The Monday Mommy: Don’t Call it a Dream Team
Don’t get me wrong, the Mile High City should be stoked at the free agent haul John Elway and the rest of the front office pulled off so far during free agency. Even if the fax machine snafu means that Elvis Dumervil will be in a different jersey in 2013, the Broncos as a whole got significantly better this past week.
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For the second year in a row, the Broncos killed it in free agency. John Elway has shown that he is a tough businessman and is not afraid to go after what he wants when it comes to recruiting football players to the Mile High City.
Bronco fans locally and internationally took to social media to show their collective excitement for Denver’s latest acquisitions and began to proclaim the inevitableness of a Super Bowl appearance at the end of the 2013 season. I implore you Bronco fans, slow it down a bit and keep those expectations in check.
I am sure we can ask many a Philadelphia Eagles’ fan about what happens when you crown a team before the season has even begun. It happened to them in 2011. During free agency that year, the Eagles dealt quarterback Kevin Kolb to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. They also signed fellow cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins, quarterback Vince Young and running back Ronnie Brown.
After all the hype and attention created when Vince Young dubbed them the “dream team”, the Eagles finished the 2011 season with a disappointing 8-8 record and were on the golf course when the playoffs rolled around. With only two seasons in the rear view mirror, there are no members of that free agency class left in Philly and head Coach Andy Reid is now at the helm of the Kansas City Chiefs after being dismissed from his Eagles’ perch.
We can also turn to the NBA and the Miami Heat for another example of getting too far ahead of themselves after a solid free agent signing period. In 2010, Lebron James turned his free agent decision into a huge spectacle and decided to “take his talents to South Beach” to become a member of the Miami Heat.
The Heat organization fed into the enormous hype and procured a fog machine and pyrotechnics display when James addressed his new city for the first time. Like Vince Young, James prematurely announced that along with fellow free agent acquisition Chris Bosh and Miami’s resident superstar Dwayne Wade, the Heat was about to win “Not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, not seven” championships; implying that eight was certainly a possibility.
His brash statement created an enormous amount of pressure on the team that was initially impossible to live up to. James, Wade and Bosh all played games in that initial season like they were an All-Star game, with each guy playing in the No. 1 role, rather than part of a solid trio. The Heat had a decent season, finishing with a 58-24 record and nabbing first place in the NBA Southeast Division. However, in not winning a Championship, they failed to live up to the high expectations that were created in free agency.
One major difference between the Heat free agent class in 2010 and the Broncos this season is timing. Lebron James and his teammates were all young enough to have had a year to be cocky and overconfident. The Denver Broncos do not have that luxury.
Denver’s attitude during this offseason is one of win now; as it should be. Broncos’ quarterback Peyton Manning only has about two years left in him physically and their chances of a Super Bowl run without the future Hall-of- Famer goes down dramatically at that point.
Don’t get me wrong, the Mile High City should be stoked at the free agent haul John Elway and the rest of the front office pulled off so far during free agency. Even if the fax machine snafu means that Elvis Dumervil will be in a different jersey in 2013, the Broncos as a whole got significantly better this past week.
On the defensive side of the ball, the re-signing of Kevin Vickerson and addition of Terrance Knighton, a pair of 330-pound defensive tackles will certainly help to fortify things in the middle. Denver also brought in cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to compete for the starting position opposite perennial Pro-Bowler Champ Bailey.
Former Arizona Cardinals’ linebacker Stewart Bradley also signed with the Broncos to compete for the starting role as the MIKE along with Nate Irving and Steven Johnson.
Offensively, the Broncos made a big splash when they landed former New England Patriot slot receiver and Tom Brady’s favorite target, Wes Welker. Giving Manning another gritty, hardworking, member of his receiving corps can only be positive for the 2013 season.
To protect Manning’s right side, Denver lured guard Louis Vasquez way from the division rival San Diego Chargers, signing him to a four-year deal. With Chris Kuper’s health still a question mark, this was a stellar move for the Broncos in solidifying the offensive line.
Even though the excitement surrounding the Broncos’ recent free agent moves is palpable in Denver, there is still some work to be done this offseason. We now need to turn our attention to the upcoming NFL draft in April and the key players necessary to make that deeper playoff run happen.
There is still uncertainty when it comes to the Denver backfield. The Broncos have plenty of running backs on the roster; it is just a matter of what they end up doing with them. Will they draft a running back like Eddie Lacy or simply roll with who they have currently?
Depending on how the Elvis Dumervil fiasco shakes out, there are still a few defensive pieces that need to be put into place before the Broncos can feel too confident about next season.
Bronco fans, I am not denying you the right to be fired up for how the 2013 squad is shaping up, I just advise you to keep that excitement in check. We have seen how being too cocky and prematurely over-confident can lead to disastrous results; both on and off the field if you catch my drift. Wink Wink.
Just simply sit back, enjoy the marvelous ride that John Elway is mapping out for your 2013 Broncos and as always, don’t forget to buckle your seat belt.
Follow Jennifer on twitter @themondaymommy
