“That INCOMPLETE chant really pisses you off!” said Chad Brown at our Denver Broncos Quarterback Club meeting today when asked what it was like to play the Broncos at Mile High Stadium as a visiting player. “The altitude gives the Broncos a big advantage, too,” Chad added.
Yes, Chad Brown never played for the Broncos in his 15 year NFL career, but now in the media as a college football analyst and sometimes radio host on Denver’s 104.3 The Fan, Chad provided unique insight into the current state of the Broncos. Chad added some comments about his alma mater, the University of Colorado’s football team, too.
Chad gave a review of the Broncos offseason. “Was moving on from Vance Joseph a good move? Yes. I feel bad for my former CU teammate, and I think he’ll do better if given another chance at a head coaching job. He learned the hard way the difference between being a coordinator and the head coach. ‘I had no idea I’d be talking to the media so much!’ Vance told me.”
Chad feels Vic Fangio will be an improvement. “With Fangio’s background coaching linebackers expect to see Von Miller and Bradley Chubb used in more creative ways,” he said.
Chad says Joe Flacco will be a significant upgrade at quarterback. Flacco will make less mistakes than Case Keenum did last year. He likes Drew Lock’s potential, but said he liked last year’s quarterback class taken in the first round better than this year’s qb crop.
The most impactful change in the Broncos this season, Chad said, will be the addition of a top notch offensive line coach (Mike Munchak). “I think the Garett Bowles experiment at left tackle will last one more year – let’s see if Bowles improves under Munchak,” Chad said. He said Seattle, a past NFL team he had been a part time coach for, really improved their offensive line play in the Seahawks Super Bowl years with the coaching of Tom Cable even though their offensive line talent was mediocre. Munchak can have a similar impact with the Broncos.
On #1 draft choice tight end Noah Fant. Chad said Fant has a big upside but has to learn to be an adequate blocker. Otherwise the defense will know a pass is coming whenever Fant is in the game. Chad mentioned Bronco Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe who like Fant was a great receiver and who learned to be an average blocker. Fant needs to do the same.
On #2 draft choice Dalton Risner: “He has his head screwed on straight. He really gave me as impressive an interview as I have had with a NFL rookie in the last 10 years. He will be a force inside and can play multiple positions on the line. I don’t think he has the feet to play left tackle”
In addition to commenting on the Broncos other draft choices and free agents, Chad took questions from the crowd. I asked him if he would have taken Michigan linebacker Devin Bush at pick #10 in the first round rather than trading back like the Broncos did. “I would have taken Bush,” Chad said. He went on to say the inside linebacker position is not one of the Broncos strengths. He does think Su’a Cravens has the talent to be a 3rd down linebacker “he was tremendous at USC” but Cravens has to show more dedication to the game than he did last season.
Chad had high praise for the Broncos strength and conditioning coach Loren Landow. “I was Landow’s first pro client,” Chad said. “I wouldn’t have played 15 years in the NFL without his guidance.”
Overall while Chad thinks the Broncos have improved this offseason with the coaching changes and player moves, he still rates Kansas City and the LA Chargers ahead of the Broncos going into the season. Frank Clark, the new Chiefs defensive end acquired from the Seahawks is a “tremendous player” Chad said and Clark could be a matchup nightmare for Garett Bowles.
Chad had a few comments about the CU Buffs. New head coach Mel Tucker “will have the Buffs play far more physical which will fit well in the Pac 12. Only Stanford and Washington emphasize physical play in that conference,” he said. Chad feels Tucker wants to win games with solid defense and a strong run game. “The offensive line will be more physical, and the defense will be more attacking.”
Chad had high praise for former CU coach Bill McCartney. “Bill is such a great speaker, you can imagine the impact he had on me as a 17 year old kid when he visited me and my parents. He promised a lot that day (I would play for a national championship, I would play in the NFL, that I would love the CU campus and living in Colorado). Everything he said came true! Bill truly believed in what he was telling me – it wasn’t BS.”
Chad also greatly admires his past CU linebackers coach – Brian Cabral. He told a story that when he was struggling with grades early in his time at CU, Cabral broke into Chad’s apartment, stood over Chad’s bed, and said, “get to class!” Cabral emphasized a personal relationship with his players, “he really cared about us.” In Chad’s part time coaching (Chad was leaving the next day for a part time coaching gig with the San Francisco 49’ers) Chad said “I want to be like Brian Cabral”
I was very impressed with Chad Brown this day. While sadly he was never a Denver Bronco, with his wealth of NFL playing experience and part time coaching he is one of the best analysts I have heard speak to our club.
Next up for the Denver Broncos QB Club: Ring of Famer Steve Atwater will speak to us at a lunch meeting in July. Stay tuned for an announcement!