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Last Updated: Oct 16th, 2008 - 13:33:17 |
Mike Shanahan is renowned for his decision-making, both in games and in personnel matters. Shanahan's gutsy style of play calling and his ability to consistently win coach's challenges have made him one of the elite football coaches in the National Football League. His draft day decisions and blockbuster trades have been incredible. He traded injury- plagued Clinton Portis for one of the best cornerbacks in the history of football, Champ Bailey. He dropped dead weight in the form of George Foster and fumblitis sufferer Tatum Bell for perennial Pro Bowl cornerback Dre Bly. He also found Superbowl MVP Terrell Davis in the sixth round. All things considered, he better be cooking up some of his usual magic as the regular season draws closer.
Although the offseason was filled with signings and trades, injuries have already begun to beleaguer the Broncos. Warrick Holdman, who was brought in to fill the void left by injured linebacker and team captain Al Wilson, is out indefinitely with a spinal cord contusion. Also, starting defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban is out for the season with a ruptured Achilles tendon, leaving two rookies and second-year player Elvis Dumervil to fill the void. One would think, considering these losses and the plethora of talented free agents at these positions, mastermind Shanahan would be interested in recently cut linebacker Jeremiah Trotter or veteran defensive ends Marcellus Wiley or Simeon Rice. But Shanahan has yet to bring Trotter in for a visit, and the Denver Post announced he has no intention of looking into signing him.
Instead, the Broncos traded starting defensive tackle Gerard Warren to the Oakland Raiders for a conditional draft pick. Hopefully, this move was made to free cap room for the signing of free agents; but since then, the Broncos have only signed sub-par defensive tackle John Browning. The move to sign Browning was reportedly made to add depth at the defensive end position. Of course, the Broncos may be saving up to feed veteran defensive tackle Sam Adams, who apparently is being paid by the pound with his one-year, $1.25 million contract.
For now, Broncos fans must bide their time, waiting for what will hopefully be another brilliant personnel move from Shanahan to improve upon the poor showings the team has made in the preseason.
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