Which new Bronco will make the bigger impact: A.J. Bouye or Jurrell Casey?
Kiz: The nuts and bolts of a Denver team that won Super Bowl 50 were rusting. John Elway disdains the word “rebuilding,” but he tore it all down. Scrapped it. Linebacker Von Miller and kicker Brandon McManus are the only two significant contributors remaining from a roster that won the championship a little more than four years ago. Rather than make splashy moves this offseason, Elway concentrated on steel and concrete. Cornerback A.J. Bouye. Defensive lineman Jurrell Casey. How big a difference can they make?
O’Halloran: I liked how aggressive the Broncos were on the trade front. They realized the cornerback market was way overpriced, so they gave up only a fourth-round pick for Bouye. And they gave up only a seventh-rounder to the salary cap-strapped Titans for Casey. Both can make a difference on and off the field. Bouye should help the Broncos improve their woeful interception total (10). Casey can still ruin a game plan with a combination of strength stopping the run and as an interior pass rusher.
Kiz: What intrigues me is a cultural shift inside the locker room. The business of football takes a sledgehammer to the brotherhood, even on a tight-knit team that wins it all. The new Broncos are defined by quarterback Drew Lock and safety Justin Simmons. Bouye and Casey were acquired to guide and boost them, as opposed to the eye rolls Emmanuel Sanders and Chris Harris sometimes gave mistakes of younger teammates. But we all know it’s hard to lead if you can’t play. So tell me: How many Pro Bowl seasons are left in Bouye and Casey?
O’Halloran: If Bouye and Casey can make one Pro Bowl apiece while playing for the Broncos, the trades will be a success. Quickly shifting to the leadership change: After the Week 4 loss to Jacksonville, there was a locker room argument pitting young guys vs. veteran guys. That can’t happen again. On defense, my leadership group would start with Simmons and Bradley Chubb — they should be the 2020 captains — and be supported by Miller, Bouye and Casey. On offense, Lock and Courtland Sutton should be the captains and be supported by right guard Graham Glasgow.
Kiz: I applaud the moves Elway has made this offseason, with the exception of the splashiest one. The reputation of running back Melvin Gordon has always been bigger than his game. Casey has far more Pro Bowl appearances (five) on his resume than Gordon does (one). The defense of coach Vic Fangio functions best with a big man clogging the middle. Casey was a heart-and-soul player for Tennessee. If you ask me, Elway’s biggest miss in free agency during recent years was Calais Campbell, beloved and respected by teammates. I’d like to believe Casey is big enough, both on the field and in the locker room, to fill a leadership void for Denver.
O’Halloran: Campbell, the Denver South alumnus and beloved teammate in Arizona and Jacksonville, would have been a terrific pickup. But he ended up in Baltimore with an extended contract. Ranking the Broncos’ moves: 1. Bouye; 2. Glasgow; 3. Casey; 4. Tight end Nick Vannett; 5. Gordon. You and I texted each other soon after the Gordon news broke Friday. Our summarized response: “Huh?” Gordon is coming off a career-worst rushing year (following a monthlong holdout). Do I think the Broncos needed to add running back help, even a “No. 1” to make Phillip Lindsay “No. 1A”? Yes. But not at Gordon’s price (two years, $16 million). I would have used one of the three third-round picks on a running back. How Lindsay responds to a decreased workload and not having the starter’s title will be interesting.