After Further Review...

Isn't DVR a wonderful thing? A second/third viewing of the September 14 game between the Broncos and the Chargers has produced the following observations:

• The overall defense wasn't as bad as it seemed in realtime. Run D is much improved.


• Pressure was applied to Philip Rivers, but he just stands in the shrinking pocket and throws the ball. Elvis is banged up and the Broncos need another pass rushing defensive lineman. We are all wondering about Jarvis Moss. Ekuban and Peterson made some big-time defensive plays. Engelberger had a sack. Josh Shaw played some. Robertson and Thomas are doing a good job in the middle and really collapse the pocket on pass plays while remaining solid against the run. The Broncos are playing a three-man odd-front D-Line in passing situations. My jury is still out on that.


• Sproles was mostly contained when he was rushing except for his TD run which must have been a blown play for the D. The Bronco LBs ran themselves out of position in a way that Slowik couldn't have possibly wanted. Aside from the kick return for a TD (oops), he was contained by Denver's ST.


• Denver's LBs may as well be considered as new with Williams and Webster in new spots and Bailey new to the team. Boss was playing in his first game since the first preseason game. It seems that he was manned up on Tolbert when San Diego made a big pass play to him in the third quarter. My take is that the defense will improve as it advances through the season with the backers becoming more comfortable with the system, the calls and each other. One wonders, however, if Webster runs himself out of position to make tackles. DJ was great and got a flag for a hit on Rivers which was duplicated by the Chargers later on, but with no flag on them.


• In spite of big plays by the Chargers in the third quarter, Denver's D held them to two FGs instead of TDs which is huge.


• Karl Paymah doesn't seem to be able to cover as a nickel DB. That's odd because nickel coverage is often cover 1. Paymah was clearly in man several times, especially against Chris Chambers. Eventually Jack Williams may get his chance.


• Safety play appears to be just adequate at the moment. Three of them (McCree, Manuel and Lowry) are new, so maybe we'll see steady improvement. I hope so. Two Safeties (Barrett and Rogers) are on the Practice Squad, so if there is regression at that position ...


• Punting and place-kicking are vastly improved this year. Prater made a 50+ FGA and Kern punted for about 60yds a couple of times. He seems to be a pretty good holder, too. This situation seems fixed. O'Brian seems to be a good coach for kickers/punters.


• Kick coverage is mostly good except for the occasional breakdown (e.g., Sproles' TD). There are many new players on ST (Koutouvides, Woodyard, Larsen, etc.), so maybe more consistency can be anticipated. Punt coverage was pretty good.


• Raving about the "skill" positions aside, the big development for Denver's O is the line. Hey ... , they ARE BIG. The tackles are very young and inexperienced, but the Ryans are playing great right now. Clady is a better pass than run blocker at the moment, but he has much upside. Harris has really stepped up and pleasantly surprised us all after we expected to see Kuper at RT. San Diego's odd-front DL w/a different backer coming each play was a good test for the O-Line. That front is more difficult for the C and Gs than for the tackles. Kuper struggled with it at times, but came out OK. Hamilton's return is doing wonders for the OL. His experience, leadership and consistency are invaluable. Wiegmann is doing a great job, but gets his butt kicked from time to time. An odd front with a big NT and ILBs blitzing the A gap is harder for him than a split-front. Let us hope Nalen can return before much longer and give Casey a break. Lichtensteiger is getting some game time in the backfield on short yardage/in + 20 situations which is interesting.


• Even after trading away Colbert and Jackson injured at the moment, Denver's receivers are a scary bunch especially when you include Scheffler. One of his TDs came on a route he ran as a split-end vs. double coverage. Marshall the Monster, Royal the Rookie (who plays like a vet) and Stokley the Slot Machine are as difficult a group to cover as any in the league because they are all so different from each other. Imagine covering Scheffler on one play and Royal on the next followed by Marshall and, later on, Stokley. Wait 'til Darrell is back at full speed. Graham is stll mostly a blocker (he's SO good at it), but he will get some balls thrown his way in each game. Nate Jackson draws coverage and is an excellent ST player.
• The RB committee is working well, better than most suspected. Hall, Young and Pittman are following their blocks, making the cuts and getting good yards. How did you like that 3rd and 24 situation where the Broncos gave the ball to Selvin who cut back and got blocks from Cutler, Marshall and Royal to run for a 1st down? Sweet! By rotating the backs, Shanahan is keeping them all healthy and using them on ST as well. Just wait until Torain returns ... just wait. Peyton Hillis deservedly earned his roster spot as the "true FB". He is learning as he goes. Sometimes he blocks the wrong guy on a blitz, but he will figure it all out sooner rather than later. His blocking is better than I thought it would be. Also thought he would have a bigger impact as a receiver than a ballcarrier, but so far it's been the other way around. It is inevitable that will change when defenses think they have found a way to cover Marshall, Royal and Scheffler AND stop the run when Hillis is in. That's when Shanahan and Co. will get him the ball through the air. Watch out when Pittman is in the backfield with Hillis.
• If Jay Cutler isn't the real deal as a premier NFL QB, then I haven't seen one lately. He has a ball security issue that I'm sure he will fix (dropped the ball twice vs. Chargers). Averaging over 300 yards per game, he seems to be on a mission to compensate for the defense (which shows signs of improvement). The OL is protecting him well giving ample time to connect with a dangerous group of receivers. The pass is setting up a run game which must be respected at all times. Finally, the playcalling is imaginative and aggressive. Cutler gives Shanahan and Co. the ability to run anything from their playbook from anyplace on the field.

Shots Fired: Steinberg vs. NFL

It's been awhile since we've had a Shots Fired column, well the dry spell has ended:

"It just shows you what a class organization that we're dealing with that Mr. Marshall and his attorney find out about this as the result of a press release,"Brandon Marshall's attorney Harvey Steinberg said. "They didn't even have the courtesy to contact Mr. Marshall directly or his lawyer. The league appears to be more concerned about its image than treating its players with dignity and respect. The best part of this is we get to appeal this suspension to the very commissioner who chose to suspend him in this fashion."

Steinberg later commented on the, "Conditions," that the league insisted Marshall would need to follow in order to be considered for a possible lightening of a sentence.

"I hope they will send me a letter detailing exactly what they mean," Steinberg said.

Mr. Harvey Steinberg does make a very good point, let's see how the NFL responds.

Scraping the Summer Football Bucket

Before continuing with the 6th & 7th rounds and conclusion to "Preparing for the 2009 NFL Draft", thought I'd share a few observations gleaned from the slim pickings of football before TC. There are a few NFL replays that are enjoyable, but none have anything to do with the Broncos. Recuperating from surgery has made me more sedentary than I would prefer, so the many channels via satellite dish have been perused and reperused for anything, and I mean ANYTHING interesting. CBS-College and ESPNU to the rescue, especially the former. Three of their rebroadcasts caught my eye recently: Arkansas at LSU, 11/23/07; Boston College at Virginia Tech, 10/25/07; and, the ACC Championship Game, BC vs. VaTech, 12/1/07. Besides the attraction of games with so many players recently drafted, here was an opportunity to observe three Denver draft choices in action and all of them in big games.

Peyton Hillis was obviously the focus of my attention in the Arkansas/LSU game. Several future opponents were there as well (Jacob Hester-Chargers, Glenn Dorsey-Chiefs, Darren McFadden-Raiders, Felix Jones-Cowboys, Nate Garner-Jets, Marcuses Harrison & Monk + Craig Steltz-Bears, Chevis Jackson & Keith Zinger-Falcons, Matt Flynn-Packers and Early Doucet-Cardinals). All of these will be opponents during pre/regular season '08 (except the Bears) and will give many draftniks the opportunity to confirm or deny their previous thoughts about these players.

Peyton Hillis is a good blocker and receiver. He did some lead blocking, mostly for Felix Jones, and seemed effective. His best block, however, was the kickout and he took his guy to the sideline every time. His pass protection also seemed more than adequate, all of this against a pretty good defense. His route running is very exact for a back and he has good hands for catching passes. His best route, as expected for a back, was the wheel route and he scored on one of those. It was cool to see him play and it gave me a good feeling all over again about the Broncos picking him. His chances of making the roster seem very good because of his special set of skills perfect for a FB/H-Back.

Watching the two VaTech/BC games consecutively was very cool, too. Once again, there were a number of players soon to be drafted (Matt Ryan-Falcons, Gosder Cherilus-Lions, DeJuan Tribble-Chargers, Duane Brown & Xavier Adibi-Texans, Brandon Flowers-Chiefs, Chris Ellis-Bills and Josh Morgan-49ers). The focus of my attention was, of course, Eddie Royal and Carlton Powell. Virginia Tech lost the regular season game at home by four points due to: failing to cover an onsides kick after BC finally scored in the 4th quarter; and, a come from behind scoring drive led by Matt Ryan after BC covered their KO. In the ACC Championship game, ST kept VaTech in it (two blocked kicks) at first, followed by the D, until the offense finally scored the go-ahead TD in the 4th quarter on a stunning catch at the GL by Eddie Royal. In both games he caught a number of passes, many for first downs, but Eddie was one of four good VaTech WRs BC had to cover. He was lined up as a Z, off the LOS, sometimes in motion. He is a dangerous P/K returner BC worked very hard to contain.

Carlton Powell started at RDT, but VaTech rotated their whole D-Line regularly, so that's something he's used to. In the regular season game he was often lined up as a 1 tech (inside shade of the G) and, consequently, was often doubled. In spite of that, he was able to split the double on a number of occasions. BC didn't run the ball right at him very often and when they did they didn't gain much. VaTech slanted and stunted their DL often. A couple of times the call had Carlton slanting away from the side the run went to, but that's not his fault, it's the call. He seems to have a motor. On pass plays he gets a big push off the ball and has a spin move which I didn't expect. Sometimes the call had him looping outside where he shows quickness. Carlton had a tfl on a running play (5 tech in 3-man line prevent D) to force BC to punt from their - 8 or so, but they got a first down on a roughing the kicker penalty. He always pursues and never stops going for the ball until the whistle ends the play.

In the ACC Championship Game, Powell played mostly 3 tech although he got kicked to 0/NT a couple of times. His play was very consistently similar to the previous BC game. He is very strong at the point-of-attack and knows how to split a double. On passing plays, he always gets a big push off the ball and that kind of penetration is important because it can create gaps in pass pro. In the 4th quarter, I believe, BC had a 3rd & short situation where they tried to convert by a power running play. They came out in tight wing left, split backs w/FB left. Carlton was in a 3 tech. BC had their LT (Gosder Cherilus) block down on Carlton so their LG could pull and kick out the DE. BC's C and LT were supposed to double Powell out of the hole. BC's playside TE & Wing/H were supposed to block down/across the hole and clear out the backers while the FB was supposed to lead the TB through the 5/6 hole for a first down. When the G in front of Carlton pulled, he was able to get a little penetration before Cherilus and the C doubled him. Isn't the DVR feature great? I watched that play ten times in a row, at least. First to understand the blocking assignments and then to see what happened because the play lost almost a yard. When he got hit with the double, Carlton got stood up a little, but he SPLIT THE DOUBLE and ended up standing in the hole which allowed his teammates to flow to the ball and stuff the play for a loss. I should also add that the pulling G's kickout didn't go well either because the DE got low and didn't get moved.

Carlton Powell, JR. is a very hard DT to block, even with two OL. It must be a combination of strength, technique and tenacity. When BC tried to block him on a running play and Carlton wasn't slanting or pinching, he didn't get moved out of the way. In other words, at his level of competition, Powell is an OC's play calling red flag. BC actually ran mostly to the other side. But, on that crucial 3rd & short in the 4th quarter, Steve Logan (OC) must have thought they could double team Carlton out of the hole and get enough for a first down on a power running play. That's a classic case of the D lining up on the O. With a TE, H and a FB to that side, Tech correctly read run to the D's right. Maybe BC should have run PAP ... ? Carlton will be a rookie in the NFL probably rotating with DeWayne Robertson. It's a whole new game for him, but he seems to have what it takes, especially against the run.

It was nice to scout these Bronco rookies and focus on them exclusively since I already knew the outcome of the game. There probably won't be too many other rebroadcasts with Bronco rookies, although I did get to see Wesley Woodyard recently in the LSU at Kentucky game from 10/13/07. Like all Bronco fans, I hope most of their rookies make the team (one CFA, Hartley, was cut yeterday) and especially all the draftees. These recent rebroadcasts have given me cause for optimism.

Linebackers & Special Teams

Since the demise of Al Wilson, this position has been in need of help. At the conclusion of '07, the only definite was DJ Williams, but exactly where he should be in the LB Corps was under debate (not to be confused with salmon eggs & nightcrawlers). At MLB, DJ had 170 TT in '07, almost double that of SLB, Nate Webster, with 100. Nate was surrounded by players with high tackle numbers: Champ Bailey (81); John Lynch (62); John Engelberger (59) and Nick Ferguson (56). Is it possible they (especially the DBs) were picking up a few he should have? I always thought it was a bad sign when the DBs were making a large number of tackles.

DJ is now at WLB where many feel he will dominate. Boss Bailey was brought in at SLB not only replacing Webster, but bumping him to MLB due to the excellence of Jamie Winborn. The void at MLB has Niko Koutouvides (FA/Seattle), Spencer Larsen (6th round/Arizona) and Nate Webster as candidates. In the recent mini camps, Webster worked with 1st team D, but none of it was w/hats & pads. Many expect Webster to compete with Koutouvides to be the starter. Some have predicted that Webster making the team will be trouble for Jordan Beck.

This reminds me of those predicting Travis Henry (who?) would start at RB in the season opener. I'm over 300 miles from Englewood (GO PIRATES! I student taught there) and have no access to practices. I'm not Jim Ryan, in whom I have great confidence. It's presumptuous to boldly predict who will and won't make the team. Having said all that, you expect something, don't you? Of course!

My take is that if Larsen plays ST well and looks promising in the middle, he makes the team. Ditto for DJ, Boss, Koutouvides and Winborn. Also listed as a LB is Wesley Woodyard (CFA Kentucky). Wearing #59 it seems that he is , for the moment, a LB. He could be a candidate for SS/Monster/Rover to follow in the cleat marks of John Lynch. Let's wait until we see if his number changes or if he is listed as a S. He's a strong, young defensive player who has a chance to impress on ST just as Larsen does.

Special Teams! Yeah, how did that go in '07? Not well from my perspective. I see a slew of young, fresh legs headed toward TC who have the chance to impress with ST play. Speaking of ST, who was leading ST tackler in '07? Jamie Winborn. Who was #2? Jordan Beck by only one stick. Are we counting on our fingers yet? That's right. Including Wesley Woodyard and Louis Green, whom we haven't mentioned (3rd in ST tackles, one behind Beck) the Broncos have nine LBs going into camp. Beck, who went to a pretty tough school academically (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo), is 25 years old and has a pretty impressive set of wheels for a LB. His ST play in '07 is still in the mind's eye for me. Wasn't he a 3rd round pick of the Falcons in '05?

I can't see into the future as Homer's immortal gods, but methinks a pattern is developing. The Broncos are on a serious youth movement. ST needs some headhunters, too. Young guys are good at ST. If Nate Webster doesn't start at MLB and if Larsen (MLB) makes the team ... I don't know if Nate will survive the last cut. From backup LB to starting MLB to starting SLB to fighting for MLB doesn't sound very settled (kinda like his helmet). How many LBs will Denver keep? My guess is six (two each of WLB, MLB and SLB) and the backups better be ST aces. Green at 28 years old seems to have a better chance of making the roster than Webster (30) although he seems pressed, too.

Let us not forget that Spencer Larsen was in the process of learning FB as well as MLB which must mean he knows how to block (as well as having brains). How many ST do you think he'll be on? All of them. It's a gut feeling on my part, but I think Woodyard will move to SS. Let's observe his ST performance closely during preseason.

Nate Webster is nothing if not an all-out totally enthusiastic football player. However, if he doesn't beat out Koutouvides, he'd better beg for the chance to shine on ST. Niko was ST captain in Seattle so you'd expect him to be on at least one. That reminds me of something I haven't seen much of lately, and that is talk of the truly fierce competition for position combined with ST implications. Morituri te salutamus. Let the games begin.

'08 Denver Broncos' Defense: Position Breakdown

With the possible exception of ST, Broncos D will be the most changed from '07. We will see as many as seven new starters, perhaps as many as eleven new defensive players. When one considers there are four rookies and four players new in '07 left over from last year, that's a major rebuild! There could be as many as 19 new faces among the 25 or so on D, in the past two seasons. Add to that a new DC, LB coach and a couple of new defensive assistants, the Broncos' '08 D will be almost brand new.

The position with the least turnover, and therefore the strongest headed into '08, is cornerback. Two proven veterans, Bailey and Bly, backed up by two experienced young players, Foxworth and Paymah with a promising rookie in Jack Williams. It may be the deepest set of corners in the NFL. Just in case you were wondering how important they are, remember how they came flying off the draft board in April? The Broncos may have the luxury of planning ahead for the future of this position. Not many question marks here ... yet.

The DL was joined by three rookies in '07, ends Jarvis Moss and Tim Crowder and tackle Marcus Thomas. Moss's season ended early with an injury, Thomas was never really in shape having missed '06; he and Crowder got a lot of playing time. DL usually show great improvement in their second season, Mario Williams a case in point. Elvis Dumervil continues to develop as a PRS getting into double-digits in '07. DeWayne Robertson joins the Broncos DL from the Jets switching back to a more one-gap 3 tech. after having been NT a couple of seasons. A rookie DT, Carlton Powell of Va.Tech., was added in the 5th round. Most of us expect to see these six joined by two or three from: Ebenezer Ekuban, John Engelberger, Thomas Harris, Alvin McKinley, Kenny Peterson, Josh Mallard (trying out at LS), Nic Clemons, Larry Birdine and Paul Carrington. Question marks would appear to be: how will Robertson's knee hold up; how well will the sophs (Moss, Crowder and Thomas) mature; will Dumervil morph into a PRS with about 20 sacks; how much will Powell contribute in a DT rotation this year? A DL will need to be drafted or otherwise acquired in '09. After all those Browns' DL, the situation finally starts to look more promising and manageable.

The last time Denver had a great D, there was a high motor/thumper/emotional leader named Al Wilson at MLB. Bronco fans miss him. His replacement is yet to be found. DJ Williams, who has played all LB spots very well, did a good job at MLB in '07. We are all excited about his return (finally) to WLB where his talents can shine. Nate Webster has yet to show he is the answer at MLB. Niko Koutouvides was signed as an UFA from Seattle. He will get his chance to play MLB and maybe we should have the Greek flags, music, food, drink, etc. ready just in case. Spencer Larsen is a 6th round pick from Arizona (which has produced some great LBs) who has the look of a thumper in the middle. The Bailey brothers finally get their wish to play together yet again, maybe even on the same side of the D most of the time. Jamie Winborn (who played very well in relief) and Jordan Beck (who excelled on ST) are in the mix as well. Also listed as a LB is the top-ranked undrafted player in '08, Wesley Woodyard. Is he a LB or a S? The Broncos will retain six or seven on the roster. Louis Green and Nate Webster will have their hands full just making the team.

The defensive position which I and others have no clue about is safety. Part of it is that we out here really don't know what they in there are up to. Hey, send me to Denver with an expense account and a press pass to all practices, and ... There are six of them; seven if you count Woodyard as a S. But, what is a box S in the Broncos' D? Same as a LB in a split-six (4-4)? Even if the the Broncos intend to play eight in the box, they still need a FS type/center-fielder/break on the ball/big hitter. Could Abdullah, Barrett and Rogers be the FS types with Lynch, McCree, Manuel and Woodyard the box/SS types? Who knows? How many will they keep? Four? Five? Who will the '08 Bronco safeties be? Like I said, no clue. Stay tuned. It will be a big surprise, especially to other NFL teams ... I hope.

'08 Bronco Special Teams

We have been asked to discuss place-kicking and punting and we are nothing if not responsive to requests. In fact, see that little comment thing down there? No, not that, the comment ... yes, that's it. TALK US. WE LISTEN YOU. Sorry, just love speaking caveman.


Well, placekicking and punting are just a part of Special Teams (hereinafter referred to as ST). Kickoff Returners and Punt Returners are also just a part of ST. Basically it's any change of possession plus Extra Point Attempt (XPA) and Field Goal Attempt (FGA). We're talking: Punt (P); Punt Return (PR); Kickoff (KO); Kickoff Return (KOR). Kick coverage requires tackling so some equate it with defense although I think the NFL tallies ST tackles in a separate category. Kick/punt returns produce yards, but they are lumped with the returns of fumbles or interceptions (at least that's how I do it) as a change of possession.

In the NFL, and for the Broncos this season especially, ST are a place where players can showcase their basic football abilities: running, blocking and tackling. Last season most of the deficiencies on Bronco ST can be attributed to poor running, blocking and tackling. Yes, I know, that sounds repetitious, doesn't it? Sorry, but that's football ... running, blocking and tackling. That's what the guy whose name is on the NFL Championship Trophy always said ... Vince somebody ...? I know how fans like to blame all bad returns on the returner and all bad kicks on the kicker, but it's a team game ... ten other guys ... hello.

Bronco offseason acquisitions (not inquisitions) are bristling with players who can have an instant impact on ST: Nikos Koutouvides, Spencer Larsen, Wesley Woodyard, Marquand Manuel, Josh Barrett, Keary Colbert, Lorne Sam, Eddie Royal, Jack Williams, Brett Kern, Garrett Hartley, Ryan Torain and Anthony Aldridge. When you add that to Jordan Beck et al. from '07, that's a bunch of fresh legs. Speaking of which, If you haven't read "Do we or don't we want to fill our football pants?", look it up here to your right. It definitely has a bearing on ST.

As alluded to previously, ST is not rocket science ... , it's basic football. Kick coverage is, see the field? You know, that big green thing with white lines and numbers on it? Use that stuff (numbers, hash marks, etc.) as guidelines to ... guide you ... as you RUN TOP SPEED DOWN THE FIELD WITH NO REGARD FOR YOUR OWN PERSONAL SAFETY. Each guy has his own lane ... no road rage now. Run your lane, run through blocks not around them, find the guy with the ball, break down, head (the thing with your eyes in it) in front, wrap up and drive your feet. By the way, here's a place where those 40 yd. times really mean something.

Kick/punt returns are also very simple: right, left or middle return; maybe some kind of reverse/fake reverse on KOR. Here's where that thing called b-l-o-c-k-i-n-g comes in. It doesn't have to be a pancake. A block consists of getting between the guy you want to block and your returner. You are wearing all that protective equipment though; why not HIT SOMEBODY? Got pads in your pants? No clipping! Watch out for fake punts and onsides kicks.

Here's something I've always wondered about in relation to the NFL roster limit. Instead of having a special long snapper (no fishing license required), have several guys, linemen, TEs, LBs, etc. prepared to do that. There's one roster spot (nothing personal, Mike). Then, how about you have one guy who punts and placekicks? He'll need to be be a regular sized football player, not one of those tiny guys. Remember, punter and kicker-offer must tackle. There's a second roster spot. Or, on KO, what if we find several guys on the team capable of hanging the kick up and have it consistently come down on the number 10? That way you could run jaws on KO coverage plus have a real headhunter in there instead of a kicker. Just wondering.

Going into training camp next month, the Broncos have two of each, punters and place kickers. P Sam Paulescu, Oregon State, is in his second year and his competition is Brett Kern, a rookie from Toledo. PK Matt Prater, Central Florida, is also in his second year and his rookie counterpart is Garrett Hartley, Oklahoma. Kick-o-rama is almost here! Guess I expected more candidates. There was another P, Danny Baugher, but he was released. The Broncos will be on the lookout for more guys. Mike Dragosavich was signed as a CFA by the Patriots but was released recently, if I'm not mistaken. Those punters need to take as few steps as possible and stroke it just like a golf swing or a baseball batter with good consistent contact and follow through. For XPA/FGA the hashmarks are lined up on the goalposts. Keep your head down and follow through. Kick the bottom of the ball on XPA for liftoff. It's not kicking/punting ... IT'S AN ADVENTURE! Punters will get reps holding for XPA/FGA. This is where the LS, the line (all locked up), and the wings must allow no penetration.

I know that many Bronco fans are still in shock and denial about Jason Elam. Some of our brethern have said that Elam's range has been decreasing. I don't know. All I can think of is all those winning clutch kicks. We need to realize that: Jason still wants to kick: Jason wants appropriate remuneration for his services; Jason wants to set unbreakable records before retirement; and, Jason thinks kicking in a building will help. Hey, Brett Kern is #1 now if that's any consolation ... no? I expect the loser of each kicking competition to be on the Practice Squad, just in case. Look for the Broncos to bring in more kickers and punters for tryouts until they find what they need: reliability and consistency. Hey, in '07 I was excited about Sauerbrun returning to Denver ... until the game at Chicago.

And finally, the returners. It's a cliche that you can't coach speed. You actually can in high school because a lot of kids just don't know how to run economically yet. That's why so many HS football coaches also coach track and field. By the time a player reaches the NFL, however, that cliche is pretty true. Some have criticized the Broncos' returners in '07. My own impression was the blocking wasn't there. At any rate, Shanahan has loaded up with some speed demons for kick/punt returns: Eddie Royal, Anthony Aldridge, Samie Parker, Jack Williams and Josh Barrett (maybe). Did I leave anyone out? Andre Hall?

Attention all diehard Bronco fans! During preseason games don't leave your seat! Especially during P, PR, KO, KOR, XPA, FGA because it will be exciting! A whole bunch of guys trying to make the team will be trying to get your attention. They deserve it.

X, Y, Z: '08 Bronco Receivers

With about a month left before training camp, the Broncos still have eleven WRs and five TEs with a couple of cuts needed in order to be at 80. Mike Shanahan recently commented on the depth at WR as being the best ever.

There seems to be a top group of six including Brandons Marshall and Stokley, Darrell Jackson, Keary Colbert, Samie Parker and Eddie Royal. Except for rookie Royal ('08 2nd round pick), it is a group of established experience and accomplishment in the NFL. If this group becomes the '08 WR corps, I can certainly see what Shanahan is saying ... that's deep.

The other five include Glenn Martinez (who logged plenty of time in '07), Cliff Russell (former 3rd round DC of the Redskins and a pretty speedy guy), Lorne Sam (a CFA from UTEP who is a very intelligent and gifted athlete with size and speed), Marquay McDaniel ('07 Practice Squad) and Edell Shepherd (added in the off season).

One wonders how many WRs the Broncos will keep? That top six would fine by me. Besides the unusual size of Marshall, consumate ability of Stokley ("the slot machine") and interchangeability of Jackson and Colbert, you have major speed demons in Parker and Royal. It's only when you look at all of the players in each position that you really gain appreciation of Shanahan's architecture. Sam would seem a likely candidate for the Practice Squad.

Ian previously commented on the lack of depth at TE. I can't really see the Broncos keeping more than three and they have five now: Tony Scheffler, Daniel Graham, Nate Jackson, Chad Mustard and Brett Pierce. Scheffler and Graham are very good at what they do. Mustard had recent hamstring repair surgery (doesn't really sound very good) and Nate Jackson is coming back from injury in '07. Brett Pierce was added in the offseason and used to be a decent blocker and short to mid-range receiver when he played at Stanford. This position is not able to sustain injury, but would it ever? The Giants lost Shockey in '07 and relied on rookie Kevin Boss in the playoff run. Scheffler's annual injury escapades worry us all and Graham is getting older. Perhaps next year, the Broncos will add a rookie TE. It's a hard position recently because they seem to either be blockers or receivers, but not often both. I hope Mustard is ready by TC.

So, X=Marshall, Jackson and Colbert? Y=Scheffler, Graham, and Brett Jackstard? Z=Stokley, Parker and Royal? I never was any good at algebra. What is that anyway? An undergarment made from plant fibers?

'08 Bronco Running Backs

Bronco fans have long known that their team will run the ball and do that well. So, with seven players listed at RB, who shall we see on the roster? The release of Travis Henry shook the Richter Scale of the Bronco World and sent a message that the example of Selvin Young was to be the preferred model. Thus far, Peyton Hillis is the only FB listed (see previous post "FBs/TEs and auxiliary blockers"). Does that mean Denver will only carry one player repped at that spot, or will one of the larger RBs make the roster as a FB rather than as a RB?

For the second year in a row, an undrafted college free agent running back emerged as a go-to guy at the RB spot. Actually, two of them made their presence felt as Selvin Young joined Andre Hall, from the '06 practice squad. Add Mike Bell and the Broncos have shown they know how to find promising young free agent running backs. Young isn't satisfied with his durability or stats from '07 and seems to be on a mission to break through as a top NFL player. Andre Hall also had some nagging injuries that slowed him in '07, but his performance at Chicago was eye-opening in what should have been a key element of a victory had it not been for some disastrous kicking blunders.

Mike Bell has been on an emotional roller coaster: starter at beginning of '06; 2nd string at end of '06; Tatum Bell traded; Travis Henry signed; moved to FB; few carries/one fumble in '07; plagued by injuries in '07; Travis Henry released ... Some fans seem to think he should have been released by now. It's crazy to me how quickly some fans want to discard players after a down time. What is it? He lost you some money in fantasy football? Your Madden cybercomponent isn't up to par so let's replace it? I'll bet Bobby Turner wants all these guys to do well and make the roster decisions most difficult. Mike, Mike ... it's in your head, Bro. Come back, baby, you can do it.

Ryan Torain was one of the top college RBs entering the '07 season. He was injured and then a slew (understatement) of great Junior RBs came out for the '08 draft. He was almost forgotten. His injury is a question mark but his between the tackles running ability isn't. Training camp and preseason will test the durability of the new Lisfranc repair he had. If it doesn't hold up, IR/PUP awaits. If he finds himself on the roster, he will play ST and eventually get a shot.

Michael Pittman was signed just prior to Travis Henry's release. It's interesting how Shanahan has positioned veterans at each position except PK/P. RBs have a very short shelf life in the NFL and Pittman's expiration date is ...? He is one whose size, blocking and receiving ability may keep him on the roster in the capacity of FB/RB/ST.

Cecil Sapp is another with characteristics similar to Pittman; i.e., FB/RB/ST. The former CSU Ram has been a genuine team player for the Broncos. My guess is that he's not ready to quit yet and still has much to offer. In the event that he is released and not signed by another NFL team, don't be surprised to see him signed and released several times during the season by the Broncos a la Chad Mustard in '07.

Anthony Aldridge is the latest college free agent running back. He is small, but with great speed. My guess is he will be given a chance to return punts and kicks in preseason with that being his chance of making the roster. Carrying the ball between the tackles on a regular basis seems out of the question for him. Some have suggested he will really practice with the WRs (a la Vance Johnson) although he is still listed as a RB. Speaking of WRs, Samie Parker and Aldridge are in the process of deciding exactly who has the fastest set of wheels in town. Do you return kicks, Samie? It seems Shanahan is determined to fix KR/PR with speedy returners: Eddie Royal, Jack Williams and Anthony Aldridge. Having several would seem a major improvement.

How many RBs will the Broncos keep on the roster? Three? Four? Five? That's not counting FBs. How many of those? One? Two? Hillis alone or Hillis with one of the RBs, or no Hillis or FBs at all? As for the tandem possibility, I would classify them in the following similar pairs: Young and Hall as the change of pace guys; Bell and Torain as the between the tackles RBs; Pittman and Sapp as the FB/RBs; with Aldridge in a class of his own (kick return/specials). This is guaranteed to be the hottest competition during camp and preseason. I have no idea who will make it, who will be released and who will be on IR. I do know one thing: they will all be playing ST like demons because that will be the deciding factor of whom they keep.