Thread: Update; Bronco Picks From Cutler Trade.......

Denver Posts sports columnist Woody Paige discusses the draft choices the Broncos made with the Bears picks from the Cutler trade. So far Johnny Knox is has been a better player and more productive than any of these Bronco picks.

Where's Mikey? This could be a great discussion. We got Cutler and Knox. They got Orton, who they already want to trade, Moreno who may not even make the 2011 roster, and Demaryius Thomas who may become a good WR if he ever stays healthy enough to see the field. He's been an injury problem ever since they drafted him.

Denver Post sports columnist Woody Paige posts Woody's Mailbag on Thursdays. Find his next installment in early August.
Drop a question into Woody's Mailbag, or visit The Denver Post's Sports Page.


Josh McDaniels claimed to draft tough, smart, motivated guys who love to play football. Knowshon Moreno , Robert Ayers and Richard Quinn (three of McDaniels' first four draft picks) are all going into make-or-break seasons. Yet I have not heard about any of those three working out or attending these unofficial team workouts. Any idea what these three guys are up to?
--Scott, Denver
Scott, thank you. Stimulating question. I have no idea where those three are, honestly. I asked around today, and got no definite answers about their whereabouts. I assume (maybe wrongly) that they are back where they live, and working out on their own. They have not been seen at the Denver-area workouts, according to my sources.

In regard to your first statement, I never heard Josh say he was drafting smart, tough, motivated players. Maybe he did. What he told me after the first year was the scouting department was already in place, and they got a late start (although he had four months) in evaluating talent.

What I do know — from someone who worked closely with Josh and is someone I trust to tell me the truth — is that after the draft, McDaniels and the staff believed privately they made a big mistake on Moreno. He was not what they thought. He hasn't been tough, smart, motivated, if that's what you're asking. He has been a bust. I've said it before. He's not a great clubhouse guy. Interpret that how you want, and he's been a wimp on the field.

John Fox is bringing back the zone blocking, and Moreno is not a one-cut back who will go against the grain, or, at least, he hasn't been, and he doesn't get into the secondary fast. They need another running back bad, and Fox, in our three-hour conversation last week, said running back is the priority, along with defensive tackles, in free agency.

The Broncos weren't pleased with the development, or play, of Ayers in the first season, and Quinn was lost. Ayers was better last year until he got hurt, and Quinn was lost. The move to defensive end should help Ayers, but I'm not convinced. I read recently that Fox likes him. Fox told me he has seen film of every player over and over, but until he actually sees them in practices and games, he will reserve judgement. Fox also told me he hasn't even met a bunch of the players. If he were my coach, I might have come (or flown) in and said hello before the lockout began. I guess some didn't care.

The Broncos made a big mistake in making the deal that allowed them to draft Quinn. He's a blocking tight end who I think will see spot duty. That first draft was basically a bust. In the second draft, McDaniels — who made all the final decisions — wanted Tebow badly, so, as you know, they moved all around and finally got him. Demaryius Thomas is a great kid (like Tebow), and McDaniels was going after great character guys who he felt could play. They didn't want another Brandon Marshall, which is why they passed on Dez Bryant, who has had injury and character issues with the Cowboys, but probably will wind up as a very good receiver.

Thomas was injured
Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow appeared at the ESPY awards on Wednesday in Los Angeles. (Dan Steinberg, The Associated Press)




when the Broncos drafted him, was injured into last season and is recovering from injury now. In Georgia Tech's system, he didn't get that many receptions, so we don't really know. He looked good briefly last year.
I thought McDaniels did an excellent job later in the draft with the offensive linemen and Eric Decker , who looks and acts and plays like a young Ed McCaffrey. He could have been a real steal, but he was hurt, too, last year, and had a couple of drops.

Again, if I were a veteran on this team, I would show up occasionally in Denver so at least people would know I was alive. Fox has read about the workouts, and he knows who has been here and who hasn't. He did tell me he got to know most of the offensive linemen because they were working out at Dove Valley before the lockout.

Moreno better get his butt in gear this year, or he'll be just another average running back. Ayers, I believe, will be pushed for his starting job and may end up alternating at end. That would be a waste for a first-round draft pick. Quinn is like Brady Quinn, mostly invisible.



Read more: Woody's Mailbag: Members of McDaniels' first Broncos draft are MIA - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/woodysmail...#ixzz1S6tOkoa8
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