I've gone back and forth over what we should do with that eighth pick.
I think With Dayne, Lundy, Gado, and Taylor we should have enough talent to form a solid run game. We should have a decent quartet in those guys that can crank out some yardage but unless Chris Taylor shows some drastic improvement we still will be lacking a consistent playmaker in the backfield and our running game won't be any kind of real threat. We need to get a playmaker at RB somehow.
I think if we bring in Plummer we should be o.k at the QB position between Him, Sage, and Carr. We won't have Carr, Plummer, and Sage here next year. If we bring in Jake Plummer it will either be coupled with a trade of David Carr or a release of Sage Rosenfels. The Broncos empire has never looked to carry three QBs on the active roster for very long, especially when one would be costing $7.25 million against the cap (Carr), one would likely be costing at least $3-4 million against the cap (Plummer) and then a 3rd guy costing $1.6 million against the cap (Rosenfels). If they do keep a 3rd QB around, it would be a young guy that they can groom for the future that is either a significant prospect for the future (i.e. a draft pick in the 4th round or above) or else someone they can leave on practice squad without fear of another team grabbing him (like Porter this year).
Other needs that I see as possible picks in the first: DE, OL, DB DE and DB are a distinct possibility, I really don't see them using a 1st rounder on an OLineman. It isn't the Denver style to use one that high and they can find good fits for our system later (yes they don't take RBs in the 1st round either, but at some point you need a playmaker at RB, you don't need a high 1st round OLineman). Additionally, unless Joe Thomas falls to us at #8 there isn't another prospect that is worth that pick. I also think the staff is quite satisfied with Spencer and Winston being our starting OTs going forward, they could definitely use a new starter on the interior and depth all across the line, but neither of those require a 1st round pick. I think our 1st round pick will either be Adrian Peterson or else a DLineman (Anderson, Okoye, or Adams) or a DBack, if not them then a trade down.
Assuming that we will be o.k at the QB position, and our current RB's can get the job done, I would like to see us take Alan Branch, Amobi Okoye, or Gaines Adams if we stay at the 8 spot. Don't like Branch or Adams, Okoye or Jamaal Anderson would be better options at the #8 for us.
If we trade back to the 9-13 range I'd like Reggie Nelson, Levi Jones, or Laron Landry. All would be decent options there, along with Leon Hall, Patrick Willis, maybe Darelle Revis or Marshawn Lynch. However, I still don't see a 1st rounder on an OT even after a trade back. I would add though that if one of these guys end up being our top pick in the draft we better get a 2nd round pick or a 3rd and something else in the trade so we can likely add at least one more starter in this process than what we otherwise would have done.
I really wouldn't like to see us trade back any farther than that unless the deal is pretty sweet. Agreed.
