The Broncos didn’t necessarily slot Demaryius Thomas as a candidate to be their kick returner when they used the 22nd overall pick in April’s NFL Draft to select the wide receiver.
But after giving him a chance in Sunday’s win at Tennessee, Head Coach Josh McDaniels has confidence the 6-foot-3, 229-pound rookie is the right man for the job.
“He is a little taller than most (returners). He’s probably a little thicker than most, but in our mind, he’s harder to tackle than most and he’s probably just as fast as anybody else,” McDaniels said. “The more he did it, the more he wants to do it and I think he’s really embraced that.”
Thomas saw his first action as the deep man on the kick return unit last Sunday at Tennessee and finished with 144 return yards on four attempts, including a 65-yard return to set up a third-quarter Matt Prater field goal.
Thomas, who has 11 catches for 149 yards and a touchdown this season, said special teams coordinator Mike Priefer came to him last week and asked if he’d be ready to handle return duties. The receiver told him he’d be happy to get on the field any way possible.
Heading into his second game as a kick returner, Thomas said he’s starting to get a better handle on what it takes to be a good NFL returner.
“I learned that the game is fast and if you’ve got a hole, you’d better hit it instead of tiptoeing through it,” Thomas said. “If not, you’re going to get hit.”
McDaniels said Thomas also will see time against the Ravens on the kickoff and punt return team as well.
Thomas’ willingness to contribute in any way possible early in his career fits right in with the philosophy McDaniels has worked hard to instill in his team during the past two seasons.
“That’s just his attitude and it’s a tribute to him and a number of other players in our locker room that are very unselfish and will play any role that we ask them to do,” McDaniels said.
During his morning media session, McDaniels said that Knowshon Moreno and Spencer Larsen will be out for Sunday’s game because of injuries.
“Knowshon and Spencer just aren’t ready to go and (I) don’t think it’s the right thing to do to try to force them to try to play before they’re ready to go,” McDaniels said.
McDaniels said he expects Andre’ Goodman and Wesley Woodyard, who both missed Sunday’s win at Tennessee, to be available against the Ravens after evaluating the pair in practice so far this week. They’re both listed as questionable for Sunday’s game on the injury report.
Moreno, who has missed the last two games with a hamstring injury, returned to the practice field on Wednesday on a limited basis but missed the Thursday and Friday workouts. Larsen, who sat out against the Titans with an ankle injury, did not practice this week.
Moreno’s absence means Laurence Maroney, Correll Buckhalter and Andre Brown will likely be the three available running backs for the third straight week. With Larsen out, McDaniels said Dan Gronkowski will see more time in the backfield as a fullback.
For the Ravens, Jared Gaither (back), Tavares Gooden (shoulder), DE Paul Kruger (knee) and Donte’ Stallworth (foot) will miss Sunday’s game. Jason Phillips (illness), Tom Zbikowski (thigh) and Edgar Jones (thigh) are listed as questionable. Todd Heap (shoulder), Le’Ron McClain (shoulder), Ray Rice (knee) and Fabian Washington (illness) are probable for the game.
- Eric Detweiler, DenverBroncos.com
Below are some more photos from Friday’s practice:
Tags: 2010, Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos, Head Coach Josh McDaniels, Knowshon Moreno, Spencer Larsen
Nope! No special info.. haha!
It’s just exactly what you said in your above post…lol
“the hope for great things is right in front of us, and most guys are hitching that ride and are feeling the exhilaration of what it would mean.”
I spent plenty of posts gasping for air in the last couple days..haha, so I thought it would be nice to give the team and bloggers something inspirational to read…
I guess, I am cheering…haha
ILMSDB!
It would really be a grand sneak attack on the Ravens if we could find a way to launch a major run assult on them….
All the articles and player interviews I’ve read are saying that the Ravens are thinking almost exclusively on stopping AIR-ORTON and the FLYING HORSEMEN of the Denver Broncos…
This is the perfect time for Josh to change up the gameplan and Impose a rushing attack on someone…
We’ll see… probably just wishfull thinking on my part….
AIR-ORTON AND THE FLYING HORSEMEN!!!!!!
You heard it here first folks…. ha
Yeah, except running is what McD tried to do the first three quarters against the Titans, starting with that 4 yard loss by Maroney on the very first O play of the game, but giving it up in the fourth quarter after getting only 19 yards on 20 carries, a less than 1 yd per carry average!!!!! But you know all that, just thought a refresher might be needed to explain why McD might not even bother with the run this week.
We got:
Baloney Maroney
Unlucky Bucky
The only wild card is Andre Brown, we can’t give him a nickname since we don’t know what he is about other than unknown, and I have asked McD here repeatedly to play him for two weeks now but to no avail, so not holding up my hopes for this one, but that being said he would definitely be the only one we got who could surprise and shock the Ravens in the running game,
How did we go from Ordinary Orton to Air Orton, haha.
I know the yardage stats, and well deserved as I have said plenty, first in the league, but let me point to someting that’s a little odd for someone who is leadind the league in yards.
Orton ranks in a 4 way tie for 9th in the league in TD, that’s 12 QB’s equal or better than him in TD’s. I researched that by team stats, so it’s possible a team or two may have had more than one QB accounting for their TD’s, but still, it is quite interesting that those stats are so far apart, and as we know TD’s is what it’s all about, between the twenties is for stats but TD’s are for points, and we are definitely nowhere top of the league there, just thought that clarification is needed before folks here start talking Orton league MVP, LOL. I know sndvl already has, and nothing wrong with that, I just like to keep things in perspective as usual, stick in the mud me…
He could either be..
First Down Brown..or..Brown the Clown…
I guessing we’ll get to tag his name on tomorrow afternoon…lol
BTW, Orton has 6 TD’s and the leading TD stat QB is, who else, Peyton Manning with 11 and only one INT, Orton has 3 INT, so still champion of the world: Manning, just saying. Most improved player in the league might be more in the ballpark for Orton when this season is over.
I certainly hope so, because I am not looking forward to see clown Maroney out there and Bucky is really only efficient in the passing game anymore.
Didn’t you read Woodys article in the DP about how Ordinary became AIR?
Per Woody, Orton doesn’t like the coach but his way of getting back at him is to play soo well that he can prove the coach wrong and ultimately outwit him and make a bunch of money in the process… hahahahaha!
Soo far, Orton is winning the battle of wits with the coach….lol
No, when was that?
http://www.denverpost.com/paige/ci_16293451
Ok, I just read it, hadn’t been in the Post yet today.
The main thing I get out of his article is, even if most of the players are doing the politically correct thing saying they like McD in public, I think it’s obvious many of us know better and Orton is certainly not the only one not to see straight with McD, many others didn’t and they’re all gone but don’t be shocked if, of the ones still here, disliking McD is the norm and the ones who like him the exception, That’s what you get when you are not a people person, no big secret here, the only salvation for McD in Denver is winning, the buddy buddy sytem will not get him anywhere here, too much baggage already.
He even threw the winning TD pass with 1:33 left, carried the team, and won on his arm…
Who’da Thunk IT!!! AIR-ORTON came out of the skin of that Mild Mannered Ordinary QB?? wow..?
Now, can he become consistant at it???? Or, will he revert back to the Ordinary QB we all saw blow plays in the red zone against Indy???
Only time will tell… We’ll se if he can survive the gauntlet that is the Dirty Bird Coop…. If we win and he’s not in crutches Monday then I have to say that the guy has a chance to get us to a wildcard game….?
Ok, I’ve done it again, left all kinds of posts here this morning that some bloggers will come on here later and find nothing else to do than pick them apart and tell me how flawed my thinking is. Target shooting, here I am, shoot! LOL.
It’s hard not to waffle on Josh…
I think a LOT of people start off really liking him and his ideas and then after a while he has a way of insulting people on a personal level.. Maybe he doesn’t realize he’s doing it or maybe he is just too powerful to care? idk?
You know I started out the Joshkateer of the blog and now look at me… They call me “fairweather”… haha
I just call myself McWaffled….hahaha
I tell you what. It is hard not to waffle when the drama is high and wins are low…
20-17 Broncos
Go Broncos – HAVE A GREAT TIME and win one for the Gipper. Show the world we are better than they think
New blog. Orton won player of the week. Good for him.
I`ve got an idea. Sit Maroney and Bucky, and play Ball and Brown. Maybe they`ll rush for both 65 yards each. Now there`s some balance huh. I`m only dreaming I guess.
Baylinorcrush & Orange_Crusher: Reading your posts you act like you know McDaniels personally and you also infer you know what everyone playing for him thinks.
There’s no winning in this debate…Orton (insert player name) says he likes McD and you call it politically correct. If he says he has a problem with McD I’m guessing your response would be “See I told you so!”
Love me some Orton AND McD!! Go Broncos!!!
About Orton and McD you need to read the Woody article “McD cooks up first rate QB”, that’s who brought it up, not OC and me, just clarifying. And I’ll believe what Woody says happens in Dove Valley way more than what you think, no disrespect. This is just part of what Woody said about McD and Orton:
In the offseason, there was very little mutual love and respect. Contrary to public statements, they stewed privately.
I don’t want to post the wole article here since this discussion is now old, but you should go at the DP and read it, it might help you out.