Tennessee Titans wide receiver Kenny Britt (18) catches a pass in front of Miami Dolphins linebacker Akin Ayodele (51) in 2009. The Broncos signed the free agent Ayodele Saturday. (AP Photo/John Russell)

Four months after signing with the Broncos, linebacker Akin Ayodele has once again found himself out of a job.

Standing 6-2, and weighing in at 245 pounds, Adoyele was released this morning, per multiple reports. A nine year veteran, Adoyele played the past two seasons with the Miami Dolphins, registering 71 tackles in 15 starts last season.

Entering camp as a reserve inside linebacker, Akin was named a stater after Elvis Dumervil and Jarvis Moss suffered injuries. Fellow vet Mario Haggan was moved to the outside, promoting Adoyele to starter on the inside. In two preseason starts, Adoyele recorded 8 tackles, and seemed to have played solid. The move really caught him off guard.

“The coaches couldn’t really give me an explanation,” Akin told Josina Anderson of Fox31. “To tell you the truth I was …  truly just as shocked as you are.”

The move comes as a surprise, but not completely out of the blue. The Broncos have been impressed with the performances of undrafted free agent Baraka Atkins and newly acquired Joe Mays, two versatile linebackers. This also gives more reps for 7th round draft pick Jammie Kirlew.

The Broncos will now move Mario Haggan back to inside linebacker, and with Jarvis Moss and Robert Ayers on the outside, D.J. Williams, Haggan and Joe Mays will presumably handle the inside duties. Another dark horse, Jason Hunter, will also get a crack at OLB.

The team currently has 76 players on the roster, and must trim down to 75 by the end of August, so more moves in the near future is expected.

Denver Broncos tight end Marquez Branson (85) catches an 11-yard touchdown pass in front of Detroit Lions linebacker Zack Follett (49) during the first half of a preseason NFL football game Saturday, Aug. 21, 2010, in Denver. -AP Photo

Can you name Denver’s #2 receiver so far this preseason?

Don’t look now, but it’s upstart Marquez Branson.  (You totally cheated and looked at the picture, didn’t you?)

That’s right, the undrafted free agent tight end from 2009.  So far Branson has put up 45 yards and one touchdown in the first two pre-season games.  It very easily could have been two as Marquez had a low pass from Tebow called incomplete and reviewed in Cincinnati.

Branson was given a chuckle by 850 KOA when they mentioned that he would’ve been the #1 ESPN highlight of the weekend by catching a pass from the ballyhooed Gator QB.  Replying with a laugh, Branson stated that the referee amusingly admitted that he wasn’t positive if the ball was dropped or not, so he would have to go with incomplete and let the instant replay handle the outcome.  From the looks of things, he’s not done.

Click here to read the rest of this entry »

Running back Toney Baker participates in a rookie mud drill at Broncos training camp (BroncoTalk.net)

The Denver Broncos on Monday waived running back Toney Baker, offensive lineman Kirk Barton and wide receiver Patrick Carter, the team announced.

Baker was signed as an undrafted free agent from North Carolina State on April 30. Barton and Carter also were in their first year with the team.

None of the three players saw time in the Broncos’ recent 20-25 loss to the Detroit Lions.

Rosters must be cut down to 75 players by August 31st and 53 players by September 4th; while this might be a case of the Broncos trimming the fat a bit early, it’s still possible they’ll bring in players in the meantime.  Denver’s third preseason game is against Pittsburgh on August 29th.

Detroit Lions: 25

Denver Broncos: 20

Denver’s preseason record dropped to (0-2) this Saturday evening, losing in the closing minute to a re-surging Lions squad out to prove they’re not a bottom of the barrel team these days.  Invesco Field had great attendance for a preseason game, 73,093.  If the crowds were there to see Tim Tebow, they would have to wait, the rookie QB would not dress.  It went as scripted, Kyle Orton would lead the offense in the first half and Brady Quinn would play a full second half.

The game started as peculiar for the Broncos as the swirling winds visiting the stadium.  Detroit’s first drive was easily marched down to the 28, and capped off with a Hauschka field goal.  The freshly heralded Orton overcame offensive mistakes and penalties along with the help of a dumb Kyle Vanden Bosch personal foul to take the ball into Lions territory.  On the way past the 50, Orton made one of the brainier throws we’ve witnessed since his arrival in Denver; Brandon Lloyd had corner Chris Houston oblivious to the ball with his speed.  Knowing that a reception was unlikely on this 3rd and 5, Kyle still locked the shot and fired at 84 placing it in the vicinity of the speedster’s hands.  The ball went incomplete, but with Houston’s terrible positioning he didn’t even get a chance to glance over his shoulder and rammed into Lloyd.  Easy call for pass interference, 18 yard gain.  Take note of this play, as Orton pulled this trick at least twice against the Bengals secondary.  Whether it be through good coaching or growing experience, Orton is showing that he can use more than completions to sustain drives.  Click here to read the rest of this entry »

Cal linebacker Worrell Williams, the younger brother of Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams. (Chris Stewart/SF Chronicle)

The Denver Broncos already have three players with the surname “Williams” on their roster — Jamal, Johnny and D.J. — but, as they say, four heads are better than three.

The Broncos are working out and expected to sign Worrell Williams, the younger brother of defensive stalwart D.J. Williams, the National Football Post reports.

Worrell (6-0, 250) is a University of California product who was an honorable-mention All-Pac-10 selection as a senior in 2008. Described as “a physical phenomenon of size and speed and a vocal leader for Cal” in this 2008 San Francisco Chronicle story (photo credit), Williams was often overlooked at Cal because of his older brother’s achievements and the playmaking ability of teammate and current Bronco Syd’Quan Thompson.

Worrell didn’t land with an NFL team last year, playing for the UFL’s California Redwoods in 2009. Big Brother’s Broncos would be his first landing spot in the NFL.

It’s clear by recent additions that the Broncos are aggressively adding depth and competition to their linebacker corps. After viewing the shoddy tackling from both the defense and special teams last Sunday, that isn’t a bad idea.

Another year in head coach Josh McDaniels' system has quarterback Kyle Orton looking better than ever (BroncoTalk.net)

The Denver Broncos brought in Brady Quinn via trade and Tim Tebow through the draft this offseason, but that didn’t stop them from addressing their lame duck starting quarterback situation.

On Thursday, the Broncos signed starter Kyle Orton to a one-year contract extension that will pay the second-year Bronco $12 million over two years, reports the Denver Post.

Orton emerged from training camp as the undisputed starter, clearly outperforming both Quinn and Tebow in the team’s first exhibition game Sunday. His two-touchdown performance was all the more impressive considering he was the only Broncos quarterback to play against an opposing first-team defense.

Orton had previously made his desire for a contract extension clear in the offseason.

“Considering the labor environment, I’m aware of how difficult it was to get this deal done and am extremely appreciative,” Orton said.

We’re thrilled at this development that adds stability to the team’s QB situation as the Broncos continue to groom Tebow and possibly Quinn. Orton is poised for a career year. Press release, with some great career notes on Orton, after the jump. Click here to read the rest of this entry »

Former Detroit Lions defensive end Jason Hunter (Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

The Denver Broncos added depth to their defense Thursday, signing free agent defensive end Jason Hunter. Hunter was released by the Detroit Lions Monday.

Hunter (6-4, 271) is coming off a career year with the Lions, having played in 14 games (nine starts) while registering 34 tackle and five sacks. The 26-year-old out of Appalachian State spent the previous three years with the Green Bay Packers, who signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2006.

Not a bad pickup, considering his age and experience. Look for the Broncos to test Hunter at outside linebacker, which would make his already-uphill battle at a roster spot all the more steep.

Rookie quarterback Tim Tebow #15 of the Denver Broncos leaves the field and heads for the locker room during the early sessions of practice at Dove Valley on August 18, 2010 in Englewood, Colorado. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

• Bruised ribs is the unsurprising diagnosis for Tim Tebow, who suffered the injury during Sunday’s last play on a helmet-first tackle from Bengals linebacker Abdul Hodge.  His availability for Saturday’s preseason game is unknown.
• Tebow’s feet may be his X-factor, but the rookie still needs to master pocket passing to keep defenses honest. And to stay healthy.
• Wednesday practice report: “Having (Jarvis Moss) back there was big,” Mario Haggan said. “It was definitely the biggest difference in the two-minute drive.”
• Woody Paige says it was a mistake for the Broncos not to go after Brian Westbrook, who just signed with the 49ers. Presuming he’s healthy, we agree.
• The Broncos may get Knowshon Moreno back next week.  Correll Buckhalter may still return this week.
• Pro touchdowns are few and far between for the current crop of Broncos’ receivers.
• Life without Marshall ain’t so bad through one preseason game.
• Looking at some potential roster bubble surprises.
• Marcus McNeill met with Chargers brass, although no headway on a contract appeared to be made.

Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Tim Tebow (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Jon Gruden once famously called Tim Tebow “250 pounds of concrete cyanide.”

Even that Terminator-like level of conditioning might not have been enough to prepare the world’s most famous rookie for his first professional football pounding.

Tebow jogged off the football field during practice Wednesday shortly after conversing with Denver Broncos head trainer Steve “Greek” Antonopulos, the Denver Post reports. Tebow was seen wearing extra padding around his ribs before leaving the practice field.

In addition, on Tuesday, Tebow didn’t run sprints with the rest of his teammates (which was particularly notable since he always finishes first).

It’s enough to suggest that Tebow has suffered some sort of rib injury, or at least has lingering side pain, and isn’t 100%.

We all can surmise how the Tebornator received such rib pain — performing this fleet-footed feat to propel himself into the end zone as time expired as two opponents crashed into him in his professional preseason debut Sunday.

Hopefully Tebow will return soon lest his throng of female camp-followers have nothing to scream at. But in seriousness, the Broncos’ home preseason debut is this Saturday. It wouldn’t be the same if it wasn’t Tebow’s home debut, too.