With the need for a developmental quarterback
Denver moved up and selected Jay Cutler when the opportunity arose. It is
a perfect marriage for team and player. Cutler can learn behind Jake Plummer and
Denver is in no need to rush him onto the field. After losing Jeb Putzier in
free agency a replacement was needed and Denver selected Tony Scheffler
in round two. A solid prospect, Scheffler was worth the 61st pick in
the draft and will nicely fit into the Broncos system. Brandon Marshall
had been making a late charge up draft boards after terrific combine
performances. A solid wide out, he must learn to play to his 4.55 speed and
could be a productive third receiver. The popular thought was Denver would look
for a pass rusher in the early rounds. When that did not happen they selected Elvis Dumervil in round four. We think Dumervil in four was a reach though he
could flourish in the Broncos defensive scheme. Domenik Hixon was a big
reach in the same frame as was Chris Kuper a round later. In the end Greg Eslinger could be one of the steals of the draft. Rumors were rampant
Eslinger was injured in the post season, one reason he did not take part in the
Senior Bowl. Even with that, he is a perfect fit for Denver’s blocking scheme
and this pick is reminiscent of the Tom Nalen selection more then a decade ago.
Denver gave away the 68th pick of
the draft in order to slide up four slots and take Cutler. Considering the way
the team stocked up on extra selections just prior to the draft and the
potential upside Cutler offers, it was worth the investment. Later, the Bronco’s
traded the 37th pick of the draft straight-up for receiver Javon Walker; again, a move that could offer big returns.