WEBVTT - Drive Time - Know The Enemy: Denver Broncos 0:00:00.280 --> 0:00:09.760 Practicing. What a win for this Miami Dolphin team. Wow, 0:00:11.000 --> 0:00:14.680 What is up? Dolphins? And welcome to the Drive Time 0:00:14.720 --> 0:00:19.400 podcast part of the Miami Dolphins official podcast network, covering 0:00:19.480 --> 0:00:23.919 your Miami Dolphins each and every day. How is it going? Everybody? 0:00:23.960 --> 0:00:28.040 Happy Friday? Happy pre fourth of July. I am your host, 0:00:28.120 --> 0:00:31.000 Travis Wingfield, and I'm here to bring you your daily 0:00:31.080 --> 0:00:34.519 dose of Miami Dolphins football. And on today's show, we 0:00:34.600 --> 0:00:38.519 are previewing Miami's Week six opponent, a game on the 0:00:38.640 --> 0:00:42.120 road in the Rocky Mountains with the Denver Broncos. And 0:00:42.159 --> 0:00:45.200 to help us do that is Eric Dlala of Denver 0:00:45.280 --> 0:00:49.040 Broncos dot Com. What are the expectations out in Denver 0:00:49.280 --> 0:00:52.720 for Drew Lock all those offensive additions? How do Von 0:00:52.840 --> 0:00:56.040 Miller and Bradley Chubb compliment one another? Who's the biggest 0:00:56.120 --> 0:00:58.680 unsung star on the team? All of that and more 0:00:59.000 --> 0:01:02.120 on this Friday, July the third edition of the Drive 0:01:02.200 --> 0:01:09.000 Time Podcasts. And I'm pretty excited for this edition of 0:01:09.040 --> 0:01:11.200 the No the Enemy series. We've taken a look now 0:01:11.280 --> 0:01:14.319 at the Patriots, Bills, Jaguars. We're gonna get to all 0:01:14.400 --> 0:01:17.640 thirteen opponents on the Miami Dolphins schedule. We also have 0:01:17.720 --> 0:01:20.240 written content taking a look at some of the analytics 0:01:20.400 --> 0:01:23.839 and inside football stats up on Miami Dolphins dot com 0:01:24.080 --> 0:01:27.360 for each of these opponents. We have October's opponents up 0:01:27.440 --> 0:01:30.200 now live on the website. We had September I think 0:01:30.200 --> 0:01:32.560 it was last week, so go check that out Miami 0:01:32.600 --> 0:01:35.360 Dolphins dot Com. But I'm pumped to talk about this 0:01:35.440 --> 0:01:37.960 Broncos team because I find them one of the more 0:01:38.000 --> 0:01:41.959 fascinating outfits in the entire NFL with the off season 0:01:42.040 --> 0:01:45.280 they had surrounding Drew Lock with all those weapons. I 0:01:45.360 --> 0:01:48.840 was a huge Jerry Judy fan of Alabama kJ Hamler 0:01:48.880 --> 0:01:50.800 at Penn State. He was one of the guys at 0:01:50.800 --> 0:01:53.840 the scouting combine that every big ten defender you talk 0:01:53.920 --> 0:01:56.600 to said he was the toughest guy they faced on 0:01:56.640 --> 0:01:59.520 saturdays in college. Noah Fan was a big fan of 0:01:59.600 --> 0:02:02.160 his game out of Iowa two years ago. And then 0:02:02.200 --> 0:02:04.440 maybe even the best out of that entire bunch of 0:02:04.560 --> 0:02:08.400 NFL talent is the NFL proven Courtland Sutton, who had 0:02:08.440 --> 0:02:11.080 a very similar year last year to the Vante Parker 0:02:11.160 --> 0:02:13.440 with the numbers. But I won't waste any more time 0:02:13.480 --> 0:02:16.280 here talking about this team without our guest. Let's go 0:02:16.320 --> 0:02:19.160 ahead and bring in the Broncos expert from Denver Broncos 0:02:19.240 --> 0:02:22.919 dot Com Eric D. Lala and writing Shotgun now Here 0:02:22.960 --> 0:02:26.120 on the Drive Time podcast is our Week six Dolphins 0:02:26.160 --> 0:02:30.560 at Broncos the October eighteenth game. Are correspondent for that game, 0:02:30.720 --> 0:02:33.800 Eric D. Lalla, He covers the Broncos for Denver Broncos 0:02:33.840 --> 0:02:37.320 dot Com. Eric, Welcome in man Hey, Thanks so much 0:02:37.320 --> 0:02:39.160 for having me. We're excited about having you on the 0:02:39.200 --> 0:02:42.760 podcast here. And I've always wanted to go to Denver myself, 0:02:42.800 --> 0:02:45.720 actually being a West Coast native, it never happened for me, 0:02:45.760 --> 0:02:48.200 but now I get my chance here in October. Is 0:02:48.240 --> 0:02:50.600 that the best time of year to go out to Denver. Yeah, 0:02:50.639 --> 0:02:53.120 I love that time of year, that September October weather 0:02:53.560 --> 0:02:56.000 starting to get a little bit crisp the u The 0:02:56.120 --> 0:02:58.200 leaves are changing up on the up in the mountains, 0:02:58.240 --> 0:03:00.560 so people who head up there for a day trip 0:03:00.639 --> 0:03:04.720 you can see some pretty spectacular fall colors. Uh. Still, 0:03:04.840 --> 0:03:07.639 it'll be nice during the day at empower Field a 0:03:07.680 --> 0:03:09.960 mile high, and it could get a little crisp by 0:03:10.040 --> 0:03:12.480 the time we're leaving the press box that night. But yeah, 0:03:12.520 --> 0:03:14.000 that's just a great time of year. To be here. 0:03:14.120 --> 0:03:16.079 It's one of those areas where you can have snow 0:03:16.120 --> 0:03:18.280 one day and then like seventy degrees the next day. 0:03:18.320 --> 0:03:20.640 So it's always a coin toss as far as what 0:03:20.720 --> 0:03:23.120 you'll get. But you know, I've also looked at some 0:03:23.160 --> 0:03:25.680 of the Broncos um just trends, and it seems like 0:03:25.680 --> 0:03:28.040 they tend to win a lot of those early season 0:03:28.160 --> 0:03:31.200 home games. So I'm happy that it's it's October, but 0:03:31.240 --> 0:03:33.679 I guess it could be better for weather in September. 0:03:33.760 --> 0:03:36.160 But again, the on field product for the visiting team 0:03:36.200 --> 0:03:38.880 maybe a little bit better chance in October. Eric, we 0:03:38.920 --> 0:03:40.840 are in a crazy time right now. How has it 0:03:40.840 --> 0:03:43.280 been for you covering the league, covering this team during 0:03:43.320 --> 0:03:45.920 all of the coronavirus and and everything going on right now? 0:03:46.080 --> 0:03:49.080 How you've been doing with work and everything. Yeah, it's 0:03:49.080 --> 0:03:51.400 been interesting. You know. I think when we left in 0:03:51.520 --> 0:03:55.680 mid March, Um and Joe Ellis, the Broncos president CEO, 0:03:55.760 --> 0:03:58.320 said everybody needs to work from home. I think we all, 0:03:58.360 --> 0:04:00.560 like everybody thought this is gonna be a couple week thing. 0:04:00.640 --> 0:04:04.600 But uh, now going on month for or whatever it is. 0:04:04.760 --> 0:04:07.240 You know, we've covered free agency from home, the draft 0:04:07.320 --> 0:04:11.480 from home, he's the zoom press conferences kind of seemed 0:04:11.520 --> 0:04:14.400 like second nature by now, But I think, like everybody, 0:04:14.400 --> 0:04:16.520 we're eager to see what training camp is gonna look like, 0:04:17.040 --> 0:04:18.880 what the start of the season is going to look like, 0:04:19.400 --> 0:04:21.480 and not just from a football standpoint, but how are 0:04:21.480 --> 0:04:23.839 we going to be able to get content to the fans, 0:04:24.720 --> 0:04:26.680 because it's it's going to be a unique season, and 0:04:26.720 --> 0:04:30.040 so hopefully there's some cool opportunities to show the differences 0:04:30.120 --> 0:04:32.240 and give fans a good look at that. And you 0:04:32.279 --> 0:04:35.039 mentioned training camp. We're just less than one month away 0:04:35.080 --> 0:04:37.520 from the start of training camp. Some alterations of the 0:04:37.560 --> 0:04:40.039 preseason schedule, and the Hall of Fame Game, of course, 0:04:40.240 --> 0:04:43.039 has been canceled. And last year the Broncos were in 0:04:43.120 --> 0:04:45.640 that Hall of Fame game, and I remember that Drew 0:04:45.760 --> 0:04:47.880 Lock played early in that game and got a lot 0:04:47.920 --> 0:04:50.240 of reps in that game, and Vic Fangio came out 0:04:50.279 --> 0:04:52.760 afterwards and just basically said he's not ready to play 0:04:52.839 --> 0:04:55.680 yet his first game as an NFL player, But then 0:04:55.680 --> 0:04:57.279 he made a big jump when he got into the 0:04:57.279 --> 0:04:59.840 lineup in December. And I want to know from someone 0:05:00.160 --> 0:05:02.520 that was their first hand throughout the year, that saw 0:05:02.560 --> 0:05:05.520 a rookie quarterback growth from that first preseason game all 0:05:05.520 --> 0:05:07.200 the way till the end of the season when the 0:05:07.240 --> 0:05:10.200 Broncos offense improved by five and a half points per 0:05:10.240 --> 0:05:13.120 game when he entered the lineup. What was it about 0:05:13.200 --> 0:05:15.400 that experience for him to help him grow into that 0:05:15.520 --> 0:05:18.200 role And what do you think about Drew Locks prospects 0:05:18.200 --> 0:05:21.760 now heading into your number two Yes, So for those 0:05:21.800 --> 0:05:23.200 who don't know, I mean, he was drafted in the 0:05:23.240 --> 0:05:26.360 second round, came out here, and I think was overwhelmed 0:05:26.400 --> 0:05:28.800 by the playbook to start off, just because it's such 0:05:28.800 --> 0:05:31.560 a different experience than what he had at Missouri and 0:05:31.640 --> 0:05:33.760 where they're holding up signs, it's a you know, it's 0:05:33.800 --> 0:05:36.880 a hurry up offense there. They're using numbers and letters 0:05:36.880 --> 0:05:39.880 instead of these long, complicated play calls and a lot 0:05:39.880 --> 0:05:43.440 of NFL offenses used. Um. I think what impressed me 0:05:43.520 --> 0:05:46.400 first was his work ethic, because day one he said, 0:05:46.440 --> 0:05:48.239 this is a lot of you know, I'm barely breaking 0:05:48.279 --> 0:05:51.120 the huddle. Went home that night and it's been I 0:05:51.120 --> 0:05:53.520 think three or four hours just practicing in the mirror 0:05:53.839 --> 0:05:56.760 these play calls. Then recorded himself practicing the play calls, 0:05:56.760 --> 0:05:58.720 would listen to those on the bus on the way 0:05:58.720 --> 0:06:01.680 to the facility. So I think that's where people noticed first, 0:06:02.080 --> 0:06:04.360 was that the work ethic was there, and that was 0:06:04.400 --> 0:06:06.680 a big thing because you know, a few years ago 0:06:06.680 --> 0:06:09.360 the Broncos took Paxton Lynch in the first round and 0:06:09.480 --> 0:06:12.279 he for whatever reason and it was never able to 0:06:12.279 --> 0:06:14.600 take advantage. And there is this perception in Denver that 0:06:14.680 --> 0:06:17.520 part of that was motivation, part of that was work ethic, 0:06:17.720 --> 0:06:20.599 and I don't think there's any concern there Withdrew And 0:06:20.640 --> 0:06:23.040 so for me, that checked a big box on day 0:06:23.040 --> 0:06:26.000 one that he was in Denver. Um. Like you said, 0:06:26.040 --> 0:06:28.440 it was a little bit rocky early on. It didn't 0:06:28.480 --> 0:06:32.039 play well in the Hall of Fame game. Granted, you know, 0:06:32.040 --> 0:06:34.880 he wasn't getting that many nows because he was competing 0:06:34.920 --> 0:06:38.159 for the backup role at that point with Kevin Hogan. 0:06:38.440 --> 0:06:41.000 Joe Flacca was the clear starter at that point. He 0:06:41.040 --> 0:06:43.400 was a little bit better. The following week against Seattle. 0:06:43.520 --> 0:06:47.240 I thought he was really strong. Let a eight to 0:06:47.320 --> 0:06:50.520 ten place scoring drive in his third preseason game, and 0:06:50.560 --> 0:06:52.800 then he gets hurt. He gets sacked, hurts his thumb 0:06:52.880 --> 0:06:56.160 on his throwing hand is out essentially for the next 0:06:56.160 --> 0:07:00.240 ten weeks, and like you mentioned Vic Fangio said, Hey, 0:07:00.400 --> 0:07:02.120 you know you're you're a picture right now. You're not 0:07:02.120 --> 0:07:04.479 a quarterback. You're throwing the ball hard, You're not a 0:07:04.600 --> 0:07:07.640 Union card carrying quarterback. I mean, Vis got all these sayings, 0:07:07.720 --> 0:07:11.360 but he also said that time off really helped Drew 0:07:11.440 --> 0:07:13.840 because he could take a step back, he could do 0:07:13.880 --> 0:07:16.120 all this virtual reality stuff that the Broncos have and 0:07:16.360 --> 0:07:19.760 many other NFL teams utilize, but he could get a 0:07:19.800 --> 0:07:21.840 good feel for the playbook. And so I think there 0:07:21.920 --> 0:07:24.000 was concern that, you know, he was going to come 0:07:24.000 --> 0:07:26.720 back from this long layoff Week thirteen against the Chargers, 0:07:26.720 --> 0:07:29.280 who had a top ten defense last season, and then 0:07:29.280 --> 0:07:31.080 it was going to be ugly, and he threw two 0:07:31.080 --> 0:07:34.120 touchdowns in the first half. I mean, he really used 0:07:34.160 --> 0:07:37.760 that time to his advantage mentally. And so moving forward 0:07:37.760 --> 0:07:41.160 to this year, after he threw seven touchdowns three picks 0:07:41.240 --> 0:07:46.160 last year, completed nearly six of his passes, I think 0:07:46.240 --> 0:07:49.480 there's reason to believe that even without an in person 0:07:49.520 --> 0:07:53.440 offseason program, as he's trying to learn offensive coordinator Pat 0:07:53.440 --> 0:07:57.720 Shermer's system, that some of those habits, uh that work ethic, 0:07:57.840 --> 0:07:59.600 that that's going to go a long way into making 0:07:59.680 --> 0:08:04.000 sure he can take a step forward. And I think, Travis, 0:08:04.240 --> 0:08:07.000 my sense is that there's Drew is not going to 0:08:07.080 --> 0:08:09.160 be worse than he was last year. And so I 0:08:09.200 --> 0:08:11.560 think what you saw last year is a pretty good baseline, 0:08:11.600 --> 0:08:13.840 and that was you know, if you average out his numbers, 0:08:14.280 --> 0:08:18.160 it's like thirty yards twenty two touchdowns, it's like twelve 0:08:18.200 --> 0:08:20.600 picks or something like that. I don't think he's going 0:08:20.680 --> 0:08:22.560 to be any worse than that. And I know we'll 0:08:22.600 --> 0:08:25.360 get to this, but because of all the weapons on offense, 0:08:25.760 --> 0:08:29.480 even if Drew is just average, I think those numbers 0:08:29.480 --> 0:08:32.080 are gonna be inflated anyway, just because of the talent. 0:08:32.200 --> 0:08:35.520 But you know, if he takes a step forward, I'm 0:08:35.559 --> 0:08:38.080 not suggesting he's gonna be the next Mahomes or Lamar 0:08:38.160 --> 0:08:40.120 Jackson or Carson Wentz, but you look at these year 0:08:40.160 --> 0:08:42.840 two quarterbacks. I do think Drew can put himself in 0:08:42.840 --> 0:08:45.439 the conversation if he you know, maybe he throws for 0:08:45.559 --> 0:08:48.520 four thousand yards and twenty seven touchdowns and at least 0:08:48.600 --> 0:08:51.080 that proves then that he's the long term guy here 0:08:51.080 --> 0:08:54.000 in denver Um and then you can keep moving forward, 0:08:54.040 --> 0:08:57.480 because that's been the issue with roster building since is 0:08:57.520 --> 0:09:00.320 that every year when you're trying to find a quarter back, 0:09:00.840 --> 0:09:03.600 you can't build around them and you end up using 0:09:03.600 --> 0:09:05.360 a first round pick on a quarterback when you could 0:09:05.440 --> 0:09:08.520 use that on an impactful defensive player, skill position or 0:09:08.559 --> 0:09:11.199 offensive lineman. And so if Drew is a guy, and 0:09:11.520 --> 0:09:13.480 I think you'll show that this year that he is, 0:09:14.520 --> 0:09:16.920 things look brighter for not just this year, but the 0:09:16.960 --> 0:09:19.840 foreseeable future. It really benefits the team when you can 0:09:19.880 --> 0:09:23.440 find that quarterback outside of the general you know, top five, 0:09:23.520 --> 0:09:25.559 top ten type of picks stuff. You get a quarterback 0:09:25.559 --> 0:09:28.000 in the second round, like you mentioned, you get the salary, 0:09:28.160 --> 0:09:30.280 you know, relief. That way, you also get to add 0:09:30.360 --> 0:09:33.320 other premium spots or premium resources to the rest of 0:09:33.320 --> 0:09:35.839 the roster. I like the idea you talk about there 0:09:35.840 --> 0:09:38.160 with kind of pro rating the rookie season numbers, because 0:09:38.360 --> 0:09:41.040 you talk about twenty two touchdowns twelve picks. That's that's 0:09:41.160 --> 0:09:43.480 what you want your rookie quarterback to be able to do, 0:09:43.520 --> 0:09:45.080 to show that you can take care of the football 0:09:45.280 --> 0:09:47.600 and produce that way in big time numbers and elevate 0:09:47.640 --> 0:09:50.200 the offense the way Drew Lock did last year. I 0:09:50.200 --> 0:09:51.800 have a couple of comments for you here, Eric, because 0:09:51.840 --> 0:09:54.040 I love some of the notes you mentioned about him 0:09:54.080 --> 0:09:56.720 being a picture not a quarterback just yet. My goodness, 0:09:56.720 --> 0:09:58.880 that guy can drill the football and really rip those 0:09:58.920 --> 0:10:01.440 tight seams and and make some big time throws that way. 0:10:01.600 --> 0:10:04.080 He's always been that way since he was back at Missouri. 0:10:04.360 --> 0:10:06.400 You also mentioned the weapons that he has around him, 0:10:06.400 --> 0:10:08.320 and we'd be remissed if we didn't dive into that 0:10:08.400 --> 0:10:11.200 next here, because you got Courtland Sutton, who went crazy 0:10:11.280 --> 0:10:13.839 last year and had a big breakout season. Noah Fan, 0:10:13.960 --> 0:10:16.079 for my money, is one of the top athletic tight 0:10:16.200 --> 0:10:18.880 ends in the NFL once he gets a little more acclimated, 0:10:18.960 --> 0:10:20.679 a little more seasoning. And then you go out and 0:10:20.720 --> 0:10:23.360 add my personal favorite receiver in this year's draft class, 0:10:23.360 --> 0:10:26.400 and Jerry Judy you get kJ Hamler. I mean, it's 0:10:26.440 --> 0:10:29.160 it seems to me like they really, like you mentioned, 0:10:29.160 --> 0:10:32.560 because of the identification of having this quarterback, they believe 0:10:32.600 --> 0:10:35.400 in that they can go ahead and make these aggressive 0:10:35.440 --> 0:10:38.440 moves to surround him with that talent. And I'm curious 0:10:38.520 --> 0:10:41.000 to ask you how this kind of place between John 0:10:41.040 --> 0:10:43.840 Elway and Vic Fangio, because typically you might see a 0:10:43.880 --> 0:10:46.080 defensive coach say we want to go more on the 0:10:46.120 --> 0:10:48.320 defensive side of the ball, but they went all in 0:10:48.360 --> 0:10:51.439 on the offense with Judy and Hamler and getting Melvin Gordon. 0:10:51.679 --> 0:10:53.720 What is it about this receiving corps that really helps 0:10:53.720 --> 0:10:55.680 benefit Drew Lock and can take his game to the 0:10:55.679 --> 0:10:58.880 next level. Yeah, A big part of it is a 0:10:59.320 --> 0:11:02.480 receivers all do something a little bit different. You've got 0:11:02.480 --> 0:11:05.520 Courtland Sutton, who's that jump ball type of guy, big 0:11:05.559 --> 0:11:09.200 possession receiver UM, A guy I think Drew luck will 0:11:09.200 --> 0:11:11.560 still look to on third down. You know, had an 0:11:11.600 --> 0:11:15.720 insane target share UM last season when Drew got in 0:11:15.760 --> 0:11:19.040 there for his final five starts. How do you know 0:11:19.080 --> 0:11:21.959 he's he didn't have all that many games where he 0:11:22.000 --> 0:11:24.360 had more than four or five catches, but he's he's 0:11:24.360 --> 0:11:26.839 a four catch, eight yard type of guy. I'll be 0:11:26.920 --> 0:11:29.160 interested to see if that if he can kind of 0:11:29.160 --> 0:11:31.840 increase that catch number a little bit this season. But 0:11:32.000 --> 0:11:34.559 you've got him there. You've got Jerry Judy, who we've 0:11:34.600 --> 0:11:36.760 heard again and again about his route running, about his 0:11:36.800 --> 0:11:38.720 ability to look the ball in. You know, he's not 0:11:38.760 --> 0:11:41.920 going to drop passes. He can catch a short ball 0:11:42.000 --> 0:11:45.280 and take at the distance um. Nick Saban told us 0:11:45.320 --> 0:11:47.959 that he thinks he's going to be best in the slot, 0:11:48.040 --> 0:11:50.480 but can also play outside as well. Then you've got 0:11:50.559 --> 0:11:53.320 k J. Hamler from Penn State, and he's a guy 0:11:53.400 --> 0:11:57.280 that the strategy of the draft was interesting because when 0:11:57.320 --> 0:12:00.679 le Broncos took Jerry Judy at fifteen, nobody in the 0:12:00.760 --> 0:12:02.440 league thought they were going to double up and go 0:12:02.559 --> 0:12:05.400 receiver again in the second round. Maybe in the third round, 0:12:05.440 --> 0:12:07.439 maybe in the fourth round, but not in the second. 0:12:07.480 --> 0:12:09.240 And so when they took k J. Hamler and they 0:12:09.280 --> 0:12:11.360 got a guy that could take the top off of 0:12:11.440 --> 0:12:14.960 the defense. He's going to challenge those safeties. And so 0:12:15.040 --> 0:12:18.080 those three receivers each do something different. And then Noah 0:12:18.120 --> 0:12:22.120 fans because of his size and speed that combination right there. 0:12:22.400 --> 0:12:24.560 He can catch a short crossing round and take at 0:12:24.600 --> 0:12:28.040 the distance. Um He's had had a few hundred yard 0:12:28.080 --> 0:12:30.960 games last year. Let all rookie tight ends, said a 0:12:30.960 --> 0:12:34.400 bunch of Broncos franchise rookie tight end records. So he's 0:12:34.440 --> 0:12:36.559 a guy really excited to see. But I think when 0:12:36.600 --> 0:12:38.840 you take all of those guys, and then you add 0:12:38.840 --> 0:12:42.960 the receiving ability of Philip Lindsay and Melvin Gordon, there's 0:12:42.960 --> 0:12:45.959 almost too many options for teams to stop if all 0:12:46.000 --> 0:12:48.000 goes well, and we have to see if that translates 0:12:48.000 --> 0:12:49.880 to the field. But I think the biggest thing for 0:12:49.960 --> 0:12:52.360 the Broncos is the last few years they haven't had 0:12:52.440 --> 0:12:54.840 a lot of depth. You know, Emmanuel Sanders and da 0:12:54.880 --> 0:12:59.040 Marius Thomas when they were both out in teen, you 0:12:59.160 --> 0:13:01.720 had a young Courtland Sudden, a young days Shawn Hamilton's 0:13:01.880 --> 0:13:04.640 and a young Tim Patrick and those were your options. 0:13:04.720 --> 0:13:07.680 And obviously Cortland's developed into this Pro Bowl player. But 0:13:07.760 --> 0:13:09.560 I think the fact now that Courtland can miss a 0:13:09.600 --> 0:13:12.080 game and you still got Judy and Hambler and Fant, 0:13:12.400 --> 0:13:15.680 you know, that makes things easier for lock uh and 0:13:15.720 --> 0:13:18.480 hopefully is the difference between a six and ten, seven 0:13:18.480 --> 0:13:20.800 and nine type keys in and maybe nine and seven, 0:13:20.840 --> 0:13:23.000 ten and six. It's kind of like looking on the 0:13:23.000 --> 0:13:24.760 mirror on the other side of the football and if 0:13:24.760 --> 0:13:27.360 you just remove the fandom from this, your Broncos or 0:13:27.400 --> 0:13:30.160 Dolphins fandom, whichever side you may be on for this 0:13:30.280 --> 0:13:33.000 drive time podcast here with Eric da Laala of Denver 0:13:33.040 --> 0:13:36.160 Broncos dot Com, is that the Dolphins really went hard 0:13:36.240 --> 0:13:39.320 on the secondary and really made that an area of depth. 0:13:39.480 --> 0:13:42.000 So just from a pure football standpoint, I can't wait 0:13:42.040 --> 0:13:45.040 to watch the way this Dolphins defensive backfield matches up 0:13:45.040 --> 0:13:47.520 with all the options the Broncos have their at Drew 0:13:47.600 --> 0:13:50.839 Locks disposal. Now, you mentioned the addition in the in 0:13:50.880 --> 0:13:53.920 the backfield of Melvin Gordon from the Chargers. He makes 0:13:53.920 --> 0:13:57.000 the jump in division there and joins Philip Lindsay, who 0:13:57.040 --> 0:13:59.280 I think is one of the more underrated backs in 0:13:59.320 --> 0:14:02.520 the NFL. So continuing that theme of adding depth and 0:14:02.559 --> 0:14:05.640 making yourself, like you said, flexible with game plans, but 0:14:05.720 --> 0:14:08.360 also the ability to replace a starter if he goes 0:14:08.400 --> 0:14:11.080 down for a game or two. What's the workshare load 0:14:11.160 --> 0:14:13.840 load gonna look like they're in that backfield between Gordon 0:14:14.040 --> 0:14:18.280 and Lindsay, who's the starter, Who's gonna get more carries? Yeah? 0:14:18.280 --> 0:14:19.960 You know I would. I would view it more as 0:14:20.040 --> 0:14:24.160 a touch situation instead of carries, um, just because I 0:14:24.200 --> 0:14:26.720 could see a situation where they both get the same 0:14:26.760 --> 0:14:29.600 amount of carries. But maybe Melvine Gordon's on the field 0:14:29.600 --> 0:14:31.680 a little bit more, uh you know in third down, 0:14:31.760 --> 0:14:34.000 so maybe he gets some of these swing passes out 0:14:34.000 --> 0:14:37.720 of the backfield, some of these checkdowns. Um, you know, 0:14:37.720 --> 0:14:39.320 I would look at the playing time, maybe in the 0:14:39.440 --> 0:14:42.760 sixty to seventy percent range for Gordon and Philip Lindsay 0:14:42.760 --> 0:14:45.560 getting the rest of that. But Philip Lindsay has been 0:14:45.560 --> 0:14:48.120 doubted for a really long time. You know, he wasn't drafted, 0:14:48.400 --> 0:14:51.880 it wasn't highly recruited going to Colorado. UM, people didn't 0:14:51.880 --> 0:14:53.960 know that he was going to make this roster. Ended 0:14:54.000 --> 0:14:56.600 up making a Pro Bowl. He's the only undrafted player 0:14:56.640 --> 0:14:59.280 in NFL history to rush for a thousand yards in 0:14:59.360 --> 0:15:02.360 each of their first two seasons. And he said repeatedly, 0:15:02.760 --> 0:15:04.160 you know, he hasn't talked to the media a whole 0:15:04.160 --> 0:15:07.680 lot this offseason, but on Twitter, you know he wants 0:15:07.680 --> 0:15:10.240 this job, and I think it's clear that he, you know, 0:15:10.280 --> 0:15:13.840 he appreciates what Melvin Gordon could bring, and that's, you know, 0:15:13.920 --> 0:15:15.520 someone by the goal line that's going to find a 0:15:15.560 --> 0:15:18.120 way in the end zone. Gordon has eight touchdowns in 0:15:18.200 --> 0:15:21.080 each of his last four seasons. Only got in the 0:15:21.160 --> 0:15:25.320 league with that amount of rushing touchdowns. But I think 0:15:25.320 --> 0:15:27.600 Lindsay is gonna make his case here in training camp, 0:15:27.880 --> 0:15:29.280 and so that's kind of one of the battles I'm 0:15:29.320 --> 0:15:32.360 more interested to see is everyone expects Melvin Gordon to 0:15:32.360 --> 0:15:34.840 be the starter, but Philip Lindsay has proved time and 0:15:34.920 --> 0:15:38.640 time again that he wants that role, and so you know, 0:15:38.720 --> 0:15:41.040 maybe it's not a done deal yet, but I do 0:15:41.120 --> 0:15:43.800 think fighting guest today that Melvin Gordon will probably get 0:15:43.800 --> 0:15:47.600 the share in the targets, sharing the carries um and 0:15:47.640 --> 0:15:49.720 it's interesting people view Philip Lindsay is kind of a 0:15:49.800 --> 0:15:52.960 speedy guy, but he's a between the tackles runner. He 0:15:53.040 --> 0:15:55.960 just uses that speed to get through these gaps, whereas 0:15:56.000 --> 0:15:58.640 Melvin Gordon is more likely to blow through the gap 0:15:58.800 --> 0:16:01.240 and you know, break a couple of tackles. I think 0:16:01.280 --> 0:16:04.000 if you keep Lindsay in that eat to tend carry range, 0:16:04.440 --> 0:16:06.840 some of that explosiveness that he showed in year one 0:16:07.680 --> 0:16:10.480 will probably come back a little bit. Because he had 0:16:10.520 --> 0:16:13.920 fewer big runs last season. It seemed like towards the 0:16:14.000 --> 0:16:15.760 end of the year maybe some of the workload kind 0:16:15.800 --> 0:16:18.320 of war on him a little bit. So it'll be 0:16:18.320 --> 0:16:20.400 interesting to see how they balance those guys. But I'd 0:16:20.400 --> 0:16:23.240 expect Melvin Gordon and Lindsey to both play a really 0:16:23.240 --> 0:16:26.240 big role. I'm glad you mentioned the misperception of Philip 0:16:26.320 --> 0:16:28.760 Lindsay's playing style because he's one of the more unique 0:16:28.760 --> 0:16:31.120 backs that I've seen recently, and that's probably a big 0:16:31.160 --> 0:16:33.440 reason why he did go undrafted, because he was a 0:16:33.440 --> 0:16:36.920 production machine there in college at Colorado. Because he's so 0:16:37.040 --> 0:16:39.880 high cut, his legs are cut, so high high waisted guy. 0:16:39.960 --> 0:16:41.680 I just I love watching the way he plays, the 0:16:41.720 --> 0:16:44.400 mentality he plays with. I'm curious, though, Eric, did he 0:16:44.400 --> 0:16:48.000 ever move out of his parents house? He did? He did? 0:16:48.040 --> 0:16:50.480 I think he plays in his own uh and as 0:16:50.560 --> 0:16:53.360 doing well so, but you know it's a contract here 0:16:53.360 --> 0:16:56.240 for Philip Lindsay too, so he's got sent to approved. 0:16:56.520 --> 0:16:58.720 You know, Melvin Gordon has this two year deal. But 0:16:59.440 --> 0:17:01.440 you know, teams can get out of these things. So 0:17:01.440 --> 0:17:03.480 both of these guys want to prove that they're worth 0:17:03.560 --> 0:17:06.960 big money. And that would be a fan competition to 0:17:07.000 --> 0:17:09.240 watch it certainly will be. I love that. I think 0:17:09.240 --> 0:17:11.040 it was an East sixty story they did on Philip 0:17:11.080 --> 0:17:13.560 Lindsay staying at home, helping his parents out around the house. 0:17:13.800 --> 0:17:16.840 Colorado guy through and through. Now Now, as far as 0:17:17.240 --> 0:17:20.040 offensive production, it seems like in today's NFL there's an 0:17:20.040 --> 0:17:22.960 embarrassment of riches at running back, at receiver, even at 0:17:23.040 --> 0:17:26.280 quarterback these days, with Cam Newton getting his contract recently, 0:17:26.560 --> 0:17:29.240 but you're only as good as your offensive line up front. 0:17:29.400 --> 0:17:30.880 And that's where I want to go now and talk 0:17:30.920 --> 0:17:34.520 about this Broncos offensive line. You've got former Dolphin Juwan James, 0:17:34.520 --> 0:17:37.520 who missed a decent portion of last season. I'm curious 0:17:37.520 --> 0:17:40.760 to know about how he affects where Dalton Risner plays. 0:17:40.960 --> 0:17:43.120 Is Rachner going to be a guard full time? Where 0:17:43.119 --> 0:17:46.320 does Lloyd Cushionberry figure in? Is Garrett Bowles still in 0:17:46.359 --> 0:17:49.240 the fold? Breakdown this offensive line force if you can. Eric, 0:17:50.400 --> 0:17:53.440 you know, let's start in the middle with that interior 0:17:53.480 --> 0:17:55.879 offensive line, because I think this group has a chance 0:17:55.920 --> 0:17:58.920 to be really good and you know, also has a 0:17:59.000 --> 0:18:01.200 chance to spend a few ars together, which is rare 0:18:01.240 --> 0:18:03.960 in the NFL. You've got Dalton Risener at left guard, 0:18:04.160 --> 0:18:07.080 who played every single started every single game there last 0:18:07.119 --> 0:18:09.480 year as a rookie. Uh you know it was a 0:18:09.520 --> 0:18:12.280 p w F A all excuse me, p f w 0:18:12.480 --> 0:18:15.840 A all rookie team member there at left guard. Just 0:18:15.880 --> 0:18:19.760 a really impressive player, strong guy, you know, didn't get 0:18:19.800 --> 0:18:23.000 dominated in any matchup really, even though he saw some 0:18:23.040 --> 0:18:25.639 tough guys like Chris Jones from the Chiefs. At center. 0:18:25.680 --> 0:18:28.600 You've got Lloyd Cushionberry, the rookie from l s U 0:18:28.760 --> 0:18:32.520 who kind of fell to the Broncos in the third round. Um, 0:18:32.640 --> 0:18:34.919 there were, you know, all these mocks. Maybe he was 0:18:34.920 --> 0:18:36.640 gonna go in the second round, ended up being there 0:18:36.920 --> 0:18:39.800 at eighty three. I believe for the Broncos, I would 0:18:39.800 --> 0:18:41.639 think he would start on day one. He's a start 0:18:41.720 --> 0:18:45.080 and smart, instinctive guy. Hat Shermer said the other day 0:18:45.119 --> 0:18:48.719 that you know, he's been really impressed by cushionberries work ethic, 0:18:48.800 --> 0:18:51.440 by's intelligence, how much he's been able to grasp of 0:18:51.520 --> 0:18:53.760 the system. Again, some of that's gonna have to do 0:18:53.800 --> 0:18:55.399 with how much time do they get on the field 0:18:55.400 --> 0:18:58.960 and camp before the first game. And then Graham Glasgow 0:18:59.320 --> 0:19:01.520 at right guard, who came over from the Lions, signed 0:19:01.560 --> 0:19:04.119