Preseason Game 4: Cardinals Vs Broncos Preview

The end of preseason is finally here. Problem is we still have to go through cuts to get to the final roster. Which could mean that the Broncos may let go of a fan favourite. But what ever happens the Broncos will continue to move forward to the start of the regular season and the important games. This weeks' game is against the Cardinals and would be the Broncos second road game, having lost the first to Dallas. It would be good to see the Broncos get the win and keep that momentum for road games rolling. The Broncos play, like most other teams on Thursday night, with cut day soon after. It is expected that the starters will not play in this game with the backups getting all the reps. This will be the last chance for these players to impress and hopefully get a roster spot.

Let's get into it and start looking at this game and a free story lines. Early in the week the Broncos had to cut a few players to get the roster down to 80 as per league rules. The cuts are as follows:

Cornerback Nate Jones, released
LB Braxton Kelley, waived
LB Deron Mayo, waived
RB C.J. Gable, waived
OL Shawn Murphy, waived
OLCurt Porter, waived
DE David Veikune, waived

*Note: The difference between waived and released is waived players have less than 4 years of service and released players have more than 4 years.

All this guys had really done nothing so far this preseason. Kelly played well against Dallas but since disappeared. Veikune was at a full position but has struggled a lot since being a second round pick. There was one guy on this list that had done a lot, all of it bad, so long Nate "Burnt" Jones.

A few small nagging injuries occurred over the last view days. Head coach John Fox said defensive end Elvis Dumervil​ felt a twinge in his groin muscle early in Tuesday's practice, and safety Brian Dawkins was pulled out the practice after getting his neck twisted under a pile of linemen.Other starters held out of practice Tuesday include linebacker D.J. Williams (elbow), defensive tackles Kevin Vickerson (ankle) and Broderick Bunkley (knee) and right guard Chris Kuper (toe).

There is a chance defensive tackle Marcus Thomas will be able to return for the season opener after missing the final three weeks of the preseason with a pectoral injury.

Defensive tackle Ty Warren was back at Dove Valley watching his first practice since undergoing surgery to repair a torn triceps tendon a week ago. The team is hopeful Warren will be able to return late in the season.

The Game:

There are a few aspects to this game that will be interesting to see. Most still flow on from last week because the battles have been hard fought and close. Anyway these are a few things to watch.

At QB I wonder if Quinn will even play? Tebow is expected to get a half worth of work in. Whether Quinn say plays the first is unknown. But Tebow will see a lot of time and Weber will get a go towards the end of the game. Weber may get an half but I think he will only see a quarter late in the game.

There is an interesting battle going on for that 3rd and 4th RB spot. Lance Ball, Brandon Minor and Jeremiah Johnson are fighting for those two positions. Whoever gets that 4th spot also has to play well enough to hold onto it or be cut for a waiver wire player. I am hoping Johnson steps it up.

Most of the positions are set at WR. But that 4th and 5th position may be up there for grabs. Ninja Willis and David Anderson have those position now but a strong game by Britt Davis may cause a reordering of this and one will be let go. All 3 need a big game.

TE is a different story. Besides Fells and Thomas the other position or two are available (it is unknown if Fox will keep 3 or 4 TEs). Gronk, Green and Rosario are fighting over I believe the last two spots. Personally I would like to see Green and Gronk get it. I like Gronk and he continues to improve. Big games from these guys will mean roster spots.

Larsen has the FB spot locked down. But since he is a starter I doubt he plays much so we will get a long look at Austin Sylvester. I wonder what he has got.

Should the backup OL even show up? Oslen I think stays, the rest are gone.

On the defensive side of the ball we will get to see all the guys that are buried deep at DT. We should see a lot of Unrein, Brown and Pressley. At DE it is make or break for Havery, Hunter and Beal. Havery is currently in the lead and Hunter has been doing well. I am hoping to see something out of Beal though.

For the backers who is going to play Weak? Is Wes going to play the whole game. I think Mohamed will play some there. Speaking of Mohamed he needs to step it up to beat out Haggan and maybe Lee Robinson for the last LB spot. Also Irving should play most of the game, I want to see Irving destroying people!

The CBs still have some competition going on. Squid, Cox, Harris and Bing are still fighting it out for spots. Harris has impressed in camp and is making a push for a position. Squid I think is a lock and Cox may be cut? This game will sort out this problem. Expect a Squid intercept.

The Safeties are in the same position as the corners. With too many good players and not enough positions. It could come down to them deciding on a TE or another Safety. Kyle McCarthy seems to have a position locked up. So that leaves maybe two for Quinton Carter, Darcel McBath and David Bruton. Will Fox keep 4 or 5 safeties? Carter I think stays because of his draft position and that he has played pretty good. Bruton has been ok but he is also the top Gunner on the team so his position looks good. Leaving McBath who is very talented and a solid STer. The question becomes keep 5 safeties and say lose a TE or go 4,4? This will probably be the toughest cut to make. Who plays the best in this game will make the roster.

Kicker, Punter and Long Snapper are sorted but I will be sad to lose Steven Hauschka. Another team will pick him up though and I wish him luck.

That is all I got, did I miss anything? ~ Aussie.

My take on the Seahawk game.

Started with early pressure on Tavarius Jackson by Elvon Dumiller(Elvis Dumervil and Von Miller). The defense in general played great. I think they really gave a show of how they can get constant pressure all year and create turnovers by the other team. I am very excited for the D this year. Man we missed Doom last year. He was everywhere. Miller is explosive. Speed is truely his friend. He is quicker to the QB than anyone we've ever had. The word is Fox has nicknamed the D, "Nascar", because of the need for speed. Miller provides a majority of this speed. DJ separated his elbow and will be out for 3-4 weeks. Woodyard stepped in fine though. Bunkley went down when he got chopped at the knees. He should be OK. We got beat with a couple of screen passes again. Champ and Goodman look great. Thompson and Vaughn look decent. Nate Jones got burnt again. Ayers had a good play and celebrated like Nate Webster. Cox not near what he was last year. Maybe 'cause he has other things on his mind. Mays played great. Quite a few good licks. Second string was kinda weak.

Offense. Most would say Orton played well. His stats were good. Same old story to me though. Boring. Got sacked. Threw it away. Never can run with the ball. Most also will say Tebow stunk. I thought he did well. As you can tell, I'm biased so enough on that. Moreno looks good. He's in better shape this year. Shouldn't be a full time RB though. No way does he stay healthy with a big workload. McGahee is a good compliment for him. Behind those two we are not very good. WRs are good. Lloyd is a star. Royal and Decker had good games as well. Anderson was a good pickup. Julius Thomas was leading receiver from TE spot.

This should be the last major playing time we see for the first string players. When the real season starts we will be able to be competitive with anyone as long as we can stay fairly healthy and have some breaks here and there. However, if Doom, Miller, Champ, Goodman or any more than one of the OL end up out for the year we may end up in the top of the draft again next year. Go Broncos.

Preseason Game 3: Broncos Vs Seahawks Preview

The Broncos are at home again this week to face the improving Seahawks. The Seahawks have many new faces, mainly at QB but have picked up some nice players. Zach Miller is one and he has terrorised the Broncos for years.

In this weeks game the starters will play into the second half. It is not known whether they will play all of the third quarter or a series or two. There is also an interesting side note to the QB starters. Orton had to leave practice early today to attend to a personal issue. It is known his wife is heavily pregnant with the couples first child. The question I have is if she is expecting would Orton miss a preseason game to be with his wife at the birth? I would think so. Either way there will be a questions about who is the second QB in. If Orton does play I expect Tebow to come in and play the rest of the game, to get his reps up like Fox has said. If Orton doesn't play I would not be surprised to see Tebow start and Quinn take over in the second half. How about that for a headline "Tebow from 3rd to 1st String". Stupid media...

The Game:

Moving on, since we have already covered the QBs lets take a look at the other aspects of the game. With the starters playing a lot more time I hope to see Moreno or McGahee get over 100 yards rushing, now that would be good.

At the WR position keep an eye on my boy Ninja Willis and the battle for the 4th spot with Britt Davis. Big games from either of these guys could mean a roster spot.

For the TEs it is still a battle for everyone. Hopefully a few will start to really stand out. Look for Thomas to get a few catches and pray he makes a block.

The OL is solid but watch Beadles, he is the weak link in the line so far. If the line gets a good push we should be alright for this game.

On the defensive side of the ball keep an eye on Ayers. He will get a lot of snaps and hopefully be able to get sack this week, which would be huge for his confidence. We all know Von Doom are going to be awesome. Also play attention to the run defense up the middle, it has struggled a little so far this year.

For the LBs the guy to watch for me would be Irving. He may or may not play depending on if he plays with the second team. But I am still waiting for him to show up. Otherwise Mays is the guy we need to see continue to improve.

In the secondary unfortunately for my boy Squid he has a guy named Champ Bailey playing in his nickel position so I ain't expecting to see much of him, though Squid is an intercepting machine! Pay attention to Vaughn when Champ goes to the slot. He is going to need to be able to cover the no 1 well for this D to succeed. For the safeties hopefully Rahim continues to lay people out! Otherwise I have started to hear good stuff from Training on McBath. He may see some time late.

Well that is my points of interest for the game. Everybody enjoy ~ Aussie.

Broncos Report - Injury news, Surgery and more

Hi all, it has been a slow week in Broncos news due to the end of Training Camp last week. But I have a few story's and information to share with you as we get primed for Saturday's game.

Broncos waived/injured TE Richard Quinn. Quinn tore his MCL in practice earlier in the month. His removal from the roster should still give rookie Julius Thomas a better shot to secure a big role early. Quinn cleared waivers and has been placed on IR.

Broncos defensive tackle Ty Warren underwent surgery today to repair a partially torn triceps tendon. Coach John Fox said that the best-case scenario is that Warren could rejoin the team in three to four months. It is likely that Warren ends up on IR.

Broncos S David Bruton has been diagnosed with a concussion. That's actually good news after Bruton had to leave the stadium in an ambulance on Saturday evening. A reserve, Bruton appeared in all 16 games for the Broncos last season, notching 26 tackles. His roster spot is likely secure.

Guard Stanley Daniels returned to practice Tuesday. It was his first practice since he suffered a sprained ankle in the first preseason game. Other than Warren and Marcus Thomas, four players were held out of practice: safety David Bruton (concussion), linebacker Mario Haggan (shoulder) and wide receivers Jamel Hamler (back spasms) and Demaryius Thomas (Achilles). Demaryius Thomas did some agility and high stepping drills as apart of his rehab on an adjacent practice field today at Training.

Today while the special teams units worked on kickoff coverage at the end of practice, strength and conditioning coach Rich Tuten supervised 40-yard wind sprints. And yes, Tebow still won his heat, though it was a close race with 2011 first-rounder Von Miller. This is the first time they have been run under Fox after they were done everyday last year under McD.

On their day off Rookie right tackle Orlando Franklin had some serious business to take care of. Franklin, who is a Canadian citizen, had to fly to Calgary on Sunday, fill out paperwork and re-enter the United States with a new work visa. Franklin left Denver Sunday morning, was able to have a short visit with his brother in Calgary, and then hop on a return flight. He was back in Denver in time for dinner, and back on the practice field at Dove Valley Monday morning.

The Broncos confirmed that Willis McGahee will be used as their goal-line back. Out of McGahee's nine preseason touches, two have gone for touchdowns. He received back-to-back goal-line carries in the second preseason game, converting on his second try. "The good run teams ... have to have those guys who can convert opportunities into touchdowns," running backs coach Eric Studesville said, referring to McGahee.

Tim Tebow News:

This story broke recently and has had some significant air time. Since Tebow's 'demotion' to 3rd string media people have started suggestions that he should be traded or cut. First I didn't really see Tebow get demoted. I believe Fox had said that Quinn had been performing in camp and both players had been sharing 2nd team reps. They wanted to have a look at Quinn and see what he could provide so they gave him the start over Tebow versus the Bills. This week against the 'Hawks' I expect to see Tebow get the start over Quinn as it would be his turn. I believe they are still sharing the 2nd team reps and I haven't heard differently to suggest that they are no longer sharing the reps.

Secondly I always go back to what I have said before: Good teams don't cut young talented players, they are developed. Tebow is in his 2nd year and has a long way to go, the Broncos have to give him the chance to develop. Hire a QB coach like the one Quinn had in the offseason and have Tebow work with him. Develop Tebow to starting quality.

Though I am starting to worry that it may take longer than the Broncos like. Take Orton, Quinn and Lloyd for example. All three are now coming on strong, but Orton and Quinn are both with their second team and Lloyd is with his 3rd, 4th? So one day Tebow may be a great QB, it sadly just may not be with the Broncos. But I doubt we give up on him so soon. I give him at least two more years with the chance to start in his fourth year.

Then there was this story: 'Some members' of the Broncos organization tell Mike Silver of Yahoo! Sports that Tim Tebow is the fourth-best QB in training camp. "If everything was totally equal, and this were a competition based only on performance at this camp, Tebow would probably be the fourth-string guy," one source said. "Kyle [Orton] is far and away the best, and Tebow's way behind [Brady] Quinn, too. And I'm telling you, Adam Weber is flat-out better right now." Added another Broncos exec, "Forget about how [Tebow] delivers the ball, or how accurate it is. First he has to know where to go with it." Team officials are now relieved that the Dolphins opted against meeting Denver's third-round asking price on Orton. Tebow was always expected to be a developmental project, but this year's camp has been a blow to his long-term outlook.

So what do I make of this? I doubt it, goes against everything else EFX have been saying. They may be some people at the Broncos that think like this but EFX has always said that Tebow would need time and they seemed willingly to give it to him. I do like Weber but if he was so good he would have had some more reps in preseason games. He will be a practice squad player this year.

Then there was this: One Broncos source tells the Boston Globe that it's "totally unfair" for members of the organization to throw Tim Tebow under the bus as several did in a Yahoo! Sports report Tuesday. "Somebody has it out for him," said the source. Tebow has been an extremely hard worker by all accounts, and the source confirms he's done no complaining at all behind the scenes that would cause an official to trash his progress as well as any trade value he might have. Tebow has obviously been caught in the regime change.

I happen to agree, 50% of the population want to see Tebow succeed and do well. The other 50% want to see him crash and burn. That is human nature, it sucks, but it explains that at least one person in Dove Valley doesn't like Tebow but I highly doubt it is one of the big three, EFX.

In conclusion Tebow will ride the pine this year and hopefully develop. Orton will be starter and don't be surprised to see Quinn traded before the season starts. Anyway we have a good outlook for the season and the future of the team.

After that here is some light hearted fun, check out this flowchart that helps fans pick a team to support.

That is it for the news, I will have up a game preview soon for this coming week. ~ Aussie.

Broncos Vs Bill - Post Game Review

Hey everyone, I enjoyed the game, managed to catch most of it. Here are the notes that I took down from the game and the things I saw.

Beadles got dominated by Kyle Williams a few times.

There were a lot of screen plays with the first team offense.

By the way Lloyd is awesome.

Moreno is good and made a lot of good runs.

Orton was solid, made a number of good passes.

McGahee was a great buy, solid runner.

Blitzing looks good, Love DJ on the weakside.

Was great to see Miller trying to jump the snap, that shows confidence.

Did I mention I am loving our new Defense.

Doom and Miller are so fast off the edge, Miller especially.

Doom looks good against the run, shows he has improved in that area.

Moore is lighting people up! was a penalty but awesome. Here it is for review, click here. I thought it looked OK, he lead with the shoulder, Jones smacked his head hard on the ground, that is where I think the injury occurred. Moore I think was ejected. If Jones hadn't gotten hurt I think Moore gets a pass and play results in only a penalty.

DJ Williams made an intercept, was nice, did I say I love him at WLB?

Quinn did come in as the number 2 quarterback. Quinn did get to run a few players with the first team offensive players. Quinn's intercept wasn't entirely his fault but it was a bad ball. Most of Quinn's passes where out of reach, behind the player or in a difficult positions to catch. The last two passes Quinn did throw were perfect. The one to Decker was a great ball and then there was the touchdown pass to Davis, both very nice passes.

Don't believe what people say, Spencer Larsen can block. I saw him lay out more than his fair share of LBs.

Bunkley looked really good, I like him a lot.

Didn't see much from Irving today but he didn't play to much, had one good tackle.

Squid looked really good. I liked his play a lot.

What is this talk about us being a running team? All lies, how many passing yards did we have?

Cox = Fail haha, he had a few good returns but he struggled in coverage. Had that one good bat down at the end of the game.

The question I want to know is was Tebow set up to fail? Or what is the plan for him. I am unsure what our vision for Tebow is now. Though he should get lots of game time next week as the starters take a rest.

And we did see a bit of Weber late in the game.

What about kickoffs, so borrriinnngg! Not a single return all game. How long will it be before kickoffs are removed all together.

That is all I got from the game, did you guys see anything else or have a different opinion? hit us up in the comments. ~ Aussie.

Preseason Game 2: Broncos Vs Bill Preview

The Broncos take on the Bills this Saturday in the newly named Sports Authority Field at Mile High or SAFaMH. This will be the Broncos first home game of the year and hopefully I will be able to see this one! So let's get started and take a look at the news and the upcoming game.

First updating a previous item Broncos DT Ty Warren will undergo surgery Tuesday to repair his partially torn right triceps. So much for the hope that Warren could avoid surgery and play in 4-6 weeks. Now that he's going under the knife, Warren is expected to miss 3-6 months. It looks like we will have little choice but to place him on injured reserve, ending his season. They may try PUP but this is an injury that takes time.

In other injury news, Offensive linemen Ryan Clady and Orlando Franklin both practiced this morning after getting a little banged up yesterday. Syd’Quan Thompson was also back on the practice field. Hope to see Squid get some intercepts in Saturdays game.

Brandon Lloyd and Brian Dawkins did not participate — a team decision, Head Coach John Fox said — and watched from the sideline. Marcus Thomas (pectoral), Demaryius Thomas (Achilles), Richard Quinn (knee sprain), Stanley Daniels (ankle sprain) and Ronnell Brown (ankle sprain) also sat out practice.

The Game:

Now I am unsure how the game will be structured with the 1st, 2nd and 3rd teams. I believe the 1st team will see a bit more time in this game. May play the whole first quarter and a little bit in the second. I expect the 2nd team, with Tebow and Quinn sharing a bit in the second and third quarters. The 3rd team will play in the fourth with probably Quinn at QB and we may see some Weber late.

As always pay close addition to the QBs. See if there has been any improvement in their play. Watch Quinn closely and see if he throws bad balls, as in behind the receiver or too high, hospital balls. I have been hearing that Quinn has been doing well but he hasn't made it easy for his receivers. See if Tebow plays better than last week and continues to improve, he really wants a TD, plus get the guns out! Also hope/pray Orton can get the ball in the endzone.

Watch the new guys or the guys that missed last weeks game. As mentioned above I want to see Squid get a pick or two. But who I am really interested in is MLB Nate Irving. I want to see him run around and what he brings to the team.

Dareus is coming to Denver too, hopeful Von Miller shows Dareus why we past on him in the draft.

The team needs to show the basics, run the ball, stop the run and create a pass rush. These are things I like too see. Plus limit the penalties!

Other than that just got to pay addition to all the battles across the team. Who performs at RB, Safety, WR, etc.

As before we will review the game and the top performers. Hopefully I can give a better opinion after I see this game. ~ Aussie.

Broncos Report - Injuries and a few moves

Well the Broncos suffered a major blow today with the news on Ty Warren. An MRI revealed that DT Ty Warren has a tear in his triceps. It's a brutal blow to a defense that was already thin at DT. Warren was the Broncos' biggest acquisition in free agency, signing a two-year deal after getting cut by the Patriots. After suffering the tear Monday, the Broncos now must consider whether to place Warren on injured reserve. Brodrick Bunkley, who 'fizzled' out with the Eagles, is now the favorite to start next to Kevin Vickerson at defensive tackle.

The Broncos are going to wait a couple of days for the swelling to subside before determining how to proceed. Because it's not a full tear, the Broncos are clinging to hope they can put off surgery so Warren can play at some point this season. If it's determined surgery isn't necessary, it would take four to six weeks before Warren's triceps tear is re-evaluated.

Another defensive tackle, Marcus Thomas, has a strained (which means slight tear) in his right pectoral muscle. Thomas suffered the injury during a one-on-one drill Monday. He continued to practice for a while before leaving for the trainer's room. Thomas will be held out for the rest of preseason although the team hopes he can return about the time the regular season starts Sept. 12 against the Oakland Raiders on Monday night at what by then should be called Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

Interesting side note, what does everyone think of the new Stadium name?

Ronnell Brown and Eric Decker did not finish practice. Decker left due to a foot injury. I believe that Decker was just rested so his foot injury from last year doesn't flair up. Otherwise Richard Quinn sat out with a knee injury, Stanley Daniels was out with an ankle injury and Syd’Quan Thompson was still out with a groin injury.

The Broncos made a few moves today, first the Broncos released RB LenDale White. White had been in and out of practice with numerous nagging injuries, which is common for players trying to come back from torn Achilles' tendons. The 45th overall pick in the 2006 draft, White's career has bottomed out as an injury-plagued running back unable to outlast undrafted rookies like C.J. Gable and Brandon Minor. White hasn't played a snap since Week 17 of 2009. Also it was announced that the team waived linebacker A.J. Jones.

Interesting notes on positions, The starting defensive tackles Tuesday were Kevin Vickerson and Brodrick Bunkley. Behind the starting corps of D.J. Williams, Joe Mays and Von Miller, the second-string linebackers are Mario Haggan, Nate Irving and Wesley Woodyard. This means Haggan is no longer the no. 2 MLB it is Irving. But Haggan is now the no. 2 SLB meaning Mike Mohamed has been moved to third team.

This was on Rotoworld but I have read the idea in other places too. Rookie TE Virgil Green appears headed for the practice squad this year. Fourth-rounder Julius Thomas continues to steal the show with his "over-the-goalpost upside," but Green has been quiet in camp. The seventh-rounder will have to beat out Dan Gronkowski, Dante Rosario, and Richard Quinn for 1-2 spots behind Thomas and Daniel Fells. I believe we will keep 4 TEs this season. Quinn I can see getting cut or being placed on PUP to save a roster spot. Gronkowski may get a spot or could get cut, but he has been playing well. So it comes down to Rosario and Green. I say Rosario is cut and Green makes the roster. I just don't see Green staying on our practice squad for long if he is placed there. Someone else will take him.

That is all the news for now. Look out for a preview of this weeks game soon. ~ Aussie

Broncos Vs Cowboys - Post Game Review

Hey everyone, I was unable to follow the game, but I have seen as much as I can and followed along on a number of other sites. Which means I will need to defer to all your views and opinions on the game. But below is the views that I got.

Start with QBs. Orton was solid, his stats meant not show it but he was good, failed in the redzone though. Tebow was good, started off poorly but settled in nicely. He didn't go past his first read much and probably run a little too much, but he put in the effort and wanted to make plays. Quinn was very much the same as Tebow, started off shaky but settled down nicely. Made a number of nice plays, problem was it was against the 3rd teamers.

Running backs were good, Knowshon and Willis were great. Ball and White struggled but they were behind the terrible 2nd string O-line. Johnson looked real nice too.

Wide Receivers all looked nice and put in work. Was unlucky for Mark Dell who got injured in the game. As such he was waived/injured, to fill his roster spot the Broncos picked up Greg Orton.

Starting O-Line was good, the backups terrible.

The defense I thought seemed much improved. Hunter was trying very hard, got two sacks. Problem was there is still Nate Jones on the team.

Cassius Vaughn started out really good, but he struggled a bit towards the end of the game. He tried very hard throughout the game.

Plus I didn't like how there were so many penalties. Got to tighten that up.

Also Tebow needs to get the guns out! Maybe he is keeping his secret weapons in reserve. 

If there is something else you may have seen hit me up in the comments. ~ Aussie.

Preseason Game 1: Broncos Vs Cowboys Preview

The Broncos first preseason game will be this Thursday against the ever popular Cowgirls. First we will look at the news and the 'current' depth chart. Then I will list points of interest that you should be looking for in the first game.

The DenverPost has a article up about the offensive line and its struggles.

Another article about Julius Thomas and his success running with the first team, was interesting to note that he was fifth on the depth chart.

Here is the Broncos Depth Chart from DP.

Depth Chart:

Lets take a look at the depth chart and look at some points of interest. The QBs are Orton, Tebow, Quinn and Weber. Did you expect anything different? This may or may not change over the course of the preseason.

LenDale White is among the top four running backs at the moment. If he plays well he should avoid the cut.

Royal is ahead of Decker as the number two, I think this may change so Royal can play the slot position. Also my boy Ninja Willis is the number two behind Lloyd and in the top four receivers. Hopefully he can stay healthy.

There is a log-jam at TE with the two rookies at the bottom, I have a feeling this is more out of respect for the vets. I expect the two rookies to make the roster.

Defense is pretty set. Irving is third string at the moment (behind Mays and Haggan) and is likely to move up over the preseason with good play.

Cassius Vaughn is the number two cornerback behind Champ. That means he is the nickel corner taking Squids position. This may change with good play by Squid but will be interesting to watch.

The Game: 

As per this article the first team players are only expected to play a few series. As such we won't be seeing much of the starters so don't expect a lot out of them. But try to focus on the rookies that start with the number ones and how they play.

I would like to see Larsen get the ball a bit. And Ninja Willis get a few grabs.

Look at the TE and MLB position battles. See what Green and Thomas can do. Then the battle between Mays and Irving.

It will be interesting to see what Quinton Carter can do. I look to see him get a serious amount of playing time.

Of course remember to check out the QBs. See if Tebow pulls it together or if Quinn is playing better.

Oh and that everyone stays healthy!

Well that is it. We will do a post game review and I would like to get your views and opinions on the game and players. Well enjoy the game ~ Aussie.

Broncos Report: NFL Rule Changes, Other News

I take it there was no practice today, I haven't heard if there was so till then just some little news.

The NFL announced today changes that will be made starting this season.

First off, is kickoffs will now start at the 35-yard line instead of the 30 - the team cannot line up more than 5 yards behind the 35. The result of this is to hopefully cut back on player injuries - reasoning is most kickers will try to put in the endzone or out of bounds with the hopeful result of less players trying to catch the ball and run for extra yards out of the endzone.

This next rule is one I REALLY disagree with, BIG TIME.

#2: Coaches can now NO longer challenge scoring plays, this includes touchdowns, field goals, safeties & point after a TD). So for instance, say we are playing the Raiders and their receiver catches the ball but it looks like he didn't have both feet in bounds, or full possession of the ball - the coaches can't challenge the call. Rather, every scoring play will be reviewed in the replay booth and the ref gets to make the call, the coaches get no input. Absurd.

The NFL's reasoning for this - to make the game more fair. Fair?? They call that fair? I may be overreacting but I think the coach should get a say, if necessary.

Straight from DB, here's how they word it. I find this explanation kind of confusing. "Immediately following all scoring plays, the referee will hold action until he receives a message of ‘confirmed’ or ‘under review’ on his pager. If the score is under review, the procedure will mirror the current review process where the referee and replay official will work together to determine the correct call."

And now the icing on the cake for this rule - if a coach even tries to challenge the ref's call, that team gets a 15-YARD PENALTY!

Am I the only one who thinks that is just uncalled for??

Rule #3:

Another rule that will probably end up controversial. I see plenty of incidents happening with this. The rule is that contact with the quarterback's head will no longer be penalized, unless it is a 'forcible blow'. If it's incidental, it's basically excused. Referees won't throw a flag for 'roughing the passer' if a defender grazes the QB's helmet. No penalty will be enforced unless it is an obvious, intentional hit to the head.

Rule #4:

This one is for the comic books. Ahem... "Playing surface must be a league-approved shade of green" - to preserve the uniform appearance of the NFL. (Enter laughter)

Rule #5:

The definition of 'launching' has been updated. There will be a 15-yard, unnecessary roughness penalty & possible ejection from the game if any player "leaves both feet to spring upward & forward to deliver a hit".

Rule #6:

The definition of a 'defenseless player' has been updated. There will be a 15-yard, unnecessary roughness penalty for players deemed 'defenseless', which now includes the "QB right after he throws a pass, a player who has not had time to protect himself after attempting to make a catch, a runner who's forward progress has been stopped, a player on the ground at the end of a play, a kicker or punter who is not engaged, a kick or punt returner fielding a kick in the air & players who receiver blindside blocks".

Rule #7:

I thought there was a penalty for this already but maybe it wasn't this steep before? Horsecollar tackles will draw a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty. Starting this season, horsecollar tackles will continue to be illegal & will be flagged, regardless if the player is taken down to the ground or not.

Rule #8:

"Runners and tacklers will be penalized equally for grasping and twisting an opponent’s facemask". This will draw a 15-yard facemask penalty, on runners & tacklers not just defenders.

Bronco News:

LT Ryan Clady has confirmed his knee is back to 100% after injuring it last season. Some good news. Our O-line really needs him.

Just for grins:

Last night's Hall of Fame Enshrinement for Shannon Sharpe not only got HOF QB John Elway to be in attendance but reunited several players from the Broncos '97 & '98 Super Bowl teams, as well as former GM John Beake & current owner since '84, Pat Bowlen. The former players in attendance included: Rod Smith, Ed McCaffrey, HOF brother Gary Zimmerman, Tony Jones, Mark Schlereth, Terrell Davis, Alfred Williams, Ray Crockett, Steve Atwater, Keith Burns & Dwayne Cars, among many others.

So nice to see that former teammates came out to support Shannon on such a big night and witness that great moment for him. Just had to mention this.

And that's all folks!

Broncos Report: Stadium Scrimmage & Shannon Sharpe - Hall of Famer

First order of business is FINALLY congratulating THE Shannon Sharpe on being officially inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame Saturday night. He gave such an amazing, inspirational, emotional speech with of course a few comical spots. It wouldn't have been a Shannon Sharpe speech without some laughs. Can't say how awesome it is to see another Bronco get the recognition & respect he so rightfully deserves. Mile High Salute to you #84!

As for the current Broncos, it was scrimmage day at INVESCO Field in the heart of Denver.

For starters, Knowshon Moreno had a kicka** day. He has never been this fit and has never been this fast. Could this be his breakout year?? One can only hope as head coach John Fox is clear on wanting to get this Denver team back to their glory days of being a successful run team. Relying on their running backs to lead the offense. As much as I want that for this team as well, I want more of a balance for this team. We'll just have to wait & see what happens but just like how we've had to rely on our receivers to take this offense places, I don't want us running the ball on every single play. We need variety to succeed, a nice balance between passes & hand-offs; between receivers & the backs.

With that said, Moreno definitely stood out at the stadium practice on Day 10 of training camp. Straight from the Denver Post, "Moreno produced the most electrifying play of the scrimmage when he caught a screen pass from Kyle Orton and raced for a 44-yard gain, including a nice open-field move to spin away from safety Darcel McBath". I hope Moreno can be a back that we can depend on, so tired of all these injuries and especially our RBs going down all the time. We need some substance!

Early on during warm-ups, the 3 stooges haha (Orton, Tebow & Quinn) got in some fun playing crossbar with the football. Tebow hit it first and right after him, Quinn got the middle of it. At least they get along for a few minutes.

Orton tossed a nice pass to Brandon Lloyd in 7-on-7 drills, with Lloyd making the 40-yard catch with Andre Goodman "covering" Lloyd... is that even possible? lol

After Orton had no incompletions in his session, Tebow was up next ending his time with no INTs either. His highlight for the day was a long rocket completion over the middle to Matt Willis. Rumor has it, Tebow struggled a bit today and was even boo'd at practice. I have a hard time believing that last part. Orton was also boo'd after he slid for a 3rd down. People need to chill... it's only a scrimmage!!

**Had to put this one up. Moreno enjoying his good day at practice.**

At around 3p the real scrimmage began with real tackles & everyone's true colors begin to show on the field. Orton was at center starting with a pass to Lloyd and then a 2nd screen pass to Moreno (the playmaker for the day) took the ball for a nice 45 yard run surpassing some good blocks from the defense. After two drives with Orton at the helm, it was Tebow Time.

Tebow's first drive consisted of an incompletion & 2 "sacks" by the rookie Von Miller & his veteran partner in crime, Doom. On the second drive, Doom got another one (he's gonna be on fire again this season, arrrr), a 15 yard completion to Willis but the drive ended on a turnover.

Somewhere in all that, Quinn got a touchdown. I think I need video to believe that one. lol

Other news:

Denver waived RB Mario Fannin after he injured his ankle in practice on Friday... tough call but not soon after, they picked up C.J. Gable off waivers from the Saints.

Broncos Report - News and little else

There is not much news coming out of Dove Valley these days as the Broncos roster is pretty much set and we are preparing for our first game against Dallas. Anyway here is the news that I do have.

The players have agreed to the new CBA and it is now officially signed off. This means players like Prater and Woodyard are now able to practice with the team. It is interesting to note that under the new deal players will be able to be HGH tested. The NFL and NFLPA entered round-the-clock negotiations Saturday. They emerged five days later with a deal that makes the NFL the first major U.S. professional sports league to use blood testing for human growth hormone, according to a source. The NFL will be allowed to check each player annually for HGH -- but only after the union is confident in the way testing and appeals will work. The possibility of using an independent arbirtrator remains in play.

This is interesting because a while back a report came out that about 40% of players had used something and were cheats. We believed that it probably was a lot less then this, at most 10%. But it will be interesting to see how many players get caught.

Training camp continues for the Broncos, they had a walk through this morning. It will be interesting to see if newly signed players will be at this evenings practice. Yes Ty Warren is at practice tonight. DJ Williams seems to be back training again.

The Broncos on Thursday waived cornerback Chevis Jackson. The move made room for defensive lineman Ty Warren on the 90-man roster. Jackson was awarded to the Broncos off waivers from New England on Dec. 20, 2010.

John Lynch was at practice today and spent some time talking to Elway. And LenDale White is still out with back spasms.

The Saints, Broncos, and Cardinals are all showing interest in free agent OLB Matt Roth. Roth has been adamant about not playing in a 4-3 defense, which would seem to rule out New Orleans and Denver. (Barring a change of heart, of course.) Roth would make a lot more sense in Arizona if the Cardinals hadn't kept Joey Porter. Perhaps the Cards would reconsider Porter's fate if they acquired Roth.

That is all for now, if other news happens I will put it up. ~ Aussie.

He's back...

More stuff about Tebow:

Yesterday I said 'There is also the chance that Orton could start the season (even play the whole season) to let Tebow develop to be ready to come in when it is his time. Remember talented players are not just forgotten, good teams develop them. Plus talent doesn't just disappear. Confidence and Attitude do. Take Randy Moss as an example, always uber talented but didn't always have the right attitude. For Tebow I believe he has been lacking confidence the last few days and is working himself into the grind of training camp.'

John Bena over at MHR had this to add. It may mean Tebow also doesn't have the correct attitude at the moment too. No confidence and doesn't have the correct attitude it doesn't surprise me that Tebow is struggling early. But if he regains that back we may start to see Tebow improve and move forward. I can see it happening after Tebow has some good game time. Until then we may have to be patient and hope Tebow starts moving in the right direction.

Also I am starting to buy into the theory, that was started over at IAOFM, that the Orton trade talks effected Tebow more than the rest of the team.

Broncos Report - Training Camp and Tebow is done...pfft

Lets get to this Tebow is done in Denver story first...

'The Broncos are not going to trade Kyle Orton and he will be their starting quarterback, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. And with that, the Tim Tebow hype machine comes to a screeching halt. Schefter knows the Broncos better than anyone after serving as a beat writer there and is unlikely to be bluffed by their front office. It appears that the deal with the Dolphins truly is dead.'

'NFL Network's Michael Lombardi believes Tim Tebow is "ultimately" not in the Broncos' plans. Lombardi reported at least twice this past offseason that Tebow lacks support in the front office. Lombardi concedes that many in Denver denied his report. The Broncos were shopping Kyle Orton heavily just one week ago, which suggests a belief in Tebow. If last year's first rounder is no longer in the team's plans, then the front office has changed its mind on the direction of the franchise after one week of no-pads practice.'

'Speaking on NFL Network Wednesday afternoon, Michael Lombardi confirmed an ESPN report that Kyle Orton "will be the starter in Denver." NFL Network introduced the Lombardi segment by stating that Orton has already been told he's the starter. "He will not be traded," Lombardi emphasized, echoing Adam Schefter's report. The Broncos have done a 180 in one week, perhaps in an attempt to quell any negative feedback from the legion of Tebow supporters.'

Let me being, are you high? To say that the Broncos have given up on Tebow after 5 DAYS is ludicrous. Nothing has changed, Orton was the starter going into camp and is still the starter, for now. This view has not changed since Fox and Elway said that Orton was at the top of the depth chart months ago. We all knew he was the starter. But to say that the Broncos have given up on Tebow and is not in Broncos plans is frankly stupid.

There are 4 preseason games to be played and Tebow will see a lot of action in those games, as will most of the other QBs. There is every chance that Orton tanks and Tebow succeeds. Or Orton may get injuried. There is the possiblilty that other teams QBs get hurt or bomb out and they may need Orton (hello 'Fins and 'Skins).

There is also the chance that Orton could start the season (even play the whole season) to let Tebow develop to be ready to come in when it is his time. Remember talented players are not just forgotten, good teams develop them. Plus talent doesn't just disappear. Confidence and Attitude do. Take Randy Moss as an example, always uber talented but didn't always have the right attitude. For Tebow I believe he has been lacking confidence the last few days and is working himself into the grind of training camp. As we saw today he was much improved in camp.

Other Training Camp notes:

Newly acquired defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley jumped right into the mix. In his first practice, No. 77 joined the starting defensive line alongside Kevin Vickerson and ends Elvis Dumervil and Robert Ayers.

Linebacker D.J. Williams, running back Lendale White (back) and wide receiver Demaryius Thomas did not participate.

Tebow found receiver Ninja Willis (I have renamed him as this is way cooler) over the middle, who did a spin move that left two defensive backs running into each other and raced all the way down to the 32-yard line before going out of bounds. The sideline was jacked up as Moreno and Lloyd chased Willis back down the sideline with Lloyd giving the American Ninja Warrior a flying Ninja kick to the back.

Cornerback Syd’Quan Thompson seems to have an interception almost every practice, this one coming on a ball thrown by Quinn as Thompson jumped the route.

Cornerback Cassius Vaughn got first team reps opposite Champ Bailey during the very last team session to end practice.

Alas, training camp giveth and training camp taketh away. While Mario Fannin showed the good stuff, he also put the ball on the ground during a goal-line drill after a quality hit from safety David Bruton. Ball security was the biggest question surrounding Fannin leading up to the draft and it will determine how much he can get himself into the Broncos offense. It will bear watching in the preseason games.

Also Rod Smith was at camp today, he spent a great deal of time talking to John Elway.

For some fun, I am after your best Caption for this photo, give me your best. Also look out for some Tebow guns. When he gets them out from under his sleeves we will have some fun haha.

That is it from me. ~ Aussie.

Broncos Report - Not much doing...Wrong

Well everyone the Broncos are having the day off so there is not much news to report on. But this is what I do have...

Huge news today! I was so wrong...Broncos agreed to terms with DL Ty Warren on a two-year, $10 million contract! The contract suggests Warren will be installed as a starter, likely next to Broderick Bunkley on the inside in Denver's 4-3 scheme. Both players come with medical red flags two years removed from standout seasons defending the run. Rotoworld projects the revamped defense to be one of the softest for opposing running backs, we believe differently. This defense will be a solid unit this year and improve greatly, Von-Doom!

Ryan Harris, the Broncos' starting right tackle since the start of the 2008, has agreed to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles​. The Broncos visited with Harris on Tuesday and thought they had a good chance to sign him. But Harris decided it would be a better career move to get a fresh start elsewhere, especially a team that's been a perennial playoff contender. And yes the Eagles are signing EVERYBODY, they got Ronnie Brown too.

The Browns nullified the Brodrick Bunkley trade due to medical concerns, a source tells the Cleveland Plain Dealer. It was originally reported that Bunkley refused to report to Cleveland, but that apparently isn't the case. The medical red flag and/or failed physical likely relates to the elbow injury that plagued the former first-round pick last season. Regardless, the Broncos were willing to give up a conditional 2013 pick for Bunk.

The Broncos have moved LB Mario Haggan back to his natural strong-side linebacker spot. The Broncos toyed with the idea of using Haggan at defensive end, but newly acquired Derrick Harvey will be the swing end behind Elvis Dumervil and Robert Ayers. Now Haggan is pegged as first-round rookie Von Miller's backup on the strong side and the No. 3 middle 'backer behind Joe Mays and Nate Irving.

The Denver Broncos today announced the release of rookie defensive tackle Colby Whitlock. An undrafted free agent from Texas Tech, Whitlock made the AP's All-Big 12 First Team last year and tied for 16th in the conference in tackles. He started 49 consecutive games for the Red Raiders, and ended his career with the longest active streak amongst the team.

This guy is a massive Broncos and Elway fan.

Zach Miller is leaving for the Hawks, the raiders season could be over before it starts. :)

Also here is the video of Matt 'Ninja' Willis on NINJA WARRIOR! Here it is again!

Wait, here it is once again! Willis, legend.



That is it for now, probably not going to be much else going on today, check back tomorrow for more news from training camp. ~ Aussie.

Broncos Day 8: Training Camp A.M., Signings, News

The Broncos arrived back at Dove Valley earlier today on another hot sunny day, practicing in full pads once again.

Newly signed Bronco, TE Dante Rosario & DL Marcus Thomas who was re-signed yesterday were in attendance at the Monday morning practice but both did not participate. Rosario spent most of the morning by the side of Offensive Coordinator Mike McCoy going over tight end plays.

<< Mr. Yummy & his guns!!

For the 3rd consecutive practice, DJ Williams sat out the session to what is now a hamstring injury. I hope its not too serious as this defense does not need anymore injured players. I rid this team of the injury bug once & for all!!!!!! Watching the practice from the sidelines as well was RB Lendale White, who has yet to practice during this training camp & sat out the morning practice due to back spasms

There was some "friendly" trash-talking going on between the offense & defense today as an entire team drill was spent on the running game. Knowshon Moreno found a gap or two and made it into the secondary but the first team defense pretty much held their own and shut the RB's down causing some friendly fire

Rookie Rahim Moore has been looking more & more solid with each practice. He had another rewarding day as he & Moreno met helmet-to-helmet on multiple occasions, with Moore winning the battles. His defensive teammates were there to applaud him for his efforts.

In some not-so-good news for Tebow fans, Kyle Orton was working with the first team offense for most of the morning session and looked okay till the defense got payback. Joe Mays intercepted a pass that was intended for Eddie Royal and had a little celebration, Champ Bailey must've felt left out because he picked the ball back up and spiked it again.

For now, it looks like Orton will be taking first team reps in training camp but I think they will be traded off as to who practices with the first team. I think it's safe to say that we do have a Tebow vs. Orton battle going on. I'll believe the "Orton is being traded" rumors when something is sign, sealed & delivered. For now, they're just rumors. (Aussie - I also read something from Andrew Mason, he said that Jake Delhomme was a terrible practice player, but he got it done on Sunday's, so there is still hope for Tebow)

Overall, sounds like our defense had a pretty good morning. For the second day in a row, Syd'Quan Thompson got his 2nd INT from a pass by Tebow. I hope to see A LOT more of Squid on our defense this year. The kid is an INT magnet.

**Brian Dawkins looks on at practice as he can't practice till August 4. Looks like a fisherman to me. lol Can't wait to see him out practicing again.**>

BREAKING NEWS:

Brady Quinn got a touchdown at practice today. Alert the media!!! lol

The Broncos have a closed session tonight and then have Tuesday off, so we won't be seeing much of the team till their 2:20pm practice on Wednesday.

Another signing:

The Broncos signed DL Derrick Harvey, formerly of the Jacksonville Jaguars. He played for the Jags in 3 season looking less than stellar despite being the No. 8 overall pick in 2008. Hopefully Doom & Robert Ayers can bring him some encouragement to do better than 8.5 career sacks.

The Broncos just traded an undisclosed 2013 draft pick to the Eagles in trade for DT Brodrick Bunkley. He was the 14th pick overall in the 2006 NFL Draft and has played in 76 games, starting in 52. In his 6-years in the NFL, he has accumulated 144 tackles, 6 sacks & 7 passes defensed. Sounds like a good trade to me. What do you guys think?

Also we are trying to sign fellow defensive linemen Jamaal Anderson and Ty Warren as they look for the right mix on the unit. Jamall Anderson is now going to the Colts.

Broncos waived S Nick Polk, WR Marshall Williams, and CB James Rogers. Polk went undrafted out of Indiana two Aprils ago; he was in Texans training camp last year. The other two were true undrafted rookies with no shot to stick.

In other news:

Wide Receiver Matt Willis has said that he is fully recovered from his foot injury, which forced him to end his 2010 season early in October.

Extra pictures:

Looks like The Champ got some scruffy on his face. Rookie Von Miller licks his chomps after work. Must've been hungry!!

Timmy T hard at work >