Denver Post sports writer Mike Klis posts his Broncos Mailbag each month during the offseason.
Pose a Broncos- or NFL-related question for the Broncos Mailbag.
Once the season begins and we start getting players back healthy and all the people we added this offseason, who are going to be the biggest contributors to both sides of the ball this season? On a side note who are going to be the losses that we are going to feel the worst?
— Nickolas Lindbloom, Grand Junction
A: Nickolas — Let’s go with Peyton Manning as the top offensive contributor and DeMarcus Ware on defense. I just followed the money for my answer. Manning has the largest payout (but is arguably the lowest-paid) at $20 million this year; Ware the next largest at $13 million in salary and signing bonus.
As for losses, the suspensions to Wes Welker and Matt Prater will hurt for four games. The injury to Danny Trevathan for three. It won’t be easy for Montee Ball and company to match Knowshon Moreno’s production — 1,586 yards and 13 touchdowns combined rushing and receiving last year.
I think Ball will be a better back than Moreno in 2014 and beyond but that was some kind of year Knowshon had in 2013.
Eric Decker was a red-zone touchdown machine. Emmanuel Sanders isn’t necessarily better or worse than Decker so much as he’s different. Zane Beadles’ athleticism in space on those Demaryius Thomas’ bubble screens will be missed.
And I think Wesley Woodyard’s defensive leadership and presence of Champ Bailey, Joel Dreessen and Chris Kuper will be missed. I know I miss shooting the breeze with those guys.
Do you think the Rams game is the scariest on the schedule? Last year the supple Drew Brees was lucky to escape the St Louis game unhurt.
— Craig, Thornton
Craig — No, I think game 3 at Seattle is the most frightening. Game 8 at New England is also scary. As you can gather from my first two answers, Craig, I try not to overlook the obvious.
But I know where you’re going here. The Rams compiled 105 sacks the past two years, easily the league’s most. New England had 85 sacks the past two years; Seattle had 81.
St. Louis plays on an artificial surface, which means the Rams play fast. Robert Quinn seems unblockable. Chris Long knows how to pass rush. Michael Brockers and Alex Ogletree are exciting young talents.
And Jeff Fisher has always coached a little nasty in his defenses. All this against a Broncos’ team whose No. 1 asset is No. 18.
Now that you’ve got my typing, Craig, you’re right. The Rams are a scary opponent, even with their loss of quarterback Sam Bradford.
While I like the young running backs we have in camp, aren’t you a little worried about the lack of any veteran leadership or experience behind Montee Ball?
— Alex, Park City, Utah
Alex — I did think the Broncos would add a veteran backup to their running back group. I thought wrong. I think one reason why they didn’t think a proven NFL starter was necessary was Ball himself. He’s mature, smart, a worker in the classroom.
As Broncos running back Eric Studesville told me, Barry Sanders and LaDainian Tomlinson once had zero career NFL starts. And it worked out pretty well for them.
Matt Prater. Why does the league wait so long to suspend a player? The incident was three years ago. What scares me worse than not having him kick field goals is not having him for kickoffs. I noticed in the SF game with Ewald kicking off that most, if not all, were returned. Makes a huge difference if opponents are starting at their own 35 instead of 20.
— Jerry Minerich, Westminster
Jerry – Prater was in the league’s alcohol program because of a DUI charge three years ago. But it was a more recent positive test for alcohol that got him the four-game suspension.
And you were correct about Mitch Ewald. The undrafted rookie from Indiana didn’t demonstrate the strongest leg during training camp and the preseason, although I thought he showed potential. Kickers take a while. Prater is now the league’s best but he bounced around for two years without getting much opportunity until he stuck with the Broncos in his third season of 2008. And even then he was 5-of-11 in field goals from the 40s.
But the Broncos did pick up a stronger leg in Brandon McManus to temporarily replace Prater. McManus’ field goal accuracy won’t be known until prime time Sunday but he should boom his share of touchbacks in the season opener against Indianapolis at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.
What is your opinion of Bradley Roby? I’m thinking bust, but it is early at a very tough position.
— Herb Stipe, Pagosa Springs
Herb — Not a bust. Looks to me like a hit. There for a while in training camp, Roby got burned nearly every day by the passing combination of Peyton Manning and Demaryius Thomas.
Then Roby got in a preseason game and discovered there is no better passing combination than Manning and Thomas. It was a perfect practice situation for him.
You’ll see Roby play Sunday against the Colts. He may get 20 percent of the snaps, possibly 40 percent. But he’s a strong No. 4 cornerback.
And with Chris Harris expected to command a nice-sized contract as a free agent after this season, Roby may well become a starter in year two.
I have been a Bronco fan since the Frank Tripucka days. Do you think John Elway will be given part ownership in the Bronco franchise? Or allowed to purchase part ownership?
— Tom Nelson, Las Vegas
Tom — All we know about Pat Bowlen’s trust is he wants one of his seven children to take control of the team. I think that step is five to 10 years away. Until then, Joe Ellis is running the Broncos’ franchise, per order of Bowlen’s trust.
Elway is not in the ownership plans. It’s possible, I suppose, for one of Bowlen’s kids want to sell Elway a stake. Elway is a man of ambition. He’s proven to have business skills. But despite the countless rumors that have been out there for years, Elway is not in the Broncos’ ownership plans other than he’s long been the owner’s favorite Bronco.
Eh, Mike. Why don’t more teams use the hurry-up offense? After seeing Peyton Manning and Tom Brady master it, don’t you think it would even be more successful on a team with a QB with mobility? Cheers, Mike.
— G. Restauri, Freelton, Ontario
Two reasons. One, name another quarterback who can match the hurry-up aptitude of Manning and Brady.
Two, hurry up offenses aren’t winning Super Bowls. They’re getting there. But they’re not winning them.
My favorite stat from the 2013 season: Seattle ranked 31st with 420 pass attempts – 43 fewer than No. 30 Carolina. San Francisco ranked 32nd with 417 pass attempts.
The way the NFC championship and Super Bowl played out, most people would say Seattle and San Francisco were the league’s two best teams last season. And the two best threw it the least.
The moral of the story is: Unless you have Manning or Brady as your quarterback, why hurry?
Can someone answer why the Broncos don’t give Zac Dysert a legitimate chance for No. 2 QB? I see better overall everything with Dysert over dubious “potential” of Brock Osweiler. Seriously, Dysert broke Big Ben’s records; he should be our No. 2 and future of Broncos.
— GA, Broomfield
GA — Even with Peyton Manning, a team can’t get away from a quarterback controversy. I like Dysert. What I like about him is he’s better when the lights are on.
But I wouldn’t call Osweiler’s potential “dubious.” He’s tall, athletic, smart, handsome, studies, works hard. He has to work on making decisions quicker on the fly but that only comes with game-time repetitions.
In a sense it doesn’t matter who is No. 2 or who is No. 3. Neither one is scheduled to play this year.
You’ve covered both pro baseball and pro football. Does each sport demand a different approach? What is similar? Any preferences on
your part?
— Bronco Brown, Lenexa, Kan.
Bronco — My brother lives in Lenexa. That’s one reason I like covering the football Broncos more than the baseball Rockies — a guaranteed trip to Kansas City every year.
Baseball has more clubhouse access. It also has a more relentless schedule. Day after day, night after night. Six weeks of spring training away from home. You’re tired by opening day.
The NFL is more stressful because there’s more off-field junk and more people covering it. Overall, I prefer covering the NFL because it matters to more people. It’s a little easier to go to work knowing your work matters.
Mike — The 2013 Seahawks defense whipped up on maybe the best offense in NFL history! Why are they not in the conversation of the ’85 Bears or 2000 Ravens? Would those D’s really have been any better against the likes of Peyton Manning?
— H2H, Seattle
There was some buzz about this after the Super Bowl. But I don’t think the Seahawks belong in the same company as the two greatest defenses of the modern era because their two most dominant players — Earl Thomas III and Richard Sherman — play the back end.
The ’85 Bears and 2000 Ravens destroyed teams upfront. I also think Lawrence Taylor’s ’86 Giants belong in this conversation.
Pose a Broncos- or NFL-related question for the Broncos Mailbag. Listen to Mike Klis on 102.3 FM ESPN at 5:10 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday; and 1:10 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday.
Mike Klis: mklis@denverpost.com or @mikeklis
