Fantasy Rankings: AFC West Wide Receivers in 2009

Though the division is devoid of any superstars, as Brandon Marshall may be the closest to one, but has too many issues, a few of the young receivers are on the door step of announcing their entrance to the upper echelon of fantasy football.

 

1. Dwayne Bowe

In just his second year in the NFL, and playing for a horrendous 2-and-14 Chiefs team, Bowe took a big step forward and grabbed 86 balls, for over 1,000 yards, and seven TDs.

This year, playing under new offensive-minded coach Todd Haley, and with the upgrade at the QB position with Matt Cassel, look for Bowe to become an elite fantasy receiver with 90 plus catches, for over 1,200 yards and double digit TDs.

 

2.Vincent Jackson

Back when Tomlinson was the league’s premier running back, and Gates was the team’s top receiving option, the Chargers’ receiving corps was barely heard of.

But with Tomlinson now slowed by injury and age, and injuries taking their toll on Gates’ body, the receivers have now stepped to the forefront, and at the head of that charge is Vincent Jackson.

The 6’5″ third-year receiver caught 59 balls for 1,098 yards, and seven TDs last year, and became Rivers go-to guy late in the season.

This year, his fifth year in the league, look for Jackson to hit the 1,200-yard mark with double digit TDs.

 

3. Brandon Marshall

Based on talent alone, this guy tops the list. He has developed into one of the top receivers in the game since 2006.

However, immaturity, legal issues, and now the loss of Jay Cutler, will all keep him from ranking higher on the fantasy draft charts in 2009.

With the prospects of receiving balls from either Kyle Orton, look for Marshall’s numbers to take a significant step backwards, although he’ll still eclipse the 1,000-yard mark and score nine TDs.

 

4. Eddie Royal

Marshall’s counterpart, Royal, had an excellent rookie season in 2008. The former second-round pick out of Virginia Tech burst onto the season and torched the Raiders for 146 yards and a TD on opening day. Overall, he finished with 91 catches, for 980 yards, and five TDs.

This year, expect McDaniels to utilize Royal in the team’s short passing game as New England used Welker, and for Royal to catch between 75-85 balls for a thousand yards and five to seven TDs.

 

Sleeper

Johnnie Lee Higgins

For those of you expecting to hear Darrius Heyward-Bey’s name called here, think again. Rookie wide receivers rarely make a significant fantasy impact in year one and certainly not a guy playing on the Raiders.

Higgins on the other hand, began to step up late last season and finished with 22 catches for four TDs. This year, he could double both.

 

Draft Tip

Bowe, Jackson and Marshall should all go between round’s three and four. Royal will be a nice second receiver in round six and beyond, while Higgins, our fantasy sleeper for this division, will be ripe for the taking towards the latter rounds of the draft.

Broncos Name Starting QB, Look To Move Forward

This offseason has not been one of Denver’s smoothest. Between a coach being fired and the franchise QB being traded, the Broncos have been in disarray. However, coach Josh McDaniels has officially named Orton the starting QB. Not that anyone was surprised. Few thought Simms could actually take the job.

But what does this mean now for the Bronco organization? There are several reasons why Orton has been named starter now and why this is great news for the fans.

First off, if means that Orton is getting the playbook down. Don’t overlook this. What McDaniels is saying when announcing this decision is that Orton looks like he knows what he is doing and can lead the team. If Orton were not absorbing the playbook, McD would hold off on the announcing. So it seems like he has it under his belt, the first step in leading Denver to success.

Second, it means that Denver is ready to move on. I think this is McD’s main reason for announcing the starter. He is trying to convey that, despite the turmoil in losing Cutler, Denver is onto another chapter. The Broncos put Cutler behind them and are now focused on being great with Orton as QB. McD wants the fans to know this. He wants to tell them that Denver has moved on, Cutler is a thing of the past.

So the first position battle has been decided. With this we can pretty much figure out the offense now. We know Orton is the QB, and we know who the line will be. No one will dispute that Marshall should be the No. 1 WR and Royal being a great No. 2. Scheffler will be the TE, and there is your offense.

Defense still has battles though. Among the guaranteed starters are D.J. Williams and Champ Bailey. Dumervil should be one of rushing LBs. The biggest question now is the D-backs. Who will be the No. 2 CB and who will be the safeties.

In all, naming Orton as the starting QB is a great thing for Denver. They are stepping out of hole that they made and have declared that from now on, it is nothing but moving forward.

Bears Cutler vs. Broncos Marshall/Royal: Who Will Have a Better Season?

The question continues in Chicago, did Jay Cutler make Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal that much better of receivers, or did Marshall and Royal’s abilities make Cutler look more like a Pro Bowler than he really was?

The answer to the question is that they both  benefited from each other’s skills, but taking the middle ground is not really a football fan’s way of doing things. It is considered the easy way out.

So thankfully, the question should be answered once the seasons hits the midway point. How, you might ask?

Well, you can argue that both Cutler and the Broncos receivers are now dealing with less effective counterparts so everyone will be checking both Kyle Orton’s numbers as well as the Bears receiving corps stats and using that as a basis.

Orton, while a capable QB, does not have the rocket arm that Cutler possesses and none of the Bears receivers are even close to the level that Brandon Marshall is at, and arguably Eddie Royal for that matter.

With Orton, who the Broncos named starter a few days ago, you have a quarterback who can manage games and make smart throws, but also benefited from having a great running game to take the pressure off. He had problems connecting on deep passes but his short tosses and out-routes have been on target. His numbers should be bolstered by having a receiver like Marshall who is big, physical, and can out jump most cornerbacks.

What might hurt Orton is the fact that the Broncos have nothing even resembling a legitimate rushing attack. After being able to turn around and hand the ball off to the likes of Matt Forte, and Thomas Jones at one point, expect Orton to be surprised when he turns and hands the ball off to five different backs on five straight plays.

In Chicago, Jay Cutler will be working with a very raw group of receivers. Devin Hester and Rashied Davis are the only two who have any real NFL game experience. Earl Bennett is coming off a rookie season where he did not record a single reception. Add in there practice squad extraordinaire Brandon Rideau and rookies Juaquin Iglesias and Johnny Knox, and there are more than a few question marks to say the least.

Hester will no doubt be an improved weapon considering Cutler’s cannon of an arm. And Bennett and Cutler were teammates back when both attend Vanderbilt, so they already have developed a rapport. Davis, coming off a miserable season last year, is looking to bounce back and prove that he is a reliable option in the slot. Both Iglesias and Knox have drawn the praises of draft guru’s everywhere.

But none of them, not even Hester really, have shown the ability to be that star receiver that Cutler needs.

Where Cutler will be surprised is with Forte and the running game, he will not only be throwing less passes, he had 600+ attempts last year, but the play-action pass could become deadly. Add to that a solid, reliable tight end in Desmond Clark and an up-and-comer in Greg Olsen, and Cutler’s passing percentage could be on the rise, of course his overall yards and TD’s might take a dip.

So all in all, it will be an interesting season to watch for both Bears and Bronco fans and expect the comparisons to be endless. I personally hope that it turns out Cutler made Marshall and Royal better, as opposed to the other way around, but hey, I am a Bears fan; what do you expect?

Josh McDaniels Names Kyle Orton Starting QB,But Vick Could Still Compete

Today, according to B/R’s own Broncos expert Sayre Bedinger, the Broncos’ head coach Josh McDaniels named new quarterback Kyle Orton the starter.

McDaniels also clarified, “That certainly does not mean that there won’t be competition in training camp because there will…Kyle has the job right now, but we will see if he can keep it.”

As I said two weeks ago, Kyle Orton won the job as of now, but also I stated three weeks ago that competition breeds success, one reason of three that the Denver Broncos should sign Michael Vick.

Vick was released by the Atlanta Falcons on Friday, and he is free to sign with any team that wants him, though no one has inquired as of yet. Although ESPN’s John Clayton reported that the Rams and 49ers among others are the front-runners to pick up the once great QB, Denver should be Vick’s next home.

I’m not saying that Vick should come in and start for the Broncos. He should merely add competition, something Chris Simms has likely had problem doing, and, in turn, making Orton better.

With McDaniels’ genius as far as play calling and designing is concerned, could utilize Vick as the slash; at one point, the QB could be in the “vickcat” or even “hokie-pokie” offense, the next play he could be split out wide as a receiver, and they could even utilize him on special teams as a punt/kick returner.

It could be magical, and it could be tragic.

Imagine Vick, the same man that had over 1,000 yards rushing, an NFL record for a QB, and also threw for over 2,600 yards in 2006, playing for the Broncos, doing all sorts of exciting things.

“Vick takes the ball from center, runs to the right for 15 yards, first down. Vick takes the snap, drops back, hits Brandon Marshall across the middle for a first down. Orton drops back, sees Vick down the sideline wide open, hits him for a 45-yard touchdown!”

Vick could keep pressure on Orton to be a quality quarterback in the Broncos orange and blue and also do what he has done best in the NFL for six seasons—create headaches, confusion, and match up problems for any defense that plays Denver.

Another aspect that makes Vick a good fit in “Patriots West” is that New England has been regarded as a haven for players with troubled pasts, like Randy Moss and Corey Dillon, and New England is where McDaniels grew up in the NFL.

McDaniels could preach just as his mentor Bill Belichick does; it’s the team’s way or the highway. And that should go for Brandon Marshall too, but that’s another story.

This is, of course, if Vick is cleared to play by Roger Goodell and the NFL, if he can still compete at the high level the NFL demands, if Vick can again learn an NFL offense, a quite complex one at that, and if Vick can keep himself out of trouble, including not corrupting young talents like Marshall, who is on the edge of a cliff all on his own.

All that said, in the end, bringing in Vick is definitely worth the trouble of the negative media that will lose interest quickly, and he is a low-risk, potentially high-reward player, considering he could just be cut if he screws up.

So, Bowlen, Xanders, and McDaniels, what are you waiting for?!

 

As Expected, Josh McDaniels Names Kyle Orton Broncos’ Starting QB

In the midst of arguably the most foolish holdout in Denver Broncos’ history, some breaking news came today out of the Mile High City that was actually in regards to the football field.  New quarterback Kyle Orton was officially named the starter by head coach Josh McDaniels.

“We’ve named Kyle the starter, and again we said from day one that when it was clear and apparent to us through a number of practices, meetings, and those type of things that you evaluate the quarterback on that we would make a decision and we have,” McDaniels said.  “That certainly does not mean that there won’t be competition in training camp because there will…Kyle has the job right now but we will see if he can keep it.”

It has been a rough offseason for many in Denver, but this news comes as a major relief to Orton, who thinks this offense has a bright future ahead.

“Obviously I’m really excited,” Orton said. “It’s really just the beginning for me and this offense and hopefully just continue to improve everyday—get myself and the offense where we need to be for the season.”

Even though Orton is the starter now in June, he still knows Chris Simms is hot on his heels.

“He is still fighting his butt off to take over the job, and I need to keep playing well,” Orton said.

One reason it was easy for McDaniels to trade away Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler to the Chicago Bears was not just because of the draft pick compensation they received in return, but the fact that Orton is a very smart quarterback who can pick up this complex offense.

“Yeah it’s difficult,” Orton said, “It’s a new system—it’s certainly difficult for every guy but that’s our job is to learn it and execute it, and we’ve been working hard to do it.”

Now that more than two months have passed since the Cutler trade, Broncos’ fans are more at ease due to the fact Orton will be under center this season. 

Prior to going down with an ankle injury last season, Orton was playing the best ball of his life, completing 62.23 percent of his passes for 1,669 yards, and 10 touchdowns compared to only four interceptions.

And that was with a makeshift receiving group.

Now with Denver, Orton has a receiving group that features the likes of Brandon Marshall, Brandon Stokley, Eddie Royal, Jabar Gaffney, Tony Scheffler, Daniel Graham, Peyton Hillis, Knowshon Moreno, and Correll Buckhalter.

Some fantasy analysts are projecting Orton to have a career season in his first year with the Broncos.

 

Marshall Update

Marshall was in Dove Valley for a brief period of time yesterday to meet with Broncos owner Pat Bowlen and was seen leaving with some boxes.  The significance of the boxes remains to be seen, but the Pro Bowl wide receiver’s situation grows stickier by the day.

Some are suggesting he will be traded, but the smart money says Marshall will report to training camp and play another year with the Broncos.

Marshall is reportedly unhappy about his contract, and the Broncos appear to be hesitant to renew that contract due to Marshall’s legal situation as well as his recent major hip surgery. 

The smart thing for Marshall to do is report to the Broncos’ mandatory mini-camp, as he is losing a projected $9,000 dollars per session.

Brandon Marshall Misses Mandatory Meeting As Attitude Worsens

Brandon Marshall is an amazing football player, making his first Pro Bowl in February, but he is also a very violent, egotistical person who cares more about himself than his team and loved ones. 

Marshall should consider himself lucky, but seems to be oblivious about it all.

Marshall is one of only 1,500 people in the world who has the chance to play a game he loves for exorbitantly higher wages than he could make in almost any other field. Many professional athletes admit to loving their job, and why not with the fame and fortune that comes along with playing a mere game.

No doubt Marshall does love to play, but he has used the opportunity to spotlight himself, mostly in negative ways, rather than bringing positive attention to the Broncos’ organization.

After being suspended last season for three games, for 12 separate home police visits, Marshall was fortunate to have the suspension reduced by Roger Goodell to a single game. The deal hinged on Marshall promising Goodell he would stay out of trouble.

Then, in March, B. Marsh was arrested for the fifth time for fighting his fiancee, and another suspension was expected, one with much longer time off. But as the charges were dropped the next day by his now ex-fiancee, the case was dismissed.

Marshall should have played for Notre Dame in college because he definitely has the luck of the Irish.

It seems the grip of Goodell’s iron fist seemed to have let Marshall slip through, this time.

Now, after all the legal troubles and an interview on Outside the Lines, in which Marshall made clear over and over that he never laid his hands on his ex-fiancee, something his legal record argues to the contrary, Marshall has made the negative news once again.

The Denver Broncos held their first mandatory mini-camp today, and Marshall, who is recovering from hip surgery, was supposed to attend. Marshall was supposed to begin rehabbing with the Broncos.

Marshall has missed the past three weeks of team activity in Denver, and has said he doesn’t trust the Broncos’ medical unit. He says he’s wary of the team doctors because his hip was misdiagnosed originally. He’s also said he wants a pay raise.

While Marshall may have a gripe with the staff, he should put it behind him and realize that Steve “Greek” Antanopolus is highly regarded as one of the best in the league.

The young “beast” of a receiver definitely has a gripe when it comes to his contract, though, as he is set to make only $2.2 million for the 2009 season, well below the standards for high-profile NFL receivers.

Missing this camp is more of a selfish act than anything, telling the team and the league Brandon is going to do it Brandon’s way. It may be a way to a larger contract, but not the best path to be sure.

Marshall needs to suck it up and act like he cares about his NFL career, then he should ask for more money. There is no room on the baby Broncos, led by youngster Josh McDaniels, for an egotistical, selfish and likely violent player.

Marshall must take a good hard look in the mirror and find himself before he can truly help the Broncos, which may never happen, something the Denver organization must consider before moving toward giving him a huge new contract.

After such horrible personnel moves like the additions of Maurice Clarett and Travis Henry, the Broncos can’t continue to put up with another locker room cancer, which Marshall is making himself out to be.

If the Broncos pay him, hopefully Marshall can reform his attitude. If he can’t do that, they must cut ties with the receiver.

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Kyle Orton

To start off I would first like to say something that Broncos’ fans don’t like to hear, but know in their hearts to be true. You have been spoiled by John Elway.

You continually compare every quarterback to arguably one of the best quarterbacks of all time. The sooner you accept the fact that Elway is not walking through the tunnel on Sundays, everything will be easier for you.

Living in Denver I hear differing opinions on the most recent failed Elway replacement, Jay Christopher Cutler. People either love or they hate him. They either think Jay Cutler is greatest thing since the invention of the wheel or a bum they are glad to be rid of. Not much middle ground.

 

I’ve witnessed it a lot over the past 10 years. When Brian Griese replaced Elway after Elway retired all I heard about was how great Griese was and how he would be just like the old man he was replacing. Two years later Bronco Nation wanted to tar and feather him.

 

Then it was Jake Plummer’s turn to run the Denver Broncos offense. Again all I heard about was the renown of Plummer, the next coming of No. 7. A little over two years later when the Broncos drafted Cutler Denver ran poor Jake out of town.

 

Alright Bronco fans, your team finally has a good young quarterback to build around. Yes! Three years after Mike Shanahan made Cutler the 11th pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, Shanahan is fired and Cutler is a Bear.

 

Now the debate rages, was Cutler a franchise quarterback you shipped off? Or was he just another guy who couldn’t fill the “Great One’s” shoes? If I had to guess I would say somewhere in between. Either way fans in Denver aren’t to optimistic about the 2009 season.

 

Broncos’ fans shouild forget how good Cutler was (or wasn’t depending on how you look at it) and have faith in Kyle Orton. This more than capable signal caller can run your offense with more efficiency and precision than the gunslinger ever could.

 

And if not you can you always draft Sam Bradford.

Brandon Marshall Skips Broncos Mini-Camp; Time in Denver May Be Short-Lived

Today marks day one of the Broncos’ weekend mini-camp, the first mandatory session of the offseason. Wide receiver Brandon Marshall was not in attendance.

Consider this the official beginning of Marshall’s “holdout” with the Denver Broncos. The fourth-year receiver is in the final year of his rookie contract and is due to make just over $2 million this season.

Per the Denver Post, Marshall likely will be fined by the team for his actions. 

The Pro Bowl wide receiver had hip surgery earlier this offseason. It is unlikely he would have been able to practice anyway, but he was still expected to show up for rehab on his injury.

This segment is supposed to be a professional breaking news article, but allow me to voice my opinion for a moment.

Brandon Marshall has got to be one of the dumbest people on earth for not showing up to the mandatory mini-camps.

First of all, he is in the final year of his rookie contract, which is modest anyway, and now he is going to be fined. He is losing money over this. 

If there is one thing any Bronco fan, player, coach, or executive has learned since the Josh McDaniels era began, it is that if any player feels he is above the rest, he is going to be gone faster than he can blink.

Factor in the fact that Marshall is forfeiting valuable time getting to know his new teammates, the new system, and the Broncos’ new quarterbacks. Sure, he can study the playbook from afar, but it would be much more beneficial to show up to camp to get an idea of what the offense looks like live.

You also have to think as a player—would your coach, the man who ultimately decides whether or not you stay or go, honestly be more willing to talk contract extension with you if you were a man and showed up to the mandatory camp?

Marshall is going nowhere fast.

He still faces domestic dispute charges in August, and his hip injury is going to limit him to only two weeks of training camp practice this entire offseason.

Marshall, if you read this, take a page out of the book of Casey Wiegmann.

Show the team you are dedicated to the new direction by showing up for camp and putting a smile on your face. You have provided the Broncos with more headaches than they should have put up with, and you are still being given another chance. 

Keep your mouth shut, perform well this season, and then you can worry about a contract extension.  

Otherwise, I do not see you in Denver past 2009, maybe not even that. Wide receivers come and go, and you are no different. 

Battle For Supremacy: AFC West Quarterback Showdown

The Oakland Raiders have their work cut out for them this year, playing against a slew of tough opponents.  Five playoff teams await the Raider on the gridiron this year, but we will get to those in a later article.  For now, lets focus on two teams at a time in our own division: the Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs. 

It has been speculated over and over that Cassel and Orton will somehow become dominant forces in the AFC west.  Allow me the indulgence of disagreeing. 

When Brady went down in, ironically, a game against the Chiefs, many fans sat around scratching their heads as to who exactly was Tom Brady’s backup. 

Enter Matt Cassel.

Who he is and where he comes from is still a mystery to many NFL fans.  Cassel was a perennial backup at USC behind the likes of Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart.  Cassel never started a game in the NFL, or in college for that matter. 

I’m sure Raider fans remember the 49-26 drubbing that Cassel handed the Raiders last year.  But I can assure you, that is all part of the past, Raider-nation. 

Cassel had many things going for him in that game.  I shall list them for your convenience:

1. Receivers. Randy Moss, Wes Welker, etc. 
2. An offensive line that wasn’t awful
3. Great coaching
4. A decent defense

Cassel now has to deal with the following as the Chiefs staring quarterback:

1. Inconsistent receivers, although Dwayne Bowe will be very effective, but will surely draw double coverage without Tony Gonzalez
2. A giant question mark in the coaching sector, having a former Patriots executive doesn’t make you a winner, despite what everyone seems to believe
3. A horrible defense.  I mean horrible. 
4. A line which I believe is slightly worse than New England’s line, but not by too much.  Although, with Waters disgruntled, it could get a lot worse. 

50 Sacks again this season?  Most likely, and here is why.

The Chiefs running game will remain semi-potent to be sure, with Larry Johnson, Jamaal Charles, Kolby Smith, and Jackie Battle will create a competent rushing attack.  But their defense has not improved at all. 

An anemic 10 sacks was all the Chiefs could muster last year.  The addition of Tyson Jackson will be mitigated with the Chiefs shifting to a 3-4.  The Chiefs defense is in shambles, which means they will be playing from behind in most, if not all, of their contests this season. 

This simply means: run, Matt, run.  Run for your life. 

Cassel will be sacked a lot this year.  He will also be forced to throw the ball on the run, which for a quarterback like him will almost certainly result in more interceptions.  If Cassel gets sacked 47 times with New England, that number will only rise on the much-worse-off Chiefs.  I’m afraid that the Chiefs have been had.  They bought an expensive tackling dummy. 

It has been pointed out on NFL.com and other sites that Cassel’s QB rating was around 28 when opposing teams blitzed.  OUCH.  You think other teams will watch his game film?

Cassel will perform better than Thigpen, but that won’t be enough to lift the Chiefs from the bottom of the barrel in the AFC west as some ridiculous sports writers have claimed.  Cassel the second-coming of Brady?  I think not.

 

Next, we come to the wayward Broncos.  I almost feel sorry for the fans in Denver for the way their promising team last season has imploded in the offseason.  I’m not just talking about the most boneheaded trade I’ve seen since…well…Randy Moss to New England for a fourth-round pick was pretty bad. Then again, I don’t feel THAT bad.

I digress.  The Broncos will be better than the Chiefs this year.  That much is certain.  Their offense is still dangerous even without Cutler, but they will soon learn the cost of their mistake when they send former Purdue wunderkind onto the field, Kyle Orton.

Orton has shown some much improved maturity and poise in recent years, but I’m getting ahead of myself. 

Orton may not even start this year.  There is an open competition with Chris Simms.

Simms initially seemed promising during the 2005 season, in which he came in after then-starting quarterback Brian Griese had a season-ending injury.  He led the Bucs to a playoff berth with over 2,000 yards and a passer rating of 81.4. 

Then, he imploded the next season.  We all know what happened next—ruptured spleen, release, Titans, released to make room for a punter.  Ouch. 

Neither one of these quarterbacks are horrible.  But when you are talking about them starting for a team with one of the worst defenses in the league, that’s bad news.  Like Cassel, their main problem will be playing from behind. 

We know the Broncos aren’t short on running backs. I believe they currently employ nine running backs who have potential to touch the football this year. 

Here is the reason the Broncos quarterbacks will suffer this year:

1. Horrible defense.  Having to play from behind is not a good way to get mediocre quarterbacks like Orton and Simms to win games.
2. Josh McDaniels.  I’m not one of the believers who thinks just because you were in New England, you’re a winner.  So far, he has been a train wreck.  Broncos fans must pray he can coach as well as he can run his mouth. 
3. No Mike Shanahan.  This needs no explanation.   
4. The fans.  Even if Kyle Orton and Simms perform marginally well, they won’t be Jay Cutler.  The fans will have little or no tolerance for failure.

I believe Orton has a far better chance to get the job than Simms.  He’s a better quarterback with a more consistent track record.  But, at the first sign of trouble, don’t be surprised to see him get yanked and see the Broncos play the quarterback shuffle. 

The Broncos have to pray that Knowshon Moreno is the second-coming of Walter Payton, or else this will turn out to be another disappointing season. 

 

In closing, the Broncos are in a much better position then the Chiefs, despite what everyone seems to believe.  They are largely unchanged in their core from last year. The loss of Shanahan and Cutler will definitely take their edge away. 

Next time, the Chargers and the Raiders!

New Broncos Safety Brian Dawkins Hopes to Finish Career With Hardware

Future Hall of Fame safety Brian Dawkins did not leave the Philadelphia Eagles for the five-year contract he received from the Denver Broncos.

“I would love to have a ring,” Dawkins said. “I would love to finish it all with a ring.”

At the ripe age of 35, many feel Dawkins is on his last gasp. There has been talk of him “slowing down” or “not being what he used to be,” but there is little doubt he is still capable of running around with the best on the field.

During his 13-year tenure with the Philadelphia Eagles, Dawkins was part of 10 playoff teams, five NFC Championship games, and one Super Bowl participant.

In that time, he has developed a reputation as one of the hardest hitting safeties in the league and has earned the nickname “Weapon X” among others.

Since Dawkins is one of just a few Broncos players with significant playoff experience, he knows the importance of proper preparation for the grueling NFL season.

“From this time of year, it’s really honestly about dedication. Dedicating yourself to the potential of us doing what we need to do and to getting to the playoffs,” Dawkins said.

“What I mean by that dedication is your workouts need to be intense. You can’t not work out for a period of time and think, ‘I’m going to be all right.’ You can’t think, ‘I’ve got all the plays down’ and not study them. And you have to take care of your body, and what that means is getting the proper sleep and eating the right things.”

Along with Dawkins, the Broncos brought in three new safeties to help a group that was arguably the worst in the NFL in 2008. Those players include rookies Darcel McBath and David Bruton, and veteran Renaldo Hill. Dawkins says it is a big part of their development to have veteran leadership.

“It helps the team, but I feel like I’m supposed to do that,” Dawkins said, “I have been blessed to play a lot of years, and I have received wisdom from experience and from others that it wouldn’t be right for me to just keep it to myself.”

Dawkins also knows the importance of sharing wisdom off the field, because no one plays in the NFL forever.

“In the long haul, you know, this game of football won’t be here for everybody all the time—we’re all going to hang ’em up at some point—and if I can tell them something that’s going to help them off the field, to be a better individual, then I’ll definitely do that also.”

If there is anything more important than his on-field production, it is the savvy and leadership Dawkins brings to the table. But he is not just being embraced by his coaches and teammates—Dawkins has brought excitement to the city of Denver as a whole. 

In fact, not only is Dawkins’ jersey the top-selling item on the Broncos’ section of NFLShop.com, but even he noticed there was a buzz around him at the team’s recent Fan Fair.

“They were very excited to have me here,” Dawkins said. “It’s a humbling experience for me. They were very, very jacked up at the fact of what (the defense) can potentially do as a unit, and what I have been able to do for 13 years. They are expecting that this year so I’m going to do what I can for them.”

While many NFL observers are saying he is too old to compete at a high level anymore, Dawkins is a man of faith and believes that when his time has passed, he will know.

“I would love to continue to play at a high level,” Dawkins said. “I think from the onset of my career, one of the things that I have always said is that I want to be very consistent for the duration of my career. I’m talking about from the beginning to the end.

“I want to play a consistent brand of ball throughout that time, and when the Lord tells me it’s time to set it down, I’ll set it down, but that ring is the most important push for me right now.”

So how far away are the Broncos from getting that ring?

“We’ll see,” Dawkins said. “It’s a day-to-day operation with any team, but for us I know we’re young in a lot of respects as far as learning and knowing the offense and defense. It’s going to be important for every guy to learn his playbook and know that thing.”

While many Eagles fans were devastated at the loss of Dawkins, he realizes this league is a business, and says it has already sunk in that he is no longer an Eagle.

“I knew I was a Bronco when I first set foot on that practice field,” Dawkins said. “In the workout room, working out with guys, it’s still new… Once I finally truly got on the practice field, I got in the huddle and donned the helmet—I’m a Bronco.”

The Broncos defense will feature many new starters, and while many still have their doubts, Dawkins’ leadership could be a huge key to the resurrection of the Orange Crush in Denver.

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