On an afternoon that got started with a press conference announcing the departure of John Lynch, the Broncos headed to the practice fields for a jog-through session. The defense practiced against itself on one field while the offense ran through its plays on the other. Here are some quick hits.
ATTENDANCE REPORT: The out of pads list remained the same as this morning with one exception — Peyton Hillis, Chad Mustard and Tom Nalen all watched practice from the sidelines, but Michael Pittman was dressed out in his jersey…The usual suspects got the afternoon practice off — Champ Bailey, Ebenezer Ekuban, Darrell Jackson, Dewayne Robertson and Brandon Stokley — though they still watched from the sidelines.
POSTURING FOR POSITION: Mike Leach, Tony Scheffler and Josh Mallard took turns rotating in at the long snapper position during punting drills.
FOCAL POINTS: The teams worked on their basic plays for much of practice, but toward the end of the session the offense picked things up a bit. The offense practiced their last-minute offense, including hurrying up to the line, spiking the ball, the hook-and-ladder play, a couple laterals and the tip drill.
TAKE AWAYS: During the first unit’s last-minute-offense, Tony Scheffler, Keary Colbert and Glenn Martinez lined up on the right side of the offensive line. All three ran toward the endzone, and Jay Cutler launched the ball high in the air. The play went perfectly to plan — Scheffler leaped, bent backward and tipped the ball to the back of the endzone. Colbert had to jump, stretch out his right arm and reach for the ball, all while making sure he dragged his feet in the endzone. He caught it, stayed inbounds, and needless to say it was a pretty impressive play met with cheers from the rest of the offense.
- In another last-second play, Patrick Ramsey threw the ball to Clifford Russell who immediately shoveled the ball to Glenn Martinez, who was running behind him toward the sideline. Martinez continued running up the field and lateraled the ball to Andre Hall who streaked into the endzone. The old hook and ladder.
- In a play reminiscent of the “Music City Miracle” from the 1999 NFL playoffs, Jay Cutler took the snap from center, faked a quarterback scramble to the right, stopped at the line of scrimmage and threw a lateral all the way to the other sideline into the waiting hands of Selvin Young, who ran about 20 yards before stopping and launching another full-field lateral back to Cutler as a receiver. Cutler ran the rest of the way into the endzone as the rest of the receivers and offensive line feigned blocks.
- Not quite as exciting but interesting nonetheless — wearing gloves on each hand, Matt Prater launched underhand spirals to punter Brett Kern at a close distance so Kern could practice catching long snaps. Special Teams Coordinator Scott O’Brien threw the spirals to Sam Paulescu, minus the gloves.
It was a pretty interesting jog-through, being able to watch the offense execute its hurry-up offense. The team even practiced drawing the defense offsides, as Cutler would shout out his cadence as coaches would jump offsides and see if he could hike the ball in time.
The squad is back on the field tomorrow morning, but the session is closed to the general public, so check back with us in the A.M. for all the practice info you need.
Ryan Torain is also posting his first rookie blog later this evening, so come back even earlier to check that one out.
-Gray Caldwell, DenverBroncos.com
Tags: Gray Caldwell, Jay Cutler, Jog-Through, Keary Colbert, Matt Prater, Tony Scheffler, Training Camp
Im glad I bought the Tony Schefler signed mini helmet instead of the John Lynch one. John Lynch can add another title to his resume:
Hard worker
Pro Bowler
Super Bowl Champion
Quiter
Whats funny is when I coach youth hockey I always tell my kids its not how you start but how you finish that matters. John, how you quit on this team and your teamates will go a long way in summoning up your legacy……… West Coast
westcoast i think your way off the mark man, lynch is a hofer and is still capeable of good things he proved this last year going to the probowl as the oldest db in the league. if he wants to try and find a team that will let him play everydown whats wrong with it. its not like the guy was running his mouth then failed to win a starters job, he got screwed over by a bipolar coach who loves you 1 week and the next week your rideing the pinepony. people are saying he cant play the pass anymore well sorry to say it people but lynch was never a int and deflected pass king, he was always out there to hit and scare other teams tes and wr. i for 1 think our defense is a little less scary now. when dallas clark goes over the middle against us hes not gonna hear footsteps and wonder oh crap is that john commin to nock me out again?
West Coast u must a raider fan or a charger fan. If u are a bronco fan, i am ashamed that u would actually call john lynch a quitter. After all he has given to the organization and the National Football League. He has earned the right to make this decision. I suppose rod smith is a quitter too! Just because a player is past his prime and feels like he needs to make a tough decision so he can keep playing the game he loves does not make him a quitter.
Quitter will not be on the bottom of John’s bust in canton in five years!
jmonk….Are you seriously going to defend quiting on your team and teamates because you have to work for the 1st string position? Wait a minute, are you saying if you are a future HOF than its ok to quit on your team and teamates? I gained even more respect for our team and organization for how they handled this and lost all respect for Lynch. He is a glorified Javon Walker, Period.
jsbunch…Are you going to compare Lynch to Rod Smith? Rod Smith retired because he couldnt play at that level anymore? Lynch quit so he can play for another team beacuse he was not handed the 1st string job. If you thinks these 2 instances are the same than you must be the Faider fan.
hes not a quitter hes a guy who got talked into less money and competing for a job hes already earned pal. how many years has he been here?4 how many probowls?4!!!!!! how can he have “lost a step” whens hes been playing the same way since he got here. even champ said today the lynch is like a 4th lb out there. we knew what we had when we resigned him this offseason. if we wernt happy with his “pass defence”why resign him at all? the answer because something “better” in our eye came along so got tossed in the pile with plummer. whats next champ? dj? like i said lynchs game hasnt changed since hes been here its just for some reason shanny jumped all over mcress nuts
YYYAAAAWWWWWNNNNNNN
Yall are doing a great job on the blog but please when will the hitting start. This touch football in pads is getting boring. Has Mike let on to when he’s gona take the skirts off the players and let the hitting begin
I agree with West Coast he did pretty much quit… he could of been a man about and say “ok i am not playing on passing plays thats cool….. I will just jack people up on running downs” insted he just quit
and whats with the attacks on Lynch. He’s handeld this in a classy fashion no pouting in the cameras, no media storm, nothin like that. Speaking from experience, its hard to be on the side line when you beleive you should be playing. And thats with out knowing the accomplishments that John Lynch has aquired. John Lynch is leaving with class and the least us fans could do is send him away with the equal amount of class and dignity. I mean think about is Lynch not allowed to have pride and to get satisfaction from his work. Thats the same as if A boss for some sort of firm tells you to take a pay cut, and instead of handeling the major projects and deals, your gonna be delegated to stapeling papers and punching holes, with the college interns. John Lynch was really being treated like a rookie think about it. Youll have a chance to compete, Rookies ask coaches where they stand not players coming off a probowl season and whos play hasnt declined.
And monk i agree with you. But I hope to the high heavens that mcree is not the reason Lynch is being alowed to leave. If it was for the rookie safety we got, whos name i cant ever think of, then Id be cool with that, but for Mcree no dice on that one
I wish John the best and i understand why he wanted to be release! It is a young man’s game now! Our defense needs to be fast and young in my opinion! but i hate to see a pro=bowl, hall of famer player go! his locker room experience can never be matched! good luck and he better not go to a AFC West team den ill be mad! lol
m.c. the great …..Seriously dude, did you even watch last season? Lynch could’nt keep up and that is why coach brought in all the extra bodies so we can have competition and play the best player, period. That goes for every position except maybe QB. He asked coach where he stood now but we all know coach doesnt pen anyone in until showtime. If he is the best for the job he had plenty of time to man up and prove it instead of quitting like an 8 year old. I am not denying how great Lynch was and what an incredible role model he was, I am just sad that in the end his actions of quitting because he was not willing to work like evryone else for a starting position will always stand out in my mind….West Coast
Geez, c’mon! How in the hell could you call Lynch a quitter? What’s next? You gonna throw out a cheap Bobby Petrino reference too? Lynch was more or lessed “Conned”. The following is the real deal:
1. Enticed to come back a Bowlen’s insistence
2. Notified that his salary had to be adjusted due to age and ability
3. Told he’d have a chance to earn a spot (while tutoring the younger guys)
4. Told he would no longer be in cover schemes
5. Told he’ be in the run defense (8 in the box)
6. Watched a Hamza be elevated to run defense, and proclaimed a starter.
7. Realizes that he was brought back as a mentor, not a player.
8. Realized he had to go…
He was kind of duped, but it’s standard procedure in the NFL. This guy has potential HOF numbers and skills. Good luck Lynch. You’ll always be a great Bronco to me.
To say Lynch is a quitter is reprehensible. I’m grateful that he acknowledged his limitations and didn’t drag the team into a media circus. In this regard, Lynchie is the anti Brett Favre and thank heaven for that! Now, to positive things, trick plays are sweet! Andre Hall, one of my favorite players on the team, finished things off marvelously. Hopefully, we get the ball in Andre’s hands as much as possible! West Coast, man up, and don’t critique Lynch. At least he has a good job waiting for him once his football career ends, he’ll be a great color analyst!
I wont go to the “quitter” extreme but Lynch is being selfish. There are a ton of guys on this team that have sacrificed (DJ comes to mind as #1)
Wheres the consumate Pro “anything coach wants me to do” ?
Lynch did not earn that Pro Bowl he was added after someone was injured and by name alone.
Did I just see that Tony Scheffler is trying out at long snapper? Now theres a team guy.
Look, Lynch is awsome, but this is a selfish decision on his part…… unless……was he not even gonna make the team so he wants to have the most time to catch on somewhere else? that is a possibility that Mccree, Rogers, Barret, Abdullah would be our 4 safeties.