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.

Olindo Mare Offered a Contract

I've made no attempt to hide my disdain for Olindo Mare. Apparently Broncos Management feels otherwise. Mare was offered a contract for an undisclosed amount after his visit yesterday. Despite a concerted effort to get his signature before departing, Mare boarded a plane to Seattle without a signed contract. The Seahawks are without a kicker since losing Josh Brown to free agency.

It looks like once again the Broncos and Seahawks will enter a bidding war for a free agent. This time the winner of this fiasco may be the one who gets outbid. Mare was horribly inaccurate last season before sustaining a season ending injury. He was cut by the Saints.

35-year-old Mare's track record suggests he's a very average kicker, hitting about 90% from inside the 40 for his career. From 50+ mare has connected on an abysmal 15 of 35 attempts (one of which was a gut-wrenching game winner at Invesco in 2002). His best attribute is his ability to kickoff; he finished 3rd in touchback percentage last season behind Sebastian Janikowski and Broncos incumbent Matt Prater.

Given that Prater is 23 and already on our roster, why sign Mare? This might indicate that the Broncos aren't confident in Prater's ability to handle the job. Once we know the terms of his offer, it may surface that they are merely trying to make Prater compete for the job or providing him with a veteran mentor. One things for sure: if the cost of obtaining Mare's services is anywhere near the price we balked at for Elam, Broncos fans will be extremely displeased.

UPDATE: Thankfully, Mare was signed by Seattle to the tune of 2 years, $3.5 million. That's not a whole lot less than Denver offered Elam, so imagine the mutiny if they had bid against Seattle. I don't know what the solution is at kicker in Denver, but one things for sure: Mare wasn't it. It looks like we're going to see if Prater's leg is for real.