Five burning questions with ‘The Drive’ co-host Tom Nalen

It’s mid-May, and three of the four major Denver professional teams are either active in the regular season (the Colorado Rockies) or the postseason (the Colorado Avalanche and Denver Nuggets). And this week, Broncos Country gets its first look at Denver’s new crop of rookies.

With all that’s going on in the Denver sports world, we turn to new co-host of “The Drive,” Broncos Ring of Famer Tom Nalen, to break down the burning questions this week.

Digital content producer Johnny Hart: The Rockies starting rotation has struggled recently, especially this past weekend. Is there cause for concern or is it just a stumble during a long season?

“The Drive” co-host Tom Nalen: Absolutely, it’s a cause for concern when your No. 1 guy, Freeland, is struggling too. He’s 2-5 right now. He’s the leader of the staff, so as he goes the team goes. You can score as many runs as you want, but if you’re giving up a bunch it’s hard.

JH: The Broncos didn’t draft an inside linebacker this year. What’s your level of concern regarding that position as we move through OTAs?

TN: I would think that they’re pretty comfortable with Todd Davis and Josey Jewell. I think that they feel like they have it covered and with the safeties they have, maybe they feel like, defensively, with a new coordinator and a head coach who’s defensive-oriented that they felt like the answers are in-house.

JH: What was your first minicamp like, and what advice would you give the rookies who’ll be working out at UCHealth Training Center this weekend?

TN: It was confusing. Minicamp, I mean I didn’t know much about the area. And it was rookies at the end of July, so it was kind of different then than the NFL is now. I was drafted in April and didn’t come out to Denver until the first, second week in July. It was rookies and it was a mishmash of other players who I’m not sure the status of why they were there. It was probably just enough to give us some work and stuff. But, it was weird.

What advice would I give to rookies? Don’t think you’re out of it just because of where you’re drafted or slotted or anything. Just go there and play football. It’s not that big of a difference between college.

JH: The Avs didn’t beat the Sharks in three attempts in the regular season. They have only one win in San Jose this series. How do they pull off a Game 7 victory on Wednesday?

TN: Well, the way hockey goes, if you score more goals than the other team …

I think you’ve got to match their intensity. I really think San Jose put a lot of effort into winning Game 6. I don’t think they wanted to go back and play Game 7. Use that to your advantage. They did win one game there. I think they won Game 2 and thoroughly outplayed them in that game. (Joe) Pavelski could be coming back. I think San Jose would prefer to save him. So, maybe the Avs use that for motivation too.

JH: The NFL Draft was a couple of weeks ago, and there’s still no news on a Chris Harris Jr. extension. Is it time to worry, and if not, when?

TN: No. History suggests that they’ll prolong this, the team will, and wait until right before training camp to figure out some sort of solution. I’d assume it’s just going to be the same deal except for maybe some incentives added on and more of a prove-it type deal. I mean, he’s going to be 30, and in football, for corners, that’s like some random magic age that guys are supposed to start aging. But I think Chris Harris is unique in that I still think that he’s got a ton of football left in him. John Elway said after the draft, and technically we’re still after the draft.