Rick Smith Really Wants to Play Golf on Draft Day
Alternate headline: Broncos continue gradual relocation to Houston. The Texans have traded their sixth-round draft pick to the Broncos for center Chris Myers, a third year player who started all 16 games for Denver last year. As The General reports in the linked article, this was essentially a sign-and-trade, as Denver just inked Myers to a four year, $11 million deal including three million dollars guaranteed. McClain labels Myers as "ideal" for Alex Gibbs' zone blocking scheme, which makes sense, as the everyone knows that the Texans are simply a twin embryo of the Broncos that took an extra few decades to meander down the fallopian tubes of Mother Football.
Here is Myers' player page, indicating that he attended "The U" prior to playing in the NFL and that he is a former Punt, Pass and Kick champion. Myers was a sixth-round pick of the Broncos in 2005. Sure looks good reflexively, but why would the Broncos agree to trade a young, cheap, starting offensive lineman for the equivalent of a roll of athletic tape? Kyle bead Dad in a game of H-O-R-S-E and this is compensation? Too good to be true?
UPDATE:The Rocky Mountain News clarifies that Myers started five games at guard and eleven at center, not sixteen at center. He apparently moved over after starting center Tom Nalen was injured. Also, apparently Nalen will be back next year...Lepsis is the 300 year old Denver OL that retired. I must have missed that in my in-depth offseason review of the AFC West's offensive line situation. So maybe that makes Myers more expendable, especially if the Broncos are trying to package picks to acquire [ex-UK sensation] Dewayne Robertson.
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Seems good to me
To be fair, we could have done the same thing, but this way, we don't have to worry about the crapshoot that is the draft. We get solid depth at center and guard without breaking the bank.
$2.75 million might seem like a lot for a backup, but considering that our center and right guard are both coming off of leg injuries, the chances of us needing to use a backup increases. All in all, I'm happy with this decision right now, but I reserve the right to be pessimistic later on.
by Gryften on Mar 17, 2008 3:28 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Like This Deal
I'm bullish on this acquisition, in no small part because of the following comment from the meticulous styg50 of Mile High Report:
We were pretty surprised at this strategy in regards to Myers. He is a good player who zoneblocks well but could be stronger. He is not a great backup Center but he is a starting quality guard. In Denver he won't crack the starting lineup so he isn't critical, but he is certainly much needed depth.
If Myers doesn't beat McKinney out at C or stake his claim at G (likely on the right side), then we've got a solid back-up who can provide depth at multiple positions. I dig it.
by Tim on Mar 17, 2008 4:19 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
"depth at multiple positions"
He wasn't even listed on the depth chart as a center, Hamilton was our backup center but he was lost in the preseason. Prior to starting in Nalen's absence, most of Myer's center work came in 2006 on the scout team with Cutler, back when Cutler was taking practice reps and Plummer was running with the first team.
Denver asked them if they were comfortable pairing up after Nalen went down. To Myer's credit he is a quiet, confident guy. At the time he basically said, "I'll be fine. Don't believe me? Watch and learn." We had a drop off, but the beauty of zoneblocking is it absorbs those kind of torpedos without going down by the head. He'll play anywhere, but ideally he should be a RG. And he DOES need to get stronger.
You guys have a fine offensive lineman. Congrats.
by Jeremy Bolander on Mar 17, 2008 8:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Cooking something up
Oh yeah - I think the trade kicks ass. I fully expect him to start. He's the third lineman from The U... and we all know you don't mess around with the U. Winston, Butler, and Myers were teammates for three years in Miami, so that in itself is a huge plus, especially when you consider how important familiarity is to developing a dominant line.
He's young, talented, and will be able to help his teammates understand the nuances of the ZBS.
I love it.
by SOLIS on Mar 17, 2008 9:10 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Re: Myers
by Tim on Mar 17, 2008 9:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
That's awesome
by Nashmeister on Mar 18, 2008 12:49 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Kubiak on the acquisition of Myers
"It's an instant fit. He knows our system, and he knows our terminology. We know him, and we know what kind of player he is and what he stands for. He's young, and he's tough as nails."
That kind of ringing endorsement speaks volumes about what we can expect to see once camp breaks. The fact that he could be brought in at either the guard or center position, really shortens the learning curve as the line adjusts to Gibbs' blocking scheme.
by SOLIS on Mar 18, 2008 4:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

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