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Denver Broncos | News

Broncos, Briefly: Wednesday, July 25, 2018

5. Craig Morton

Draft year: 1965

Accolades: Super Bowl VI champion, 1977 Comeback Player of the Year

Morton started out as Don Meredith's backup. Then, depending on Tom Landry's mood, he either was the Cowboys' QB1 or Roger Staubach's backup. Despite a nasty Super Bowl V interception, Morton was integral to the 1970 Cowboys' season. Years later, he became the first QB ever to lead two different teams to the Super Bowl (Cowboys, Broncos).

Jhabvala: Which positional battle are you most interested in watching?

Schlereth: I want to know who the third receiver is. Who is going to produce in the middle of the football field? Is it DaeSean Hamilton? Is it Courtland Sutton? Is it Isaiah McKenzie? Who is going to be open and tie up safeties so you have one-on-one matchups on the outside? They have been trying for two years now to find somebody other than Emmanuel (Sanders) and D.T. (Demaryius Thomas) to actually produce in the passing game. That's an interesting battle and there are a lot of names involved in that battle.

[T]here is no question Keenum has the exhibited the toughness (he'll stand tall in the pocket), resilience (he's dealt with every setback by regrouping to sign with another team) and experience/smarts (knows when to leave the pocket to extend the play) during his career. But the important point is your second point. Can the Broncos protect Keenum? Yes, his mobility should lower the sack total from last year's 52. But there are health questions at left guard (Ron Leary's knee) and right tackle (Jared Veldheer's foot) and a personnel issue at right guard (undetermined starter). How the group of five comes together in camp will be something to monitor and ultimately provide clues as to whether they are up to the task.

Bradley Chubb sat before an audience of roughly 200 on Monday night in a Denver Athletic Club ballroom, and if the Broncos' No. 5 overall NFL draft pick needed reminding he was no longer bound to financially restrictive NCAA bylaws, this was it.

Sleeper: Bierria. He is undersized at 6-foot, 230, and he only ran a 4.79-second 40 at the combine (4.74 at his Washington Pro Day). But he is a smart, instinctive player with tremendous leadership characteristics. The Broncos will want to keep him in their locker room, whether on the 53-man roster or practice squad.

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