Broncos Sign Marlon McCree

I am going to think about the McCree signing this way, John Lynch is coming back and I believe that he will more than likely have to miss time because of injury. That likely yields Hamza Abdullah and Nick Ferguson as the starting safeties. Abdullah is young, and he did very well last season when he got playing time. Ferguson is a solid vet and Denver should be able to count on quality play from him. But after that, its down to a group of young and inexpereinced guys like Steve Cargile, and given a choice between one of that bunch and McCree, I'd take McCree any day given that he has been around for a while, has played for several teams so he has experienced playing against a number of different players, is used to winning, and now has playoff experience. Think of him as a faster John Lynch with better cover skills, and I bet the refs are less trigger happy with big hits for McCree. With that signing the Broncos have depth in the safety spot (4 players capable of starting), which might free Lynch to become a nickel back on passing downs and blitz like a madman, which he loves to do, and he definitely has a knack for causing fumbles that way.

But not every situation is perfect. I have premonitions about McCree and the effect playing on the chargers had on him. Once he arrives in Denver, he better get the memo quickly that egocentric players who celebrate too much have no place on this team. With Mike Shanahan at the helm and the respectability and professionalism of the franchise, I think it will soon become clear to McCree how things are done in Denver. Three particulars come to mind: 1. Consistent solid tackling is preferred over big hits, and I hope he will be able to decipher between the two, because not every play calls for a big hit, again, this is an issue that arises from signing a former charger. 2. Blatant helmet to helmet contact and head hunting in general is unacceptable. There better not be anything remotely close to the hit he put on Donald Driver this past season. 3. Make the intelligent decision, which brings me back to the Divisional Playoff game against the Patriots 2 years ago, when his fumble of an interception turned the game around and cost the chargers a spot in the AFC Title Game.

Overall, I'm confident that once McCree becomes acclimated with the Bronco culture he will prove a valuable asset to the team.