Enough about Ashley Lelie

By Robert Rousseau  |   Monday, August 21, 2006  |  Comments( 3 )

Denver Broncos
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Way too much is being made of the Ashley Lelie saga. Is he a talent? Yes. He's got speed, height and jumping ability. But for all the talk about his big-play capabilities, he only caught one touchdown last year. Further, his 42 receptions in 2005 isn't terrible, but it isn't exactly Marvin Harrison-like production either.

Word is the Denver Broncos are shopping Lelie for a third-round draft pick; Atlanta, Chicago and Philadelphia have shown interest.

Perfect. Get something for him, and move on. The truth is, the Broncos are likely to have a better receiving corps this year than last. One of the best in the league, in fact.

It all starts with Rod Smith. Smith has somehow managed over 1,000 receiving yards in eight of the last nine years without ever becoming a media darling. People like head coach Mike Shanahan know his worth, however, and it goes beyond his performance on the field; he's a good teammate and a selfless leader. For example, with people continually bringing up the possibility of rookie first-rounder Jay Cutler starting at quarterback after his stellar performance in the first preseason game, Smith was able to support incumbent quarterback Jake Plummer and, at the same time, put things into perspective.

In an Aug. 15 Denver Post article, Jim Armstrong quoted Smith with the following. "If Jake Plummer plays the way Jake Plummer did last year, it would be ridiculous for us to think of anything else (than him starting)." Then he went a bit farther in backing Plummer. "If that guy doesn't take the snaps he takes, doesn't get up after every hit, then we don't play the way we've played the last couple of years. It's up to us to make him great. He could be good by himself. The rest of us, the skill-position guys, have to make life easier for him. We need to take the short ones and make them long ones."

Next on the docket is Javon Walker. Getting him from Green Bay for draft picks was the best move the Broncos made this year. Like Lelie, Walker is able to make big plays (in 2004, he caught 89 balls for 1,382 yards and 12 touchdowns). Even better, he catches passes over the middle, something his predecessor never did. If Walker is able to bounce back from last year's knee injury and stay healthy throughout the season, he's likely to be a significant upgrade over Lelie. Word is that he's looked very good in camp, even with a questionable hamstring.

Last, there's a wide open battle going on for the third receiver spot. Third-year men Darius Watts and David Kircus appear to be the frontrunners for now. Others involved include former first-round pick David Terrell, Todd Devoe and big rookie Brandon Marshall out of Central Florida (6-foot-5, 230 pounds), a man who might have been winning the competition until a minor knee injury popped up, likely relegating him to the background for now (he's due back around the start of the regular season).

Watts was a good receiver in college (Marshall University) and started his NFL career with promise in 2004, when he caught 31 balls for 385 yards (he's known as a hard worker). However, last year he was hardly used and hasn't done much in the preseason thus far.

Kircus has never been a factor in the pros, but did lead the team in receiving in its first preseason game (though he only had one reception in the second).

Marshall has no NFL experience, but was impressive prior to the injury, to the point that Denver Post columnist Bill Williamson quoted safety John Lynch saying the following in reference to the rookie. "He looks like a guy that should be on the field a lot. He's strong. I've hit him a few times and you won't be able to arm tackle that guy."

Devoe is simply inexperienced, while Terrell has been a disappointment of sorts through his first five years considering the hype he entered the league with (his season-high in receptions is 43).

So enough about Ashley Lelie. Rod Smith is still in Denver. Truth is, Walker is almost a sure upgrade (if healthy) over Lelie both on and off the field. Last, there is a healthy battle going on for the slot receiver position among talented, though, for the most part, inexperienced players.

Barring significant injuries, the Denver Broncos are going to be better than fine no matter what happens with Lelie. Perhaps a change in scenery will do the former University of Hawaii star a world of good.

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About Robert Rousseau

Robert Rousseau is a sports writer that has been published in a variety of print and online venues. He’s been writing for RealFootball365.com for almost three years now. When Rousseau isn’t writing about college football he tends to be penning mixed martial arts pieces for MMAFighting.com or...
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CommentsComments: 3  |  Sign Up  View all comments
No.1
Mark Fisher		07:06 PM
08/21/2006
Concerning your comment on Darris Watts, "However, last year he was hardly used and hasn't done much in the preseason thus...
No.2
Mykle Van Hausen		10:52 PM
08/28/2006
Agreed. Bad for the league. Jerry Porter should shut up and play as well. So far he's been a paper tiger. Ash has at least been...
No.3
DENNIS		03:00 PM
08/30/2006
leile was never a factor in our offense. i, for one, am extremely happy to see him gone! in my mind, if you don't want to play...
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