Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Former Broncos Center Tom Nalen Wins Twitter With This Tweet

On Wednesday, the Denver Broncos signed veteran center Ryan Lilja to a one-year deal.  In Denver, Lilja is expected to compete for the starting center gig.

The signing has been generally well-received by fans and pundits alike, and ESPN's Cecil Lammey gave the signing his blessing on Twitter on Wednesday evening:
Then came the following tweet from former Broncos center Tom Nalen, who now co-hosts his own ESPN Denver radio show:
Twitter's over, Tom Nalen has won.

Nalen (42) retired in 2008 after starting in 188 games over a 15-year period for the Broncos, winning two Super Bowls (XXXII, XXXIII) and earning five Pro Bowl selections while with the team.  In May, the Broncos inducted Nalen into the team's Ring of Fame.

O'Reilly: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie Out 4-5 Weeks With Ankle Injury

On Wednesday, Denver Broncos cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was carted off the field at Dove Valley with what an MRI later revealed to be a high ankle sprain.

"He has done it before, so I am not overly (concerned)," Broncos coach John Fox told USA Today after practice.  "We will just get him healthy and get him back out there."

According to Steven O'Reilly, a Florida-based golf professional who plays flag football with Rodgers-Cromartie in the offseason, DRC will be out approximately four-to-five weeks.

Tweeted O'Reilly on Wednesday afternoon:
High ankle sprains are hard to predict, but if DRC does end up being out for five weeks, that would put him on track to return on September 4, a day before the team's season opener against the Baltimore Ravens.

Right now, a realistic date to expect DRC's return by could be the team's Week 2 match on the road against the New York Giants.  In DRC's absence, Chris Harris Jr. is expected to play across from Champ Bailey.

Denver Broncos Sign Free-Agent Center Ryan Lilja to One-Year Contract

Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning is going to be reunited with one of his former offensive lineman.

No, not Jeff Saturday.

Ryan Lilja (31, 6'2", 290 pounds) spent five seasons (2004-09) with the Indianapolis Colts as a guard, winning a Super Bowl (XLI) along the way. On Wednesday, Lilja agreed to terms with the Broncos, team executive John Elway announced.

In 2010, Lilja signed with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he spent the last three seasons.  Following the Chiefs' dismal 2012 season, Lilja retired.  But when given the chance to reunite with Manning and perhaps win the starting job in Denver, he agreed to come out of retirement.

Monday, July 29, 2013

Spotrac: Denver Broncos Have Over $11.9 Million in Salary Cap Room

Following the signing of rookie defensive tackle Sylvester Williams and the release of veteran middle linebacker Joe Mays, the Denver Broncos have $11,916,056 in available 2013 salary cap, per Spotrac.com.

In June, we broke down what William's contract could potentially look like:
Per the CBA, Williams' signing bonus will be $3,894,000, as it was for Mark Ingram in 2011 and Nick Perry in 2012 (both of those players were selected 28th overall, as was Williams last April).  That will spread out as $973,500 cap hits over a four-year period, in addition to the base salary.
Ingram's contract was worth a total of $7,416,750 in 2011 and Perry's was worth a total of $7,499,250 in 2012.  If Williams sees a similar increase, he will be looking at a contract worth around $7,581,750.
If Williams does indeed sign a contract similar to the one laid out above, he will count at just over $1.3M against the cap this season ($1,373,500).
As it turns out, Williams' four-year deal is worth $7,581,750 on the dot and his signing bonus is $3,894,000, as expected.  His cap hit is $1,378,500, which is a littler higher than my June projection.

Excuse me while I go pat myself on the back.

PHOTO: Mild Rookie Hazing is Alive and Well in the NFL...

It looks like Denver Broncos rookie safety Ross Rasner was asked to carry a few of the veteran's pads after practice on Monday.
Rasner can be glad that the vets haven't touched his hair—yet.

Denver Broncos Rookie DT Sylvester Williams Limps Off Practice Field

On Monday, Denver Broncos rookie defensive tackle Sylvester Williams appeared to have suffered an injury.  According to multiple reports, Williams was seen limping off the field to the training room.
Coach John Fox will comment on William's injury after practice, which is hopefully just something minor.  On Sunday, the team lost center Dan Koppen for the entire season due to an ACL tear.

Update:  Fox said after practice that Williams has a knee injury that he does not think is serious.

Update II:  Williams' MRI came back negative and he will be "day-to-day" going forward.  His injury is nothing serious.

Broncos Show No Interest in Jeff Saturday, Who Will Likely Stay Retired

Almost immediately after news broke that center Dan Koppen had suffered a torn ACL, fans and pundits jumped to the same conclusion:  Jeff Saturday is available.

Saturday, 37, spent the first thirteen years of his career snapping to Manning, winning a Super Bowl (XLI) along the way.  Last year, Saturday started in fourteen games (allowing 3.5 sacks) in Green Bay before being benched, clearing the way for a younger Evan Dietrich-Smith to start the final two games of the season.

Despite his benching last season, Saturday still made the Pro Bowl based on name recognition and even swapped sides (from the NFC to the AFC) for a play to execute one final snap to Manning.

Make no mistake, that was Saturday's final snap to Manning.

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Suspensions and Injuries Will Not Derail Denver Broncos 2013 Season

(Photo courtesy of Paul Cloud)
This offseason, it has seemed at times that the Denver Broncos have been falling apart.

Two team executives—Matt Russell and Tom Heckert—were suspended by the team earlier this month for DUI arrests, outside linebacker Von Miller is facing a potential four-game suspension for allegedly breaking the league's substance-abuse policy, and center Dan Koppen tore his ACL on Sunday, ending his season.

Koppen was signed by the team when starter J.D. Walton (who is currently on the PUP list) underwent surgery in June.  Expected to again be the team's starter as he was last year during Walton's absence, Koppen will now miss the entire season.

This, coupled with Miller's suspension and Denver's other offseason woes, has some proclaiming that the sky is falling in Denver.  Count NFL.com's Adam Schein among those questioning the team's ability to bounce back:
When Schein says the Broncos "have questions," he's not talking about which of their three star receivers will be the first to reach ten touchdown receptions or about the possibility of the team going undefeated this fall.  Schein believes the Koppen loss is a big hit.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Denver Broncos 2013 Training Camp Quick Hits: Day 1

(Photo courtesy of @Bmackey34)
The Denver Broncos kicked off training camp on Thursday with two practice sessions at the team's Dove Valley headquarters.  Below, we've compiled some of the best quick hits from the day that was:
  • For Thursday's morning session, all players except rookie defensive tackle Sylvester Williams were present. After Williams signed a four-year, $7.6 million deal with the team, he made his debut in the afternoon session.
  • Offensive tackle Ryan Clady (shoulder) participated in individual drills and rookie defensive end Quanterus Smith fully participated while center J.D. Walton and guard Chris Kuper sat out (the two offensive linemen were placed on the team's PUP list).

VIDEO: Watch Denver Broncos Ronnie Hillman Bulk Up for Camp

Earlier this month, BleacherReport.com caught up with Denver Broncos second-year running back Ronnie Hillman, who has bulked up in preparation for his second season.


Hillman will be competing with rookie Montee Ball and veteran Knowshon Moreno to win the starting running back gig in Denver this summer.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Broncos Will Place O-Lineman Chris Kuper and J.D. Walton on PUP List

When the Denver Broncos begin training camp practices on Thursday, they will place both guard Chris Kuper and center J.D. Walton on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, according to the Denver Post.

Both players are recovering from ankle surgeries and will not be back until at least six weeks into the season.  In Walton's absence, veteran Dan Koppen is expected to start at center and free-agent signee Louis Vasquez is expected to start at guard, where Kuper had been a starter since 2007.

Meanwhile, left tackle Ryan Clady, who just signed a five-year deal with the team earlier this month, is recovering from shoulder surgery and may miss up to three weeks of training camp, also per the 'Post.

In the meantime, Denver's starting five may look something like this:

                         LT             LG              C                   RG                RT
Chris Clark, Zane Beadles, Dan Koppen, Louis Vasquez, Orlando Franklin


Broncos players reported to Dove Valley on Wednesday and will hit the practice field on Thursday.  Their first preseason game will be played on Thursday, Aug. 8 in San Francisco against the 49ers.

Prior to their game against the 49ers, the Broncos will hold a team scrimmage at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on Saturday, Aug. 3—admission is free.  To buy tickets to Denver's preseason and regular season matches, check out Denver Broncos tickets from GoTickets.

VIDEO: Denver's Von Miller Says Broncos Will Remain "Focused"

On Monday, news broke that Denver Broncos star outside linebacker Von Miller is facing a four-game suspension for breaking the league's substance-abuse policy.

Miller is going to appeal the suspension and has maintained that he did "nothing wrong," and he is being supported by the NFL Players Association.  For his part, coach John Fox said on Wednesday that Miller will not face punishment from the team and will practice with the first-team defense until the Broncos "hear something differently."

"We're focused on the task at hand," added Miller.


Miller emphasized that he could not candidly comment on the situation until it is resolved.  It is expected to be "resolved" by September, when the league will either comply with Miller's appeal or enforce his suspension.

Once a decision has been made, details on as to why Miller was suspended will probably come out.  According to the NFLPA, he was not suspended for PEDs, which raises suspicion that he may have been docked for recreational drugs.

Miller will join his teammates at practice tomorrow morning when the team kicks off training camp practices.  Until a decision is made by the league's front office, it will be business as usual at Dove Valley.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Denver Broncos Create $3.3M in Cap Space, Cut Linebacker Joe Mays

A day after losing star outside linebacker Von Miller to a pending four-game suspension, the Denver Broncos said goodbye to another linebacker—Joe Mays.

The team announced on Tuesday morning that Mays has been released, which will erase his $4 million base salaries in 2013 and 2014, creating approximately $3,333,332 in cap room this season.

In 2012, Mays signed a three-year deal with the team that included a $500,000 signing bonus.  That bonus is counted against the cap in three increments of $166,667 over a three-year period.

That means the team now has $833,334 in dead money over the next two seasons, which is a relatively low number, especially considering how much they saved by parting ways with Mays (nearly $6.7 million over the next two seasons).

Monday, July 22, 2013

Denver's Von Miller Will Appeal 4-Game Suspension, Backed by NFLPA

(DrewLitton.com)
It's been a rough offseason for the Denver Broncos.

Football executive Matt Russell and Tom Heckert were both suspended by the team after June DUI arrests, something reserve center Quentin Saulsberry was also docked for earlier this offseason.

On Monday, more bad news came by way of a four-game suspension for All-Pro outside linebacker Von Miller, as ESPN's Adam Schefter first reported.  Miller reportedly received the suspension for breaking the league's substance-abuse policy.

Thankfully, it doesn't sound like Miller was busted for PEDs (performance enhancing drugs).

Former Denver Broncos RB Terrell Davis Joins NFL Network's Crew

Former Denver Broncos running back Terrell Davis is returning to the NFL—as a media member.

Davis has signed a two-year deal with the league's NFL Network as an analyst and reporter, according to the Denver Post's Dusty Saunders.  Davis spent time with the network from 2006-2009 and will now be returning to fill a higher profile role.

Davis will contribute to "Inside Training Camp Live," "NFL AM," and "NFL Total Access."

"I'm working with and watching TV professionals.  One of my mentors is Solomon Wilcots (of CBS Sports). I like the way he analyzes teams and reports on what's happening on the field," Davis told the 'Post.

On August 2nd, Davis will cover the Broncos' training camp for the network.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Fans Petition Denver Broncos to Place Barrel Man Into Ring of Fame

Jeff Clark, who has been a fan of the Denver Broncos since 1984, has started an online petition to team owner and CEO Pat Bowlen to induct super fan Tim "The Barrel Man" McKernan into the club's Ring of Fame.

"I grew up watching the Barrel Man represent the fans for all those years. I was fortunate enough to meet him in person at training camp and he was as genuine as they come," Clark said on Friday afternoon.

As of Sunday afternoon, the petition has just over 700 signatures.  Clark has also set up a website with the help of fellow fan Rick Long to promote the petition at www.barrelman2rof.info.

Twitter Reacts to Peyton Manning On Stage with Kenny Chesney

Country singer Kenny Chesney continued his "No Shoes Nation" tour Last night at Sports Authority Field at Mile High with a special appearance from a notable Denver resident.

Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning came on stage to participate in Chesney's "Boys of Fall" spot, as he did at last year's concert at SAF@MH.

Chesney's summer tour includes stops at seventeen different stadiums and kicked off in March at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

Last year, approximately 52,000 fans were in attendance at Chesney's Denver concert.  This year's edition drew another large crowd.
Manning took the time to sign a helmet and give it to a young fan, per Nashville Becca.
Chesney's popular "Boys of Fall" music video can be seen after the jump.

Saturday, July 20, 2013

PHOTO: Denver Broncos' WR Eric Decker Sports New NIKE Collar

In an image released on Saturday afternoon, Denver Broncos wide receiver Eric Decker is seen sporting the team's 2013 uniform, complete with a tweaked NIKE collar.
This seems to confirm our suspicions that the solid collars will be returning this season.

Peyton Manning's No. 18 the 5th-Best-Selling Jersey in the NFL

From April 1, 2013 through June 30, 2013, Peyton Manning's No. 18 Denver Broncos jersey was the fifth-most purchased jersey in the NFL, per CNBC.com.

Manning led jersey sales for most of last summer and the 2012 regular season, but now trails San Francisco's Colin Kaepernick, Seattle's Russell Wilson, Washington's Robert Griffin III and Minnesota's Adrian Peterson in the rankings.

After training camp sales and pre-season hype, Manning will likely climb the rankings again, perhaps getting back into the top three during the regular season.  Be advised, however, that NIKE appears to be preparing to tweak Denver's uniform.

Once Denver's potential collar change becomes official (assuming the changes will happen), Manning's new and improved jersey will become an even hotter buy, which will undoubtedly boost his ranking.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Video Preview: SEC Storied: The Book of Manning (Trailer)


This is something you won't want to miss!  ESPN Films' SEC Storied 'The Book of Manning', premieres Tuesday, Sept. 24th 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Twitter Reactions and Updates to Ryan Clady Signing with Broncos

A day before the franchise tag signing deadline, the Denver Broncos came to terms on a multi-year deal with All-Pro left tackle Ryan Clady.  The news was first reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter, CBS4's Vic Lombardi, and ProFootballTalk.com's Mike Florio.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Expect Broncos to Lock Up Ryan Clady Before Monday's Deadline

The Denver Broncos and left tackle Ryan Clady have until 4 p.m. ET on Monday to agree to terms on a long-term deal.  After that deadline, Clady's one-year, $9.8 million franchise tag would lock in.

It doesn't look like Clady will have to sign his tag, though, as the two sides appear to be making progress.

The Denver Post's Mike Klis is reporting that the team has made an offer better than the five-year, $50 million deal that Clady rejected last year, and CBS4's Vic Lombardi says the deal includes $33 million in guaranteed money.

Denver's offer would make Clady the third-highest paid left tackle in the NFL and his camp is "cautiously optimistic" that a deal will get done, per 104.3 The Fan's Brandon Krisztal.  With such progress being made, it appears likely that a deal will be finalized before the deadline.

Now, we wait.

Fines and Suspensions Looming for Denver's Russell and Heckert

(Douglas County Sheriff's Department)
Just one day after news broke that Denver Broncos executive Matt Russell was arrested for DUI and crashing into a police vehicle over the weekend, the Associated Press reported that fellow executive Tom Heckert was also arrested for DUI back in June.

It is unclear why the Douglas County Sheriff's Department did not tip Heckert's arrest to the media sooner.  After Russell's arrest created a buzz, the Broncos and Russell quickly released statements on the situation.

After Heckert's arrest became public knowledge, the team released a statement which stated that the team knew of Hecker's arrest when it happened and made the league office aware of the situation.  The team has also stated that both executives will be dealt with for their serious lapses in judgment.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Broncos are working with the NFL to determine the discipline given to the pair of executives.  Schefter also notes that the Broncos may impose discipline before anything is done by the league's office.

In the past, executives have drawn hefty fines and one-month suspensions for DUI arrests—Russell and Heckert could receive similar punishments and the Broncos' organization may face additional fines.

Monday, July 8, 2013

Former Center Tom Nalen "Swears" Patriots Spied on Broncos in 2005

It's early July and apart from the occasional arrest, the NFL offseason is deadly quiet.

So, why not bring up a 2005 playoff game?

Late Monday evening, Twitter user @jbott32 exchanged tweets with former Denver Broncos center Tom Nalen, discussing, among other things, the "Patriot Way" and SpyGate.

The conversation prompted Nalen to tweet the following:
When asked to expound, Nalen added, "We came out with the funkiest splits along the offensive line and New England adjusted to it in seconds."

It's a bold accusation, but Nalen has never been accused as being afraid to speak his mind.

Denver Broncos Executive Matt Russell Arrested, Charged with DUI

On Monday, news broke that Denver Broncos executive Matt Russell was arrested and jailed in Summit County over the weekend, according to CBS4 in Denver.

Per CBS, Russell was suspected of driving while impaired and crashed into the back of a police cruiser at an estimated 40 miles per hour on Saturday evening.  Russell was released on $1,000 bail the next day.

Per NFL.com, Russell was charged with DUI, having an open container of alcohol in his vehicle, careless driving resulting in injury and failure to display proof of insurance.  The officer in the SUV was not seriously hurt.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Enter to Win a "Got Wes?" T-Shirt from Bill's Sports Collectibles!

Update:  Congratulations to Scott M. for winning the tee!

Happy Independence Day, Broncos fans!

To celebrate, we've teamed up with Bill's Sports Collectibles to giveaway one of their new "Got Wes?" t-shirts!  The tee proclaims "We do!" on the back and includes Welker's No. 83 jersey number.

To enter the contest, simply 'Like' Bill's Sports Collectibles on Facebook and comment below letting us know when you have done so.  If you are new to Disqus, be sure to register with an email that you frequently check, because that is how we will be contacting the winner.

Unfortunately, those who do not live in the continental United States are asked to not enter a contest, simply because shipping becomes too costly otherwise.  Additionally, if you enter more than once, you will be disqualified.

If we are unable to contact the winner, we will select the runner-up.  Also know that your personal information will never be published, sold, or given to third parties.

We reserve the right to change these rules without notice to contest participants.

The contest will end next weekend (7/12).  Impatient fans can purchase the tee at BSC, located at 2335 S. Broadway, Denver, CO 80210 for $15.95.

Good luck!