Special teams coordinator Mike Priefer stopped to talk with the media on his way off the field following the club’s afternoon practice on Thursday, and the eight-year NFL coaching veteran used the opportunity to address a wide range of questions regarding his unit.
Without hesitation, Priefer made it clear that he has high expectations for his special teams playmakers this season.
“Like I told the guys the first meeting we had back in the spring with our full team,” Priefer said. “Part of our philosophy is that we want to be the most feared special teams unit in the NFL.”
Extremely familiar with the landscape of the AFC West after spending the last three seasons as Kansas City’s special teams coordinator, Priefer labeled San Diego’s special teams unit as tops in the division.
But he believes that the players who comprise his unit can compete with the Chargers as the class of the division if they display a number of attributes.
“We need to be tough, we have to be disciplined,” Priefer said. “We have to have great effort and play with great enthusiasm. And if we’ve got those things, plus the tools with the people that we have, I think we have an opportunity to get a lot better.”
Royal Still in the Mix
Throughout the course of training camp, Eddie Royal was routinely positioned back deep, returning punts. While he has not been used on special teams yet this preseason, Priefer would still like to get the speedy second-year player involved with the unit this season.
“I would hope so,” Priefer said. “I just think he is involved in so much on offense that we have to make sure we are keeping an eye on that and how many reps he is getting. If he could do all of it, I’d be jumping on the table. But I was told when we interviewed back in January that Eddie would not be doing as much as he’s done here in the past, which I understand.”
Preseason Evaluations
After watching Brett Kern and Britton Colquitt battle at punter, Priefer said he believes both have futures in the NFL, calling the race at the position “pretty neck and neck.”
Kicker Matt Prater has drawn rave reviews from Priefer, too. Priefer was impressed with Prater last year as he watched him from the Kansas City sideline, and he thinks Prater will only continue to improve — like any young player — as he gets more comfortable with the NFL game.
“I think he’s got a lot of tools and he’s only getting better,” Priefer said. “He gotten stronger, he’s got a great work ethic. He’s a good kid, he wants to get better. He knows his craft. For a young guy, he’s only going to continue and get better.”
QUICK HITS:
– Zach Eisendrath, DenverBroncos.com
Here are some more pictures from Thursday’s practice session:
Tags: Chicago Bears, Preseason, Special Teams Coordinator Mike Priefer
He’s awesome enough to make the NFL
Like Broncs66 said, he’s good enough to hang around in the NFL so he’s not without skill. He’s just a temporary patch anyways. As soon as Simms is healthy, he’ll be released. Simms is already without his crutches, which is encouraging. Brandstater just isn’t ready. He needs more reps. Heck, he needs to hang on to the clipboard for a season. Learn the system and the NFL better.
Meant Broncs55, not 66. Sorry Broncs55, I was typing in a hurry in bad lighting.
Wow he called it man. This hsould have been on comedy central. them Raiders are stinking up the place lol. This is getting ugly lol.
As for brandstater, Feel bad for him, if all qbs werent learning a new system and needed as much snaps as possible, ideally he should be getting more, and he coulda held us down. Who knows if he has untapped potential. Doesnt look like he will be ready to go anytime t his year. Fallign flat on his face is good fo rhim to. He will learn from that. As far as inge martin goes, if he can come in hear, learn it all in record time, display some skill and talent and look like the next big thing, I WELCOME HIM lol
Yeah, looking at the Raiders/Saints score, the Raiders should have stayed at home and mailed the score in.
now i’m looking for turner to truck merriman…and of course i want someone to make rivers bleed…that dude is such a tool…as far as our tom b. goes, i’m hopeful…like TRB said, with more reps i think he could be sucessfull…he’s a big qb with a big arm and he’s smart…i see him being a clear number 2 next year…simms just can’t stay healthy…he’s a good guy though…tough luck
I wouldn’t say Simms can’t stay healthy. It was a cheap shot by Reed that hurt him. Could have easily happened to anyone.
you’re right DD, to me, he doesn’t look as good as he did before the spleen…i’m rooting for him, but i feel like he’s a long shot to stick around
He’ll be around this year, for certain. Next year, unlikely. Brandstater will be the BU (providing that Kyle shines this year).
Orange Colored GlassesLeague Notes
Your live online draft is set for Sat Aug 29 8:00pm MDT [ Add to My Calendar ], which is 1 hour and 42 minutes from now.
injury to Cassell
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/nflnation/0-10-326/Cassel-leaves-game-with-leg-injury.html
What is it with Seattle and injuring the QB’s legs? Wonder if this one was a cheap shot also?
funny how the injured brady last year and now they injure cassell who filled in for brady this year
Do you guys know if knowshons going to play against the bears tomorrow.
he is not going to play. also draft for orange colored glasses starts in 37 minutes
Doubt if he will play. McD will only play guys who are “ready and able.” I can’t wait for pre-season to finish. The full brilliance of McD’s offense won’t be revealed until our first REAL game against Cincy. If B Marshall is not in the line-up, things will still just tick along like a Swiss watch. With McD’s system, which is based on horizontal more than vertical passing schemes, we will be fully loaded. We’ll have Hillis, Buckhalter, and Moreno catching passes out of the backfield…maybe even Larsen (that dude can do it all)…as well as forming a PUNISHING running attack…then there’s Graham, Scheffler, and Quinn for the short yardage mismatches and crossing patterns…Royal, McKinley, Gaffney, Stokley, Lloyd, Jackson, maybe Swift as over-all medium to deep threats…we’ve got receivers to burn…and they all suit the McD scheme. Couple that with a great O-line and serviceable QBs and LIGHTS OUT!! Hey, have I mentioned our D??? Bailey, Goodman, Dawkins, and Hill deep. Some tough, quick LBs plus an adequate D-line. And all that with great special teams and quality young back-ups at all positions. This is the year of the TURN AROUND, guys. We will be back in the play-off picture for sure. Book it.
aussie have you gone to the draft
my page wont load, has yours
I now have a new piblic enemy #1.
MIKE SELLERS, washington redskins, ‘threw the AMERICAN FLAG on the groung’. he said he didnot know what to do with it so he “set it down the way I did”. He cane from a ARMY family and still “FLUNG IT TO THE GROUND”
he said he was SORRY but ROBERT HANSON had to be the one to go out to the 50 yard line and picked it up.
this is what ESPN said.
Sellers, you ignorant, brainless, piece of trash. They should pack your bags and send you off to Iraq. Idiot.
The Broncos are primed and poised to knock Cutler into next week. Tomorrow is the beginning of magnificence for our squad and it’s a shame Marshall has goofed around and in all likelihood, won’t be a part of it.
Yea Brad. Brandon can be a real dissapointment sometimes. I like him as a football player but I am more hopeful for him as just a person. Would hate to see him chucked up as another talented NFL player who would rather pi$$ his life a way or be looked at as a talented guy but a horrible teammate.
Hey guys, I think there was a national alert put out for Oakland, CA. Yeah, a mass suicide watch, ha, ha. San Diego, too, from what I’ve heard?
Psh….The Saint were destroying the Raiders lol. I think they showed pitty by not running up the score more =-/ i expected much more points lol.
Honestly i think if we face Russel we sweep the raiders. IM worried and always scared of jeff garcia..That guy is a beast =-/
Wow…sounds like cali just produces loser teams in the NFL huh? oaklan, san diego and SF…..sad stuff man lol
AussieBronco1 you sound so convincing you should be the teams hype man lol.
But yeah bummed about Simms being hurt and idk about Brandster, I havent really seen too much from him to say anything good but I’ll be behind whoever’s under center.
GO BRONC’S!!!!!!!!!! Put them Bears in the dirt, i want #92 embossed on the back of Cutler’s jersey by the end of tomorrow lmao
This from Adam Schefter on Twitter:
“It’s only 7 am, so I could be wrong on this, but I think I already here the boos in Denver for Jay Cutler.”
From CBS4 about Jay (from the Denver defense):
“Cutler said he expects a rude reception from Broncos fans, and he might get less than a warm welcome from some of his former teammates, as well.
“In practice, you never really got to hit him,” defensive end Kenny Peterson said. “But now you’ve actually got a chance, if you can get to him, to lay your body on him a little bit.”
Or a lot.
“It definitely would be nice to get Jay on the ground, give the fans something to cheer about and something to look forward to,” Broncos linebacker Mario Haggan said.”
Ha, ha, bring on the pain. Oh, and “Wolverine will be on the loose.”
Alright….”Wolverine is back” !!
Back and ready to kick butt and take names. Bring on the “X” factor. A safety blitz is in the makings, I sense?
damn cant wait for it to be 8:00pm eastern time. 10 hours away. its killing me.
Article on espn:
http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/insider/news/story?id=4420988
tuesday is the first cut down day five players have to go . here is my list
M.Branson (TE)
B.Colquitt (P )
C.Powell (DL)
M.Thomas (RB)
M.Willis (WR)
Let me know what you guys think.
On adam schefter twitter page
I canoot confirm this… RT @wingoz: @Adam_Schefter in related news.. al davis and mike shanahan had brunch
about 18 hours ago
theroyalbroncofan1,
i posted that same link at
August 27, 2009 at 8:43 pm
on this blog so some of us have already read that. Thats crazy though huh? Too bad we dont all have espn insider, my cousin has the whol article ib the actual magazine, its a 4 page article. I hope we mess him up tonight!!!
me too Jesse, not necessarily hurt him, but make him look really bad
Where he says i should have not left
Askew, Matthias
Branson, Marquez
Carter, Tony
Jones, C.J
Kelley, Braxton
carlton powell stays until the next cut, if he gets cut at all.
britton can kick fg’s so he stays till the next cut.
i wouldnt mind if he got hurt. A little pain in return for his stupid comments about us fans and a little more for crying his way out of town. Let the punk sit on the sideline for a few weeks.
My bad JaZzyFrIzZIE… didn’t go back far enough on the posts. Yeah, I remember him getting on Royals cast last year. Think it was towards the end of the season but not sure which game it was.
When Patriots beat us last year… #6 was frustrated in that game. He also hit his hand on a helmet right off the bat.
Sorry– meant to say “case last year”.
that and he constantly got mad at marshall when he threw picks. He needs to be a man and say, that was my bad. But he is not much one, so it makes since why he does that.
Invesco @ Mile High:
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey, you guys want a good laugh? Follow this link and see what Ellis had to say about yesterdays Raiders game.
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2009/08/30/new-raider-ellis-unloads-after-blowout-1/
DD:who u think will be cut tuesday?
Hey DD thanks for the insight. That’s good to hear that the Raiders are imploding as a franchise. As long as Al Davis holds onto this team we have nothing to worry about.
Can’t wait to see the Broncos dismantle the Bears tonight. This game has a regular season feel to it, would you agree? GO BRONCOS!!!
Yeah, it has a regular season feel about it. Enough to make me go to my Broncos bar tonight to watch it. Broncos, Bears and beer. Ah, the simple pleasures of life.
Branson won’t make it.
Carter won’t make it.
CJ Jones won’t make it.
Kelley won’t make it.
Willis won’t make it. These are just a few. Gorin may not make it. I’m not sure about Oldenburg either. Marcus Thomas is iffy (DL). Marcus Thomas (RB) is not going to make it. Putzier will not make it. If he stays this week, he won’t make the 2nd cut.
What cracked me up about the Ellis interview is that he metioned that the players are out partying like college frat boys. ha, ha. CAN YOU SAY DISFUNCTIONAL? They must be hanging out with Javon Walker, ha, ha. Teach them how to go out and spray champagne on people, flash your wallet and get mugged. LOSERS!
u think oldenburgs gonna make it? what about mccheseny? and erickson?
6 hours and counting. ORANGE CRUSH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!