May 27, 2015; Englewood, CO, USA; Denver Broncos linebacker Zarie Anderson (47) and up before the start of organized team activities at the Broncos training facility. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
The Denver Broncos and a few other NFL teams got started with Organized Team Activities this week as the next phase of the offseason began, especially for the Denver Broncos who are looking to rebound after a disappointing end to the 2014 season.
In this edition of Horse Droppings- which Sayre states as crap you want to know about the Denver Broncos- we are taking a look at the various amount of news that has taken place during the organized team activities.
Let us start with the biggest news coming out of the first week of OTAs, and that is the loss of Ryan Clady to a torn ACL injury on Wednesday.
#Broncos OT Ryan Clady likely to miss 2015 season with torn left ACL suffered during Wednesday’s practice. pic.twitter.com/0FuLtzcW3I
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) May 28, 2015
It was not reported until Thursday, so the Broncos did not want to make anything official until they got word. This is a significant loss for the Broncos, but I would not consider it a critical one either. Because it happened early on, this gives the team time to shape shift their offensive line.
Steve Johnson A “Mike” Fit in 3-4 Defense?
Could Steve Johnson see some time as an inside linebacker in the Broncos new 3-4 defense led by Wade Phillips? Mike Klis comes up with a interesting piece on how Steve Johnson could benefit from playing in the 3-4.
There is clearly an advantage to having Steve Johnson as a mike linebacker. During the OTAs, they can have him in the position while Danny Trevathan and Brandon Marshall recover from their injuries. He was also a pretty solid player for the team last season, so it gives the Broncos something to work with. Steve Johnson knows he has a lot of work to do, but he is willing to put in the work.
Omar Bolden A Candidate For Returning Duties?
Moving on from the defensive side of the ball, we now take a look at special teams. This unit has not been kind to the Broncos since the departure of Trindon Holliday, but perhaps there is a player on the roster who can change that. Our very own Sayre Bedinger wrote a piece about how solid Omar Bolden can be on the kick return. Nicki Jhabvala from The Denver Post also takes a look at the competition of punt returner, where she briefly mentions Omar Bolden.
Omar Bolden: "Kick return is my job to lose. I want it badly. I want to lead the league. I want TDs." #Broncos
— Troy Renck (@TroyRenck) May 29, 2015
Omar Bolden could be out best bet at the return game. In my opinion, he has the ability to do a lot of damage that the other players were unable to do. I could easily see Omar Bolden as the kick returner. However, he could get some competition from Jordan Norwood, who I believe could be a solid returner as well.
Other Things That I Missed
The Denver Broncos signed Ryan Harris shortly after hearing about Ryan Clady’s injury to a one year deal. For those who do remember, Ryan Harris was with the Broncos for a short time and also used to play under Gary Kubiak, so a good veteran presence.
Wade Phillips has decided that he is going to let Von Miller rush more on the passing defense. This further shows the aggressiveness that the Broncos defense is taking. Having Von Miller going after the quarterback more is not going to be fun for offensive linemen as they will try their best to contain him.
We’re just getting started. The next few weeks should get really exciting as OTAs continue and mini camp is around the corner.