Denver Broncos Training Camp Report: Day 16

I've been all over the place since last Friday, so I apologize for the lack of updates. There's not a ton to report from Day 15 or Day 16 for the matter, but I will give tidbits on what should be noted.

I may have jinxed Lamont Reid yesterday, as Denver waived the corner back last night. Reid was waived to make room for Wale Dada, that'll be a fun name to say if he can make an impact. Dada has yet to play a game in the NFL, but spent the second half of last season on the Seattle Seahawks practice squad.

Out of pads today: Hamza Abdullah, Champ Bailey, Louis Green, Boss Bailey, Peyton Hillis, Tom Nalen, Erik Pears and Ryan Torain. It should be noted that while Hillis was listed as out, he did in fact participate in practice at fullback. Noticeably absent from the out of pads list is tight end Chad Mustard, who returned yesterday to practice.

Here are my unsolicited best guesses for winners of position battles at this point:

Fullback: Cecil Sapp will likely walk away with this one. Running back Michael Pittman could have been a dark horse candidate had rookie Ryan Torain not gotten hurt early in training camp. Peyton Hillis, who is the best receiving back Denver has, simply cannot get on the practice field. Without being able to practice, young Hillis will not be able to pass anyone on the depth chart.

Second-string Quarterback: Patrick Ramsey will remain the second-string quarterback going into the season. However, if there ever were a need for a second-string quarterback in the regular season lasting longer than a game Darrell Hackney would get the start. Let us just hope with the open roster spot created with Jason Elam's exodus to mecca (Atlanta) and Matt Prater having the incredible ability as a kicker to both kick-off, attempt extra points and kick field goals, that the open roster spot created goes to a third quarterback.

2nd Tight End: Fan favorite Tony Scheffler does not appear to have this position locked down by any means, the Broncos resigned ("Nasty") Nate Jackson which means that they're going to want a return on their investment. Both tight ends have injury issues, neither one has ever made it through an entire season. Scheffler is great once he gets the ball, Jackson is great at getting the ball. In training camp both tight ends have seen time split out, neither end is known for his abilitiy to block, at the same time neither of them have any problem with blocking. My best guess at this point is that Nate Jackson will see more time on the field, but Tony Scheffler will get the ball more often.

Center: If Tom Nalen's healthy, there is no discussion, he will start. If there is any doubt in his head that he's not healthy I would think that he will retire. Leaving Denver with a very experienced Casey Wiegmann, who has not disappointed yet either in training camp or preseason play. In the very unfortunate event the Tom Nalen does retire, PJ Alexander, who can play any position on the offensive line would back up Wiegmann.

Right Guard: It is not out of the ordinary for Chris Kuper to be listed as the number one right guard in preseason, he was last year as well. Last season Montrae Holland ended up beating him out for the start and started every game in 2007. I don't expect there to be any different this season. Chris Kuper will be a back up, the right tackle position will be discussed a paragraph down.

Right Tackle: The message boards are full of chatter of Chris Kuper moving over from right guard, making room for Montrae Holland and starting in the right tackle position. If Chris Kuper were the number one option at right tackle, he would have been playing right tackle all along and someone would have been filling in at right guard. Mike Shanahan named Ryan Harris the starting left guard in Denver way back in January or February. When Denver drafted Ryan Clady at left tackle the obvious move was to put Ryan Harris at right tackle. Right tackle is in many informed and expert opinions the easiest position on the line, as it is generally the side that also features the blocking tight end. Meaning the right tackle and tight end double-team who ever happens to be the opposing left defensive end. When you read about Ryan Harris being "blown up," in camp, this was happening in the first couple of days of camp during one-on-ones. With last season's starting right tackle Erik Pears, out for a bit this week with a soar back and dedicated to second-team left tackle I don't see Pears passing Harris on the depth chart either.

Running Back: Though I've felt that I've called this one ad nauseum, but Andre Hall will start, Selvin Young is the spell back. It's not going to happen just yet, it'll happen shortly after the Dallas game. However, clever Mike Shanahan may wait until just before the Oakland game to announce it. Leaving Oakland Raider coaches scrambling for film. We got a glimpse of Selvin Young early last season and he was exciting, but he sputtered out at the end of the season, why does no one remember that? He wasn't incredibly exciting going up against the number one defense last weekend in Houston either, he had one exciting run that pushed him into the positive yardage column though. The blueprint is being formed right now in Denver, running by committee is the future. Though we're not likely to see Bo Jackson/Marcus Allen production any time soon, but gone soon will be the days where one back carries thirty times per game. Rookie Anthony Aldridge will see carries here and there, as will Michael Pittman, when Ryan Torain is healthy again, expect him to get more than a few serious looks. I'm anti-rookie hype, especially when it comes to running backs, but Ryan Torain could be a huge threat, no team will have been able to scout him and he comes during a time when there are going to most likely be injuries to starters.

Wide Receiver (Y spot/2nd Receiver): Rookie Eddie Royal is the talk of the town, as he will probably start alongside Brandon Marshall when Denver plays the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday. However, he's just keeping the chair warm. When the season begins, Darrell Jackson will be the number one receiver and Eddie Royal will remain at number two. Week three versus the New Orleans Saints, Brandon Marshall and Darrell Jackson will start with Brandon Stokley in the slot, Eddie Royal will still see plenty of time and opportunities, but Darrell Jackson is the Broncos man. Incredible depth at wide receiver for Denver, Keary Colbert will likely take the sixth spot on the depth chart. My dark horse candidate at wide receiver is Clifford Russell, did you see his tackle at Houston? Russell narrowly missed an over thrown Darrell Hackney pass that would have made Denver fans see what I've been talking about over the last two weeks. He can make the team based off of his special teams contributions and provides good depth at kick returner and punt returner.

Defensive Line: I don't see anything changing here, Denver's first-team did decent, Jarvis Moss will not be an every down defensive end, at least to start the season off, John Engelberger is too much of a warrior. The Josh Mallard that I've crowned messiah did not do me any favors in Vegas last weekend, but you will see him a lot this season. Marcus Thomas is not disappointing and will do well, once DeWayne Robertson is taking on double teams next to him at defensive tackle. I want to see Tim Crowder do as well as he did at the beginning half of last season, but I want to see him do it the whole season. His spot on the depth chart is proof enough that Denver's not happy with what he's shown so far. The blitzing package that Denver occasionally sets up with in training camp is pretty fierce though: Jarvis Moss, Josh Mallard, Ebenezer Ekuban and Elvis Dumervil, that's overwhelming... If those men get organized, look out.

Middle Linebacker: Niko Koutouvides will get the start against Dallas, if my assumptions are correct and fans will call for Nate Webster. Good depth and intense battle, but Denver just doesn't want to see the money spent on Koutouvides go to waste, they want him to be the number one. However, that number one will be Nate Webster. For one reason, where Koutouvides overshadows Webster the most is in coverage, but Denver's not a team that often has a middle linebacker in coverage. In the nickel package, Denver doesn't even have a middle linebacker on the field. Boss Bailey is incredible in pass coverage and DJ Williams isn't to shabby either. If those two are in coverage, you'll want Nate Webster manning the middle, not Niko Koutouvides. Koutouvides is a special teams ace though and coupled with Jordan Beck, if he can somehow manage a roster spot and the youngster Wesley Woodyard, Denver should improve drastically at kickoff coverage.

Cornerback: Domonique Foxworth vs. Dre Bly, going with Dre Bly on this one. This could mean that Denver loses Domonique Foxworth next off-season. I, as many Denver fans, hope not, but I can't imagine him wanting to spend another season here next year as the nickel back. Foxworth believes that there are thirty-two teams that he's capable of starting for in this league and that is true, but he's not beating out Dre Bly, who is in the top five of current NFL corners for interceptions, this year.

Free Safety: Hamza Abdullah is giving his all to returning to practice, but it might be too little too late. Marquand Manuel is looking good filling in for the injured Abdullah. Prior to being injured Hamza Abdullah could be seen ball hawking in Denver's secondary, but in Marquand Manuel, Denver has Dennis Smith hitting ability. I think that it may come down to what situation Denver's in defensively and we'll call this one a draw for now.

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.

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Training Camp: Day 3 (Afternoon Practice)

Notes:

• Several of the veterans got the afternoon "off": Champ Bailey, John Lynch, Tom Nalen and DeWayne Robertson, are amongst the most notable. Though the players participated without shoulder pads and only with helmets.

• Nate Webster remained the middle linebacker with the first-team defense.

• Selvin Young:

"I’m not the type of person that stays on one side of the fence my whole life and sees what everybody else sees and tries to accomplish what everyone else tries to accomplish," he explained."I’m the guy who wants to get on the other side of the fence and accomplish what other people never reach for."

• Publicly scorned guard Montrae Holland was allowed to practice and saw time with the first team offense at right guard.

• Eddie Royal, Glenn Martinez, Andre Hall, Clifford Russell and Anthony Aldridge all fielded kickoffs during the PM practice. My money's on Hall and Royal...

• Safety Marquand Manuel:

“You can tell, the pads are on, the gym shorts practices are over with,” Manuel said. “Now we are having real man practices, and you can see who the real men are,” he said. “You can just tell by watching practice that our focus to detail is at an all-time high, the best that I have been around,” he said.

• Mike Shanahan on why Brandon Marshall looks like he's dragging ass:

"Anytime you miss all of those OTA days and the majority of the offseason program, it takes some time to get back in football shape," Shanahan said. "He hasn’t skipped a beat, he’s making plays left and right and he is just going to keep getting better and better as his body gets back into football shape."

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.

Preparing for the 2009 NFL Draft; pars decima.

In the effort to wrap up this series which developed an out-of-control life of its own, I am affected by what has transpired at Dove Valley since training camp began yesterday morning. After having scouted Carlton Powell in a couple of his Senior year/VA Tech games and concluding he is a special run-stopping DT, boom, he's out for the year with a ruptured Achilles (something Hector wished for sooner rather than later).

That has ramifications for the 2009 draft. Montrae Holland is running around trying to lose some weight. I hope that and the inevitable dogging/nicknaming that will follow puts him in a suitably nasty mood to do some hitting. If so, then Carlton may not be the only DL casualty especially if that group engages in some intra-squad smack. What? One group of fat guys calling another fat guy fat? Never!

Having observed high school football programs up close and personally for many years, I wonder about the way Shanahan and Co. orchestrate the off-season especially leading into TC. The Broncos are a group of mature athletes, not the squirrel-boy teenagers I've been around. The former have years of training and should have developed some sense of discipline, even the rookies (with the jury still out on Brandon Marshall). The latter must be guided with a carefully planned program with much strengthening, conditioning, stretching and gradually increasing running in which they have absolutely no input and very little time in which to develop bad habits.

High School football players who try to invent their very own (no adult supervision) off-season workouts often end up hurting themselves and/or each other (it's what they do). We expect more from NFL Players with the possible exception of Marshall who seems capable of hurting himself with the most innocuous items (hamburger wrappers?!?!). Please! Keep the pens and pencils away from him! Too sharp! Question is, "Is Shanahan trying to create an environment in which injuries are bound to occur, thus establishing a Darwinian weeding out process to produce the least injury-prone group?" If so, that didn't go very well last season, did it? Just wonderin' ...

If you read "pars nona", you may have noticed the introduction of a postion not mentioned in the previous partes: Punter/Plackicker and Placekicker/Punter. In the event you think a redundancy is apparent, it's just a matter of emphasis: one guy who does both with his strength lying in one of the two. Back in round six speculation we listed Sam Swank from Wake Forest who does all the punting, placekicing AND kicking off. I admit to being obsessed with one guy doing all of those in the interest of saving a roster spot with the contingency of injury dealt with by constantly carrying a kicker or two on the PS. All of the PS kicker guys would be kicker-multi-taskers, too. Staying with the same line of reasoning, how about a LS who isn't just a specialist but is another position guy (e.g., TE, LB, OL, DL with several on the depth chart)? That's why I'll be very interested to see if Josh Mallard can unseat Mike Leach as LS.

Here are some possible seventh rounders to consider in '09:

• Ryan Succop, K/P, South Carolina, 6-2, 224, 37/37 XPA, 13/17 FGA, 49 long, 56 P, 2330 yds, 41.6 avg (34.4 net), 3 blk, 15 in +20 in '07.
  
  
• Demonte' Bolden, DT, Tennessee, 6-5, 292, 26 tkl, 2 sk, 3 tfl, 2 pbu in '07.
  
  
• Brandon Hughes, CB, Oregon State, 5-10, 184, 57 tkl, 7 tfl, 12 pbu, 2 int in '07.
  
  
• Thomas Morstead, P/K, SMU, 6-4, 232, 43/43 XPA, 13/20 FGA, 53 long, 57 P, 2545 yds, 44.6 avg (39.3 net), 1 blk, 21 in +20 in '07.

You may have noticed that all the kickers listed are larger guys, not the teeny-tiny field goal kickers you often see on college teams that suit up eighty players for a home game and still manage to take several specialists on the road. That is because if one guy is doing ALL the kicking, he must be able to cover and tackle on his own punts and kickoffs.

It would be nice if the loss of Powell for the '08 season is the last season ending injury sustained by the Broncos in '08. Some other nice things might be: solidification of MLB w/Niko Koutouvides and Spencer Larsen; a strong RB committee which stays healthy; quality depth at most positions; and, the return of all five CBs in '09. These would facilitate a more planned and predictable draft without the necessity of acquiring too many UFAs. I still feel that the position needs of FS, G and TE will definitely be there in '09 and that they can be dealt with via the draft. I hope I didn't jinx Carlton by saying nice things about him and then listing some '09 DTs. We all wish him a good rehab from this injury, but even if he returns at full strength in '09 it appears a DT or two should be added.

The draft could be utilized for this as well as FA or both. The short life-span of NFL (especially Bronco) RBs may necessitate the addition of one via the draft. Kickers will probably be needed, but it's possible to get some without drafting at that position.

The Denver Broncos may only have six draft choices in '09 due to the DeWayne Robertson trade. FS + G + TE + RB + DT + ? = 6. That would be a very efficient usage of picks if the Broncos could get six guys at those positions who would make the team. It seems as if UFAs will be inevitable along with a trade or two. NO ONE will be more surprised than me if Denver actually drafts any of the players listed in this series. The purpose of the exercise was more to inventory, evaluate and speculate rather than predict. That is why each round had several "players of interest". This is what we football junkies do. We watch college football and wonder which players our NFL team will draft.

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.

Preparing for the 2009 NFL Draft; pars octava:

Before continuing with this purely subjunctive, speculative and mostly imaginary (only the football players aren't) exercise, let's take a moment for some relevant considerations. The rounds in which the players discussed here may be drafted are mostly guesswork. For sure, it's based on measurables, production, level of competition and other stuff (e.g., character considerations), so maybe you could call it educated guesswork. Estimating how many and which Juniors come out in '09 and where they may plug into an anticipated draft order is like voodoo divination.

The League has been cool to allow fans to peek into the process, but the teams themselves jealously guard their evaluations and draft boards, especially the criteria by which they arrive at those conclusions. Plus, no team is monolithic in their thought processes. Within each club are factions which argue and struggle between and during their times on the clock. Between now and the end of April '09, much can happen. An entire college football season is yet to be played. Players will emerge to have impressive performances not only in big games, but over the course of the year. Injuries will occur and, unfortunately, so will arrests and dismissals. When the selection process begins, thirty-two different points-of-view will be presented in each round requiring quite a bit of reassessment on the fly. The draft itself is a game inside a game inside a game.

In '08, for example, who would have thought no WRs would be taken in the first round and that the first would be Donnie Avery from Houston? More CBs were drafted than most draftniks had predicted: five in the first round; six in the second; four in the third; NINE in the fourth; four in the fifth; one in the sixth; and, three in the seventh for a total of THIRTY-TWO! That's close to one-seventh (c.14%) of all players drafted at that one position. Chevis Jackson, CB, LSU was taken by Atlanta at #68 in the third while Steve Johnson, WR, Kentucky, who tore Chevis (and the SEC) up in '07, wasn't drafted until the seventh round (#224) by Buffalo. Denver surprised it's own fans (something I always enjoy) by drafting Eddie Royal, WR, VaTech in the second round and Jack Williams, CB, Kent State in the fourth.

The '08 draft pool was very deep before a bunch of great Juniors joined it. It was a good year for the Broncos to have nine draft picks. The quality of the CFAs is also testimony to the great depth of '08. Studying the probable '09 draft pool has led me to believe that it won't be as deep as '08 even when adding the anticipated group of Juniors. CFAs in '08 would probably be drafted in '09 (e.g., Wesley Woodyard and Anthony Alridge). I'm not exactly sure how many draft choices the Broncos have in '09. I'm assuming seven, but are they due any from other teams or by compensation? Don't know. It also isn't completely clear what Denver will need to give the NY Jets for DeWayne Robertson. Seems as if it might be conditional on how much he plays involving anywhere from a 4th or 5th to a 6th or 7th round pick. I sure hope it isn't a fourth because if you'll reread "pars septima", the fourth round of '09 is expected to still have a bunch of good football players.

Another unpredictable is whether or not Mike Shanahan will trade up. He'd tell you he isn't even worried about that right now because TC and the season are here. He'll study it after the season. He has a whole staff of college scouts on it. FS, G and TE should still need help in '09. Question is, how well the RBs, MLBs and DL do in '08? What will the CB situation be as regards resignings, FA and salary cap? The fourth round in '09 could be used to address any of those. I really think that every other year the Broncos should try to keep all of their picks and even acquire some more. They have been accumulating many young players, but there is a limit to how many rookies a team can absorb. It takes two or three years to properly evaluate rookies and most of them seem to be signing three or four year contracts. Drafting ought to be an exercise in choosing guys who have a good chance of making the team as '08 seems to be. Alternate years could be used to target players for whom to trade up (usually requiring the loss of draft choices) as in '07.

Here are some possible fifth rounders for the Broncos to consider in 2009:

• Jaison Williams, WR, Oregon, 6-4, 240, 56 rec, 844 yds, 8 TD in '07. [*Ducks' leading receiver] Seems big enough to be an H-Back or TE, doesn't he? So are Brandon Marshall and rookie Lorne Sam. If the Broncos feel the need for a big receiver, here's Jaison. If he gains over a thousand yards in '08, he might be worth it. Dropped passes seem to have been an issue. Guys his size shouldn't worry about the coverage. On the contrary, he should be terrorizing the secondaries. We'll be watching.
  
  
• George Hypolite, DT, CU, 6-1, 288, 49 tkl, 6 sk, 5.5 tfl, 1 pbu and 1 int in '07. After the "jumbo" experiment with DT in '07, he seems small, but have you seen him play? This dude has a motor. I'm thinking he would fit with Denver's new DL concept. He could become one of those three-hundred pound bowling balls I think the Denver DL needs. Besides, when a DT comes in on rotation, he needs to bring some game and not just hold the fort.
  
  
• DeAndre Wright, CB, UNM, 5-11, 193, 36 tkl, 1.5 tfl, 9 pbu and 3 int in '07. If the Broncos decide to add another CB in '09, I would prefer Londen Fryar, Western Michigan, listed as a fourth round prospect. If however, another need is addressed in the fourth, this Lobo could be worth it depending on the CB position situation Denver finds itself in next Spring. As much as the Mountain West throws the ball, their DBs are usually pretty good.
  
  
• Will Johnson, DT, Michigan, 6-5, 290, 40 tkl, .5 sk, 2 tfl in '07. Plays for a big school with the biggest stadium in a big conference. Need to keep tabs on him in '08. Michigan will probably play the 3-3-5 D that Rich Rodriguez used at WVA. DL in that D are usually sent to a designated gap on each call (e.g., slant, angle, pinch). That could be considered a good preparation for the style the Broncos may use this season. By the way, Will's one of those academic awards guys, too.
  
  
• Jorvorskie Lane, FB, Texas A&M, 6-0, 278, 169 att, 780 yds, 16 TD, 12 rec, 115 yds, 1 TD [*as a RB] Mike Sherman is moving him to FB in '08 which will put Lane and TB Mike Goodson in the backfield together for obvious reasons. It remains to be seen how Jorvorskie will adapt to a different position where he will have plenty to do (blocking and receiving) without being handed the ball. Sherman is probably looking at his roster and saying to himself that a 280 pound back: a) better be a blocker; and b) needs to lose some weight. Lane has a reputation for slacking in the offseason, but maybe a new coach and a new attitude will change that. FB was a need for the Broncos last year. Peyton Hillis will have the opportunity to become a pro fullback which consists of blocking, special teams, blocking, receiving, blocking and carrying the ball occasionally followed by more blocking. Sometimes big RBs who have been accustomed to running the ball have difficulty becoming the multi-dimensional player a FB must be. Maybe a real pro coach can turn Lane into a real pro FB.
  
  
• Andy Levitre, G, Oregon State, 6-2, 324. A college tackle who projects to G in the NFL and can play C as well. Interchangeability is a necessity for NFL OL and this guy could play T or C in a pinch. Sometimes fans try to pigeonhole OL in one starting or backup spot. Truth is you start your best five and if one of those goes down, bring in #6 and shuffle if necessary. I hope the Broncos will have drafted a G before the fifth round in '09, but if not, Andy might be there. He probably compares to Montrae Holland. Oh, and he's one of those academic awards guys, too.

If the Denver Broncos end up having to give a draft choice to the Jets for DeWayne Robertson, I hope it's just a sixth or seventh because it looks like the '09 pool of players holds up fairly well through five rounds. A reasonable 2009 draft through five rounds for Denver might look something like:

• 1st: Courtney Greene, FS, Rutgers;
• 2nd: Mitch Petrus, G, Arkansas;
• 3rd: Bear Pascoe, TE, Fresno State;
• 4th: Scott McKillop, MLB, Pitt or Devin Moore, RB, WYO or Londen Fryar, CB, Western Michigan;
• 5th: George Hypolite, DT, CU or DeAndre Wright, CB, New Mexico.

Quantitatively the Broncos may need to draft more defensive than offensive players in '09 ... maybe.

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.

About last night... :-P

Sorry about the lack of posts yesterday, I had some personal issues and now I'm posting the first part of a two part blog that I'll have up completely by tomorrow.

By the way, don't be scared to comment (on Sam's articles, not mine, I'll argue with a brick wall about its thickness). We appreciate you guys checking us out, sometimes multiple times a day looking for content and we're getting ready to kick it into fifth gear before we get into training camp.

Here's some links:

Montrae Holland speaks so Ryan Clady doesn't have to.
I'm done talking about Javon Walker, but the Bellagio says his story's incorrect.
And the Broncos wish him well.
Keyshawn Johnson's got something to say about it too on TMZ.
Former Bronco Mike Anderson may be suspended.

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