Our next coach??

Interesting thought: what would Shanahan's last three years have looked like if he didn't have Gibbs/Snyder/Cerrato to frontload him talent? Like, if Champ goes elsewhere, and they don't get the Campbell choice in 2006 to trade up and get Cutler, and also they don't get the Marshall pick.

Would Shanny have even made it to 2008?

Did they pick Marshall w/the 4th that we gave them in the JC deal or was it their pick?

Did they pick Marshall w/the 4th that we gave them in the JC deal or was it their pick?It was our fourth, I believe, but I can't confirm this.

Check into Shanahan's draft misses and get back to me. I don't think the difference between the two is as great as you think.

I agree, plus Shanahan w/his owners support, was into getting big name pricey free agents just like Snyder et al. Denver's payroll has been close to ours in many years this decade.

Plus, pick for pick Vinny isn't bad IMO, especially if the class of 08 continues to improve. It's the broader decisions that bother me, like deciding a west coast O is needed before a coach is hired.

Check into Shanahan's draft misses and get back to me. I don't think the difference between the two is as great as you think.

i thought that shanahan was the gm for awhile with the broncos but it seems a guy named lundquist (sp?) was the gm from 2002 to 2008.

Check into Shanahan's draft misses and get back to me. I don't think the difference between the two is as great as you think.

Check out the 2007 draft. Not bad.

111Jay Cutler (http://www.thewarpath.net/players/jaycutler/profile?id=CUT288111) QBVanderbilt261Tony Scheffler (http://www.thewarpath.net/players/tonyscheffler/profile?id=SCH095691) TEWestern Michigan4119Brandon Marshall (http://www.thewarpath.net/players/brandonmarshall/profile?id=MAR370922) WRCentral Florida4126Elvis Dumervil (http://www.thewarpath.net/players/elvisdumervil/profile?id=DUM179959) DELouisville4130Domenik Hixon (http://www.thewarpath.net/players/domenikhixon/profile?id=HIX462619) WRAkron

It's hard to evaluate all of his drafts, since I don't know their roster up and down. I do know they have always had young talented players on offense and defense. Cutler (in Denver) lit it up. The guy can play. Their offensive line has always been very good. They could essentially plug in any moderately talented RB and he's a star in Denver. Cutler, B Marshall, OL-men, E Royal, Sheffler, DJ Williams, Dumervil, etc. Shanahan drafted some good talent.

To compare him and Vinny you have to look at the whole thing though. If you just want to compare drafts, I can't imagine VC has drafted better than the Broncos. It's also hard b/c you don't know who VC actually picked. Sounds like JG's picked ST, Cooley, and some others. Who knows though? Right now, right this second it looks like the only impact player that we can be sure VC drafted is Orakpo. Of course thats only a 2 yr sample though.

Check into Shanahan's draft misses and get back to me. I don't think the difference between the two is as great as you think.

For one thing, it wouldn't be a good comparison because Shanahan has had so many more picks than we have.

How about we compare overall records over the last ten years and you get back to me?

I agree, plus Shanahan w/his owners support, was into getting big name pricey free agents just like Snyder et al. Denver's payroll has been close to ours in many years this decade.

Plus, pick for pick Vinny isn't bad IMO, especially if the class of 08 continues to improve. It's the broader decisions that bother me, like deciding a west coast O is needed before a coach is hired.

I agree with you 100% and those broader decisions are, in my opinion, evidence of Cerrato dutifully carrying Snyder's orders, without "pushing back" the way most other GMs would. If Cerrato gets the axe here and has opportunity to take a GM job elsewhere, I hope he takes it (as opposed to staying on here in some reduced role).

For one thing, it wouldn't be a good comparison because Shanahan has had so many more picks than we have.

How about we compare overall records over the last ten years and you get back to me?

I've got no problem with Shanahan the head coach, but as a talent evaluator (especially on D) teamed up with Snyder, I just can't buy that we would be that much better off than we are now.

Check out the 2007 draft. Not bad.

111Jay Cutler (http://www.thewarpath.net/players/jaycutler/profile?id=CUT288111) QBVanderbilt261Tony Scheffler (http://www.thewarpath.net/players/tonyscheffler/profile?id=SCH095691) TEWestern Michigan4119Brandon Marshall (http://www.thewarpath.net/players/brandonmarshall/profile?id=MAR370922) WRCentral Florida4126Elvis Dumervil (http://www.thewarpath.net/players/elvisdumervil/profile?id=DUM179959) DELouisville4130Domenik Hixon (http://www.thewarpath.net/players/domenikhixon/profile?id=HIX462619) WRAkron

It's hard to evaluate all of his drafts, since I don't know their roster up and down. I do know they have always had young talented players on offense and defense. Cutler (in Denver) lit it up. The guy can play. Their offensive line has always been very good. They could essentially plug in any moderately talented RB and he's a star in Denver. Cutler, B Marshall, OL-men, E Royal, Sheffler, DJ Williams, Dumervil, etc. Shanahan drafted some good talent.

To compare him and Vinny you have to look at the whole thing though. If you just want to compare drafts, I can't imagine VC has drafted better than the Broncos. It's also hard b/c you don't know who VC actually picked. Sounds like JG's picked ST, Cooley, and some others. Who knows though? Right now, right this second it looks like the only impact player that we can be sure VC drafted is Orakpo. Of course thats only a 2 yr sample though.

we also have to keep in mind that the only reason we drafted orakpo is the jets were able to offer more in a deal to trade up and select sanchez. Orakpo was Plan B (or Plan C if you beleive that, despite Cerrato's claims to the contrary, we weren't offering our 2009 1st rounder in a package to land Cutler). Orakpo was a no-brainer pick at 13 this year. Don't get me wrong - I like Cerrato and think he's an average judge of talent, but its not like drafting orakpo was some brilliant stroke of genius on his part.

I've got no problem with Shanahan the head coach, but as a talent evaluator (especially on D) teamed up with Snyder, I just can't buy that we would be that much better off than we are now.

I think the key to getting this team turned around, no matter who the coach and GM are, is that Snyder can't be pulling the strings. He certainly can say who he will and won't spend money on (e.g. "If you want Player X, I'll pay whatever I have to to get him here," or "I don't want this guy at all" or even, "I need you to sign one big name guy in free agency, the draft, or by executing a trade, because I need to sell tickets/jerseys/whatever, etc.) - but thats it. Beyond that, he needs to let the coach and GM do the jobs he's paying them to do. If that doesn't happen, then things around here simply arent going to change.

The irony here is that if Snyder actually hires the right coach and the right GM, and this team becomes a perennial contender, then the team will have enough young talent and enough draft picks to "afford" allowing him to "meddle" and hand-pick a player or two that he wants on the roster without destroying the whole thing. unfortunately, when a team is this thin on depth, talent, and character, it simply cant afford to make any mistakes.