Broncos Ignore Biggest Need During 2009 Draft

Who moved to the head of the NFL class during the draft? Find out with FanHouse's team-by-team 2009 Draft Grades.

"You go into this thing understanding that you're not going to fix everything that you may want to fix."

That's Broncos coach Josh McDaniels speaking, likely about the team's failure to improve their awful run defense. He's speaking the truth. There were too many issues facing Denver for them to solve them all over the course of seven rounds.

McDaniels' wisdom does nothing to explain why the team chose to trade away its 2010 first-round pick so they could draft cornerback Alphonso Smith in the second round, however. That seems more like creating a problem where none existed, something that could easily come back to haunt the Broncos in a year's time.

Among 10 draft picks this weekend, Robert Ayers was the only front seven player. He'll help, particularly as a pass rusher off the edge, but he's only one man. That means the Broncos will be trying to spackle together a defensive line from the second-tier free agents and mediocre holdovers of last season, a formula that should meet with about as much success as New Coke.

That's why trading that first-round pick was such a dreadful move. The Broncos gave up the jump start they got on rebuilding from the Jay Cutler trade for the chance to move into the second round of a weak draft. If all goes as poorly as it appears it will, Smith will have to prove to be the equivalent of a top 10 draft pick, something that may be beyond the reach of the 5'9" cornerback.

If the Broncos were willing to deal next year's first pick, why not go up and try to get B.J. Raji and anchor your defensive line? Or Aaron Curry, who was the draft's safest player and, potentially, a perennial All-Pro linebacker? If McDaniels and company knew they didn't like the depth at their biggest needs, it was incumbent on them to go up and get the players they did like.

The rest of the draft was similarly baffling. They traded two third-round picks for the chance to move back into the tail end of the second round for tight end Richard Quinn. Quinn is a strong blocker, but was a reach at that point and doesn't address a big enough need for the price paid to bring him into the fold.

The Broncos took two safeties, Darcel McBath and David Bruton, after signing two safeties in free agency. Only so many of them can play at any one time, unless they're switching from the 3-4 to the 2-3. They've definitely upgraded the secondary, which was a need this offseason, but, then, they had to because the defensive backs are going to be making a ton of tackles after running backs blow through the defensive line.

That kind of doubling down also negates some of the value of Knowshon Moreno. The 12th overall pick is a terrific running back, but the Broncos signed three running backs as free agents already. You need depth in the backfield, but the Broncos are looking at a Marianas trench while too many other positions are left high and dry.

You can't fix every problem, but it helps if you actually identify the problems that need the most fixing.

Draft Picks

1 (12) Moreno, RB, Georgia
1 (18) Ayers, DE/LB, Tennessee
2 (37) Smith, CB, Wake Forest
2 (48) McBath, S, Texas Tech
2 (64) Quinn, TE, North Carolina
4 (114) Bruton, S, Notre Dame
4 (132) Seth Olsen, T, Iowa
5 (141) Kenny McKinley, WR, South Carolina
6 (174) Tom Brandstater, QB, Fresno State
7 (225) Blake Schlueter, C, TCU

GRADE: C-, because Moreno and Ayers are good players who save this from being a complete train wreck.