The Broncos have placed J.D. Walton on the injured reserve list, ending the third-year center’s 2012 season. Walton suffered an ankle injury during the second quarter of Denver’s 37-6 win vs. Oakland on Sunday and did not return to the game.
Prior to the injury, the team’s third-round draft choice out of Baylor had missed just one snap in his career, which was due to his shoelace coming untied during his rookie season. Walton was one of just three offensive linemen who entered the NFL in 2010 to start all 36 possible regular-season games through Week 4 of the 2012 season.
Dan Koppen, who the Broncos signed on Sept. 11, filled in for Walton on Sunday. The 10th-year veteran is the NFL’s all-time winningest offensive lineman with an overall career record of 107-31 (.775 pct.). Koppen started 120-of-121 regular-season games and 14-of-14 postseason contests during the first nine seasons of his career with New England.
At Head Coach John Fox’s Monday press conference, he said that Koppen did “an excellent job” in relief duties against the Raiders.
“Dan, with more reps in practice and a better understanding of our offense, he’s capable of playing better,” Fox said. “He did a good job kind of on the job training just getting thrown out there quickly when J.D. went down. Considering all that, he did an excellent job.”
Filling Walton’s roster spot is linebacker Joe Mays, who returns from his one-game suspension this week. Mays has registered 10 tackles (5 solo) along with .5 sacks in his three starts for the Broncos in 2012.
Tight end Virgil Green had his suspension lifted on Monday, but due to a roster exemption, he will not count against Denver’s 53-man active roster prior to Sunday’s game against New England.
The team also waived linebacker Mike Mohamed, who had been signed to the active roster from the practice squad on Saturday.
Tags: Dan Koppen, J.D. Walton, Joe Mays
Welcome back Mr. Mays. You were missed. We all know that if you had been there McFaider would have had less than 30 yards!!!
DAMN J.D WAS DOING GOOD..JOE MAYS IS BACK
I didnt get to see the game but from what I heard Koppen did a better job than Walton has done. And Glad to have you back Joe.
Koppen did a better job than Walton,and Brooking did a great job in place of Mays,it’s nice to have depth!!!
Kudos to Wooyard for a great game also!
PFM…well what can I say……….I knew he’d be back to top notch,now we have the best QB in the NFL!!!!!!!!!!
AB – you are going to have to get ‘rewind’ or something.
Both Walton and Koppen were pushing on two defenders the whole game and Manning was never touched. They both do well.
SEC you are on early!!!
Great game!!!
I’m glad we get to live in the glory of success and don’t have to get right back at it like the Bronco team and coaches do. I can’t believe we have a 1/4 of the season behind us already.
“DaddyBronc says:
October 1, 2012 at 12:50 pm
Von Dum – happy to be ticking you off. LOL Being a critic has a very long history and is a fun and sophisticated pastime.
Manning was absolutely surgical yesterday! This was allowed because Raiders couldn’t put together a pass rush. It will not be the same against the Pats!!!
” losing sucks but losing back2back to the 2 hottest teams in the NFL right now by a combined 12 pts really aint all bad…” except when your fans are thinking that your 20 million dollars investment is taking you to the Super Bowl….when it is really contributing to the reason why the Broncos will not make it to the Super Bowl.”
Von Dum, you really ought to pay no attention to DB. He really doesn’t realize that Elway never promised us a Super Bowl this year, he promised to make us contenders for one. And that before this is all said and done, over the course of the next few years we should be able to win one. And after yesterdays game, and even the two before, most everybody can agree that we are in a better quarterback position than we were last year or for a very long time. Yes, there was no pass rush, but if Michael Oher can stop the Patriots pass rush, so can Ryan Clady. I was very impressed by our overall effort and also the aggressive game plan from Coach Fox. They let Peyton BE Peyton yesterday and hopefully they continue to do so. We will make mistakes, lose games, win games, but they do it as a team and obviously a team that has a great report and honest love for each other. I am nothing but overly optimistic, which I have been since the season started anyway. I know it was just the Raiders, but the Raiders also beat the Steelers… it’s not like they don’t have any weapons at all. Plus, it was a division games, not only do they basically count twice, but they’re normally tougher to win, just ask the Giants.
*rant over
Thank you Cat – you scratched that itch!!! LOL
You have got to know that the players not brought in because of salary cap issues – multiplies – in the future years. We need to get a known ‘star’ RB and we have to hope we pick a ‘lucky star’ out of the draft because we don’t have room financially elsewhere… – and yet the Broncos have sold their draft picks ‘down the river’. We aren’t getting any #1′s over here.
The raiders had nothing!!!
OK – I’ll admit that the Broncos were exceptional at stopping McFadden (Thank you Brookings and Woodyard and Miller – that was fun!!!)
Mike Mohammed has been waived.
DB! We didn’t give up one draft pick for Peyton Manning. Not one. All the Colts fans I talk to are still irked about it. We still today have like 11$ million in cap room for this season. We are not in bad shape financially. Not at all. Sorry, not buying it.
DB, we don’t need number ones if we win football games anyway.
AND if Peyton hurts his neck again this year we pay him nothing next season, so right now it was an $18 million dollar investment for this season. And we still have cap space this season.
I think DB meant we will have late 1st round picks
Cat has a point. If Manning fails his physical this upcoming march or the march after his contract isnt guaranteed.
Not enough to attract a MJD etc…..
I just don’t get how yesterday didn’t make you feel better. Even Champ said today “It’s a process”
Hey y’all.
DB – hate to break it to you, but the draft is exactly where a team should find a RB. The shelf life on RB’s is one of the shortest for any position in the league, and rarely do you see teams have much success bringing in FA RB’s (McGahee is anomaly). We haven’t traded away any future draft picks that I’m aware of.
Idk DB McGahee is I think exactly what we need as our main running back. He’s just gonna pound you and pound you and pound you, and just when you think you catch a break he keeps pounding you. And then we’ve got Knowshon and Hillman as change of pace and blocking backs and they have awesome game-changing ability. Maybe Hillman’s got more than Knowshon but I still like ‘em both more than Ball and he doesn’t play poorly either. I’m rather content with our team having players that are building their reputations versus immediate stars. Our linebacking corps is one of my favorites to watch in the whole NFL. Every one of them has their strengths and weaknesses (*cough* May’s pass defense *cough*), but together they fly around and hit hard and play well. Our DL has developed into a solid unit with decent depth even though let’s face it Von Doom and Wolfe are all that we ever see make exciting plays haha. I think if we draft more and recruit like we’ve been doing we don’t need 1st rounders.
DB, no team went seriously after MJD or we would’ve heard more rumors. I was on top of that the whole time and there was too much to it to too many teams to want to make that trade. Besides, Hillman looked great yesterday and Ball has done a nice job backing up McGahee.
We wouldve had to trade for MJD DB. Not sign him. And when he becomes a FA we would have money cleared up from other people leaving plus the money from the increased cap. So arguing money is rather pointless. All we missed out on were FAs this past offseason.
Teams contacted the Jags about MJD and the Jags said they wernt trading him.
How goes it SW?
I like the Mays statement. Lol
Mario Williams’ contact is by WAY worse than Peyton’s. Peyton’s is year to year, and he has already had a big hand in winning games. Mario’s is guaranteed beyond this year, and he’s barely noticeable on the field…..
Yes, and even though we missed out on some FAs we got Porter and Tamme and Dreessen… I think we did good overall, but that’s just me.
*Mario Williams’ contract is WAY worse than Peyton’s.
OT funny thing is Bills front 4 lead the NFL in DL sacks
They might also lead the league in rushing yards allowed… Lol
I know lol but rushing yards is also against the whole D not just the front 4. Bills built their DL to pass rush not stop the run and it shows LOL
Mario Williams has 1.5 sacks, and 7 solo tackles this season. His 1.5 sacks came against the Browns……
Hey AB I’m doing well. Classes are rough this semester but I’m holding it down just fine haha. How ’bout you?
Mario Williams contract is 6 years for $100M; $50M fully gauranteed….
Yea OT I know hes been bad. Which is funny because hes playing on a good pass rushing DL. So you would think his numbers would be better.
Im doing good SW!!!! Got moved into the new place. Just waiting for the babies.
OT that’s nuts. I bet he doesn’t have a “neck clause” in his contract! LOL
Thanks for your help there OT, AB and SW.. you rock! Off to bible study before the Bears game! Ttyl
Nice AB! how’s the fiancee? Or did you guys get married somewhere along the way and I missed it?! haha
See ya Cat!
Shes good SW. Not married yet. Waiting till after the babies.
Everyone hear the Colts coach has been diagnosed with Leukemia?
The successful teams don’t build through free agency, they build thought the draft. Free agency should be used to put the finishing touches on a team (Peyton), or fill a void left by injury. If you want beef with our FO, it should be based on our draft selections, not signing a Hall of Fame QB in FA…
*through the draft…. Lol
cat: Actuaslly, PM does have a “neck” clause in his contract. If he can’t pass the team physical given to all players some time around March, the Broncos are off the hook. This is true for 2013 and 14 season. The last 2 years are absolutely guarantee free.
Really sad to hear about Pagano, I wish him the best. Though from what I’m reading he and his doctors are very confident that they’ll be able to CURE it through this treatment.
Well, there you all are – I was getting tired of talking to myself.
I love McG as well – but if you look at his stats over the last several years his production goes way down towards the end of season.
We do not have another ‘back that is a ‘hit you in the mouth’ type of back. I liked what I saw in Hillman yesterday. They need to cut him loose as well. And Ball is Ball and he gives you what he has. But…you all know that none of the depth chart can step up and replace McG.
Pagano needs to get out of football and fight this ‘thing’ with every thing he’s got.
I suppose that’s fair DB but at the same time, McGahee has been looking stronger with us than in Baltimore or hell even with Buffalo.
OSS she meant Mario Williams now Manning
I am happy with the way McGahee is playing.. Can’t ask for more than that. At his age and still producing that much? I’d take him over MJD ..maybe its just me but.. no huge paychecks, no hold-out BS.. just “hand me the ball and i’ll pound it in for ya!’ type of player…a player who wants to go out with a bang! ..i think thats what we need right now.IMO. he gives us that chance to evaluate that ‘next man up’ and not worrying about rushing in someone.
I am very optimistic that Hillman will breakout sooner or later,, I see him and I can compare him to LeSean Mccoy..not the biggest backs but definite game changers..
DB he is taking leave to battle it.
BTW new blog.
Someone mentioned the colts being upset they didn’t get one of our draft picks for manning. I don’t get how that makes any sense. Manning was a free agent signing, the colts released him to avoid paying him his money that was due for the 2012 season, how would we have given up a pick for him? It wasn’t a trade lol.