When Head Coach Josh McDaniels and Daniel Graham are on the same NFL roster, the results have been fruitful.
Eleven playoff games. Nine victories.
Two Super Bowl appearances. Two Super Bowl trophies.
After a two-season hiatus, McDaniels and Graham have joined colors once again, hoping to bring the same rewards they experienced in New England to Denver.
For Graham, the arrival of McDaniels injected a boost of life into his offseason.
“It’s good just reuniting, getting back in this offense,” he said. “It’s been a lot of fun since he’s back here.”
That fun revolves around the presence of an offense that makes great use of Graham’s position.
In his one season with McDaniels as his offensive coordinator (2006), Graham hauled in 21 catches for 235 yards, with two touchdowns in 11 starts. In McDaniels’ final season as New England offensive coordinator (2008), the team rushed for 2,278 yards, marking the highest NFL single-season total since 1985.
In turn, the eight-year veteran knows being a tight end in this system requires great knowledge in both the running game and passing game. But with previous experience under his belt, Graham is transitioning with relative ease.
“I’m just refreshing my memory,” Graham said. “When you’re in that offense for five years, you really can’t forget much.”
McDaniels has no reason to forget the corps of tight ends he’s inherited here with the Broncos.
Coming off a season where he started all 16 games for the first time in his career, Graham also knows he’s in good company with his fellow tight ends. Last season, he and Tony Scheffler grabbed a combined 72 catches for 1,034 yards.
Coupled with the return of veteran Jeb Putzier and addition of rookie Richard Quinn, Graham expects the position to make a substantial impact on the offense this season.
“We’ve got some good depth on this team,” he said. “Everybody has a certain strength that we all bring to the table. As a group, we’re pretty good.”
-Chris Gentilviso, DenverBroncos.com
Tags: Daniel Graham, Head Coach Josh McDaniels, Jeb Putzier, Richard Quinn, Tony Scheffler
lol @ uub They would just spell it different to get out of paying him. lol Just tryna get that orange crush to of fill. For the next 10yrs.
OOOO Boy if I see a kiwi bronco or NZ Bronco on here somebody is gonna get hurt lol 2 Aussie broncos.. The thing I don’t get is why call yourself Aussiebronco1?? Imagination a little dry over the ditch?
EEEEEEEEnnnnnnway… I would love to see the TE get alot more ball this year, with the WR core looking really good (and I mean Ron Burgandy GOOD) we need to have our TE’s working to create another threat to and D. I love Tony’s agility and Graham’s strength so Quinn hopefully can contribute just the same. I dont understand the JP signing, but I suppose when the final cuts are made and the smoke has cleared then the picture will be clearer.
07Elway – I could feel you anger and maybe even tears based on your posts earlier this year, I was same (minus the tears) but Im not sure if you saw Dynamicdaves post about being positive about the furture and entering into the season with no regrets. Thats the sort of atitude we as Bronco fans need at this time, and I feel the morale continues to lift as we draw closer to the season opener in Cincy. Welcome back and I look forward to your ‘blog-like’ replies
I think I missed the boat, but wats this thing about Daisy Dukes???
broncosarebest.blogspot.com
Samoanbronco, did you see game three SOO. I wish there was a brawl at the end would have been awesome only if JH had just charged them and got it started.
Just thought I would check out if anything new was happening before I checked out for the night. Glad some like Blue Dynamite. I too hope that the D plays worthy of a name like that. I really think they will be much improved. I feel like the D players had talent but it was not used right. The defensive coaches have been to wishy-washy. I think the players just did not have a clue what they were suppose to do in certain circumstances. We will see as the games roll on whether or not they have their heads on straight. I knew at the end of last year thar change was coming but I had no idea that it was going to be so much change. I was blown away and was ticked for a while. I like what McDaniels has done – the FA signings and the draft. I was shocked at the Moreno pick but after settling down a little I started to really like it. I can not wait for camp to begin as I am getting really psyched.
Ay greatness. What you think the Broncos record would be. If you were not a fan that is? Just looking at everything.
L.M You have a winner with that name.
I would be shocked if they were under 9 -7 no lie.
Yeah that’s a good number.
I didn’t even fill right they instead of we. It felt wrong.
Typing they instead of we. That’s what I meant.
lol It hurt huh? Now you know how the Raiders fans fill. lol
If thats how the felt. They deserve that. I hope we make them fill like that again this yr.
I’m gone Champ. Got a big day tomorrow. Stay the person you are.
haha, uub and greatness both spelt feel wrong. you guys spelt it fill. funny to see 2 people make the same mistake repeatedly. its almost like you guys are the same person. its weird. you guys are always blogging at the same time.
You know I will Champ.
sorry, its weird things like that that make me laugh.
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooook
Tsunami. Stampede.
Go Broncooos!
All we have to do is Win the division. If we can sweep the AFC west this year we can get that done…..The raiders will be tough with all that speed and additions on D, but we will sweep them. The Queefs will be ok on D and running the ball with LJ, but with out TG they will crumble, McD knows Cassell and will exploit his faults, which will lead to a sweep. SD will be the hardest of course, but with a core group of men back that took 4 azz whippens from them, i feel they will be motivated to get over this hurdle, which could really lead to great success. This is really the only way to do this…our out of division games have got to be the hardest in the NFL, i dont care what they say. INDY,PITT,BMORE,PHILLY,NY,WASH,DAL,NE….thats sum of the best teams the last 2 years…its going to be a hard run, even if Moreno rips it up and Orton doesnt make mistakes, and our Defense steps it up this year. So i hope we handle bizz in our division and go from there…Go denver!!!
Broncos since 1985. 3 superbowl losses a day off from my bday!!! just a tragic child hood, thank goodness they came thru in the late 90′s or i would have been traumatized…nawwww….TD HOF ROD SMITH HOF STEVE ATWATER HOF
Daniel Graham is the best blocking TE in the league. The bug names like Jason Witten, Antonio Gates etc. are known for recieving not blocking. Tony Gonzalez is kinda sorta in the in the middle like Dallas Clark.
Dallas Clark can’t block. Witten can block. I think Witten is the best TE in the game today.
” gonna know which side his bread is buttered on.” haha, I had never heard that before. Going to have to use it sometime.
As for Marshall, I think he got scared. He knows that his numbers aren’t going to be as good this year. Not because he won’t be as good of a player or because we changed QBs but (hopefully) because we will actually have a running game to supplement the passing game. The ONLY reason Culter and Marshall had such high numbers is because our entire running game was on the IR list. So he’s going to whine and moan and try to get the money now while his numbers still say he deserves it.
Look i love out TE’s just as much, but i have to agree Jason Witten is prob the best TE in the game ATM! I do like Tony G, he and herm were a real class act in KC and i respect that guy. Grahm and Tony prob would have to be at my number 3 though.
Haha I know this is completely random but what if we put in Marshall as a CB in the preseason game against the Bears? Think Cutler would throw to him out of habit?
May25 I like to drop good quotes like that. Well off-line that is. As for Whitten though. Romo and Whitten are best friends. He looks for him early and often. Like Cutler did Marshall. That’s Why TO would Scream on the side lines 50% of the time. 40% was for the O-line. 10% was for welll… Lets just say being TO. lol
Ha, ha, footballMANIAC, priceless.
ramboskithefan, this is a team treading in new waters. Nobody knows what to truly expect. We can only stay positive, support the team and watch the O light up the field while the defense lights up opossing offenses.
I like your way of thinking Maniac!! Just a note some of you might like to know, Brandon is going to be in studio on nfl network tonight.
GO Broncs!!!!
The Broncos have a chance to shock the NFL world and prove the media and the nay-sayers wrong. I, for one, am looking forward to this season. It should be interesting to say the least, to see what they can do.
tjnartw, makes me wish I still had Directv. I miss that. Cox doesn’t pick it up. Guess I’ll have to wait to see it on the Internet.
Whats up DD, everybody?
It looks like Marshall is trying to be a team player.
I hope so Torain. He is an important piece of the puzzle. Have you checked out our other site? I wrote a couple articles there. One on Fields and one on Ayers.
http://broncosarebest.blogspot.com/
Dr. Chris created it and I’ll be one of the writers.
Can’t wait to start writing at Fan Huddle this fall. Will be for money so it’s cool.
congrats DD, I havent checked chris is site, but I will head there now. Want to read your stories.
I guess somebody has been messing with Philip Rivers’ Wiki page. Apparently it stated at one point only that “He’s an overrated bum”. Too funny. Kudos to whoever did that. I checked it out and the page has been restored. I would have changed it back but the thing didn’t want to let me edit. Here’s where I found out:
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/9809024/Candid-Cam:-Cassel-'long-term'-Raiders-foe-
Marshall in studio, should be interesting. does anybody know if Rod Smith works their now or was he just a guest?
footballmaniac, thats pretty funny. he is an overrated bum. did you guys hear about how a high school kid beat him at his camp? too funny.
torainatvfan, have you decided on rather we will have team defense or individual defese for the fantasy league?
having a good TE’s just really makes the game (like we saw with Elway/Sharpe) opens up the game to all kinds of possibilities and who knows even with a rookie team (not that the players are rooks more this is a new team) having the options gives us an advantage. Our opponents won’t have shannys playbook (same old same old) to predict the game and we might just be able to pull a respectable season this year. Anyway I AM READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL
GO BRONCOS
vraptor567, that’s my feeling also. Seems will take awhile to figure out our system. I do think that McD will use the TE’s more then they were used at NE. This will be a fun O to watch.
this is random, but who do you think the top 4 teams will be the champion in each conference?
AFC NFC
Patriots Eagles
Ravens Vikings
Broncos Panthers
Colts Falcons
this is random, but who do you think the top 4 teams will be the champion in each conference?
AFC NFC
Patriots Eagles
Ravens Vikings
Broncos Panthers
Colts Falcons
Anyone agree?
Not the Colts though. Everything else looks good too me.
who should go instead?
I’m kinda disappointed about how everyone is either in denial about the broncos or a fan. Chargers are the same team! the broncos are so much different from last year that you can’t just say “they suck” and walk away!
AFC: Steelers, Chargers, Colts, Patriots
NFC: Vikings, Cardinals, Eagles, Saints
The Titans. They gonna rally around each other even more this yr.
Dr. Chris,
Individual defense, it makes it more challenging and intriguing, Choosing 1 D is easy, You will learn to love it, after you get a good idea for it. I promise.
2 2 2 comments in one. LOL
Titans don’t have the anchor of their defense. they will fall behind.
this is a very very random comment but how do you all see the AFC east playing out. I see it like this.
Patriots: 13-3
Bills:7-9
Dolphins:6-10
Jets:5-11
opinions?