Vic Fangio looks to set the tone as Broncos offseason program kicks off By Ryan O’Halloran Denver Post April 3, 2019 Broncos coach Vic Fangio was asked last week what his message will be when he addresses the players upon Tuesday’s start of the voluntary offseason program. “You’ll have to be in the room to find out,” he said, knowing full well an invitation to the media wasn’t in the offing. Given time to consider a deeper answer, Fangio said he was “sure” multiple points will be presented in his first full-squad meeting since being hired in January. “But I’m not stressed about it or anything,” he said. “The messages are the messages that I’ve conveyed to the players over the years. Now I’m just talking to the whole team instead of half the team.” That has and will be Fangio’s spin when discussing his transition from defensive coordinator to the big chair. He now speaks to the whole team. He now leads the entire coaching staff. He now spends more time with the front office. But speeches are speeches. The Broncos are permitted to start their eight-week offseason program two weeks early because Fangio is a new coach. Tuesday will include introductions to new coordinators Rich Scangarello (offense) and Ed Donatell (defense) and the position coaches, a team meeting and weight room work. What will Fangio’s presentation sound like? Depends on his tact. Each new coach wants to introduce his thoughts on the team culture he wants to build. And depending on the coach, it could start this month. “Every coach is different,” Los Angeles Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said. “For some coaches, the first speech is the ‘State of the Union.’ For me, we were still a long way from that first game. I didn’t want to peak too soon.” Two years ago, Jacksonville Jaguars coach Doug Marrone held his first team meeting. He had been an assistant on the team for two seasons, including the interim coach for the final two games of 2016. But he wanted to get his point across despite a familiarity with much of the roster. “You want to really create whatever standard you want,” Marrone said. “Make sure they know what’s expected of me, what’s expected of them and let’s work together on what’s expected of us.” Rapping his fist on the table in front of him for emphasis, Marrone added: “If you walk in and you’re standing up there and saying, ‘This is what we’re doing!’ — I don’t think it’s that dramatic that you need to get them all fired up on Day 1.” Beginning with Day 1, though, Fangio will be looking at several key issues. 1. Rapport with Flacco Everything on offense will start with new quarterback Joe Flacco, acquired from Baltimore for a fourth- round draft pick last month. Although Fangio will be calling the defensive plays and he and Flacco were in the same building in Baltimore (2008-09), the offseason program will be important to establishing the important head coach/quarterback relationship. 2. Building the offensive line The Broncos are committed to veteran Ron Leary at left guard, but that leaves center and right guard open for competition among a group that includes Connor McGovern, Elijah Wilkinson, Sam Jones and Don Barclay. Only so much can be evaluated with no pads on, but new offensive line coach Mike Munchak will be able to get a vibe on who could potentially be the best scheme fit during the on-field workouts. And, after the draft, multiple rookies could be added to the mix. 3. Progress of injured players The list of players who sustained season-ending injuries in 2018 and could be limited this off-season is long and significant: Leary (Achilles), running back Phillip Lindsay (wrist), receiver Emmanuel Sanders (Achilles), cornerbacks Bryce Callahan (foot) and Isaac Yiadom (shoulder) and tight ends Jeff Heuerman (lung/ribs), Jake Butt (ACL) and Troy Fumagalli (sports hernia). The reports Fangio should want to receive in early June is that those players will be available for the start of training camp, even if they were spectators during OTAs and the mini-camps. 4. New coach, new starts Last year was a lost season for defensive end DeMarcus Walker and safety Su’a Cravens. Walker, a 2017 second-round pick, was a healthy scratch throughout the season because the Broncos dressed only five defensive linemen for games. Cravens missed the first half of 2018 after knee surgery and was a healthy scratch the final three games when the coaches had enough with his mistakes. Can their careers be salvaged by the mostly new staff? Broncos offseason program Per the collective bargaining agreement, teams split up their offseason program into three phases: Phase 1 (two weeks): Activities are limited to strength and conditioning and physical rehabilitation. Only members of the strength-and-conditioning staff are permitted on the field to lead drills. Quarterbacks are allowed to throw passes to teammates if they are not covered by a defender. Helmets are prohibited. Phase 2 (three weeks): On-field drills with coaches are allowed and plays can be run but not offense vs. defense or kicking team vs. return team. Helmets are prohibited. Teams with new head coaches can hold a three-day voluntary veteran mini-camp (April 16-18). Phase 3 (four weeks): Teams are allowed to conduct 10 organized team activities (OTAs) during the first three weeks. Team offense vs. team defense with helmets are allowed. Teams can hold a three-day mandatory mini-camp. The Broncos’ OTA dates are May 13-14, 16, 20-21, 23 and 29-31. Their mini-camp will be June 4-6. Analysis: Chris Harris skipping Broncos offseason program as he seeks a new contract isn’t a big deal … for now By Ryan O’Halloran Denver Post April 3, 2019 Broncos cornerback Chris Harris’ timetable for a contract extension: Right now. General manager John Elway’s preference: Not yet. That represents the root of why Harris elected to stay away from the start of the Broncos’ offseason program Tuesday. He will not be fined because participation is voluntary. Following a Pro Bowl practice in January, Harris told The Denver Post he had “a lot of juice left. I’m not close to being done. (I’m) definitely open to an extension, whenever they call me.” That call to start serious talks has yet to materialize and staying home was Harris’ non-verbal protest. He saw the Broncos sign cornerback/safety Kareem Jackson and cornerback Bryce Callahan, who will make $11 million and $7 million this year, respectively, and is likely wondering, “What about my money?” A source said Elway and coach Vic Fangio weren’t caught off guard by Harris’ absence. So is this a big deal or no deal? Not a big deal — it’s the first week of April. Not a ‘no deal’ — it’s a distraction. But it is a little deal … that could become a major deal. A new coach trying to create a new environment needs total buy-in from his best players, a category Harris belongs in after appearing in his fourth Pro Bowl. Linebacker Von Miller was in attendance but understood Harris’ stance. “It’s optional, right?” Miller asked rhetorically. Miller has experience missing the offseason program, but comparing his and former receiver Demaryius Thomas’ situations to Harris’ is inaccurate. Thomas (2015) and Miller (2016) were placed under the franchise tag and declined to show up for the offseason program as a part of their quest for long-term contracts, which they signed in the days leading into training camp. They were coming off their rookie deals. Harris, who turns 30 on June 18, has one year remaining on his second Broncos contract. According to Spotrac, his cap number of $8,766,668 this year is 24th among cornerbacks. He is probably underpaid. Fifteen cornerbacks have a cap number of at least $10 million this year. He should not be ticked about the Jackson and Callahan signings. Jackson is on his third contract, which Harris will be next year. He probably deserves a new deal because his play suggests it. But this is the NFL — deserving something doesn’t mean much. Before free agency, salary cap expert J.I. Halsell projected a three-year contract averaging $14.25-$15.5 million per year for Harris. Elway’s stance on a Harris extension has been consistent this offseason. “We’re going to get through the draft before we think of (any extensions), including Chris Harris,” he said on March 24. Elway has three options: 1. Let Harris play out his contract, a signal the Broncos, right or wrong, view him as more of a sub- package player than every-down performer starting in 2020. 2. Wait until after the draft to start talks with Harris’ camp. 3. Trade him. What could the Broncos command for Harris via trade? “Probably similar to what (Aqib) Talib got them last year,” a league source said. “Maybe a little more.” The Broncos flipped Talib to the Los Angeles Rams for a fifth-round pick. If that is the potential return, they should keep Harris. Plus, it would be difficult to replace him. If Harris shows up for the voluntary mini-camp in two weeks, it would serve as an act of good faith. Everybody in the building knows that when he shows up, he’ll be ready to add to his 19 interceptions and 80 pass break-ups and provide leadership to merit having a “C” on his No.