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There are two big question marks that surround the Denver Broncos right now. One is when will Elvis Dumervil get his well deserved long term contract and the other is which QB will start for the Broncos this season?
The majority of the news gravitates towards these issues when covering the Broncos this off season. In my opinion, there’s a lot more certainty surrounding Elvis Dumervil’s long term status with the team. If Brian Xanders and Joe Ellis just gave OL Chris Kuper (also well deserving) a six year $29 million ($13 million guaranteed) contract, it’s only a matter of time before Doom receives his large paycheck. After all, Dumervil led the league in sacks last year (17 total) and he’s a team player. He won’t pull any of this Albert Haynesworth crap that Mike Shanahan now has the pleasure of dealing with in D.C. Dumervil made the switch to outside linebacker when the Broncos switched over to the 3-4. No complaints, no issues, just a league leading “get to the QB at all costs” type of guy. Ink the guy now for the next several years, please!
The other hot button issue is the competition at QB of course. Kyle Orton has been named the starter to begin training camp. Fair enough. He knows Josh McDaniels’ offense better than anyone and he’s got the most experience as a starter in this league. I’m fine with that. I’m confident that a true starter will emerge towards the end of camp whether it’s Orton or one of the other two. Speaking of the other two, both Brady Quinn and Tim Tebow have incredible work ethics. They could easily compete with one another for the NFL’s fittest quarterback which is a huge plus when it comes to staying healthy and attaining an edge as far as speed, strength, agility, and endurance. However, there’s also the mental piece that can be a more difficult to work on at times. Decision making and learning from mistakes are just as important to the NFL’s QB puzzle.
In a recent article by Bill Williamson at ESPN, Tim Tebow’s work ethic is praised by the one and only, Champ Bailey.
"“Future Hall of Famer and team leader Champ Bailey is relaxing near the entrance to the team’s locker room, about to enjoy the air conditioning and a post-practice meal.Tim Tebow.Bailey suddenly points to a figure on a distant field. A solitary player remains at work. It’s‘See that?’ Bailey asks. ‘That’s Tebow. It’s long after practice and he’s still out there. That’s what he does. That’s not for show. He’s not just doing that because the media is here today. He does that every day.'”"
You can read more about Tebow’s work ethic here. He says that his main motivation is his “fear of failure.”
If everyone on the Broncos had that same fear, the team could go deep into the playoffs. The off season work must match the talent that is there. I believe that’s what happened with the New Orleans Saints last year. Drew Brees brought his work ethic to the rest of the guys on the Saints team. Were they the biggest, strongest, and most athletic team out there? No, but when talent meets hard work and preparation, a champion is built.