“Just get your face all intense like this and you’ll be able to take the pain.”

Brandon Marshall has been running routes throughout the team’s various mini camps, but until recently he had yet to catch the football.  The injury he sustained in March prevented him from using his right hand.

On Friday, Marshall made a one-handed grab using his healthy left hand to catch his first ball of practice.  He was also seen at the weekend’s Fan Fair in good spirits, and is scheduled to return to catching footballs with both hands on June 22.

Another report indicates that he’s now writing with his right hand.

I’m no doctor, so take this with a grain of salt, but these all seem to be good signs that Marshall will recover fully from his injury, and more quickly than many had thought. Great news for Broncos fans.

The team will continue team camp practices tomorrow.

• Hopping on the league bandwagon, the Broncos have begun negotiations with their 2008 rookie class.  [Denver Post]
• Michael Pittman talks about the sometimes poor decisions he made in his life.  [Denver Post]
• Brandon Marshall says he’s learned from his mistakes and is ready to change his reputation.  [Rocky Mountain News]
• Looking at Selvin Young‘s fantasy potential as the feature back this year.  [Bleacher Report]
• KC: Interesting article on the Chiefs’ cornerback situation.  [Kansas City Star]
• MLB: After winning 4 straight, Rockies fall to Brewers 3-2.  [Yahoo! Sports]

Name: Andre Hall Height, Weight: 5’10”, 212 Position: Running Back Age, Experience: 2, 25 College: South Florida

Andre Hall passed through Tampa and Chicago before landing in Denver. As an undrafted free agent, Hall spent 2006 trying to stick on a team and ending that year on Denver’s practice squad. In 2007 Hall stepped up as a returner and when injuries hit Travis Henry and Selvin Young, Hall got a chance to start his first NFL game vs Chicago on Nov. 25.

The Good: Hall was a bright spot on a special teams unit that featured our biggest embarrassment in years vs Devon Hester. He racked up 475 yard on kickoff returns on just 19 attempts (25 yard average). Hall also showed moments of brilliance out of the back field last year including his remarkable 4th quarter vs TEN in week 11 when he took the field with less than 13 minutes left in the game and immediately broke off a run for 62 yards and a TD. He followed this up with this first Pro start vs Chicago where he gained 181 all-purpose yards and a TD.

The Bad: Despite some momentary flashes, Hall hasn’t shown the consistency of a starting RB in the league – he often follows long breakout runs with disappointingly short gains. He’s slightly undersized at this level and he (like every one of our backs last year) suffered from the injury bug.

Status: A backup in 2007 with special teams experience. However, Denver signed rookie running backs Ryan Torain and Anthony Alridge as well as veteran Michael Pittman this off season. They also released Travis Henry. That leaves Selvin Young atop the RB depth chart heading into camp this year. Andre Hall will need to show Denver’s coaches something special in order to stay in play among the running back unit. And with Eddie Royal coming in, Hall will have some serious competition on the return unit as well.

As always, we invite you, the readers, to partake. How do you see Hall fitting into our 2008 offense and special teams?

 Loading ...

More on Andre Hall

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

Name: John Albert Engelberger Height, Weight: 6’4″, 260 Position: Defensive End Age, Experience: 9, 31 College: Virginia Tech

John Engelberger joined the Denver Broncos via a trade with San Francisco in 2005. Until this past year, he had only started one game for the Broncos, participating in the defensive line rotation and tallying 79 tackles and 1 sack in 2005 and 2006. In 2007, with the injury of Ebenezer Ekuban and the release of Kenard Lang, Engelberger saw his first real opportunity to start.

The Good: Engelberger is known as a blue collar hard worker, who may not be overly impressive statistically but will put in the effort to make his mark on the field. His work ethic helped him earn a roster spot, and ultimately a starting position on the defensive line in Lang’s stead last year. Engelberger tallied 59 tackles, 1 sack, and a forced fumble in 15 starts in 2007.

The Bad: Engelberger has not made a lot of impact plays in his career. He’s only earned two sacks in three seasons with the Broncos. Meanwhile, the Broncos’ run defense was morbid last year, especially on the defensive line. If he’s not helping rush the passer, and he’s not making a dent on the worst run defense in recent Broncos memory, is he worthy of a starting spot?

Status: Incumbent starter. Signed through 2010 after earning a new contract last year. Players with the level of work ethic Engelberger had will always earn my admiration and respect, and always have a spot on my Broncos. Someone with a bit more talent at the pro level would be more palatable in a starter’s role, however. John Engelberger was born in Heidelburg, Germany on October 18, 1976.

As always, we invite you, the readers, to partake. Does Engelberger’s work ethic make up for the lack of flash, or are you left wanting more?

 Loading ...

More on John Engelberger

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

Denver Broncos center Tom Nalen will undergo arthroscopic knee surgery today to repair torn cartilage in his left knee, the Denver Post reports.

The team reports that the surgery will keep Nalen out of action for 2-3 weeks, leaving the possibility for his return during the July 5-7 mini camp and definitely by training camp later in July.

In his absence, Casey Wiegmann has seen the starting center snaps.

It’s sad to see these injuries happening to one of my all-time favorite Broncos. Nalen is as tough as they come, but at the age of 37, battling torn biceps and knee cartilage, this will almost certainly be his swan song. Here’s hoping he can see the field for one more season and finish his stellar career strong.

If this doesn’t get you fired up as a Broncos fan you must be in a coma. Javon Walker left a message for his former team in an interview with ESPN’s Bill Williamson, “it’s personal”. Walker says he still loves the city of Denver but detests the Broncos organization. He refers to the orange and blue as “that team”. They kind of go hand in hand Javon. Williamson is speculating that Walker’s attitude towards the Broncos is one of the reasons Al Davis forked over that Brinks truck of a contract to him. Anything to bring in a player scorned by the mile high franchise. Bill Romanowski anyone?

“That team is going to see me in the opener,” Walker said. “They are going to see me, I’ll tell you that. They’ll see what they are missing.” – On the Monday Night Football Opener

Despite everything that has happened over the last two seasons Walker still thinks he got the raw deal in Denver. After Denver’s loss to Jacksonville this apparently is how the Broncos did Javon wrong.

“I was open and they didn’t get me the ball,” Walker said. “Here I was busting my butt, draining my knee, to be able to go out and make plays and they didn’t get me the ball. After that, I started to take care of my knee.”

Let me get this straight. The offense has one bad game during which the Jaguars had a stifling defense on the field. The game was back and forth the entire game with both teams locked in a defensive battle. Because you proceeded to not get the ball you gave up on your team and play for yourself and “take care of your knee”? Walker was outplayed by Marshall the entire 2007 season and it was clear he couldn’t be relegated to 2nd on the depth chart. Which is still a starting position the last time I checked! Click here to read the rest of this entry »

Four time Pro Bowler Lorenzo Neal finds himself oddly still on the market – due both to injury and age (he’s 37), Neal has had difficulty landing with another team since his departure from the San Diego Chargers at the end of last season. Now he’s setting the record straight, talking to Michael Silver of Yahoo! Sports, and saying any drop in his game was due to the new scheme brought by Norv Turner, not by a lack of talent.

What’s more, several NFC scouts agree.

“I don’t know how that guy can still be on the street,” says a high-ranking front-office executive for an NFC team. “If you want someone who can light up a defender on an ‘iso’ block, that’s your guy.”

The article goes on to talk about Neal as a leader in the locker room and his work ethic.

Since Travis Henry‘s release, the Broncos have an open roster spot. It appears Neal is healthy, and he lists the Broncos among three teams he’d like to play for (the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers are the others – nothing like a big market team to revitalize your career). Neal is dangerously close to 40, but just came off his third consecutive Pro Bowl. Is he worth signing? The Broncos have already begun implementing their base offense – is it too late to add him?

 Loading ...

Adam Zinser/DenverBroncos.com

• The weather forced the Broncos indoors yesterday for practice. [DenverBroncos.com]
• Niko Koutouvides doesn’t have the starting MLB spot locked up yet, and Tom Nalen was sidelined with a visible knee wrap.  [Rocky Mountain News]
• Marcus Thomas is ready to explode this year.  [DenverBroncos.com]
• Tony Scheffler talks more about coming back from his injury.  [NFL.com]
• Newly acquired Michael Pittman says he’s a changed man.  [Denver Post]
• Samie Parker gets a word or two in as well.  [DenverBroncos.com]
• Free agent Pro Bowl fullback Lorenzo Neal lists Denver as one of his desired destinations as he looks for a new team.  [Yahoo! Sports]
• Character, character, character.  [Denver Post]
• Information on the Annual Fan Fair in Denver.  [DenverBroncos.com]
• OAK: The Raiders signed Darren McFadden in the twilight hour last night.  [Yahoo! Sports]

Name: Ebenezer Ekuban Height, Weight: 6’4″, 275 Position: Defensive End Age, Experience: 10, 32 College: North Carolina

Ebenezer Ekuban joined the Denver Broncos via a trade with Cleveland in 2005, and, when healthy, has been an extremely effective player for the club. In 2005 and 2006, Ekuban only missed one game, tallying 119 tackles and 11 sacks. During a 2007 preseason game, Ekuban tore the Achilles tendon in his right heel, forcing him onto Injured Reserve and ending his season.

The Good: 2006 was Ekuban’s best career year, and the best performance by anyone on the D-line that year. In hindsight, it isn’t surprising the defense struggled so much last season. The Broncos’ strongest defenders against the run were all lost before or during 2007 due to injury – Ekuban’s heel, Al Wilson‘s neck, and John Lynch‘s neck. With Ekuban’s return, expect the defense to get a boost up front.

The Bad: With Ekuban’s age (32) and his severe foot injury, he has an uphill battle this season. He’s admitted that he’s frustrated with the healing process thus far – and if prior Achilles tears are any indication, he might not be 100% this season. While 2006 was his best year, Ekuban needs to show that it wasn’t a one-hit wonder of a season.

Status: Coming off foot surgery. Signed through 2008. Ekuban signed a one year, $1.2 million contract in March to stay with the Broncos. If his injury is healed, he’ll have a good chance to secure a starting spot. Ebenezer Ekuban was born in Accra, Ghana in Africa on May 29, 1976.

As always, we invite you, the readers, to partake. Are Ekuban’s best days behind him or does he still have fight left in him?

 Loading ...

More on Ebenezer Ekuban

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

Today, CBS Sportsline has a couple of articles ranking the 32 NFL franchises’ offensive and defensive lines. This is something I’m interested in more than any other comparison any of these national media sites can do – it’s the exact reason why a talented Denver Broncos team failed to deliver in 2007.

The top of each article features a graph showing 5 years of sacks and sacks allowed by every NFL team. From 2002 to 2007, only 4 teams (the Packers, Colts, Patriots, and Chargers) have allowed fewer sacks than the Broncos. The defensive line is another story – the Broncos are just below the middle of the pack when it comes to 5 years of DL-attributed sacks.

OFFENSE: Denver Broncos Rank 19 out of 32

Best player: LG Ben Hamilton. Weak link: The right tackle spot.

The skinny: The Broncos line, which has been a strong point in recent years, wasn’t so good last season. That’s why Denver picked Ryan Clady in the first round. He will start at left tackle. The rest of the line will see a lot of competition for jobs. At right tackle, Erik Pears should battle Chris Kuper for the starting job. Getting left guard Ben Hamilton back from injury is huge. Center will be a battle between Tom Nalen and Casey Wiegmann.

DEFENSE: Denver Broncos Rank 25 out of 32

Best player: RE Elvis Dumervil. Weak link: Left end, whomever it is.

The skinny: This has been a trouble area for the Broncos for the past five years. They have brought in a wave of veterans who have flopped and used high draft picks to help make their front better. Those picks need to produce this year. Dumervil is a speed rusher who can get handled in the run game. But he’s the best of the group. Jarvis Moss and Tim Crowder need to do more off the edge. Moss will push John Engleberger and Ebenezer Ekuban for the left end spot. Marcus Thomas has tons of potential at tackle, while Alvin McKinley is average. The addition of Dewayne Robertson will help if he can stay healthy.

As someone closer to the team day in and day out, the offensive line scoop was inaccurate in a few ways. It’s Nalen’s job to lose – there’s always competition, but Wiegmann won’t be pushing Nails out of a job if he’s healthy. Ryan Harris is another name to watch at the right tackle spot – don’t expect Pears to be anywhere but backup LT.

The rankings are low, but these units haven’t showed anything yet. Too many unknowns. I think they’ll be better, but until then, I have no gripes with these rankings.