Mark Sanchez

Broncos Notes: QBs, Defense, Elway

July 19th, 2016 at 8:38pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Broncos defensive tackle Sylvester Williams offered some insight into the team’s three-man quarterback derby Tuesday, telling SiriusXM NFL Radio, “I think [Mark Sanchez] has to go out there and lose the job” (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of USA Today). Sanchez, 29, is the elder statesman of a troika that also includes 2015 seventh-round selection Trevor Siemian and first-round rookie Paxton Lynch. While Sanchez was previously at the helm of two defensively brilliant Jets teams that went to AFC title games, the 2009 fifth overall pick from USC hasn’t had much personal success in the NFL. It’s worth noting, though, that the Broncos’ dominant defense led them to a Super Bowl title last season in spite of subpar quarterback play.

More notes on the reigning champions:

Although Sanchez looks like the favorite to win the No. 1 job, the seven-year veteran’s history suggests it would be a mistake for the Broncos to award him the role, argues Adam Schein of NFL.com. Given that Sanchez is known for wilting in the spotlight, as Schein writes, Denver’s best hope is for Lynch to grab the reins and take advantage of the excellent receiver duo of Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders.
Safety T.J. Ward believes the Broncos’ defense can improve on its output from last year and go down as a legendary unit. “We can become the best defense of all time. That’s what we’re working toward,” he said Monday (via Cameron Wolfe of the Denver Post). Last year’s Broncos ‘D’ is arguably among the premier groups ever, having led the league in total defense, pass defense and sacks before steamrolling its three playoff opponents. Of that defense, general manager John Elway told John Clayton of ESPN.com in February that “it’s the best I’ve ever seen with the way they play and with the speed they play.” The squad has incurred a couple serious losses since then, however, with lineman Malik Jackson and linebacker Danny Trevathan taking bigger paydays elsewhere in free agency.
Elway’s reign as an executive is beginning to rival his Hall of Fame playing tenure, contends Mike Klis of 9News. The Elway-led Broncos have accumulated 64 victories, the second-highest total in the league, in his five years as the GM, and have won a Super Bowl, two conference championships and five straight AFC West titles. Among Elway’s best work in the front office, offers Klis: Convincing Canton-bound veterans Peyton Manning and DeMarcus Ware to accept pay cuts; re-signing Pro Bowlers Von Miller, Thomas, Chris Harris Jr., C.J. Anderson, Ryan Clady, Champ Bailey and Matt Prater (the latter three of whom are now retired or elsewhere); and serving as the league’s only GM to pick up a Pro Bowler through the draft (Miller and Julius Thomas), street free agency (Manning, Ware and Willis McGahee), unrestricted free agency (Ward, Aqib Talib and Louis Vasquez) and undrafted free agency (Harris and Anderson) over the past half-decade.

Extra Points: Broncos, Long, Eagles

June 19th, 2016 at 12:41pm CST by Rory Parks

Trevor Siemian, the Broncos‘ presumptive No. 2 quarterback, was more consistent in many ways than presumptive starter Mark Sanchez during the team’s OTAs and minicamp, and given that head coach Gary Kubiak said in his offseason-ending press conference last week that Sanchez and Siemian are in a virtual tie for the starting job, there has been some speculation that Siemian could be under center when Week 1 rolls around. But Mike Klis of 9News.com, while acknowledging Siemian’s strong performance, agrees with the prevailing consensus that, unless Sanchez completely flops in the first two games of the preseason–which is a distinct possibility–his experience will force Kubiak’s hand and he will be named the starter prior to the all-important third preseason contest.

Now let’s take a look at some more links from around the league:

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com says that a long-term deal between Von Miller and the Broncos remains the most likely outcome, but if the July 15 deadline for a new contract comes and goes, the two sides could work out an alternative one-year agreement that provides Miller with a little more incentive to sign. For instance, the team could promise to not use the tag on Miller again in 2017, which means that Miller, assuming he is willing to risk injury/ineffectiveness in 2016–while earning the full $14.129MM of the franchise tender in the process–would be guaranteed to hit the open market and get his big payday in 2017. If stubbornness prevails and there is no new deal by July 15, that currently unlikely scenario suddenly becomes more plausible.
Before coaching at yesterday’s University of Michigan Big Man camp, free agent left tackle Jake Long said that he is finally healthy. The former No. 1 overall pick added, “This is the healthiest and best I’ve felt in probably about five, six years. My knee’s back. I’ve just been working out, feeling good and ready for the opportunity when it comes along” (article via Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com). Long, of course, spent the first five years of his career with the Dolphins and was widely-regarded as one of the best left tackles in the league during that time, but he tore his ACL in each of his two subsequent seasons, which he spent with the Rams, and he appeared in only four games with the Falcons last year, starting none. If he is, in fact, completely healthy, he should be able to land a job as teams look to replace injured or underperforming players during training camp and the preseason.
Two of the Chiefs‘ best players, Jamaal Charles and Justin Houston, are recovering from torn ACLs, and the team is being cautious with both, as Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com writes (citing Adam Teicher of ESPN.com). Houston will not be ready for the start of training camp and may not suit up until sometime after the regular season begins, while Charles will be eased into camp and should be ready for Week 1. Neither player, though, will be on the field before they are completely healthy, as they are too important to the team’s plans to risk re-injury.
In the Eagles‘ crowded and confusing defensive backfield, it is too early to predict who will emerge as the regular contributors. But Mark Eckel of NJ.com writes that a source with knowledge of the way DC Jim Schwartz and DB coach Cory Undlin are thinking says that, if the season started today, the top of the cornerback depth chart would look like this: Leodis McKelvin, Nolan Carroll, Jalen Mills, Ron Brooks, and Eric Rowe.

AFC West Notes: Von, Broncos QBs, Chiefs, Berry

June 15th, 2016 at 4:24pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Star linebacker Von Miller is embroiled in a contract dispute with the Broncos, leading to questions as to whether he’d go so far as to sit out at least some of this season, but the Super Bowl 50 MVP may have put that notion to rest. On the possibility of skipping regular-season games this year if the franchise-tagged pass rusher and the Broncos don’t work out a long-term deal by the July 15 deadline, Miller told Netflix’s Chelsea Handler, “No, I mean .. we still have a month. I just can’t see myself with any other team. My boys — T.J. Ward, Aqib Talib, Kayvon Webster, DeMarcus Ware. All those guys, I built very, very close relationships with those guys, and I would like to continue to build that for the rest of my career.” Miller also stated that he’d like the franchise to reciprocate his desire to be a career-long Bronco (via Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post).

More regarding Denver and one of its division rivals:

Another franchise player from the AFC West, Chiefs four-time Pro Bowl safety Eric Berry, is also disenchanted with his contract situation. Unsurprisingly, Berry is absent from the Chiefs’ mandatory minicamp as he tries to sort out his future, writes Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. Berry could sign his one-year, $10.8MM tender and play this season under that, or he could continue to wait for a long-term deal from the Chiefs or another team. As is the case with Miller, Berry has until July 15 to work out a multiyear accord. Otherwise, he’ll either have to play this season as a franchise player or sit out.
First-round rookie Paxton Lynch is on the outside looking in when it comes to the Broncos’ three-man quarterback derby, according to head coach Gary Kubiak. Both Mark Sanchez and Trevor Siemian are well ahead of the ex-Memphis standout as of now. “I think they’re looking each in the eye throughout the course of the offseason,” Kubiak said of Sanchez and Siemian (via Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com). “Who’s ahead? Who’s [No.] 1? I think those two guys are right there with each other; it’s a very competitive situation. They’re obviously ahead of the young guy. … Those two guys have been very close.”
The Chiefs have invited four free agents – cornerbacks Trenton Cole and Chris Greenwood, and receivers Seantavius Jones and Devonte Robinson – to try out at mandatory camp, reports Paylor (Twitter link).

Mark Sanchez On Broncos Trade, Taking Over Super Bowl Team

May 30th, 2016 at 6:07pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Mark Sanchez has had quite the offseason — he’s gone from being the presumptive backup with the Eagles to having a real chance at starting for the defending Super Bowl champion Broncos following a March trade. Sanchez sat down with Jason Cole of Bleacher Report to discuss the deal that brought him to Denver, adjusting to life with the Broncos, and more. Let’s take a look at the highlights…

On whether he spoke to the Broncos in advance of the trade:

No, not at all. This happened all while I was working out. My agent hadn’t heard yet. [Eagles general manager] Howie Roseman and [Broncos general manager] John Elway were really the only ones who knew until they told me. Nobody really knew. I was maybe the third, fourth or fifth person to know. Once that happened, I called my agents to find out what was happening and they said, “We don’t know that.”

On the difficulty of taking over a Super Bowl-winning team:

How do you motivate guys who are already there when you haven’t [been]? How do you say “Hey, guys. Let’s put in all this work because we want to win a Super Bowl” when I’m the only guy who hasn’t? So it’s like a fine line of how to push guys and be a leader and establish yourself while also respecting what they have done and distance yourself from what they have done.

On acting as something of a “game manager”:

It’s a weird narrative. I understand my role: Just drive the car straight. Stay in the right lane. Stay in your lane and do what you’re called to do. There’s no behind-the-back, rolling-right kind of things. Just stick with the play. Get us out of bad plays, avoid negative plays, stick with the plays and give ourselves a chance to win.

What do we have to do on offense? Protect the ball, score a few points, and we’re good. It’s similar to those first few years in New York. Make all the routine plays, and when it’s time to make a big play, it will present itself. You practice for it and be ready to do it.

On whether Denver’s offense will involve more quarterback movement:

You could say that, but you could also say that about my time in New York because they got me out on the move to do that. [Head coach Gary Kubiak] moved [Matt] Schaub around. They moved Joe Flacco around a little bit. Could I move more? I don’t know. Maybe a little bit. It’s going to depend on what we do well in these next 10 OTAs.

On how the Broncos’ weapons compare to the Jets’ when Sanchez was in New York:

I don’t want to compare. We had good guys on both teams. I can speak to this team and say that some of the guys are obviously among the best in the league, starting with the top two [wide receivers]. But not just them.

Seeing how these guys work, they compete. It doesn’t matter who it is, whether it’s Bennie Fowler or whoever. These guys talk to each other…not like I’m coming for your job, but when I was around them, I could tell they were into it. They feed off each other. Kind of like, “Hey, you ran that route that way? Watch what I do. Watch how I catch this. Watch how I run this.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Broncos Notes: Manning, Marshall, Sanders

May 28th, 2016 at 9:52am CST by Ben Levine

While the Broncos have been focusing most of their energy on a long-term deal for Von Miller, several of the linebacker’s teammates are also awaiting potential extensions. This includes linebacker Brandon Marshall, who hasn’t signed the one-year, $2.533MM tender he was slapped with.

Of course, there’s no need to panic in Denver, as both sides sound optimistic regarding a deal. Marshall, who finished last season with 102 tackles, gushed about the organization to ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold.

“I love it here. I love it here, man,” Marshall said. “Ever since I got here, in 2013, they’ve treated me like family, even when I was on the practice squad. It just shows, I’m really all about ball, getting better and being with the team. … To stay away, that’s not me. I feel comfortable being here.”

Meanwhile, defensive coordinator Wade Phillips hinted that an extension could be incoming.

“This club is always going to take care of somebody that helped them win a championship like that,” Phillips said. “So I feel like that will get worked out sooner or later. They’ll help anybody that does that.”

Let’s check out some more notes from the Mile High City…

Speaking of quarterbacks, Peyton Manning told Tennessean sports editor Dave Ammenheuser that he “was pretty close” to signing with the Titans instead of the Broncos in 2012. Having played for the University of Tennessee, Manning has an obvious connection to the state, and there were previous rumors that he could take a front office role with the organization.
The Broncos may have another “quarterback controversy” on their hands this season, writes Woody Paige of the Denver Post. After juggling Manning and Brock Osweiler last year, the coaching staff is eyeing two potential starters on their current roster: Mark Sanchez and rookie Paxton Lynch.
Manning’s retirement leaves a leadership void on the Broncos offense, and Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post believes wideout Emmanuel Sanders is a perfect candidate to fill that role.

AFC Notes: Amendola, Sanchez, Mettenberger

May 16th, 2016 at 7:26pm CST by Ben Levine

Patriots receiver Danny Amendola underwent a pair of surgeries this offseason, reports Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. The 30-year-old had surgery on his injured left knee, and he also had an operation to remove a bone spur in his ankle. Despite these ailments, Amendola still managed to play 14 games last season, compiling 65 catches for 648 yards and three touchdowns.

There is hope that Amendola will be healthy enough for training camp, but the organization is not planning on rushing him back. Since it’s so early in the process, Howe notes that there is “no guarantee” that the wideout will be ready for Week 1.

Let’s check out some more notes from around the AFC…

Broncos quarterback Mark Sanchez injured his left thumb in the weight room last week, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). The 29-year-old underwent surgery on Saturday, but he is only expected to miss “a few OTAs.”
Broncos tight end Jeff Heuerman says he’s back to 100% on his knee, as Cameron Wolfe of The Denver Post tweets. Heuerman, the 92nd overall pick in last year’s draft, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during rookie camp last year and missed the entire 2015 season.
Indianapolis castoff Bjoern Werner could be another late bloomer for the Jaguars, Hays Carlyon of The Florida Times-Union writes. Buffalo struck gold in the 2013 offseason when they traded with Indy for defensive end Jerry Hughes, a player who many had written off. Since then, Hughes has racked up 25 sacks for Jacksonville over the last three seasons. Werner has yet to produce in the NFL, but he is still just 25 years old and could theoretically turn things around with a change of scenery. The Jaguars signed Werner to a prove-it deal late last week.
The Titans released Zach Mettenberger today in order to give him a chance to do his OTAs and minicamp with a team and learn their system, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

West Rumors: 49ers, Davis, Tunsil, Broncos

April 29th, 2016 at 2:55pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a look at the West divisions:

Anthony Davis’ hammered the 49ers on Twitter this week but general manager Trent Baalke says he’s not losing sleep over what transpired. “There’s no decision to be made,” Baalke said when asked if the team has made a decision about his status (via Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com). “Right now, he’s not in the National Football League. He’s retired. So there’s no reason to even speculate on what we’re going to do or what we might do. “He’s got to be reinstated into the league and that’s a process that takes some time. He doesn’t put in and a day later he’s reinstated. There’s a process that he has to go through.”
Baltimore says that the Laremy Tunsil video didn’t affect their draft decision, but 49ers GM Trent Baalke admits that it was a factor. “Well, I think every team is aware of the video,” Baalke said (via Maiocco). “We factor in everything. So whether you get that information late in the process or you get it early in the process, it’s all factored in.” After nabbing a defensive lineman at No. 7, the 49ers could target an offensive tackle with their next pick.
Broncos GM John Elway told Peter King of TheMMQB.com that he’s happy about the way his quarterback search turned out. “Do I have any regrets about this whole thing?” Elway said. “No. We’re thrilled to have ended up where we are, with Paxton. If you had said to me, ‘Here are your four options,’ and you named the four we just went through, this is the one we’d take. We think Paxton [Lynch], long-term, is a perfect fit for our offense.” Elway also indicated that he’s comfortable with having Mark Sanchez start the season while Lynch makes his transition to the next level.
Elway also told King that the Eagles were asking “way too much” for Sam Bradford when the Broncos reached out to the Eagles.

AFC Notes: Broncos, Browns, Texans

April 19th, 2016 at 8:42pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Contract talks between the Broncos and franchise-tagged pass rusher Von Miller are going so poorly that the Super Bowl 50 MVP could consider holding out until November both this year and, if needed, in 2017, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Cole says that the Broncos’ current offer to Miller is worth only a little more per year than what the Giants gave the far less accomplished Olivier Vernon ($17MM) in free agency and doesn’t contain nearly enough guaranteed money for Miller’s liking.

Here’s more on Denver and a couple other AFC clubs:

Broncos quarterback Mark Sanchez is working hard to take the reins in Denver, showing leadership, and impressing his teammates in the process, reports Lindsay H. Jones of USA Today (video link). “I can tell he wants to be a leader on this team. He wants to be our quarterback. He wants to be The Guy. And that’s the type of guy we need,” receiver Emmanuel Sanders said. Of course, early reviews aside, Sanchez is a long shot to win the Broncos’ starting job. The team could foil his plans to start by trading for the 49ers’ Colin Kaepernick, adding a high-round draft pick, or signing free agents like Brian Hoyer or Ryan Fitzpatrick.
After the Browns released veteran defenders Karlos Dansby and Donte Whitner earlier this offseason, linebacker Paul Kruger worried about his own status with the team, he told Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. “Yeah I was definitely anticipating something,” the 30-year-old said. “Made me a little nervous, I’m not going to lie.” The Browns could still part with Kruger and save $5.3MM before June 1 or $6.5MM if he’s a post-June 1 cut, but they already have the third-most cap space in the league. Kruger, for his part, now expects to remain in the fold. “Those are discussions that I let my agent and those people take care of but hey, I’m here right now and this is where I’m planning on being come August,” he said. Kruger’s sack total plummeted from 11 in 2014 to 2.5 last season, though he still menaced opposing quarterbacks, finishing with the league’s fourth-most hurries (33).
The Texans will bring in Wisconsin fullback Derek Watt and Arkansas running back Jonathan Williams for Wednesday visits, reports Tania Ganguli of ESPN (Twitter links). Derek Watt is the brother of superstar Texans defensive lineman J.J. Watt.
Wide receivers Cam Worthy and Saalim Hakim, offensive lineman James Brewer and defensive back Dax Swanson will partake in Browns minicamp this week as tryout players, tweets the team’s communications manager, Dan Murphy.

Broncos’ John Elway On QB, Von Miller, O-Line

March 21st, 2016 at 8:04pm CST by Zachary Links

The defending champions have already undergone a major facelift this offseason, but GM John Elway says that he’s not done tinkering with the team’s roster. Of course, in the wake of Peyton Manning‘s retirement and Brock Osweiler‘s departure, the No. 1 item on the team’s agenda will be to figure out its quarterback situation. The Broncos also have to address the contract of star defensive player Von Miller. The Broncos placed the franchise tag on Miller earlier this offseason and the two sides are discussing a long-term pact.

On Monday, Elway addressed these issues and more. Here’s a look at the highlights (via Troy Renck of The Denver Post):

On the team’s quarterback situation:

“We will bring somebody in to compete. We are not going to just turn the job over to [Mark Sanchez] now, even though I know he’s excited about competing for the job. Everything is out there. There are a still a lot of guys. You never know what’s going to fall out of the tree. We are not in any rush.”

On Miller and the possibility of a holdout:

“I don’t see the benefit of it, but the (players) obviously do. But we are going to do everything we can and are hopeful we can come to some kind of agreement. Von is a big part of this. We want him to continue to be a big part.”

On the team’s revamped offensive line:

“We are excited about the bookends. [Donald Stephenson] is a young guy we think has a tremendous amount of upside. And [Russell Okung] is a guy who has played solid the last five or six years, been on championships teams and knows what it takes. Plus it gives us flexibility with the guys we have now with [Ty Sambrailo] and [Michael Schofield] (on playing guard). Different guys can go different places. It opens us up for the draft, and we can get to the point where we can take the best player.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AFC Notes: Sanchez, Ferguson, Dolphins, Hoyer

March 12th, 2016 at 10:42am CST by Ben Levine

Quarterback Mark Sanchez was traded to the Broncos yesterday, but if the veteran had had his way, he would have ended up in Denver years before.

According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (on Twitter), Sanchez wanted to play for the Broncos following his release from the Jets in 2014. The play-caller wanted to learn from future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning, but the presence of Brock Osweiler essentially prevented Sanchez from joining the organization. Instead, he landed with the Eagles on a one-year, $2.25MM deal.

Let’s check out some more notes from around the AFC…

The Jets are set to meet with offensive lineman Kelvin Beachum, and considering D’Brickashaw Ferguson‘s huge cap hit, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini wonders whether the veteran lineman could be a cap casualty. Ferguson is set to count for $14.1MM against the cap, and his declining performance in 2015 could make him expendable.
With Olivier Vernon off to the Giants, the Dolphins continue to look for ways to improve their defensive line depth. Albert Breer of the NFL Network tweets that the team is looking to secure a meeting with veteran defensive end Chris Clemons.
After the Texans signed Osweiler to a pricey deal, it seemed inevitable that incumbent quarterback Brian Hoyer would be traded. However, general manager Rick Smith was adamant that the 30-year-old still has a role on the team. “I think it’s pretty apparent you need a couple quarterbacks in this league, okay,” Smith told Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. “And so Brian obviously played a lot of football for us, understands our system, our scheme and our team and is a valuable member of our team.”

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