New Broncos Rebuild Stifled by Lockout

Whatever you want to say about the lockout, it is definitely a bad thing for our Denver Broncos who are in a rebuilding mode at present.

After getting Elway in the head office and finding a new head coach, the Broncos would like to be working out and making some trades, but all these things are barred by the lockout. It is a very bad situation for teams starting over.

Another aspect is that the team has made big statements about being more about the fans and opening more lines of communication to the fans.  At this point no one can blame the Broncos for this lockout. My personal opinion is that if it were up to Pat Bowlen, there would be no lockout.

When this deal finally gets done, I hope there will be time to do some flash trades before the season begins. Denver needs to beef up the Defense, and perhaps find a new 3rd position QB.  I believe they will trade Kyle Orton. Most fans believe Fox will start Tebow, but now the official position is that Orton is the starter.

This lockout is frustrating to the fans, team management and the players. All we can hope for is a quick resolution, or the team will not have time to trade and train, and then it will be Orton at the helm again, even though I believe he is not the franchise QB of the future.

Recent indications from Dove Valley are leaning towards not being sure about starting Tebow even if the lockout ends now.  Fox and Elway both have said things like "he has a lot to learn" and of course, no one will argue with that.  He excites the fans and the other players, and he is talented, so most fans want management to run with him.

Denver needs the lockout to end.  It is stifling the progress of having a fighting chance to produce a winning season in 2011.

What is being said on day 6 of the lockout around the NFL

On Day 6 of the NFL lockout, here is what coaches, players and executives are saying around the league:

"We have never claimed that teams are not making money. We're just not making as much of it. We need to recalculate this deal a little bit. And that was our message to them." -- New York Giants owner John Mara

 

 

 

It's time for players to begin offseason conditioning programs, but Kevin Williams says he's in no hurry. (AP Photo)

 

"I never have seen as many coaches who are angry and scared. Ownership really has taken a hard line on (slashing salaries). In several cases, (teams) have said, 'We will fire you if we find out that you've told anyone what we're doing.' It just isn't right." -- NFL Coaches Association executive director Larry Kennan told USA Today

excerpt from AOL Sporting News - continue reading here

Lockout Stops Draft and Trades Until Resolved

When the NFL Lockout started on Friday, it stopped the deals that were about to be made, including trades and the upcoming draft.  All these activities have to wait until the matter goes back to the table and a new agreement, or a temporary operating agreement can be reached.  Simple - No trades or draft.

There are a whole ton of questions that informed fans have about all this, and I have answers, kinda anyway. Read the article I have linked to below and you will get some good insight into what is going on from the perspective of Bronco's President, Joe Ellis.  He fills in a lot of gaps for fans, and it is clear that they still plan on making fans number 1 even with the lockout.

A Few Good Minutes with Denver Broncos President Joe Ellis

Read that interview and you will have a lot of great answers. I personally hope this will get solved before too long and the two sides can make it all work again. 

Free Agency on Hold as Potential Lockout Looms

Now that the Free Agency period in March has been suspended, the looming prospect has fans depressed and bewildered.  Where is the light on this?

Roger Goodell and NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith have purposefully been quiet towards the media this past week on the talks. No good news, no bad news, just no news.

One very big item in the talks will no doubt be the NFL owner proposition of a new 18 game schedule with (we assume) no change in player compensation.  That is just one aspect though, as there is a safety concern over all the new NFL player safety rules and the installation of a longer season.

Imagine the difficulty of ironing all this out along with the other issues they have on the table.  Already, several player groups around the nation are organizing private workout sessions to replace their normal team facility training camps.  That is great, and the fans love to hear this but what about medical care in case of a lockout?

Let's just hope Smith and Goodell and their teams of negotiators can hammer out the deal or a lockout is going to interrupt the season, delay the season, or ruin the season.  I can assure you that money is always the biggest issue, as with any business and labor deal.

Here are some recent headlines to keep you informed:

NFL Lockout News: Kansas City Chiefs Players May Organize Workouts

NFL Lockout: As Goodell & Smith Try To Save Face, Fans Continue To...

If NFL lockout leaves Sundays without games, could NASCAR or the ...