As I ensconce myself my home office to sip a glass of heavily sweetened — albeit artificially — Southern-style iced tea and wolf down a late-night peanut butter-and-apricot preserves sandwich on wheat bread, a short blurb about Charlie Adams, a man who keeps finding ways to stick around the Broncos.
Has anyone in the NFL had a weirder two weeks than the former Hofstra Flying Dutchman?
(And before you besiege me with e-mails saying that they are the “Pride” now, they still bore the low-country moniker during at least part of Adams’ playing days. Anyhow …)
Consider that at this time 14 days ago, the wideout was listed as a fifth-teamer on the Broncos’ depth chart. Two days later, he was traded to the Dallas Cowboys; a day later, he was sent back, having failed a physical.
“Dallas came and made them an offer and (the Broncos) said they felt it was the best deal for everybody involved — me included,” Adams said Monday.
Importantly, he said those words from deep inside Broncos headquarters while wearing a Broncos visor tilted sideways — a place and a piece of headgear he scarcely expected to be a part of his existence less than a fortnight ago. But Adams did say that Head Coach Mike Shanahan and General Manager Ted Sundquist told him the trade was not a statement that he wasn’t going to be on Broncos’ 53-man roster anyhow.
“They told me that this wasn’t something that was telling me that I wasn’t going to make this team; it was just a situation that arose that they figured everybody could benefit from,” Adams said. “That’s the way it was told to me, and it seems that they were telling the truth.”
Nevertheless, he remains a tad flabbergasted at how matters transpired.
“I’m definitely surprised,” Adams said. “It’s definitely the strangest training camp I’ve had out of five, so it’s an odd situation, but I’m here, and I’m trying to get on the field.”
He figured that quest would have him somewhere in the NFL at this point; being out of a job by Labor Day was not in his plans.
“I didn’t think I’d be out of football. I definitely didn’t know what my future was as far as the Broncos were concerned, but I just rode with it.,” he said. “In this line of work, you don’t really get to call too many shots, so you just kind of go along for the ride and try to make the best out of whatever situation is in front of you.”
Right now, that’s at Dove Valley.
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Tags: Charlie Adams
That still doesnt explain why he didnt get cut or why he is not on injured reserve. I was very surprised to see him on the 53 player roster while several other, mostly second teamers and Greg Eslinger, were not. What is the real story or his Goose/Top Gun list long and distinguished too?
He was the 6th leading yardage gainer on the team last year with 568 all purpose yards. He is a fighter, and will produce for the team no matter what he is asked to do. Good job Charlie.
Adams’ special-teams contributions probably have a great deal to do with his continued presence — especially with Darrent Williams manning one of the starting cornerback slots, Roc Alexander having been waived and Brian Clark — the leading kickoff returner in the preseason — being on the practice squad. When Alexander was inactive during last year’s postseason, Adams averaged 23.4 yards on seven kickoff returns and broke a 47-yarder against Pittsburgh. It wouldn’t be unheard-of for a player to make the team primarily on the strength of his special-teams contributions — look at Keith Burns, who was a third-team middle linebacker through camp behind Al Wilson and Nate Webster but finds himself on the Broncos’ roster for the 11th time in his career.
I like seeing players on our team that have heart. From what I have seen from Charlie adams is just that. It can’t be easy living your life like these players do and sometimes the only thing keeping them on the team is heart. Charlie Adams seems to have that heart. If all of our starters and “big name players” on the team had heart like that then there would be no doubt in my mind that we would win the super bowl.
I hope Brandon Marshall has a breakout first couple of games and is 3rd on the depth chart.
Sleigs 88: Having watched Charlie the past five seasons, you are right on about his heart. Not only that, but he’s diligent, intelligent and willing to do whatever is asked. That — and being in the right place at the right time, which is crucial for many to find their footing in a pro-football career, whether they’re on the field or in the front office — is what helps keep Adams around.
That is what I like about the Denver Broncos and the Mike Shannahan regime, he does not care where you were drafted or if you were a freeagent if you can play and you are one of the best 53 you will make the team. I was rooting for Watts but all the potential in the world will not help you make the team. Adams beat out a former 1st rounder and a 2nd rounder to make the team for the final WR spot. Goodluck Charlie Adams.