Garret Barnes has his hands in a lot of cookie jars these days – on top of running the Denver Broncos blog Bronco Madness, he also works on his NFL blog Between the Laces and contributes to an up-and-coming anti-Raiders blog.  As the latest guest blogger on BroncoTalk, Garret offers his predictions for many Broncos, quick and dirty style, before giving his final record prognostication. Enjoy!

My turn! My turn! My turn! Now that everybody else on the face on the earth has made their predictions for the Broncos, it is only fair that I can make my own.

Let’s begin with Brandon Marshall and his future. Brandon is going to become the bad boy of the press (if you do not consider he fits into that category already). Us Bronco fans will be the only ones who want him to stay. But after a string of investigations, the NFL will suspend him for 4-5 games. During those games we will go 3-2. Afterward he will come back and will catch for 800-900 yards and 6 Touchdowns.

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Name: Montrae Rondrell Holland Height, Weight: 6’2″, 322 Position: Guard Age, Experience: 28, 6 College: Florida State

Montrae Holland joined the Broncos as an unrestricted free agent in 2007 and worked his way into the starting lineup. A guard with the New Orleans Saints for four years, rotating in and out of the starting lineup, Holland came on the cheap but quickly impressed the Broncos enough for them to extend his contract by a few years before the season began.

The Good: In an injury-riddled year for veterans Ben Hamilton and Tom Nalen and a disappointing one for LT Matt Lepsis, Holland outshined and outperformed the rest of the offensive line. He was easily the most consistent offensive lineman of the bunch. I was sold on Holland from the first preseason game against San Francisco, and he rarely let me down. He’s a beast in both run and pass blocking, and was smart enough to pick up the complicated Denver zone blocking system without a hitch.

The Bad: While Holland was the most consistent of the offensive linemen the Broncos suited last year, he still suffered from troublesome bouts. The Week 16 San Diego Chargers game comes to mind, as well as some other late season skirmishes. Holland sometimes struggled to see the field with the Saints, especially in 2006, leaving some to question whether 2007 might have been a fluke.

Status: Incumbent starter. Signed through 2009. Holland has the starting right guard job locked up, he’ll only need to prove any lingering doubters wrong. Montrae Holland was born on May 21, 1980, in Jefferson, TX.

As always, we invite you, the readers, to partake. Did Holland do enough to impress you last year, or are you not sold on the possible one year wonder?

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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.

UPDATE 13:01 PM – Fox 31 News is now reporting that this latest violation took place while Henry was still a member of the Broncos in May.  It’s speculated that the Broncos knew about the violation before releasing Henry. The Denver Post is reporting that the Broncos did not know about the violation before releasing Henry.  Either way, good riddance.

Former Denver Broncos running back Travis Henry is out of chances.  Since being released by the Broncos last month, he’s yet to be picked up by any NFL team.

News is breaking that Henry has again tested positive for marijuana, a direct violation of the league’s substance abuse policy.  After 2007’s season-long drama involving a positive test (for which Henry was ultimately cleared), Travis Henry has to be out of excuses.

The news is unconfirmed but comes from the same source who previously broke Henry’s violation in 2007.  Henry will likely face a year suspension for violation of the league’s substance abuse policy.

A lot of fans had your back Henry.  You said some of the right things after the season ended, but it’s obvious you have no desire to save your career.  Farewell, frankly I hope I don’t need to devote a post to you again.

The 2008 offseason saga of Brandon Marshall has been one for the ages.

A March arrest goes unreported for nearly four months. Later in March, Marshall severely injures his right forearm in a freak accident in Florida, requiring surgery and months of recovery. The injury doesn’t slow his spirits – Marshall still predicts a 100-catch season, and begins catching passes ahead of schedule.

Later on, the extent of his rap sheet is detailed, and rumors of a possible suspension begin to mount. His DUI trial (stemming from an incident last season) is continually postponed. The aggressive investigations of the Denver Post don’t help his case, especially when a mere traffic ticket is treated as front page news.

Despite it all, Denver Broncos Head Coach Mike Shanahan stands by his wide receiver, saying he still believes in Marshall as both a player and a person.

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• The picture in this article on Jamie Winborn is worth the price of admission alone.  [DenverBroncos.com]
• Cautiously optimistic: that’s how I’d describe my feelings toward Josh Barrett as well.  [Thin Air]
• Al Wilson takes the next step in his grievance against the Broncos.  [Broncos Gab]
• This Jets blog believes 2008 will be the Broncos’ “year to shine.”  [TheJetsBlog]
• The November Browns-Broncos game (an NFL Network exclusive) will be aired on Channel 2 in the Denver area.  [Denver BizJournal]
• Looking at linebackers and special teams.  [Broncos Denver Broncos]
• Let’s go golfing with the Broncos!  [Orange Bucksnorts]

Two Broncos videos we haven’t covered over the past few weeks on the site.  The first is an interview with Selvin Young which I can assume was recorded during mini camp.  Selvin talks about entering 2008 as the starting half back for the Broncos.  The second video is Ryan Clady at the rookie symposium being interviewed by Adam Schefter.  Seeing Clady in that Broncos polo shirt just seems right.  This is the first interview we’ve seen with Ryan since this video right before the draft.

Name: Peyton Hillis Height, Weight: 6’1″, 250 Position: Fullback Age, Experience: 22, R College: Arkansas

Peyton Hillis was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the 7th round (227th overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft. A fullback out of Arkansas, Hillis plowed the way for two tailbacks who would be drafted in the first round this same year: Darren McFadden by the Raiders, and Felix Jones by the Cowboys. Ranked sometimes as the highest in his position coming out of the draft (sometimes #2 or 3), Hillis could potentially give the Broncos a third round talent at a seventh round price.

The Good: Hillis’ potential is high – not since Howard Griffith have the Broncos had such a pass catching threat out of the backfield. He holds school records for career receptions, reception yards, and reception touchdowns among running backs, as well as single season running back records in receptions and reception yards in 2007, leading his entire team in those categories. He’s a productive college player with a lot of upside.

The Bad: Hillis comes with injury concerns, and his blocking ability leaves something to be desired. He broke three vertebrae in his back in 2004, and sat out some of 2006 with a deep thigh bruise. While he has good hands, he doesn’t have the speed to break away at the second level, and he may not have the power to plow for short yardage at the NFL level.

Status: Competing for starting job. He’ll be facing Cecil Sapp, just re-signed, along with Mike Bell, for the starting job. While the Broncos (and all teams) hate to cut a draft pick in their rookie season, Hillis will still have to out-perform at least one of these vets to guarantee a roster spot. Peyton Hillis was born on Jan. 21, 1986, in Conway, AR.

As always, we invite you, the readers, to partake. Is Hillis the answer at fullback, or do his blocking skills leave you wanting more?

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A Few Seconds of Panic by Stefan Fatsis is quite simply a gem of a book.  On one level, it’s a story of a too old, too short, too thin, and too inexperienced man giving his all for a chance to kick in the NFL.  On another level, it’s an inside look at an NFL team that most have never seen before.  The fact that this NFL team happens to be the Denver Broncos makes the journey all the more enticing.

At first, many of his teammates are understandably put off by Fatsis and give him the cold shoulder.  Because Fatsis is not “just another reporter,” and is working hard to become a credible kicker, many soon open up to him.  They reveal the paranoia of losing playing time due to injury.  They discuss their frustration at not seeing the field.  Depth chart politics are fluent throughout.  For all but the elite veterans, the fear of being cut always sits on the back of their minds.  Everyone loves Sundays, but that only happens 20 times a year.  Most of these players, the ones who aren’t getting paid the big bucks, simply hate their jobs.

All the while, Fatsis is performing thousands of repetitions, trying to perfect his craft.  The pressure he faces likely pales in comparison to the pressure of a real kick during game time, and Fatsis knows this, but it’s still a heart stopping event whenever Head Coach Mike Shanahan calls his name to the field.  By the end, you’ll find yourself cheering for Fatsis just as hard as you would any other Bronco in uniform.

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• Ryan Clady and Eddie Royal are busy soaking up the playbook.  [Rocky Mountain News]
• The Broncos are relying on young legs to kick and punt this year.  [Colorado Springs Gazette]
• MHR breaks down the roster, starting with tight ends.  [Mile High Report]
• Imagining life without Brandon Marshall.  [Bronco Madness]
• Former Bronco Pat Matson is struggling with knee injuries.  [Denver Post]
• One of the eight Broncos employees fired in March has landed on his feet.  [Rocky Mountain News]
• MLB: Rockies 8, Brewers 3.  [Yahoo! Sports]