The University of Cincinnati had a relatively late graduation this year — June 9.
What does that have to do with the Broncos?
The club’s first pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, defensive tackle Derek Wolfe, wasn’t able to participate in the team’s OTAs until after that date.
On Tuesday, the former Bearcat finally took to the practice field at Dove Valley with his teammates for the first day of minicamp.
“It’s good to finally be out here,” Wolfe smiled.
Late last month, Defensive Coordinator Jack Del Rio said he wasn’t upset that Wolfe wasn’t with the team, since it was out of his hands. However, he said there was only so much the rookie could learn without actually participating in practices.
Wolfe found that out first-hand Tuesday, as he said he felt behind for the majority of the practice.
“You’re just trying to catch up the whole time,” he said. “I think I caught up pretty quick and towards the end of practice I started to get it. It’ll come along.”
The rookie found that the hardest part for him was being behind in learning the playbook, but the veterans were more than happy to help him in the process.
Throughout practice, Wolfe was often off to the side talking with veterans like Kevin Vickerson and Jason Hunter in between drills.
“(I talked to) pretty much everybody,” Wolfe said. “My locker is right beside (Justin) Bannan’s, so anytime I have a question I just ask him. He’s been around for a while. I’ve got a lot of vets here.”
Even if he wasn’t 100 percent correct every time, Wolfe made sure to put in 100 percent of his effort.
“It’s still football,” he explained. “If you mess up, just make sure you’re running to the ball. You can’t coach effort.”
Wolfe, who said he lined up at both defensive end and defensive tackle depending on the package, was happy to get his first practice since rookie minicamp out of the way. But that doesn’t mean he was content with his performance.
“I’m never satisfied,” he said. “It’s never perfect, but it’s never as good or as bad you thought it was either. I’m just trying to fix the things I did wrong and perfect the things I did right.”
The Broncos have two more days of this week’s minicamp before a break that spans more than a month prior to the start of training camp in late July.
So Wolfe will soak up everything he can during that time, because this season he plans to show why Denver had him at the top of their draft board.
“I expect to contribute,” he said. “Obviously they didn’t draft me with their first pick not to play. I have some expectations here and I’m just trying to live up to them.”
-Gray Caldwell
Tags: Derek Wolfe
Actually I think we could see JE trading a couple players for future draft picks and to make cap space for the yet unsigned players..
I can see us trading maybe a Matt Willis or DJ, Woodyard or Paxton…
If we really only have 5mil left then that really is slim money to get those last three signed and not to mention that I bet they wish thy coud get Clady resigned this year before he becomes UFA next year but the dinero is slim and we’re down to the last heel of bread in the Bronco money bag..
JE’s strategy seems to be to spend every last dime and effort to win each and every year but not to dip into the future cookie jar.
I like it.
If a new deal isnt done with Clady he will be tagged. The FO wont let him go.
DJ has no value on the trade market right now.
Matt Willis I wouldnt mind. Lance Ball is another. Maybe a couple cap bodies if we can get anything for them. Dont wanna see Woodyard go. Maybe even Jason Hill who we signed this offseason too lol.
ya ab dj is like the plague right now. he wouldnt bring much. i wouldnt get rid of woodyard yet either. he has a ton of potential and a great guy to have on the team. and your tebow comment was funny. i got it…
oc thats a good observation and i like it too. i hope it keeps up. its frustrating to fans in the ‘now’ but in 5 years when we have a deep and dominant roster we’ll be glad he didnt listen to us in the moment!
I would think just flat out that if DJ is suspended for Six games then he is not worth the being the fourth highest paid player on the team, ‘joomho’ right there on that basis alone he might just end up cut if he wont take a pay cut. I think he still has a chance to appeal his susspension? You would know more about that than me AB.
Respectfully…………… we don’t need no stinkin’ MJG – OVER-KILL is word!!!!
need? no. love to have? OH YA!!!!
Been a little worried about the Eastly Beastly Buzzin Buzzard Bronco Friend… He hasn’t checked in since his birthday has he?
OC he is actual suing the NFL about it. He missed a couple OTA because he was in court for it. His trial for DUI isnt till August. Him and others have all said that drug samples were contaminated. DJ also said that a week after he took that test he took another and passed. Any drugs in his system wouldnt be out in that period of time.
What you have to remember is that our LB corp is weak with a lot of young unknown talent. DJ is not only the most experience LB we have but the most complete LB. His off field issues havnt crossed the line into where the talent on the field isnt worth it. But he is very close to that line. If we had another LB that we know can step in and do what he does then cutting him could be an option but we dont.
if an elite rb is overkill, then count me in the overkill fan club!
OC I dont think he has. Its been a while.
LMAO LBF!!!!
I would much rather have Ray Rice than MJD……THAT would be overkill!!!!!
oh ya me too. when ray rice came out i wanted him. i knew he would be good and i couldnt believe he fell to the second round. alot of analysts said he would be a first round talent before that draft.
LBF Me too!!! Doug Martin reminds me a lot of him too……
Thanks for chattin Bronco-Peeps it’s been fun but I gotta run… ILMSDB FANS!!!
ALL HAIL THE NECK!!!
KEEP THE DRIVE ALIVE BRONCOS!!!!!
see ya oc i’m out for a bit too. later ab yall blog nicely now!!
Haha… Well I just hope your own family never makes mistakes like that DB because I’d hate for you to be my dad… No offense, but it just seems like you hold a grudge no matter what people do to make amends. I’ve never even gotten a speeding ticket, but I know my dad would be there every step of the way making me make it right, not bailing me out, but not adding to my misery.
I wanted MJD at the beginning to March, I thought we should’ve traded Tebow for him, but that didn’t work out! LOL
I love watching Peyton’s conferences. It’s obvious that he hates the “rules and regulations” even if they’re there to keep the players safe in the off season. LOL
Just in case you missed the players responses to DJ: http://m.espn.go.com/nfl/story?storyId=8043921
Cat – all that is for public consumption – don’t believe that it was a nothing in-house. On the video Fox stated, we have talked to him, it has been handled.
LOL oooookay.
Yea and what else did he say DB? That it doesnt change the D much. Because it doesnt. Any and every player can tell you the same thing. It didnt reveal anything to other teams.
Seriously former players can tell their new team more about the playbook and the team then what DJ posted. Coaches can learn 200 times more watching game film than what he posted. What he posted was very basic stuff. All plays that are used in all defensive schemes. Plus for that formation there can be 20+ plays how would opposing offenses know what play their doing from how they line up? They cant. He revealed next to nothing.
Everything is a conspiracy now… Next thin you know aliens will be falling from the sky… OH NO! Wait… Next thing you know PM has actually been replaced by a Super Soldier From and alternate universe and has come to destroy the game of football forever! GASP! Where is Olivia Duhnam when you need her??? ;-p
BTW- I never hold grudges. I don’t have the time or the emotional energy for it. Enforce consequences…yah – as needed.
As I have stated before – my experience with drinking drivers is from the perspective of my part time work as a police chaplain. I did that for 8 years. It was my job to inform families of both victim and perpetrator. The most frequent issue to deal with, like 10 times a week would be harm done by drinking drivers. Don’t expect any leniency from people like myself or families who have been victims. It is just the right thing to do to have a no tolerance policy.
I was also hit by a drunk driver who was less than legally intoxicated. Unfortunately he was on a motorcycle and I was in a van with 10 passengers. Air traffic controller out of Pt. Mugu – Kieth Alexander died from his injuries on Jan 10, 2009. I held that man’s hand and cried out to God for his life. My vehicle was completely stopped at the time of collision. If you are so inclined you could probably google the Ventura County newspapers and find out my real name.
Ya – I might be a little emotionally involved in the issue – but nobody has the right to risk other peoples lives because they plan poorly. And I will continue to send letters to that effect to Roger Goodell, every time a player is sited for DUI / DWI. What is he waiting for??? The scandal where the NFL is linked to the death of innocent bystanders???
Never said that and you would know it if you had read previous posts. It is serious because it was done, not because of harm to the team due to revealed secrets. Those who have been in locker rooms who have been issued play books before will recall the lecture that is given as they are handed out.
DB my brothers car was literally destroyed but for where he was sitting because he was an idiot and drove drunk. He could easily be dead right now. I get it and I hate it as much as you do.
Got to go get kiddos in bed.
Have a great evening and night.
Daddy out.
It isnt serious because it was done. It really isnt serious at all. Its being blown way out of proportion by fans. People are blowing it out of proportion because they think he spilled so many secrets which is very very false. All he did was do something he shouldnt have that caused no harm to the team whatsoever.
Was it smart? No…..Was it the worst thing in the world? No……Is it worth all the talk and hate? Not even close.
Yes I recall the lecture about my playbook very clearly. It went something like you misplace it your gonna die basically.
“Yes I recall the lecture about my playbook very clearly. It went something like you misplace it your gonna die basically.” LOL
Yep – that’s about what I recall as well but no where near that brief. It went on and on. It included the fact that it would cost more laps than what was survivable. The honor it was to be trusted with the prize possession and secrets of your school. The honor it was to be on the team. You are the top one percent of all society who has ever seen one of these that is actually going to be used. Repeated nearly verbatim every season. ~It is a big deal~
I repeat myself – I’ve seen what was posted. It didn’t hurt the team even a little.
But putting pieces on twitter was a huge deal, and double dumb because DJ was already in trouble. It is serious! Can DJ survive it??? If DJ gets cut, or traded, I hope it is because of drug use or DUI – not this….I don’t think this ought to be ‘the straw that…’ Nope – fines, maybe / extra work, maybe / humiliations galore, for certain.
People have got to understand that the play book is a symbol of what is special about us. It is symbolic of team pride. It is the symbol of what unites individuals into what we call ‘team’. It is what a team member has that no one else can purchase or possess. It is a more exclusive symbol than the team name or colors. Remove the playbook and we cease to be unique. We lose our identity.
I rank this kind of stupidity up there with Michael Jackson holding his child out over a ledge. No body was hurt. The kid was having fun with Daddy. But the action symbolized the devaluation of what fathers do. It made a mockery of daddy as a protector and friend and mentor. The decision making process was flawed and inexplicable. The action itself was potentially more catastrophic than it actually proved to be. The action brought into question every prior accomplishment of the man.
Good Morning Broncos Country!
So great to read and see pics of yesterday’s practice. Media is still hung up on The Neck’s arm strength……..give it a break already……….it’s still June and PM is still getting back into game shape. At least he’s working his a$$ off and not just resting on his laurels from seasons past. I have no doubt that come opening day, he’ll be as ready as ever.
Interesting talk about going after MJD. He is an elite back……….and arguably the best in the league last season considering what he had around him. He would def add to an offense……….especially one that will be as potent as ours…..but is he worth the big money he’s looking for at this point in his career? Not too sure on that one……..makes me wonder when he’ll start to slow down like LT did……….he went from elite to regular in what seemed like overnight. Just the story of a RB’s life.
Looking forward to more discussion today………and getting more info about camp.
GO BRONCOS!
Killer NFL.com is hung up his arm strength but Bill Williamson wrote a great article saying that yes he doesn’t have the same velocity for the long throws but those were never something he did often anyway so I like that! The NFL wants to keep it a controversy for as long as possible until people see there is nothing wrong with him! LOL
yeah…………nfl.com and nfl network are all about creating controversy……….I kinda guess it’s their job to do that to get viewers watching. Oh well……….PM will prove them all wrong. lol
Hope at defensive tackle: http://m.espn.go.com/general/blogs/blogpost?blogname=afcwest&id=44931
Yeah well Williamson is always so critical so it gives me more hope that he is just fine!
I’m not so much concerned with our D-line at this point. Looks like we’ve got some depth, which is great. Like he said in the article, we won’t be the best in the league, but we’ll hold our own and good/pretty good.
My concerns lay now with the LB position……….Our D line looks solid, as does our back end………..but the LB position, specially with DJ’s probable suspension has me concerned.
Ditto! I have been worried about it since he was suspended.
what’s even more frustrating is the fact that DJ, imo, hasn’t even really played up to his true potential. I just get the impression that he’s not as dedicated to his craft as some others. Could totally be off base………but it’s just my perception.
wow……….dead blog this morning! lol
WAKEY WAKEY!
jeez, the blog killer must still be lurking around in here! lol
Where’s all my east coast peeps?
Wow, only 10 post this morning. More OTA`s today. that will give us something to talk about later. lol
Hey Stand………..would’ve been more but no one would talk to me…………even cat left me hanging! hahaha
I went a helped a buddy of mine who need some work done at his house, putting in railroad ties. Its a two man job. It only had taken us a few hours to do. I got a good workout, a little extra bucks. Its more about helping out a friend. Hey, I got a little something accomplished today. HaHa!!
You know Cat will be back later. Some Bloggers have lives. LOL!
Here’s one of the east coast peeps checking in!
Here’s another peep checking in from the mountain time zone….lol!
Hey, some life on the blog………..
What are you insinuating strand? I have no life? LMAO!
Howdy gang!
How you doing killer……looks like you were on here all by your lonesome…
yeah, I’m an hour and a half ahead of the eastern time zone so I’m usually always the first one on, waiting for the others………and then when it starts to heat up, my day is done and I’m gone. It’s a vicious cycle! lol
We’re so special here, we get the extra half hour cause we’re an island! hahaha