Nfl Scouting Combine (2/24/11)

Patrick Smyth, Executive Director of Media Relations ([email protected] / 303‐264‐5536) Rebecca Villanueva, Media Services Manager ([email protected] / 303‐264‐5598) Erich Schubert, Media Relations Coordinator ([email protected] / 303‐264‐5503)

BRONCOS HEAD COACH JOHN FOX – NFL SCOUTING COMBINE (2/24/11)

On the advantage of having the No. 2 pick in the draft “I think other than the record part of it, you would like to have the No. 1 pick. With the second pick, obviously you’re going to get a heck of a football player—we are counting on that. It’s pretty exciting and very similar to when I first went to Carolina—we had the second pick in the draft. The Broncos and myself are very excited about that and we’re in that process right now, as we speak, of figuring out who that pick will be.”

On how soon he wants to figure out the quarterback situation “I don’t think we will really figure it out until we start competing. It’s a group of three that I think are very capable. Right now I think Kyle Orton is our starter. We have a very young guy, a high draft pick in Tim Tebow that got his feet wet last year towards the end of the season. He did an outstanding job. He has some of those intangibles that you are looking for. Then Brady Quinn, I’m looking forward to seeing (him) play. I (knew) Brady coming out in the (draft) process and watched him play a little bit in Cleveland. He’s a young guy that has about 13 starts under his belt and we’ll see. All three, I think we’re excited about.”

On rumors that Kyle Orton is on the trade market “I think it would be pretty hard to be both (a starter and on the trade market). As far as I’m concerned, he’s under contract and he’s our starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos.”

On whether there is a player the caliber of Julius Peppers in the draft “Right now it’s too hard to say. Our scouting department has been involved all year long. The one think with coaches is (we got) a little taste with the Senior Bowl as far as draft‐eligible guys and then this is really our first big look. There will be a lot of research by the coaching staffs around the league, but I think it’s way too early to be making those comparisons at this point.”

On whether Green Bay Defensive Line Coach Mike Trgovac was ever an option for defensive coordinator “That’s tough to answer because of some tampering (considerations), but I was familiar with Mike Trgovac, yes. He coached with me for some time with the Panthers. I think Mike is an outstanding coach, and I know he will get the opportunity to be a coordinator again someday.”

On whether it’s tough to invest a first‐round pick on a running back “I think way back even in ’03, we (Carolina) kind of made a commitment to run the ball. I think you need more than one back if you are going to consistently run it through the season—just through the standpoint of that guy takes a lot of shots. In my opinion, you need more than one guy to actually make a full commitment to running the ball. We will be in that process of finding more than one guy.

“We had two, first rounders when I was in Carolina. I don’t think you have to have that. You have to have two good players. It’s not so much where you start the race but where you finish. You just try to locate good guys—and they can be different because it’s a little bit of a change of pace for the defense.”

©2011 Denver Broncos Football Club. All rights reserved. The individual quotes cited in this document may be used for the purpose of news reporting and other fair uses as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act. Duplication or posting of this quote sheet, in its entirety, or any other use of this material which is not a fair use as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act is strictly prohibited without the prior written consent of the Denver Broncos Football Club. On his take on the current roster “I think probably the biggest thing is going to be adjusting the personnel from the 3‐4 to the 4‐3—that transition. Like every offseason, no matter which team you are with, it’s a fluid process. We evaluate it. The cupboard is definitely not completely bare. There is still work to do. I can’t get too much into specifics. I’m excited but we have a lot of work to do.”

On whether Robert Ayers will benefit from the switch to the 4‐3 “I evaluated him coming out (of college). I saw him as a 4‐3 defensive end. He has played primarily as a 3‐4 outside linebacker. We have him penciled in as a defense end. I think he was probably a little easier to evaluate coming out of college as an end because that’s what he played at (the University of) Tennessee. I have the utmost confidence that he will be a productive player for us this coming year.”

On whether he made the decision to switch to a 4‐3 base defense based on the Broncos’ roster or his background “Really, all of the above. I have a comfort level with (the 4‐3 defense), our defensive staff has a comfort level with it and I think that most of your college defenses are 4‐3 teams now. So, it is a little bit easier to project or evaluate, in my opinion. There is nothing wrong with a 3‐4. My first few years in the league with the Steelers, we ran a 3‐4. It is not so much, that is what your personnel is, and then acquiring the personnel that it takes to play. For me and my experience, it is better for us to be a 4‐3.”

On whether there is a certain position that is a lower risk to draft in the first round than others “No, when you are dealing with people, it is all a risk. I know that quarterbacks and receivers are high at the other end, as far as success rate. But really, it is all a risk.”

On preventing off‐the‐field issues from young players “Well, I think not just referencing one guy, but I think that is an issue around the National Football League. That is something that we take very seriously. I know the league does and I know our organization will. Again, you work your rear end off to not let anything like that happen, but we are just a microcosm of this whole thing. That stuff happens. You try to avoid it, you try to educate and make guys realize that decision making is important. You just try your best to not let that happen and go from there. But, you are not going to eliminate it.”

On signing Champ Bailey “No. 1, I think it was huge. Champ Bailey is a great football player. Again, not just as a player—first and foremost, that is why we signed him back, because he is a great cornerback—but as far as leadership in the locker room and in the community, he is a guy representing the organization and I am not sure anybody else is like that. I thought it was huge for the Denver Broncos organization and I know it was huge for me personally because he will help our cause.”

On Justin Bannan and Jamal Williams “They are both under contract and are guys that we have evaluated. They are big, stout guys that I think will be primarily tackles for us in the 4‐3. I am looking forward to working with them. I have had a chance to meet both of them and I’ll just leave it at that.”

On Elvis Dumervil “Well, I think the issue with Elvis is that he didn’t get to play last year. I think that hurt the Broncos’ defense. We are really anxious to get him back—he is healthy and I see him as a defensive end. He is a unique guy—he has excellent skills, as far as rushing the passer and last time he was healthy, he had 17 sacks. We are excited to get him back first and foremost.”

On how quickly the defense can be improved “Well, I remember when Green Bay went through the transition, flipping from the 4‐3 to the 3‐4 and the same thing with Dallas when Bill (Parcells) was there. It is the reverse (in Denver), but I thought those teams did it as fast as anybody. Right now, I think of Green Bay’s success over a couple of years and I look at the success that Dallas had. Sometimes it just depends on the draft and the availability of guys. And, I know that having the second pick in the draft does not hurt. But, we still have to do a good job of evaluating—our scouting department and as an organization, we have to choose wisely. It is very doable.”

©2011 Denver Broncos Football Club. All rights reserved. The individual quotes cited in this document may be used for the purpose of news reporting and other fair uses as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act. Duplication or posting of this quote sheet, in its entirety, or any other use of this material which is not a fair use as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act is strictly prohibited without the prior written consent of the Denver Broncos Football Club. On his expectations for the team this season “I go into every season and I want to win a World Championship. That is the only reason I have ever gone any place that I have ever been. Whether it be as an assistant or as a head coach, our goal is to win a World Championship.”

On whether he feels the current Broncos roster has enough talent to win a Super Bowl “I think that right now there are 32 teams that are all 0‐0. Time will tell, but that is our goal.”

On Broncos Offensive Coordinator Mike McCoy “I really cannot speak too much to the last couple of years here, because I was not here. I just know that I have the utmost confidence in Mike McCoy. I am very familiar with his offense, because we ran it in Carolina and he did it for seven years. Style‐ wise, I think the system is pretty much the same. But, I have great confidence and have watched him have great success as a play caller. I am not sure how many times he called plays last year—I know it was probably minimal until the end—but I have great confidence in his play‐calling ability and he will do a great job.”

On D.J. Williams’ role “It is hard to say right now other than that he is a really good football player at the linebacker position. I think he has probably had his most success as a ‘Mike’ and a ‘Will.’ So, it will probably be one of those two spots. A lot of it will depend—there is fluidity as we go through the offseason.”

On working with Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway “I followed John as a player, competed against him—on the wrong end probably more than I would have liked. But, he is all in. This is not a public relations move, although he is very big in the community in Denver. But, he is burning the midnight oil, he is working hard and he is very willing to learn. This is not rocket science. I do not think anybody is going to find a cure for cancer, but he understands what a football player looks like. Standing in the huddle and doing the things that he did as a team leader, as a football player at the quarterback position—I think he understands what a football player looks like. I have been very impressed. He has a great willingness to learn the things he does not know, but he knows football and I am confident.”