The Drive

In hour 3 of The Drive, Zach and Phil take a look at the NFL offensive and defensive rookie of the year odds and Phil explains what it would take for RJ Harvey or Jahdae Barron to take home the awards. Do we finally have a conclusion to Jonas Valanciunas joining the Nuggets as he put out a statement today “clearing the air”? We breakdown what Valanciunas brings to the Nuggets roster and Jokic’s tour out in China this week. Could we see Noah Fant re-join the Broncos after being released by the Seahawks today? Would Fant be able to do the heavy lifting that a backup tight end typically does? Does Kansas City’s George Karlaftis’ contract provide a model for what Nik Bonitto’s contract will look like?

In hour 4 of The Drive, Zach and Phil discuss James Merilatt’s article on DenverSports.com detailing Sean Payton heading into a Broncos season with expectations for the first time. Have the Broncos provided Coach Payton with everything he needs to go out and win? We look at the NFL offensive and defensive rookie of the year odds and Phil explains what it would take for RJ Harvey or Jahdae Barron to take home the awards. We wrap up the show with an update on Deion Sanders as his son said they will be heading to Boulder this week after struggling with health problems over the summer and if Courtland Sutton will hold in as training camp starts tomorrow.

Hour 1 of The Drive kicks off with Phil and Richie cross talking with John and Danny. The guys discuss what the addition of Cam Johnson will bring to the Nuggets that Michael Porter Jr. was lacking. While Patrick Surtain is the face of the Broncos defense, we debate who else has the highest ceiling on the defense. Will Nik Bonitto be able to build off his success from last year? While Deion Sanders’ time in Boulder has been untraditional, he has been on a roll lately with high school recruiting. Phil shares about his time being recruited by CU and how Deion has made Boulder a place that top tier athletes want to come to.

In hour 2 of The Drive, Phil and Richie debate who the Broncos number two receiver will be with so many options. Will Marvin Mims be able to use his speed on the outside and middle of the field? 9News Broncos insider Mike Klis joins the show to discuss who will be the Broncos number two receiver, what Jahdae Barron’s role will be on the defense, and if the Broncos defense can repeat their success from last year and be a top 5 NFL defense. Today’s “Three Count” features FanDuel’s social media putting out “odds” for the average showers per week, Rockies attendance this season outperforming their 2007 famous “Rocktober” season, and reacting to DaRon Holmes impressive summer league. We hear from the Nuggets recent addition, Cam Johnson as he held his introductory press conference today. What were the guy’s first impressions of Cam and how will Jokic be able to elevate Cam’s game?

In hour 3 of The Drive, Phil, Richie and the guys compete in our weekly trivia competition vs the morning show. Will we be able to redeem ourselves after a 1-3 performance last week? Richie gives an impassioned speech on the Rockies and how things will never change at Coors Field while their attendance is booming even during one of the worst seasons in MLB history. What would be the price for Dick Monfort to sell the Rockies? While Patrick Surtain is the face of the Broncos defense, we debate who else has the highest ceiling on the defense. Will Nik Bonitto be able to build off his success from last year? Can Talanoa Hufanga return to his all-pro version of himself?  

In hour 4 of The Drive, Phil and Richie debate who the Broncos number two receiver will be with so many options. Will Troy Franklin and Bo Nix figure out their connection issues we saw last season? Does Pat Bryant have a chance to pass Franklin, Mims and Vele, in his rookie season? We hear from the newly added Nugget, Cam Johnson and his thoughts on what he will bring to the team. Could the Avalanche be in the same position they were just a year ago with Marty Necas looking for a new contract like Mikko Rantanen was? How much would the guys be willing to pay Necas? We wrap up the show with Richie’s idea for who should take the final place on the Nuggets roster.

Hour 1 of The Drive kicks off with Phil and Richie cross talking with Dover and Danny. The guys discuss the Broncos running back room, who will be starting, and if it’s best for RJ Harvey to learn from JK Dobbins to start the season. Will 2025 be an even further breakout season for Nik Bonitto? We hear from him and his hunger for going out and being even better than his 13.5 sacks in 2024. We have breaking news as Pittsburgh’s TJ Watt has signed a record breaking 3-year $123 million contract extension. How does Watt’s contract impact Bonitto’s negotiations and could he be a franchise tag candidate? With the college football season around the corner, we dive into CU’s starting quarterback situation. How will the different skill sets of Juju Lewis and Kaiden Salter impact which one gives the Buffs the best chance to win?

In hour 2 of The Drive, Phil and Richie react to both Colin Cowherd and Kay Adams’ praise and high expectations for the Broncos. Could the Broncos go out and win 12-13 games this season? Could Bo Nix be a 4,000 yard passer with the addition of more offensive weapons? CU linebacker Mantrez Walker joins the show to discuss the two quarterbacks in Boulder, what he will be bringing to the Buffs defense and much more. Today’s “Three Count” includes former Bronco Von Miller signing with the Washington Commanders for likely his final team, Shane Gillis taking a shot at Shedeur Sanders for Colorado retiring his number, and Bradley Beal joining the Clippers after getting bought out in Phoenix. After just one season with the 12-team college football playoff, we have discussions about new models and expanding to a 16-team playoff. What format and how automatic bids would help the Big 12 the most?

In hour 3 of The Drive, Phil and Richie share their one word to describe the Nuggets offseason. We get off the rails with our answers and question how surprised were we by the Nuggets decision to alter their starting lineup? We react to the assumption that RJ Harvey will be the starting running back for the Broncos. Phil explains why he expects JK Dobbins to be the starter at the beginning of the season and we dive into what the expectations should be for Harvey. Is it fair for national media to question the trio of Bo Nix, Courtland Sutton and RJ Harvey? Have the Nuggets become a destination for NBA players again?

In hour 4 of The Drive, Phil and Richie continue their conversation on the Nuggets upgrade from Michael Porter Jr. to Cam Johnson. We react to both Colin Cowherd and Kay Adams’ praise and high expectations for the Broncos. Could the Broncos go out and win 12-13 games this season? Could Bo Nix be a 4,000 yard passer with the addition of more offensive weapons? We revisit our conversation with Trez Walker from earlier in the show and his comments on both quarterback and what they bring to the Buffs. What does it mean that CU brought both quarterbacks to media day? How will the different skill sets of Juju Lewis and Kaiden Salter impact which one gives the Buffs the best chance to win? We wrap up the show with recapping the RJ Harvey signing with the Broncos and what he missed by signing today.