Tom Nalen to have another surgery

The Denver Post is reporting that Denver Broncos center Tom Nalen is going in for what head coach Mike Shanahan refers to as a, "clean-up." The surgery is to take place on Friday and comes after Nalen participated, though limited, in practice the last two days. This procedure is a last effort to have the ailing center ready for the Broncos Monday Night Football regular season debut two Mondays from now against the Oakland Raiders.

Nalen's backup at center Casey Wiegmann has anchored the offensive-line, that returns only one starter from last season, the whole preseason. Denver's in good hands either way, to me the situation is starting to make me look over out of the corner of my eye a little bit. Tom Nalen is a sure fire Hall of Famer and he may be desperately clinging to life in the NFL. Denver can afford to lose him, though it will burn...

Best of luck to Tom and we here at Broncos Denver Broncos hope that he is able to return soon.

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.

Tom Nalen Madness!

He's the talk of town for all of the wrong reasons. Jonathan Douglas over at BroncoTalk followed up The Denver Post's article on Denver center (and future Hall of Famer) Tom Nalen's absence over the last 7 (now 8) days. Now Mike Lombardi chimed in this morning on his blog:

"... if the Broncos think Casey Wiegmann can do the job at 35, they will be in for a shock. Playing center in the AFC West means blocking Jamal Williams of SD. And that is VERY hard to do."

The man has a point Tom Nalen is 37, Casey Wiegmann is 35, but both men are entering their 15th season in the NFL. Where I believe Mr. Lombardi may have over spoke is that Wiegmann hasn't missed a start in quite some time and both Nalen and Wiegmann have been owning Jamal Williams since 1998. The list of Denver backs are too many to mention, but Wiegmann's been busting holes for the likes of: Priest Holmes, Larry Johnson and Kolby Smith (yeah, even him too) over that time. Not to mention that the nose tackle in San Diego does deserve the utmost respect from opponents, but he himself is getting a bit up there in years too (32 years-old).

The story of Tom Nalen sitting out in my opinion was a non-issue as of yesterday to me, but to me it seems like it's not non-issue for everyone else. I even nonchalantly suggested sitting Nalen the entire rest of the preseason regardless of his health. Do we really need to wear down the leader of our all important leader on the offensive line? I can't advocate it, keep Mr. Nalen in shape so that in week one against Oakland he's fresh, because it gets murky when looking into the depth behind Wiegmann, that's for sure.

Does this man look like he's done?

That's Tom Nalen by the way in 2007. Hard to recognize without the helmet on.

Gary Zimmerman's in the Hall of Fame, more Broncos to follow?

Today Denver Broncos left tackle Gary Zimmerman was inducted into the Hall of Fame by none other than Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen.

“To make it here today, with some of the best whoever played the game in the gallery, I am more humbled and blessed than I’ve ever been in my life,” Zimmerman told the crowd. “…I stand before you today a proud and gracious man.”

The man, who at one point adopted former offensive line coach Alex Gibb's code of silence, said that he'd worked weeks on his speech. He even called upon the Dalai Lama at one point quoting, “Not getting what you want is sometimes a magical stroke of luck.” Zimmerman was referring to what his college coach had said when he switched him, without consultation from middle linebacker to offensive linemen his freshman year.

An additional note, more of humor than anything is that Pat Bowlen during his introduction to Gary Zimmerman stated that, Zimmerman was, “the John Elway of the offensive line and the second-best player to play for me.”

Bowlen said literally the same thing of Rod Smith just last week, upon the announcement of Rod Smith retiring.

So let's talk about it, because it's here... Rod Smith has retired, the one thing that will insure that he sees a place in Canton is if the media continues to reinforce the fact that he does in fact deserve to be there. Why then is The Denver Post's Mike Klis telling fans to get real? It is time to get real Denver Bronco fans, we have at least five other players who deserve a spot in Canton who have been qualified for years!

The list goes a bit like this (and I'm sure that I'll miss someone): running back Floyd Little, linebacker Randy Gradishar, linebacker Tom Jackson, linebacker Karl Mecklenburg and safety Steve Atwater.

I have another personal favorite that I would include as well, safety Dennis Smith. However, it's not about what I believe, it's about who deserves to be there. From the above list, only Randy Gradishar has even a shot, but most likely last year was his last opportunity. Steve Atwater may get an opportunity as well soon, Atwater was literally the definition of football- old school, he was a throwback to the 1970's the way he used to sledge hammer a ball carrier.

This year will be the first year that former Denver Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe is up for induction this year, and running back Terrell Davis will once again be on the minds of voters. There are great arguments to be made for Terrell Davis: two Super Bowl wins, 2,000 yard season (which only five players have done ever, three are in the Hall of Fame, one is still active), Super Bowl MVP, 8,000 yards in seven seasons, 100 yards in every playoff game (10) et cetera. However, given that he didn't play twelve years in the NFL, he may not get in. Which would be a shame. Shannon Sharpe is a shoo in though (maybe eventually). Both Sharpe and Davis have the opportunity to keep their names and faces fresh in the minds of voters, because of their current jobs. Though that never helped Tom Jackson.

Rod Smith will be up eligible in 2013, the only thing that will really keep him worthy is fans consistently calling for his enshrinement over the next five years. John Lynch will most definitely get in, however, I don't see him entering as a Bronco. Unless he chooses to make Denver his permanent home, which he has suggested.

On the current roster, Champ Bailey is a first ballot guy and Tom Nalen should be as well. To stretch that list just a little bit farther coach Mike Shanahan will most definitely get in when he chooses to retire. There's two pieces of good news in those last few paragraphs, those being; Over the next ten-fifteen years the number of Denver Broncos enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame will escalate from two to a definite six and a possible nine. You've just got to stay one them and keep cheering Denver.

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

Shanahan Hits the Sauce Early...

Just kidding, today training camp is closed to the public for the morning session. We've got you covered though, have no fear.

News this morning looks like this:

Denver head coach Mike Shanahan was on the Denver's 104.3 The Fan and said, amongst other things that, "Denver would make the playoffs," and that once they were there they would do something special. No word yet on when The Fan will retract the statement, should be any minute now.

As I wrote over at Bronco Madness, center Tom Nalen's knee may be a little worse than we thought.

Mike Klis at The Denver Post wrote a great story on Gary Zimmerman's induction into the Hall of Fame.

Tragically rookie linebacker Spencer Larsen missed the first three days of practice to support his family following the death of his two year-old niece. Mile High Salute Spencer, we're all pulling for you.

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.

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?

Denver Broncos will go 13-3, Part II

This took just a bit to come out, but I just wanted to add a quick update. The last time Denver went 13-3 (2005) this was their roster:

Offense

• Quarterback: Jake Plummer and Bradlee Van Pelt
• Runningbacks: Mike Anderson, Ron Dayne, Tatum Bell and Cecil Sapp
• Fullbacks: Kyle Johnson
• Wide Receivers: Ashley Lelie, Rod Smith, Darius Watts, Charlie Adams, Todd Devoe and David Terrell
• Tight Ends: Jeb Putzier, Stephen Alexander, Nate Jackson and Wesley Dukes
• Right Tackle: George Foster and Cornell Green
• Right Guard: Ben Hamilton
• Center: Tom Nalen
• Left Guard: Cooper Carlisle, Chris Myers
• Left Tackle: Matt Lepsis

Defense

• Defensive Ends: Trevor Pryce, Courtney Brown, Ebenezer Ekuban and John Engleberger
• Defensive Tackles: Gerrard Warren, Demetrin Veal and Michael Myers
• Linebackers: Al Wilson, DJ Williams, Ian Gold, Keith Burns, Patrick Chukwurah and Louis Green
• Cornerbacks: Champ Bailey, Darrent Williams, Domonique Foxworth, Karl Paymah and Roc Alexander
• Free Safeties: John Lynch
• Strong Safeties: Sam Brandon and Nick Ferguson

That was the roster the last time it happened, packed full of all pros and all stars. People who no less than three years later continue to dominate in the NFL (wait, that was me being sarcastic). A majority of those players no longer play in the NFL, are currently free agents, even knocked off the two-time Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots (Jan. 2006) and only about six (who happen to still be great players) are currently employed by the Broncos.

My point? Mike Shanahan did it with these guys, why would you doubt that he can do it with the current roster? Are we weaker in any of the above positions? Is Darrell Jackson not a more capable receiver than Ashlie Lelie? Selvin Young no more capable than Mike Anderson? Jay Cutler worse than Jake Plummer? Dre Bly less talented than Darrent Williams was? Doubters will continue to doubt of course, but I've given the believers a better argument.

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

Daily Links!

• Tom Nalen has surgery and Brandon Marshall makes his first catch since, "The Incident"...
• Elvis Dumervil and Brandon Marshall took a moment to talk to the kids...
• NFL.com story "10 Most Mobile Quarterbacks" sans Mr. Elway...
• Kind of old Ryan Torain video of his private workout...
• Marcus Thomas and Ebenezer Ekuban are bonding...
• Selvin Young and Andre Hall got the majority of the carries in Day 4...
• Yoda taught Jay Cutler the art of patience...