08-19-24 Hour 2 of Broncos Country Tonight

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is Broncos Country tonight. Lester our tackle here, we helping,
receiving us. Let's go on the official home of the Broncos.
All right, all night, Kowa.

Speaker 2 (00:19):
Back here on Broncos Country tonight. I am Eric Dalalafilm
in for Benjamin Albright. Still got my guy Nick ferguson
here and we are excited now to welcome in Ryan Michael,
a Pro Football Hall of Fame contributor.

Speaker 3 (00:31):
Brian, how's it going?

Speaker 1 (00:32):
Man?

Speaker 4 (00:33):
Doing well? Eric? How are you guys tonight?

Speaker 3 (00:36):
They're doing well?

Speaker 1 (00:37):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (00:37):
Let's start here by talking about an article you just
wrote for the Pro Football Hall of Fame about Peyton Manning.
He's a guy. Uh he did a few good things
around here. Huh, Nick, Yes he did.

Speaker 5 (00:49):
Ryan.

Speaker 2 (00:49):
Could you just tell us a little bit about this
four year rodeo that Peyton had in Denver and kind
of what stands out from a statistical perspective here as
we get inside the numbers.

Speaker 4 (00:58):
Sure, yeah. I Actually they had a chance to meet
Payton yesterday at the Fanatics Fest in New York City,
So for anybody who didn't get the chance to go,
it was a fantastic first of its kind event. Brady
was there, Peyton, Jerry Right, lt Ray, Lewis, Cheeter, Tyson,
Cody Rhoades, pick your sport. There was somebody who was there.
A little bit of something for everybody. So you know, listen,
you guys. You know Peyton. He's a guy who is

(01:21):
as gracious to the fans, as humble with the media,
with as much reverence for the game as anybody I've
ever known. And so he's worked with Omaha Productions, what
he's doing with the Manning Cast. This is a guy
who never lets up. And it was the same way
during his career. So in my article for the Pro
Football Hall of Fame that went live today, it's really
just a breakdown of that four year rodeo. And I've

(01:44):
made the argument before. My personal opinion is that his
four year run in Denver is the most impressive four
year run that any pro football player has had at
any position in the history of the game, not just
because of what he is able to do statistically, but
certainly what he was able to overcome in terms of

(02:04):
the neck injury in twenty eleven, in terms of the
injuries he battled from twenty thirteen really up his final
year in twenty fifteen, So you know, to get started
in twenty twelve, you could make the argument that was
actually the most impressive year of the four given what
it was to come to an organization, learn a new system,

(02:26):
and in his first year back to action, he's named
the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year, he's named a
first team All Pro selection at quarterback, and he rewrites
the Denver Broncos single season record book. It would get
even more dominant the following year, starting with a seven
touchdown performance against the defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens

(02:47):
and finishes the year with five four hundred and seventy
seven yards, fifty five touchdowns and only fifteen and a
half games. Single season records that really haven't been touched
or even threatened. Dak Prescott led the NFL with thirty
six touchdown passes in a seventeen game schedule last year.
Twenty fourteen was more of the same for Manning. He

(03:08):
got off to it to a start where he was
on pace to throw for five thousand yards fifty two
touchdowns again, and then you know, the injuries began to
take their total. You had the quad injury in twenty fourteen,
and issues with the Planter fascia in twenty fifteen. We
all know how that ended. So if you check out
my article of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's website,

(03:29):
it's really just a breakdown of all the individual numbers
and what he had to overcome to end his season
and to end his career. We sting Lombardi Trophy.

Speaker 6 (03:38):
Ran.

Speaker 5 (03:39):
Do you think it's fair, because I think there's certain
places in the NFL that becomes tough for rookie players
at different positions. But here in Denver, when we talk
about the quarterback position, we're always talking about Peyton Man
and the guys who just talked about we always talk
about John Elway. People always forget over, you know, my guy,

(04:00):
Jake Plummer. But Bo Nickson is now falling or following
in those footsteps. Do you think it's fair for I
guess maybe for most people to start an early comparison
to Bo Nicks to all those guys.

Speaker 4 (04:16):
I don't think so. And I guess that's the penalty
you pay for having the fortune of having two first
ballot Hall of Fame quarterbacks, you know, to have led
the franchise to multiple championships. Right, So while it's impossible
to not live in the shadow of John and Peyton.
I do think enough time has passed, and collectively as

(04:36):
an organization, we've battled so much adversity over the last
seven or eight years that it is going to give
Bo Nicks a bit of a fresh start. So seeing
him get off to the hot start that he's had
in the first two preseason games is certainly encouraging. I
was listening to everything you guys were saying earlier in
the show, and you know, so yes, living in the

(04:57):
shadow a little bit. This is a new this is
a new era, and I think the Broncos country has
been very welcoming. We're starving for great quarterback play here
in Denver, and you know, we're hoping that that starts
sooner rather than later.

Speaker 3 (05:10):
Right. I assumed you agreed more with me than you
did with Nick.

Speaker 2 (05:14):
Yeah, yeah, awesome, good, That's what I wanted to hear.

Speaker 4 (05:21):
Ran.

Speaker 2 (05:21):
When you look at young quarterbacks and obviously you see CJ.
Stroud succeed last year, you see some quarterbacks not succeed
year one, and then take a jump. When can you
tell if a guy is quote unquote a hit or not,
and how long does that take? Generally, when do you
think you know on Bonix? If he is a guy
that you can build around, you know Eric.

Speaker 4 (05:43):
That's really tough to say, because they do think it's
unique to every young quarterback situation. Using CJ. Stroud certainly
as an example last year and even Jordan Love, most
people would be surprised to know that their scoring defenses
on the opposite side of the football actually ranked higher
than those teams did in scoring. And so when you

(06:05):
have the support as Nick can appreciate as much as
anyone of a top ten defense, it certainly enables a
quarterback to play at his very best. We have to
be realistic. We're a team that's coming off the season
where we finished nineteenth in scoring twenty seventh in points surrendered.
So if bo were stepping into a situation comparable to

(06:26):
what Pat Mahomes stepped into in twenty eighteen, I'm confident
he would be a Pro Bowl quarterback, if not even
better than that. And as excited as I am for
the roster that we've put together with the limited resources
we have, I think it would be disingenuous to suggest
that we're going to see something comparable to a CJ.
Stroud Jordan Love or even Pat Mahomes twenty eighteen, certainly

(06:48):
type of season out of bo this year. So to
answer your question, I don't know if we're going to
get the answer to the question as far as the
boom in year number one. I think that's more likely
if that ends up being the reality and that's what
we're all hoping for. I think we're going to have
a better gauge for that in year two or year three.
As far as whether or not a quarterback is a bust,

(07:11):
rarely do I feel comfortable making that determination after year one.
I'm confident that Bonick is not going to be a bust.
It's just a matter of how high is this ceiling
going to be?

Speaker 2 (07:22):
Well, Ryan, we appreciate your perspective. That is Ryan Michael
contributed to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Here for
Inside the Numbers Ran, thanks for your time, Nick. I
know you want to talk about another quarterback here, and
not Bonnicks, not Jared Stidham, but Zach Wilson who came
in in relief there at the end of the game

(07:44):
and struggled a little bit at the beginning, but did
get things going a little bit at the end when
you watched Zach, what were your thoughts there? And he'd
had this really strong stretch in training camp and even
dating back to last week's game against the Colts.

Speaker 3 (07:58):
When you watched last night, what stood out to.

Speaker 5 (08:00):
You, Well, what it set off to me was how
there was the continuity wasn't there, but you saw things
kind of move progressively throughout the quarters with Bonix and
then you went over to Jerystidham. But this is kind
of part for the course of where you are in

(08:23):
the Pecan order with the preseason, and when you're out
there with you know, the offensive line that may not
be started, it may not even be the second team guys,
it makes it a little difficult to execute. And what
it should have proven to people is that no matter
who you are, where you were drafted from a quarterback standpoint,
if you don't have adequate continuity up front with the

(08:45):
guys blocking for you, it makes it really difficult for
you to stay on schedule and not look to press.
And I know there's been a lot of negative things
that have been said about Zach Wilson, I still believe
that this kid had some talent and I do hope
as the team starts to kind of figure out the

(09:06):
final pieces to the roster. They do something that most
teams don't really do. And I don't want to say
it's unpresidented, but most teams don't really keep three quarterbacks
went out in those COVID years again, but I hope
that the Broncos actually keep three quarterbacks because in the
first preseason game we saw Stidham start. The second preseason game,

(09:29):
we saw both start. So with this being the preseason finale,
I would like to see Zach Wilson get a heavy load.
So now you can work on that chemistry and the
continuity with all those other receivers and offensive lineman, other
players who are trying to fight for their football lives.
You get the best football out of those guys when

(09:50):
they know you only got sixty minutes forty four quarters
intil it's over. Now we can see a better showing
of Zach Wilson because I don't believe last night's game
was a definitive of that.

Speaker 2 (10:03):
Yeah, and listen, he did have a tough break that
the safety where you're sacked in the end zone didn't
have much of a chance on that plate to even
get rid of the ball. The guy was in his
face pretty quickly. I will say with Zach credit to
him after the game, he didn't make any excuses. He said,
I got to start better, I got to start faster.
But this is a hard game. Even when you're playing
in there in the second half of the second preseason

(10:25):
game and you miss a couple potential completions that can
get you going early, and all of a sudden you're
behind the sticks and there's penalties and all of a sudden, man,
it just it becomes difficult to get into a rhythm.
And it doesn't matter if it's you know, playing against
these guys like you said, that are competing for roster spots.
As Zach said, there is not that big of a
difference between especially kind of the reserve players that maybe

(10:46):
mix in with the starters and those guys that you're
seeing in the second half. I mean, everybody's really talented.
And I agree with you. And from the standpoint of
Zach showing some really good things and a special last
week in training camp against the Packers, he pushed the
ball down the field, he was aggressive. I asked him
in Indianapolis, Hey, what's your mentality? And he basically basically

(11:08):
just said I'm just gonna rip it. Let's see what happens,
because that's got to be where I am right now
in this competition, and he's at his best when he's
ripping it and when he's just firing away and trying
to hit these big plays.

Speaker 3 (11:20):
Nick, I don't think it's a stretch.

Speaker 2 (11:22):
To say when you watch these three quarterbacks out of practice,
the arm talent of Zach Wilson certainly jumps out the most.
That doesn't mean he's the best quarterback or playing the best,
but the arm talent is just fantastic. He can make
some throws that you're like, man.

Speaker 5 (11:35):
See that's what you fall in love with watching his
arm talent and say, wow, it would be great if
you gets him to a point where he understands the
playbook inside and out and you can kind of get
him settled down. And once again, if you're talking about
a true quarterback competition, I think it would only be
fair that you set Zach Wilson up. Now, let's be

(11:57):
fair about what we're talking about. We're not talking about
Zach being a starting quarterback for this team. That's not
what we're talking about. We're talking about fighting for that
backup role.

Speaker 6 (12:07):
With Jared Stidham. If that is a competition, you give
him an opportunity.

Speaker 5 (12:12):
Because here's what I can tell you, man, the most
difficult thing to do is go into any game cold.
You've just watched bow Nick's execute. You've just watched Jared
Stidham rushing for a touchdown.

Speaker 6 (12:25):
Now you have to come in and.

Speaker 5 (12:26):
Try to make good on that in that moment with
the players that you were with. And I know the
saying is, well, you give me lemons, make lemonade. Now
that's not how this worked because let me tell you
the ingredients to lemonade. Right, It goes far than just
having limits. Make sure you write this down now. You
got to have your limits right. You need some water

(12:49):
to make it work. You can sweeten whatever you want to.
You can use stevia, you can use honey, you can
use babe, Yes, Stevie atwater. And I'm gonna call him
there from now on them and say I got this sweet.

Speaker 3 (13:00):
He's sweet.

Speaker 6 (13:01):
But that's what you need. You need more than just
one ingredient.

Speaker 5 (13:05):
And I don't think watching the game last night, we
saw the best of Zach Wilson because he didn't have.

Speaker 6 (13:13):
All the ingredients. The last preseason game.

Speaker 5 (13:16):
You let him go out there, you let him start,
you let him work into a rhythm, and then you're
able to say, Okay, well what was that game like
starting against the car News in comparison to what we've
seen from jareds Didham.

Speaker 3 (13:28):
Yeah, And I don't think one.

Speaker 2 (13:32):
Poor or difficult stretch should outweigh everything in all the
progress that they've seen. And you listen to Sean Payton
talked about Zach Wilson. He's talked really highly about how
he's played, the poise he's played with, how calm he
looks back there, his ability to understand the offense and
take strides there. Zach just the other day was saying, hey,
I feel so much more comfortable than I did when

(13:54):
I got here, and he feels himself playing better and
better each day. I mean, he only threw it six
times in this game, and so I don't think that
six throws should.

Speaker 6 (14:02):
That's not a great sample size.

Speaker 2 (14:04):
Right, It shouldn't erase kind of the good work that
he did over the previous few days. And again, we're
not coaches in there, and we don't know what they're
grading on or maybe what he should have done or
what he did, but just kind of being out there
watching as an outside observer, it does look like I've
been out there every time the media has been out
there Nick, from OTAs to Mini camp to training camp

(14:27):
to these games, obviously, and the Zach Wilson that we
see on the field now is incredibly different than the
one we saw in OTAs. And even though the Broncos
didn't invest a lot, you just listen to the way
Sean Payton talks about Zach Wilson, and I don't know
I would. I just wonder if they're ready to give
up on that and just keep two guys. And obviously,
if you keep three quarterbacks, niked, somebody else has to go,

(14:50):
and maybe that's a guy somewhere that you can find
a spot for in the practice squad, because I doubt
Zach Wilson makes it to the practice squad right. He
doesn't feel like a guy that you're gonna be able
to get there. Maybe I'm wrong, who knows, but that
to me feels like as we approach the roster cut
down deadline pretty soon here on the twenty seventh, that's

(15:11):
the biggest decision is do you keep two or three quarterbacks?

Speaker 5 (15:14):
But in order to make that decision, you have to say, well,
you've given Zach Wilson all you can give for him
to show what he can do. We've watched him in
practice and he has definitely improved since his first day
here with the Broncos and more importantly since his time
with the New York Jets. But to really show the

(15:35):
essence of who this guy is as a player, to
give him a chance, even if let's say the Broncos
only kept two quarterbacks, to give him a chance moving forward.

Speaker 6 (15:43):
Let's build up his confidence.

Speaker 5 (15:44):
Let's give him some plays where he can walk away
from Sunday's matchup against the Carton's going, you know what,
I can play in this NFL, regardless of what people
have said about me.

Speaker 2 (15:54):
At least give him that. I mean, we know he
can play. He's being the Broncos a couple of times
and has started thirty three games. I mean, he's shown
he can go out there and play. Maybe wants to
do it at a more consistent, higher level, but he's
certainly shown that he can play. I trust Sean here
in terms of what he wants to do with the
starting reps in Week three. So far, it feels like

(16:14):
this quarterback plan has worked very well and I'm excited
to see what happens next. This is Broncos Country Tonight,
here with Nick Ferguson on KOA eight fifty AM and
ninety four to one FM.

Speaker 1 (16:48):
This is Broncos Country Tonight. Let's we're our tackle here.
Why open receiving us to keep us on the official
home of the Broncos. All right, all night, ko Way.

Speaker 2 (17:06):
Welcome back, folks to Broncos Country Tonight. I am Eric
Delala Fillion for Benjamin Albright here with Nick Ferguson and Nick.
I'm really excited to welcome to the program now. Alisa
Hernandez our new team reporter over at Denver Broncos dot Com.

Speaker 3 (17:21):
Alisa, how's it going.

Speaker 7 (17:23):
Oh, I'm good. Excited to make my debut on here.

Speaker 3 (17:26):
I know it's a big deal I get to do
with Nick Ferguson.

Speaker 2 (17:28):
He's the man. Elisa. You were just I mean, you
just got here. You were over in Paris covering the Olympics.
You've got some experience with NBC Sunday Night Football, the
Los Angeles Dodgers, and you've you basically flew right from
Paris to Denver. Essentially, you just had your first game day.
What stood out to you about being at empower Field
a mile high and what was it like on your
first couple of days as the new Broncos team reporter.

Speaker 7 (17:50):
I mean, I had to keep the little kid inside
of me from coming out because it was so magical
just being on the field and being in a being
part of an organization I've admired so long since I
was a kid, and so I had to keep those
jitters inside, especially if I'm talking to some legends and
as well as like Steve Atwater like got it. Getting
to work with him was just one of those things

(18:10):
like I don't have a fined picture of him that
I got like a fan fest I don't even know
how many years ago. So to kind of walk in
and have him know my name and be excited that
that I'm joining the team with something that was really
magical for.

Speaker 6 (18:22):
Me at least. Okay for transparency.

Speaker 5 (18:27):
I feel the same way when I'm around Steve because I.

Speaker 6 (18:31):
Grew up, I grew up watching him and I fanboy.

Speaker 5 (18:36):
Every single time I'm around him, He's like, no, no, Nick,
I'm just I'm just Steve. I'm like, no, You're not Steve.
You are Hall of Fame Steve Atwater. But to let
the audience know a little about yourself, tell them, you know,
where do you come from?

Speaker 6 (18:52):
You know what are the humble beginnings that you come from.

Speaker 7 (18:55):
Well, I am Salvadorian Americans, so Central American, first generation here,
and I was, you know, born in Los Angeles, raised
in Rose City, Pasadena, California. And it's a plot twist,
right because I grew up a Lakers, Dodgers and Broncos fans.
So it's like that always gets people because they're kind
of like that doesn't make any sense, Like are you

(19:17):
from Denver? Did you ever visit Denver as a kid?
And I'm like no. So it was one of those
things that when I was growing up and looking for
a team. You know, obviously my brothers are trying to
bring the tomboy out of me, and I'm learning football
and I had to pick a team, and so I'm
really obsessed with horses. And I'm not going to talk
about about the Colts, but I'm just going to say

(19:37):
that the Bronco was just beautiful. So I became a
fan of that and then I was blessed with steveatt
Water and sharp and TD and l Way and and
all those legends that Nick Ferguson made such an it
made such an impact on me growing up. And then
obviously we're blessed years later WISPA Bowl fifties. So it
was one of those things that I just held strong

(19:58):
in la for Broncos. Countr.

Speaker 2 (20:00):
You know now I'm here, Alisa, I love it. What's
your favorite Broncos memory? Because I do think it's so
cool And one of the things that stood out to
us when we were interviewing you and talking to you
was that you have this passion for the Broncos of
this is not just a job for you, It's a
lot more. It was part of why we're so excited
about bringing you onto the team. What's your favorite Broncos memory?
What stands out to you?

Speaker 7 (20:19):
Oh Man? December twenty eight, twenty fifteen, Monday Night Football.
It was my first game here in Denver. My soda
froze at the stadium, so that and it was the
game you know where the Marcus where the agent mccherrion
on that forest fumble snap in overtime to send the
Devil Broncos into the playoffs. We won twenty to seventeen

(20:40):
and that game was so fun and it was so electric,
and just the fans that we were around, they were
just so nice and so great and they were like
happy and shocked that we're prolay and here rooting for
rooting for the Broncos. And I remember when we got them.
Me and my brother were the Broncos fans in the family,
and we saw people in ski suits who were like, wow,

(21:00):
that's a little dramatic, but okay. By the second quarter,
we're like, you think they sell them in the gift
shop because coming out of here, you know. But that
was probably my favorite memories. Again, it was my first game.
I surprised my brother with tickets and it was the
first of many.

Speaker 2 (21:16):
Nick I can tell you from going to the team
store with Alisa yesterday, she can hit a gift shop.

Speaker 3 (21:24):
She walked out with three backs of stuff. Oh my gosh.
I was impressive, really, you know what.

Speaker 7 (21:30):
I was running around like it was free, and I'm like,
you're right, okay, let me go and pay this real fast.

Speaker 5 (21:37):
So you know what that that's just the power of
Broncos Country. For you to tell the story, you lived
in Pasadena, but you was still a Broncos fan. So
for me, everyone has a very unique story, and when
we get great information, we always tell someone.

Speaker 6 (21:53):
So I want to know where were you when you.

Speaker 5 (21:55):
Found out that you know you were going to get
this position, and who was the first person that you told?

Speaker 7 (22:03):
Oh? Man, I was sitting in my hotel room in
Paris studying archery because that was the sport that we
were recovering for the next few days. And you know,
Eric gave me a call and he's like, Okay, you know,
I have a couple of quiet. He's a little sneaker
at this guy, because you know, he was like, oh,
we got more questions to ask you, and I'm just like, man, okay,

(22:25):
let's do it. And so finally he was like, how
do you feel about becoming part of the team, And
I was like, don't play with me. My professionalism went
out the wind. All was about you for own, like
right now, It's like, uh no, we're serious. And I
was very excited. And I actually had to keep it
a secret because my parents were coming to Paris for

(22:48):
their belated honeymoon because they just celebrated forty five years
of marriage and they were coming and so I'm like,
I can't tell them this over the phone, like like,
I have to tell them in person. So I told
my sister that's why I told first, and I was like,
you cannot tell mom and dad And she's like what.
So I'm like, you can't tell mom and dad. You
have to weigh onto their here in Paris, and you know,

(23:12):
they came in and you know, I'm extra. My dad
is not an emotional guy, so I always have to
surprise him with stuff, you know, to get to get
to get him to, you know, show a little tear
or some for me. So I actually booked a cruise
for them on the sind and literally as we passed
Eiffel Tower, I told him that I got the job,
and it was it was a moment for my parents.
You know, they sacrificed so much for me, and to

(23:34):
be able to give that moment to them as they're
celebrating forty five years of marriage, it was something I
won't forget.

Speaker 2 (23:39):
I think I texted my mom when I got the job.
So you're making me look bad, Alisa, you.

Speaker 6 (23:43):
Texted your mom. You didn't even call her.

Speaker 3 (23:47):
She was like, thank goodness, you finally got a job.

Speaker 5 (23:52):
Yeah.

Speaker 7 (23:52):
My dad was like wow, you're looking a bar. I
was like yeah, He's like great, He's like, how are
you going to do that? From la And I'm like, yeah,
so about that? Yes, no, baby, girl, gotta move real quick.
But you know, they're super excited and they're planning to
come out for my first official game home game week two.
So really looking forward.

Speaker 3 (24:10):
To that, Alisa, last one for you here.

Speaker 2 (24:12):
I'm sure we'll get to talk a lot more football
moving forward, but as we move into the final week
of the preseason, who are you most excited to watch?

Speaker 7 (24:20):
You know, I'm a big defensive buff. That's one of
the reasons I love the twenty fifteen team so much.
No fly zone to Marcus von Miller, all those guys,
and you know, Jonah ellis the rookie. He really caught
my attention just because I was looking over the notes
and stuff. And I really think that those late round
guys recently especially have made such an impact on teams
and they kind of been that X factor, that dark horse.

(24:42):
So you know, him having a key sack and he
plays in preseason Week one and then having the force
fumble versus the Green Bay Packers to kind of continue
to feel like the shutout against that team I thought
was really impressive, and Baron Browning had even said that
he sees him getting more comfortable with more reps, and
the more reps he gets, he's gonna continue to grow.
And you know, he's playing that run game better and
that's that's a really big focus point for this defense.

(25:05):
So for me, I know that offense is fancy and
it wins games, but we all know that defense was Championships.

Speaker 2 (25:10):
Ooh, I love it a Lisa. Where can people follow
you on social media moving forward?

Speaker 7 (25:15):
Yeah, you guys can follow me on Twitter at I
Hernandez TV. Shout out to all of Broncos country because
I had kind of given up on Twitter and then
I boosted up like two thousand followers.

Speaker 3 (25:26):
Woah.

Speaker 7 (25:27):
I honestly thank you guys that you you've rejuvenated that account.
It's going to be all Broncos out so I'm really
excited about that as I Hernanda's TV. And then on Instagram,
you guys can follow me at Alisa at Nandez TV.
That's E l I SA Hernandez TV. So you guys
can check that out on there and feel free to
reach out. I really excited to meet everyone.

Speaker 2 (25:45):
Here that's awesome and we're so glad to have you
a Lisa, and thanks for calling in and joining the show.

Speaker 7 (25:50):
Appreciate it. And now I'll see you guys soon.

Speaker 2 (25:53):
Exactly, Nick, we just asked a Lisa who she's excited
to see. Joan ellis, who are you excited to see
in this final preseason game? Who needs to maybe have
a big game? Who do you want to see take
a step forward? I want to see more of Troy
Franklin man. That was gonna be mine talk for a
little bit so I can think of another one.

Speaker 6 (26:11):
Well, you know what.

Speaker 5 (26:12):
The reason I want to see him because obviously you
know the expectations for Troy, you know, coming in and
I know at the beginning of training camp everyone was
talking about, you know how he was getting yelled at
by the receivers, I mean the passing game coordinator.

Speaker 6 (26:27):
I think it was a John Morton. I think that's
its name.

Speaker 5 (26:31):
But for me, you should appreciate that because when a
coach is giving you vibes like that, even though maybe
vibes that maybe maybe uneasy to other people, that means
he's he cares, he sees something in you. And for me,
I was waiting for that big you know, Troy Franklin

(26:53):
bow Nicks kind of hook up. But I think we're
going to get more of this, more or less of
that during the regular season. But I want to see
how that is going to look with with and I
don't and I don't know this, but I'm hoping it
works out this way. Zach Wilson is the starter for
the final preseason game, and he plays at least two
solid quarters and in that time period, just like Bull

(27:16):
was hooking up with Tim Patrick on Sunday, maybe now
we will see that with Troy Franklin and Zach Wilson.

Speaker 2 (27:25):
Yeah, certainly during practice, Zach Wilson has had good chemistry
with Troy Frent. With Troy Franklin, he's uh, he's found
him on some of those end of game type situations,
some red zone work. He's he's found Troy Franklin as
much as anybody here over the last week or so
of practice.

Speaker 3 (27:40):
I like that one.

Speaker 2 (27:40):
That's why I was gonna say it, but I'll go, uh,
I'll go with the rookie cornerback Chris Abrams Drain. Okay,
it's uh, it's always hard to project who's gonna play
in this third preseason game. But I would think a rookie,
uh like Ka d As, I think maybe we can
start calling him you like that, Ka d Yeah, he's
like a little cat man.

Speaker 3 (28:00):
I don't know.

Speaker 6 (28:01):
No no no no.

Speaker 5 (28:01):
No no no no no no no no the cat man.
No no no no no. I don't think he's gonna
go for that. But I agree with you. I mean, look,
I watched him coming out of college. Uh, he's still
the young guy. He still has a lot to learn.
But to be able to put him in this situation
with PS two and probably Riley Moss on the sideline

(28:24):
watching cheering him on, uh, it would be good, a
great opportunity to see him get out there and do
some work.

Speaker 6 (28:29):
Now, it's a little.

Speaker 5 (28:30):
Different playing on the defensive side of the ball opposed
to the offense, because defensively, it's like are you covering,
are you in the right spot? Are you making tackles
from a receiving standpoint, man, just catch the ball and
get vertical, right, That's how things change. But yeah, I
would like to see a lot of these young guys
get out there and show exactly what they can do.
Another guy who I'm interested in seeing as well, is

(28:51):
Reecee Taylor. See Reese has had, you know, low key
a great camp. Now does he make the team, make
the cut?

Speaker 3 (28:59):
I don't.

Speaker 6 (28:59):
I don't know, but I can tell you that.

Speaker 5 (29:01):
He is definitely performed well as a guy who you
would want to put in that cell package and be like,
maybe I guess Nicole number two to Jakwan.

Speaker 6 (29:14):
But he's had a great opportunity.

Speaker 5 (29:17):
It'd be great to see him get out there and
make some other plays to solidify, you know, whatever decision
the team wants to make with him.

Speaker 2 (29:23):
You're talking about all these great points about Rhee Taylor
and what he needs to do to make the team.
I'm sitting over here, like how do I make Cad
work with a nickname? That's what I'm like, how do
I do it?

Speaker 6 (29:31):
It doesn't work.

Speaker 5 (29:32):
If you have to put that much brain power in
trying to figure it out, that means it doesn't work.

Speaker 3 (29:37):
It should just run when I get there.

Speaker 2 (29:38):
The next time I'm on the next time you let
me in here, nick, I'm gonna I'm gonna have something
for you. No, but he's made plays all camp and
as comer Cortland Sutton A couple of times I've been
impressed with him, and he's one of those guys that
Sean Payton said came back from the offseason and looked
way more comfortable when he got back, new the defense
a little bit better, was able to make some plays.
One other guy for me, Nick and Yomo Jazari k

(30:00):
he came back from that suspension. He's still working his
way back. Got his first action against the Packers after
not playing against the Colts in the first preseason game.

Speaker 3 (30:11):
Nick.

Speaker 2 (30:12):
In practice, at least he stood out and I'm sure
he was big, you know, a couple of years ago
when he was here. But I stand there, I'm like, man,
that guy's really big, and he's come back in good
shape and he's burst through the offensive line a couple
of times, and I wonder if he's going to make
a late push just from a size a talent perspective

(30:34):
to try to make this roster. And you know, Sean
Payton has spoken highly of him coming back in great
shape and being ready to go, and obviously they like
all his traits, but he's done. He's done some things
in practice Nick where he's been disruptive, and you know,
maybe he can take another step forward here against Arizona.

Speaker 5 (30:52):
Well, you hope that, because the idea is that it's
great to perform in practice to show that, hey, listen,
you have the skills necessary to do the job that
is required of you. But it also pays dividends to
be able to show that you can do it once
or twice in flash in a regular season game against opponent.
Because the reason I say that because you could do

(31:15):
self scouting on your own teammates, and after you practice
against a guy for a period of time, you may
know his tendencies just as well as he knows yours.
So it would be great to see wazer Rique go
out there and maybe, you know, have a couple of tackles,
maybe get a pressure, maybe get a sack to kind
of once again solidify the idea of what George Peyton

(31:37):
and his scouting staff are looking at. Along with George Peyton,
which guys are going to make this roster. And that's
the difficult part because not everyone's going to make the roster,
and some guys who played well, some guys who didn't
get enough opportunities. But that's just the nature of the
beast when it comes to this business.

Speaker 2 (31:54):
Yeah, and it was Regue did not show up on
the stat sheet against the Green Bay Packers. But again,
like you said, maybe you can get on there, make
a few plays, and like you said, make a push
for the roster, because this is everybody's final chance this weekend, Nick,
final thoughts from you, just what do you want to
see this weekend? Overall as this team looks to continue
what's been I think a really good training camp.

Speaker 5 (32:13):
The guys who are considered to be on the bubble,
I want them just to kind of get that out
of their mind. Don't worry about being cut, because if
you worry about being cut, you're not gonna be able
to put you best with foward. Go out there at
cut a louse. This is your final audition for all
the other thirty one teams. Don't look at it as
though you're playing for the Denver Broncos. You're playing for
other teams and you definitely want to show up on tape.

(32:35):
This is what I want to see for a lot
of these young guys who are going to be playing on.

Speaker 2 (32:37):
Sunday, and we will see which starters end up playing.
Last year, to the Broncos did not play basically any
starters in that third preseason game, but we will see
what happens here against the Arizona Cardinals. And I think
it's important Nick to remember what Sean Payton always says,
which is that for a lot of these guys, this
is the most important football game they will ever play,
so I'm excited to see it. I'm Eric Dalala fillon

(33:00):
for Benjamin Albright for Nick Ferguson. This has been Broncos
Country Tonight on KOA eight fifty AM and ninety four
to one FM.