2012 Denver Broncos

[bearclaw500]

Ryan Clady was on a local radio station the other day. When asked "What position do the Broncos need to improve at the most?" His response "Wide receiver - definitely wide receiver."
Not sure what he meant by this, but it made me kind of wonder.

 

[Claimjumper]

Brandon Stokely just signed a 1 year deal with the Broncos

Compared to last year, a much whiter receiving core this year with the likes of

Brandon Stokely (hoping he stays healthy)
Jacob Tamme
Eric Decker
Joel Dreesen

 

[bearclaw500]

Guy tries out for the Denver Broncos Cheer leading squad.

Imagine having to look at some dude in daisy duke shorts and pom poms on the sideline. Probably just a matter of time, before this is reality. He would probably get propositioned by some of the players- if you know what I'm saying.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BV5v6hIGFZQ

 

[celticdb15]

Ben Garland returns to Broncos

Updated: April 20, 2012, 9:56 PM ET
Associated Press
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Defensive tackle Ben Garland has rejoined the Denver Broncos for offseason workouts after getting an early release from his commitment to the U.S. Air Force.

Garland was a training camp phenom two years ago, impressing the coaches with his work ethic and regularly outracing quarterback Tim Tebow in post-practice wind sprints. He was placed on the reserve/military list after training camp in 2010 and began serving his five-year military commitment.
He was serving at the Air Mobility Command, headquartered at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois east of St. Louis.
Garland told The Associated Press he was allowed to return to the NFL through a program that allows servicemen to cut short their commitment after two years for a career that would benefit the Air Force in recruiting or public affairs.
"I have saved my leave for two years so I could attend the offseason workouts," Garland said. "I am humbled to have this opportunity and love being back in Colorado."
Garland totaled 115 tackles, 11½ sacks and three forced fumbles in 39 games at the Air Force Academy.

 

[Don Wassall]

I like what this article says about Derek Wolfe. I have a feeling he'll be this year's "surprise" equivalent to J. J. Watt last season.

I don't know if Justin Bannan will start or not, but Denver should have both he and Wolfe on the field a fair amount of the time. It's been quite a while since an NFL team played two White defensive tackles. Add in Tamme and Dreessen at TE, and of course Manning, Decker and three White starters on the o-line, maybe Stokley in the slot at least some of the time, and the Broncos will be one of the best teams to root for, especially if Decker has a big year.

ROSTER BONUS

Peyton Manning isn’t the Broncos only notable offseason move

By Eric Goodman

The excitement to see Peyton Manning throwing passes for the start of mini-camp later this month, unless you got a sneak peek at a Denver area park or high school practice field earlier this spring, is palpable. Manning is unquestionably the Broncos top offseason story; his large presence has easily overshadowed other significant roster upgrades.

Denver desperately needed a major facelift at defense tackle, and they got it. One person in the Broncos war room on draft night privately told me about Derek Wolfe, “This guy plays with such an edge and high motor, the only way to stop him is with a bullet. We needed a nasty guy on defense after losing Brian Dawkins and we got it in Wolfe.” Say what you want about the Broncos passing on Jerel Worthy or Devon Still, but those guys have a history of not playing hard on every down. No one will have to motivate Wolfe.

Justin Bannan might not be the most talented defensive tackle in the league, but he’s got a high motor, as well. Throw in Ty Warren, who still needs to work out his contract situation and regain form after missing the last two seasons with injuries, and the Broncos could be getting a valuable “free agent” pick up. Kevin Vickerson and Ben Garland, another guy with a tireless work ethic, give this defense the potential to have their best group of defensive tackles since the franchise went to the AFC Championship Game in 2005-06.

Also overlooked are the major upgrades at cornerback. If the Broncos didn’t know it already, after getting dismantled by the Patriots in the playoffs, it’s imperative to have three legitimate corners on the roster. Not two cornerbacks and a nickel, but three starting-caliber corners. Champ Bailey, former Saints starting cornerback Tracy Porter, and 31-year-old veteran Drayton Florence, who the Broncos quietly picked up, are bona fide starting defensive backs. Add up-and-comer Chris Harris, veteran Cassius Vaughn, and fourth-round pick Omar Bolden to the mix and the Broncos haven’t been this deep in recent memory.

Denver has also improved on offense.

Jacob Tamme and Joel Dreessen wouldn’t have been much use for Tim Tebow, but Manning has a history of showcasing pass catching tight ends. Now, he’s got a pair of talented weapons and the best pair this Broncos franchise has seen in a very long time.
It may be too early to anoint Willis McGahee and third-round draft pick Ronnie Hillman “Thunder and Lightning,” but this duo gives the Broncos versatile options in the backfield with McGahee’s power and Hillman’s speed, especially on third down.

There’s even more depth on a solid offensive line. Ryan Harris is a great option to back up Ryan Clady or Orlando Franklin at tackle, and don’t be surprised if fifth-round pick Phillip Blake challenges either center J.D. Walton or guard Zane Beadles.

However, there are still problems on the roster. Mike Adams is a nice safety, but John Elway better hope Rahim Moore and Quinton Carter pan out. Robert Ayers needs to play like a first-round draft pick. D.J Williams has to find a way to shave time off his six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. And the incredibly talented Demaryius Thomas needs to run better routes and stay healthy.

There are even questions about Manning besides missing all of last season with a surgically repaired neck. The future Hall of Famer had the luxury of playing in the same offense for the last 13 years without consistent turnover from his wide receivers and tight ends. But now, Manning is working with a new group and it could take more time to gel than one might think.

The Broncos have a significantly better roster, besides the addition of Manning, but that doesn’t mean it’ll necessarily translate into 11 or 12 wins. The schedule is especially grueling during the opening five weeks when Manning will be trying to find a rhythm with the offense.

Denver has far more talent compared to last season’s AFC West championship team and the difference is much more than Manning. Although, their new quarterback is pretty good.

Eric Goodman hosts The Mile High Club with Eric, Kiz, and Burns from 7a-9a Monday through Friday on Mile High Sports Radio (AM1510 | FM 93.7). You can also follow Eric Goodman on Twitter @ericgoodman.

http://www.milehighsports.com/?p=10113

 

[Don Wassall]

Will the Broncos let Peyton Manning get repeatedly hammered by keeping highly over-rated sumo Ryan Clady to protect his blind side?

According to Stats Inc., Broncos LT Ryan Clady has surrendered 24.5 sacks over the past three seasons after permitting 0.5 in his rookie year. Clady allowed a career-high nine sacks in 2011 despite the fact that the Broncos passed less than they ever have during his four-year tenure. Now entering his age-26 season, Clady is in the last year of his contract. It will be critical for him to improve in pass protection with Peyton Manning now under center.

 

[Claimjumper]

Will the Broncos let Peyton Manning get repeatedly hammered by keeping highly over-rated sumo Ryan Clady to protect his blind side?

According to Stats Inc., Broncos LT Ryan Clady has surrendered 24.5 sacks over the past three seasons after permitting 0.5 in his rookie year. Clady allowed a career-high nine sacks in 2011 despite the fact that the Broncos passed less than they ever have during his four-year tenure. Now entering his age-26 season, Clady is in the last year of his contract. It will be critical for him to improve in pass protection with Peyton Manning now under center.

Interesting facts Don! Sadly Bronco Nation has some infatuation with this sumo. Every snide remark I have ever made about him is met with ridicule

And then there is this DWF...I have no words

The Denver Broncos are looking to sign starting left tackle Ryan Clady to a long-term contract extension. Negotiations have just begun, and I would expect Clady to ultimately get paid like a top-10 left tackle. I believe he's worth it, and the Broncos need him to protect Peyton Manning's blind side for the next few years (and hopefully more).
Last year, when the Denver Broncos offense was being run by Tim Tebow, the offensive line got a lot of criticism by a lot of people. Typically those individuals were Tebow apologists who felt that the reason why Tebow would get sacked or tackled behind the line of scrimmage was because his offensive line was terrible. For those folks who look beyond the obvious, what we saw was an offensive line who had no idea what the quarterback was actually going to do. Knowing where and how to block only works well when the quarterback does what the play calls for him to do.
The Broncos typically saw the defense crowd the line, looking to try and stop the run or at least stop Tebow from running. When passing plays were called, how many times did you see Tebow hesitate to throw and then start to scramble? The reason why Tebow ultimately got sacked so much (Clady himself gave up nine sacks in 2011) is the exact opposite of why Peyton Manning won't get sacked very much in 2012. When a passing play is called and Tebow is required to release the ball at a certain time, he didn't do it (until the playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers). He didn't trust his accuracy and he didn't want to give up interceptions. As a result, he got sacked 33 times in just 271 pass attempts.
Manning will release the ball on time and when he's supposed to. As a quarterback, Manning's ability to release the ball early is a major reason why he doesn't get sacked very much. The most Manning every got sacked in a year was 29 in 2001. He had 547 passing attempts that year. Most years he's getting sacked less than 20 times, and the past three seasons he played (2008-2010), he averaged just 13 sacks a season. Think that was due to an amazing offensive line? That same offensive line allowed 35 sacks of Indianapolis Colts quarterbacks in 2012. Peyton Manning makes all the difference.
Ryan Clady is a fantastic player. He was selected as an All-Pro his first two years in the NFL. He suffered a leg injury in the offseason prior to the 2010 season, but he never missed a start despite feeling like he was playing on just one leg. In 2011, despite the sacks allowed he was selected to the Pro Bowl. With a healthy body and the smartest quarterback in the league to protect, expect Clady to return to his All-Pro ways in 2012. He may end up being the best left tackle ever to protect Peyton Manning's blind side.
Julie is a football fanatic and a Featured NFL Contributor. Upon moving to Colorado in 2001, she began to follow the Denver Broncos. She is excited for the upcoming season to see what this team can do with Peyton Manning at quarterback.

 

[Highlander]

Bronco's trade CB for FB Chris Gronkowski:

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/broncos-trade-chris-gronkowski-172527754--nfl.html

 

[dwid]

Interesting facts Don! Sadly Bronco Nation has some infatuation with this sumo. Every snide remark I have ever made about him is met with ridicule

And then there is this DWF...I have no words

about Ryan Clady, I guess the longest arms in the league aren't such a help after all. Sure they want to blame Tebow, a mobile quarterback. Yes they passed less but pass attempts does not equal pass plays, he was very good to at least get to the line of scrimmage on broken down plays. Yes the pass plays were predictable on 3rd and long, deep patterns with only one receiver really getting seperation, but a top 10 tackle should be able to stop the pressure, not to mention he WASN'T EVEN PROTECTING TEBOW'S BLIND SIDE. Tebow could see when he let someone get by so 9 sacks is unacceptable. I don't know how many sacks he let happen during Orton but Orton was sacked 9 times which would be 32 for a full season, which is an improvement on the 34 he had in the 13 games he started in the previous season (which would be 41 in 16 games), but his interception total went up, more prone to throwing interceptions in the face of pressure.

The sacks given up also don't account for the holding penalties etc. I think he was penalized 12 times.
But the main thing is when talking about Tebow "running around making it harder" is the fact that he wasn't protecting his blind side, Tebow could see the pressure Clady was given up. If he is taking a long time in the pocket and sees pressure, like I said, he is going to get to the line of scrimmage, at least.

 

[Don Wassall]

Here's a good article on Derek Wolfe. Looks like he'll be playing both tackle and end. And Jack Del Rio was his big booster in getting Denver to draft him!

I see Wolfe being very consistent at a high level of production, much like Kyle Williams and Kelly Gregg. He likely won't get much media recognition given that he's not a Magical Negro, but he'll be damn good and hopefully other organizations will notice and quit wasting so many high draft choices on 360 pounds of "space eating" fat that register hardly any tackles and sacks.


Broncos Defensive Coordinator Jack Del Rio Has a Keeper in Derek Wolfe

http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/c...ordinator-jack-del-rio-has-keeper-derek-wolfe

 

[Claimjumper]

Im still trying to figure out what is more repulsive:

The Broncos giving supremely overhyped sumo Ryan Clady a 5 year / $50 million deal

OR

Ryan Clady having the audacity to suggest that the deal should be more lucrative than Joe Thomas' deal making him the highest paid tackle in the league

 

[Claimjumper]

Jim Leonhard just signed a 1 year deal with the Broncos!

 

[Don Wassall]

I was impressed by many of the comments after this short article on the signing of Leonhard. And notice how the comments were voted up and down -- the large majority are obviously pro-Leonhard. More evidence that Broncos fans are perhaps the least DWF oriented of any. Also, that the loud-mouths who hate any and all White players with a passion post disproportionately on forums compared to their actual numbers.

Broncos sign Jim Leonhard

http://bleacherreport.com/tb/d88K2?...medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=denver-broncos

 

[bearclaw500]

First Leonhard, now Brookings. I wonder if "black" Jack Del Rio had any input on this?

Keith Brooking signs contract with Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos signed veteran linebacker Keith Brooking to a one-year contract Monday, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. The Broncos later confirmed the signing, via a team release.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap10...ith-denver-broncos?module=HP11_headline_stack

 

[jaxvid]

Peyton be calling in all his White homies!

 

[Claimjumper]

The Broncos released their initial depth chart today going into their first preseason game against the Bears

Offense
Peyton Manning
Eric Decker
Zane Beadles
JD Walton
Chris Gronkowski
Joel Dreesen
Chris Kuper

Defense
Justin Bannan

 

[whiteathlete33]

The Broncos released their initial depth chart today going into their first preseason game against the Bears

Offense
Peyton Manning
Eric Decker
Zane Beadles
JD Walton
Chris Gronkowski
Joel Dreesen
Chris Kuper

Defense
Justin Bannan

The latest depth chart I have seen has Derek Wolfe starting but Kuper has been replaced by Manny Ramirez. He must be injured or something. That would still give the Broncos 8 whites starters. Derek Wolfe is going to be very, very good.

Jim Leonhard is buried on the depth chart and third string. He should be starting over Rahim Moore.

 

[Jimmy Chitwood]

some food for thought ...

the kinks are obviously still being worked out in the Broncos offense, and Manning is still trying to get comfortable with his receivers, but it is a good sign (at least to me) that his most targeted pass catchers in the preseason thus far are Decker, Stokley, and Tamme. he's also looked for Dreesen quite a bit.

also, how is Stokley still obviously so talented/productive, yet no one has wanted to utilize him in a meaningful way since he left Indy? the answer, of course, is the NFL has a Caste System.

 

[Leonardfan]

I hate how everyone is labeling Decker as a slot WR. He is a big WR with great speed - he belongs on the outside yet any publication or article I read tries to pigeonhole him as a slot WR.

I have tremendous respect for Stokely - he was a great Slot WR during the early part of last decade and is still a very good player. If he stays healthy he will get 600-700 yds rec and 5-7 tds. Stokely along with Drew Bennett were really the only two White WRs who seemed to get a chance from the 2001-2005 time period (this is just off the top of my head)

 

[Highlander]

DT Ty Warren out for the year with a torn tricep:

http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_21509300/broncos-ty-warren-tears-triceps-again-likely-done

 

[FootballDad]

DT Ty Warren out for the year with a torn tricep:

http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_21509300/broncos-ty-warren-tears-triceps-again-likely-done

Wow. $5.5 million, played 5 snaps in regular-season games. Another perpetually-injured black player. Not to worry, though, he'll be back with another team next year to continue realizing his endless potential.

 

[Don Wassall]

In a league in which defensive tackle has devolved to be a position dominated by morbidly obese, immobile black slugs, the Broncos have three active White tackles -- super rookie Derek Wolfe (who plays a lot of end also), veteran Justin Bannan, and second year man Mitch Unrein out of Wyoming.


Unrein Steps Up

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – Despite an early injury to veteran starting defensive tackle Ty Warren, the Broncos’ front seven turned in a strong performance in Sunday’s season-opening defeat of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Denver held Pittsburgh to just 75 yards rushing on 26 carries and sacked Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger five times. A big part of that success was solid play in the middle of the defensive line from tackle Mitch Unrein, who was on the field for 49 percent of the defense’s snaps.

“I felt like it went alright,” Unrein said. “It’s always good to get those cobwebs out after the first game. That’s probably half as many snaps as I had all last year, so to get that many snaps in the first game really feels good.”

Head Coach John Fox said Monday that he was pleased with the way Unrein stepped up when his number was called.

“I thought Mitch (Unrein) played well,” Fox said. “With Ty (Warren) going out after five plays, you’re a guy short there for the rest of the game. I thought (Unrein) stepped in and did a good job. Obviously he was mentally prepared because he executed his job well.”

Late in the first quarter, with the Steelers facing third-and-12 from the Broncos’ 36-yard line, defensive end Derek Wolfe sacked Roethlisberger for a 9-yard loss that brought on a punt instead of a field goal attempt. After the game, Wolfe was quick to point out that he couldn’t have made it happen without Unrein.

“I was running a pass-rush game with Mitch Unrein and he did a great job of picking the center for me,” Wolfe said. “I came around and was free – (he) picked him so much that I almost had too much space to work with. I can thank Mitch for that sack.”

Unrein said it felt great to work together with Wolfe for the rookie’s first career sack.

“I thought that was awesome,” Unrein said. “He’s a great guy. He’s not selfish at all, and I really appreciate him giving me a shout-out for helping him get that sack. It was a pretty awesome sack, how we got through there and got (Roethlisberger) down to the ground. He’s not an easy guy to take down, so that was a great way for him to start the season off.”

With Monday’s news that Warren is now on injured reserve with a season-ending triceps tear, it appears that Unrein, a reserve a season ago, will be counted on to take on a bigger role going forward.

“It affects us a lot,” Unrein said of Warren’s injury. “He’s a great leader, but as (Head) Coach (John) Fox always says, ‘Next guy up.’ That kind of opens the door for guys like me, so I’ve just got to keep on working and hopefully fill his spot.”

Though Unrein’s role in the defense has changed with Warren’s injury, the way he prepares in practice will remain the same.

“I just need to keep on working,” Unrein said. “That’s the only thing I can control, is the way I work. (Warren’s injury) is a huge loss to the D-line. I feel really bad for the guy, because he’s such an emotional and physical leader out there on the field. Hopefully I can step up and take my opportunity.”

http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-a...Steps-Up/c0aaedd9-8e1b-463f-90ca-c27cc3d86c98

 

[Highlander]

S Quincy Carter out for the year with a knee injury.

Broncos re-sign LB Mike Mohamed to their practice squad (from Jacksonville) and then promote him to their 53-man roster. They release TE Cornelius Ingram to make room for him.

 

[Highlander]

Broncos work out Jacob Hester as replacement for (injured) Willis McGahee

http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_22042843/broncos-work-out-jacob-hester-replacement-mcgahee

 

[Quiet Speed]

Broncos work out Jacob Hester as replacement for (injured) Willis McGahee

http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_22042843/broncos-work-out-jacob-hester-replacement-mcgahee

Interesting thread at this Broncos’ forum on this topic:

http://www.broncosforums.com/forums...-Hester-More-Likely-to-Sign-than-Steve-Slaton

It did not take long for someone to dismiss the notion based solely on Jacob Hester’s genetic handicap. A few folks were logical and agreed that it would be a good move to bring Jacob into the mix.