Denver Broncos Training Camp, Day 2: Hillis, Stokley Look Sharp

Day 2 observations from Denver Broncos training camp at Dove Valley:

— RB/FB Peyton Hillis flattened DL Tim Crowder in a 1-on-1 drill that left Crowder being attended to. He was able to get up and walk off on his own power and later returned to practice.

— One fan was overheard saying “That’s what you’re supposed to do” in the direction of WR Brandon Marshall after he caught a Kyle Orton pass. Marshall was ragged for dropping passes last year.

— Speaking of Marshall, he was back running after taking Friday night’s practice off.
— Champ Bailey was also back on the field and was taken off the team’s PUP list.

— Ryan Torain continued to run strong, including some carries with the first team. He’s doing this despite the protection on his left leg, which he tore the ACL last season at Cleveland.

— One kid sitting in the crowd had a Jay Cutler jersey on, however, Cutler’s name was crossed out with black tape.

— Chris Simms looks to have a stronger arm than Kyle Orton, but Orton has a better touch. That said, there’s no question that Orton is the first-string QB. Coach Josh McDaniels directed Orton to run one set of offensive plays, though Simms was in line to run the plays.

— Brandon Marshall received the largest applause from the crowd on hand. He was also jeered during one dropped pass.

— Brandon Stokley looked good in his quest to be Denver’s No. 3 WR. He’s battling Jabar Gaffney and Brandon Lloyd for that honor.

— Good chance that Chad Jackson and Kenny McKinley are battling for the last WR spot on the roster, assuming the team keeps six. Brandon Marshall, Eddie Royal, Brandon Stokley, Jabar Gaffney and Brandon Lloyd would appear to be locks. Jackson may be the odd man out, but he has experience with McDaniels from New England.

— A few plays after Peyton Hillis ran over Tim Crowder, he was taken down by Elvis Dumervil.

— Starting secondary should be no surprise—Champ Bailey, Brian Dawkins, Andre Goodman and Renaldo Hill. Second-round draft pick Alphonso Smith will play the nickle corner and likely be on kick returns with Eddie Royal and Kenny McKinley, if he makes the team.

— The offensive line opened up some nice holes early on for Correll Buckhalter and Peyton Hillis, but the D-line was able to stop Denver’s 2nd-string offense on runs by Buckhalter and Ryan Torain.

— Offense ran a number of five-wide setups with TE Tony Scheffler flushed wide left and using RB out of the backfield as the fifth guy.

— First-team offense ran a number of underneath throws to Eddie Royal, Daniel Graham and Jabar Gaffney, but struggled to go deep on the No. 1 defense, in particular the starting secondary.

— Brian Dawkins should’ve had a pick of Kyle Orton on a overthrow. Immediately after Dawkins punished himself with 10 push-ups prior to the next play.

— CB Joshua Bell knocked the ball away from Brandon Lloyd on a fade pass from Kyle Orton.

— Chris Simms hit Jabar Gaffney on an offensive drill down the right sideline past Darcel McBath, but McBath, making up for getting beat, was able to knock the ball out of Gaffney’s hand and through the end zone for what would’ve been a touchback.

Broncos Training Camp Notes: Marshall Holds Out, Jordan Running With First Team

News and notes from observations at Friday night’s session of Day One of training camp:

— Brandon Marshall didn’t practice in the night session after a good (reported) earlier session.

— LaMont Jordan is running with first team, Correll Buckhalter with second team and Ryan Torain with third team. Remember, Knowshon Moreno is not in camp yet as he waits to get a contract deal done.

— First-team WRs for most of night session were Eddie Royal and Jabar Gaffney. Brandon Stokley played in the slot with Daniel Graham at TE.

— Team ran a lot of group drills after going through stretching exercises.

— Offense ran a number of short five- and 10-yard in-and-out patterns, including a nice catch by rookie Kenny McKinley.

— Passing game looked rough when it went up against the secondary—a lot of deflections and near interceptions.

— Kenny McKinley made a couple of nice long catches from Chris Simms.

— Team threw a number of swing passes to the left flat to Peyton Hills.

— Correll Buckhalter had one nice inside handoff run.

— Brian Dawkins nearly picked off one of Simms’ passes.

— WR C.J. Jones got rocked on one offensive play. Left practice, but came back later.

— DE Tim Crowder would’ve had a sure sack on rookie QB Tom Brandstater on one play. QBs are wearing non-contact red jerseys.

— Rookies Alphonso Smith and Kenny McKinley were working on kickoff returns along with Eddie Royal.

It’s (Mile) High Time For Josh McDaniels To Show What He’s Got

OK, Josh McDaniels, show us what you’ve got.

The time has come for the 33-year-old hotshot head coach of the Denver Broncos to silence all the critics and prove that he is the second coming when his team opens training camp Friday at Dove Valley.

New quarterback Kyle Orton will be there. All the rookies—OK, we’re still waiting on first-rounders Knowshon Moreno and Robert Ayers—will be in attendance. Shoot, hotheaded wide receiver Brandon Marshall is even here.

But make no bones about it. Even with all the free agents brought in this offseason, all the rookies—and there are plenty of them, 10 in all—and all the holdovers from the Mike Shanahan regime, when the first of two practices starts Friday morning at 8:30 a.m., all eyes will be on McDaniels.

Hoodie Junior, as he’s been affectionately called as a reference to his mentor, New England’s Bill Belichick, has turned Broncos Country upside down ever since he was named head coach in January.

Now, all things considered, that may not be such a bad thing. Consider that the Broncos were the first team in NFL history to blow a three-game division lead with three games remaining last year, and had a defense with more holes than swiss cheese, change may be a good thing.

But his very public spat with incumbent quarterback Jay Cutler is what comes to mind first and foremost when people think about McDaniels. Almost as quickly as McDaniels arrived in time, Cutler had a one-way ticket out, courtesy of a blockbuster deal with the Chicago Bears that brought Orton into the fold.

Behind Cutler and Marshall, the 2008 Broncos had an offense that was second to none when it came to moving the ball between the 20s. It was getting into the end zone that was a problem. Hopefully, McDaniels and his offensive prowess can fix that problem.

But he’ll have to do that without the services of Cutler. He’ll have to do that with an injury-proned Marshall, who despite demanding a trade and having concerns with both the new head coach and the training staff, reported to camp on time.

That said, maybe McDaniels can keep the offensive chugging along with a more balanced attack than what Denver was able to utilize last season, after a plethora of running back injuries rattled the team. That’s of course depended on Moreno signing his rookie deal and getting into camp.

Come Friday, Broncos fans will get to see for themselves whether McDaniels was the right choice to replace Shanahan. For his sake, I hope so.

Brandon Marshall: Trade Demands Sound Awfully Familiar

First Jay Cutler, now Brandon Marshall?

Does anyone want to stay with the Denver Broncos anymore?

A little more than two months after Pro-Bowl quarterback Cutler was traded to the Chicago Bears his former Broncos teammate Marshall is reportedly asking out, too.

Former NFL Network and Denver Post reporter Adam Schefter reported to AM radio station 850 KOA in Denver on Monday that Marshall asked Broncos owner Pat Bowlen for a trade during a meeting Friday. Marshall was in town to talk with team officials on the first day of a mandatory mini-camp, where Marshall did participate.

Reportedly, Denver isn’t considering the possibility of dealing their star wide receiver, but, then again, they said the same thing about Cutler before he got shipped out of town.

Marshall, who caught more than 100 passes for an average of almost 1,300 yards and 7 TDs in the past two seasons, is upset with his contract and wants to renegotiate his original rookie deal.

Marshall is scheduled to make $2.2 million this season, the last year of his four-year rookie contract.

Other reports say that Marshall is upset with the direction of the team in the aftermath of the Cutler trade.

Whatever the reason is, Marshall, who has made more news this offseason for his continuing legal woes and refusal to let the Broncos medical staff to treat his injured hip, certainly looked the part of an alienated employee when he left the Broncos team facility last week with some packed boxes in tow.

Maybe Marshall just misses his old buddy Cutler and is hopeful for a reunion in Chicago.

Then again, maybe not.

The Baltimore Ravens have already been speculated as a possible trade partner. The Ravens certainly could use the WR upgrade.

Nevertheless, the last thing the Broncos need is another primadonna on their roster threatening for a trade. Especially one like Marshall, who has provided as many headaches off the field as exhilarating plays on it.

Orton Selection at QB Gives Broncos More Bang For Their Bucks

So Kyle Orton is the Denver Broncos starting quarterback. Truthfully, was there ever a doubt?

When new head coach Josh McDaniels traded Pro Bowl QB Jay Cutler to the Chicago Bears in April for Orton and a plethora of draft picks there was no question that the 26-year-old Purdue product had to be the guy.

You didn’t really think that after the way the Cutler debacle went down and Denver acquired Orton in the deal that it would name Chris Simms, who came to Denver as a free agent this offseason, as the starter did you? Not that Simms is a horrible quarterback, but the former University of Texas signal-caller has played in just one game, thrown two passes for the Tennessee Titans last year and almost ended his career three years ago with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

It was then, playing against the Carolina Panthers, that Simms suffered an injury that led to emergency surgery following a 26-24 loss to have his spleen removed. He has seen limited NFL action since.

While Simms has been recovering, Orton was establishing himself as a winner, even if his individual statistics weren’t the loftiest. Orton has won 21 of 33 career starts, including in 2005 when he led Chicago to an 11-5 record and first place in the NFC North. The Bears lost to the Carolina Panthers in the NFC Divisional Playoffs. He led Chicago to a 9-7 record last season, just narrowly missing the NFC playoffs.

Now, Orton might be a winner, his numbers won’t even come close to comparing to those of the man he is replacing in the Mile High City.

Orton has never thrown for 3,000 yards in a season; Cutler has averaged more than 4,000 the last two seasons. Orton, who threw for a career-best 2,972 yards and 18 scores in 2008, has a 55.3 career completion percentage; Cutler has completed 63 percent of his passes since 2007. But Orton has a winning record and has played in the playoffs. Cutler is just 17-20 as a starter, having never led Denver to a winning record since taking over as the starter at the end of the 2006 season.

Simms might make more than three times as much money as Orton – Simms signed a two-year, $6 million deal with Denver while Orton is playing for just $995,000 under his rookie deal – Orton gives the Broncos more bang for their bucks. Now he just needs the playmakers around him, something he lacked in Chicago. That said, has anyone seen Brandon Marshall lately?

Short Passing Game, Defensive Personnel Add Wrinkles To Broncos

Looking at the 2009 Denver Broncos, one thing is evidently clear—change is on the way. Lots of change.

With a new head coach in Josh McDaniels, a new defensive coordinator in Mike Nolan, new starting quarterback and running back, and mostly an entirely new defense, this year’s team will be nothing like the 2008 squad.

Whether that’s a good thing or not depends on whether you’re talking about the team’s offense or defense.

Offensively, Denver ranked as one of the best in the league in 2008, finishing second only to New Orleans in total yardage. But, with Jay Cutler gone to Chicago, the team’s offensive focus will center around new signal-caller Kyle Orton, rookie running back Knowshon Moreno, and a corps of wide receivers that rank second to none.

More than that, the offense will have head coach Josh McDaniels playing a key part in running the show. McDaniels’ track record stands for itself. Even though the 33-year-old head coach lacks experience, there’s no denying the numbers his New England teams have put up since he started calling the offensive plays in 2005.

In 2007, with the Patriots on their way to an undefeated regular season, only to be stymied by the New York Giants in the Super Bowl, New England put up 75 touchdowns, including 67 on offense.

That was with Tom Brady, Randy Mos,s and Wes Welker leading the charge. In 2008, with Brady injured in the season opener against Kansas City and Matt Cassel playing QB, New England still managed to win 11 games and just miss the playoffs.

Now in Denver, McDaniels will bring that short, effective passing game to the table with Kyle Orton throwing the ball to the likes of Eddie Royal and Brandon Marshall. Orton may not have the arm strength that Cutler has, but, then again, Brady wasn’t considered the strongest thrower either when he left Michigan for the pros earlier this decade.

It’s that short passing game and the presence of Moreno in the backfield that will give Denver more than a one-dimensional look on offense, something that was almost necessary after seven Bronco running backs went down to injury in 2008.

But more than offense, the team’s defense will take on an entirely different look—and that’s a good thing.

A year after finishing as one of the worst teams in the league in yards allowed, Denver brings in former San Francisco 49ers coach Mike Nolan to lead the defense.

Prior to coaching in San Francisco, Nolan served as defensive coordinator for the N.Y. Giants, Washington, N.Y. Jets, and Baltimore. In each stop, the team’s defense had its best season in his first year at the helm.

With the Giants in 1993, New York gave up a league-low 205 points en route to a second-place finish to Dallas in the NFC East—a division that wasn’t won until the final game of the regular-season.

In 2001 with Baltimore, Nolan inherited a defense that was coming off a Super Bowl title. The talent was there that led to a No. 1 ranking in yards and points allowed, but the Ravens never repeated that effort, despite a pair of Top-10 finishes in 2003 and ’04.

That begs to ask whether Nolan’s defensive success in the 3-4 alignment has more to do with the personnel he had at his disposal or the scheme. It’s kind of hard not to think that it was the aforementioned players, something that Denver lacked in 2008.

With Brian Dawkins on board after coming over from Philadelphia as a free agent, rookies Robert Ayers, Darcel McBath, Alphonso Smith, and holdover Champ Bailey, the team has, hopefully, addressed its biggest weakness. Only time will tell.

I’m willing to bet that, while Denver’s offense will be the product of the new coaching staff in place, the defense, should it be successful, will have more to do with Dawkins’ leadership skills and the personnel around him then it will with Nolan’s 3-4 scheme.

History will prove that.

Broncos Season Depends On How Well, Fast Team Comes Together

Hope was high in the Mile High City early in 2008. The Denver Broncos started off with wins in four of their first five games and were 8-5 with three games left in the regular season. Then, the bottom fell out on what looked to be a promising season.

If the offseason is any indication—and for the fans’ sake, I would hope not—2009 might make 2008 look like a success.

With three consecutive losses to end the 2008 campaign, the Denver Broncos went from the clear-cut favorite to win the AFC West to missing out on the playoffs for a third-straight season.

In the process, head coach Mike Shanahan was fired, former New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels was brought in to replace him, and Pro Bowl QB Jay Cutler was shipped to Chicago.

Things certainly have changed in Denver.

The team has a new starting QB in former Chicago Bear Kyle Orton, assuming he beats out Chris Simms for the job. There’s a new RB in Georgia rookie Knowshon Moreno, the No. 12 pick in April’s draft. And, there’s a new 3-4 defensive alignment under coordinator Mike Nolan, with the addition of safety Brian Dawkins, formerly of the Philadelphia Eagles, and fellow first-round draft pick Robert Ayers, out of Tennessee.

The bevy of turnover in the team’s personnel will, ultimately, be the deciding factor in how well the team does in 2009. With a schedule that ranks 19th among the 32 teams in the NFL based on 2008 record, Denver could be a middle-of-the-road team. And, by the looks of things, the Broncos could get off to a similar start as it did last season.

With games at Cincinnati, home to Cleveland and at Oakland to open the season—all of whom combined for a 13-34-1 mark in 2008—Denver could be 3-0, just like last year, before entering what may be the toughest stretch for any team in the league this season.

Staring with a Week Four matchup at INVESCO Field at Mile High against the Dallas Cowboys and running through a mid-December showdown at Indianapolis, Denver plays nine of its next 10 games against teams with a .500 record or better. Six of those games come against playoff teams a year ago, and the only game against a team with a losing record is at Kansas City, where the Broncos lost 33-19 last season.

If that wasn’t bad enough, sandwiched between season-closing home games against Oakland and Kansas City is a road trip to Philadelphia, another 2008 playoff team.

Remember, this isn’t the same team that became the first squad in NFL history to blow a three-game division lead with three games to go last year. These Denver Broncos are totally different on both sides of the ball.

What McDaniels can bring to an offense that ranked second in yards per game, but was 16th in points scored will be key, especially with a new QB running the show.

What Nolan can do to a Broncos defense that ranked 29th in yards allowed and 30th in points will be key, especially with all the new personnel in the secondary.

How quick this team gels will be the ultimate factor in whether Denver can get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2005 or not.

My money’s on the team missing the postseason this year. With San Diego the favorite in the AFC West and only two wildcard spots available in a conference that featured 10 teams with a .500 or better record in 2008, the playoffs like look a long shot.

If Denver can start off 3-0 and weather the storm that is the middle of the season, eight or nine wins is possible—that might be just enough. But that depends on how well, and how quickly, things come together.

I’m not counting my chickens just yet.

20 Questions with Broncos Safety Brian Dawkins

Pick any player from your team, and list all of the questions you would ask for a feature interview.

Brian Dawkins came to Denver from Philadelphia via free agency this offseason. The 35-year-old Pro Bowler leaves a situation where the Eagles were one game from the Super Bowl to join the the Broncos, a team in transition.

1. How difficult was it to leave the Eagles where you were the face of the defense for so many years?

2. Hindsight being 20/20, would you have come to Denver if you had known the upheaval that was about to take place with the team’s offense, in particular the trade of franchise QB Jay Cutler?

3. You’re 35 year olds in a sport that isn’t catered toward older players. How much longer do you see yourself playing?

4. The secondary has undergone numerous changes this offseason with the release of Dre’ Bly and the addition of players like Alphonso Smith, Andre Goodman, Renaldo Hill and Darcel McBath. How do you see this group gelling together and performing in 2009?

5. Who is the leader of this defense, you or Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey?

6. The secondary would seem to be the strength, right now, of Mike Nolan’s 3-4 defense. How will the defensive backs help make the front seven a more formidable group and allow them to get more pressure on the QB, something the team lacked in 2008?

7. Fellow former Philadelphia Eagle Correll Buckhalter came along with you to the Mile High City. Before the team drafted Knowshon Moreno in the first round of this year’s draft Buckhalter was being pegged as potentially the team’s No. 1 back. Can he still fill that role in spite of the his injury history?

8. If the season started today, do you feel that the Broncos have enough talent across the board to make a run at the AFC West title and the playoffs or is this team in rebuilding mode?

9. Last year, the Eagles were minutes away from a return to the Super Bowl after a late-season run, how did that compare to Philadelphia’s run to the 2005 game against New England?

10. How do you think the Jay Cutler-Josh McDaniels feud will impact the team this season, especially on offense?

11. Was trading Jay Cutler a good, sound move for the overall morale of the team instead of having the potential headache of a very public feud hanging overhead throughout the season despite his immense talent?

12. You recently donated two tickets to the Broncos game in Philadelphia later this season to a former Eagles employee who was fired for comments he made criticizing the team for letting you leave. How much did that kind of support mean to you and your Eagles teammates when you played there?

13. What is your impressions of new head coach Josh McDaniels in the time that he’s been on the job?

14. Is there any awkwardness knowing that your head coach is two and half years younger than you or could you see him turning to you for advice during the season?

15. Unlike the NFC East, especially last season where the competition was stern from top to bottom, the AFC West boasts two of the weaker teams in the league, at least record-wise in 2008, and had a division champion that won just eight games. What do you expect to see from a competitive standpoint this season in the AFC West?

16. What were your impressions of Josh McDaniels’ flirtation of acquiring former protege Matt Cassel from New England to succeed Jay Cutler as the team’s quarterback?

17. What will you miss the most about not playing for former defensive coordinator Jim Johnson?

18. If there’s one player on another team in the NFL that you would you like to have as your teammate here in Denver that could be the missing piece to the puzzle, who would that be and why?

19. You signed a five-year contract to come to Denver, which, by the time it expires you would be 40. Can you see yourself playing until then?

20. Denver has won just one playoff game—a 2005 Divisional Playoff game against New England—since John Elway retired in 19999. Are you the answer in not only getting the team back into the playoffs, but also winning in the postseason? 

Jay Cutler Gone, New RBs and QBs Arrive as Denver Broncos Change Identity

When Josh McDaniels replaced long-time Denver Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan on Jan. 12, he inherited an offense that ranked second in the NFL in 2008 in yards per game. But with that potent offense came a defense that, for lack of a better words, didn’t live up to those same standards.

But, boy, how quickly things have changed. In four months, more than just the coaching staff has had a facelift.

Denver gave up 28 points per game, third most in the league last year, surrendered almost 375 yards per game, and had just six interceptions. Those numbers were downright Detroit Lions-like, and we all know how they did in 2008.

So it’s only fitting that McDaniels, a disciple of Bill Belichick in New England, would address the Broncos’ defensive woes this off-season.

Though the team didn’t re-sign starting cornerback Dre’ Bly, Denver has more than turned its attention to the defensive secondary with the signing of Philadelphia Eagles favorite Brian Dawkins, former Miami Dolphins cornerback Andre Goodman, safety Renaldo Hill and three draft picks, including second-rounders Alphonso Smith and Darcel McBath.

The new, and hopefully, improved defense should help. But with the exception of Tennessee linebacker/defensive end Robert Ayers in the first round of April’s NFL Draft and a couple of bit pieces in free agency, McDaniels and new general manager Brian Xanders haven’t, at least in terms of personnel, beefed up the Broncos’ woeful defensive line. Denver’s defense recorded just 26 sacks a year ago.

With new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan, the former head coach of the San Francisco 49ers on board, the Broncos will make the transition to a 3-4 defensive setup in 2009. In doing so, many of last year’s holdovers will be lining up elsewhere.

Former first-round pick Jarvis Moss, an undersized defensive end, will move to outside linebacker, likely opposite of Ayers. Elvis Dumervil and Tim Crowder will man the defensive end spots, while the early bet is that Matthias Askew or Marcus Thomas will start at defensive tackle.

But the nose tackle position, widely considered the centerpiece of a 3-4 defense along with the linebacker corps, wasn’t addressed in the draft and the team may look for an upgrade again once free agency gets rolling after June 1 cuts are made.

And of offense, oh, where do you start? Jay Cutler, remember him, he’s gone, shipped to the Chicago Bears in April for three draft picks and quarterback Kyle Orton.

The team also retooled its running back corps. Last season, the Broncos went through seven starting running backs as injuries rattled Denver’s ground attack.

The team has parted ways with Selvin Young, Michael Pittman, and Anthony Aldridge already. Another holdover, most likely Ryan Torain, is expected to be shown the door sooner rather than later.

In their place the team signed Correll Buckhalter, J.J. Arrington, and Lamont Jordan during early free agency and selected Georgia standout Knowshon Moreno with the 12th pick in last month’s draft.

But for an offense that averaged 23.1 points per game a year ago, the bigger change is behind center. Cutler, a 25-year-old Pro Bowl-caliber signal-caller, had a falling out with McDaniels that led to his departure.

In his place stand journeymen QBs Chris Simms and Orton. Neither will ever be compared to Cutler and his arm strength, but, in McDaniels’ offense, they don’t have to be.

Remember McDaniels coached an offense in New England that succeeded with Tom Brady and Matt Cassell, neither of whom entered the league with the pedigree that Cutler did.

Yes, the Patriots had Randy Moss and Wes Welker available to catch passes from the New England QBs, but it’s not like Denver’s hurting in the wide receiver department.

With the likes of Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal, not to mention new wideout Jabar Gaffney, another New England castoff, in the fold, Denver’s passing game just might not fall off as far as many seem to think.

And if all else fails, maybe McDaniels found his next QB gem in Frenso State’s Tom Brandstater in the sixth round of the draft. Then again, maybe not.

Only time will tell, and for the Broncos, with the way this offseason has been, it’s that time that they’ll need to prove to their doubters that things aren’t as bad on the surface as they would appear to be.

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