You’re Nate Swift. You just completed a stellar career at the University of Nebraska, a four-year stretch in which you set a school record with 166 receptions for 2,476 yards and also totaled 22 touchdowns in 51 games played.
So naturally, as a college free agent, you join the Denver Broncos – an NFL team in close proximity to the Cornhusker State – and you feel right at home in Big 12 Country, right?
“I have noticed a couple of people out here, but there are definitely more Colorado fans than Nebraska fans here that I’ve noticed so far,” Swift said. “CU fans for sure.”
Still, it wouldn’t be an odd occurrence to see a number of Nebraska fans take the three-hour drive down I-76 from the Nebraska border to Denver this month and take in a handful of the club’s training camp practices. Plus, whenever Swift needs his red and white fix, he can converse with former Nebraska star Correll Buckhalter. Swift got to know Buckhalter during the team’s offseason workouts, and they were able to reminisce about their experiences playing in the renowned program.
“He was in a little bit of a different era than I was,” Swift said of Buckhalter. “They were winning national championships all the time but, you know, it’s the same. We talked about how the program is changing back now and how the tradition is coming back.”
Like his rookie counterparts, Swift isn’t exactly sure what to expect when training camp officially begins and the team takes to full pads. But he has an idea.
“It’s going to be a lot different in training camp, I’ve heard,” Swift said. “A lot faster, a lot more going in, a lot quicker pace. It’s going to be a little tough, but from the first minicamp until now, I think I’ve got most of the basics down.”
During the three days of practice this week, Swift and fellow first-year wideout Kenny McKinley have spent a great deal of time together on the field working with wide receivers coach Adam Gase and the offensive staff. Swift said the coaching staff is still throwing new wrinkles at the first-year players each day, but having McKinley go through the process with him has been comforting.
“It’s nice to have other guys that are trying to learn at the same time you are,” Swift said. “It’s fun to get out there again and kind of redo some of the stuff we learned over the summer in passing camp. Just to be out here with the rookies is nice, too — to start off before all the vets come and get a little bit of a step ahead.”
– Zach Eisendrath, DenverBroncos.com
Tags: Nate Swift, Nebraska, Training Camp
OH YEA FIRST!
1st post – and good luck Nate! You sound like a sleeper receiver we can look forward to watching you grow within our organization!
lol make that 2nd and 3rd post
GO BIG RED!!!!!!!!!
I’m a former Nebraskan as well. Nate welcome to Denver. I am hoping you give it all you got and make the cut. See you at Training Camp tomorrow!
Orange Crush!!!!!!
I love the Broncos and welcome Swift but NEBRASKA CORNHOLES SUCK! GO BUFFS! GO BRONCOS!
hi
Huskers and Broncos for life. I’m glad Denver picked up Swift in UDFA. He’ll be underrated in the NFl.
8th post… Yay! Who cares what # you post? That’s gettin lame guys, especially when that’s all you’ve got to say. I hope this kid makes it, but the fact is that this is a deep wr group. Good luck rook, you’re gonna need it!
Might be like my boy Easy Ed McCafferty ! I sure hope so !
eeerockski, its not worth crying about.
Why have we STILL not signed Moreno and Ayers? It is starting to concern me! We need them at training camp so they can start performing and learning all the plays!
The reason we haven’t signd Moreno and Ayers is because the Players Bargaining Agreement is TRASH. Rookies shouldn’t have so much negotiating power. That is the problem you should be concerned with!!!!
So far, 5 out of 32 rookies have been signed. The player AGENTS are ruining the game, by far.
May ’09 be DEVINE
GO BRONCOS!!!
OGBronco4life-
I totally agree. The rookies and agents have way too much bargaining power. Teams are signing unproven rookie players for way more than what they should. That is why no team wants to number one overall pick. Who wants to pay millions for an unproven player that may not make it in the pros.
The reason it is taking so long for rookies (expecially first round rookies) to sign is that agents wait for the market to be set so they know what their player is worth. Once the top few picks are signed, the market will be set, and everyone will get signed. It seems like a stupid game but everyone wants to get as much money as they can. I guess I do not blame them, “show me the money”.
Personally I think the commish should install a rookie salary, where each draft position only makes “X” amount. No more, no less, no negotiations. This is what you make being drafted number 1… or this is what u make being drafted 153rd. The money for a rookie to be made then would be in endorsements.
Only vets should be able to negotiate a contract in my opinion. Too much money is wasted on players who are overpaid and never deliver.
I don’t blame the rookies for squeezing as much out of a team as they can, however – shame on the league for letting it get so far out of hand. Union’s only bring down a company in the end. The players union will eventually be the fall of the NFL. Employers go to a company and keep telling them they want a raise, we also want more money for new hires. Companies have to give it legally in a union. They then turn to their customers (us fans) and say – now you have to pay this to go see a game. Or they tell the cable companies now you have to pay us this to air our stuff. Eventually, the fans and the cable companies cannot afford it, while at the same time the employees (or players) are screaming for more money.
It’s called too much negative cash flow. I say cap every player while the league still has a fighting chance – but of course they’d have to work that out with the player’s union, which I doubt would allow…
I just want to see our guys get on the field, rather than sitting around a negotiating table. Lets focus on football, and not the almighty dollar! Lets win some games, and kill the Chargers this year. I want to see Merriman’s blue mohawk turn green from grass – and its always appreciated to see River’s ticked off and yelling at their team from being aggrevated!
Also, I would like to add, Raiders suck as well! lol
broncs55, I agree with everything you just said. to many times will a player sign a contract and won’t earn the money. such as Alex Smith and Jamarcus Russell. A rookie should be automatically given a 1-3 year contract with minimal money. then the team can decide based on those 1-3 years on rather to sign the player and give him the big bucks or decide he is a bust and let him go.
Good point Broncs55 – Russell and Smith are 2 excellent examples Doc of players who demanded massive rookie salaries and for what? Russell got a hand full of snaps towards the end of his first season and Smith.. pffft a bust if ever I saw one. Having this current situation sets a president for furture current and future first round picks, and porbably gives them a mind set of a “Prima Donna”. Rookies need to earn their way into a team, into a starting position, the respect of the current and senior players, giving them the ability to negotiate big salaries contributes to the wrong mind set. Im not saying that all first rounders are like that, but I would say a good majority of them fall into that category.
On the other hand, teams may decide to use this to their advantage interms of salary cap, and negotiating senior players pay roll. Why pay a vet big bucks when you could pull in 3 highly ranked rookies to not only replace him and cover 2 other positions?
It would all have to be weighed up (pros and cons), but not a silly idea at all.
royalbeast,
read this and u will now why marshall is not making big bucks.
http://www.kdvr.com/sports/football/broncos/kdvr-broncos-marshall-072909,0,2274488.story
I also agree there should be a rookie salary limit. But I’m getting that sinking feeling that we are headed for a long holdout for both of them.
Which means not much production from them this year if they don’t get in camp.
why isn’t Phonzys blog working?
Dr.Chris24… that’s on me. It got posted and it wasn’t supposed to. Forgive me.
its ok, I was just curious.
haha nice one kyle what up gang and I hope nate swift does well
Just a minor adjunct to this discussion; I was listening to a radio interview of Takeo Spikes on one of the lame sports stations here where I am forced to watch my Broncos from afar (San Diego) and I think the big guy slipped a little. The hosts had done a good job with the banter; loosening up Spikes who (lets face it) is not what I would call the sharpest tool in the shed. When they asked him about his trip to D.C. where he had spoken, along with other NFL players about the up and coming collective bargaining agreement (or a lack there of) Spikes said; and I quote, “We really don’t want a lock out”. Now I know that we are still a season away but fans should start looking at a problem that some players are already summing up with definitions like “lock out”. Personally I don’t want another strike or anything closely resembling it and while I do agree that there are several things that need to be ironed out; like the medical care and compensation for retired players as well as the ridiculous amounts that are paid to rookie players that have yet to prove themselves at the pro level, I believe that to many players in the league today have attitudes that are unfortunately more likely to mandate a decision that would end up in a shortened or strike related season. I hate to say it but it is at this moment in time that I miss the insight of Foxworth and his attachment to the Players Union.
Break their will to compete!
Mike in San Diego
hey all, good luck Nate, show us what you can do! As far as marshall we can’t loose another on offense, so dont trade, but no dealings till further in the year, let him show he is worth more. I absorbed cutlar, it was hard but to loose marshall too would be a hard hit to our offense that would knock us down several notches in are chances to win this year.
yaa go nate one of my favorite players for my favorite team the nebraska cornhuskers. and now u on my team im super pumped
Aloha, I really don’t know much about this guy, But, The name Nate Swift has a ring to it . I’ll pray for the best for you Nate. Mahalo & GOD bless.
If Nate Swift is the all-time leading receiver in the NFL, it means he’s pretty good, as the Cornhuskers have had good wideouts in the past, such as Irving Fryar. Therefore, I think this kid is full of potential and he may fit in nicely. We’ll see what happens. GO BRONCOS!!!
Um… I know you made a mistake there BradJamesBroncoFan, because Nate Swift hasn’t played an NFL game… so he can’t be the all-time leading receiver in the NFL… I believe a man by the name of Jerry Rice has that title… (But I know you didn’t mean NFL)
hey all, i watched this guy play the last 2 seasons, what can i say, i lived 6 blocks from memorial stadium, and i think he will be a good fit here in denver. he is team oriented, has a solid work ethic, and WANTS to play. never struck me as the money hungry type, and he stays out of trouble! hes got speed and good hands. i think he was a good pick up. the question is can he beat out the other guys to make our squad. i for one sure hope so! oh, and Im SOO glad to be back in colorado!
GO BRONCOS