Report: Montrae Holland to Return Monday

The Rocky Mountain News is reporting that last year's starting right guard Montrae Holland will return to practice on Monday. Holland has been the but of more than a few jokes around the Bronco message boards, but has persevered through his own private hell. Holland's efforts working one-on-one with strength and conditioning coach Rich Tuten led to him losing anywhere from ten to twenty pounds in two weeks.

This isn't good news to everyone, Chris Kuper has been filling in for Montrae Holland while he was out. Kuper was the expected starting right tackle going into training camp, with Holland out Kuper was pushed over and second-year tackle Ryan Harris jumped at the opportunity for first-team reps on the offensive line.

My best guess is that Montrae Holland will not return immediately to the first-team and Chris Kuper will continue to take reps, maybe even beating Holland out. However, if Chris Kuper is not able to push Holland from his starting position, he still stands a fighting chance of locking Ryan Harris out at right tackle.

There's more! Check out the Broncos Denver Broncos Blog for multiple daily updates.
Want updates on your cell phone? Join us on Twitter and receive updates to your cell phone.

Denver Broncos Announce Depth Chart

At least as of August 3rd, 2008 at least.

You can click the above image to expand it. A couple notes for those that may need them, however if you've been keeping up with my training camp updates you shouldn't be surprised by anything on the list:

• Rookie wide receiver Eddie Royal is the backup for Brandon Marshall (who may or may not be suspended by game 1).
  
• Darrell Jackson is the number two wide out, while Keary Colbert is third on the depth chart.
  
• Marlon McCree is the starting free safety, while Hamza Abdullah is the starting strong safety.
  
• Rookie corner back Jack Williams is a third stringer.
  
• Chris Kuper is listed as the starting right guard, while Montrae Holland is listed as the number two, despite not participating in training camp actively as a guard. Rookie Mitch Erickson is listed as the third-stringer.
• Rookie running back Ryan Torain is listed as the third string running back.
  
• Ryan Harris is listed as the starting right tackle, with rookie Tyler Polumbus listed as his backup.
  

Keep it here at the Broncos Denver Broncos Blog for further updates today and every day.

Head coach Mike Shanahan had the following to say in regards to the depth chart:

"You have to put a depth chart out before the first exhibition game," Shanahan said. "I think we all know there are a number of positions that are very close, but you have to put someone down at first team and second team — even though you really don't know. It's that close."

Denver Broncos Training Camp Day 8 (Morning) Report

I may have jinxed our gentle giants in Dove Valley and I'm sorry. Starting free safety Hamza Abdullah (groin) and strong side linebacker Boss Bailey (knee) were both added to the list of inactives today, which includes: Tom Nalen (knee), Peyton Hillis (hamstring), Chad Mustard (hamstring), Michael Pittman (too many reps) and Montrae Holland (TFTP).

The good news?:

Brandon Marshall is Magic!

Seriously, Marshall hasn't even caught the ball and the referee is already calling a touchdown. He's so sure of his skill that he doesn't even stand up to catch anymore. Just sits in the end zone and waits. It's a sign, what Marshall is trying to illustrate with this metaphor is that even "sitting" he will be effective. He's telling fans that it's okay, look at the young boy just below the ball, he understands.

Tom Nalen's MRI was negative, which is great news to everyone, except center Casey Wiegmann, who has been filling in for the injured Nalen on the first-team offense.

I proposed this a couple of days ago (maybe even the first day of camp), what do you guys think of this for a front five: Clady, Hamilton, Nalen, Wiegmann and Kuper? Just a through, of course if missing this many reps in training camp does not affect Montrae Holland then of course swap him and Wiegmann. I love Ryan Harris and I'm assuming the coaches do too, because of the amount of first-team reps he is getting at right tackle. However, if Chris Kuper doesn't have to play right guard and the Denver staff can put him on the outside, they probably will. He's playing like a programmed machine, broken hand and all.

Nate Webster is still at middle linebacker on the first-team. As I stated yesterday, as far as I can tell it's two day rotation, Webster plays two days on first-team, then Niko Koutouvides plays two days on first-team. Who's better? Hmm... Webster's certainly more exciting to watch play, while Koutouvides seems to be the more intelligent player. They both come from good NFL pedigrees as far as previous experience, however Webster was an animal for Denver last season. Can he be trusted in pass coverage? Not as much as I would trust Koutouvides in pass coverage and here in lies the problem for Denver's coaching staff. Preseason will sort out the situation, hopefully. Let's not forgot about rookie Spencer Larsen either, while he's most likely going to go head-to-head with Jordan Beck for special teams thriller, Larsen provides nice insurance to Webster and Koutouvides.

Dre Bly's a man on a mission:

Can you imagine the results of the above picture in an actual game? Backup quarterback Patrick Ramsey would most likely have spinal fluid coming out of his nose from the hit he's about to receive. The week old battle between Bly and Domonique Foxworth is only going to get hotter. Only Denver will benefit from this competition, with both Bly and Foxworth playing to beat each other out. Foxworth is in a contract year and fans seemed to have shifted favoring Foxworth over Bly, where as their were rumblings to trade Foxworth for a fourth rounder prior to the draft. I'm hoping that the three along with rookie Jack Williams and Karl Paymah can link to form the iron curtain coverage that any team needs to force an offense to become one dimensional.

With Hamza Abdullah out, rookie Josh Barrett was given an opportunity to shine and he did, nabbing a sack during eleven-on-elevens. Roderick Rogers, whom I haven't brought up as much as I should have in the days since John Lynch evacuated, also picked off a ball today. If I'm the coach, I don't know who stays and who goes, either way, there are going to be some very talented players in a lot of the positions who won't be making the team unfortunately.

On the defensive line, Josh Mallard is continuing reps with the first team. At one point in practice the defensive line consisted of nearly all draft picks from 2007, as Jarvis Moss, Marcus Thomas and Tim Crowder front ended Denver's second-team defense.

Photo credit: Kyle Sonneman © DenverBroncos.com

Denver Broncos Training Camp: Day 7 (Morning)

The referees are here! Time for some action, as fans know, once the referees show up at training camp the first preseason game is not far away.

Out today of course were: Chad Mustard and Peyton Hillis (hamstrings), Tom Nalen, Michael Pittman and Ebenezer Ekuban all sat out as well. Montrae Holland was on sled duty for the seventh day in a row, working separately from the rest of the team.

Andre Hall continues to blow my mind.

• Nate Webster is back with the first-team defense, it's not going to be apparent who has won the middle linebacker position until the season begins. Coaches are rotating Webster and Niko Koutouvides every two days it seems, on the first-team as middle linebackers.
  
  
• Chris Kuper's hand is still wrapped up and appeared to give him even more trouble today, than it has any of other days. He's persevering though, his will and want to succeed on the starting Denver offensive line is endearing.
  
  
• Defensive tackle DeWayne Robertson is part of the explanation for Kuper's painful hand. Robertson is giving both Kuper and backup center (in for Tom Nalen) Casey Wiegmann daily headaches, as they double team him during practice. today by the way.
  
  
• In the absence of John Lynch, it may be corner back Dre Bly who steps up to fill that open veteran leadership role. As fans saw, Bly was standing on the sideline coaching rookie corner Jack Williams as he participated in the one-on-one drills versus the receivers.
  
  
• Defensive tackle Josh Mallard saw significant time with the first-team defense, as did Marcus Thomas. Good to see my personal favorite (Josh Mallard) and fan favorite (Marcus Thomas) succeeding and doing very well.
  
  
• At defensive end, last year's first two Denver draft picks, Jarvis Moss and Tim Crowder, rotated in for each other with the first-team defense.
  
  
• The Broncos may want to get Cecil Sapp some help at fullback, with the amount of reps he's being forced to take in the absence of any other fullback. Tight end Brett Pierce is splitting reps with Sapp, but Pierce is also taking reps at tight end, he caught a fingertip roll from Jay Cutler. It's like the Broncos are screaming for an injury to either Pierce or Sapp though, with them both doing double time. Neither position (full back or tight end) can afford the loss of another player.
  
  
• Knock knock... (Who's there) Brandon Marshall (Brandon Marshall who?) Exactly. That's how good Eddie Royal looks, the rookie at wide out is really benefiting from going up against two of the best corner backs in the NFL every day. Nate Jackson too, he's been taking reps with the first-team offense the whole of training camp and deservedly so. Whether he's in at tight end or split wide (past Marshall) he's turning heads and leaving defensive backs befuddled.
  
  
• Wide receiver Keary Colbert looked good today, but is not going to threaten either Darrell Jackson or Brandon Stokley (for their spot on the roster), in my humble opinion.

Training Camp: Day 2 (Morning Report) Part I

As reports begin to filter in, I'll do my best to decipher them for you guys.

So far:

• The Denver Post is reporting that Ebenezer Ekuban and DeWayne Robertson played defensive tackle with the first team, as well as Elvis Dumervil and Jarvis Moss (also playing defensive tackle). I think she's confused and meant to say that Dumervil and Moss played defensive end. Either way, that's a whole lot of guys that can make sacks on one defensive line.
  
  
• The starting offensive line this morning was: (left to right) Ryan Clady, Ben Hamilton, Tom Nalen, Chris Kuper and Ryan Harris.
  
  
• Notes on o-line: normal right guard Montrae Holland is still working privately with strength and conditioning coach Rich Tuten. Kuper (who apparently broke his hand yesterday) filled in for the injured Hamilton is an obvious replacement for Holland. Erik Pears, who started at right tackle last year, apparently is struggling early in camp.
  
  
• Being that Kuper is filling in for Holland, it is unclear who is leading in the battle for right tackle.
  
  
• Peyton Hillis might not have the starting fullback handed to him as predicted, Cecil Sapp is still taking the first team reps. Expect a challenge later in camp, towards the preseason games.
  
  
• Darrell Jackson looked incredible, while Glenn Martinez was mostly quiet.
• Marcus Thomas was handling left guard Ben Hamilton easily.
  
  
• Josh Mallard might mess around and become a huge force on the defensive line this season.
  
  
• Spencer Larsen has missed all of camp, thus far, for a family emergency.

There is much more to report, from morning practice, but this has been part one.

Welcome Back (self)!

Okay, a little sunburned, but relaxed four-hundred plus pages later I'm back home and sorry that I have been away so long loyal readers. A lot to catch up on, let me get that out of the way:

• Rookie defensive tackle Carlton Powell is out for the season with a torn achilles, this happened several weeks ago, but Mike Shanahan just announced it.
• Starting right tackle hopeful Chris Kuper has broken his hand (unofficial, but official). This is from his father's mouth, who posts on the Orange Mane message board.
• Right guard Montrae Holland was held out of morning practice for being eight pounds overweight. He did return for afternoon practice, when coaches realized that it was hot as hell and he would most likely lose those pounds shortly after the second practice of the day.
• Glenn Martinez looked impressive to Predominantly Orange.
• Brandon Marshall didn't look so good, but Jay Cutler did.

Here's the function of reporters at training camp, not very much. Aside from the quotes, they're only there to see whether someone gets hurt or who's playing with which team (first team, second team, et cetera).

That being said here's a great picture care of Barry Gutierrez © The Rocky:
My money's still on #23 Andre Hall, don't think that Selvin Young has it in the bag, as Kevin Jones said, he was looking forward to his trip to Denver... Just before he was signed.

Camp Battles- Right Tackle: Ryan Harris vs. Chris Kuper vs. Erik Pears

Ryan Harris, coming out of Notre Dame was described as a 'finesse blocker,' on most scouting reports. He dropped to the Broncos in the third-round because he was considered under-sized. Which scares most teams, but with Denver it's almost a prerequisite.

Young Harris was injured in preseason and was forced to undergo surgery on his back. Which caused him to miss most of the preseason not have an opportunity to play until the game vs. Pittsburgh (which also happened to be the same game Chris Kuper got an opportunity to play).

For most of the season he played predominately on special teams (10 games), but saw time as a right tackle against Kansas City and auditioned at left tackle in the season finale against Minnesota. Prior to the team taking Ryan Clady in the first-round of this years' draft, Shanahan had mentioned Harris as the potential starting left tackle in Denver.

The Upside: We haven't even seen the best out of Harris, his learning curve was steep, missing preseason, where he would have gotten valuable experience. He's fast, and the fact that he's not 300 lbs. doesn't really hurt him with Denver's scheme. He started nearly every game as a left tackle for Notre Dame and put up very impressive numbers. He's also versatile, which makes him a very viable option, as Denver likes to suit as few as six or seven offensive linemen on game day.

The Downside: His health and his salary may force him to either make or break this season. He's not a bruising lineman, he won't be knocking anyone on their butt. He also doesn't have the professional experience that any of the other linemen competing for his position have. Denver did not have enough faith that he could be their starting left tackle and used their first-round pick in this years' draft to replace him.

Chris Kuper exper- ienced a trial by fire last season taking over for former Bronco Chris Myers, who was switched to center to fill-in for the injured Tom Nalen. Kuper played very well for Denver, on a line that had lost its' two best players very early in the season.

Kuper showed why he was a two-time All-American at the University of North Dakota, stepping up in his second season as a Bronco to help Denver once again place amongst the NFL's best in rushing yards.

Kuper is the leader early in the battle for right tackle, but as you can see faces stiff competition.

The Upside: He can play, last season he came in having only had experience blocking on special teams and immediately took over as left guard during the game against Pittsburgh. He has spent time with Denver playing four positions on the offensive line. He's certainly big enough to anchor that right side and can hold his own with out reinforcement from a tight end. This is only his third season and given his proven ability, he doesn't have to start this season to be a force for a long time in Denver.

The Downside: Kuper was also the starting Right Guard going into the training camp last season. However, poor performance led to him being demoted and Montrae Holland quickly took over and never let go of the position. Kuper's trying to take over a position that Erik Pears played the whole season in 2007.

Erik Pears a Colorado native was the starting right tackle for Denver in 2007. Pears is a monster listed at 6'8" 305 lbs. and has the ability to literally manhandle most of what the NFL can throw at him.

He was the undisputed starting right tackle in only his second-season as a professional. In 2006 he took over at left tackle for an injured Matt Lepsis and started 11 games. In 2005 Pears spent time on Denver's practice squad, but made the All-NFL Europe team, playing some tackle, but mostly guard for the Cologne Centurions.

Pears is also believed to be, if there is such a thing, the primary competition for Clady at left tackle as well.

The Upside: As I said, he's a monster, literally possessing the skills to dismantle an opposing defensive end or an eager outside linebacker. He's a "Denver lineman," in every aspect, with the exception that he is so big, but at 6'8", 305 lbs. he's still smaller than most NFL tackles. He's young and has never missed an NFL start due to injury and has been playing in Colorado his whole life.

The Downside: Pears has been a part of an offensive line in Denver that has got progressively worse over the last five years. In both rushing and sacks allowed Denver has went from top 5 to lower top 10. The sacks can be attributed a lot to quarterback Jay Cutler's insistence on playing from the pocket and inexperience, but you can also point directly to a tackle like Pears and scratch your chin a little.

Broncos Denver Broncos Training Camp Battle Winner: The fans of Denver? (just kidding). Erik Pears, unless "Sweet Feet," suffers a setback, then Pears would take over at left and I think Denver takes a shot with Ryan Harris.

Camp Fodder

Hope that you had the time to read Sam's latest post this morning. If not just keep reading it's below this one, you probably don't know this, but Sam's currently sitting impatiently on the Broncos Denver Broncos P.U.P. list. I can't wait to get to Training Camp and see what he can really do...

Speaking of Sam, he brought up an interesting point during a recent e-mail exchange. Sam brought up the dis respectfulness of a term thrown around by journalists, fans and message board enthusiasts alike. That term being "(training) camp fodder", seriously think about it, but that group of words into context. Then think about your favorite Broncos, then take a look in the mirror, you're filthy. I can think of a couple players who were camp fodder at one point: Rod Smith, he's one of them, Karl Mecklenburg, he's another, Terrell Davis,.. Can you name the teams Ed McCaffrey or Bill Romanowski played for before Denver? Remember a guy named Craig Morton? He led us to our first Superbowl, you know who he used to backup? A guy his team choked to in the Superbowl, Roger Staubach, sorry that was a bad point, KARL MECKLENBURG! There, I cleansed your pallets.

Camp fodder, high school students have died during two-a-days attempting to be camp fodder, boys and young men train their entire lives to be camp fodder. The reason they all push so hard is because they know, in that locker room the only difference between them and anyone who sits above them on the depth chart is one perfectly timed play; a block, a tackle, a step, a hand, instinct, training or natural ability and they are in and once they're in, they'll show everyone, they should have always been there.

It's the reason John Lynch isn't, "getting old," why Champ Bailey's a first ballot Hall of Famer, why Rod Smith's still out there, unrecoverable hip injury, helping out where he can, Tom Nalen could have retired, no one would have blamed him, the same could be said for Mike Shanahan, really what does he have to prove? He's got his place amongst Bill Walsh, Vince Lombardi, Don Shula, Tom Landry and Chuck Knox... Literally a living breathing legend and has fans scream for his head. See these men, they are great men, gladiators, people who put their lives on the line, literally for what amounts at the end of the day as entertainment to us. And we as fans put just as much back into it, wives, sons, husbands, mothers, fathers and daughters take hours, days, weeks, months and years out of their lives to dedicate to something that may or may not be greater than them. Football.

Is it Sunday yet?

Exam Study Guide/aka P-notes

OFFENSIVE LINE

The news that Jay Cutler has Type 1 Diabetes actually tends to explain a few things: weight loss, fatigue. Of how many jobs can you think where doctors and trainers and concerned companions are constantly hovering about? My own take is that he will be fine and have a breakout season. The cause of my optimism is the OL. Offense begins and ends with them.


In '07, Lepsis returned to LT from a season ending '06 injury. Erik Pears moved to RT. Montrae Holland filled RG in place of the departed Cooper Carlisle. Tom Nalen and Ben Hamilton lined up in their customary spots. No, wait ... Ben Hamilton has a "spinal cord concussion" which can't be good. Out for the year. That's OK, Chris Myers comes in at LG. Zap! Tom Nalen tears a bicep and is also out for the rest of the season. Myers moves to C and Chris Kuper comes in at LG. The only backups are rookie Ryan Harris, PJ Alexander and ... Chad Mustard in a pinch? Pretty thin.
Lepsis has an off year, Pears struggles. Kuper does well as does Myers. Holland actually plays very consistently well for a guy new to the "system". Then, boom, Myers is traded. Nalen and Hamilton are said to be returning, but still thin on the OL. The rebu ..., sorry, transition, commences.

Casey Wiegmann, formerly of the Chiefs, and almost as old as Nalen (who will be deified just as Herakles) is signed. Not too auspicious for a youth movement. Then things start to happen. OT Ryan Clady is #1 draft pick, and C/G Kory Lichtensteiger is #4a. Tyler Polumbus and Mitch Erickson are CFAs and Dylan Gandy from the Colts is added afterward. As of this post there are thirteen OL headed for training camp and all but two are under 30 years of age; eight are 26 years old or younger. The two oldest guys are centers as is a rookie. Presto, a reb ... new OL.

Shanahan announces that Clady is LT which might as well happen for this enormously talented young man who appears to be a prototype at his position. Erik Pears is now the backup LT which is a good move because it seems he was better on the left and he has much experience. One thing some don't know about him is that he played G in NFL Europa (Koln/Cologne Centurions?). For the moment Ben Hamilton is back at LG, but he could be one hard hit away from forced retirement. That is where the brilliance of the Gandy acquisition shines. The same can be said of Wiegmann in the event that Tom Nalen runs down. Montrae Holland is the only OL in the same spot from the end of '07. He doesn't seem like a typical Denver OL, but he's fitting in and may even be better in '08. Chris Kuper, who earned his spurs in '07 as a G is competing with Ryan Harris at RT.

With the age of the centers becoming more of an issue every season, it appears that Lichtensteiger was drafted to be a C. He's coming off a shoulder (ouch) injury and won't be ready to practice until training camp. It is possible he could be IR/PUP after camp. Barring extensive injuries, the clock on PJ Alexander's NFL career may be winding down. I doubt if he's eligible for the Practice Squad, nor do I think he'd be interested if he was. However, that's where Tyler Polumbus and Mitch Erickson may find themselves after camp unless disaster strikes the OL two years in a row.

So, guys who can play C=Nalen, Wiegmann, Hamilton, Lichtensteiger, Kuper, Gandy.
Guys who can play G=Holland, Hamilton, Gandy, Kuper, Harris, Lichtensteiger, Pears, Wiegmann, Erickson, Alexander.

Offensive Tackles=Clady, Pears, Kuper, Harris, Polumbus, Erickson.

Nine OL will probably be on the roster. We'll just need to wait and see how Hamilton and Nalen (just had his knee scoped) do. This group is sufficiently deep to sustain some losses. Don't forget that R. Harris was on the roster but not available at the start of '07 (back surgery) which is why last year's OL situation was so precarious.

Why am I optimistic for the OL in '08? Two or almost two deep means lots of vigorous reps in practice especially for the youngsters. I bet that didn't happen last year because of the lack of depth. Until he does otherwise, I expect Clady to play LT from now on. He's young, has a lot of upside and probably a high learning curve. I hope Nalen, Hamilton and Wiegmann can play this whole year in order to give the young guys veteran leadership and a sense of direction before they hang it up. I expect Holland, Kuper, Gandy, Pears, Harris and Lichtensteiger to be around for years to come and to get better as they go along. The latter five can play more than one spot on the OL (Kuper can do them all).

When this season is over, I hope my optimism will seem to have been justified. It may seem farfetched now, but I can see this group knocking people down for the runners, building a wall for pass pro and closing ranks when one needs to step out, and not miss a beat in the process.

And now, a moment of silence. Requiescat in Pace, Tim Russert.

Vale/Be strong,
Sam