Madden ’09 is set to drop in a few months, but in the meantime we’ve found a few screencaps showing Denver Broncos player ratings. The team overall has a score of an 84 – good for 17th in the league. Our AFC West foe San Diego Chargers have a 95 (third in the league), while Oakland and Kansas City both score a 71 (29th-30th).

Below are the Broncos individual player ratings. Zoom in by clicking on the images.

Offense:

Defense:

Who’s ranked too low? Who’s ranked too high? Let us know in the comments.

Thanks to Pasta Padre for the pics and ratings.

• Even when injured, players are expected to report to practice. Apparently Travis Henry stopped showing. [Hashmarks]
• Dave Krieger of the RMN says he was told that Henry holds the “unofficial record” for sick relatives. [Rocky Mountain News]
• A verbal altercation between Henry and Coach could have been the last straw. [ProFootballTalk]
• Montrae Holland will pump — YOU up — and other camp notes. [Denver Post]
• You’re right, Mr. Cooper. It’s easy to forget about Mike Bell. Oh yeah, he’s a fullback now. [DenverBroncos.com]
• MLB: Dodgers 8, Rockies 2. What a season. [Yahoo! Sports]

Name: Timothy C. Crowder Height, Weight: 6’4″, 275 Position: Defensive End Age, Experience: 22, 2 College: Texas

Tim Crowder was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the 2nd round of the 2007 NFL Draft out of the University of Texas. His rookie year saw Crowder quietly tally 4 sacks, a decent total considering that many had surmised that first round pick Jarvis Moss would be more of a pass rushing threat. Crowder started all 13 games in his senior year with the Longhorns, compiling 59 tackles (39 solo), 10.5 sacks (66 yds.), 4 forced fumbles, 3 passes defensed and a fumble recovery in the end zone for a touchdown. Crowder was named a finalist for the Ted Hendricks Award (nation’s top defensive end) after he finished with 20 quarterback pressures and 18 tackles-for-losses.

The Good: The defensive line played poorly as a whole, but Crowder took steps in his rookie season. His 4 sacks are a very decent total for a rookie DE in minimal time, while his ability to play on running downs makes him a versatile commodity. 22 tackles (18 solo) was a decent total as well. Crowder dominated the highlight reels in Week 7 against Pittsburgh on Sunday Night Football with his 50-yard fumble return for a touchdown.

The Bad: It’s hard to be critical of a rookie player, but Crowder struggled with an ankle injury early and wasn’t activated until week 4 of the season. His 4 sacks all came in a 3-week span (at KC, vs. TEN, at CHI); hopefully his sophomore season and beyond won’t be as hot and cold as his rookie campaign.

Status: Potential starter. Signed through 2010. I expect Crowder to compete (and win) a starting job during training camp. He can play both the run and pass and is more talented than incumbents John Engelberger and Ebenezer Ekuban. Tim Crowder was born on June 30, 1985 in Tyler, Texas.

As always, we invite you, the readers, to partake. Will Crowder excel in 2008, or do the growing pains cause you to yearn for a veteran talent?

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The Denver Broncos released Travis Henry this morning, citing a lack of commitment on Henry’s part.

Nah, you think? In the 15 months since he signed with the Broncos in 2007, TravisHenry.com never received a rather pertinent update: his new team.

Travis Henry Official Website

After one injury-plagued and suspension-dominated season, Travis Henry is no longer a member of the Denver Broncos. The team announced this morning that Henry was released, citing a lack of commitment in a prepared statement.

“Although Travis has the ability to be one of the top running backs in the NFL, we have to make decisions that are in the best interests of our organization and its goal of winning a Super Bowl,” coach Mike Shanahan said. “We did not feel his commitment to the Broncos was enough to warrant a spot on this football team.”

Many speculated after the initial signing that Henry could excel in the Denver running system, with the potential to gain upwards of 1,500 yards. Those predictions did not come to fruition in 2007, where he gained 691 yards (4.1 average) and 4 touchdowns in 12 games.

The Broncos recently signed Michael Pittman, who now looks likely to play a role with the Broncos this season.

• Rosalind Williams finds comfort and hope in the recent break in her son’s murder investigation.  [Denver Post]
• The Broncos coaches and players are also encouraged by the intercepted letter.  [Rocky Mountain News]
• Casey Wiegmann will return home this week – his hometown of Parkersburg, Iowa was ravaged by a tornado, killing seven and injuring more than 50.  [Rocky Mountain News]
• Mike Greenberg, Mike Golic, and Mike Ditka will call the Broncos’ Week 1 Monday Night Football game.  [FanHouse]
• Running back by committee, or will one back lead the pack?  [Denver Post]
• The tight end position got a little banged up, but overall the Broncos escaped QB camp unharmed.  [Denver Post]
• MLB: Cubs 5, Rockies 3.  [Yahoo! Sports]

Kyle’s away from the PC today, so the player bios will continue over the weekend. He asked me to fill in with the posts so without further ado here are the Daily Links.

• If you haven’t already done so, please read the breaking news on the Darrent Williams case. [RMN]
• Tight End Chad Mustard is out 8-10 weeks with a torn hamstring. [Denver Post]
• Remembering a Bronco, Darrent Williams. [Denver Post]
• Jay Cutler has a bunch of fresh targets at quarterback camp to sight in. [Rocky Mountain News]
• Mark Kiszla states that the Broncos success hinges on their defense this year. Where did he get that idea? [Denver Post]
• John Lynch welcomes his competition at safety. [Denver Post]

Please head on over to the Rocky Mountain News, where the paper has obtained a copy of a letter that is strongly believed to have come from gang member Willie D. Clark. Clark has been named several times in the murder investigation of former Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams.

In the letter, intercepted by a former cellmate of Clark’s and given to both the RMN and law enforcement, Clark fears that someone saw him shoot DWill’s car, and fears that that person will talk to the police.

The authenticity of the letter appears to have been confirmed. A handwriting analysis expert has declared that this letter and others from Clark are from the “same writer, period.”

Clark is currently in jail on pending drug charges.

Since the murder of Darrent Williams on January 1, 2007, police have had extensive troubles lining up witnesses because of the danger those witnesses would be in. The shooters come from a violent gang in Denver that has (directly or indirectly) intimidated anyone with evidence to such an extent that no one has come forward, to this point.

At the moment, the source of the letter is in fear of his life and is hoping that the state can improve the measures taken to keep him safe. He is unwilling to testify until he and his family receive more adequate protection.

If you are a person who prays, please pray for the source’s safety, and for the potential witness involved. Pray that this is the first step to obtaining justice in the Williams case.

We’ll keep you posted.

Letter implicates Bronco’s killer [Rocky Mountain News]

Name: Keary Colbert Height, Weight: 6’0″, 200 lbs. Position: Wide Receiver Age, Experience: 26, 5 College: USC

Keary Colbert joins the Denver Broncos as an unrestricted free agent and will compete with other free agent acquisitions for the starting #2 WR role opposite Brandon Marshall. Colbert was drafted in the 2nd round in 2004 by the Carolina Panthers, where he underperformed after his rookie season and was allowed to hit the free agent market. For his career, he has 109 catches for 1,424 yards (13.1 average) and 7 touchdowns.

The Good: Colbert has an exceptional rookie season, tallying 47 catches for 754 yards and a whopping 16.0 ypc. He added five touchdowns that season. With the Trojans, Colbert broke records, becoming the all time receptions-leader with 207 catches and third in all-time receiving yards with 2,964. His early years showed a lot of promise to become an elite NFL wide receiver.

The Bad: Since his rookie season, Colbert’s production has tailed off considerably, earning him only two touchdowns (both in 2005). 2006 was particularly poor for Colbert, earning him only 5 catches for 56 yards. In 2007 he bounced back just a bit with his best numbers since his rookie season (32 catches for 332 yards, no touchdowns).

Status: Competing for starting role. Signed a three year, $7.2 million deal that will keep him in Denver through 2010. Colbert was born on May 21, 1982.

Now we invite you, the readers, to partake. Is Colbert the answer at wide receiver, or did we overpay for someone some have pegged a “bust?”

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Take every apology Todd Sauerbrun ever gave to fans and teammates, and every promise he made to coaches to stay on the straight and narrow, and throw them out the window.

Todd Sauerbrun doesn’t get it, never did, and apparently never will.

Yesterday the former Denver Broncos punter pleaded guilty to charges stemming from an altercation with a taxi cab driver that took place near the end of the 2007 season. The incident led to his release, upon which the Broncos claimed his belligerent behavior toward the police had more to do with his departure than anything else.

Outside of the court room Wednesday, Sauerbrun was quick to call out his former team, claiming that the Broncos didn’t do right by him.

“The Broncos didn’t give me a fair shot. I don’t think they did me right,” Sauerbrun said after being sentenced to 24 hours of community service for disturbing the peace. “I do feel ill about it.

“And their new motto about character guys? The guys I’ve seen them pick up, you’re going to tell me those are good character people? I think not.”

First, the Broncos did much more than give him a fair shot. They gave him two – and I’d venture to say both were much more than fair for the player. The first time around, the Broncos were willing to overlook Sauerbrun’s DWI arrest and steroid allegations that saw him kicked out of Carolina. Sauerbrun showed his thanks by earning a 4-game suspension for using the banned diet supplement ephedra. He was cut after his four-game suspension concluded in 2006.
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