On a beautiful day in South Florida, the AFC squad took the field first on the opening day of practice for the 2010 Pro Bowl.
It was a day that was just as much about getting acquainted with new teammates as running drills, and the loose session included plenty of laughs. Some of the loudest came from Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco, who not surprisingly spent much of the morning trying to get a rise out of the crowd of high schoolers who watched the practice at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
At times it almost looked like a regular Broncos practice, as five Denver players took the field — Champ Bailey, Ryan Clady, Brian Dawkins, Elvis Dumervil and Brandon Marshall. It was a typical affair, as Bailey matched up against Marshall plenty of times, and Clady found himself blocking Dumervil on a number of occasions.
Some of the odder sights of the day came on special teams. First, Marshall dropped back to field a few punts — nothing too out of the ordinary — except the kicks were coming from Ochocinco. Later, Marshall took a few turns at long snapper, sending the ball back to Baltimore running back Ray Rice, who punted a couple deep balls. Some of the blockers on the punt team included Dumervil, Dawkins and Titans quarterback Vince Young.
If any Broncos fans were in attendance, things might have seemed a little backwards. Clady took his snaps as the starting right tackle, as Cleveland’s Joe Thomas lined up at left tackle. The reasoning? Most likely the fact that Thomas has been elected to the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons in the league — he gets to exercise a bit of seniority.
So while the practice was about joking around with some of the AFC’s best, Bailey said he knows the group will get down to business as Sunday approaches.
“You want to come out here, have some fun and take advatange of the opportunity to play with some of these elite guys, guys you watch throughout the league,” Bailey said. “It’s a good thing to build camaraderie and build relationships, but at the same time we want to win.”
-Gray Caldwell, DenverBroncos.com
Here are more photos from the opening practice session:
For more photos of Wednesday’s action, check out the photo gallery.
Tags: Brandon Marshall, Brian Dawkins, Champ Bailey, Elvis Dumervil, Pro Bowl, Ryan Clady
As Much as I don’t want a QB taken in the draft. I can totally see McD taking him. Just to throw everyone a curve ball.
See what we can get in FA. Should be clearer then. At least I hope. We hope, lol! With McD you gotta expect the unexpected!
I becoming more and more impressed with OG Iaupti at the senior combine…he is owning all the defenders he comese across, very fluid for an OG….lol..i sounded like those dreaded analyst/scouts…
but yeah,,ya’ll get the point..ah
i wont count out Phonzi yet,,rarely has there been a CB with that set of skills being a bust in the NFL..looking at how Leon Hall, Revis, and Jenkins have developed,,i’m all too excited…we’re pretty set with the DBs.
I think Dallas want Iaupti.
are both Champ and Revis gonna wear #24???
The AFC secondary is EPIC. I can’t wait to see how they will manhandle the NFC.
I think Iatupi would be a great addition. We would have one of the youngest and most talented O-lines for years to come! Clady- 2 years, Harris-3 years, Hochestein-9 yrs, Kuper-4 yrs, Olsen-rookie, Polumbus-2 yrs. Hamilton and Wiegmann have 9 & 14 years respectively. The Gorin pickup came after the season ended so I will reserve comment on him.
I know Russ needs sugery, we only have the one center and Hamilton is close to retiring. Getting the youth never hurts though. I mentioned in an earlier post the FA’s that caught my eye are Logan Mankins from NE and Nick Cole from Philly.
Cole even plays center. Anybody remember him switching when we played Philly?
So we have the first offseason in recent history that has no CBA set. Personnel types in all organizations are going crazy attempting to figure out exactly how this will all go down. Coaches,owners, GM’s are not free to make any decisions and yet fans are making presumptuous comments on what will take place. I for one am awaiting the soon to be infamous March 5th deadline or until a resolution is clear before making any declarations on what will take place. We have had one year to analyze McD in the draft and FA. So far I will suffice to say he is pretty damn efficient in the FA market, but a little suspect in the draft. Which if my memory serves me correctly the draft has not been a strong suit for this organization on a regular basis. But in line with many I may just wait until he is gone, then take out my frustrations of lack luster performances on the new regime.
When all is said and done and the smoke clears just remember, we have all made our beds and better be ready to sleep in it. I know I am.
This is pretty funny!
http://www.hulu.com/watch/1603/saturday-night-live-united-way
Another day gone by without a Martindale hire. A reinforcement to my thinking that he is not McD’s #1 choice, but he will do if whoever McD really wants says no. Could it be that that someone McD really wants is on the Saints or Colts coaching staff? The mystery remains.
Kaeding had to withdraw from the Pro Bowl because he tore his groin in Pro Bowl practice. LOL!!!! First of all I think its a cover because he is still upset about his performance against the Jets. Second, you’re not suppose to go out there and injure yourself in the game, let along practice.
Could it be Joe Vitt, the Saints assistant head coach/ linebackers coach who has done an outstanding job with the LB’s there for 4 years? Even so they have a 4-3 D, Vitt not only is a great LB coach but would have some welcomed experience also being the assistant HC there.
It’s a thought. Who’s the LB coach for Indy?
And he can bring Jonathan Vilma here with him, another Miami alum to go along DJ, sorry, just dreaming for a moment… LOL.
Mike Murphy, he has been with the Colts since 1998!
MIKE IUPATI…. A MONSTER http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDVj8KgmePA
Aside the fact that he obviously has a ton of experience, here is an interesting tidbit about him that could work in our favor:
Murphy coached at Mapleton High School in Denver, Colo., and at Fairview High School in Boulder, Colo.
baylinorcrush: I think you’re really on to something with your hypothesis of McD wanting someone from the Saints or Colts staff. It could be one of those rare things where Martindale would rather remain the LB coach, unless we can’t find a DC, then he’d take the job. I know it usually works the other way around but it could be one of those type of things.
Thanks for the Iupati video, and I’m buying that he is a great prospect, but seriously, did you see how small that D lineman (#60) that he tossed around was, they’re not pint size in the NFL, just saying.
brian, thanks for thinking I’m not a total idiot, LOL, who knows maybe I am onto something, ten maybe I’m not, but you gotta give me credit for thinking outside the box, that’s what I always try to do, because 95% of the folks will always look at things the way everyone else does and it’s pretty easy to be correct most of the time that way, but my way makes it more interesting for me, even so my odds of being right are seriously diminished. As an old professional speed skier, No Guts No Glory has always been my motto, LOL.
Ok, he wasn’t exactly small, 6’2″, 275 lbs, but Iupati had 3″ and 50 lbs on him (6’5″, 325).
Iupati would be a great addition for converting over to power blocking.
No kidding, that would be a great start to rebuild the guards/center part of the O line.
hopefully, he’ll be available for us in the second round, no way we could pick him with our current 1st pick, but if we get a second late first round pick through trades, then maybe.
It’s like Deadsville out here today…
HE IS DEFINITELY NOT GOING TO BE THERE IN THE 2-ROUND…
Nobody thought mauluga would be in the second round either.
TERRENCE CODY HIGHLIGHTS…. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcdJMpgyEWk
How about Gregg Williams from the Saints? I know Sean paid part of his salary out of his own pocket but still…
As far as G/C how about Maurkice Pouncey from Florida? I know I know how does an LSU alum and die hard fan suggest a Gator…Same way a die hard LSU fan and alum suggests 3 people for Bama (McClain and Cody – he counts as 2)
Yeah, but Williams is only in his first year with the Saints, he is already a DC and his team just made the SB, I don’t see the incentives there, unless it’s much bigger bucks.. and he runs the 4-3.
baylinorcrush: Its deadsville in here today becasue everyone stopped complaining about McD and Marshall. LOL!!!!
Does anyone else think that we’ll FT Orton that way if he doesn’t fair well in 2010 then we’ll just let him go?
Its official….Martindale is DC
Thanks, cody, here is the report from Klis:
The Broncos officially promoted Don “Wink” Martindale from linebackers coach to defensive coordinator today.
Martindale becomes the Broncos’ fifth defensive coordinator in five years.
He succeeds Mike Nolan, who left after one season and now is defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins.
“Wink definitely deserves this,” Broncos coach Josh McDaniels said. “He’s earned this opportunity. Our system won’t change, our philosophy won’t change. He’s a very aggressive coach. This is a great day for the Denver Broncos.”
I wish I could be as excited about it as McD is, hopefully he is right, the only coaching position left to fill now would seem to be LB coach.
All in all I haven’t seen a clear improvement in any coaches moves made, except maybe for the running back coach from the Bills who might be good for the power running game, other than that, it has been disappointing to me. Well, I can’t do a darn thing about it, so I better accept all these new coaches, at least for a year…
It’s a dreary rainy day outside my window today, it feels the same inside my heart, now I definitely need to look forward to March 5th to hopefully brighten up my outlook…
McD couldn’t get anyone worthy outside the organization to take the job, I’m afraid, otherwise Martindale would of been hired a long time ago right after Nolan’s departure. McD tried, but he couldn’t lure anyone over, he seems to be quickly developping the reputation of been a hard coach to work with, I know I would feel that way, unfortunate but something we’ll have to deal with, bummer.
About time they hired Martindale.
GRRRHHHHARGHHHH!!!! Just an honest fan’s opinion…
It’s simple. McD doesn’t want any glory hogs in denver. Just himself. Nolan is a high end guy. Just like Lebeau, Kiffin, and Capers.
We stinkin gave neck beard a chance, we can give Wink a chance.
yeah, another facial hair guy…
He is a rough and tumble guy. I met him once. He can give the broncos a nasty streak if ya know what I mean.
Congratulations to new Def Coord Don “Wink” Martindale. Hope both coaches will be on the same page their defensive philosophy.
I kept thinking where have I heard that name before… .”Wink Martindale”, then I finally remembered the former game show host.
Talking about McD and Nolan, you remember how Nolan dressed on the sidelines when he was HC, those two guys couldn’t look anymore different, a three piece suit man and a hooded sweatshirt man just don’t go very well together, just saying.
Iaupti is listed pretty big at 6’6 330…but plays fast, excellent footwork, hence why he was hardly beat…he blocks downfield like a FB (running)..could fit in for both power or zone-blocking system..IMO…
some interesting names being mentioned here, Mankins and Coles, we still have kuper but one of them would be nice…Coles can rotate Guard and Center…but I remembered how he got dominated by Ratliff in that playoff game against the Cowboys recently, but he was playing center.
wow! we’ve finally got our DC? Congrats to Martindale…If we cant bring in a DC who employs 3-4 elsewhere, its better to hire within the system I think…familiararity may be at play….
Good to see rbf1 posting, long time no see…
If familiarity was at play, he would of been hired as soon as Nolan left.
hey baylinor – yeah it’s been a little while. Just staying busy with work and training schedules. I’ll have to go back and read previous posts to try and catch up.
Couldn’t agree more.. 3 piece suit vs. hoodie.
You can’t blame me, I don’t get excited about EVERYTHING the organization does, but I accept it. This doesn’t excite me, other than for the fact we won’t have to start from scratch on D once again, that’s the positive I see.
Baylin,
Could it be that McD wanted Martindale but wanted to look at other options first?