Clear skies returned to Dove Valley during Wednesday morning’s practice session. Approaching 72 hours until Saturday’s kickoff at Seattle, the Broncos introduced a new scout team, opened up their playbook, and kept the speakers going with plenty of music.
Here are some quick hits from the two-hour session:
ROLL CALL: On defense, Champ Bailey, Brian Dawkins and Jack Williams missed the morning session. Not practicing on offense were running backs Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter, wide receivers Brandon Stokley and Brandon Lloyd, and guard/center Ben Hamilton.
POSITIONING: With Bailey and Dawkins sitting out practice, Alphonso Smith and Darcel McBath saw most of the reps with the first team defense. Kenny Peterson, Ronald Fields and Ryan McBean manned the line, while Mario Haggan, Andra Davis, D.J. Williams and Elvis Dumervil were at linebacker.
With Stokley and Lloyd out, the offense sported plenty of two-tight end sets. Daniel Graham and Tony Scheffler shifted along the line, while Chad Jackson, Jabar Gaffney, and Eddie Royal were the primary wide receivers. Brandon Marshall saw time with both the second team and the scout team.
With Hamilton missing the session, rookie Seth Olsen squeezed into the first team line at left guard. Olsen has also seen action at that spot next to Hamilton, when Casey Wiegmann sat out a few sessions at center over the course of camp.
In his second day of practice with the team, Le Kevin Smith demonstrated the versatility Head Coach Josh McDaniels spoke of on Monday. He lined up at right end alongside Nic Clemons and Chris Baker with the second-team defense. In nickel packages, he worked the interior in four-lineman fronts, next to either Baker or Fields.
The No. 1 kickoff return team this morning consisted of Haggan, McBath, Peterson, Josh Barrett, David Bruton, Richard Quinn, Darrell Reid, Kory Lichtensteiger, Peyton Hillis and Spencer Larsen. Rotating on returns were Eddie Royal, Kenny McKinley and Smith on one series, with Matthew Willis and Nate Swift rotating on the other set.
DRILLS: With Buckhalter and Moreno not practicing, LaMont Jordan and Darius Walker got extra reps, working with the quarterbacks on inside handoffs, draw plays and screen passes.
The tight ends and outside linebackers went full speed in 1-on-1 blocking drills. Quinn drew praise from Head Coach Josh McDaniels for sticking Robert Ayers on his rush. Dumervil got a pat on the back from linebackers coach Don Martindale for his play against Tony Scheffler. “There you go, E! There you go. Way to get him up on his kickstand.”
Defensive line coach Wayne Nunnely worked with his unit on protecting their legs. Each defensive lineman went up against a teammate posing as an offensive lineman. While battling for position, a third teammate rolled a medicine ball at their feet. Once they saw it, they poked that ball away to prevent their legs from being taken out.
PLAYMAKERS: Lee Robinson made his presence felt both in the backfield and on pass coverage. In one set of 11-on-11s, he blitzed from his inside linebacker spot, driving Marcus Thomas to the ground. Two plays later, Robinson was defending Marshall, and stepped in to pick off the Tom Brandstater pass for a touchdown. Marshall did everything he could to jar the ball loose, but Robinson was still able to march into the end zone
Joshua Bell was also active on the second-team unit, tipping a pass to Vernon Fox for an interception. Bell was close to having a pick of his own, but dropped the easy offering. He kept his spirits up, and dropped to do 10 push ups – following the lead of Dawkins who set that rule by example early on in training camp.
Kyle Orton and the rest of the offense used the final period of 11-on-11s to open up the playbook. Orton executed a flea flicker with Jordan, finding a crossing Chad Jackson for a 15-yard gain. Two plays later, Orton handed off to Jabar Gaffney, who threw back across the field to Orton. Toeing the original line of scrimmage, Orton hit a streaking Jordan for a 15-yard gain along the left sideline.
QUICK HITS: McDaniels didn’t hesitate to instill some discipline in his defense. After having to blow the whistle on two plays for poor lineup at the line of scrimmage, McDaniels made all 32 members of his defense run a lap around the practice field.
The scout team jerseys were back out at practice on Wednesday. Several Broncos posed as Seahawks, including Lofa Tatupu and Brandon Mebane on defense, and Nate Burleson and Deion Branch on offense. The Julius Jones jersey was used in both offense and kickoff return situations.
After practice, Royal was working on one-handed catches, alternating between his left and his right depending on where the ball was headed.
DAILY JUKEBOX: There was plenty of music during Wednesday morning’s session, from stretches through the final set of 11-on-11 drills. Here’s this morning’s playlist:
Nelly – “Air Force Ones”
Green Day – “Holiday”
Jay Z & Linkin Park – “Numb/Encore”
KC & The Sunshine Band – “Get Down Tonight”
Nelly – “Hot in Herre”
Das Efx – “They Want Efx”
Damian Marley – “Welcome to Jamrock”
Survivor – “Eye of the Tiger”
Ozzy Osbourne – “Crazy Train”
Metallica – “Enter Sandman”
Here are some more shots from the morning session.
-Chris Gentilviso, DenverBroncos.com
Tags: Training Camp
This entry was posted
on Wednesday, August 19th, 2009 at 12:12 pm and is filed under DenverBroncos.com.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
I know this is extremely random, but i havent really been able to answer to my own post ON THE FIRST PAGE, but i did kind of exaggerate scores because of our offense last year and we have kind of switched stats on the sides of the ball, but i think we COULD go 6-0 in our division because before the injury bug hits halfway through the season, we’re usually real good. No DJ? No Champ? we hit a bad streak last year. Like BYU. anyway, so what i’m saying is, if we don’t get drastic injuries like last year, we might be able to go 6-0. Defense wins championships. look at the ravens offense. anyway, oakland and kansas city might be more threating than san diego (not by record, but divisionally) KC lost gonzalez and expect to replace him by cassel? no.
So, #7, you’re saying that #15 needs to stop acting like #6 before he gets 86′d? ha, ha. (I thought that was rather clever).
PhotoHoundAK
I see your point. But to say we know “nothing about Marshall’s motives” Is not correct! Hey I am under a contact where I work and it will be reviewed at its closure! I have been a top producer in my sales group and expect a raise at the end of my contract. That said– I can not in the real world go to my boss and say “Look at me I am ahead of everyone else and I want to get paid a better commission or salary? My Boss would only e-mail me back and say, see you when we renew your contract>I just put myself down a few notches in his eyes for even bringing the subject up. BM signed on the dotted line. Just like everyone else. I do not mean to imply that in the NFL contracts are not redone all the time. But as an employee he is subject not only to his performance on the field but also to how he is looked on by his employer and customers. Witch is us, the Fans and Mr. B. I do not know if you have been unemployed lately but your comment holds no weight. My two cents.
FTR
…and I think we should give him a new contract because at the end of the year, he might want to go into free-agency and try and work out something with chicago or somewhere else. not outrageously high in case he does get in trouble, but you’ve gotta give him another chance he’ll approve of and he may be more motive to stay out of trouble. this is the only thing that i like more about college is that each player is dedicated to their team. you don’t see a lot of transfers to a different college because he doesn’t like the team
MM15, I don’t know if we will sweep. No matter how good Denver plays, they always have a tough time with teams in their own division. The only thing I see as maybe changing that is that this is a new team, new system, etc.. However, San Diego always played well against NE. Oakland is always Oakland. I don’t worry about them. Chiefs are new and also NE style team. They will be interesting.
LOL Dave, very clever indeed. And yes, that’s what I’m sayin. Glad you get the picture, #1,000,000. hahaha whoops, did I say that out loud?? Just messin with ya dude!
MM15, all Denver has to do is slap a franchise on him and he won’t go anywhere. He will be a restricted free agent.
Tease…..
DD
I can not belive it I feed a troll.
See how you are, FTR? Me, I always feed the trolls. Can’t help it. Love the debate. Anyways, I’m out for the night. Places to go, people to do, ha, ha.
To the Batmobile…….
Talk to you all again tomorrow, same bat time, same bat channel……..
Me?? A tease? Nah…
Later Davester!! hahaha That’s a new one and it rhymes. lol
Goodnite myself. Good posts everyone.
007Elway…it has nothing to do with man crushes, it’s about wanting to win and if Marshal is gonna be with us he needs to feel that way. We have a good team and some real depth at WR (with marshal) If the defense can step up and play aggressive and consistent in the top 10, and if Ortin can be a good game manager and not turn the ball over and throw 3500+ yard (which i think he can) we could be a nice surprise this yr.
All i’m saying about Marshall is that if he’s gonna be a Bronco..we want him to be a FIRED UP bronco NOT a resentful teamate. with that said he deserves support NOT a contract from the team.
Ya, players are ALWAYS happy when they get slapped with that Franchise tag…
It’s only through a fluke with the Collective Bargaining Agreement that he can’t become a free agent anyway. Just bad luck for him? He deserves it, right? So let’s restrict him, franchise him, franchise him again…force him to stay here forever, him with no say in any of it. Kind of like a slave…
I’m baaaack.
AK, I understand what you’re saying, but keep in mind that slaves don’t get paid 2.2 million dolars a year. And with the franchise tag, he will get paid a great deal more. If that’s slavery, sign me up…
Oh, and treat him like crap on top of that… Lie to him about the extent of his injury… Have the owner tell him that he will agree to trade him, then change your mind and try to deny it… Then go behind his back and tell everyone to say that they’re just relieved that his current, burdensome legal situation is finally over…then when he finds out about it hurry and throw the blame onto some low-level lackey… Yeah, I just WONDER how he could possibly have some trust issues with the team. Classy, Bowlen. REAL classy…
ok, here is a new look! if i was #15 i would not want a new contract. I would also not want out of denver! (for now) ya, you are thinking WTF. if he stays in denver plays out the year, he is a FA. the broncos have to put a tag on him or let him go. this means MORE MONEY AND OUT OF DENVER. in his eyes this would be a win-win. this would also give him MORE money in the long run, top 5 wr pay, whitch he will not get right now. like Guber told Andy “there is a differance between being stupid and ignorant”
if he plays up to par than the broncos need to stay away from this by giving him a new contract after a few games, if his hip, hand and aditude all pass the test. and if he ever learns the play book.
on another note $6,000.00 (plus) a day, is what i would LOVE to make this year. and they could even keep the vacation pay.
The thing is, you’re quick to believe everything Marshall says and quicker to dismiss everything the staff says didn’t happen? I know the staff has made errors, but Marshall has made his share, as well. This isn’t a one way street, here. It’s a matter of “he said, she said” and because of that, you and I and others will form our own opinions as to where the truth lies. My guess is that it’s somewhere in-between. J We can only judge be what info we’re given. But to say that the staff are total liars and Marshall is innocent is not being fair about it. Too unbending. Marshall already showed he doesn’t want to be here. Who’s to say that he’s not guilty of misconduct? I already said the PR man should be fired. What he did was wrong. Staff says he acted alone. Who are we to say they are not being truthful? I can’t say they are or aren’t But Marshall is unhappy and making it known. To me, that takes away some of his credibility and adds motive. Does it make it so? No. But it gives food for thought…
Sorry for the typo’s. I didn’t spell check or proof read my last post, plus I’m watching Ghosthunters.
dave, i haven’t found any of my friends on there yet, so you have a few years to wait. lol
Yes, I agree with most of that Dave. However, the conduct of the team has been shone to be questionable and potentially untruthful not only in one situation (Cutler), but twice now… In just a short amount of time. This sort of thing would never happen in Denver in the past.
texark-fan, I missed that? Explain? Old age must be setting in, ha, ha.
That’s where the “he said, she said” comes to play. Cutler made it known that he wasn’t happy with the way things transpired and controversial statements were made by both sides. Marshall is buddy, buddy with Jay and started showing his displeasureright after Jay left. Hip misdiagnoses, etc.. He Twittered some dumb things. He handled that poorly. I can’t blame him solely, but I have to form some sort of conclusion and he takes the majority of the blame. The missing OTA’s (to learn the book) is now coming back to bite him in the behind. He is becoming his own worse enemy. He needs to keep quiet, do his job, not talk to the press about the contract stuff, stop asking to be traded (Denver holds all the cards) and let his agent work. Fire the PR guy as a show of faith to Brandon. Make a statement. They already apologized to him for the PR’s actions. Did he act alone? Only Oswald knows for sure, ha, ha.
Doesn’t know the playbook? Yeah, right. He just has no motivation and is probably slacking off… Or, just as likely, he wants to get more time in with Simms and Brandstater, knowing, like a lot of us, that Orton will be out of the lineup soon anyway…
dave i am older than you, and none of my friends (the dead ones) have made a apperance on the show, GHOSTSHUNTERS. BUT I KEEP LOOKING.
texark-fan, ha, ha, gotcha. The only spirits I stay in touch with are 90 proof.
AK, I still think Orton will be alright. I’ll be watching him closely during the Seattle game. See how he responds to last weeks game. He showed flashes of managing the O and then made 3 bad decisions. Hopefully he adjusted. I won’t throw him under the bus after 1 preseason game, but I will watch him closely to see if he learned from his mistakes. McD said he is working out the mistakes. Hey, that’s why they have preseason.
Well, I’m tired. Time to call it a night.
Ak- “You come to our country, take advantage of the system and think because we are tolerant that we are weak and helpless. Your arrogance offends me. And for that the rate just went up 10%”
If #15 knew that and was doing that he would excell with them and be put on the 1st team with Orton!
Ignorant punk! Read the big picture, not just what reporters make of #15′s words!