Trade up to get Burrow?
Q: What would it take besides trading Drew Lock, Von Miller, and our firstround pick to Cincinnati for the chance to draft quarterback Joe Burrow?
— Tim Monroe, Kingston, N.Y.
Ryan: Roughly 1,000 years ago, I covered two New York State high school semifinal football games in Kingston (I think the teams from my coverage area were Hudson Falls and Cambridge) so thanks for bringing back those memories, Tim. OK, your idea gets an “A” for thinking outside the box. Lock, Miller, this year’s first- and second-round picks and next year’s first- and third-round picks sounds like a good proposal.
Q: Ryan, do you see any of our practice squad players making a big impact in 2020? Linebacker Alexander Johnson was a huge boon for us last year. Do you think a guy like Tre Crawford or Khalfani Muhammad have the skillsets to jump to the next level?
— Mark, Arvada
Ryan: Johnson is a success story for the Broncos’ identify-and-develop perspective — he was on the practice squad briefly in 2018 and ended up starting the final 12 games of 2019. Muhammad was on the practice squad for all of ’19 after a preseason that saw him do a little bit of everything as a running back and kick returner. He is still with the team, but faces an uphill climb to stick on the 53-man roster. Crawford, a cornerback, was signed to a futures’ deal after the season and right now, any cornerback will have a chance to make the team. But the one name from the Week 17 practice squad that is prominent is quarterback Brett Rypien. If the Broncos keep three quarterbacks, he will have a chance to stick as the No. 3.
Q: What role do you see receiver DaeSean Hamilton having with the Broncos next season? He looked like he was starting to find his rhythm late in the season. But if Denver goes receiver early in the draft, he gets a little lost in the mix. I see him battling Tim Patrick for that No. 3 spot. What about you?
— Mike Smith, Parker
Ryan: Hamilton was quiet during his rookie year until Emmanuel Sanders tore his Achilles and missed the final four games. And he was mostly quiet in 2019 until Sanders was traded to San Francisco. Hamilton had 17 of his 28 catches in the final five games. If the Broncos acquire a veteran receiver to team with Sutton, I like Patrick winning the No. 3 job over Hamilton although both players will see significant playing time.
Q: Why is it that every year some of the best college players with the best stats do not get drafted or go lower in the draft? It doesn’t make sense to me! One example would be Khalil Tate of Arizona being drafted over Anthony Gordon of Washington State. Gordon’s stats were three times better than Tate’s. And category after category you can find examples of players that are fantastic that go overlooked or just not taken. None of this makes sense if you have good coaches — they should be able to bring out the best in these players so why not start with the players with the best stats?
— John Newman, Sacramento, Calif.
Ryan: Phillip Lindsay wasn’t drafted after a solid college career at Colorado and he’s produced two 1,000-yard rushing seasons in as many seasons with the Broncos. Tate wasn’t invited to this week’s combine, but Gordon — a oneyear starter for the Cougars — is in Indianapolis. The key for NFL teams is trying to project how Player A fits into a team’s scheme and culture.