Terrell Davis made the Mile High Salute famous. And on Sunday, Sept. 23rd Bronco Nation will get their chance to salute him when TD is officially inducted into the Ring of Fame at INVESCO Field at Mile High.

Prior to the 2002 regular season, and with much fanfare, Davis made his last appearance in a broncos uniform on Monday Night Football as the Broncos prepared to play a preseason game against the 49ers. Davis was announced as he walked through the tunnel with his teammates. The sold out crowd gave him a standing ovation and he gave them his final Mile-High Salute. After walking to midfield as the lone Bronco’s player at the cone toss, Davis returned to the sideline and the embraces of his fellow players.

That was the last time TD wore the orange & blue, but his memory has never faded. Fans across the country remember his powerful running style. We remember his indomitable will to win in Super Bowl XXXII. We remember his legendary 1998 season in which he rushed for over 2000 yards and the title of NFL MVP. But most importantly, we remember his team spirit and unselfish nature. If John Elway set the bar for competitiveness and drive, Terrell Davis set the standard for teamwork and lack of personal ego.

All that could be summed up in that one salute. A salute for Davis, symbolizing that a trip to the end zone was just part of his job — part of his duty to the team and the fans.

Terrell Davis may be the only player in NFL history to ever be awarded a Super Bowl MVP, a NFL MVP, rush for 2000 yards in one season and record seven consecutive postseason games of more than 100 yards each. But for fans nationwide, the thing he will always be remembered for is that beautifully simple salute.

Here’s to you TD — We salute you!

I must mention this awesome post in Andrew Mason’s blog. Instead of writing anything new regarding this news, Andrew dusts off the article he wrote after that MNF game. It’s as powerful now as it was then and well worth the read: FULL POST

AFC West Watch continues every Friday, and in this Part 6 Installment, I’ll rank the defensive lines of the AFC West 1-4. The San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders are playing “steady as she goes,” with the Kansas City Chiefs making a few moves and the Denver Broncos finding themselves in the middle of a complete overhaul. On to the ranks.

1) San Diego Chargers

The most underrated player, possibly in the entire league, is the beefy Nose Tackle Jamal Williams of San Diego. He just knows how to clog the gap and free up his linebackers to do what they do. Honestly, without Williams at Nose, would Shawne Merriman be the freak that he is? Ray Lewis will tell you “no” after he lost Tony Siragusa – speedy LBs need someone to take up blockers, and no one demands more attention on a defensive line than Jamal Williams. He had a career high in tackles last year… imagine what he could do if he actually got better.

At defensive end they have Luis Castillo, who is also solid and was even called by John Madden “the most important person on the Chargers defense.” I don’t know about that, but Castillo is definitely very good at his position. On the other side you have Igor Olshansky, who is solid as well but doesn’t get the spotlight of either Castillo or Williams. Behind them they have solid depth at all positions – it’s really no contest when you consider how important the defensive line is to a 3-4 defense, and how well the Chargers have been able to dominate at the line of scrimmage the past 3 years.

2) Denver Browncos

Wonder if anyone will catch that… The Denver Broncos have had a glaring weakness for most of Mike Shanahan‘s tenure – even in the years leading up to the Super Bowl we were always struggling to mount a really consistent pass rush. I think it’s safe to say that the team made the right moves to start to put that one to sleep, with 4 athletic draft picks in the past 2 years focusing on the D-Line and several free agent acquisitions at Defensive Tackle.

First, the player who really stepped us his game last year and is the one sure-fire starter at defensive end – Ebenezer Ekuban (pictured left). I think it’s safe to say that this is one “Brownco” who didn’t disappoint, and was well worth the price of Reuben Droughns in the trade a few years back. The other spot is wide open to competition, with Kenard Lang either the incumbent starter or rumored trade bait. With Day 1 picks Jarvis Moss and Tim Crowder chomping at the bit, as well as a possible increased role for impressive second-year player Elvis Dumervil, there really aren’t any guarantees though.

At DT, Gerard Warren returns (hopefully to healthy toes and 2005 form), with a whole mess of guys looking to start opposite him. I pencil Sam Adams to start at first, but I wouldn’t count out 4th rounder Marcus Thomas, or even Jimmy Kennedy if he wants another stab at it. Alvin McKinley adds depth if needed as well.

The deepest defensive line, by far, in the division is in Mile High, but with questions at starter it’s hard to rank them ahead of the already-productive Chargers. Potentially our defensive line could move ahead of them by the end of the season.

3) Oakland Raiders

The best defensive end in the division is Derrick Burgess, with 27 sacks in the past two years the easiest indication of his dominance over his opponents. At 6-2, 260 lbs., the guy is a freak of nature who really broke out since he dropped his Eagle wings for Raider… um, horns? Maybe an eyepatch… anyway, one of the hardest guys to block in the division is unhappy with his contract and is threatening holdout blah blah blah blah blah. Leading the league in sacks in 2005, Burgess will likely get what he wants – the Raiders can ill afford to let one of their most talented players go right now.

The other big star on the DL is sure-fire Hall of Famer Warren Sapp, who came back in a big way last year with an impressive 10 sacks. The 3-4 defensive end experiment of 2004 was a bust, but since then Sapp’s game has improved and he’s only barely beginning to show his age.

They drafted Quentin Moses, whose workouts left much to be desired and fell out of the first round completely. That could prove to be a very good move. I don’t see Tyler Brayton, Kevin Huntley (DE) or Terdell Sands (DT) as very bright spots on the line, though. Their defensive line was better than ours last year, but I just see too much potential in Denver and not enough in Oakland to rank them ahead of the Broncos.

4) Kansas City Chiefs

Let me just say this – all 4 defensive lines in this division are arguably in the better half of the league. The Chiefs struck gold with Tamba Hali last year, who showed he could handle run support as well as mount a decent pass rush. Jared Allen (pictured left) has been suspended for two games (down from an original four), but he is also one of the best pass rushers in the division. But it’s the interior of the defensive line that concerns me, as well as the line’s overall depth. A bit of me fears DeMarcus “Tank” Tyler, whom the Chiefs picked in the third round, but he has a bit of work to do as a pass rusher to start. Alfonso Boone was a nice depth-filler pickup also. Speaking of the draft, they addressed the defensive line often on draft day, ultimately selecting 2 more D-Linemen in April. Where they had virtually no depth they are now pretty deep, but with no clear cut starter at either defensive tackle spot and drafting what will end up being backup defensive ends only, they weren’t picks that are likely to make an impact this year.

If healthy, they could push to the second spot. You could make a case for Denver, Oakland and Kansas City to be ranked in any order 2-4, but I honestly feel this is what we’re looking at in 2007.

Average Rank So Far:

San Diego Chargers – 1.67
Denver Broncos – 2.00
Kansas City Chiefs – 3.16
Oakland Raiders – 3.16

The Chargers increase their lead, with the Broncos holding steady and the RAIDERS CATCHING UP TO THE CHIEFS!

There are only a few segments of AFC West Watch yet, combined with Pick ‘Em Mondays to culminate to when I predict the winner of the AFC West in August. In the next two Fridays I’ll be ranking the quarterbacks and coaching staffs, and if I have time I’d love to sneak in a ranking of the Special Teams. As always, if you disagree with the rankings feel free to leave a little feedback via the Comments below.

I thought this was an interesting tidbit in the Rocky Mountain News…

Jim Bates has announced that he plans to stroll the sidelines during the games instead of working from the booth (as both Larry Coyer and Ray Rhodes did). This doesn’t give him the bird’s eye view of the field, but it will allow him to be face-to-face with his players.

“Just the feel of the players, the body language of the players, seeing their eyes. You can’t see that in the box. You don’t know the feeling of the players. On the field, you get a different feel for where your players are at and direct communication with them — I like that.”

— Jim Bates 7/25/07

My respect for Bates just went up quite a bit. I like the idea that he believes it is better to read his players than to see the unfolding of the play from on high. He fell in love with this perspective after he came down from the booth when he took over as the interim head coach in Miami.

I might also add that I’m not the only one that believes that the leader of our Defense should be among his men on the sidelines. My understanding is that Mike Shanahan didn’t like Ray Rhodes move to the booth, and even threatened to force him to the sideline if his unit didn’t preform well. Now, I never heard anything like that when Coyer was the DC, but I can easily see Shanahan being pleased that his new Defensive Guru has decided to join him on the field. Mike Shanahan hasn’t had that kind of sideline company since Greg Robinson left the team at the end of 2000.

Not that we won’t have annalists in the booth. In fact now days, with advanced communication between the booth and the field, most coaches have access to photos and other info from the booth almost instantly. In 2007, Bates plans to have his Defensive Coordinator, Bob Slowik, lead his eyes in the sky team. That should free Bates to motivate his troops face-to-face.

And one possible motivation for the players this year will be avoiding returning to the sideline after missing a tackle to face the wraith of Bates!

Rocky Mountain News Article: FULL STORY

The Denver Bronco’s third round draft pick, Ryan Harris, signed a four year deal including a signing bonus of $805,000 today.

“It’s something that’s been hanging over the heads of all the draft picks, so it’s just nice to have it official and finished before camp–No worries. Now, I’ve got to last.”

— Ryan Harris 7/26/07

The rookie from Notre Dame will be learning the ropes from returning starter Matt Lepsis this year and will likely not see any gameday action until the following year. However, with Lepsis being 33 years old now and coming off a ACL injury, it’s good that we have a young project like Harris on board.

With this signing (and the previous signing of Marcus Thomas), the Broncos only have defensive ends Jarvis Moss, our first round pick from Florida, and Tim Crowder, our second-round selection from Texas, left to sign. Both should have deals in place before they report to camp on Saturday.

Denver Post Article: FULL STORY

Part 3 of my training camp breakdown involves the runningback position, where the Broncos have historically been great. But great isn’t good enough in Denver, and the tandem of Tatum Bell and Mike Bell left a sour taste in most fans’ mouths last year. Signing the biggest free agent contract ever for a Broncos runningback, in came Travis Henry, who has a virtual lock on the first spot.

But the second spot, once thought to be easily filled by sophomore runningback Mike Bell, has been stirring a little news lately. Cecil Sapp, our backup fullback over the past few seasons, has been stealing some snaps from our undrafted, Terrell Davis‘ number-stealing runningback. It’s a regular camp battle for the #2 spot at RB, and I’m here to break it down for you (including the other no-names that could steal some spotlight as well).

Backup Runningback

Mike Bell

Bell exploded on the scene just about this time last year – he did very well during training camp practices, and all of Denver was talking about this new emergence of youth at the runningback position when Mike Shanahan surprised everyone, announcing Bell would compete with… Bell, for starting snaps. Some were asking if he’d be the next Mike Anderson or Reuben Droughns – but we now know that he didn’t break out to the point of the afforementioned once he got his opportunity. Bell did admirably for the Broncos last year – he just didn’t excel, and he left something to be yearned for Broncos fans and staff alike.

At 6-0, 220 lbs., Bell should be faster than his current speed. He had trouble in pass protection and blitz pickup last year. While his first preseason game last year saw him dramatically fumble the ball, it actually wasn’t a sign of things to come, as many (including myself) suspected. He only fumbled once during his entire regular season… but Bell doesn’t have the speed to break away, and he leaves something to be desired in his blocks. The offseason work can help him with his blocks, but he’s not big enough to be considered a bruiser, and he’s not fast enough to be considered a speedy, big-play back. He’s somewhere awkwardly in the middle – great at the goal line with his insane leaps, but he’s not a bruising third down back either.

What he lacks on the field he makes up for, to some extent, in his desire. Growing up a Broncos fan (and a huge T.D. fan), Bell has been dreaming for running for the Broncos his entire life. It’s a feel-good story that everyone can root for. Now that his dream has come true, he has to step up his game if he hopes to stem the tide against the likes of the other RBs catching up.

Cecil Sapp

Another undrafted player, Cecil Sapp has been filling in the Broncos depth chart as the all-coveted “tweener” – part tailback, part fullback, Sapp is a bruiser who can run with power and make the big blocks, too.

At 5-11, 229, Sapp is bigger than Bell and runs with more power. The news broke during OTAs that Sapp was actually running with the second team – a move some thought might be more of a motivational move by Shanahan to push Bell. While this theory makes sense, I’m beginning to believe that Sapp has a real shot at #2.

Of course, injuries are a concern – it was only in Week 13 last year that he suffered his broken left fibula. But he’s lost weight since then (around 12-15 lbs.), and he’s been informed that he will be expected to do more work at tailback.

I haven’t gotten this many reps since my rookie year. I’m just trying to take advantage of it, and that’s what I’m doing right now.

If he can stay healthy, he could provide invaluable depth at both tailback and fullback, and he will undoubtedly continue to leave his mark on Special Teams. I’m rooting for him to push Bell and possibly supplant him at #2.

Selvin Young

At 5-11, 207 lbs., Selvin Young comes to the team as an undrafted rookie who only needs to “want it” to burst onto the scene. I already wrote a report on Young back in May, and I stand by what I said then – the kid just didn’t want it bad enough in college. He has all the physical skills you could hope for in a runningback, particularly in Denver’s sytem – he knows how to hit a hole and drive to daylight.

Honestly, the prospect of Young excited me probably more than any of the other backups on the roster, but I don’t want someone on the team who doesn’t want to work his ass off for the job. He had plenty of opportunities to be “the man” at Texas, but due to injuries or whatever, he just couldn’t step up. Physically, he can make the blocks needed. He has the ability to outrun the competition to the endzone, and he can find the holes to put himself in that position to begin with. He caught 23 balls last year, showing that he has good hands – he’s not exceptional in any area, but he has the potential to be. He was even a bit of a Special Teams ace at Texas, and could push Quincy Morgan and Domenik Hixon for return reps.

The more I think about it, he’s the virtual opposite of Mike Bell – all the athletic tools we would want in a runningback, but none of the drive or passion of Bell. If healthy, I can see Young making the team and competing for third team reps at runningback and making a solid contribution to Special Teams. If someone can light a Mike Bell-esque fire under his ass, he could even shock Denver and show up at #2.

Andre Hall

A big time performer at a small-time school, Andre Hall walked away with all sorts of records and honors when he left South Florida. In his first season as a Bull, he set the school rushing record with 1,357 rushing yards. He went on to get more accolades and honors, but I’m not thrilled at the prospect of this young runningback.

He never showed the speed or elusiveness to make it to the next level, and he moved from Tampa Bay’s practice squad to Chicago’s in 2006 before joining the Broncos in November of last year. His hope to make the team would be in Special Teams, but if the Bears didn’t see something in Hall in their elite unit I can’t see how he would impress the Broncos Special Teams staff – if we want to improve our Special Teams another team’s leftovers shouldn’t be good enough for us. I expect Hall to be waived come training camp, and I’d be floored if he made the 53-man roster in lieu of Selvin Young.

Predicted Depth Chart

Halfback

1. Travis Henry
2. Mike Bell
3. Selvin Young

Fullback

1. Kyle Johnson
2. Cecil Sapp
3. Paul Smith

I could see situations where Cecil Sapp, Mike Bell and Selvin Young flip around in every position, 2-4, of our runningback depth. I could make a case for Sapp or Young being the premier backup, and I could make a case for Young to fail to make the team at all due to his lack of drive. At fullback, it’s much more straightforward, with one of my personal favorite players Kyle Johnson leading the way (hopefully returning to 2005, big-play form). Cecil Sapp is a lock at #2, and recent acquisition Paul Smith is a mammoth among Special Teams and will have a big impact there this season. Sorry, Thump Belton fans, I don’t see this movement being a “success.”

All this aside, Henry is our man and Broncos fans are counting on him having a huge year in the orange and blue. Anything short of 1,500 yards would have to be considered a bit of a disappointment for the level of hype he has received this year.

[tags]Denver Broncos, Broncos, Travis Henry, Mike Bell, Selvin Young, Cecil Sapp, Training Camp, NFL[/tags]

Getting ready for the break of Training Camp this Sunday, and I haven’t been this excited for some football probably since we were looking forward to the primetime Chargers game last year. Let’s hope this time my excitement gets rewarded a little… but MAN, AM I PUMPED! On to the business of hand, your second edition of Training Camp Breakdown – Linebackers.

The Broncos linebackers have always been a source of strength on our defense, but this year we head into the season with major questions at 2 of the 3 positions. I believe it’s safe to say that our linebackers are the biggest cause of concern for the Broncos this year – with a young talent trying to replace one of the greatest defenders in Broncos history, and new players competing with incumbents on the strongside, no one really knows what to expect from our linebackers in 2007.

Weakside Linebacker

Ian Gold

Ian Gold has a lock on this spot, making him the only Broncos linebacker returning to his position of a year ago. I don’t feel the need to go into detail on a scouting report for Gold, so I’ll be brief – he’s small and quick at 6-0, 223 lbs., but he gets the job done and has been a solid contributor in both his stints in Denver. He may take on more of a leadership role with the Broncos this year, but I don’t expect it from him. That will be the MIKE’s job.

Warrick Holdman

Warrick Holdman, at 6-1 and 235 lbs., is a solid backup for Ian Gold and could even compete for the starting job opposite him at SAM. He’s never been a big playmaker, but his game is solid and he isn’t afraid to be a team player. In other words, he’s my kinda guy.

After stints in Chicago, Cleveland, and Washington, Holdman saw his 8-year, 501-tackle career move to Denver just before the draft. Combined with the signing of D.D. Lewis, it seemed to indicate to Broncos fans that we wouldn’t be pursuing a linebacker in the draft, despite having cut Al Wilson. While not as fast as Gold, Holdman can hold his own and is a great depth-filler for the Broncos.

Middle Linebacker

D.J. Williams

Young D.J. Williams exploded onto the scene in 2004 with his career high in tackles (114). Posting exactly half that the next year (57) didn’t do much to impress, but the real reason, as most of you know, is the switch from WILL to SAM that saw Williams leave the field for most sure-fire passing plays, in favor of a nickel package involving a third cornerback. But in his first season, Williams impressed – a pick, a forced fumble and a sack helped him to be among the best rookies that year.

Now that Williams will have more opportunities, will he take advantage? He hasn’t played middle linebacker in his professional career, so the move could be rough. Or, he might adapt well and ease into it. He has the athleticism to do that – the man is a physical freak of nature. 6-1, 242 lb. people aren’t supposed to run that fast. But the bigger question I have has to do with off-field issues more than anything else. Does D.J. have what it takes to be a leader on the defense? Al Wilson is irreplaceable when it comes to that – team captain, fan favorite, and voice to be heard on the field. Does D.J. have the will to step up in that same fashion?

Nate Webster

Nate Webster was a late addition to the Broncos squad last offseason after he was released by the Bengals due to injury. In 2004, he really looked like he could be a star on the Cincinatti defense, and he signed a megabuck deal to show it. A horrible knee injury and two years later, and he finds himself as the backup for someone who has never played their position on another team. If healthy, I expect Webster to contribute to Special Teams. If the Williams project falls apart, I feel confident that Webster can do an admirable enough job to keep our defense running.

Only barely smaller than Williams (6-0, 237 lbs.), Webster’s health will be the deciding factor as to whether he sees the field or not. He’s had nearly 3 years since his injury now – if he’s willing, he should be ready to contribute, adding valuable depth to our linebacker corps.

Strongside Linebacker

D.D. Lewis

I’m excited about the prospect of D.D. Lewis, and if healthy, I expect him to really compete for the starting job at SAM. He started to really produce well in 2005, starting in the Super Bowl for the Seattle Seahawks in that year. Injuries kept him sidelined in 2006, ultimately placing him on IR. If he is healthy and loses the starting job from competition, you can still expect to see him being a solid Special Teams contributor.

Louis Green

Louis Green came from Alcorn State University, where he literally dominated his small-time competition. Having spent a couple of years on both the Ravens and Broncos practice squads, he was finally given his shot in Denver in 2004 and contributed in Special Teams. He finished third in Special Teams tackles in 2005, and followed that up with solid performances last year.

The big news involving Green is the hefty deal he signed with the Broncos this offseason, a $2.5 million deal with a $300K signing bonus. Definitely above veteran minimum, a long-term contract of that nature indicates that the club hopes he can make a bigger impact in the years to come. He will compete for the starting job at SAM backer during training camp.

Eddie Moore

It seems that the Broncos linebacker corps. is full of “could-have-beens” – guys who were on the cusp of being great until a freak injury nearly ended their careers, and Eddie Moore falls under this category. He’s a Jim Bates guy, having played for him in Miami, and he’s returning to football after a 18 months of rehab for his knee.

Moore had an exceptional college career at the University of Tennessee, starting 24 games and posting 219 tackles. He added six sacks, an interception, a fumble recovery and 2 forced fumbles to his resume, as well as an impressive 13 pass defenses. He was awarded with second-team All-SEC honors as a senior. The guy knows how to make big plays, and began translating that in his rookie season with a few pass defenses. His injury is a concern, but he will add depth to MIKE and SAM, possibly filling in at either position as needed. If he REALLY impresses, I could see him trump Lewis and Green for the starting spot at SAM.

Predicted Depth Chart

Weakside

1. Ian Gold
2. Warrick Holdman

Middle

1. D.J. Williams
2. Nate Webster
3. Eddie Moore

Strongside

1. D.D. Lewis
2. Louis Green
3. Eddie Moore

I think Lewis will be given the opportunity to play if healthy, and Eddie Moore provides valuable backup at both MIKE and SAM. Green could also step up his game and find himself the starter, but either way it’s hard to get really excited over what I would consider our biggest weakness in 2007.

The Broncos are looking at questions across the linebacker unit. My Training Camp Breakdown continues as I’ll run through runningback, defensive line, safety, and wide receiver over the next week.

[tags]Denver Broncos, Broncos, D.J. Williams, Ian Gold, D.D. Lewis, Louis Green, Warrick Holdman, Eddie Moore, Training Camp, NFL, Linebackers[/tags]

The Denver Post reports that the Broncos have come to terms with 3rd round pick Ryan Harris. The four-year contract includes a $805K signing bonus.

As I stated in the Training Camp Breakdown yesterday, Harris will be competing for a starting job next year. Assuming Matt Lepsis stays healthy, he’ll likely find himself on the right side as our offensive line attempts to return to dominance.

Since 4th round pick Marcus Thomas signed last week, this leaves half of our draft class left to sign. Look for first round pick Jarvis Moss and second round pick Tim Crowder to get inked up before the start of Training Camp on Sunday.

[tags]Denver Broncos, Broncos, NFL, Training Camp, Ryan Harris, NFL Draft[/tags]

I really wanted to avoid posting anything about this silly business. And I don’t mean that dogfighting isn’t a serious issue — it’s pretty mind-blowing that people can do mean things to dogs. Nor do I think that it’s silly to treat people innocent until proven guilty — our country’s civil liberties are kinda based on that premise.

What find silly is the amount of air-time these type of stories get. I care about this situation as much as I care about Lindsay Lohan’s DUI or Ricky William’s latest excuse for smoking weed. Just cause their celebrities doesn’t make this info NATIONAL news, people!

Anyway, back to my point… Vick (regardless of his guilt) has put his team and his sponsors in a very bad position by even associating with people involved in these illegal activities. The team has been fretting about how to handle the media maelstrom while avoiding any legal action by the NFLPA. Really, it was a lose-lose proposition. If the Falcons didn’t suspend Vick, they would face harsh responses from their fans who are dog-lovers (not to mention PETA). If the Falcons did suspend Vick, they would have to deal with outraged ‘Vick-is-Innocent’ fans and possible face lawsuits from the player’s union.

Enter commissioner Roger Goodell.

In a brilliant but ballsy move Roger Goodell gave the Atlanta Falcon’s a free pass. No, I’m not talking about Vick’s suspension. I’m talking about the additional line that PROHIBITS the Falcon’s from taking further action against Vick until further notice. By add that statement, Goodell has taken ALL of the pressure off of the local club and put the responsibility squarely on the league’s shoulders.

That may not have been the ‘safe’ thing to do in his position, but it certainly was the ‘right’ thing to do. There was no choice the team could make that won’t cause further issues — so Goodell took it on himself. He ran the risk of being targeted publicly and privately for making this move, but I believe he did it to protect the team in Atlanta — and that earns him some major respect in my book.

Now, Falcon’s owner Arthur Blank can come out and say that he was ‘ready’ to take action against Vick, but can’t now because of the commissioners statement. This absolves Blank and the Falcons while Vick supporters can’t blame the local club for his suspension. It’s rather beautiful, really.
Goodell has been playing it tough for months prior to this issue, so he should be bullet proof when it comes to accusation of picking on Vick and not others. And regardless of how the criminal case plays out I think NFL historians will view his handling of this possible media nightmare with the same admiration and respect they gave Paul Tagliabue for hammering out the new CBA.

And speaking of crazy media coverage…

Since I’ve bored you to tears with this Vick business let me point you to a serious funny post by fellow blogger Hercules Rockefeller over at Orange Bucksnorts. Ever read the Denver Post and thought (like I have): They actually pay these guys to write this garbage? If so, you’ll fall out of your seat laughing while reading HR’s version of this week’s Bronco’s Mailbag! FULL POST

…Still need a good laugh at a reporter’s expense? Check out the ‘Reporters are Moron’ category over at Big Money, No Whammies as he breaks down the lousy reporting around the league and at home — great stuff. REPORTERS ARE MORONS

The Denver Post is reporting that the Broncos are planning to release safety Sam Brandon. Brandon has been a vital part of the defense as he has played in our Big Nickel package until he was sidelined last year with a torn ACL.

Although reports through mini-camp were positive, Brandon has apparently had a major set back that will require additional surgeries. His agent says that he has been told the Broncos plan on cutting him, although they have expressed interest in him for the 2008 season if he’s recovered.

I’m sad that Brandon won’t be with us this year. Sam has always been considered a talented player who matched up well against some of our division’s best tightends. He’ll be missed, and I can’t imagine this news won’t start up the talks concerning our depth at safety.

Also of note, this article mentioned that Al Wilson has still not been cleared to play this year. He is scheduled to see a specialist in the next few weeks that might lead to him being cleared, but it’s unlikely. If he were to be cleared, his agent Peter Schaffer has stated that several teams would be interested in him — no kidding.

“Al is progressing well, but he’s not going to play football until the only risks he has are normal football risks.”

— Peter Schaffer 7/24/07

FULL STORY

Football is back, my friends. While we don’t have Broncos games to watch, we have the much-anticipated Training Camp that kicks off this Sunday in Englewood, Colorado. For dates and more information, go here.

Today I’ll take a gander at the first of many battles going on during training camp – the offensive line. With Matt Lepsis, Ben Hamilton, and Tom Nalen filling in left tackle, left guard, and center respectively, it’s really the right side of the line that has the battles to consider.

Right Guard

Chris Kuper

Cooper Carlisle‘s departure to the Raiders has left a hole that needs to be filled, and it looks like the Broncos have found his replacement in Chris Kuper (pictured, left). Kuper has all the athletic tools a fan could hope for – he’s as big, fast, and strong as anyone on this line. His measurables are all there for the Broncos running system – 6-4, 302 lbs., with a 5.18 40-time. He’s been known to be snow plow of a run blocker at the second level. The real question for Kuper, ever since the Broncos drafted him last year in the 5th round, has been his drive and commitment to be great. Heading into the draft last year, his biggest con was his effort and technique – one scouting report even indicated he had the bad habit of stopping his leg movement and leaning against his opponent (a good offensive lineman keeps his legs moving during the push).

But if there’s one thing the Broncos do well, it’s find great offensive linemen late in the draft, and Kuper seems to fit that mold. For any of the marks against him due to his technique/drive, he makes up for it in my book with his willingness to work for the team before himself. Moving from guard to left tackle in his senior season at North Dakota, Kuper showed a willingness to work for the betterment of the team. The move potentially hurt his stock to some scouts, but his team-first mentality only improved it in the Broncos’ eyes.

Montrae Holland

At 6-2, 322 lbs., the early offseason signing of Montrae Holland had many Broncos fans thinking a shift was coming to a bigger, beefier offensive line that would be better suited to protect our more pocket-oriented passer Jay Cutler. I expect Holland to do be a backup in case Kuper can’t cut it – in other words, Holland should be sitting the bench for most of the year. He has a lot of upside – the guy is incredibly strong, with one report claiming he benched 500 lbs. He’s a hell of a run blocker and knows how to work at the point of attack.

Despite this, though, Holland found himself on the outside looking in among the Saints in their breakout year – he failed to win a job competing against the likes of Jamar Nesbit, Jahri Evans and Jermane Newberry. I’ve done a bit of research on the subject… one report claims he played extensively at right tackle for the club, but I can’t find any other evidence of this. From what I’ve seen, he simply lost the job – whether his injury history, or a coach-player dispute, or even his ability on the field is to blame, I don’t know. But he started 30 of 52 career games, giving the Broncos valuable NFL experience that complements Kuper’s lack of experience on the field. Again, I believe Kuper has the inside track for the job, though, due to his quickness and year of experience with the club.

Right Tackle

Erik Pears

The question at right tackle isn’t “Who’s the best” – that has been answered. If the coaches want him to, Erik Pears will be our opening day starter at RT. But that’s the question – what do the coaches want from this young stud? Do they want him to remain Lepsis’ backup on the left side, where he performed admirably last year? With questions with Lepsis’ knee, this logic makes sense, which would open up the RT spot for one of the other players on the team. My guess is that they’ll start Pears at RT and move him over as Lepsis’ backup – it would be a tricky transition to go straight from starting right tackle to starting left tackle, but it’s not unheard of.

Pears is a giant on the squad at 6-8, 304 lbs. While this height can be a concern for some linemen and the need to “get low,” it doesn’t appear that this is a problem in any shape with Pears. He gets the leverage he needs to lay down pass rushers, and he has a big wingspan that doesn’t allow the defender to get past easily. It appears that we’ve found our left tackle of the future in Pears, but I’d still like to see Lepsis anchor the left side for years to come just the same. I’m really looking forward to seeing if Pears will be our starter on the right side, or if they’ll keep him penciled in to back up Lepsis.

Adam Meadows

Another free agent pickup from a more traditional offensive line, Adam Meadows‘ second year with the Broncos gives him the opportunity to follow up his performance at the end of last year when George Foster was benched and ultimately traded. Meadows’ story is an interesting one – shortly after signing a free agent contract with the Panthers in 2004, Meadows shocked the team by announcing his sudden retirement shortly before training camp, citing his recurring shoulder injury. After two years out of football, Meadows made his comeback, and the Panthers let him go to do so. Of course, the rest is history and he is now a backup on the Broncos squad.

At 6-5. 290 lbs, Meadows is actually among the lighter linemen on the squad, which is surprising at first considering he comes from a traditional-style blocking team. He started the majority of his games with the Colts in the first part of his career, and he is the likely winner of the starting job if Pears is kept as the left side backup. Of course the biggest concern with Meadows is his injury history – with the shoulder injury that sent him home for two years, and the hamstring injury in the Chiefs game last year, it appears that he hasn’t been able to get past the “injury prone” label. With that in mind, the Broncos did the wise move to spend a Day 1 pick on a potential future starter…

Ryan Harris

At 6-5, 299 lbs., the Broncos spent a 3rd Round pick in this year’s draft on the offensive lineman from Notre Dame. Once considered a sure-fire first round pick, starting four years against great college competition at tackle for the Irish, Ryan Harris‘ stock fell a bit due to his strength (or lack thereof). But never fear, Broncos fans – his speed and athleticism make him a perfect fit in our system, which values the ability to make blocks at the second level more than to knock defensive linemen on their asses (although that’s always nice too).

It would be difficult for Harris to crack the lineup this year – historically for the Broncos, it nearly always takes a year to get on the field while the rookie learns the nuances of the system. Pears is the obvious exception this rule, having been undrafted and ending up starting for us last year before week 8. But remember that Pears had some experience at NFL Europe, while Harris has yet to be signed by the club and needs to learn as much as he can before he can be expected to make an impact. I could see a situation where Harris sees the field – I mean, if Meadows starts and goes down due to injury, it’s pretty much Harris in there.

Predicted Depth Chart

Left Tackle

1. Matt Lepsis
2. Erik Pears
3. Ryan Harris

Left Guard

1. Ben Hamilton
2. Montrae Holland
3. Chris Myers

Center

1. Tom Nalen
2. Chris Myers
3. Greg Eslinger

Right Guard

1. Chris Kuper
2. Montrae Holland
3. Chris Myers

Right Tackle

1. Erik Pears
2. Adam Meadows
3. Ryan Harris

Possible Shuffle

Chris Myers and Greg Eslinger are solid backups at center, and Myers has a lot of flexibility and could ultimately move over to right guard if the need arose. I like Eslinger’s potential as our future center a little more, and could definitely see this move happening a la Ben Hamilton years ago. With Myers at right guard, Kuper could use his own flexibility to compete for right tackle. These moves actually wouldn’t surprise me at all, and the more I look at it the more possible it seems it could be…

Overall, the offensive line competition is among the best this training camp. Nothing is healthier for a team than solid competition throughout – I expect the Broncos to have a great offensive line this year with all the young talent they’ve accrued, combined with the solid veterans anchoring the left side.

[tags]Denver Broncos, Broncos, Training Camp, NFL, Matt Lepsis, Erik Pears, Ryan Harris, Adam Meadows, Ben Hamilton, Chris Kuper, Montrae Holland, Chris Myers, Tom Nalen, Greg Eslinger, Offensive Line[/tags]