Inside the Denver Broncos’ Roster: The Fullbacks

For all of those who thought Peyton Hillis was forgotten in our running backs segment, fear not—he essentially has his own briefing as the Broncos’ starting fullback.

Hillis broke onto the scene as a rookie in 2008 when he unexpectedly had to fill in at tailback for the Broncos due to a barrage of injuries. 

The seventh-round pick out of Arkansas did not disappoint.

Broncos fans knew he was something special when he converted on a key 4th-and-1 against the Cleveland Browns late in the game to keep the Broncos alive for their eventual victory.

Hillis scored five rushing touchdowns in a mere four starts and averaged five yards per carry on 68 touches, totaling 343 yards. The 6’2″, 250-pound beast also proved to be very valuable as a receiver, catching 14 passes for 179 yards and a touchdown.

In my humble opinion, Hillis is the most versatile player on the Denver Broncos, and I defy anyone to not be impressed by the kid’s YouTube heroics.

Sadly, Hillis’ stellar rookie campaign was cut short by a freak hamstring injury he suffered in a 24-17 victory over the rival Kansas City Chiefs, and many NFL analysts felt the Broncos were a more complete offense—a more dangerous offense—with Hillis behind the quarterback.

Hillis is a rising star in this league, and I fully expect him to be a very valuable weapon on the Broncos’ offense this year thanks to his ability to run, catch, and block with the best of them. He has great size and great speed (runs a reported 4.58 second 40-yard dash) and plays the game with a chip on his shoulder.

As a rookie, Hillis outperformed his two Razorback teammates Darren McFadden (Raiders) and Felix Jones (Cowboys), who were both first-round draft picks.

Behind Hillis on the Broncos’ depth chart is converted linebacker Spencer Larsen, who is also a very versatile player. 

Like Hillis, Larsen does just about everything well, except for the fact that his natural position is middle linebacker instead of fullback. He is a great special teams player, and while he may seem like a teddy bear off the field, he is a ferocious hitter on it. 

With Hillis and Larsen paving the way for the Broncos’ deep crop of running backs, the running game figures to flourish once more for Denver.

 

Projected Starter: Peyton Hillis (Acquired via 2008 NFL Draft)

Projected 2009 Stats:  Car    Yds.    Avg.    TD     Rec.    Yds.     Avg.     TD

                                     80    400      5.0      7       30      300       10.0     3

I fully expect Hillis to get 90 percent of the carries inside the 10-yard line, and quite possibly 80 percent of Denver’s carries from inside the 20. He also figures to have quite a few receptions on play-action fakes and screen plays split out as a wide receiver and as a tight end. 

2008 FB Grade: A

2009 Roster Spots Filled by FB: 1/54 (Larsen will be included as LB)

2009 Roster Spots Filled Total: 8/54

Inside The Denver Broncos’ Roster: The Running Backs

2008 was a rough season to be a running back for the Denver Broncos.  The opening day starter was Selvin Young, and after his hamstring injury, there seemed to be a domino effect for Broncos’ running backs landing on injured reserve.

Joining Young on the Broncos’ injured reserve list were fellow running backs Michael Pittman, Ryan Torain, Andre Hall, Peyton Hillis, and P.J. Pope.  The Broncos also brought in Tatum Bell and Cory Boyd to play the running back position.

After the barrage of injuries, new Head Coach Josh McDaniels was not about to take any chances this season with a similar result.  His first two free agent signings were running backs Correll Buckhalter and J.J. Arrington, both of whom were key backups for the top two teams in the NFC in 2008.

He then proceeded to sign LaMont Jordan, who spent time in McDaniels’ system with the New England Patriots. 

Nearly a month later, the Broncos drafted Knowshon Moreno with the 12th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, and signed undrafted free agent Kestahn Moore of Florida.

After the draft, the Broncos also signed former Houston Texan and St. Louis Ram running back Darius Walker.

With this new crop of running backs, who will make the final cut for the Broncos’ 54-man roster?

Georgia product Knowshon Moreno is a virtual lock to not only make the final roster, but end up as the opening day starter. 

As a redshirt sophomore with the Bulldogs, Moreno rushed for 1,400 yards and finished the season with 16 touchdowns.  He also showed great abilities as a receiver, catching 20 passes for 253 yards.

Moreno is not the fastest back in the world, but he draws very favorable comparisons to Terrell Davis in terms of his quickness and shiftiness. 

Correll Buckhalter has proven over the last eight years to be a great reserve running back, but he has also spent a lot of time on the injured list. 

In five NFL seasons, Buckhalter has rushed for 2,155 yards and 18 touchdowns.  Most importantly, he only has six fumbles on 476 career carries.

Buckhalter is also very valuable as a receiver, and has 85 career receptions for 930 yards and four touchdowns.

LaMont Jordan was selected by the New York Jets in the same 2001 NFL Draft as Correll Buckhalter, and he has proven throughout his career to be a very versatile back as well. 

He has battled through injuries, but in his career, he has carried the ball 872 times for 3,648 yards with 28 touchdowns, including four last season with the Patriots which is a season high since he had nine with Oakland three years ago.

Jordan, like Moreno and Buckhalter, has also proven to be a very reliable receiver when called upon.  The power back has displayed soft hands, catching 158 passes for 1,301 yards and three touchdowns. 

Darius Walker was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame by the Houston Texans in 2007, and had a very solid rookie campaign. 

He rushed for 264 yards on 58 carries and scored a touchdown.

When Walker went undrafted, I was very hopeful that the Broncos would go after him due to his versatility.  He is not the biggest back, but he can run and catch equally as well. 

The only other running back currently listed on Denver’s roster is last year’s fifth round selection out of Arizona State, Ryan Torain.

Torain was compared by former Head Coach Mike Shanahan to former Bronco great Terrell Davis, and one can only imagine the lofty expectations that ensued.

Bronco fans were as eager for Torain’s debut as the starter against the Cleveland Browns as they were for the debut of Jay Cutler back in 2006, and the rookie did not disappoint.

In the first half against the Browns, Torain rushed for 68 yards on 12 carries, and capped off the opening drive with a diving touchdown run.

Overjoyed Bronco fans could not get enough, but sadly it came to an abrupt end as Torain’s season was cut short by a torn ACL suffered midway through the second quarter.

He is rehabbing his injury still today, and is hopeful to be ready by the time training camp rolls around.

It is likely that McDaniels will end up only keeping four running backs on the final roster, so one of the aforementioned players is on the outside looking in.

Projected Starter:  Knowshon Moreno (Acquired via 2009 NFL Draft)

Projected Stats:  Car    Yds    Avg.   TD    Rec.   Yds.   Avg.    TD

                       230    1,104  4.8     8      30     240     8.0     2

Projected Second String:  Correll Buckhalter (Acquired via Free Agency)

Projected Stats:   100    460    4.6     4      25     188     7.5      1

Projected Third String:  LaMont Jordan (Acquired via Free Agency)

Projected Stats:    75    330     4.4     3      20     120     6.0      1

Projected Fourth String:  Ryan Torain (Acquired via 2008 NFL Draft)

Projected Stats:    50    250     5.0     1      10     75       7.5      0

Projected RB Totals:  455    2,144   4.7   16   85    623    7.25    4

 

2008 RB’s Grade:  B

Roster Spots Occupied by RB:  4/54

Total Roster Spots Filled:  7/54

Running Backs Coach:  Bobby Turner

 

Inside the Denver Broncos’ Roster: The Quarterbacks

As somewhat of a response to Punkus’ great article earlier, I will now give you my opinion of who will make the Denver Broncos’ final roster for 2009.

I will start by giving an overview of the Broncos’ quarterback unit, which took a serious hit in terms of pure talent when the team traded away Pro Bowl selection Jay Cutler.

As any casual sports fan knows by now, Cutler was dealt to the Chicago Bears in exchange for Kyle Orton and three draft picks.

Orton has been named the starting quarterback by head coach Josh McDaniels, as expected, and will continue to compete for the job this offseason with free agent signee Chris Simms.

For the Broncos, Orton will be expected to run Josh McDaniels’ complex but effective offense that relies heavily on the pass.  In his time with the New England Patriots, McDaniels was able to orchestrate the unquestioned best offense the NFL has ever seen in 2007, and followed up in 2008 by turning Matt Cassel into a $14 million man.

Bronco fans have good reason to believe he can have repeat success in Denver with Orton, especially with the talent he has around him.

Not only does the change of scenery and upgrade in arsenal help Orton, but the fifth year quarterback will be a free agent at the end of the 2009 season, and he does not want to be looking for a backup job when that time comes.

Here is a look at Orton’s 2008 statistics and a projection of his numbers with the Broncos:

2008 season:  Comp    Att    Yds      Cmp%    YPA    TD   INT    SACK     RAT

                    272     465   2,972     58.5       6.39   18    12      27        79.6

2009 PROJ:     330     550   3,850     60.0       7.00   24    14      14        ~82.0

I fully expect Orton to have the best season of his career with the Broncos.  In Chicago, he was not used properly, and the Bears relied far too much on the run to win games.  In Denver, I fully believe he will throw around 30-35 passes per game and get every receiver involved.

As for Chris Simms, I think Denver is the perfect spot for him to have landed.  He came to Denver expecting to be the backup for Jay Cutler, and now he gets to compete with Orton for the starting job. 

By no means am I taking anything away from Simms’ talent, as he has been productive when given the proper amount of playing time, but I just cannot see him winning the starting job for the Broncos.

Before rupturing his spleen, Simms was playing the best football of his life, posting an 81.4 quarterback rating in 11 games while throwing for 2,035 yards and 10 touchdowns.  Due to the fact that he has lost a significant amount of experience the last couple of years, it is likely his overall production would take a significant hit.

Simms and Orton will likely be accompanied on the Broncos’ roster by Denver’s sixth round draft pick Tom Brandstater.

Brandstater is a 24-year old rookie out of Fresno State who is probably the most hyped sixth round pick to come to Denver in a long time. 

Due to the fact that McDaniels has aided in the development of Tom Brady and Matt Cassel, sixth and seventh round picks respectively, many Bronco fans are hopeful he can do the same with Brandstater.

A scouting report from NFL.com offered that Brandstater’s top two qualities as a quarterback were his leadership abilities and strong arm.  Two or three years learning McDaniels’ system, and this kid could potentially be the “next” Tom Brady or even Matt Cassel.

In 2008, Brandstater was very similar statistically to Kyle Orton, completing nearly 60 percent of his passes for 2,664 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions with Fresno State.

Thanks to the quarterback wizardry of Josh McDaniels, many Bronco fans are not too distraught by the loss of Pro Bowl performer Jay Cutler.  If Kyle Orton can produce the type of numbers I have suggested, Cutler’s name will be quickly forgotten in the Mile High City, and Orton just may find himself wearing orange and blue for a long time.

 

Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach:  Mike McCoy (formerly Carolina Panthers passing game coordinator), Josh McDaniels (former New England Patriots quarterbacks coach/offensive coordinator)

Projected starting quarterback:  Kyle Orton (Acquired via Trade w/Chicago)

Projected 2nd string quarterback:  Chris Simms (Acquired via Free Agency/Tennessee)

Projected 3rd string quarterback:  Tom Brandstater (Acquired via 2009 NFL Draft)

2008 Quarterback Grade:  B+

Roster spots occupied by QB:  3/54

Denver Broncos Re-Sign C Casey Wiegmann, Cut LB Boss Bailey

Casey Wiegmann will be making his NFL record 128th NFL start as an NFL center for the Denver Broncos in 2009 after signing a two-year contract extension with the team on Wednesday.

Wiegmann, an undrafted free agent out of Iowa back in 1996, made his first career Pro Bowl in 2008 as an alternate for Kevin Mawae.  Due to his play and fairly modest contract, Wiegmann felt he deserved more money from the Broncos and openly stated that he would retire if Denver did not pay up.

Unlike wide receiver Brandon Marshall, Wiegmann impressed the new coaching staff by showing up to all but one off season activity, voluntary or mandatory, and that was an excused absence to attend a family event.

“They had patience, we had patience,” Broncos’ head coach Josh McDaniels said.  “We tried to make sure we did this the right way. We tried to do what is in the best interest of Casey and the Denver Broncos.”

I have been open about my opinion of Wiegmann, and how impressed I am with his work ethic and professional approach to wanting a more fruitful contract, and apparently so is new coach McDaniels.

“I can’t say enough about the way he went through this process,” McDaniels said. “We’re very grateful.”

After losing Jay Cutler to the Bears, and Brandon Marshall now requesting a trade, the Broncos are guaranteed to retain at least one of their three 2008 Pro Bowl performers.

 

Boss Bailey Cut

After missing all of the team’s off season workouts, linebacker Boss Bailey was released today. 

“I wasn’t really surprised by it. I understand how the business goes,” Bailey said. “It’s a business call. I appreciate everything they’ve done for me since I’ve been here. Once you’re a Bronco, you’re always a Bronco.”

Bailey is the brother of star cornerback Champ Bailey, and was one of Denver’s biggest signings prior to the 2008 season.  He played well until suffering a season ending knee injury, and the fact that half of Denver’s defensive linemen from 2008 are now playing linebacker did not bode well for Bailey’s future with the team.

The Broncos also released veteran linebacker/special teams player Louis Green.

Denver Broncos WR Brandon Marshall Requests Trade; Sign WR Brandon Lloyd

Denver Broncos’ wide receiver Brandon Marshall has requested a trade, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Marshall reportedly is upset with his current contract with the Broncos and says he lacks trust for the Broncos’ training staff after they apparently did not notice his hip injury as early as he would have liked.

Despite what many casual observers may think, this was brought on, completely and entirely, by the begrudged wide receiver Marshall, and not Broncos management.

Marshall has skipped every Broncos offseason activity, including the mandatory one this past weekend, and met with team owner Pat Bowlen on Saturday.

According to the Denver Post, Bowlen told Marshall to go home and think about his decision to request a trade, but early indications are that Marshall will be sticking to his “guns.”

This is arguably the dumbest move by a player I have ever seen in my life. Not only is Marshall injured, but he has yet to resolve all of his legal matters. He has not participated in one practice with the Broncos’ new system.

If Marshall wants to get paid, his best option is to report to training camp on July 30th. He is already going to be fined over $35,000 for missing the mandatory three day camp, and will be fined even more if he misses training camp.

Basically, Marshall has two options:

1. Skip Training Camp, hold out for 2009, lose over $2 million (not to mention free agent value).

2. Show up to training camp, post big numbers in 2009, earn a payday next offseason

Being traded is not an option for Marshall. 

Due to his off-field incidents, recent hip surgery, the fact that he led the NFL in dropped passes last year, and the fact that he only has one year left on his contract could diminish his trade value.

Marshall needs Denver, and quite frankly, Denver needs Marshall. He adds a whole other dimension to this team’s offense with his playmaking ability.

He has posted back-to-back 100-catch seasons, and last season made his first Pro Bowl.

Still, the thought of Marshall being traded is attractive to fans of other teams, so let’s speculate. Here are some possible landing spots for the receiver (in no particular order):

 

1. Minnesota Vikings

If the Vikings want Marshall bad enough, they could give the Broncos DT Kevin Williams for him straight up. The Vikings are in hot pursuit of QB Brett Favre, and if they could obtain Marshall, it would be all the more reason for Favre to join.

 

2. Chicago Bears

The Bears sold the farm for Jay Cutler, and they have some defensive players that could get the Broncos excited. Okay, they have one defensive player that could get the Broncos excited, and that is defensive tackle Tommie Harris.

 

3.  New York Giants

The Giants cut Plaxico Burress earlier this offseason, and although they devoted some of their draft to the WR position, Marshall could still entice them. They have a plethora of defensive linemen the Broncos would love to add.

 

4. Cleveland Browns

The Browns could send the Broncos any combination of Braylon Edwards or Shaun Rogers and some draft picks.

 

To be clear, I do not think in the very least that Marshall will be traded. He has no leverage, and if Josh McDaniels and company were to give in to Marshall, it would completely negate the statement and point they made by trading Jay Cutler earlier this offseason.

 

Another Brandon catches on

Coincidence or not, the Broncos signed wide receiver Brandon Lloyd, formerly of the Chicago Bears, to a free agent contract today.

Lloyd made some big plays for the Bears in 2008, catching 26 passes for 364 yards and two touchdowns.

 

As Expected, Josh McDaniels Names Kyle Orton Broncos’ Starting QB

In the midst of arguably the most foolish holdout in Denver Broncos’ history, some breaking news came today out of the Mile High City that was actually in regards to the football field.  New quarterback Kyle Orton was officially named the starter by head coach Josh McDaniels.

“We’ve named Kyle the starter, and again we said from day one that when it was clear and apparent to us through a number of practices, meetings, and those type of things that you evaluate the quarterback on that we would make a decision and we have,” McDaniels said.  “That certainly does not mean that there won’t be competition in training camp because there will…Kyle has the job right now but we will see if he can keep it.”

It has been a rough offseason for many in Denver, but this news comes as a major relief to Orton, who thinks this offense has a bright future ahead.

“Obviously I’m really excited,” Orton said. “It’s really just the beginning for me and this offense and hopefully just continue to improve everyday—get myself and the offense where we need to be for the season.”

Even though Orton is the starter now in June, he still knows Chris Simms is hot on his heels.

“He is still fighting his butt off to take over the job, and I need to keep playing well,” Orton said.

One reason it was easy for McDaniels to trade away Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler to the Chicago Bears was not just because of the draft pick compensation they received in return, but the fact that Orton is a very smart quarterback who can pick up this complex offense.

“Yeah it’s difficult,” Orton said, “It’s a new system—it’s certainly difficult for every guy but that’s our job is to learn it and execute it, and we’ve been working hard to do it.”

Now that more than two months have passed since the Cutler trade, Broncos’ fans are more at ease due to the fact Orton will be under center this season. 

Prior to going down with an ankle injury last season, Orton was playing the best ball of his life, completing 62.23 percent of his passes for 1,669 yards, and 10 touchdowns compared to only four interceptions.

And that was with a makeshift receiving group.

Now with Denver, Orton has a receiving group that features the likes of Brandon Marshall, Brandon Stokley, Eddie Royal, Jabar Gaffney, Tony Scheffler, Daniel Graham, Peyton Hillis, Knowshon Moreno, and Correll Buckhalter.

Some fantasy analysts are projecting Orton to have a career season in his first year with the Broncos.

Marshall Update

Marshall was in Dove Valley for a brief period of time yesterday to meet with Broncos owner Pat Bowlen and was seen leaving with some boxes.  The significance of the boxes remains to be seen, but the Pro Bowl wide receiver’s situation grows stickier by the day.

Some are suggesting he will be traded, but the smart money says Marshall will report to training camp and play another year with the Broncos.

Marshall is reportedly unhappy about his contract, and the Broncos appear to be hesitant to renew that contract due to Marshall’s legal situation as well as his recent major hip surgery. 

The smart thing for Marshall to do is report to the Broncos’ mandatory mini-camp, as he is losing a projected $9,000 dollars per session.

Brandon Marshall Skips Broncos Mini-Camp; Time in Denver May Be Short-Lived

Today marks day one of the Broncos’ weekend mini-camp, the first mandatory session of the offseason. Wide receiver Brandon Marshall was not in attendance.

Consider this the official beginning of Marshall’s “holdout” with the Denver Broncos. The fourth-year receiver is in the final year of his rookie contract and is due to make just over $2 million this season.

Per the Denver Post, Marshall likely will be fined by the team for his actions. 

The Pro Bowl wide receiver had hip surgery earlier this offseason. It is unlikely he would have been able to practice anyway, but he was still expected to show up for rehab on his injury.

This segment is supposed to be a professional breaking news article, but allow me to voice my opinion for a moment.

Brandon Marshall has got to be one of the dumbest people on earth for not showing up to the mandatory mini-camps.

First of all, he is in the final year of his rookie contract, which is modest anyway, and now he is going to be fined. He is losing money over this. 

If there is one thing any Bronco fan, player, coach, or executive has learned since the Josh McDaniels era began, it is that if any player feels he is above the rest, he is going to be gone faster than he can blink.

Factor in the fact that Marshall is forfeiting valuable time getting to know his new teammates, the new system, and the Broncos’ new quarterbacks. Sure, he can study the playbook from afar, but it would be much more beneficial to show up to camp to get an idea of what the offense looks like live.

You also have to think as a player—would your coach, the man who ultimately decides whether or not you stay or go, honestly be more willing to talk contract extension with you if you were a man and showed up to the mandatory camp?

Marshall is going nowhere fast.

He still faces domestic dispute charges in August, and his hip injury is going to limit him to only two weeks of training camp practice this entire offseason.

Marshall, if you read this, take a page out of the book of Casey Wiegmann.

Show the team you are dedicated to the new direction by showing up for camp and putting a smile on your face. You have provided the Broncos with more headaches than they should have put up with, and you are still being given another chance. 

Keep your mouth shut, perform well this season, and then you can worry about a contract extension.  

Otherwise, I do not see you in Denver past 2009, maybe not even that. Wide receivers come and go, and you are no different. 

New Broncos Safety Brian Dawkins Hopes to Finish Career With Hardware

Future Hall of Fame safety Brian Dawkins did not leave the Philadelphia Eagles for the five-year contract he received from the Denver Broncos.

“I would love to have a ring,” Dawkins said. “I would love to finish it all with a ring.”

At the ripe age of 35, many feel Dawkins is on his last gasp. There has been talk of him “slowing down” or “not being what he used to be,” but there is little doubt he is still capable of running around with the best on the field.

During his 13-year tenure with the Philadelphia Eagles, Dawkins was part of 10 playoff teams, five NFC Championship games, and one Super Bowl participant.

In that time, he has developed a reputation as one of the hardest hitting safeties in the league and has earned the nickname “Weapon X” among others.

Since Dawkins is one of just a few Broncos players with significant playoff experience, he knows the importance of proper preparation for the grueling NFL season.

“From this time of year, it’s really honestly about dedication. Dedicating yourself to the potential of us doing what we need to do and to getting to the playoffs,” Dawkins said.

“What I mean by that dedication is your workouts need to be intense. You can’t not work out for a period of time and think, ‘I’m going to be all right.’ You can’t think, ‘I’ve got all the plays down’ and not study them. And you have to take care of your body, and what that means is getting the proper sleep and eating the right things.”

Along with Dawkins, the Broncos brought in three new safeties to help a group that was arguably the worst in the NFL in 2008. Those players include rookies Darcel McBath and David Bruton, and veteran Renaldo Hill. Dawkins says it is a big part of their development to have veteran leadership.

“It helps the team, but I feel like I’m supposed to do that,” Dawkins said, “I have been blessed to play a lot of years, and I have received wisdom from experience and from others that it wouldn’t be right for me to just keep it to myself.”

Dawkins also knows the importance of sharing wisdom off the field, because no one plays in the NFL forever.

“In the long haul, you know, this game of football won’t be here for everybody all the time—we’re all going to hang ’em up at some point—and if I can tell them something that’s going to help them off the field, to be a better individual, then I’ll definitely do that also.”

If there is anything more important than his on-field production, it is the savvy and leadership Dawkins brings to the table. But he is not just being embraced by his coaches and teammates—Dawkins has brought excitement to the city of Denver as a whole. 

In fact, not only is Dawkins’ jersey the top-selling item on the Broncos’ section of NFLShop.com, but even he noticed there was a buzz around him at the team’s recent Fan Fair.

“They were very excited to have me here,” Dawkins said. “It’s a humbling experience for me. They were very, very jacked up at the fact of what (the defense) can potentially do as a unit, and what I have been able to do for 13 years. They are expecting that this year so I’m going to do what I can for them.”

While many NFL observers are saying he is too old to compete at a high level anymore, Dawkins is a man of faith and believes that when his time has passed, he will know.

“I would love to continue to play at a high level,” Dawkins said. “I think from the onset of my career, one of the things that I have always said is that I want to be very consistent for the duration of my career. I’m talking about from the beginning to the end.

“I want to play a consistent brand of ball throughout that time, and when the Lord tells me it’s time to set it down, I’ll set it down, but that ring is the most important push for me right now.”

So how far away are the Broncos from getting that ring?

“We’ll see,” Dawkins said. “It’s a day-to-day operation with any team, but for us I know we’re young in a lot of respects as far as learning and knowing the offense and defense. It’s going to be important for every guy to learn his playbook and know that thing.”

While many Eagles fans were devastated at the loss of Dawkins, he realizes this league is a business, and says it has already sunk in that he is no longer an Eagle.

“I knew I was a Bronco when I first set foot on that practice field,” Dawkins said. “In the workout room, working out with guys, it’s still new… Once I finally truly got on the practice field, I got in the huddle and donned the helmet—I’m a Bronco.”

The Broncos defense will feature many new starters, and while many still have their doubts, Dawkins’ leadership could be a huge key to the resurrection of the Orange Crush in Denver.

Best Slot Receiver Ever? Brandon Stokley Held in High Regard by Peers

If there is one player on the Denver Broncos who has been part of some big moments in NFL history, it is wide receiver Brandon Stokley.

Since being selected in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens, Stokley has had his share of the spotlight.

In his rookie season he caught three passes in the Super Bowl, including a 38-yard touchdown strike in the first quarter.

During the 2004 season, he caught a 21-yard touchdown pass from Peyton Manning that not only gave Manning the single-season passing touchdowns record, but also made the Indianapolis Colts the first team in NFL history with three wide receivers to have over 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns each.

While Stokley may not see it this way, getting injured for all but four games of the 2005 and 2006 seasons was a blessing in disguise.

When he became a free agent on March 1st of 2007, he was not considered to be among the big names on the market.  He was coming off of a serious Achilles injury, and many considered his playing days to be over, especially since he was not going to be catching passes from Peyton Manning anymore.

Stokley signed a fairly modest two year contract with the Denver Broncos in the summer of 2007, but the Broncos would soon learn that he was worth far more than he was getting paid.

In the 2007 season, Stokley played in 13 games and caught 40 passes for 635 yards and five touchdowns.  Undoubtedly though, the most important statistic for Stokley was the fact that he averaged 15.9 yards per reception, easily a first down and then some.

In 2008, it was much of the same from Stokley.  He played through injuries, and in 15 games caught 40 passes for 528 yards and three touchdowns.  Even though his average per reception was not as good, he still had 10.8 yards per catch.

Since his days in Indianapolis, Stokley has been known for being sure-handed on third downs, which is what new Broncos Head Coach Josh McDaniels remembers him for.

“He’s been a pain in the butt from afar really,” McDaniels said. “He’s been one of the best third-down receivers in the league in terms of getting open past the sticks and converting and keeping the offense on the field…He’s a good person for some of our young players to emulate.”

And the young players are definitely taking notice. 

Stokley is said to be one of the top slot receivers the game has ever known by some scouts, and second year player Eddie Royal hopes to become a Wes Welker type slot player in the Broncos’ new offense.

“He’s been great for me—great in helping me grow as a wide receiver,” Royal said. “Just watching him in the slot every day, they should teach tape just watching him, every route he runs. It’s great getting little tips from him.”

While Stokley himself said he feels a bit like he signed as a free agent with another team due to the change in system, Josh McDaniels thinks he is a good fit with what is being called “Patriots West”.

“Brandon is certainly a veteran player who has done a lot of great things in this league and fits really well into our system and what we do,” McDaniels said.

The new system McDaniels brings over from New England requires the wide receivers to be good route runners, but most importantly sure-handed on third down. 

Stokley is the poster child for that role in an offense, and he will fit in very nicely.

50 Years Later, Hillis and Larsen Represent AFL With Pride

In baseball, an elite prospect is called a “five-tool” player, due to his versatility, willingness to play other positions, and ability to do all of those things very well.

With two of their last three picks in the 2008 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos were able to obtain two such players in fullbacks Peyton Hillis is and Spencer Larsen.

Hillis came from the Arkansas Razorbacks in the seventh round of last year’s draft, and was selected with the pick obtained from Tampa Bay in the Jake Plummer trade.

When the season began, Hillis was penciled in as the starting fullback, although Denver did not use their fullback in a traditional way. 

Starting three games at both running back and fullback, Hillis led the Broncos in rushing with 343 rushing yards, 5.0 yards per carry, and tied for the team lead with six total touchdowns(five rushing, one receiving).

While many may not see his numbers as gawdy or even that significant, Hillis was the team’s seventh string and essentially last resort running back.

In only his second start as the Broncos’ tailback in week 13, Hillis became the first player to rush for over 100 yards against the New York Jets all season long, earning Diet Pepsi Rookie of the Week and FedEx Ground Player of the Week honors.

When the Broncos signed and drafted five new running backs this offseason, Hillis’ future appeared to be in some kind of doubt.

Head Coach Josh McDaniels erased that doubt addressing Hillis at the team’s offseason activities earlier in the week, by saying that the second year player has lined up as running back, fullback, tight end, and even wide receiver in the new Broncos’ offense.

“We’re gonna use every skill he has,” McDaniels said. “He’s kind of like Tony [Scheffler] and Daniel [Graham]:  Whatever they can do well, we’re going to do it as much as we can do it with them, and he does a lot of things well.”

“He can run the ball out of a single back formation, he can certainly catch the ball out of the backfield, he can block in two back sets, you [the press] saw him split out wide all over the place,” McDaniels said.

“He’s got great hands and a good feel for the passing game. He’s a very tough runner to bring down when you give him the ball,” McDaniels said, “He’ll do a lot of different things for us. Expect him to play a good role in our offense.”

With such high praise coming from a brilliant offensive minded coach, as well as the praise he received from former head coach Mike Shanahan, it is a wonder Hillis fell to the Broncos in the seventh round of the NFL Draft.

Likewise, Denver feels it has a gem of a player as well as a person in fullback Spencer Larsen.

Larsen came to the Broncos in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL draft out of Arizona, and figured to be a special teams “ace” for this team right away.

Little did he know what was to come of his rookie season in the NFL.

For the Broncos in 2008, Larsen started games at both linebacker and fullback, as well as both kick team units, and he even became the first player in Denver Broncos history to start a game at linebacker, fullback, and kickoff team.

Larsen’s versatility does not come easy.

“Yeah, you know, just coming in and learning two [systems], I have a lot of information on my plate right now,” Larsen said. “As you can imagine, two new systems on offense and defense, I’m just trying to get a grasp on them and learn both of them.”

So what is a typical “day at the office” for a guy who plays offense, defense, and special teams?

“Well, I come here and I go to the linebackers meeting, and then I spend some time with the running backs,” Larsen said, “[Running Backs] coach [Bobby] Turner has been great, Just helping me out when they can, and they give me just as much information as they think I can handle.

Then, at home with myself I just pick up one book and get as much as I can out of it,” Larsen said. “Then I pick up another one and get as much as I can out of it, and go like that, day in and day out.”

Outside of the Broncos organization, and possibly some avid fantasy football fans, these two players are relatively unknown, which is unjustified.

When the Broncos celebrate 50 years of football this season, no players will represent the good ole’ days better than Hillis and Larsen.

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