Mile High Monday: Lindsay bulks up, Sutton vs. Jeudy and more

Sports are coming back soon, as the NBA and the NHL have plans in place to resume their seasons next month. Who knows what the MLB is going to do, and the optics don’t look good with their labor strife during a pandemic that has unemployment levels at incredible highs. While they are trying to figure things out, the NFL is planning on starting on time.

I like the unity that we’re seeing across the NFL. Coaches are getting back to facilities around the league in preparation for the 2020 season. Soon, we should see training camps kick off around the NFL, but I do not believe fans will be allowed to observe like they used to. We’ll see what happens to the preseason, but right now, it looks like the start of the regular season is safe.

I also like contemplating life and sports when driving around with the top down on my old Jeep TJ! The following is a result of those trips during the week.

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

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Better Fit For Lindsay

Broncos running back Phillip Lindsay told Nicki Jhabvala from The Athletic that he feels the team’s new offense will be better suited to him in 2020. He also said he added about eight pounds this offseason. So, what will Lindsay look like at a larger weight and in the Pat Shurmur offense?

The answer could be better than ever – even if it’s as a backup. Lindsay could be more efficient in 2020 if he is a better fit in this offense. The third-year pro entered the league as an undrafted free agent and has recorded back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons. During that time, last year specifically, Lindsay was not efficient on third downs or in the red zone. This may be the biggest reasons why the team went out and added Melvin Gordon in free agency.

Gordon only has one 1,000-yard rushing season to his credit in five seasons as a pro. However, he has a clear nose for the end zone (47 career touchdowns) and is one of the best backs in the league when it comes to converting third downs. In 2019, Gordon converted 50 percent of his carries on third down, while Lindsay only converted 25 percent, and Gordon did it with an offensive line that graded worse than the Broncos.

Shurmur has a power-gap system, while Lindsay has spent two years in a zone-blocking scheme. The main difference is now running backs will follow a clear linear path instead of setting up defenders by flowing to one side of the field then deciding whether to bend the run opposite play side, bang it between the tackles or bounce it outside. Lindsay was good at setting up defenders in a zone-blocking system, but now with a clear path to follow in a power-gap system, he could be better in key situations.

Lindsay is not your normal backup running back, and he will push Gordon to the limit when it comes to determining the starting job. Gordon should win the job, but Lindsay is too good to be a rarely-used backup. With the added weight, he should be able to break more arm tackles and with a better fit he should be more efficient – giving Shurmur even more reasons to use him in the Broncos new-look offense.

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Better Than Sutton?

Broncos rookie wide receiver Jerry Jeudy may not “prove to be the best wide receiver in this draft, but he has definitely got a chance,” in the opinion of the Denver Post’s Mark Kiszla.”Courtland Sutton has Pro Bowl skills, yet I don’t think he’s quite at the level of a game-changer. Jeudy could be a game-changer,” Kiszla wrote in a recent mailbag post for the Denver Post.

Ah yes, the ever-popular hot take coming from Tha Kiz. But is it not as hot as he would want you to think?

Sutton is one of my favorite players on the team, and I feel that he’s only shown us the tip of the iceberg in terms of the player he can become in the NFL. If Sutton were to eventually become a top-five receiver in the NFL, I would not be surprised – but is Jeudy better?

I will say at this time the clear answer is no. Jeudy does come into the league further ahead than Sutton when he was a raw rookie coming out of SMU as a second-round pick in 2018. Jeudy was the best receiver in the best receiving class in NFL history. He’s clearly got a superstar upside that many do not possess.

However, Sutton has two years of pro experience that will help him play at a high level in 2020. Those are skills that Sutton will use along with his already established chemistry with second-year quarterback Drew Lock.

In a year or two, could Jeudy surpass Sutton as the superior talent? Sure, he’s got the upside to be the best receiver in the game. Jeudy’s route-running ability, soft hands, quickness and body control can make him stand out from day one. Give him some time to acclimate to the pro game, and Jeudy can be a dominant force.

As I’ve said many times on the airwaves for The Fan, the Broncos don’t have a No.1 and a No. 2 wide receiver; they have two No. 1s on the roster with Sutton and Jeudy.

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Shelby’s Impact

Broncos defensive end Shelby Harris deflected five passes and broke up nine passes in all during the 2019 season. Both marks were the most among defensive linemen. His impact last year was huge for the Broncos and Harris recorded career-highs in sacks (6.0) and combined tackles (49). So, what will his impact be this year?

Harris was intent to hit the open market after 2019, but he did not draw much interest. The Broncos let Harris explore his options and through two agent changes, Harris ended up coming back to Denver on a one-year, $2.5 million deal. At his age, 29, this season will have to build on those career-best numbers if he wants to find a better deal on the open market in 2021.

In year two of the Vic Fangio defense, Harris should be able to continue to thrive. It wasn’t always like that for Harris as he began 2019 as a defensive tackle and that was a bad fit. He was unhappy with that position and his production wasn’t felt as much as when the team moved him outside to defensive end.

Harris is going to benefit from the presence of Jurrell Casey on the opposite side. Having a potential All-Pro veteran opposite of Harris will help keep the attention of the opponent. Even though it may seem unlikely to some, there is a chance that Harris can be even more impactful in 2020. He’ll need to keep second-year pro (and Fangio favorite) Dre’Mont Jones at bay in training camp, and that is a battle to watch in August. If Harris wins the starting job again, expect him to at least duplicate his impact from the 2019 season if not play at an even higher level this season.

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Old Love, New Podcast

I’ve been podcasting before they were called podcasts. My fantasy football podcast, “The Audible,” is one of the biggest in the industry and gets tens of millions of downloads each season. I consume a lot of podcasts when I’m writing during the day – whether that’s covering football or working on treatments/screenplays for my comic book properties.

There are a lot of people who are new to the podcasting world. A new podcast that came out recently was from comic book professional Rob Liefeld. He’s been a comic book artist and writer for around 35 years, and even though many of you will not know who he is you will recognize the greatest character he created – Deadpool.

Well, Liefeld decided to start his own podcast to share his love of comics. It’s a fantastic listen and well worth your time even if you’re just a casual comic book fan and not a hard-core fan like me.

You guys have always offered me the best support! Thank you for checking out my new podcast! For iTunes https://t.co/4zFkJimnOc for Spotify https://t.co/sEBIjbQWl4

— robliefeld (@robertliefeld) May 30, 2020

What are some of your favorite podcasts to listen to? Hit me up on social media and let me know!

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