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2013 NFL Draft Tight Ends Week Recap

April 20th, 2013 - 8:39am by Gray CaldwellOther posts by Gray Caldwell

With the 2013 NFL Draft set to kick off next Thursday, DenverBroncos.com is nearing the finish of our week-by-week look at prospects at each of the positions.

This week, we focused on tight ends.

Below is a recap of the content posted this week to fill you in on the tight ends that are available in the draft this year:

Articles

2013 NFL Draft Preview: Tight Ends
A look at the top tight end prospects in the 2013 NFL Draft.

Broncos Position Breakdown: Tight End
Andrew Mason looks at the Broncos’ tight end position, bolstered by last offseason’s additions of Jacob Tamme and Joel Dreessen.

Broncos Draft Prospects: Tight End
Andrew Mason breaks down the tight end position in the 2013 NFL Draft, including which players could fit in Denver.

Broncos Draft History: Tight Ends
A look back at tight ends the Broncos have selected in the NFL Draft.

Position Switch Pays Off for Florida’s Reed
After moving from quarterback to tight end, Florida’s Jordan Reed finds himself a coveted NFL prospect.

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Tags: NFL Draft
Posted in DenverBroncos.com | 58 Comments »

Broncos’ Schedule Analysis

April 19th, 2013 - 12:43pm by Andrew MasonOther posts by Andrew Mason

1. An “easy” schedule? Let’s elaborate …

By 2012 winning percentages, the Broncos have the easiest schedule. That’s because the Broncos are in the division with the worst collective record in 2012 (26-38) — and, of course, aren’t boosted by playing themselves, so their division foes were a combined 13-35 — and the AFC West is partnered for inter-division play with two of the three other divisions that finished below .500 last year (AFC South, NFC East). In 2014, the Broncos are paired with the AFC East and NFC West, so don’t expect any “easy” headlines when next year’s slate is revealed.

2. Young QBs, coveted QBs.

Denver will have its hands full in Weeks 7 and 8, facing the top two picks in the 2012 draft in consecutive weeks — Indianapolis’ Andrew Luck and Washington’s Robert Griffin III. Luck and the Colts are also one of five opponents who are slated to start a No. 1 overall pick at quarterback against the Broncos; Denver also faces the Giants’ Eli Manning (2004) in Week 2, Philadelphia’s Michael Vick (2004) in Week 4 and Kansas City’s Alex Smith (2005) in Weeks 11 and 13.

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Tags: 2013 Schedule
Posted in DenverBroncos.com | 118 Comments »

Gradishar to Announce Second-Day Draft Picks

April 18th, 2013 - 9:58am by Gray CaldwellOther posts by Gray Caldwell

In 2011, Shannon Sharpe did it. In 2012, it was Terrell Davis.

Now, for the 2013 NFL Draft, it’s Randy Gradishar’s turn.

On Friday, April 26, Gradishar will announce the Broncos’ second- and third-round picks live from Radio City Music Hall. The Broncos Ring of Famer was selected as one of 32 “NFL Greats” to participate in the draft — continuing the program that began in 2011.

This year’s class of 32 players includes six Pro Football Hall of Famers, and many argue that Gradishar should be in Canton sooner rather than later.

Here are just a handful of notes on one of the key pieces of the Orange Crush defense, compiled by Erich Schubert:

In 145 career regular-season contests (134 starts) over 10 seasons, Gradishar totaled 2,049 tackles—an average of 205 tackles per season—and set a franchise record by leading the club in that category for nine consecutive years (1975-83). He also accounted for 33 turnovers (20 INTs, 13 FR) during his career to tie for the fourth most by an NFL linebacker during that span.

In addition to his seven Pro Bowl selections, Gradishar is the only Bronco to be named NFL Defensive Player of the Year, earning the honor in 1978 after accumulating 286 tackles (190 solo), four interceptions and two fumble recoveries. He helped the franchise make its first four playoff appearances (1977-79, ’83) while leading Denver to consecutive division titles (1977-78) and an appearance in Super Bowl XII during the 1977 season.

Currently a Senior Committee candidate for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Gradishar was a finalist for the Hall of Fame in 2003 and ’08 and a semifinalist from 2005-07. During his 10-year career, his seven Pro Bowls were surpassed only by Hall of Fame linebacker Jack Lambert.

Additionally, his 145 consecutive regular-season games played from 1974-83 were matched only by Hall of Fame linebacker Ted Hendricks.

Tags: NFL Draft, Randy Gradishar
Posted in DenverBroncos.com | 13 Comments »

Continuity Key on Defense

April 17th, 2013 - 3:07pm by Andrew MasonOther posts by Andrew Mason

Wesley Woodyard was just happy to see a familiar face in the defensive coordinator’s office when he returned for workouts this week.

“Huge,” he said Wednesday. “I mean, today, as players we go over and talk about things that we already knew from last year, so it’s a huge help that we come in with the same defensive system two years into it, and not really having to worry about learning all new things, all new coaches, all new schemes.”

Jack Del Rio’s return was a relief to many Broncos — chief among them Woodyard and cornerback Champ Bailey, the two longest tenured defensive players on the roster. For Bailey, this will be just the third time in his 15-year career that he’ll work under the same coordinator as he did the previous year. But at least Bailey knew what it was like to have continuity. Woodyard never did.

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Tags: Defensive Coordinator Jack Del Rio
Posted in DenverBroncos.com | 58 Comments »

Decker Plots Revenge for Manning Prank

April 17th, 2013 - 1:20pm by Gray CaldwellOther posts by Gray Caldwell

If there’s one thing Eric Decker has learned about playing with Peyton Manning, it’s that he always needs to be on his toes.

That was on full display last week at Duke University, when Decker, Demaryius Thomas and Wes Welker worked out with Manning and his brother Eli along with three Giants receivers.

“It’s funny because Peyton and Eli love to joke around with one another,” Decker said. “I think that makes us as receivers more comfortable, that these guys work their tail off, they demand the best out of you, but they like to have a good time.”

But you can’t get too comfortable.

At the end of the workout sessions, Decker wasn’t in on the joke when he received a $3,000 invoice from Manning.

Nice little practical joke Peyton drew up…making me think I have to pay for workouts in Duke t/week @mortreport twitter.com/EricDecker87/s…

— Eric Decker (@EricDecker87) April 11, 2013

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Tags: Demaryius Thomas, Duke, Eric Decker, Peyton Manning
Posted in DenverBroncos.com | 12 Comments »

Moore’s Mentality: ‘Let’s Go Try Again’

April 16th, 2013 - 2:00pm by Andrew MasonOther posts by Andrew Mason

Advanced statistical metrics aren’t kind to every player. But they revealed little but raves for safety Rahim Moore’s performance in 2012, which saw arguably more improvement than anyone else on the Denver roster.

But the nature of his position — and of playoff football — is that an entire season of outstanding play can be overshadowed by one gaffe at the worst possible moment. That’s why the perception of Moore is defined by a misplay on a deep pass from Joe Flacco to Jacoby Jones, and not on a season’s worth of steadiness and growth.

If fans stew over such an error, it’s one thing. That can be harmless, as long as the player ignores the chatter. What matters is whether Moore gets over it and re-focuses on what’s next — and according to Champ Bailey, he already has.

“Let’s go try again, that’s pretty much his mentality,” Bailey said Monday. “I don’t think it affected him as much as people think. Because he got so much better last year. I can’t wait to see him improve this year.”

Few understand how much one play can affect perception than Bailey. He has been so stellar as a cover cornerback for so many years that when he allows a touchdown — as he did when beaten deep by the Ravens in the first half of January’s playoff loss — it’s as much of a shock to the system as stepping into 9-degree chill without wearing a shirt.

Bailey understands that it’s the exception, rather than the rule, that everyone remembers. That’s convenient, but it doesn’t tell an accurate picture.

“People want to talk about one play — like I said, even with myself, you can’t define somebody off one play,” Bailey said.

Tags: Champ Bailey, Rahim Moore
Posted in DenverBroncos.com | 65 Comments »

Elway Featured in ESPN’s ’30 for 30′

April 16th, 2013 - 10:25am by Gray CaldwellOther posts by Gray Caldwell

Just a heads up, Broncos fans — you might want to tune in to ESPN at 6 p.m. MT on Tuesday, April 23.

The network’s newest 30 for 30 feature is titled Elway to Marino, exploring the 1983 NFL Draft, when a record six quarterbacks were selected in the first round. The first of those was John Elway.

The film is directed by NFL Films’ Ken Rodgers, and tells the story of the draft from the perspective of many of the players taken — including Elway and Dan Marino — along with head coaches, general managers, team owners and agents.

Marvin Demoff, the agent who represented both Elway and Marino, reveals his detailed diary from the days leading up to the draft all the way through to when the Broncos famously traded for Elway. The drama following the Baltimore Colts’ selection of Elway is chronicled in great detail, revealing a lot of interesting subplots. For example, did you know that the San Francisco 49ers briefly considered including quarterback Joe Montana — just 15 months removed from Super Bowl win — in a trade for Elway?

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Tags: 30 For 30, espn, John Elway
Posted in DenverBroncos.com | 4 Comments »

Carter Inks Exclusive-Rights Tender

April 15th, 2013 - 9:06am by Gray CaldwellOther posts by Gray Caldwell

On the morning the Broncos’ voluntary offseason conditioning program kicked off, cornerback Tony Carter put pen to paper.

Carter signed his exclusive-rights free agent tender Monday, one of four players to sign their tenders in the past week, joining Mitch Unrein, Chris Clark and Lance Ball.

Carter had a breakout season with the team last year, setting career highs in every category — 24 tackles, two interceptions, 12 pass breakups, one fumble recovery and two defensive touchdowns — in 15 regular-season games.

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Tags: Tony Carter
Posted in DenverBroncos.com | 62 Comments »