plan b. The issue is how serious do you take plan b. The Broncos really struck out on not hiring Kyle Shanahan and bringing back Wade Phillips. To me that is where this mess started. This is the lesson for Joe Ellis. As much as it stings, you have to move on from Vance and Paxton. Elway doesn't need to go right away, but you need to bring in his likely successor. Who that is? I don't know? Gary Kubiak is a name that keeps coming up within the Broncos organization. If Kubiak were to be brought in to be John Elway's successor, then it is time for Kubiak to start making more significant decisions and then Elway can gracefully bow out when this thing gets turned around in a couple of years. The team will ultimately be shaped in Gary's image. The tough part will be firing Vance Joseph. But once you are thinking more about plan b than plan a it is hard to survive. The beauty of bringing in Kubiak is that Elway can still keep the General Manager title and Ellis can know there is another voice in there besides Matt Russell. Either way the odds of Vance Joseph sticking around to oversee this overhaul aren't good. One and done years are hard deals. Especially because Kubiak really pushed for Vance Joseph in the first place. I am expecting there will be changes to this team and staff people don't see coming. Lots of changes may happen Sunday night after the game. So, you actually have a very lonely situation for Vance Joseph. He has treated his players as if they were his own kids. Vance wanted to be friends with the players more than their coach and it did not work. Vance is a great guy but the front office of the Broncos need to start with a clean slate, and that slate will be wiped clean either Sunday night, or Monday morning.
Overall, the Broncos are going to oversee lots of changes this offseason. This team and front office will look different going into next year. There are lots of different directions this team to go. I expect them to make multiple personnel changes, and to look completely different next year. I want to see them fix this team the right way by building through the draft. This draft is the year of the quarterback and they can't miss out on one. How can the Broncos afford to pay Kirk Cousins $30 million a year when this team is full of holes? It won't work and it can't happen. They need outside all over the place and this thing needs to be built the right way. If they do chose to build through the draft it will take some time. A couple of years probably. But rebuilding years can set up your team for even longer extended periods of time. Patience will be required and know this. The Broncos aren't gong to be competing for a Super Bowl anytime soon. So take some time and build this team the right way.
Picture Credits: denverbroncos.com, milehighsports.com
On Sunday December 31, 2017, the Denver Broncos play host to the Kansas City Chiefs at Mile High. This will be the final game of the 2017 campaign for the Broncos, and a tune up for the Chiefs. On Wednesday it was reported by Adam Schefter of ESPN: that Patrick Mahomes will start his first NFL game on Sunday. Due to the Chiefs already clinching the AFC West, this might as well be a preseason game for them. As they can see some of there young players shine while, giving some of there long time veterans a quick rest right, before the playoffs. As for the Broncos, they are going to treat this game this same way. It has been reported that Paxton Lynch will start Sunday for the Broncos. Paxton is coming off an achilles injury that has sidelined him the last four weeks. This is clearly a move by the front office wanting to see there 2016 first round quarterback play. We should also see some more of the younger guys like Deangelo Henderson and Demarcus Walker take a few extra snaps this week. Jamal Charles is done and wants out. He didn't hold back about wanting out of Denver. "I ain't playing. Might as well. No reason for me to just sit around and look at people play". This release should of happened a long time ago. Right when the Broncos were eliminated from the playoffs. The game of Sunday may not be the highlight of the day. Sunday night could be full of drama, and that drama starts with John Elway.
Not everything this year is Vance Joseph's fault, but it may not matter. The level of humiliation of the losses is an embarrassment. Vance Joseph was not a unanimous choice but Elway had the final vote. There are serious regrets that are so deep it seems impossible to get away from. Despite the infamous "there's no plan B" quote, all organizations have a plan b. The issue is how serious do you take plan b. The Broncos really struck out on not hiring Kyle Shanahan and bringing back Wade Phillips. To me that is where this mess started. This is the lesson for Joe Ellis. As much as it stings, you have to move on from Vance and Paxton. Elway doesn't need to go right away, but you need to bring in his likely successor. Who that is? I don't know? Gary Kubiak is a name that keeps coming up within the Broncos organization. If Kubiak were to be brought in to be John Elway's successor, then it is time for Kubiak to start making more significant decisions and then Elway can gracefully bow out when this thing gets turned around in a couple of years. The team will ultimately be shaped in Gary's image. The tough part will be firing Vance Joseph. But once you are thinking more about plan b than plan a it is hard to survive. The beauty of bringing in Kubiak is that Elway can still keep the General Manager title and Ellis can know there is another voice in there besides Matt Russell. Either way the odds of Vance Joseph sticking around to oversee this overhaul aren't good. One and done years are hard deals. Especially because Kubiak really pushed for Vance Joseph in the first place. I am expecting there will be changes to this team and staff people don't see coming. Lots of changes may happen Sunday night after the game. So, you actually have a very lonely situation for Vance Joseph. He has treated his players as if they were his own kids. Vance wanted to be friends with the players more than their coach and it did not work. Vance is a great guy but the front office of the Broncos need to start with a clean slate, and that slate will be wiped clean either Sunday night, or Monday morning.
Overall, the Broncos are going to oversee lots of changes this offseason. This team and front office will look different going into next year. There are lots of different directions this team to go. I expect them to make multiple personnel changes, and to look completely different next year. I want to see them fix this team the right way by building through the draft. This draft is the year of the quarterback and they can't miss out on one. How can the Broncos afford to pay Kirk Cousins $30 million a year when this team is full of holes? It won't work and it can't happen. They need outside all over the place and this thing needs to be built the right way. If they do chose to build through the draft it will take some time. A couple of years probably. But rebuilding years can set up your team for even longer extended periods of time. Patience will be required and know this. The Broncos aren't gong to be competing for a Super Bowl anytime soon. So take some time and build this team the right way.
Picture Credits: denverbroncos.com, milehighsports.com
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