September 15, 2010

Broncos Trade for Laurence Maroney

"We only had one negative run all day, but we feel like we left a lot of yards on the field in the running game," McD said this after the weekends game and the Broncos made a move in the hope of solving the problem. It was reported today that the Broncos will get Laurence Maroney and the Patriots’ sixth-round pick in 2011, while New England will get Denver’s fourth-round pick in 2011.This trade is pending Maroney passing his physical.

Maroney was the Patriots' first-round pick, No. 21 overall, in the 2006 draft. At the time, Broncos coach Mike Shanahan also coveted Maroney, who was a classic, one-cut, downhill zone runner at the University of Minnesota. Instead, Shanahan traded up from the No. 15 slot to No. 11 and selected quarterback Jay Cutler.

The former first-round pick accumulated 2,430 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns in his first four seasons in the league, adding 40 catches for 409 yards and a touchdown. The fifth-year back has played in 45 regular-season games in his career -- starting 14 -- and started two of the seven postseason contests in which he played. He has contributed as a kickoff returner as well, earning AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors after returning a kickoff 77 yards at Buffalo on Oct. 22, 2006. For his career, he averages 25.9 yards per return. He has returned three kickoffs more than 40 yards, and 29 more than 20 yards.

But the Broncos will get a RB whose career has been hampered by injuries and inconsistency, particularly in the last two years. A shoulder injury limited him to three games in 2008; four lost fumbles in 208 touches overshadowed the nine touchdowns he scored last year (most in short yardage).

When he was healthy late in the Patriots’ 16-0 regular season of 2007, he was terrific; he closed that regular season with two 100-yard games in three weeks, then added another two 100-yard efforts in the divisional playoffs and AFC Championship. During the six games between Week 15 and the Super Bowl that year, Maroney averaged 97.7 yards per game and scored seven touchdowns.

McDaniels has been looking for a No. 3 running back who could compete for the 1B role since the first day of training camp, when 1A back Moreno and 1B Buckhalter went down with injuries.

Maroney clearly fits new Denver coach Josh McDaniels’ style. McDaniels was Maroney’s offensive coordinator in New England prior to coming to Denver last year. When it was rumored this summer that Maroney would be put on the trade market, Denver was a logical potential destination because of his history with McDaniels and Denver’s issues at the position.

Maroney fell out of favor in New England this season. He missed the Patriots’ season opener with a thigh injury. 

Maroney may not deliver immediate improvement to the Broncos' running game, given his thigh issue. But his familiarity with McDaniels' offensive system also means that Maroney should be full speed ahead once he gets healthy. The Broncos will have to make a roster move before Maroney's first practice with the team today. With Andre Brown having been claimed off waivers I believe he still has to be on the roster, which would mean Ball is the odd man out, unless someone else is let go.

Maroney is a big back and may be useful but he is another running back with an injury history.

ESPN.com had this to say about the Trade:
Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. discussed the move and how it could affect Denver: “I can’t say I think it’s a bad trade. I don’t think Moreno can be trusted to stay healthy and Buckhalter is just a guy. So, Maroney can help and this deal makes sense. Clearly, McDaniels knows him and sees something in him. Still, I don’t see the guy who was a first-round pick in 2006. I think he may be on the decline some. But he has some physical burst. All three could be used in a rotation. This doesn’t make Denver a great team, but it doesn’t hurt them, either. It’s not a bad trade.”

Patriots Fan View:
These are a few things that I found on DB.com that the Patriots fans had said about the trade:
“Good bye Laurence. You wrote your own ticket out of town with red zone fumbles and too much dancing at the line of scrimmage.”

“What a bum and a waste. Plenty of talent but no guts. I’m sure he’ll wear out his welcome in Denver soon enough.”

“BUUUUUUSSSSSSST”

“Good riddance. ”

“mcdaniels is probably the only head coach in the league who wanted him.”

“sorry to see a first round pick go, but maroney could talk the talk and couldn’t walk the walk….
plenty of talent and no drive or heart.. good luck kid..”

“The Patriots are freaking brilliant. A 4th rounder for a guy they were about to cut. A guy who was a colossal disappointment. How do they get teams to agree to trade with them? ”

Other things to read:
Rookies remind Champ of Williams

That is it from me on the subject, I won't pass judgement on him until he plays for us ~ Aussie Out!

Sources: DenverBroncos.com, MaxDenver.com, DenverPost.com, ESPN.com

34 comments:

  1. In the immortal words of David Brent "Thats mental".

    Why are we gambling on thse lame ducks? Jabroni hasn't been preforming to his true abililty for at least 2 seasons so why trade him for a 4th round pick?? This is a completely of the radar of sensibility.

    You trade on form right? WRONG you trade on potential, on hope, on a wing and on a prayer... to pick up an RB, maybe, but a lame one that the pPats were going to cut...

    I am absolutely flabergastered at this trade

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  2. Yeah I find this an interesting trade, they are really trying to fix that number 3 running back spot, there is no one behind Bucky and him and Moreno are similar backs. They have tried guys like Arrignton, White and Fargas all at that position. Maroney is the next one in the list, but a 4th round pick for a running back may be ok, since Joe Knight was the only back taking in the fourth this year.

    I will give him a chance, but if it doesn't work out then it would be another pick wasted.

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  3. LOL @ Samoan... somebody's not very happy. I can understand your "flabergastered" mood. That's a new word to me... flabbergasted is what you were going for I'm sure. ahahaha Couldn't help it.

    Well, I can understand the frustration and some confusion of all this. It is pretty obvious that they are desperate to fill that #3 RB void that we have. The part that has bugged me is Arrington never really got a shot at playing in this system. I don't remember him getting any practice in while he was on our roster. Can't remember if that's just me and didn't pay too much attention, lol, or if he really didn't get any practice time cause of an injury or something. All I remember is we picked him up, he took up roster space for awhile and then we watched him walk out the door?? Anyhoo, I guess they have finally reached a point where they feel the need to go after anyone who can run the ball, whether they are good or just mediocre.

    But I have to agree with Aussie on this one, I can't and won't pass judgment on Maroney till he's played for us in this system. Anything is possible and this could end up being something good for us. I'm going to do what I always do and hope for the best of this trade or any trade we do. I'll NEVER understand what McD's beef was with Hillis but we have to make do with what we got. Every player deserves a chance, I hope that Maroney will be able to get better from his injury and be of some use when/if we need him. Let's just hope for the sake of this season & the players we don't get anymore injuries. That kills us everytime. I really hope Moreno can stay healthy, we need that kid. He can be a threat to any team when he's strong & healthy. Also saw that Royal may be out on Sunday... last thing we need but it would give Decker or Thomas a good chance to put on a show. The drama continues....

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  4. In other good news, the HOF committee has announced 6 former Broncos to the preliminary roster for the 2011 HOF class. Atwater, "TD" Davis, Sharpe, Mecklenburg & Louis Wright and then Dan Reeves as coach. Not crazy about that last nod but hey, the more the merrier for Denver. lol I guess??

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  5. Princess, we traded Arrington to the Eagles for Joe Mays. Arrington really didn't get a chance with us, I think he didn't come back well from the knee injuries, as he was also cut by the Eagles.

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  6. Also Andre Brown was released to make room for Maroney.

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  7. Man....i found my Bronco family. lol...Aussie...somethings gotten into the heads of most of the guys on the other dbtruefans blog. They've gone psycho and delusional. Jumping ship and crap and OBF is now a Saints fan! No true fans over there...tell me you guys will always root for the Bronco thru thick and thin. I think this is the TRUE Bronco fan blog...tell me wrong if i am.

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  8. LOL @ 80... true Bronco fans don't get any better than the ones on this site. Breaks my heart to see them lose a game or end a season 8-8 or worse but don't fret 80, I will ALWAYS be a Bronco fan. This girl was born with Orange & Blue blood, I kid you not. You need me to go yell at those psycho bandwagon fans?? Because you know I can. Plus it would be fun. lol I can't believe people are losing their minds over one game, more specifically the first game of the season. My word, if we had won they'd be jumping for joy, not jumping ship. I swear, if they were standing in front of me face to face I'd slap them so silly they'd forget their own name. Let me know if I should go chew 'em out. ahahaha

    Yeah I thought Arrington never really got much of a chance in Denver... explains why I don't remember him doing anything. lol Why is it when we go looking for a player within the league to fill spots like what we have with our RBs they always have a history of injuries?? That my friends, I will never understand.

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  9. Well name a running back that hasn't been injured princess?

    And 80# I saw that the last few days, it was upsetting, and I would never jump ship on my Broncos. I am one of those guys that craves loyalty with the people he knows, friends etc. And I know my friends would be loyal to me to the end.

    As for OBF, I think the thing about the Broncos being boring is ok and he doesn't like McD is understandable. He wants to follow a team that will win the Superbowl and exict him, have the energy, which I think the Broncos lack at the moment. No mile high magic, I can understand him not wanting to wait around, he is an older guy. But us younger guys, we have a lot to look forward to, will we make the playoffs this year? probably not, but we are building and I think Tebow may give us that energy that we need.

    I didn't really want to jump in over there, but we ain't the ones that have to live with the decision, he does. And if the Broncos win the SuperBowl before the other teams, well we will have the last laugh, haha.

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  10. I couldn't name one Aussie but I was referring to all the times this team has searched within the league for any player at any position to put on the team almost all of them have a history of injuries. I wasn't referring to just RBs. That I understand, I'm sure they have a higher rate of getting injured more than most other positions. I mean am I the only one noticing that a lot of players that we pick up from other teams just happen to have a long list of injuries?? You would think they'd try to find someone (who's available) that doesn't have a record of getting injured so much. Just puzzling.

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  11. Princess I think in this day and age that every player has been banged up at some point. It comes from being a highly strung athlete. You try to get someone that has always been healthy but it is hard to do. Look at our draft picks, which one of them hasn't been hurt?

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  12. Haha Ashley. Come slap some sense into us over there. That is if you're woman enough.
    80 We are loyal fans who have had enough of promises of things that have not come about(YET). A power running game???? A NT that can actually plug the middle and free up our LBs to miss the tackle? Our defense and STs suck. We have not addressed defense in the draft near enough. The main reason everyone is so down on McD over there is all Bowlen needed to do was hire a defensive minded HC instead of McD and we would be fine. Hire an offensive coordinator who didn't clash with the stars we had. Keep Dennison and our zone blocking. Instead we are trying to do stuff we don't have the personel to do right now. We at true fans are frustrated with the total makeover and didn't think it was in the best interest of the Broncos to do so. Water under the bridge, I know, but I expected to be better this year. How we play at home this week will say a lot to me how we will do this year. Seattle is a good team, but beatable. Especially at Mile High. I could deal with 8-8 if we won all of the games at home and the away ones were close games like last week. I see promise ahead. After last week though I realized it may be further ahead than I thought. Hard to get excited for this team. Moreno dances to much, Orton can't carry the team, Doom is out, we can't even score 20 points. Don't get me wrong I live for the game every week and can't wait 'till Sunday. This rebuilding is killing me. I don't know how to explain it. It coming out all wrong again. I love the Denver Broncos more than anything, but am fed up with pathetic tackling on defense and STs, lack of a running game, not scoring very much and most important no fear in the other team about coming to Denver.

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  13. I can understand Digger, sick of the rebuilding and maybe next year, or the next stuff. You want to win now, want a team that excites and has that energy about it.

    I think with Bay Bay, Decker and Tebow in the future we will have that energy, the X factor, but we have been waiting a long time for that, and are just sick of all the waiting, like Browns fans.

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  14. At least someone does Aussie. I really don't know how some fans stay fans of teams like Detroit or Oakland. We have been spoiled I know. Even if McD takes 4 years to get us back to an elite team it would be a fast turnaround from what Shanny did to us. It's just the hype from the long offseason and the disappointment of getting a L where I counted on a W. I expected big things from Moreno running behind our revamped line and all he does is dance. He had one outstanding run, but even there he left more on the table I thought.I was pumped for our LBs and they let me down. I thought we had something at NT in Williams. Even with everything that went wrong in the game wwe still should've won, but didn't. I am not pessimistic at all about our future as an offense with the guys you mentioned. I am a little leery of us ever being able to build another great 3-4 defense.

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  15. Yeah I thought we would have won too, and it was close. I think Moreno still can do well but his line isn't helping, you have to remember that there are alot of new guys on that line playing different positions and a lot of the guys are coming back from injuries. It may take some time for these guys to gel and it is only week one.

    I was let down by our LBs and DBs. I think Haggan is really slow and can't cover anyone, but having 10 men on the field doesn't help.

    I think Williams is a stop gap player at the moment till we can get a young NT.

    I think our offense can do well, but these guys are going to need to stay healthy. I will give them time to develop, but that is more time to wait for these guys.

    And I think we can be a 3-4 team if we drafted defensive players. I have had enough of only drafting offense dudes and letting the defense suffer. Spend some high picks on defense. I would like to see all four early picks (1st, 2x2nds, 3rd) next year spent on defense.

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  16. That is one of the Main things I don't like about McD's reign so far, trying to get by on old talent, like the Pats, but you need to spend the picks up front first, which he hasn't done.

    If we do not draft defense early next year I may just need to slap McD and X-man.

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  17. See now i've blackened you with ny frustration. I got to learn to just shut up. LOL

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  18. Haha no, I have been frustrated about that for years. I was one of those dudes that was screaming for a defensive head coach when McD was chosen instead. But I move on, the past is the past. It is what it is and we just have to move on and go with the flow. No matter how frustrated I am it won't change anything.

    One thing I really like about McD is he is different keeps things interesting which excites me, even if our play doesn't.

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  19. haha...thank u for the clarification on that Princess and Aussie. Bronco fan till i die to. And that explanation of OBF was good Aussie. What got me was people were agreeing and supporting him and that whats got me frustrated. People saying hes still a bronco fan and stuff when obviously hes not. If he wants to go the ways he going then so be it, but hes no longer a bronco fan and other bronco fans shouldnt act like hes still one. And Digger...i understand how your a loyal fan to cause i think u will always support the Bronco no matter how bad things get. Even tho all that stuff has happened you might be frustrated, but u wont give up and will stay true to the orange and blue.

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  20. You know it 80. Loved the days when playing at Mile high was as feared as any stadium in the NFL though.

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  21. I understand everyones frustration as am i to on alot of those things, but our future does look bright. lol

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  22. So now you want to start a fight with me, eh?? Stupid move. My point was with wanting to chew you all out is the fact that so many are just ready & willing to give up on the team. I completely understand the frustration. You think its easy being as upbeat as I am when we've had a really tough 4 years (at least). Every year I say the same thing and for the last 4 years we've ended up 8-8... you think I'm not frustrated with this team??? Dude, I'm beyond frustrated. But every year I will keep saying the same thing (that we'll end up better than 8-8, among other things) because I refuse to give up on this team. I always have been, still am & always be loyal to this team no matter if we hit rock bottom and have a no-win season. I want them to win just as much as the next Bronco fan... heck, I want them to win the SB every year. Crazy thought... in this lifetime, yeah it is.

    Its frustrating to see this team win some and then lose a lot... they never seem able to get ahead and stay there. Now look at our situation, the Chiefs all teams are on top of our division. My word, that makes me nauseous. That won't last long. Don't think for one second I'm not frustrated but I will not give up on this team. I am NO bandwagon fan. So instead of going over to dbtruefans and wasting my time with a bunch of frustrated dudes, I'll say my peace here.

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  23. Nobody ever accused me of being to smart. Girls aren't allowed over there anyway.

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  24. 80# I won't chew you out on that, but you need to understand that there are different levels of fans, and there is NO SUCH THING AS A TRUE FAN, it is a myth.

    A fan is: An ardent devotee; an enthusiast. Some of us are devoted to the Broncos, others are just enthusiasts, and there are a number of other types, but by definition we are all fans. I think that can be said about everyone. There are teams you follow but not that into as others. But by definition you are still a fan of that team.

    OBF is a special case. He is an older guy that has been following the team for so long and he doesn't like the direction and plans laid out in front of him (why do you think we vote for government all the time). We all have different views of what we want, at the moment the Broncos ain't doing it for OBF. But he will probably occasionally watch a game or pick up the newspaper and read an article about the Broncos. But that still makes him a fan, anyone with interest is really a fan. You may not agree with his perspective on this, but you ain't in his situation. If you were in his shoes, your experiences and choices in life would affect your decision. Would it be the same or different decision? Who knows, you don't because you are not in that situation.

    Just remember that Professional Sport you and I watch is entertainment, that is all it is. And people want to be entertained, and the Broncos are flat out boring at the moment.

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  25. Amen Aussie. Well said. With that I'm out . Check in tommorrow night.

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  26. Night Digger, don't be a stranger remember to check in every now and then.

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  27. Aussie, its me you're not wanting to chew out not #80... and there is such a thing as a "true fan". I don't know who OBF is and I don't care... but he gave up on this team. I highly doubt he's a fan. Say what you want, you won't convince me otherwise. No use in arguing over this.

    And I may not be an old fart like OBF, but I've watched this team long enough to understand frustration and disappointment with the Denver Broncos. How do you think I felt when Elway retired?? I had myself convinced for the longest time I couldn't watch another Bronco game because I just didn't want to see him go. Not the exact same situation but its the fact that I had to adjust to a change, a MAJOR change in the organization. Some people would say I "didn't HAVE to" adjust to the changes post-Elway but the Broncos are in my blood and being a fan of another team just because they have become "boring" just isn't an option, at all... so I had to adjust. And since Elway's retirement, we've gone through QBs like a government goes through money. And then came the change from Shanny to a new head coach. I didn't take that so well at all at first but I got over it, I chose to look at the bright side of things and decided to trust this team & the coaches and have a little faith. I'd rather stick with my "boring, non-exciting, not-very-entertaining" Broncos any time, any day, EVERY year than become a fan of another team just because they aren't good enough.

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  28. Amen Princess. Well said.

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  29. You take the good with the bad and it effects you, plays on your emotions, but that is what entertainment is. OBF hasn't given up on his team he is just going somewhere else for more entertainment, the Broncos are boring and I agree.

    And I will say again there is no such thing as a true fan, we are all fans in one way or another. Are you a 'true fan' of say Grey's anatomy? No because it is entertainment it is a show, but it plays on your emotions just like Football.

    And Princess we both would rather stick with our boring team, but we are not in the position, have not gone through or lived the life OBF has so we can not make a similar decision at this time (we don't understand all the variables). You should respect his decision and move on. But saying he isn't a fan is a joke, he will always be a fan like we will be in some form or another.

    Again I will say there isn't a true fan, how can you be true about entertainment, are there false fans?

    I would say there are devoted fans, or diehard fans that would rather lose a leg than miss a Broncos game. Then there are over fans that like to be entertained and enjoy the Broncos, show some interest. Does that make them anymore correct or 'true' fans then us? No.

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  30. I don't know why were talking about this here, because as Ashley said most don't even know who OBF is, but I'll tell you a little bit. He has rooted for the Broncos longer than you punks have been alive. He has forgotten more about the Broncos than any of you have even ever known. He hates McD and what he has sold to our disoriented owner. He decided he would rather golf and spend time with his family than to waste any more time discussing the crap and drama McD has brought to his team. He may have said he would rather cheer for another team, but I know he will always be a Bronco fan. True, devoted and diehard. I used the wrong word when I said frustrated. I don't always get across what I mean on the stupid computer. Elway retiring was nothing compared throwing SB parties only to get blown out badly(Wash. and S.F.).

    I like this part Aussie. Again I will say there isn't a true fan, how can you be true about entertainment, are there false fans?
    P.S. I'm here everyday.

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  31. Haha thanks Digger, and nice to know you stop by all the time. I think it is an argument both sides can't win, just respect each other and move on.

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  32. Also updating this story, Andre Brown was resigned to the PS and Bruce Hall was cut off the PS.

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  33. The Oakland game is being blacked out. Does that mean they'll show the Denver game?

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