Mile High Monday: Sanders runs, Shazier dances and other NFL news

It’s my second edition of the Mile High Monday and there’s never a shortage of things to reflect on from the week that was. The Denver Broncos will begin rookie mini-camp later in the week, but other than signing 17 undrafted free agents, the team basically took a breather after the draft.

I didn’t take a breather (that’s in early July) and wrote nine articles for 1043TheFan.com in my first week of digital talent. I like writing and being creative with my articles (like this one) to be featured on our website.

I also like contemplating life and sports when driving around with the top down on my old Jeep TJ.

Buckle up, let’s take a ride through my thoughts.

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Full Speed Ahead

Last week, we learned that Broncos wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders was running with cleats for the first time in his recovery. He suffered a torn Achilles’ last season in early December and has been working his way back ever since.

Sanders is “coming along nicely,” according to NFL Network’s James Palmer. We should see Sanders do more of these type of drills as he continues his comeback.

The Broncos have no need to rush him back to the football field. In fact, I won’t be surprised if we see very little of Sanders in training camp or the preseason. Entering the final year of his contract, Sanders has the ability to play at a high level – even coming off an Achilles’ injury.

He’s likely to be the no.2 wide receiver for the Broncos this year. Projecting Sanders for a 1,000-yard season would not be outlandish.
Sanders is on the right track, and that’s great news for the Broncos.

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Jump To Conclusion Mat

Bill Barnwell, a writer I have incredible respect for, released a piece for ESPN.com predicting every team’s most likely candidate for post-draft trade or cut.

It’s an interesting article, but one prediction I cannot agree with has to do with Broncos tight end Jake Butt.

Barnwell believes Butt is unlikely to finish the 2019 season with the team. He believes Noah Fant and Jeff Heuerman are ahead of Butt, thus blocking his path to playing time. The last part of that sentence may be true, but why make the assumption the team would move on from a playmaker like Butt?

Yes, he’s coming back from his third major knee injury and likely to wear a brace in 2019, but Butt is a “Y” tight end with good all-purpose ability. There is no doubt about his ability, and Butt has all the makings of a quality starter.

The only questions about Butt concern his health.

The Broncos aren’t going to release Butt if he’s recovered from his knee injury and playing good football. Any team out there is unlikely to trade for Butt due to his history of knee injuries, so I don’t see a scenario out there like Barnwell is predicting.

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Lofty Comparisons

Keeping with the tight end theme, Mike Sando (one of my favorite writers) from ESPN.com, revealed that one executive in the NFL believes Broncos 2019 first-round pick Noah Fant will be Denver’s version of San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle.

That could happen in the future, but for that to take place during Fant’s rookie season would be absolutely unbelievable. In 2018, Kittle had 88 catches for 1,377 receiving yards and five touchdowns; it was one of the best seasons ever recorded by a tight end in NFL history.

Fant is unlikely to match that sort of production as a rookie, but don’t be surprised if he catches 50 passes in 2019. That total would be more than Jeff Heuerman (49) has had during his entire four-year career with the Broncos.

Iowa tight ends (like Kittle and Fant) seem to be taking the league by storm. Not only is there a connection because the two went to the same college, but there’s another – perhaps more important – connection that needs to be highlighted.

New Broncos offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello was on the 49ers coaching staff in 2018 as their quarterback coach. It’s logical to assume that his offense will mirror that of 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan closely. The DNA of that offense is to use the tight end early and often, so that’s why Fant could be in line for a productive rookie season.

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Not-So-Hot Take

Today’s sports coverage is full of hot takes and everyone seems to have one. The latest one going around social media is that Broncos undrafted quarterback Brett Rypien will be better than Broncos second-round pick Drew Lock.

Having scouted both players in person, in back-to-back weeks, I just don’t believe that’s a likely outcome for the Broncos.

At the East-West Shrine Game earlier this year, I watched Rypien and felt he was the most consistent quarterback of the week. He was challenged by North Dakota State’s Easton Stick (who the Chargers picked up in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL draft), but Rypien did not have the struggles later in the week that Stick did.

The next week after the Shrine Game, I traveled (like I have for 15 years in a row) to Mobile, Ala., to watch the week of practices at the Reese’s Senior Bowl. Lock was the best quarterback in those practices by far.

Yes, Daniel Jones (who the New York Giants took No. 6 overall) was there too, but he struggled mightily and didn’t look like a first-round pick, let alone a top-10 pick. Lock showed command, arm strength and athleticism that other quarterbacks like Jones and Jarrett Stidham just didn’t have during those practices.

When I watched Lock, I saw someone with the potential to be a franchise quarterback if he hits on developing the skills he needs to improve. When I watched Rypien, I saw a nice player who any team would be happy to have as a reserve.

All-star games don’t mean everything (film study does), but the differences between the two was something anyone could see. In fact, I don’t know a single scout or draft analyst who had Rypien ahead of Lock in their rankings.

Rypien is a smart player, and yes, as I’ve highlighted multiple times on the air or on our website, he has much more experience than Lock when it comes to playing from under center. While Rypien had 48 passing attempts from under center in 2018, Lock only had five.

It’s wild to assume that Rypien’s experience from under center will over-match the natural talent that Lock has as a passer.

What’s possible? Anything. What’s likely? Lock goes on to be a starter with franchise quarterback upside, while Rypien is best suited to be a backup or spot starter in the league.

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Dancing Machine

I’m not crying, you’re crying! Some sports stories just touch your heart, no matter which team you have a rooting interest in.

Every football fan can appreciate the work that Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier has put in. After a severe spinal cord injury caused him to be carted off the field in December 2017, the chances Shazier would ever walk again were around 20 percent.

On Friday, Shazier was able to dance at his wedding.

About a year and a half ago, Ryan Shazier was told he had a 20% chance of ever walking again. This was him today at his wedding.. Anything is possible! 🙏🏼🙏🏼

This man is such an inspiration to all! #Shalieve @RyanShazier pic.twitter.com/Z0eOqoj42t

— Steel Faithful (@Steel_Faithful) May 4, 2019

The Steelers have already put Shazier on the reserve/physically unable to perform list for the 2019 season, meaning he won’t play football this year. During his road to recovery, Shazier has stated that he wants to play football again.

With his heart and determination, don’t count him out.

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Cardiac Kids

I love basketball. I always have and I always will.

However, watching the Nuggets play a four-overtime game against the Trailblazers in round two of the NBA Playoffs on Friday night was absolutely heart wrenching.

Yes, they got a nice bounce-back win on Sunday to tie the series 2-2. But in Nuggets fashion, it was a bit too close for comfort. Let’s hope the Nuggets continue to prove the doubters wrong and advance in the playoffs.

Between the Nuggets and the final season of “Game of Thrones,” I’ve grown a lot more gray hair over the last couple of weeks.

Follow @CecilLammey