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The 2008 Denver Broncos report for training camp this Thursday, July 24, with practices beginning at 8:30 11:15 AM on Friday.  Like every year, some positions on the roster are set in stone; others will require competition to determine the starter.  We’re breaking our coverage into five parts, starting today with an overview of the entire team. Tomorrow we’ll discuss the rookies, both drafted and undrafted, and how they fit into this team. Tuesday through Thursday we’ll break down the team in detail unit by unit, particularly focusing on the battles that you can expect to see.

• Sunday – Overview
• Monday – Rookies
• Tuesday – Special Teams
• Wednesday – Offense
• Thursday – Defense

Offense

Quarterback – Jay Cutler, Patrick Ramsey, Darrell Hackney
Young Jay Cutler is entering his third year under Mike Shanahan, an event that has resulted in breakout years for QB’s in years past. The pressure is on Cutler in 2007 to live up to those expectations. Last year, Cutler played most of the second half of the season suffering from an undiagnosed case of Type I Diabetes; with the condition now under control, Cutler is healthy and feeling better than he has in months. His backup Patrick Ramsey is a journeyman veteran, and Darrell Hackney will have to earn a spot in camp

Running Back – Selvin Young, Michael Pittman, Andre Hall, Ryan Torain
Young has the starting job locked up, and if he can stay healthy, he will earn most of the snaps during the season. Young even went so far as to predict that he would earn the fabled 2,000 yard season this year. Behind him, Pittman, Hall and Torain will battle for backup duties; expect the odd man out of this group to be cut before the season starts. We’ll have more on this training camp battle on Wednesday.

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Name: John Michael Leach Height, Weight: 6’2″, 240 Position: Long Snapper/Tight End Age, Experience: 31, 9 College: William & Mary

Mike Leach joined the Denver Broncos as a free agent in November, 2002, and has been the club’s designated long snapper ever since. An undrafted free agent tight end originally with the Tennessee Titans, Leach has never caught an NFL pass, but has contributed 25 special teams tackles in his years with Denver. Leach holds the distinction as the only Broncos player to have played in every regular and postseason game over the past five years.

The Good: Leach is a master of the forgotten art in the NFL. His hand placement is perfect. The velocity he places on the ball is exquisite. He places the football comfortably in the placeholder’s zone and with considerable spin. He is a God of the Gridiron. Mike Leach totally pwns.

The Bad: He’s a long snapper.

Status: Potential Hall of Famer. Will retire in Denver Broncos lore as the most significant player in the club’s 40+ year history. Signed through 2009.

As always, we invite you, the readers, to partake. Is Mike Leach the greatest thing since sliced bread, or the greatest thing since the forward pass?

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We hope you enjoy these posts as BroncoTalk continues to develop the first fan-powered Denver Broncos roster on the web.

Name: Spencer Larsen Height, Weight: 6’2″, 240 Position: Linebacker Age, Experience: 24, R College: Arizona

Spencer Larsen was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the 6th round (183rd overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played both outside and inside linebacker for Arizona, taking two years off to serve a Mormon mission in Chile in 03 and 04. A fullback in high school, the Broncos tried him out at the position during mini camps this year before announcing that he would remain a linebacker at the Pro level.

The Good: Larsen has all the intangibles you look for in a pro player. He has great instincts and is a smart, overachieving guy with a good head on his shoulders. He’ll work his tail off for the Broncos and is a natural team leader, serving as a two-time team captain for the Wildcats. Tallied 131 tackles to lead the PAC-10 in 2007. Various scouting reports indicate he’s above average at shedding blocks and would be a natural run stuffer.

The Bad: Physically, Larsen won’t blow you away, especially with his speed. His 40 time (4.98) hurt his draft value, and his athleticism in general has been questioned. His flexibility really seems to be the major concern – without fluid hips and quick feet, he can’t keep up in coverage, and his tackles lack the power you’d like to see. Without decent speed and power, Larsen will struggle to adjust to the NFL’s pace and physicality.

Status: Special teamer. Signed through 2011. It’s curious that the Broncos insisted on trying him out at fullback – was that their intention all along? I’ll be honest, I haven’t quite figured this guy out, and if there’s one draft pick that doesn’t make the team it’d be him. He’ll have to light it up on special teams. Spencer Larsen was born on March 4, 1984 in Mesa, AZ.

As always, we invite you, the readers, to partake. Will Larsen impress in 2008, or is he lacking the physical toolset to succeed?

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We hope you enjoy these posts as BroncoTalk continues to develop the first fan-powered Denver Broncos roster on the web.

Anyone can claim they’re a Denver Broncos expert, but only the truly knowledgeable can back those claims up.  Well, here’s your chance.

The Rocky Mountain News has given us the heads up about this Denver Broncos trivia game that fans should check out.  It asks you to name the team’s first round draft choices, Ring of Famers, and top players at the quarterback and running back position.

It’s a lot of fun, and for a young fan like me, quite humbling.

My scores were pretty good.  OK, maybe just so-so.  OK, I’m actually quite embarrassed.  I came into the QB and Ring of Fame trivia knowing I would  dominate, when in fact I only got about 3/4 on both.  The draft picks, I got the latest 15 or so in a row, then it became a bit harder.  And don’t ask about the running backs.

How’d you do?

A quick little interview Mike Shanahan did with Sirius Radio’s Moving the Chains.  Mike talks about Jay entering his third year as a Broncos quarterback and his health.  The best part of this interview was how the interviewer pronounces diabeetus.

• Quick preview, looking at training camp battles.  [The Sports Network]
• A fan’s travel guide to Denver Broncos training camp.  [ESPN]
• Vegas sports site loves the Broncos draft, especially Josh Barrett, calling him a steal.  [Sports Memo]
• There’s no doubt that Brett Favre needs to take lessons on retirement from John Elway.  [Colorado Springs Gazette]
• For once in his life, Hall of Fame inductee Gary Zimmerman has too much to say.  [Denver Post]
• This one’s funny.  Girly web site breaks down the Denver Broncos, including “potential boyfriends.“  Ha.  [SportsSquee]

Gary Zimmerman only spent 5 years of his career playing for the Orange and Blue but that won’t keep him from saying “My loyalty is to the Denver Broncos“  The dominant tackle played for a longer stretch in Minnesota, seven years to be exact.  But Gary appreciates Pat Bowlen for saving him from a sour situation when the Vikings refused to renegotiate his contract in 1993.  Zim threatened to retire but Bowlen came in and offered a trade to take the Hall of Fame tackle off of Minnesota’s hands.

Zimmerman will be joined by fellow Bronco offensive linemen Mark Schlereth, Brian Habib, and David Diaz-Infante at his induction.  John Elway will also be attending as a fellow inductee.  Try not to get any stains on your shirt this time Stink.  Zim seems to have the respect for Pat Bowlen we keep hearing about these days.  This quote shows how he really feels about the Broncos.

“When I went to Denver it’s like the dog who gets put to the pound and you get a new owner and the loyalty is to that new owner and the owner treats you good,” Zimmerman said. “Coming from where I came from, they didn’t treat people quite as well. I thought it was that way across the league, and then to go to Denver and to have your eyes open like that, it was just unbelievable, the respect and dignity.”

It says a lot about a guy when Elway himself will try to chase you down at Sturgis of all places to try and get you to come out of retirement.

Stories via the Gazette and Denver Post

Name: Chris Kuper Height, Weight: 6’4″, 302 Position: Tackle/Guard Age, Experience: 25, 3 College: North Dakota

Chris Kuper (KOO-per) is a third year offensive lineman for the Denver Broncos out of the University of North Dakota. Drafted in the fifth round (161st overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft, Kuper made the active roster in his rookie season but was declared inactive or sat the bench in all but one game. In 2007, Kuper entered training camp with the edge at earning the starting right guard spot; ultimately the spot was won by free agent acquisition Montrae Holland before the start of the season. Listed 3rd on the depth chart at left guard, Kuper ended up starting 11 games at the position after Ben Hamilton and Tom Nalen both went down to injury (Chris Myers, the backup center, took over for Nalen, leaving his LG spot open). A versatile player with the ability to play at several positions, Kuper is currently penciled in as the Denver Broncos’ starting right tackle, and will compete against 2007 draftee Ryan Harris to keep the spot.

The Good: Kuper’s versatility has made him a valuable asset in two years with the Broncos. In college, Kuper’s first three years were at guard (getting limited snaps in his first year). His senior campaign saw Kuper move to the outside (a move necessitated by injuries on the offensive line), and Kuper started all 13 games at left tackle. His efforts earned him All-America honors from the Associated Press in each of his final two seasons. At the pro level, he’s been predominantly injury free and durable, fighting through a thigh injury in the later part of 2007 to stay on the field. He struggled through most of the year, but he showed flashes, with the final contest against the Minnesota Vikings arguably his best performance in the NFL to date.

The Bad: Kuper had quite an up and down season. His first game against the Steelers was solid, but he followed that performance with a string of struggles and mistakes in the weeks to follow (most recognizably his drive-ending, fumble-causing shuffle on Monday Night football against the Packers with the Broncos only a few yards from the end zone). The declining play of Matt Lepsis surely didn’t help, but there were missed assignments and poor technique in several of Kuper’s starts.

Status: Competing for starting job. Signed through 2009. Chris Kuper has shown the type of flashes you hope for in a young player, but I’d like to see his consistency improve in his third year. Chris Kuper was born on Dec. 19, 1982, in Anchorage, AK.

As always, we invite you, the readers, to partake. Will Kuper step up in his third year, or did his struggles last year leave you doubtful?

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We hope you enjoy these posts as BroncoTalk continues to develop the first fan-powered Denver Broncos roster on the web.

The Denver Broncos have announced the official schedule for the team’s 2008 training camp practices. Practices that are open to the public begin Friday, July 25 and continue through Tuesday, August 12.

For any fans wanting to see the Broncos during this time, the gates open at 7:30 AM. Morning practices begin at 8:30 each day, with afternoon sessions starting at either 3:50 or 3:40 PM.

In addition to these practices, the Dallas Cowboys will be participating in two practice sessions with the Broncos on August 13th and 14th. Those sessions will only be available to the media.

The full Denver Broncos media release can be found here (PDF). Click below to enlarge scheduled practices available to the public (the full text version is available after the jump).

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• Excellent article breaking down the phenomenal seasons Mike Shanahan‘s quarterbacks have had in the third year.  [Bronco Madness]
• Does Peyton Hillis have what it takes at the Pro level?  [Mile High Report]
• Nothing like tailgating outside Invesco… oh, wait.  [Predominantly Orange]
• Mike Utley, who was paralyzed nearly 17 years ago in a Detroit Lions game, donated time and money to open a hospital park in Denver.  [Denver Post]
• NFL: The NFL is looking for gang signals among its players.  [Fox Sports]
• NBA: No, Jim Armstrong.  That Nuggets trade really does suck.  [Denver Post]