As soon as the final selection of the 2012 NFL Draft was off the board, the Broncos front office was once again hard at work.
The team began furiously working the phones to sign a handful of college free agents, in the end signing 13.
The 13th pickup? Wide receiver Eric Page.
Highly coveted after his record-setting college career at Toledo, Page had several offers to mull over from interested NFL teams. So he took his time before deciding to become a Bronco.
“Denver is a great city,” Page said about why he picked the Broncos. “I just talked it over with my family. We had other teams in our minds, but Denver was the best team for me.”
Despite forgoing his senior year of college for the NFL, Page left Toldeo as the Mid-American Conference’s all-time leading receiver. His 306 career receptions are just 43 behind the NCAA record-holder, Ryan Broyles, who played four seasons at Oklahoma.
Page finished his career at Toledo with 3,446 yards and 25 touchdowns in addition to averaging 27.3 yards on 80 kickoff returns with five total return touchdowns. He was named first-team All-America after returning three kicks for touchdowns as a sophomore and ranking third in the country with a 31-yard kick return average.
He ranked second in the country last season with 125 catches and finished fifth in the nation as a sophomore with 99. During his first year as a wideout, Page finished 20th in the country with 82 catches. The former high school quarterback amassed more than 1,100 receiving yards in each of his three seasons as a Rocket.
Despite going undrafted, Page doesn’t regret his decision to leave school early to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL.
“I think everybody wants to be drafted,” he said. “That’s your goal when you come out of college. But I ended up in a good position. I was blessed by God to end up here and I’m happy.”
He has already opened some coaches’ eyes with his acrobatic catches and return ability in minicamps and OTAs.
Special Teams Coordinator Jeff Rodgers mentioned Page as a player who could have an immediate impact in the return game and Head Coach John Fox echoed that sentiment in a conference call with the team’s season ticket holders.
That’s a role that Page would embrace should he get that opportunity.
“I like special teams,” Page said. “I like kick return and punt return just because it’s another chance to get the ball in my hands. … We had a great kick return team at Toledo. They opened the holes and I just had the vision to follow what the coaches told me to do.”
Regardless of where the coaches want Page to play, the versatile player said that he’ll do his best to show that he has the skills to succeed.
“I’m willing to do anything,” he said. “If they want to put me at kick return or punt return, gunner, receiver – it doesn’t matter to me. I just want to play and that’s my goal.”
-Stuart Zaas
Tags: Eric Page
We had another #19 that wasn’t too shabby at returning punts… Good luck Page!
Those are some eye popping stats. It sometimes amazes me how many of these undrafted college free agents fly so far under the radar during draft time.
Seems like everyone we drafted, held , all the records in their perspective division howd we do that. I say we have a pretty good scouting team, your rt sndvl, and , it seems like we grabbed alot of good guys, with good backgrounds, I love the direction were going for sure.
Page sounds like a solid person and productive player. Since Royal is gone, we need a P/K returner.
DB, what did Rodger Clemens do to his carreer? He was found not guilty, Today, his reputation will be tarnished for sure, but it wasnt him that did that, he was just defending himself. Hes still one of the best pitchers to ever step on the field in my eyes, and , Favre is still one of the best QBs to ever play the game. I heard TT is playing fullback now, amongst other positions other then QB. Hes bulked up twice as big as he was before, but as a QB thats not what you want, would make it alot harder to throw the ball IMO. But I dont think he will be doing alot of that this season anyways. Hope you had a nice fathers day.
I hope Page ends up being the next Rod Smith plus PR & KR. I love it when these overlooked players get their shot!
TT – is willing to do what is needed but he has made it clear that he wants to be a QB in the NFL. Other positions and roles are just sidelines to keep himself relevant and in the mix while waiting for his next opportunity. He knows he is build like a back and he has spent the majority of his football career fighting ‘position by body conformation’. His book emphasized the concept.
I recall his brother stating in 2010 that Tim’s weight was being under reported. That TT played at 255. Now they say he is building himself up to 250. (I saw it on a facebook post and it is possible that the post was fabricated. I also don’t know what period of time they were referring to. I guess the point is that Tebow is unlikely to allow them to hurt his QB career – and it maybe that he is returning to a prior level of comfort.) I don’t think that an extra 10 lbs. will slow Tebow as he isn’t all that fast anyhow and an extra 10 lbs. could come in awful handy if they use him as a running back, and as a blocker.
Clemens – we don’t know what we don’t know but it looks like he is scrambling to save a career and he doesn’t come across as very believable at times. I guess I could have chosen a better example.
Farve’s claim to fame is his longevity. He doesn’t belong in the same category as any of the greats – Elway / Moreno / Montana / Young / or even Manning and Brady. The stat hounds can always get him there but Farve was a gunslinger who had the odds break in his favor. I’m done with this guy.
Thanks for the fathers day wishes – I’m reading my posts and I think I woke up grouchy. Please excuse! I’m going away now!
DB, what is happening right now has to do with Favre, so why can’t I talk about it? it is very sad for me. I don’t even like the guy, but $10,000 bounties are not cool. And that’s the same season they beat our QB in the SB, it’s relevant to me.
FanSluminginSD is this true? “San Diego fans (if you can call them that) always ask me why I wear Broncos gear year round and follow the team year round… They just don’t get it. Can’t wait for camp to start.”
Because I like could wear Broncos shirts for a month and not have to wash them. What Not To Wear would probably tell me I could only keep one of my many jerseys! LOL Honestly, last Saturday was such a hard day for me because I attended one of my former students fathers funeral and I had to sit back and realize the kid is only fourteen and will have to grow up without his dad… I came home and put my Peyton Manning jersey on just to feel better because I was so sad ;-( I can’t imagine not wearing my Broncos gear all year!!
Hey Cat – my meaning concerning Farve was to make a statement about where I am with the dude. Feel free to bring him up all you wish. (I would not hinder you even if I could.) Farve will be my ‘him who shall not be named’ LOL I just got tired of all his returns from retirement, antics, and stunts. Seemed to me to even make a classless media event around his father’s death. That probably was when I had enough of the guy. The current fiasco – I don’t get it – hurts his family, shames all who come in contact. Why do they do these dumb things???
Anyhow – sitting in my office wearing my #15 Tebow jersey, over a tie!!! Good thing I’m well air-conditioned!
No, like I respect where you’re coming from, but I’m just not cool with the now $39,000 bounty they had on him for the NFC Championship game and I think the Minnesota Vikings should be pressing charges against the Saints organization. That is not okay.
Peyton Manning’s name never came up because I doubt the current Saints staff would have the gall to target the son of their Hall of Fame Quarterback. Could you imagine the ramifications of that?
That doesn’t make what they did to Favre right at all, but it puts it into perspective. The idea is not so much that people were paid actual funds for what happened, the intentions were there and had he been knocked out of the game… sheesh. And Rodgers? The one they had on him? Thems fightin’ words. I love him and I hope he continues to win championships for the Packers. And he has the possibility to be named with the “greats” and it would not have been fair for him to lose that because of something like the bounties. I spend way too much time thinking about this and it breaks my heart.
Don’t worry, I never liked Favre… I liked him even less when we beat him in the Super Bowl and he had nothing but vile things to say about John Elway. But I will say that nobody deserves to be treated the way that he was treated and I’m glad that something is finally being done about it.
Cat-
Peyton Freaking Manning! (PFM). The first time I heard that was on 104.3 ‘The Fan’ with Evans and Klatt out of Denver. I was turned on to that station by a friend of mine that lives in Denver and I listen to it every day. If anyone would like to check it out you can find it on I-tunes. Everybody on this blog will dig this.
Broncos Country:
Like to see the new blogs! I think we have a bunch of “sleepers” when camp comes around. Here is a roll call not a contest on who your all’s favorite sleepers are. Just for fun. Post what ever postion and why they are your sleeper! I can not wait if to read what Bronco Country thinks??
Blogs been slow so just though I would start something!
Week 4 fadiers are going down at Mile High!! Broncos by 10!!
ILMSDB
Peace out
FTR
Hola Bloggereeno’s… Looks like I didn’t miss anything in the last day and a half (except a little Barking Chihuahua)
Can’t wait till Football…. I’m SOOOO Bored with the nothingness of Offseason Football… I get in from Work and then get here and Blah… BORING
Hope Page makes the team!!! Good Luck Broncos Buddy!!!
B-R-O-N-C-O-S BRONCOS BRONCOS BRONCOS!!!
Von Manning Football 2012!!! Superbowl Champions or Bust!!!
That includes you as well, DB. How are the rabbis?
GO BRONCOS!
Cam–YES! PEYTON FREAKING MANNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! March 19th, 2012 is one of the best days of my life. I’m only 29 so I can say that! LOL!
FTR- I’ll be at that game! They better win by 20!
Cat- Don’t make me feel old! I’m only 38! HA HA!
PFM!!!
Okay, Cam… was it one of the best days of your life too? Hey, I don’t have kids… the most exciting things in my life are mostly mundane to other people…
FTR, I think we have a lot of really cool cats on our team… my sleeper is: Omar Bolden, cornerback
I liked this signing immediately! He has great returning skills. Also, the kid was a captain on his team even though he had to sit out with an injury his Senior year. I’m very intrigued by this kid and hope he shocks the world, much like Chris Harris did last season.
Plus, he might have Champ Bailey talent and that’s tough to find anywhere:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1186525-denver-broncos-omar-bolden-impresses-in-camp-could-he-be-champs-replacement
Cat- I had my drawbacks at first, but, Peyton will transform our O after all this bologna we’ve had to eat in the past few years. It wouldn’t surprise me a bit if AW is his successor.
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8067697/ladainian-tomlinson-retires-11-seasons
I’m sure everyone saw this already but had to bring it up… I loved to hate this guy cause like it or not, he owned the AFC West for several years and I dreaded the days we played SD when he was there! Thanks for the Memories LT2 (LT will ALWAYS be Lawrence Taylor! best linebacker of all time, bar none!!!)
Also… Congrats to Roger Clemens on his Acquittal… I still believe you used the Rhoids (HGH etc…)!!! but anytime you beat charges coming from the GOV I gotta give you some love…
http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/331172-tebow-has-a-message-for-athletes?eref=sihp&sct=hp_bf2_a6
Sorry if this is a Repost… Crazy that 26,000 people went to see ‘a backup qb’ talk! Keep on Keepin on Timmy Tebow! Don’t ever let ‘the B*stards’ get you down! (One of my very favorite quotes of all time!!!)
http://www.dailyfinance.com/2012/06/18/bitcoins-euro-europe-safe-haven-currency/?icid=maing-grid7%7Chp-desktop%7Cdl31%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D170857
DB? Have you read this?!? I know we have briefly spoke of some sort of non-centralized standard for currency and this was an interesting article!
Good Morning Broncos Country!
Had a great game of softball last night! Went 4-5 with 6 RBI’s, 4 runs scored, 3 triples and a double. Finally got my swing dialed in and I was crushing the ball………….man it felt great!
No real Broncos news to comment on…………oh well. No news means no bad news at the same time so I’ll take that.
Congrats to Tomlinson on his retirement. He was a stud and like turtle said, I so hated our team having to go up against him cause he always burned us bad. More so, I’m glad to see that he went out on his own terms and didn’t overstay his welcome. He knew the time was now and he made the decision.
This whole Saints bounty scandal thing is such a mess. While I’m sure the league has proof the program existed……I’m not sure if they have proof that any actual financial transactions took place. Either way, I don’t think the league will lose and the suspensions will be upheld.
I actually find the whole thing inane anyways. And what I mean by that is every D player on the line wants to sack the QB and potentially take them out of the game, legally of course, by ways of a big hit. That’s their mentallity on every snap. You don’t think Doom and Gloom don’t want to lay out that QB so hard that he has to leave the game? That’s what there out there trying to do. I really don’t see the extra incentive that $10K brings to the table for a guy who’s making multi millions to play…………it’s the same as a fine where the player says whoopti-doo.
I dunno………..I guess I’m under the thought that if a player plays the game within the rule book and so happens to take a guy out on a big hit………..I don’t really care if the team gives him some sort of bonus for it. Same as a pick-six in a game……….it’s just performance pay really…….except on a pick six, no one gets hurt, except the QB’s feelings.
These sort of bonuses have been going on since the league inception and I think it would be pretty hard to deny that.
Before anyone jumps all over me………..my point is that it has to be done within the rules of the game. I don’t agree with players taking cheap shots or committing personal fouls like head shots to get the job done. In my mind, there’s no place for that in the game at all.
Kod, I just see a distinct difference for being paid for a pick 6, which I have no problem with, and being paid for taking a guy out or ruining his career. But I don’t think being paid extra for hits is in the rules of the game. I don’t think money ever changed hands in the injury department, but planning a murder is wrong, so is planning to end someone’s career with an injury IMO.
Yeah, I hear ya cat………..and my point wasn’t to say that I’m all for guys trying to ruin players careers by any stretch. Just that as a pass rusher, your mentality is to get to the QB and really lay the wood………..and if that hit results in injury, so be it.
Of course Doom and Gloom want to take out the QB, but you better believe they’re going to do it legally. It’s what they’ve been trained to do their whole career! It’s already what they get paid to do, IMO.
Yes, I agree with you. I have no problem if a QB gets hurt on legal plays… That’s one of the risks of playing the game!
I guess the biggest difference is getting a bonus for a sack that coincidently takes out the QB versus a bonus that pays for taking out the QB by any means necessary.
Thought this was pretty cool
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d829ad803/article/peyton-manning-living-in-redskins-shanahans-home
Kod, see? Thats where I think the pay for performance problem comes in and why the league wants it out completely.
This is a good article: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d829f166f/article/randy-moss-michael-vick-still-hunting-for-ring?module=HP11_cp
But the comments irk me. People who think Champ Bailey is overrated need to get their heads checked for brain damage.
Hey everyone, hows things? cat, miller, kod, bt, good to see everyone getting back to it! anyway i see ol’ short arms is waddling closely again, i’ll try to ignore it. as far as the bounties i’m right with ya kod, thats what they are supposed to do, go kill the qb. its a common phrase in the game. now a cheap shot to intentially hurt someone is completely out of bounds and reckless, but i’m sure it goes on out there. I keep thinking i’m gonna see that prator has signed and yet it keeps on not getting done. we need to get him signed long term. tomlinson retiring is something worth talking about too. he was a special rb and a thorn in the broncos side twice a year for many years. man i hated that guy. but he was fun to watch run. there hasnt been many that were better than him. he almost rivaled barry sanders when he was in his prime. almost. i agree with bt though, he should be lt2, cuz theres only one LT. there shouldve never been another LT nickname in football. its like a retired jersey #. LT is a retired nickname and no one else can use it.
as far as the 26,000 people coming to see tebow, i would think most werent considering the backup qb part, they were going to see a guy whos an influential religous figure. of course his status as a winning qb at a prime college in an incredibly popular sport made him a household name, a role model, and thats part of what put him in that role. no matter how he plays in the nfl his stature is set and he can do no wrong now in the eyes of some. its the perfect storm and theyre not gonna hesitate to take advantage of him and his stature and i dont blame them.
Miller, I don’t think he’s going to be staying there much longer, what with these next six weeks of break, I bet that he and Ashley can buy a house soon! But I definitely think it’s cool that he is staying there.
Kod, what I wrote makes no sense, they’re all getting paid for performance, I meant the extra bonus’
I know what you mean cat:)
How is your day? What are you up to? I have this huge pile of laundry to fold and more in the wash… Boring! LOL
What is also concerning is this absolute authority the league seems to have and its willingness to excercise this power as they see fit.
Day is going well……….had a long training session this morning and now I’m cluing up some things here at work before heading out for the day. 1 day closer to the weekend!
hey cat laundry sux so i feel for ya. i’m working and its really picking up so its hard to post as much as i’d like to but it looks like everyone is busy because theres not much posting going on overall on here lately. i’ll def be reading tho, love the comments and the links, keep em all coming!!
Kod, true, but they all set that up last season in the new CBA agreement and they all signed it so I don’t feel bad for them.
LBF, no worries! I will always be around even if I’m not posting. The next five weeks or so are so boring though! LOL
as long as there’s football on my television every week, I couldn’t really care less! lol
Here’s an adage I heard and thought it was funny…………
Don’t sweat the petty stuff and don’t pet the sweaty stuff!
Words to live by really! lol
by Eric Gilmore, CBSSports.com
The Raiders are showing interest in free agent RB Cedric Benson, who rushed for 1,067 yards last season with Cincinnati, ESPN is reporting. The Raiders lost backup RB Michael Bush as a free agent to Chicago. Taiwan Jones, a second-year pro, and Mike Goodson, acquired from Carolina earlier this year in a trade, are the top candidates on the roster to replace Bush, but both are undersized. Benson (5-11, 227) has 5,769 career rushing yards in seven seasons.
Hey y’all. Pretty quiet ’round here I see.. No news is definately good news IMO. I hope our boys stay healthy, out of trouble, and away from the media during their break..
This is so sad! I don’t understand people some times: http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_20893012/tebow-broncos-and-shelter-allegedly-invoked-bolster-charity
http://espn.go.com/blog/afcwest/post/_/id/45018/afc-west-more-or-less
John Clayton says we will be 10-6… Winners of the West…