At the ripe age of 25, Eddie Royal has assumed the role of the veteran among the team’s wide receivers. Royal’s 47 games played and 39 starts lead a position group where no other player has made more than two career starts.
“I’m only 25 years old,” Royal laughed. “It says a lot that they have a lot of faith in those guys and us to be able to come out and prepare the right way and to come make plays.”
Aside from Royal’s 39 starts, the rest of the group combines for five starts, which doesn’t give opposing teams much film to watch as they prepare to face this young receiving corps.
“For (opponents), it’s going to be a surprise,” Matthew Willis said. “We have guys that can play in any position. When you have a corps of guys that can move anywhere, the defense is not going to know what to expect and when. You can gameplan it, but when it gets in the game, and some guy’s not where you’re used to him being, it throws their whole scheme off.”
At various points in their young careers, four of Denver’s five receivers have lined up both in the slot and the outside, adding a flexible dimension that opposing defenses will have to account for.
“We’re all familiar inside, outside,” Willis said. “But the way we run our system, (Demaryius) can end up in there too. With some of the routes he’s used to running, he might end up in there, you just never know with our formations and shifts and motions.”
With the versatility of the group, each receiver can also be a threat to stretch the field.
“I think all of us can take shots down the field,” second-year wideout Eric Decker said. “I think we’re trying to all mix in. If everybody has the capability of making plays down the field, it just allows us to be more explosive.”
Head Coach John Fox saw the complete group practice together for the first time this week and likes what he has seen thus far.
“We were banged up early in the season, and we kind of got through it at the receiver position,” Fox said on Wednesday. “I expect big things from that group.”
Tags: Demaryius Thomas, Eddie Royal, Eric Decker, Matt Willis, Wide receivers
“We were banged up early in the season, and we kind of got through it at the receiver position,” Fox said on Wednesday. “I expect big things from that group.”
Wow, if Fox really shows us something at the WR position maybe the next thing will be he’ll take care of the DT position, there is hope, LOL.
The unknown is very fitting in that title just for different reasons, but really looking forward to see our WR play Sunday, see if all this wasn’t just a smokescreen.
That has been what is so suprising to me about Fox. Being so lax at the DT position with him touting to be such a defense minded coach.
bay, have you noticed every video this week of TT has been doing short drops and pass plays. Little to no roll out pass or any type run plays on video. Kind of strange don’t you think?
So what’s with Unrein at DT?
Have you seen him play?
Bay – you gotta know that for Tebow’s first game against a team that is being underestimated – the receiving core is going to present itself in typical Fox conservative fashion. Totally predictable.
Deep routes will be under-utilized.
TE’s will be ineffective if not totally absent.
I hope Willis has a huge day on the ground to help these young guys out. There is also little to no film on TE Julius Thomas, I hope he steps in big time.
Fox has taken care of the DT position partially. Bunkley is a stud. Thomas played very well in his first game back. Rome wasn’t built in a day but I feel like our DT position has improved considerably in only one season.
I like the overall move of getting rid of Llyod. We weren’t going to resign him so might as well get what we can and move on. This allows us to once again, see what our young guys are capable of and address the draft based on how these young guys play in the next 11 games.
Crazy to think a 25 year old Royal is a vet on our WR core. We are the definition of a true rebuilding now haha
We’ll see, I keep hearing that they are not changing the game plan to adapt it to Tebow, and Fox has always been conservative in the air, a bomb here and there to Steve Smith and that’s about it. But Fox starting Tebow in of it’s own shows that he is not afraid to change in Denver, maybe he learned something in his 12 or some years in Carolina, that’s why I say if we see big WR plays Sunday maybe the next thing he’ll do is understand the value of DTs, one can always hope, remains to be seen though.
You know many of these “ANAL-ists” can’t say one nice thing about Tebow (well as far as playing on the field)! They talk about him not being able to throw the ball – he had a pretty good passing percentage in college and his TD to INT ratio was almost 2 to 1! PLUS he ran for a bunch of TD’s too!!!
WHAT I KNOW:
He had us in every game he started last year! Even though his record was 1-2 – he played good and solid and I felt that we had a chance in every game he started (although the Raider game got away from us in the fourth a little – still a close game). He is a GOOD PLAYER with a heart of a LION (none NFL reff). That come back against Houston last year was epic and I feel we have a good chance the rest of the year – minus a few outstanding opponents.
GO TEBOW!!!
GO BRONCOS!!!
p.s. LET TEBOW BE TEBOW!!!
daddybronc I agree with what you’re saying but I hope you are wrong.
I think a combination of the bland Fox style and throw-happy-try-to-hard style of McCoy mix to gether in a way that benefits the best aspects of each. It’s asking a lot, I know. A man can dream I guess.
Same goes for our O-line. Young!!! Very young on that side of the ball all of a sudden.
Kuper, Willis M and Fells providing that veteran presence…
Skip has always defended TT. Yes, Skip is a little on the crazy side but he is right on in this one.
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/page/hotread-Tebow/nfl-tim-tebow-was-denver-broncos-best-only-choice-quarterback-espn-magazine
I’m happy with all the youth and inexperience if it can possibly translate into a potential dynasty down the road. It all starts NOW!!
Our whole team has gotten young overnight … and just last year we were AARP lol. Like ridiculously young from oline, to receiver, to qb and even RB if we dont count Willis. Very young team and I like that. Dawk is the only one making us feel ancient but he plays like a young man lol.
I love our Corps of wide receiver … im one of those person who gets tired with the usual and likes to see someone new … and these are young guys with potential that I am excited to watch. We all know what Royal is made off from his rookie season … can he repeat? tons of potential there. Willis had a break out training camp last year … tons of potential there. Decker has stepped up this year in unimaginable ways … potential there as well. Demeryious Thomas is a first round talent with great height, blazing speed and a big body. Great potential .. if he stays healthy. So the potential I am seeing has me excited … with a few proven guys in key spots.
I was just going over their speeds the other day … and between royal, thomas and willis …either of em can run deep and blaze cast defenders … especially if they are peeking in the backfield for Tebow. Excited for this game. SHould be a good one. I am really looking forward to seeig royal back. The man is a deep threat, a slot king, and a return master … he can do it all … we just need to find a way to use him well and if he can stay healthy … potential … so yup … just a young team with potential. I like the direction we are movign it. Enough with playing it safe. Later days, TRB out…
Yea RSH, skip has. And i love that video … guys is an adamant supporter that will not be changed. All of a sudden peopel are sayign whats the comparison between cam and tt … they are in a whole different category … really? really? cuz all off season all they did was compare … and if u compare TTs first 3 starts to Cam … similar. 100 percent similar except I believe TT wins the TD – INT margin. People forget that last year Tebow had a couple of 300+ yard PASSING games. Don’t sleep on the man, sure alot were dump offs but those are passing yards too.
Another thing, I think Willis is about to get less playing time and Moreno more. Lets face it … TT works best out of the shotgun … the shotgun RB will more than likely be Moreno because he is our screen back/receiving back/3rd down back. TRB
I like the team so far. From what I have seen, the talent is there. I believe young leadership is what is lacking on both sides of the ball. The receiving corps has great potential, especially if D. Thomas can stay healthy. Decker reminds me a lot of Ed McCaffrey. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Hopefully Tebow can be successful enough and provide much needed leadership on the offensive side. They definitely need a young leader on the defense as well. That unit hasn’t been the same since Al Wilson left.
“the book of Tebow took a remarkable turn. It happened after the first half of the fifth game, against the Chargers at Mile High, following two final, offensively stagnant quarters under the direction of the heavy-lidded and outwardly dispassionate Orton. The sellout crowd took note, loudly and with much passion. Fox took note as well, and as Tebow ran toward the locker room before the half, an assistant told him, “You’re in.” Twenty minutes later, when he entered the huddle, Tebow looked at his teammates and said, “Believe in me, guys.”"
The thing I like is it doesn’t sound like McCoy and Fox intend to micromanage Tebow. It sounds like they’re gonna put a lot in Tebow’s hands to see what he can do. I like that.
Compared to last year – Tebow has a ton of tools to work with and he doesn’t have to take it all on himself. I expect a blowout against Miami particularly after the half. Koolaid?
I am much more offense minded and I know that I pay little attention to DT’s except when there are penalties or gaping holes – but I see Mays stuffing an awful lot of run plays. The defense looks far better to me than what they are being rated.
Sorry I can’t help saying it again, but I am incredibly optimistic for the rest of the season. I am vibrating in anticipation of Sunday’s game. I am beginning to gear up already for the Lions.
[...] looks foggy and unclear now, but the only way Tebow will get better is to keep playing and that he will make progress every [...]