The Denver Broncos have completed the 2015 NFL Draft. With the some time to reflect, John Elway can safely smile at a job well done. There will be draft grades. Mel Kiper will try and give the Broncos another solid B-. Analysts, bloggers, talking heads, and all of Broncos Country has an opinion about what went down, but John Elway has proven he is willing to make the big move when necessary.
The NFL Draft could have ended on Thursday night, and the Broncos would have been the big winners. Elway and the Broncos were paying attention, and what they saw was simple. The guys in the trenches were coming off the board. Rather than sit on his hands and hope for something to fall in his lap, Elway acted.
Finding a trade partner, Elway killed two birds with one stone. Detroit was willing to move down, if Denver was willing to part with OL Manny Ramirez and a few 5th round picks, in return the Broncos were able to draft a top ten talent in the bottom third of the first round. Bye bye Ramirez (bird one). Hello Shane Ray (bird two). Drop the mic!
The pot jokes aside, Shane Ray could be a huge difference maker in the coming season.
Now, the inevitable with this pick was all the marijuana jokes that were plastered all over twitter. It was an easy joke to make. Of course, picking a guy who got busted for weed the week of the draft is risky, and being a team in Colorado makes it even riskier, but it was still the right move.
The NFL is all about the pass. Quarterbacks rule the league. Tom Brady just won another Super Bowl. How did he do it? He kept his uniform clean. Elway knows that to win in this league, you have to get grass stains on the quarterback. It is about disruption, throwing off timing, hitting the quarterback, and making sure he can never get comfortable. Shane Ray can do that.
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Now pair him with Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware. A chill just ran down the spine of every quarterback the Broncos face this season. This could be a scary defense. Wade Phillips knows how to put together a good defense. He will get the most out of these guys. The secondary is already stout. With the extra time they are going to give to this pass rush, it should make for a good show.
The added bonus here is what Ray can learn from Miller and Ware. This will be two veterans with experience who can guide this young talent. They will be able to focus him, and steer him in the right direction. All the dispensaries aside, Shane Ray is in the best place for him. He was the best choice for the Broncos. It is Super Bowl or Bust. Everyone knows it. Shane Ray moves this team one step closer to the ultimate goal.
Feb 21, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Missouri defensive lineman Shane Ray talks to the media at the 2015 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports