Denver Broncos Training Camp Notes Day Six: Ayers, Moss Impressive

Day six of training camp was lacking for pure excitement at Dove Valley Headquarters, aside from a little rookie hazing at the outset.

After the team finished calisthenics, the rookies formed a line in a corner of the practice facility that had been watered down by the turf crew, making it a muddy mess.

With other players holding buckets of water and/or hoses, the rookies had to dive one by one into the muck after a fumble.

After that, the practice seemed very relaxed and easy going, though not for lack of effort by any means.

Instead of doing an 80-yard scrimmage, the offense and defense honed their red-zone skills, and each had their moments.

Chris Simms hit Brandon Lloyd in the back of the end zone for what was arguably the offensive play of the day, and Kenny Peterson laid a hit on Correll Buckhalter that the running back will never forget.

The team also practiced situational ball, such as third-and-four, third-and-eight, and so on. 

Jarvis Moss got to the quarterback on one play, Andre Goodman jumped a Kyle Orton pass, and Alphonso Smith picked off a Chris Simms toss, but this session was largely dominated by the play of the offense.

In the third-down drills, Brandon Stokley, Tony Scheffler, and Eddie Royal all proved why the Broncos had one of the league’s top offensive units in the NFL last season by snagging passes from Kyle Orton.

Orton also found a streaking Jabar Gaffney in one-on-one coverage against Joshua Bell on the right side of the field, although it appeared Gaffney pushed off of the second year corner.

One disappointing aspect from Wednesday’s session was that Chris Simms’ second offensive unit was sent running a lap around the field yet again.  This seems to be a popular trend from Simms lately, and quite frankly I am not impressed.

Rookie Robert Ayers showed off some skills as a pass defender today, jumping a quick screen toss from Orton and swatting it to the ground.

Another inspiring series of events came after a pass interference call on Alphonso Smith who was covering Brandon Stokley.

Smith appeared to be unhappy with the call, and Stokley was trying to convince him that the rookie was in the wrong.

He would not buy it.

So, on the very next play, Stokley caught an eight yard pass, faked a juke to his left which sent Smith flying, and spun to his right for a big gain.  When the play was over, he motioned to the crowd to make some noise, and he was not done.

On the next play, Stokley caught another pass for a first down, and again motioned for the crowd to applaud and give the offense some support.

I will give another update tomorrow night after the practice at Invesco Field at Mile High.

Denver Broncos Training Camp Notes Day Five: Jack Williams Picks a Pair

Denver Broncos’ training camp moves into Day Six with an interesting battle seemingly taking place.

Cornerback Jack Williams, selected in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft is doing anything and everything in his power to maintain the “nickel” position he currently possesses, and he is doing a great job of it.

In Tuesday’s evening practice session, Williams picked off two passes; one that went for a 98-yard touchdown score.

“It’s man to man,” Williams said. “You’ve just got to play the man first and be in position to make the interception. I got lucky and did.”

Prior to his interception, Williams was called for pass interference in the end-zone on wide receiver Brandon Stokley, but the sophomore corner more than made up for it by jumping a quick Kyle Orton pass.

Head coach Josh McDaniels has taken notice of the great strides Williams has made this offseason and in training camp, and he thinks he can have a big role in the 2009 defense and beyond.

“We have gotten our hands on a bunch of balls and made some interceptions,” McDaniels said. “Jack, I think, had his first couple today. It is great to see improvement from our younger players, and he is one that we are counting on.”

With youngsters like Williams, Alphonso Smith, Josh Barrett, David Bruton, and Josh Bell among others learning from great players such as Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins, this Bronco secondary appears to be set for quite a while.

In addition to the secondary being given a big boost, the Broncos’ hybrid linebacker group grew by two on Tuesday as joining the team were Jarvis Moss and rookie Robert Ayers.

Moss was gone on personal business, and contemplated retirement. McDaniels did not seemed very worried about Moss on the surface, and said he was pleased with the former first-round pick’s effort during practice.

“We talked this morning, and he is ready to go,” he said. “He went out there and had a good practice today. That is what you need to see, and that is what he gave us.”

If Moss can impress at camp and have an impact this season, the Broncos will more than welcome it.  He has not yet played a full season for Denver, and is already being considered a “bust” by some.

The Broncos’ defensive staff wasted no time getting Ayers into action either, and the first-round pick saw time with the first-team defense in his first full-padded NFL practice.

“They want to see me match up against the first-team offensive linemen,” Ayers said. “They want to see me go against the second team, just to see how I compete against different guys. It’s not necessarily going with the first team. It’s more so just trying to get matchups.”

When asked about Ayers being in camp, McDaniels was blatantly honest about the youngster.

“Doesn’t know what to do half the time, yet. But he’s very physical. Has a long way to go, but great to have him here.”

There were two not-so-highlights of Broncos camp on Tuesday, as running back Knowshon Moreno remained unsigned, and newly-acquired linebacker Nick Greisen was pronounced to the injured reserve, and he will miss the 2009 campaign entirely.

Greisen will be replaced on the Broncos’ roster by undrafted rookie linebacker Braxton Kelley of Kentucky, who will begin his second stint with the Broncos after being waived earlier this offseason.

Adam Schefter, now of ESPN, reported that Moreno’s deal was to be finalized by Thursday morning at the very latest, so the Broncos and their fans should expect to see No. 27 in uniform at the Invesco field practice then, if not earlier.

Reportedly, team officials are working out a deal that will be for five years and over $12 million guaranteed. The only obstacle is figuring out how much more he will receive in the deal.

Another fun part of Tuesday’s camp was that Broncos fans welcomed the infamous Ed Hochuli to officiate three days of practices.

Hochuli is known best not for his 20 years of NFL referee experience, but for his botched call Week Two against the San Diego Chargers.

Tim Crowder is also now practicing with the first-team defensive unit at outside linebacker.

I will be updating after tomorrow night’s 5:30 practice session, so check back for more news!

Denver Broncos Training Camp Notes Day Three and Four: Ayers on Board

For those who were hoping for an update last night, I deeply apologize.  My family headed north to Greeley, CO to visit some other family, and I was unable to find any access to a computer whatsoever.

Late or not, I come bearing some good news as well as some bad.

The bad news is that Brandon Marshall has suffered yet another injury, this time to his hamstring.  Marshall was absent from the team’s morning practice on Sunday, and apparently left the late practice early.

The good news is that the team has officially signed outside linebacker/defensive lineman Robert Ayers to a five year contract.

The 18th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft had been holding out of practices for four days.

Knowshon Moreno, the 12th overall pick in the draft, is still in Georgia working out, and has not reported to Dove Valley for training camp.

Now on to the good stuff.

Sunday’s practice was the hottest I have ever attended in 12 years of coming to Denver Broncos’ training camp.  It was miserable, but the players were all on top of their game’s.

Kyle Orton especially.

When practicing throwing the deep ball, Orton missed only one pass to Matt Willis, and that was because it was dropped.  He consistently put the ball on the receivers’ back shoulder and was throwing the ball 40-45 yards in the air.

Sunday also saw the Broncos’ first real look at the “wildcat” offensive formation.

In this formation, Orton motioned out wide and running back Correll Buckhalter lined up as the quarterback. 

The Broncos did not try anything too fancy out of this formation, just a couple of draw plays designed for Buckhalter, but they did surprise the fans with something else.

On multiple occasions, Orton received the snap and started a wide receiver reverse to Jabar Gaffney. Gaffney took the ball to the right tackle where he stopped dead in his tracks and tossed the ball back to Orton, who looked downfield for a streaking Eddie Royal.

Only once did the Broncos try this against their own defense, and Andre Goodman was able to distract Royal just enough to where he lost concentration of the ball, it hit him in his chest plate, and the play resulted in an incomplete pass.

Still, the efforts of both ends attracted applause from the crowd, but what was really inspiring was what occurred during the two-minute drill.

On the first play, Kyle Orton threw a desperation deep pass that was nearly picked off by safety Brian Dawkins. Dawkins knew he had missed an opportunity, and he punished himself by doing a series of push-up’s.

The crowd took notice and roared in applause. Apparently Bronco fans are not used to this kind of effort and passion.

At the end of practice, the Broncos were running more “gassers”, where they run the width of the field and back in separate units. It is this kind of effort that is really giving skeptical fans hope for the new regime. Josh McDaniels is a “no bull” kind of coach.

Chris Simms was sent running laps again during Sunday’s session, as well as center Casey Wiegmann after the two botched a snap.

With each practice, I have noticed that the Broncos’ running game appears to be as strong as it has been since Clinton Portis was dealt for Champ Bailey, and this team does not even have its prized back in camp yet.

Peyton Hillis, Ryan Torain, LaMont Jordan, Correll Buckhalter, and even Darius Walker have all had their share of moments during practice, but on Sunday, Torain was the horse.

He appears to have fully healed from his knee injury suffered last season, and is a dark horse right now to start if Moreno misses enough time.

Peyton Hillis was spread out again as a fullback, running back, and receiver in different formations, and he excelled at each.

Marcus Thomas had a sack during the two-minute drill, as well as Chris Baker, which was a very welcome sight to Bronco fans who have been sorely missing a ferocious pass rush.

More to come from Monday’s practice sessions.

Denver Broncos Training Camp Notes Day Two: Chad Jackson Emerging

As the five-o-clock hour approached in Englewood, Colo., fans were treated to a pleasant, all too familiar sight.

Gracing the field for the first time since training camp officially began was star cornerback Champ Bailey.

When Bailey approached the fans’ side of the practice field, he was greeted with a great roar of applause.

On the field, he did not disappoint either.

When the team took the field for 11-on-11 drills, Bailey erased what would have been a sure touchdown pass from quarterback Kyle Orton to receiver Brandon Marshall.

In addition to the return of Bailey, fans were treated to their first look at new safety Renaldo Hill and third-year defensive tackle Marcus Thomas.

Hill was practicing with the first-team defense while Thomas was rotating at nose tackle with Carlton Powell on the second- and third-team defenses.

There were mixed reactions about Saturday’s session.  One fan was complaining about Kyle Orton completing a series of five-to-ten yard passes instead of throwing the ball 30 yards downfield, and some fans were harping on the defense after a couple of good runs by Ryan Torain, Correll Buckhalter, and Peyton Hillis.

Still, the defense quite honestly dominated much of the day.

It all started in one-on-one tackling drills, when Josh Barrett absolutely leveled Brandon Marshall, knocking his helmet clean off.

That hit seemed to really inspire the crowd, and Marshall met with Barrett twice more, and twice more the two players had an excellent battle.  On the final run, Barrett even tore a bit of Marshall’s undershirt, and Marshall pushed him away out of anger.

“We were both going out there, trying to get the best of one another,” Barrett said, noting that he couldn’t judge who won the matchups. “I’ll give it to him if he thinks he won. I know he didn’t score.”

Barrett’s physical battles with Marshall prompted me to wonder if some of the players on the Broncos are holding animosity toward the Pro Bowl receiver for his actions this off-season, for thinking he is above the team.

For what Marshall appears to lack in sense and maturity off the field, he was his usual happy-go-lucky self toward the fans.

Before practice, he gave footballs to at least 25 young fans.

The real star of the day was wide receiver Chad Jackson, who was signed midway through last season due to injuries at the position.

Jackson caught every ball thrown his way, and two of the receptions were in triple coverage.  Those catches drew “ooh’s” and “ahh’s” from the crowd, as well as applause.

If he continues to perform at that level, there is no way the Broncos can afford to simply let him go.  He is an outstanding talent, and he appears to be a rock-solid athlete.

Brandon Stokley and Eddie Royal continued to set the bar high for the other receivers at practice today, and Stokley was the recipient of quite a few passes on third down during the two-minute drill.

I reported yesterday that LaMont Jordan appeared to be the first-team tailback, but today the Broncos rotated in all of Jordan, Correll Buckhalter, Ryan Torain, and Peyton Hillis at the running back position.

Hillis and Torain did exceptionally well, and free agent signee Darius Walker scored three touchdowns in eight-on-eight drills.

Brian Dawkins was his usual energetic self today, but with the additions of Bailey and Hill to the defensive backfield, this was undoubtedly a more inspired unit as a whole. 

During the first two-minute drill, Kyle Orton seemed to have the team driving down the field when poor communication caused him to throw an interception to Andre Goodman.

Chris Simms had already been struggling throughout practice, and the two-minute drill really did him in.

He threw an interception to Goodman as well, and D.J. Johnson appeared to pick off a Simms pass but he was ruled out of bounds.

He also threw passes that were caught and dropped by safety David Bruton and Jack Williams.

Due to his poor play, Simms was told to run a lap around the field, but he was not the only one.

Rookie quarterback Tom Brandstater and rookie center Blake Schlueter botched a snap and had to run a lap, and the second defensive unit was out of position and McDaniels had seen enough.

The entire group was sent off and running.

Additionally, any time a pass is dropped, fumble or not, the players are required to pick the ball up and run to the end zone.

Head coach Josh McDaniels is really pressing the fundamentals on his new team, and it appears to be paying dividends.  There is a noticeable discrepancy in hustle from the past two seasons, and a huge energy shift.

It is also being reported that Jarvis Moss, who missed today’s practice session for personal reasons, is considering retiring at the age of 24.  This would be horribly sad news for the former first-round pick’s career, but he needs to do what is best for his family.

More to come from day three practice.

Denver Broncos Training Camp Recap Day One: Marshall, Fields Stand Out

The Denver Broncos opened their training camp officially on Friday, and for as raw as the team is supposed to be with a new system, over 40 new players, and an almost entirely new coaching staff, the overall consensus at Dove Valley was that head coach Josh McDaniels has his team on the right track.

Even without Jay Cutler.

This new regime was doing things fans have never seen before, including “gassers” at the conclusion of the evening practice session, which brought back high school football memories.

Casual fans like myself were hard-pressed to get a strong view of the defensive position players other than one-on-one drills and roughly a half-an-hour of full squad action, but many of the defensive newcomers stood out.

Starting nose tackle Ronald Fields was consistently in the backfield, using a lower center of gravity and excellent strength to anchor the line of scrimmage.  A good portion of running plays were virtually shut down solely because of the efforts of the former 49er.

Additionally, many die-hard Bronco fans were granted one of their training camp wishes.  Second-year player Carlton Powell was lining up with the second team defense as the nose tackle.

He looked much bigger than expected, so much so that I had to check the roster before confirming it was actually him.

Powell found himself in the backfield more often than not today as well, and on one play in particular, tight end Tony Scheffler motioned to the left, attempting a pull block for a running play, and when the ball was snapped, Scheffler simultaneously met the grass courtesy of Powell.

The defense was without three veterans and projected starters in Champ Bailey, Renaldo Hill, and Marcus Thomas, but the unit appeared strong under the tutelage of Mike Nolan.

They were also missing rookie defensive end/outside linebacker Robert Ayers due to a holdout.

Both Ayers and fellow first round draft pick Knowshon Moreno are holding out of camp as they have yet to sign their contracts.  Word is that Moreno is much further apart than Ayers in talks.

The star of the day offensively was Brandon Marshall, who consistently ran crisp routes, did not drop a single pass, and who appeared to be in tip shape after missing time with an injury.

Marshall made both dazzling one-handed catches and tip-toe catches alike, garnering much attention from the crowd. 

For most of the day, he was receiving the passes from Denver’s projected starting quarterback Kyle Orton.

While nobody and nothing was absolutely perfect, Orton and the other quarterbacks seemed to have a solid grasp of McDaniels’ complex offense.  He was making good reads and putting any throw 30 yards and in right on the button.

The knock on Orton has been his inability to throw the ball downfield, but he threw the ball 45 yards pretty easily, sometimes even over-shooting his target.

The offensive line was up to its usual tricks, opening up huge holes for the running games at times.

Two players who really took advantage of those gaping holes were Ryan Torain and Peyton Hillis, both 2008 draftees who are coming off of fairly serious injuries.

It was hard to determine who was running with which units at times, which indicated to me that the coaching staff is willing and able to experiment with which players work best together.  If I had to make a guess, this is how I would have pegged the rosters as of day one:

 

Offense

QB:  Orton, Simms, Brandstater

RB:  Jordan, Buckhalter, Torain, Walker

FB:  Hillis, Larsen

WR:  Marshall, Stokley, Jackson, Lloyd

WR:  Royal, Gaffney, McKinley, Swift, Willis, Shelton

TE:  Graham, Scheffler, Quinn, Putzier, Branson

LT:  Clady, Polumbus, Oldenburg

LG:  Hamilton, Erickson, McChesney

C:  Wiegmann, Lichtensteiger, Schlueter

RG:  Kuper, Olsen, Murray

RT:  Harris, Gorin

 

Defense

DE:  McBean, Askew, Pedescleaux

NT:  Fields, Powell, Baker

DE:  Peterson, Clemons, Davis

OLB:  Reid, Crowder

MLB:  Williams, Woodyard

MLB:  Davis, Larsen, Robinson

OLB:  Dumervil, Moss

CB:  Williams, Bell

CB:  Goodman, Smith, Johnson

S:  Dawkins, Barrett, Bruton

S:  McBath, Fox

 

I will be updating after tomorrow afternoon’s session as well.

Denver Broncos Training Camp Notes: Marshall a No-Show on Day Two

Pictures say a thousand words—or do they?

While Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall appears to be happy in this photo taken Monday at the unofficial start of the team’s training camp, it was clear after practice that he still wants to be traded from the team if he does not get more money.

“You know, it’s my obligation to be here and I’m here,” Marshall said, “I’m here. I can’t control that stuff. All I can do is worry about today, today I’m here (as a) Bronco. I’m excited about playing football.”

Marshall’s responses were far from inspiring to Bronco fans, but his mere presence at camp was enough to put the media and fans alike at some sort of peace.

Was.

After running through every drill on Monday, the Broncos’ Pro Bowl wide receiver was a no-show for the team’s light practice Tuesday morning.

Josh McDaniels is scheduled to meet the media following today’s practices, so be sure and tune in.

The Denver Broncos’ official Web site also reported that Marshall and new quarterback Kyle Orton spent several minutes off to the side at practice talking to one another. 

Take that for what it is worth, but it means something that the two are forming any semblance of a relationship.

Aside from the Marshall saga—which continues to bring the Broncos negative publicity—the team had the rest of its rookies and quarterbacks on hand for practice, save for both first round draft picks Robert Ayers and Knowshon Moreno.

Reports are that Ayers is close to a deal with the Broncos, and that his “people” and the Broncos plan on working all day to get a contract signed.

Moreno’s talks are apparently not so close, but he did sign a deal with Reebok. 

Both rookies are expected to have their deals done by the time veterans report on Friday morning.

Join Me at Denver Broncos Training Camp: Things Fans Need To Know

For those not in the know, the Denver Broncos begin their summer training camp on Monday morning, where quarterbacks and rookies will participate in lighter practice sessions to begin the week, and the rest of the team is set to show up on Thursday. 

In case anyone cares to know, or would possibly have the means/time to be interested in joining me, I will be making the roughly 10-hour trip from Sioux Falls, SD all the way to Englewood, CO on Thursday morning with my family, which includes fellow B/R writers Bryce Bedinger and Luke Steinborn.

As if that were not star-studded enough for everyone, I am aware that John Bena, aka TheSportsGuru of MileHighReport.com will be attending the Bronco festivities with press credentials as well.

Oh yes, and the CBS Correspondent, whomever he may be, will be there also.

If you plan on joining me for one of the greatest experiences ever (for Bronco fans, of course), there are some critical items of information that are a “must know” before you do.

Here is a list of practice times, rules, and regulations given out by the team, which I learned through MileHighReport.com via The Colorado Springs Gazette.

I have also bolded the practices that I will be attending in my 10-day stay in Colorado.

 

Schedule

• Friday: 8:45-10:30 a.m.; 5:30-7:30 p.m.
• Saturday: 2:30-4:30 p.m. (no morning practice)
• Aug. 2: 8:45-10:30 a.m.; 5:30-7:30 p.m.
• Aug. 3: 8:45-10:30 a.m.; 5:30-7:30 p.m.
• Aug. 4: 2:30-4:30 p.m. (no morning practice)
• Aug. 5: 8:45-10:30 a.m. (not open to public); 5:30-7:30 p.m.
• Aug. 6: 8:45-10:30 a.m.; 6:30 p.m. (at Invesco Field at Mile High)
• Aug. 7: 2:30-4:30 p.m. (no morning practice)
• Aug. 8: No practices scheduled
• Aug. 9: 2:30-4:30 p.m. (no morning practice)
• Aug. 10: 8:45 a.m. (not open to public); 5:30-7:30 p.m.
• Aug. 11: 8:45-10:30 a.m.; 5:30-7:30 p.m.
• Aug. 12: 2:30-4:30 p.m. (no morning practice)
• Aug. 13: No practices scheduled
• Aug. 14: Broncos at 49ers, preseason opener, 8 p.m.
• Aug. 15: No practices scheduled
• Aug. 16: 2:30-4:30 p.m. (no morning practice)
• Aug. 17: 8:45-10:30 a.m.; 5:30-7:30 p.m.
• Aug. 18: 2:30-4:30 p.m. (no morning practice)
• Aug. 19: 8:45-10:30 a.m.; 5:30-7:30 p.m.
• Aug. 20: 8:45-10:30 a.m.; 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Note: Gates open for fans an hour before practice. Practice times and dates are subject to change.

Directions from Colorado Springs to Dove Valley: Take Interstate 25 North to the Arapahoe Road exit, exit No. 197. Take a right (east) on Arapahoe to Potomac Street. Take a right (south) on Potomac Street, follow it approximately 1.5 miles to the Broncos complex, which is located at the intersection of Broncos Parkway and Potomac.

*****Invesco Field practice: On Aug. 6 the Broncos will practice at Invesco Field at Mile High at 6:30 p.m. The entire team will sign autographs after the practice as part of Fan Fair. Tickets are $20 or $10 for kids ages 2-12; kids 2 and under are free.*****

Parking: There is a parking lot west of the practice fields at the Broncos headquarters, which is free for fans. Space is limited. The lot opens one hour before the start of practice.

Admission: Admission for all practices at the team’s headquarters is free.

Cell phones: Cell phone activity is prohibited inside the ticketed areas during training camp. That includes calls, text messages, live blogging, and transmissions to social networking sites such as Facebook or Twitter.

Bags: Fans can bring soft-sided bags no larger than 12 cubic inches.

Seating: There will be no bleacher seats available, and lawn chairs are not allowed. Fans can stand in designated areas to watch practice.

Cameras: Still cameras are permitted, but video cameras are not.  

Autographs: Players from a designated position group will sign autographs after each practice, in the south end zone of the artificial turf field.

Food and beverage: There will be no food concessions, but non-alcoholic beverages will be available for sale. Food and non-alcoholic beverages are permitted in small quantities.

Umbrellas: Umbrellas are not permitted.

 

So, for any of you thinking you could get in to Dove Valley Headquarters with an umbrella, better think again. 

In all seriousness, this is a very generous donation, so to say, by the Broncos to their fans.  For two weeks, every single fan in the nation is allowed to come watch this team in whatever action for absolutely no fee.  Unless, of course, you are attending the Invesco Field practice, which is apparently $20.

If you have access to Facebook, I would encourage you to add me as a friend and view my pictures from last year’s experience.  Champ Bailey himself posed for a picture for my dad.

I caught a pass from Darrell Hackney, had a conversation before and after practice with Brett Kern, took pictures on my cell phone with Tony Scheffler and Brandon Marshall, and followed Jay Cutler out of the facility in his white Hummer.

It is almost as if you are part of the squad.

This season, unlike most, I do not care which players I run into, meet, or get pictures and autographs from.  I do not care because I have learned that if you care, you end up a disappointed person.

Last season at the Denver Broncos Fan Fair, three men opted to leave an autograph line because the two players that were signing were unknowns.

Their names were Peyton Hillis and Wesley Woodyard.

You just never know who will be a gem, and who is going to be a jerk (Javon Walker, Jay Cutler).

This is also a very kid-friendly event.  In fact, If you hold a kid in your arms you are probably more likely to get some autographs and pictures than anybody.

Players cannot resist the honest and pure heart of a child, for they cannot sell autographs on E-Bay.

I could go into so much more detail, but I will finish by saying I look forward to seeing at least some of Bleacher Report other than myself represented at Denver Broncos training camp.

If you plan on going, and would like to get in touch with me, e-mail me and we will make plans for it.  If you are of the spontaneous type, you can find me near the front of the waiting line to get inside Dove Valley around an hour and a half before practice starts.

I’ll be the one with all the Broncos gear on.

In case there are any baseball fans out there, I will also be attending two Rockies games on the seventh and eighth.

Why?

They are hosting my beloved Chicago Cubs.  It does not get any better than a baseball game at Coors Field, folks.  I will tell you what.

See you in the Rocky Mountains Bronco fans.

Brandon Marshall’s No. 15 Should Be Replaced by Tim Tebow

There is still another football season to be played before any of us fans begin to think about the NFL Draft, but the news of a three day extension of the greatest event of the NFL season (unless of course your team competes for the Lombardi Trophy in February) got me thinking.

Brandon Marshall, the Denver Broncos’ star wide receiver, has requested a trade.  He has gone public via Twitter and his “official” website as saying “change is best”. 

While this act is cute and all, the Broncos fully expect Marshall to show up for training camp next Friday, and he plans on doing so also, much to his chagrin.

When asked whether or not Marshall would be wearing number 15 for the Denver Broncos in 2009, Marshall responded with a smile, “I’ll be wearing number 15.”

Truth be told, those five words were enough to set off many, if not all Denver Bronco fans. 

The gloves are off.

On multiple occasions, I have met Marshall, and I can say first hand that he is a class act to the fans of the Denver Broncos.  He is always willing to sign extra autographs, take pictures, and despite his off-field issues, I feel Marshall is a good person at heart, or at least wants to be.

The fact remains that Marshall has yet to prove that he can be a reliable citizen, much less a dependable employee and superstar athlete.

So why do the Broncos not unload him?

The first answer that comes to mind is because they do not have any desire to.

Marshall is undoubtedly a top-10 receiver in this league.  He is an absolute beast with the ball in his hands, and no player has been thrown to more times over the last two seasons. 

Another reason?

Marshall has only one year left on his rookie contract, and in 2009, he is going to come at an outstandingly reasonable price.  That being said, how diminished will his trade value be since the team potentially getting him will not be guaranteed more than a one year rental?

Yet another road bump in any potential Marshall trade is his recent hip injury, which he has yet to fully recover from. 

Do not forget about Marshall’s legal history, as well as pending case in mid-August.

So what can the Broncos really get in return for an injured, legally troubled rental of a wide receiver who claimed he was “nowhere near” as fast as the great Larry Fitzgerald at a recent workout session?

The answer to that, my friends, is “not a whole heck of a lot”, which is why I have a proposition for Broncos fans and critics alike.

As you can see by simply viewing the article’s photo, the crux of this rant is Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, arguably the greatest player to ever grace a college football field.

I propose that the Denver Broncos keep Brandon Marshall for 2009, franchise tag him in 2010, trade him, and draft Tebow.

I cannot think of a better player to replace the number 15 jersey in my closet at the current moment.

Tebow has been absolutely hammered by NFL scouts, many saying he is not going to be a good fit for the NFL.  One Todd McShay predicted him as a second day pick at best.

I would like to use this space to say right now that Tim Tebow will be a superb NFL quarterback, just like I think Tyler Hansbrough will be one of the most consistent power forwards in the NBA for the next decade.

Like Hansbrough, Tebow is supposedly not fit to excel at the next level.

Alright, so there is a flaw in that reasoning.  The NBA is not even close to being similar to the NFL, but Tebow and Hansbrough have strikingly similar backgrounds. 

Both are considered to be the best or among the best in their respective sports, both have championship experience, great coaching, and both are hard working, high character student athletes.

If there is one thing I have learned from Josh McDaniels this offseason, it is that he values leadership and the “team” concept more than he does any single player.

Is Tim Tebow not the poster child to represent that description?

Tebow is a Heisman Trophy recipient, and a two-time BCS National Champion.  He has won nearly every accolade or personal achievement any player at the collegiate level could possibly receive.

To boot, he is the ideal size for an NFL quarterback at 6’3″ 240 pounds.

Tebow is the only player in FBS history to throw and rush for 20 touchdowns in the same season, but he is far from being only a “scrambling” quarterback.

Over the last two seasons, Tebow has thrown 62 touchdown passes to only 10 interceptions.  That is better than a six-to-one ratio, for those keeping track at home.

While this is simply a pipe dream, I cannot get the thought out of my head.

Out with the old, and in with the new has been a theme this offseason for the Broncos, and the new management has fans excited about possibly serving delicious crow to the main-stream media.

I could not think of a better way to serve it than ice cold.

Denver Broncos Sign Fifth Round Pick, Wide Receiver Kenny McKinley

The Denver Broncos made their first roster move in quite some time on Wednesday when the signed fifth round draft pick Kenny McKinley.

According to The Denver Post, McKinley’s deal is similar to seventh round pick Blake Schlueter’s, and is four years in length.

McKinley is the second of 10 Broncos draft picks to sign, and most, if not all rookies expect to have deals finalized prior to training camp.

The Broncos traded up in the fifth round to acquire McKinley, so the team really feels he has some skill, possibly as a return man initially.

A former South Carolina star, McKinley was regarded as the “best wide receiver” former head coach Steve Spurrier has ever coached.

In his time with the Gamecocks, McKinley hauled in 207 passes, which is third best in the history of the Southeastern Conference. 

Some close to the Broncos’ camp feel he would be an ideal heir apparent to slot receiver Brandon Stokley, and McKinley certainly fits the bill of a solid route-running receiver with deceptive speed and good hands.

The Post also reported that former SEC rival and first round draft pick Robert Ayers, a hybrid DE/OLB that Mike Klis calls a “defensive tackle” expects to sign his deal well before the start of training camp.

Official Denver Broncos Training Camp Preview

Yes NFL fans, the time has finally come—the season is upon us.

For the Denver Broncos, the 2009 season cannot come soon enough. This team has faced more criticism and negative media than many others in recent memory, and it is all because of the loss of one player who shall not be named.

Despite the best efforts of the likes of Jamie Dukes, Solomon Wilcots, and Tim Hasselbeck, Bronco fans are still eager for the upcoming campaign. Whether that eagerness is uneasy or not, fans are sure to be on the edge of their seats.

With this article, I hope to provide readers with the most comprehensive team preview available on the Web or in print. It will be a recap of my “Inside the Denver Broncos’ Roster” series, so prepare yourselves for a mouthful.

 

2009 NFL Draft Recap