First off the new coaches, on Thursday the Broncos announced Jeff Rodgers will serve as special teams coordinator in 2011, while Adam Gase will stay with the team but as the quarterbacks coach not the wide receivers position he held last year.
Rodgers joined the Panthers in 2009 as the team's special teams and strength and conditioning assistant before earning the promotion. Before arriving in Carolina, he spent one season as the special teams coach at Kansas State and five seasons working with San Francisco's special teams unit.
Under Rodgers, Carolina's special teams unit showed double-digit improvement in its league rankings last season for several categories, including kick return average and opponent's kick return and punt return average. The Panthers ranked sixth in the NFL in opponent average starting field position after a kickoff in 2010.
Rodgers, whose older brother, Jay, will serve as a Broncos defensive quality control coach in 2011, began his NFL coaching career working with San Francisco's special teams unit. With the 49ers, he helped punter Andy Lee and long snapper Brian Jennings earn Pro Bowl berths. DB.com
Defensive Coordinator
There are probably only two candidates left that the Broncos are looking at. That is Dennis Allen and Mike Trgovac.
Allen, who has been with the Saints for five years and spent four seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, has also coached the defensive line in his time as an NFL assistant. Allen currently works under Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.
During Allen's time with the Falcons current Broncos general manager Brian Xanders worked in the Atlanta front office as well. Allen is the second candidate to interview for the position, following Jim Mora. Mora was offered the job, but declined, to some cheering from Broncos fans.Allen is also interviewing for the Eagles DC job.
It is not known if Fox will wait to interview one of his former Panthers assistants, current Packers defensive line coach Mike Trgovac. Trgovac was Fox's defensive coordinator in Carolina for six years.
If the Packers lose Sunday afternoon, the Broncos can formally request permission, by letter, as early as that evening to interview Trgovac. However, if the Packers win the game, the Broncos would have to wait until after the Super Bowl is played on Feb. 6 to interview Trgovac, who is Green Bay's defensive line coach.
Fox has said he wanted to have his staff in place to attend next week's Senior Bowl practices in Mobile, Ala., as well as meet together with the Broncos scouting staff for the first time, so waiting for Trgovac may not be an option. DP.com
Good Reads
Have a read of this link, it is questions asked by fans that GM X-man answered, click here.
After a season in which he became the first Bronco to lead the league in receiving yards and earned his first Pro Bowl selection, Brandon Lloyd has a chance to add to his list of accolades — with help from fans.
The wide receiver is one of five finalists for the fourth-annual Vizio Top Value Performer award. Fans can vote for Lloyd through midnight on Sunday.
Lloyd enjoyed a breakout season in 2010, finishing with 77 catches for 1,448 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also led the NFL by averaging 18.8 yards per catch. Those totals were all career single-season bests for the eight-year veteran.
This year’s other nominees for the award, which was created to honor the player who has most exceeded expectations relative to his contract, are Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw, Bills wide receiver Stevie Johnson, Browns running back Peyton Hillis and Steelers linebacker Lamarr Woodley.
Vote Here, Top Performer.
Anyway that is it from me, I leave you with this question, who do you want for DC? ~ Aussie.
FYI - comments don't seem to be working, I will keep you posted.
FYI - comments are working now.
Go away teams!
ReplyDeletePackers and Jets in the SB.
Comments must be working again.
ReplyDeleteAnd bummer, I was hoping the bears would win.
haha, not only did Cutler lose out on playing in the game and a trip to the SB but now he's getting a bunch of crap for not returning to the game after getting his knee injury. So glad Chicago lost. Now, I know for sure I'll be happy with whoever wins this SB... got a soft spot for GB and I'd be fine with Pittsburgh winning again. Jets almost won it though. Crazy 2nd half to that game.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait till our Broncos can get back in the winning game and at least make it into the playoffs. 10+ years is a long enough drought... need some excitement! But with GB going to SB (which is why I can see how Aussie wanted them to lose), it will be interesting to see who becomes our DC. Do they wait till SB is over (very unlikely) or deepen their search for a someone to get this defense rolling? Trgovac could be worth the wait or it could come back to bite us. More waiting, ahhhh!