04-22-24 Hour 1 of Broncos Country Tonight

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Welcome to it. Broncos Country Tonight, Benjamin Olibright here with you, Grant

(00:03):
Smith producing short show post Rockies.It's got to be that way. The
next three nights, Monday, Tuesdayand Wednesday Thursday night, of course,
we will have draft coverage light righthere live on KOA. It'll be myself,
Ryan Edwards, Dave Logan, AlfredWilliams, Breddie Cristall, Nick Ferguson
covering all of the NFL draft foryou guys both Thursday, Friday and Saturday

(00:30):
as well, So you want tokeep it locked right here. A lot
of stuff to get to tonight.Obviously, the Broncos finally dropped those uniforms
we've been talking about. Nick andGrant and I had already seen them,
but we we kind of tried totell you guys what they were and then
describe them a little bit. Ithink there were some leaks floating around the

(00:50):
uh uh, the internet, specificallyon Reddit. But end of the day,
new uniforms. It a little different. I'm I don't I hate them.
I just don't care for them thatmuch. I know some people love
them. Good for you. Thethings that I liked, of course,
I liked they took the stripe outof the middle of the helmet. The

(01:11):
I like the matt on the bluehelmet, the white helmet. The one
thing I don't like is that quarterstripe. That quarter a little triangle thing
in the back. I don't likethat, but that's whatever. The sleeves,
which was supposed to look like amountain, wind up looking like a
lightning bolt with a shark hand puppetlike they're gonna have to clean that up

(01:33):
a little bit, I think.Again, overall, I don't think they're
bad. I just they weren't mycup of tea. The throwback uniform was
rolled out and everyone loved it,as we suspected that they would. I
think they nailed that one. Theycan wear the throwback uniform up to three
times a year. There are somethinglike ten different uniform combinations because the pants

(01:56):
and the tops and the helmets arechangeable. So looking forward to seeing at
the end of the day what theselook like on the field and all that.
I'm not you know, I'm notsuper keen on football fashion. That's
not really my thing. But youknow, I love the throwbacks. I

(02:17):
didn't I didn't care for the othersnecessarily, but you know, whatever.
I thought they looked a little bitlike a university like at Auburn, you
know, kind of but uh,you know, we'll see I'm not I
don't hate them. I just theyjust weren't my cup of tea. Uh
five six six nine zeros A textline tell us what you thought of the

(02:38):
uniforms. I'm anxious to hear whatyou guys say. It seemed fairly split
on Twitter, with quite a fewpeople who didn't like it, quite a
few people who did like it,quite a few really didn't care. So
I'd like to know what you guysthink of the new uniforms that rolled it
out today. If you didn't geta chance to see them. There they

(02:59):
are up at Kawai Colorado on Twitter, Karwacolorado dot com. They've got pictures,
all that kind of stuff, allthe things if you missed any of
that, So he'd get a chanceto see him see what I'm talking about,
and kind of go from there.It didn't really care for the obsession
with the you know, necessarily withthe triangles, but again, to each
their own. You do you andlet me know what you think of them.

(03:24):
Five six six nine zero. Othernews today, the Broncos made a
signing at the cornerback position. LeviWallace. He will compete for the number
two corner spot with the Mary MatthisRiley Moss over there opposite Pats aer Tan.

(03:51):
Speaking of Pats are Tan. Theuniforms. It was kind of funny
because when they did the rollout,like the initial they showed the new uniforms
first and then the throwback, andpeople were all up in arms that Patzertan
wasn't modeling the new uniforms. Ohthey're trading Cirtan. Oh no, they're
not, and they're still not.But Patzertan, of course when they released
the throwbacks like an hour later,was modeling the throwbacks. He was a

(04:13):
star of the video and all that, and so all the people that get
into conspiracy theories were way off asusual. Levi Wallace signing at the CB
two position. We'll see if he'sable to earn that earn that spot,
and then I guess probably the bignews of the day would be the trade
for Jets quarterback Zach Wilson. Broncostraded was it will excuse me, traded

(04:43):
a sixth round for Zach Wilson inthe seventh so basically a pickswap and the
Jets are going to be eating Ithink half the salary on that as well,
which is only five million dollars.I think five point four or something
like that, So it'll really costhim a little over two and a half
million with all said and done interms of cash cap and all that.
So you know, I have thoughtson the Zach Wilson thing. I guaranteed,

(05:11):
beck Ian Belie it was March eleventh. I'd have to go back too
the exact date here we had theaudio somewhere. I guaranteed that one of
these five quarterbacks, Sam Darnold,Jimmy Garoppolo, Ryan Tannehill, Mason Rudolph
or Zach Wilson would be a DenverBronco this year. Did it on the
KWI Sports show Dave Logan, RyanEdwards, and it was drowned out or

(05:34):
papooed as I as I guaranteed that. But here we are Zack Wilson's a
Denver Bronco. Now, does thatmean that the Broncos will not draft a
quarterback? Not necessarily, although Idon't believe that the Denver Broncos were ever
taking a quarterback at twelve. Ithink they made some calls into moving up
and refigured out real fast. Theydidn't have the AMMO for that, So

(05:55):
we'll see if they will see ifthey take a quarterback at twelve. I
don't believe they will. I believethey will trade back at this point,
or at least attempt too. They'vehad teams calling about getting up Rams,
Jaguars, things like that, andI believe that they'll move backwards and add
some picks and come away with whatit is that they want to come away

(06:15):
with. I believe they'll probably getan edge rusher, and I believe that
they'll wind up maybe getting the quarterbackon day two. We'll see, you
know, maybe they still maybe it'sstill a Day one thing. I just
I'm not as sold on that,and I came away from the press conference
a couple of days ago not soldon that, just based on some of

(06:35):
their comments and commentary and body languagethe way they were addressing certain questions.
So we'll see how that goes.Five six, six, nine zeros a
text line. I'll take your questions. I like the Zach Wilson move in
the sense that it's low risk.Then Moroccos didn't give up anything for Zach

(07:00):
Wilson. You did a pick swap. You literally didn't even give up a
pick. You just gave up alittle draft position. You move from the
sixth round back to the seventh round. You have multiple six round picks,
you move back to the seventh round. Zach Wilson, his total salary was
right around five million, and theJets are still going to be eating half
of that, so you're only payingabout two million. You gave up virtually

(07:25):
nothing in cash, You gave avirtually nothing in cap, you gave up
virtually nothing in draft capital. Andat the end of the day, if
it doesn't work out, who cares. If it does work out, Sean
Payton looks like a genius. Andso all these people that are telling me
that I hate Sean Payton, thisis a genius move. Taking a flyer

(07:46):
on a quarterback like that, aformer number two overall pick, it's a
genius move. It's an opportunity torehabilitate that quarterback and maybe make him your
starter if it works out. Ifit doesn't work out, nobody was expecting
anything anyway. If it does workout and you don't feel like he's a
long term guy. You could tradehim and get more than what you traded

(08:07):
for, recoup your assets, orhe's your long term starter and you don't
need to recoup the assets to beginwith. So I I look at this,
and I saw the jokes, andI was participating in the jokes.
In the interest of full disclosure,I saw the jokes. I was making

(08:30):
the jokes. But at the endof the day, like in all seriousness,
like this is a low risk,potentially buy reward move. What's the
worst thing that happens here? Hedoesn't make it, and you're out a
few draft slots. You didn't evenlose a pick, You're out less money
than you pay your punter. SoI'm okay with the move. I don't

(08:58):
think the move is a bad movein and of itself. I applaud the
concept of the move, whether ornot I think Zach Wilson is a great
quarterback or whatever. I thought ZachWilson was something or could be something going
into the draft. We had TimJenkins on during that draft cycle. Tim
talked about Zack Wilson being his favoritequarterback. So I'm not opposed to the

(09:26):
move conceptually. I think it's Ithink it's a pretty good move. It's
a good idea. I'm fine witha good idea. What I was not
fine with was mortgaging everything in theworld to try to trade up to go
get a quarterback. Then in theend could have been Zack Wilson. J.
J. McCarthy could be Zach Wilsonwhen all said and done, and

(09:52):
then what then You have no recourse. You have no ability to dig yourself
out of a hole. You haveno ability to surround that quarterback with the
pieces they need to be successful.I just I don't understand the people that

(10:18):
are dogging this, but other thandogging it from the sense of we don't
expect Zack Wilson to be a startingquarterback in this like I understand that based
on the tape that said Sean Paytonis very familiar with what Zack Wilson can
do. Sean Payton was on theother sideline from Zack Wilson this past season

(10:39):
when the Jets won. By theway, He's very familiar with what Zach
Wilson can and can't do. ZachWilson was considered a top prospect in a
generational class air quotes coming out ofcollege and BYU Andy Reid has made a

(11:09):
living rehabilitating quarterbacks and then pawning themoff on other teams for draft capital.
Maybe Sean Payton's taking a book outof the Andy Reid playbook. In any
event, I'm fine with the move. I'm fine with the move. I

(11:30):
don't I don't dislike it. Idon't hate it. I think the problems
with Zach Wilson aren't uncorrectable. ZachWilson plays a little too frenetically. The
game doesn't slow down for him attimes. You could simplify things for him
and you know, and build anoffense around him. So bit I'm here

(11:54):
for it. I don't think thatit's an awful thing to try in those
types of situations. Now, it'snot as sexy as the fan base wants.
A fan base wanted to mortgage everythingand go get you know, a
rookie and all that kind of stuff. But what if I told you that

(12:16):
Zach Wilson is the same age asbo Nix and Michael Pennix. They're all
twenty four years old. The onlydifference is Zach Wilson has been in the
league three years, has got someexperience. Five six, six, nine
zeros of text line looking for yourcomments, Bo Nix, Michael Pennock,

(12:45):
Zach Wilson all the same age.The idea that Zack Wilson is beyond repair
is simply to say that you don'thave any faith in our head coach.
Which is interesting because you guys arethe ones telling me that I'm the one
that's always doing that. John Payton'ssupposed to be a renowned quarterback, whisper,

(13:15):
you don't think he can turn thisguy around. Zach Wilson has a
strong arm. It's not like thisis a guy that's lacking the tools.
He needs somebody to rebuild him.And it's not like we haven't seen evidence
of quarterbacks getting rebuilt later on intheir careers. Gino Smith up in Seattle

(13:37):
is a glaring example. And wheredid he get his start? You guessed
it the New York Jets. Lookingat some of these comments on the Broncos

(13:58):
uniforms, you guys look pretty split, and a lot of people call them
garbage, and a lot of peoplesaying, I don't know what the big
deal is. I love them.I'm looking at uh, I'm looking at

(14:20):
some of these here, trying torun down a list. Most of you
just wonder why they didn't make thethrowbacks of the uniform and I you know,
I I don't know the answer tothat. I know that Demani Leach
had a presser and he used theword authentic about a billion times. But
he sat there and talked about wantingto create something that was special and new.
It could it maintained the new,but uh, but paid homage to

(14:43):
the old. I don't know.I'm with the fans on this one.
I think the throwbacks look great.I think you could have gone in that
direction. I think there's a bunchof different directions you could have gone that
would have uh that that I feellike would have captured the essence of what
it is that the Denver Broncos haveworn over the years. I'm not opposed

(15:18):
to these, They're just not myfavorites. That's the best way I can
put it. I don't hate theuniforms. I'm just not enthralled by them.
And I think that's the thing.I think a lot of people want
to be enthralled by a uniform rollout, but if you look at any uniform
rollout, it's not great. Yougo back and look at the Houston Texans,

(15:50):
for instance, and that weird hhelmet that they have, which is
supposed to pay homage to the cityof Houston, but really just looks like
a graffitied h on the side ofan East LA building or a bad tattoo.
I like the Texans all red uniformswith the horns on them. I

(16:11):
think those look pretty sweet. Iwas talking with somebody who plays in the
league, not for the Texans,but we were talking about some of these
uniforms and what they thought, andhe loved them too. He loved the
Houston uniforms. I think that theBroncos uniforms are okay. I just again,

(16:33):
I'm not I'm not gonna see herfalling over them. I don't buy
jerseys. I don't, but I'dlove to hear what you guys think.
We'll go over that sum in thenext segment. Here. Appreciate you guys
being along for the ride. BroncosCountry Tonight right here on KOA. It's
eight fifty am, ninety four oneFM News Talk Sports. Welcome back to

(16:53):
it, Broncos Country Tonight. BenjaminAlbright, Grant Smith back. They're producing
short show tonight. Obviously see color. A lot of Rocky's got the same
schedule tonight, Tomorrow and Wednesday Thursday. Of course, we will have our
live draft coverage right here at KOA. I believe we're gonna be live down
there, not only at Valley atBroncos headquarters, but I think we're also

(17:14):
gonna be live at the draft partydown there at the down there at the
stadium. I believe we've got awhole lot of stuff going on that night.
But myself, Ran Edwards, DaveLogan, big Al, Nick Ferguson,
Bredie Christaal, We're gonna We're allbringing you the coverage of opening night
of the Draft. Broncos currently havethe twelfth pick, obviously today traded for

(17:37):
Zach Wilson, giving up a sixthrounder to move back in the seventh round
and acchoire Zach Wilson. What doesit all mean? I that's the question.
I think a lot of people areasking what does it mean? And
I think it's a no risk flyeron a quarterback. I don't believe the
Broncos brain trust is pinning all theirhopes on Zach Wilson, don't. I

(18:02):
think that this goes along with whatwe've been talking about for multiple months on
BCT and that is probably the DenverBroncos have looked at this thing and said,
Okay, we don't have the ammunitionto get up where we want to
to get who we want to.There are other quarterbacks in this draft that
we maybe kind of like, howdo we go about working this thing to

(18:25):
where we can acquire one of thoseand put them in the room. And
so today you make a virtually nocost, risk free move for Zach Wilson,
a former number two overall pick.Now you're sitting there at twelve,
you're in a prime position to beable to trade back, accumulate some draft
capital, and find a way toget a quarterback in the second round if

(18:52):
you want. If you can geta pick in there by moving back and
acquire some future capital as well,and it gives you the opportunity to start
building this thing out right, whichis sort of what we've been talking about
for the last couple of months,while everybody in town was selling you on
the idea the Broncos are moving upand the fake reports out there that they
move having and earth and Pats areTan and all this kind of stuff,

(19:14):
And if there's any Bronco that's goingto be traded. I think it's it'd
be Courtland Sutton. I said thatseveral weeks ago. Nice holding out.
I mean, I'd like for herto be back. But I said if
anyone was likely to be traded,And I think that if you look at
this thing objectively, you have theopportunity to trade back get a bow Nicks.
I've talked to plenty of people aroundthe league and they tell me.

(19:34):
I'll tell me the same thing.Look, if you want bo Nicks,
you can have me in the secondround. Nobody's gonna take him, so
why would you take him at twelve? Trade back, multiply some draft capital,
be able to get more players.You might be able to get yourself
a Jared Verse or a Lattu Latuand a bow Knicks. Wouldn't that be

(19:57):
ideal? Would it be ideal toget another edge rusher and that quarterback to
compete five six, six nine zero. We're also talking about the uniform roll
out today. Broncos got new uniforms. Some people like them, some people
don't. Read a couple of commentshere, Larry Vaughan says the new uniforms

(20:22):
are absolutely terrible. The stripe onthe helmet referring to the quarter stripe in
the back is a effing joke.The sleep the sleeves are terrible. It
looks like a fake University of Virginiafootball mock up. The only good thing
is the throwbacks, which, bythe way, if they cared about Broncos
country, would have been the primaries. And that's from Larry Vaughan. That's

(20:56):
I mean, that seems to bea fairly prevailing sentiment. And it feels
like, you know, Domadi Leechand his presser was talking about how much
they wanted to cater to the fans, but the fans wanted the throwbacks,
That's what they wanted, and itfelt like they were just trying to design
some kind of new uniform. Theywere hell bent on designing a new uniform,

(21:18):
and maybe there's gonna be homage tothat, but it felt like they
wanted to keep the moderate and gotheir own way. The fans told you
what they wanted. They were prettyvocal about it. And there is something
to be said for the sentiment thathaving the throwbacks for a limited number of
games adds to them being special.And maybe perhaps they wondered if wearing those

(21:45):
those uniforms people get tired of thatthrowback after a while, if it was
the primary, I don't know.They do get to wear the throwbacks like
three times a year, though,so it's not like it's not like you're
not gonna ever see them. Youget plenty plenty of opportunity to see these

(22:11):
throwback uniforms. I suspect every timethey wear it will probably be here in
Denver. So, like I said, more than plenty of opportunity to see
these throwbacks. I didn't. Imean, I get where they were going
with some of this. I thinkthey went overboard with the triangle thing.
It's not what I would have done, you know. In my head,

(22:33):
I had something like a gradient similarto what the Falcons did with the blue
and the orange and the white andthe orange, and then the helmets would
have been the tribute to the throwbackwith the old school D logo would have
been like a like a fade choppingkind of logo. I'm gonna have somebody
mock up what it was that Icame up with. Uh, so you
guys can kind of see, youknow what it was that what it was

(23:00):
I was envisioning. I feel likethat, you know, you guys can
make your own decisions on that,but I had I had ideas, and
you guys are certainly welcome to makefun of those ideas. I'm gonna have
somebody mock him up for me.Five six six nine, there was a
text line Levy Wallace signed by theBroncos today the corner the Denver Broncos were

(23:27):
his father's favorite team. He saidthat that they were his dad's favorite team
coming up, and so for himit's an honor truly getting to play for
his dad's favorite team. Wallace willcompete with the Maury Mathis and Riley Moss
for the CB two spot opposite patser Tan, Who's going to be a

(23:48):
Denver Bronco despite what people were tryingto tell you. Five six six nine,
it was a text and I thinkmy first question to George Peyton after
the draft is going to be aboutthat if they ever inquired about trading Patzertan,

(24:15):
Just to get that on the recordonce and for all. Wallace has
been an okay player throughout his career, although recently it hasn't been as prolific.
I guess it's probably the best wayto put it. Wanted to play

(24:37):
advance Joseph's scheme. He got hisstart in Buffalo, been in Pittsburgh the
last two years. Had six interceptionsin fifty two games started in Buffalo,

(25:00):
six interceptions in eighteen games started,thirty one games played in Pittsburgh. It's
more of a down roster corner forthe Steelers. Best year came in twenty
twenty one, his final season inBuffalo in twenty twenty two. His first
season in Pittsburgh twenty twenty one,he had seventeen games started, two interceptions,

(25:30):
ten passes defensed, a fumble recovery, fifty eight tackles twenty twenty two
in fifteen games, nine of whichhe started, four interceptions forty eight combined
tackles. Had two interceptions last yearin nine games started, sixteen games played

(25:55):
for the Steelers, eleven passes defensed, thirty eight tackles, thirty two of
them were solo. He is aor will be I should say, twenty
nine year old corner in June.Provides some veteran experience. Miss tackle percentage

(26:27):
last year was not great, worstof his career thirteen point six percent.
Not really used as a pass rushingcorner. Passer rating aloud over the last
three years has gone up. Twentytwenty one it was seventy two point six,

(26:48):
twenty twenty two is seventy three,and then this past year in ninety
three point seven. This past yearwas by far again one of his lesser
years. He's allowed eighteen touchdowns overthe course of his career, six of
which were last year completion percentage allowed. Usually in the fifties, he had

(27:12):
a bad year and twenty nineteen weallowed sixty six percent completion percentage on him.
This past year was fifty three pointthree, which was basically the same
as the year before, seventy seventargets against him in twenty twenty two,
seventy five this past year. Doeshe have sticky hands though, and we'll

(27:32):
create some interceptions. Played a littlebit of special teams as well. It's
two hundred and forty six career specialteam snaps, playing on average about ten
to fifteen percent of a team specialteam snaps over the course of the season.

(28:03):
Five six, six nine zeros.Text line, let me know what
you think of the Levi Wallace signingor if that moves the needle at all.

(28:26):
I look at the moves today andI'm I'm okay with it. Get
another corner was a need. We'llsee if he pans out and there's it's
it's not a big commitment to LeviWallace. Zach Wilson getting that other quarterback
in here that's in need, We'llsee if that pans out again. Low

(28:47):
risk move. I'm in favor oflow risk moves like that for a team
that is trying to rebuild, andthey are trying to rebuild. We we
can dance around this word, thisterm all we want, but at the
end of the day, you're talkingabout a team try to rebuild. They're
stripping it down. Whether you agreewith it, whether I agree with it.
I thought they were a team thathad something to build on last year.
Instead of doing so, they choseto tear it down. Okay,

(29:10):
we're getting Sean Payton's team. WhateverSean Payton wants. Sean Payton's getting.
He wanted Zack Wilson cool, We'regetting him. He wanted to be rid
of Russell Wilson. Cool. He'sgone. Now, what we have is

(29:36):
a situation where you take a lowrisk chance on a former number two overall
quarterback, Zach Wilson. I wonderhow much of Zach Wilson's growth was stunted
by the untimely passing of Greg Napbecause that was the plan. He was
supposed to be the quarterback guy.Instead he once he was was killed in

(29:57):
that tragic bicycling accident. You hada bunch of guys who'd never developed a
quarterback trying to develop a quarterback,and to be honest, Zach Wilson probably
needed more attention in that. Probablyneeded somebody who had the chops and had
been there and done it before.Greg Napp been around the league a long

(30:18):
time, helped develop all kinds ofquarterbacks. I wonder how much of Zach
Wilson's growth was stunted by Greg napsuntimely passing because the Jets' staff had not
done much quarterback development. They justhadn't. We go back and look,

(30:45):
and what we see is a coachingstaff that was probably devoid of the ability
to do that. Mike Lafleur wasa first time OC. Matt Kavanaugh,

(31:10):
those guys just I don't think theyhad the chops. I don't think they
had the experience. Is past season, you brought in some guys who had
some experience, even if they're guysI didn't like Nathaniel Hackett, Todd Downing.
They at least have some experience,even if I don't think it's been

(31:30):
particularly good. So I wonder howmuch of Zach Wilson's growth was stunded by
the fact that a long time quarterbackscoach in this league, Greg Napp,

(31:55):
passed away very unexpectedly. Napp hasbeen a quarterbacks coach with the Falcons,
the Broncos, the Texans, theNiners. He has been a quarterback guru

(32:20):
in this league for a long time. Worked for George Seaffert, Dan Quinn,
Jim Morris, De Mary Ucci,Gary Kubiak, Laying Kiff and John
Fox, Dennis Ericson, Dennis Allen. Greg Napp was a very well respected

(32:42):
guy around this league in terms ofdeveloping quarterbacks, and I wonder how much
of again, I wonder how muchof what Zach Wilson, or what they'd
envisioned for Zach Wilson was lost becauseof his untimely passing. If you believe
in Sean Payton, if you believein Sean Payton's abilities, that he's a

(33:09):
guru, this move should be ano brainer. Whether or not you believe
that this isn't the guy the movein and of itself should be a no
brainer. Add another body to themix doesn't cost you anything. And I

(33:30):
still believe the Broncos will draft aquarterback in this draft. Do I believe
they'll do it in the first round, not necessarily, or at least not
at pick twelve. I don't thinkthey're moving up. I don't think they're
doing it at twelve. I dothink they're moving back. So as Steve
at Water would say, we willsee five, six, six, nine

(33:55):
zero. I just I don't understandthe animosity. I get the jokes.
I'm making the jokes. I don'tget the animosity on the Zach Wilson thing.
You tell me a no cost,potentially high reward scenario and somehow people

(34:22):
hate it. Big day for BroncosCountry. What are we give in Broncos?
The Broncos themselves today with the uniformrollout, Wallace signing Wilson trade really
great in the day. You listento Broncos Country tonight right here on Kawa

(34:44):
Say fifty am ninety four one FMNews Talk Sports,