Monday Morning Hodgepodge

There were several items of interest in this article in this morning's Denver Post:

• Echoing earlier sentiments posted by this blogger, Pat Bowlen is adamantly opposed to a proposed rules change which would allow wildcard teams to earn home-field advantage against a division winner.
  
  
• With Ben Hamilton fully recovered from post-concussion symptoms, 2006 3rd-round pick Chris Kuper is expected to compete at right tackle. Kuper filled in capably at guard in Hamilton's absence last season.
  
  Last years 6th pick in the 3rd round Ryan Harris is penciled in as the starter at right tackle. Many have speculated that Denver will draft a tackle with the 12th overall pick in this years draft. The best available fit for the zone-blocking scheme is Boise State's Ryan O'Clady (who's not the sharpest tool in the shed), but many feel he will be off the board with the 12th pick. There is little question that Denver needs to add depth at offensive line via the draft; however, don't expect them to address this need in the first round. If Broncos management feels that Ryan Harris is ready to play at a high level, they may just add a project player on day 2.
  
  
• Elam left town, Mare was overpaid to play in Seattle, and the sky has not fallen. In fact, I think Denver's failure to sign Mare was serendipitous. The post claims that three potential suitors have surfaced in the search for Elam's replacement: John Carney, Paul Edinger, and Justin Medlock. John Carney is old enough to remember this, so I don't think he's the long-term solution we need.
  
  Edinger--known for his "corkscrew" kicking motion in which his back faces the uprights--has been out of the league since 2005. He's got plenty of range and nailed 84% of his kicks for Chicago in 2001. A year later he hit 74% of his kicks for Minnesota, including a 56-yard game winner against Green Bay (still the longest field goal in Vikings franchise history). He was released the next season.
  
  The greatest left-footed, black kicker of all time, Justin Medlock was the top kicker taken in last year's draft. After missing a 30-yard kick against Houston in week 1, he was unceremoniously dumped by Herm Edwards (a couple of weeks after releasing Lawrence Tynes, who hit about 15 clutch kicks for the Super Bowl champions--GOOD JOB HERM!). The Rams picked him up off the wire where he is firmly embedded behind free agent acquisition Josh Brown. Denver has expressed interest in a trade for Medlock, although they are reportedly unwilling to part with a draft pick. If they can make this deal happen, Medlock would be a young, inexpensive prospect with tons of upside to push Prater in camp this season.
  

That's a wrap.

The Unfolding Elam Melodrama

I haven't read much Brian Lincicome, but this article earned him a spot on my list of sports analysts who don't think before they speak (chief among them: Len Pasquarelli). What a diatribe! In it, Lincicome makes the following obtuse statement:

"Considering, it is not so strange then that since Elam is responsible for the Broncos appearing better than they are that he should be kissed off.

A fine bonus for 15 years of loyal, effective and consistent service, always there, always ready and nearly always accurate. There will remain a space among the Ring of Fame for Elam eventually, up there with Jim Turner whose kicking records Elam eradicated.

This was Elam’s choice, but only in the Corleone sense of things. Atlanta made Elam an offer he could refuse if Denver had been in any way interested, and if Elam were five years younger, could still kick off the ball into the end zone, the Broncos would have been much less shortsighted."

Had Lincicome read his own newspaper's content, he'd have figured this out sooner:

"One of the Falcons’ fears was that Elam would use them as a pawn in negotiations with the Broncos, who’d eventually get an opportunity to match. But Elam made it clear to Denver as far back as January that he wouldn’t feel comfortable doing that, no matter what team he might consider once free agency started."

Thus, Denver made Elam an initial offer--a very lucrative offer at that--and Atlanta simply made him a better offer. This was essentially a double-blind auction for Elam's services and Denver was outbid. Now Atlanta has their prize (winner's curse?). I think Atlanta overpaid. That's business.

Please Lincicome, if you are going to write a melodrama, at least get your facts straight.

Filling Elam's Shoes

The Denver Post reports that 23-year-old kickoff specialist Matt Prater is the incumbent front runner for Jason Elam's former job. Prater joined Denver last year as a kickoff specialist after being dismissed by the Falcons. He is expected to have some competition for the job. Free agents John Carney and Olindo Mare are likely to compete. Mike Vanderjagt--in an attempt to resurrect his career--could also emerge as a competitor. Tennessee's Rob Bironas--fresh off a pro-bowl year--is a restricted free agent; however, Bironas was given a second round tender by Tennessee, which probably prices him out of the market. There is no question that Prater has a powerful leg: his 45.5% touchback percentage last year was twice that of the next best player in the NFL; however, in four career attempts, he's only made one field goal. In 2006 he showed both accuracy and range as a walk-on for the Detroit Lions but was unable to oust incumbent John Hansen to secure the job. Was Prater prematurely cut by the monomaniacal Bobby Petrino? Only time will tell.

Ultimately, I expect Prater to win the job. Even if his accuracy is a concern, Prater's leg on kickoffs is a distinctive competency on special teams in an era of game-breaking kick returners. Also, Prater is very young; his upside is huge when compared to more expensive options like John Carney or the corrosive prima donna Mike Vanderjagt.

While Elam will most certainly be missed, I commend Broncos management for making a shrewd management decision. When calculating Elam's true cost, most analysts have failed to site the implicit value of the extra roster slot garnered by his departure. I thought his contract offer was more than generous; when you consider the intrinsic value of the extra roster slot, he was arguably overcompensated at $2.33 million guaranteed.

Nevertheless, I'd like to thank Jason Elam for a great career in Denver. We have just parted with the greatest kicker in Broncos history--a distinction he'll likely carry for decades to come. Happy trails.