Will Broncos look for new left tackle to replace Bolles?
Denver Post sports columnist Mark Kiszla answered questions about all things Colorado sports in a live chat Monday. Here are the highlights:
Q: Will the Broncos look to sign a new holder? And by holder, I mean a replacement for Garett Bolles.
Kiszla: A new holder. Saw what you did there. This appears to be a good draft for offensive tackles. A very good draft. Four elite tackles, by the count of most esteemed draftniks. Thing is, all four of those elite tackles are likely to be plucked off the board before the Broncos are on the clock at No. 15. So would Elway trade up to get a replacement for Bolles? Maybe. But that’s not the way I would bet. My current guess (subject to change, of course) is the Broncos want to give Bolles one last season to figure it out. Too optimistic a course of action? Probably. We shall see.
Q: Now that we’re all experiencing the shakes and cold sweats from sports withdrawal … when sports finally return, what event or venue or sports experience is tops on your list?
Kiszla: I like this question, because I think dreaming of brighter days helps me through the slog we’re all in together now. I live to ski. So the first thing I’m dreaming about is taking a run through some powder off the Eagle Wind lift at Winter Park. I love the Olympics. So I am thrilled that athletes that work so hard, often for very brief moments of international glory, now have a target of July 2021 for the Summer Games in Tokyo. And we all have sports venues that make us feel alive. So when this is over, I’m going back to my hometown in South Bend, Ind., on a football Saturday. I will buy a sausage sizzling on the grill on the Notre Dame quad and get goose bumps when the Fighting Irish run out on the field.
Q: Do you think Broncos stay put at 15 or move up? How about a surprise pick?
Kiszla: History tells us that John Elway likes to make moves, wheeling and dealing in the trade market, during the NFL draft. For example: I believe Elway tried to move up for a quarterback a couple years ago, but couldn’t get a deal done that would’ve allowed the Broncos to draft Sam Darnold. Moving up generally is tougher than moving back (as the laws of supply and demand would dictate). So let me throw out just one scenario here: This is a deep class for wide receivers. Are you sure speedster Henry Ruggs of Alabama is the player the Broncos need most? And how confident are you that Ruggs will be there at No. 15? Maybe Elway trades back 5-10 slots, picks up an extra pick and lands another wide receiver. I like Justin Jefferson of LSU. He’s a slot guy that moves the chains and works the red zone more than scares the daylights out of a defense as a deep threat.
Q: Kiz, what do you think of the Broncos’ moves so far this offseason? I’m confused about the Melvin Gordon pickup, but those defensive moves have been stellar on paper. Could this be the best defense we’ve had since the Super Bowl win?
Kiszla: I have generally liked the Broncos’ offseason moves. National analysts aren’t as thrilled with what Mr. Elway as local analysts, who tend to view him in more favorable light. That’s understandable. Still holes on that defense. So think it’s a little quick to anoint it the best in Denver since 2015. Need another cornerback. Would guess we’ll see one taken early in the draft.
Q: With the NBA, NHL, and March madness on hold (pre-playoffs), I’m wondering how the qualifying teams will get back to where they were?
Kiszla: Interesting question. Here’s my guess: We won’t live in a post-virus world anytime soon. Any decision to play NHL or NBA games in 2020 will have to involve not only the health of players, but the health and well-being on their families. So do you quarantine players while they’re in competition? That would be a difficult sell, methinks.The most optimistic view I can give you at this point is for the NBA and NHL to jump immediately from short training camps into the playoffs, possibly in abbreviated forms. And that would be a huge coaching challenge. But it’s all pure speculation at this point. Be safe. Be careful. Be well.
Q: Hey, Mark, what is going on with Juwann Winfree?
Kiszla: Well … I do not want to be too irreverent here, because Juwann Winfree seems to be a good dude and has more football talent than 99.87% of football players on the planet. But I think he showed well in training camp. That’s way different than showing well in NFL games. I think there was a tendency to get a little carried away with Winfree’s potential because of his CU background. The media getting a little carried away? Shocking, I know.