First prediction for 2010: Brandon Marshall is no longer a Bronco sometime in 2010.

Making Brandon Marshall the highest paid receiver in the NFL would be a mistake. A mistake I’m confident the Broncos will not make.

You read about them other team’s fans salivating about getting Marshall? Let them, I hope we pull off a good trade or get excellent compensation.

My want list begins with new offensive linemen. I want a new center and a new guard. Maybe two new guards. The middle of our line started off ok, then wore down as the season progressed. Defensive tackles busting through left and right, hitting our backs in the backfield. Not being able to run the ball with consistency killed us, especially in short yardage. Especially when it counted, like having a lead and being thoroughly unable to bleed the clock. Don’t gotta go after the absolute best center and guard out there, just get me some damn guys with a mean streak and who can block for the damn run.

I want an infusion of new talent at receiver. Bottom line, I want play makers who catch the ball. You don’t gotta go after the highest paid receivers out there, but perhaps we could trade an apple for an apple in Marshall. The Chargers got two tall wide outs available next year, target one of them. Bring in a Deion Branch for cheap, give him a second chance, he knows the system.  Get some moderately priced guys, just like a center and a guard. You don’t have to target the best out there, just get some players who can make plays, catch the ball and block for the run. We need some more speed at the receiver position too.

I want to see us get a 6′ 1″ 235 pound running back slugger in the later rounds. Don’t have to be no world beater, just a big guy who can hold onto the football with two hands and get us a yard or two. I’m tired of having two finesse backs out there, we need a slugger to compliment Moreno.

I want a competent backup to Kyle Orton. Maybe we pick up a veteran presence, maybe we draft a guy. We need a solid backup. You people wanting to give a Golden Tiki Wart award to someone, better think about giving it to Chris Simms.I know it was a tough spot to be in, coming cold into that Redskins game, but that fart in addition to the performance the previous week was unacceptable.

The more I think of it, the more I want to see us get a QB in the third or fourth round who fits the system. Someone who could possibly be the successor to Orton in a few years. If you do the right things to have a consistent running game, Kyle Orton can win for us. As nonathletic, and unspectacular as he is, he protects the ball, he gets the ball to people in short to medium range with accurate zip and has a year under his belt learning this system. He’s proven he can beat good teams, but a consistent running game is a big part of that. A consistent running game takes pressure off Orton, it is the ingredient we desperately needed to defeat better teams like the Colts and the Eagles, and we didn’t get the job done.

I want an upgrade at defensive end. I want us to get a guy who’s good for 7-9 sacks. We need an additional piece to our defensive puzzle. I would almost entertain the notion that our defense could be downright dominant adding that one defensive end who can sack the quarterback. We can draft and upgrade other areas, perhaps linebacker and nose tackle. But those are secondary concerns and will not make the cut for my want list.

I have no bad things to say about our rookies, not yet anyways. Moreno needs to get a little tougher in the legs in the off season. I see him going down a little too easy at times (in the open field, when he manages to get past the two defensive tackles running free into our backfield). He is a player, he’s shown flashes and would have over a thousand yards had he not been learning and splitting carries. I am glad he is playing for us and not the Chargers. I am glad we got both him and Ayers when we did, the way we did. People talk about missing Orakpo, we need an Orakpo, however we can’t be sure we would have gotten both a top flight running back in Moreno, in addition a potentially solid linebacker in Ayers.  Moreno would be playing for San Diego, wouldn’t that be nice.

The team talked up Ayers when they first got him into camp, then he fell off the radar a bit. He is learning and has come on stronger down the stretch of this season. I’ve seen him make plays, I’ve seen him make moves and he is showing the flashes you want to see. Same with Alphonso Smith, up and down production out of him, but he is a rookie. Bruton hasn’t played bad, nor has that McBath. McBath in fact, looks like he could be a hell of a player. Next year will be the better assessment of this rookie class.

Now, back to my want list:

1. A new center

2. A new guard (or two). Run blockers with mean streaks preferred.

3. A defensive end who can sack the quarterback.

4. At least two new wide receivers, competent players who will not break the damn bank.

5. A competent veteran or skilled  rookie backup for Orton.

6. A big, slugger running back for tough/short yardage duty. This one becomes less of a priority if we address the line blocking, but still it’s not a bad idea to get some young bull to take over for LaMont Jordan.

We trade or let Marshall walk, we keep Dumervil. I don’t see Orton playing hardball. Tony Scheffler shouldn’t be too hard to retain, if he wants a lot for some reason, goodbye. Chris Kuper can go as far as I’m concerned. I saw him get physically picked up and thrown in the Eagles game, unacceptable.

Of course, we will also sign and draft to upgrade wherever we see fit.

This team must make the playoffs next year or it will be an epic failure. This team should be capable of doing big things next year, not simply looking forward to one and done in January.

My want list is complete Broncos organization. Disregard it at your peril.

No idea where that Panff is. Probably out with that Tiki soaking their sorrows in a puddle of some cheap liquor tonight. Probably chasing down heinously formed women of ill repute while they’re at it. Probably running around bolicky bare-ass in some slum while I have the common decency to update the site with worthwhile content.

Shutting the opposition’s offense down for three  possessions in a row then allowing a conversion on 3rd and 25 is the reason the Broncos can’t beat a good team.

Things never before seen? Never seen a team so woefully inconsistent. Both the Offense and Defense.

Inability to run the football is killing us. Inability to run the football, inability to move the chains. Inability to make plays when it counts.

Our offense is not dynamic enough and this is no way to make the playoffs,  eeking in like a muffled fart.

If that.

This offense is not dynamic enough. We don’t have the playmakers.  Marshall is a good possession receiver. He ain’t no dynamic threat. This offense needs some speed out there. We are absolutely ho-hum.

We need new blood at receiver. Stokley doesn’t do enough, doesn’t matter what happened today, he’s getting up there and just don’t do enough.

We need a center and a guard or two. Our inability to run inside is absolutely killing us.

Running back doesn’t bother me one bit. Moreno is a kid, is leading rookie rushers and should be over a thousand yards were he not splitting carries. A certain Denver sports writer tried to hammer him, but that sports writer claimed we shouldn’t have picked him. Moreno is doing fine, will get better after his first season especially physically in the off season and he should be a player for us for many years. Same for Robert Ayers, he is doing fine and showing signs out there. Had we taken Orakpo, the Chargers get Moreno and we may not have gotten Ayers, we did well. I’d like to see Adrian Peterson try and find a hole running up the middle of our line: It would be the same laugh riot. I suppose it’s all Moreno’s fault when there’s two friggen guys wrapping him up behind the line of scrimmage.

I will say this: wouldn’t bother me one bit if we also got a guy 6′ 1″ 235 who can be a slugger behind Moreno. Doesn’t have to be a world beater either. Two speed guys isn’t cutting it.

Our anemic running game is killing us. Our inability to move the football with consistency on offense hurts our defense, they’re out there too much. Too many three and outs.

9 and 7, wish I weren’t a genius.

I will say that McDaniel’s play calling was much better today. I told you people his job will be made or broken by this off season. I said this because we are in a hell of a position to get some play makers on this team in problem spots. Don’t have to be superstar world beaters, just some damn guys who can make a play when it counts. We can trade or receive compensation for Marshall. We will be picking high in the draft. There are players available in free agency in positions we need. I want a new center, and a new guard, maybe two. We can get some mean, snarling beef up in there, our athletic tackles will allow for this. I want more speed on offense, I want play makers at wide receiver who catch the damn football. Lots of wide receivers in free agency this year who will not break the bank.  I want to see us get a defensive end good for 8 sacks, that isn’t asking too much. Even 7 sacks would be an upgrade.

These holes ain’t gonna be filled by paying Marshall and Dumervil 50 million plus. Dumervil is our only priority there.

You wanna draft a quarterback somewhere in the early rounds? Fine. I don’t see him taking over Orton’s job anytime soon. A good running game helps Kyle Orton immeasurably. Even that Huckdort was night and day when we ran the football.  If we don’t draft one, we better damn well get a veteran presence at backup, somebody who has seen time playing in the regular season. Someone cagey.

I will say that Orton is about as athletic as a two legged goat out there. I think a two legged goat would hold up better in a collapsing pocket and that ain’t no stretch. You see some of them sacks? Donovan McNabb’s sacks were sacks. Orton’s sacks were a sad sack of you know what out there.

Unable to contain a 3rd and 25, you kidding me?

At least they didn’t get blown out.