Well, I don’t think this will spawn as many comments as yesterday’s entry …
I scanned the east field at Dove Valley on Tuesday afternoon, taking a mental roll call of who was and was not taking part in the Broncos’ on-field session. I started with the running backs and fullbacks.
Selvin Young … check.
Cecil Sapp … check.
Kyle Johnson … check, back after missing Monday’s practice.
Travis Henry … still out.
Mike Bell … still out.
Andre Hall … still out.
Troy Fleming … check.
Paul Smith … check.
After those names had been accounted for, I squinted into the sunlight. Who’s this guy in jersey No. 33? It didn’t seem as though Thump Belton had returned after being released just under a month ago; the guy wearing the number this time was slimmer.
Then he took off his helmet, and the face was immediately recognizable — that of Cedric Cobbs, a backup in 2006 who found himself released by the Broncos two days after the draft, sending him into the vast pool of unclaimed players looking for a roster opening.
“Me and my agent have been working teams that have a need for running backs,” Cobbs said. “It just so happened that Denver (had running backs) go down, and Denver just decided to give me a chance after my agent called.”
For nearly four months now, Cobbs could only work out and wait. He had three NFL tryouts, but nothing transpired from them.
“I was almost getting ready to talk to the AAFL,” Cobbs said, “but Denver ended up calling.”
That’s the All-American Football League, an outfit that held tryouts in Orlando, Fla. in early July, but has yet to play a game, although it is scheduled to kick off next year. Its emphasis is on placing former college standouts not in the NFL in clubs near where they starred as undergraduates, with the goal of capitalizing off college fans’ affinity for their favorite school’s one-time standouts.
But Cobbs wasn’t quite ready to give up on the NFL, even after the Broncos released him in the midst of an offseason that saw them add Travis Henry and Selvin Young to their complement of runners while converting Cecil Sapp from fullback.
“It had me worried after they brought in Travis Henry, but I had no idea,” Cobbs said. “I figured that I could at least have a chance to prove myself during training camp, but that wasn’t the case, but now I’m here again, so I’ve just got to go out here and give it my best shot.”
Even with the AAFL chance looming, Cobbs wasn’t ready to surrender his NFL chance — not after a splendid preseason last summer helped him land on the roster before a Week 2 ankle injury torpedoed his regular season for all practical purposes.
“My mind wondered every day, ‘Why did it happen to me?’” Cobbs said. “You’ve just got to go on and live on and hope for the best, and hope that you get that opportunity, get your best shot and leave it all on the field.”
Which is exactly where Cobbs hopes to be Saturday night. The Broncos have just two healthy tailbacks expected to play against the Cleveland Browns — Sapp and Young — and if there’s ever going to be a chance for Cobbs to play extensively, this game is likely it.
“I think that as long as I’ve still got the game plan down and have proven to them I won’t make a big mess-up — as long as I’m practicing and in my playbook, I’ll have a chance to go out there Saturday,” he said.
And then, he hopes, he can check off a big game — which might get him one more NFL shot, be it in Denver or somewhere else in the NFL.
Tags: Andre Hall, Cecil Sapp, Cedric Cobbs, Mike Bell, Offense, Running backs, Selvin Young, Travis Henry
A happy story indeed. Now Cobbs needs to take better advantage of the opportunity than he did last year when he nearly fumbled away the OT kickoff against K.C. only to get hurt recovering the ball….
TSG
http://www.milehighreport.com
http://www.nowlive.com/mhrradio
Yeah … it didn’t help, though, that he got hurt when he dove on the loose football. He then had some playing time at Pittsburgh but didn’t do much, although those high ankle sprains are like hamstring pulls in that they stay problematic for a couple of months. Everything may depend on how well he’s kept himself in shape … which we’ll learn on Saturday night if he get some carries.
cedric cobbs had a great preseason last year. it’s too bad his stint with the broncos is judged by one play. his flaw last year is that he didn’t practice like he plays in games. i think he can help the team and could stick.
SOMEONE PLEASE SIGN JEREMIAH TROTTER!! My God I can’t believe he’s available…
Wow, that was out of left field, stranger …
I always liked Cobbs and hope he does well this time around… However, I’m still very interested in Andre Hall.
Andrew, do you have an idea when he might get onto the field again?
I’m concerned that, although promising, he might not make the roster if he can’t get out there in the last two preseason games and have a good showing.
Thanks,
Jonathan Douglas
http://www.broncotalk.net
It was out of left field AM, but do you think there is any chance the Broncos would get him?
denverobsession:
Having not talked to him this week — he walked by me yesterday while I was interviewing Cobbs — I can’t give you a time frame. But considering how much playing time he would receive with Henry and Bell unable to go on Saturday, it must be fairly bad for him to miss the game entirely.
OrAnGe:
Always a chance, I suppose, but I think Trotter might be beyond what could fit under the salary cap.
Any news on Henry’s MRI… it was said he would see it on sunday but it has not been released yet if it was a negative or a positive. Thanks!
Shanahan said Monday Henry’s MRI was negative and it is expected he will be healthy in time for Week 1.
go broncs
2000 for henry this year?
Thanks for the news, quicker reply than I expected even. I’m relieved to hear it was negative but still will be waiting to see how he plays in that first game now because knee injuries are the worst. As for the other entries getting many comments im not too concerned about that stuff yet as it is still pre-season and a new defense, looking forward to the real games and then I’ll decide if I’m concerned.
BroncoFan1018:
I wish I could always be that quick on the reply times. Generally, the more there is going on, the less chance of me getting around to posting comment-section replies until the end of the day from home or sometimes the following morning before I drive to the office. (And, yes, this blog is usually the first thing I check when I get on-line in the morning.)
I checked to see if Andre Hall was in this last game against the Browns and saidly he was not.
Any word on his injury status and return?
And if you see him tell him his Tampa fans are watching and hoping for the best. Same goes for Lynch, I am glad he was able to prove what a mistake Gruden and company made.
Thanks in Advance.
USFBULL:
You and my mom — who lives in Tarpon Springs, by the way — had the same question. He was in uniform for practice Monday morning after missing the last two-plus weeks with a hamstring injury … whether that means he plays, we’ll find out this week.