Head Coach Mike Shanahan announced a short while ago the placement of Tom Nalen on injured reserve. Now there’s even more news out of Dove Valley.
With Nalen on IR, the Broncos had an open spot on the roster. To fill that void, the team has signed safety Vernon Fox, Shanahan announced.
A seventh-year player out of Fresno State, Fox spent two years each with the San Diego Chargers, Detroit Lions and Washington Redskins. He has seen action in 86 games with 11 starts, and he totaled 129 tackles, four passes defensed and two interceptions.
Shanahan also announced that the Broncos have waived safety Hamza Abdullah.
Abdullah began his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after they selected him in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL draft. HE was placed on their practice squad before Denver signed him to their active roster in November 2005. Abdullah saw action in 23 games, including eight starts in 2007, and he recorded 43 tackles, seven passes defensed, a forced fumble and fumble recovery.
The Broncos also released wide receiver Travis Wilson from the practice squad. He was signed to the Broncos on September 1, 2008.
– Adam Zinser, DenverBroncos.com
Tags: Adam Zinser, Hamza Abdullah, Mike Shanahan, Transactions
I personally am not suprised by these moves at all. I personally think Nalen’s days are done. Putting him on IR is understandable, expect him to retire next offseason. Nalen has been nothin but a leader and an asset to the Broncos for many years.
OK I wasnt expecting Amza to be waived….shocked and in awe to say the least….
jUst out of curiousity, why are we signing old defensive backs to an already veteran “old” secondary????
i hope this means Barrett can be activated from the practice squad…….
or I hope Shanny has something up his sleeves for nxt years draft or off season…he better go all out on the Defensive side.
Too bad we didnt get anything for Abdullah. I think he was worth at least a sixth round pick. But I agree with Broncos20, We shouls activate Barrett
We still have one open active roster spot and we now have one open PS spot, anyone thinking like me and think Powell will fill the last active roster spot??
If not I would definately love to see Barrett or Rogers.
Has Mitch Erickson got a shot at that extra roster spot? Kory would be the backup Centre, with Erickson being a backup guard. Or maybe Dylan Gandy? being re-signed?
I’d like to see Denver use some of the recently aquired extra draft picks to help the Defense out and fill the last spot.
I don’t think that we are going to activate Barrett or we wouldn’t have bothered with Fox.
Some extra help on the D-line would make sense. Anybody selling somebody who’ll get some heat on the opposing quarterback?
By the way, anybody hear anything new about Torain’s return? We don’t get much Bronco news out here in Baltimore.
And Tom Nalen already has my vote for the HOF.
Sorry to be so vocal…
Erickson does make the most sense. My comment before regarding the D-line doesn’t hold water.
The Saints starting guard Jamar Nesbit just got a 4 game suspension for using the juice. Sounds like he should be a charger…..West Coast
guys have you read the vic carucci’s ranking… broncos rank 6 of all the unbeatens and eagles at # 3 with 2-1 standing….
screw u vic!!!!
jack williams and josh barrett need to be playing
i agree with meisner, but i also think woodyard aka “optimus prime” needs to be on the field more often
hey adam,
can you tell me why my comments are often “awaiting moderation” or being flagged as possible spam??? thanks
Whoever they bring in I would like to see a little bit more man to man coverage. This zone stuff is going to kill them. Soon.
Bend don’t break? Yards are oozing out of the seams. If the other team is going to score you may as well go for it.
precisiontint is absolutely right. Hasn’t anyone been paying attention? There is a a whole in the ‘Ole Zone. A big whole that is racking up yards and first downs and touchdowns. Let the DB’s go head to head.
It seems like we’re going at this all wrong. I know the talk is all about controlling the ground game, but we have an offense that is a scoring machine. I think we should firm up our pass D- and play more man coverange. So what if we let the opposing team run a little bit if they want to, at least they’re running down the clock for us. When they try to pass against our solid pass Defense–that’s when things are going to get fun with turnovers. Turnovers lead to blowouts.
Too bad about Tom … he has been such a class act and super asset for a lot of years!
What will it take to get head to head deep coverage and perhaps a slightly modified defensive scheme? Maybe blowing a 3 TD lead while scoring 2 more TD’s and losing will garner some serious attention.
Yes I saw the power Rankings, yes i think it sucks we still don’t get the love But that’s ok we will still keep flying under the radar. I know they keep bagging on our D but those oher teams d have not been that good either. Our D will get better If you look at the games this year our D has been stopping the run that was one of or probs last year. P.S. Loved the orange jerseys.
hope tom has a quick and healthy return! HOF-caliber player, absolutely loved watching him all these years
Tom Nalen, what can you say? One of the greatest Broncos ever, a warrior! Thanks for all the great years Tom if you should decide to retire!
I hope you all noticed that the Chargers scored 48 on the Jets. Our guys will get better every game, no quitters on the Broncos defense.
I too would like to see the young guys we drafted get a chance to play. This is a young team , lets get them in the mix.
ARE THE BRONCOS GOING TO GET BETTER WITH MANUAL? THE ANSWER IS NO. DOES J BARRETT GET BEAT BY A WIDEOUT ON A GO ROUTE THE ANSWER IS NO.
START BARRETT NOW! PLEASE!
OUR D IS HORRIBLE……..
Let’s give the D some time. One game. If KC racks it up on us and makes that little cry-baby LJ happy… Shanny GET YOUR NOSE out of the D and HIRE SOMEONE!!!!
Wow i was slightly shocked by hamzas release. With the remaining spot I would like them to sign John Lynch. Sure he is old and will prolly retire after this season (if not this season) but he is still a recognizable leader to alot of broncos players, he can help us on defense as a saftey/linebacker and he wants a ring and we look like strong superbowl contenders this year…but then again it all depends on whether he wants to come back or if he wants to call it quits.
mike shanny loves to cut players why deal with the hassel of trading your well deserved players for draft picks when you can just cut them and if shanny is up for it i am to i have questioned it several times but the chemistry of the team seems to be building a solid foundation
Vic Carucci is a stupid Italian, which is too bad, because most of us Italians are smart, especially if we give the Broncos credit where credit is due. The defense needs to improve, as we all know, but I accept my Broncos as an improving team which leads its divsion. Hopefully, we beat the tar out of Kansas City with dominance in all three elements of the game. Fox has had his moments in the NFL, he was solid for the Redskins for a while, so I think he can help us. As always, GO BRONCOS!!!
im liking the moves hamza was worthless he had potental but no effort so good luck to ya i think he should definitely bring barrett off the practice squad i have a feeling about this guy i think he can be a special player if he gets the chance same with woodyard but trust in shanny’s judgement he will keep these players in the wing and let them learn from guys like dj and champ on how to carry themselves and be patient their time to shine will come and when it does i have a feeling they capatilize in a big way.
unfortunately nalens days are over sorry to say but i think we could use a class player like him he would make an excellent line coach really who knows the zone blocking scheme that we run better them him i say keep him around like rod smith his experience and leadership is priceless.farewell nalen you have been great for a long time thanks for the loyalty to the broncos.
Waiving Abdullah was a huge mistake. Even if he was not making an impact on defense, he was doing a great job on special teams. Our special teams is on the fence as it is. No reason to get rid of one of the best performers there.
I hate to inform everyone that Abdullah is simply not a football guy. He doens’t truly love the game. He likes to play, he doesn’t like or want to practice. You can’t have those kinds of guys out there. I’d like to see Barrett get activated, I think he has a huge upside and his athletic ability would be a great help. It’d be easy enough to assign him to deep or shallow zone coverage as that’s all I’ve seen our free safety do so far this season. Nalen is a sad loss, but expected. He was a warrior and he had a Hall of Fame career.
I too loved Josh Barrett. But he is on the PS for a reason and he was not claimed. The safeties in camp were questionable, McCree can play. Then Calvin Lowry was signed. Now we sign Vernon Fox. Barrett will not come up till next camp.
Some of you ask, why the older safeties? Well, if they could find a young good safety, he is definately on a team now.
And NO John Lynch would not be an option.
Goodman and Shanahan will keep looking at the FA and who knows, one may be the one to help our defense.
Waiving Hamza was questionable…I think if anybody should have been waived it should have been Paymah. I don’t haow many time that guy allowed big plays in both the San Diego and New Orleans games
i agree with gasperdn i thought paymah might be good cause he was young and did a pretty good job against the bears last year but all i’ve seen is paymah getting burned. y didn’t we just keep foxworth i really thought he could be good and he probably will but no we gotta keep paymah
Where is John Lynch?!?!?!?
You’re telling me John Lynch wouldn’t help this pitiful defense????
We need him back, NOW!
NO !!!!! John Lynch is way to slow these days.He may play the run like a linebacker but he’s toast in pass coverage!!!! that’s why we let him go.People need to realize what’s going on.If you can’t cover and if you can’t tackle,you’re out of here!!!! Everyone is saying maybe next year is are year but Shanny is tweeking the roster now.He’s looking forward to Nov. and Dec.,When things really get tight.As far as I’m concerned,our whole secondary is on the bubble, including Champ and Dre !!!! Champ hasn’t covered anyone since the pick on Monday night a couple of years ago against the Pats!!! Dre has been getting ate up since he’s been a bronco.I suppose everyone forgot the Green Bay game last year when Dre gave up the 80 yd. bomb on Favre’s first play from scrimmage in overtime!!!! People are in denial!!! These 2 overated corners need to step it up in a major way!!! SMASH da CHIEFS !!!!!
I THINK JUNKYARD IS RIGHT OUR PASS D’ IS GETTING SPANKED !!!!! SO DRE & CHAMP BETTER PICK IT UP!!! WE ARE NOT GOING TO SCORE 35POINTS A GAME EVERY SUNDAY. SO COME D’ SHOW ME SOMETHING!!!!!