A pair of undrafted wide receivers are drawing some attention from Offensive Coordinator Mike McCoy during offseason practices.
Gerell Robinson is one of three rookies on the Denver Broncos from Arizona State University.
Robinson impressed McCoy and staff when they checked out quarterback Brock Osweiler during a pre-draft workout. McCoy said the young guys will continue to get lots of reps in offseason drills, and with a new playbook and a quarterback in Peyton Manning who keeps a rapid pace, Robinson will have an opportunity to earn his keep this summer.
“We’re throwing a ton at them, and we’ve told them from Day One we’re not waiting for them,” McCoy said. “So they’ve got to get in their books and study extremely hard every day and they can’t miss an opportunity. They’ve got to take all the mental reps in the world because we’re going at the quarterback’s speed. And the quarterback has played a long time so everyone has to keep up with him.”
Mark Dell is an undrafted wideout who the Broncos picked up last July. McCoy spoke of Dell and another undrafted player, running back Mario Fannin, as two guys who came in last year as rookies and looked good initially, but never made it to the regular season due to injuries. Now, they’re trying to pick up where they left off.
“They did a great job last year of making the most of their opportunities,” McCoy said. “Unfortunately they both got injured last year but they did a great job of coming in as young players in our system, they bought into what we were doing and they did it the way they were getting taught. Injuries are all part of the game. They’ve worked extremely hard.”
Dell still came to team meetings throughout the year, continuing to ask questions and study the playbook.
“That’s going to pay off before long enough for both those guys,” McCoy said.
Fullback Chris Gronkowski was another fresh name discussed during Wednesday’s press conference at Dove Valley. Gronkowski was acquired via trade from the Indianapolis Colts on May 23rd. McCoy especially likes the team’s latest acquisition because it’ll be easier to use some of the formations that the offensive coordinator and Head Coach John Fox used when they were together at Carolina.
“He fits what we do and what we’ve done in the past — whether it’s here or in Carolina, where we were more of a two-back offense,” McCoy said. “He’s that fullback you’re looking for.”
But Gronkowkski won’t be used only as the fullback in dual-back formations. Coaches say he has the versatility to play in several different spots on the field. After all, his little brother Rob in New England and older brother — and former Bronco — Dan have shown that there’s plenty more than blocking in the family genes.
“We can flex him out a little bit,” McCoy said. “He’s athletic enough to expand the formations and he’s got some position flexibility if you don’t want to just line up in the I-formation all day long. We can move him around.”
-Sam Davis
Tags: Chris Gronkowski, Gerell Robinson, Mario Fannin, Mark Dell
Ok, I am reposting the video here because it’s too funny not to share: http://blogs.denverpost.com/broncos/2012/05/31/internet-watch-manningtebow-gotye-cover-parody-video/13846/
I am excited about our Gronk and especially Fannin. I have high hopes for Fannin!!!!
Lol Cat.
Man its good to hear about these young players doing all they can to make it.
Mark Dell has been my sleeper pick for months now, funny how he’s now wearing #15.. Lol. But my wish is for Siliga to be the one to surprise us the most. And if he does, we could have a very nice DT pairing for the future with the Samoan-Wolfe!!!
Lol OT I knew youd be happy to hear that about Dell. Im just as happy to hear what little they said of Robinson who I have made very obvious I think he will make the team. lol
OT Dell seems promising. I’m hoping he makes the team. I am so excited for our WR. Eric Decker is going to be a household name this year.
RGIII was a Beoncos fan. Can you imagine being a Broncos fan and being drafted by Mike Shannahan. Sheesh.
Broncos… Shoot! Weird. Anyway. I hope he is still a Broncos fan! LOL
Who needs Soliai when we got SILIGA??
didn’t know that Cat – I wonder if we could arrange an exchange! The Neck for RG3! I like it.
new blog already? well responding to some posts on the last blog where people were giving turtle grief ya know nothing turtle said suprises me. like i say i know his type. you have to let alot of it go, he wants reaction. he wants to be the greatest and smartest and when that falls apart he’s the agitator and makes himself feel superior by turning his nose up to any kind of popular sentiment. he’s soo much smarter than everyone you see, so we get called bunched panty crew and he lashes out alot. of course in such a way we cant even understand where he comes from (we’re so dumb!). but thats a sign he’s not happy with how things are going in genious world when he starts making stuff up just to agitate.. i dont let it get to me, thats what he wants. i dont even dislike him. when he’s not lashing out he’s great to chat with. i find it fun to disagree sometimes, and you can learn alot from a disagreement with someone. ab wouldnt know tho, he doesnt really ever argue….
tsunami i dont really know much about dell but your the 2nd person to comment on liking him. and i dont really know alot about robinson either. hm i usually know about the whole roster. whats the heck? and i do know about fannin and like him too cat. i think hillman will be bad for him tho. hillman is a better version of fannin imo. fannin could break out tho i agree. he’s good. never hurts to have 2 third down backs either. injuries are common at that position.
Um. No thanks DB. I’ll stick with Manning! Just thought it was cool for him.
PM wouldn’t do it anyway. He won’t play his brother twice a year.
Decker will have a great season cat, most likely leads us in receptions. That injury he had was kind of on you-know-who, for lofting that pass up there in traffic.. Robinson is also very intriguing, and the competition at WR will be fierce. Is it just me, or have we really done a great job with undrafted rookies both this year and last?
rg3 may be a bust. manning wont. i’ll take the proven elite qb! dont go to sleep on os db. given a few years he may be something, especially after watching the elite qb work. we very well may have the young qb of the future right now.
OT, I agree. And I was proud of Decker for standing up for Harrison, because it wasn’t a bad hit at all. It was completely random. You’re right though, but that was still you know who’s best game. I am impressed. I think we have built a solid start and I am glad that we’re closer to being rebuilt than still at the beginning of rebuilding.
I feel as though we have an excellent blend of youth and veterans. Too often, teams are either too old, too young. I think we have a great balance right now, and have great young guys to grow into the spots that our veterans will vacate. The Orange & Blue is sitting pretty now, and in the future IMO.
Come get some!!!
Skillz, just wanted to let you know that there is a discrepancy about who is the real Derek Wolfe on twitter, but I’ve told both of them that it Broncos Country because they were both saying Broncos Nation. LOL
I also think that Turtle is the second coming of the infamous “carnage”
Page Robinson Dell Siliga Fannin Judie if any of them dont make the roster I really think they will make the PS as I have said before.
Robinson would be nice to keep around for when Brock takes over. Page and Dell are both smaller WRs that can be stars as slot WRs in a few years with work IMO. Siliga is our biggest DT who I think will end up being our NT with Vickerson backing him up. Fannin is a fan favorite who has shown a lot of promise my only thing is ive heard he has issues holding the rock. Hopefully he can work on that. Judoe I think will make it as a returner. He has good vision and speed.
OT lol! He always conveniently disappears too. The other day he was talkin like Manning was dead after I shared his fourth quarter comeback stats.
I hope Fannin can carry some of the load this year, and I do NOT want to see Hillman anywhere near any PR/KR. Judie or Caldwell will suffice, as it’s better to use expendable guys for those duties IMO.
Turtle also has “selective hearing”
OT I think Judie should be our returner. I would love to see Fannin able to take the 4th RB spot from either Moreno and/or Ball. However I think Hillman McGahee and Moreno will all be RBs on roster whenever Moreno is able to actually play and before he gets hurt again
Yes! I look forward to Hillman being here for a long while. Bolden returned kicks when he was healthy at Arizona didn’t he?
Bolden is a good returner cat, but is coming off an serious knee injury, best not to put him out there for that IMO. I’m torn on the Moreno issue. Given his little cap hit, I think it’s his job to loose, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him finally put it all together, having his back against the wall and being in this offense. But I don’t think I’d bet on it… Lol
Just thought of this… Pretty ironic that Tim Tebow was (kind of) replaced by a (Sun) Devil?? Lol
OT I agree with you on Bolden. He was a good returner but coming off a ACL injury I believe dont want to push him in returning this year.
It is Morenos job to lose. I think he will have a spot whenever he gets fully healed. However if he ends up hurt again he will be gone IMO.
LOL!!!!! that’s hilarious. He probably doesn’t think it’s that funny, but it was totally nice to see Peyton teaching him. I don’t want it tone a Favre Rodgers relationship. I think that Peyton is ready to teach now, after what happened last season.
Him being Brock. My sentence didn’t make sense.
I forgot where I heard it cat, but someone said it”s Brock’s job the LEARN, not Peyton’s job to TEACH. I think that comment really hits the nail on the head. I really hope Brock puts in as much time as Manning does, goes the extra mile, and picks up all the secrets of Manning’s fine-tuned craft.
*to learn.. Lol
Great to read how Mark Dell went to all the meetings last year, eventhough he was on IR. Bolden did the same last year in college, and was even named a team captain for his work in the weight room. I’m SO happy to see us finally draft these type of players, as it will pay HUGE dividends down the road.
The perfect storm is brewing in Denver..
No,I agree OT. Brock needs to learn, but Peyton is teaching everyone!!!
it cant possibly be better than sitting behind a guy with not only the skill of manning, but also the habits and everything he does in his approach to football. its like any trade. if you sit behind a guy who does it right and does it well it tremendously helps you just being there. it is his job to learn and he will do that. some of it just by osmosis. its gonna be hard to screw that up. we should be good at qb for a good while. i hope os is as good as i think he can be. its gonna be tough waiting four or five years to find out tho.
But Peyton doesn’t teach his part of the action. OS is going to have to watch, study and learn that for himself. (Can’t expect our 100 million dollar man to be running a QB kindergarten.) LOL
3 games – only 3 games and then he’ll be watching Hanie till the fans get fed up and then…he’ll get his chance. Hoping Hanie does well. I think Brock is likely to start fall of 2013.
I think Daddy better go lay some sprinkler lines or something!!! LOL
DB, that’s not what I meant and you know it. But he is ALREADY teaching. I fully expect Brock to learn everything he can. God knows I’d rather have him LEARN from Manning than Philip Rivers.
Wow. Well here’s hoping other Bronco fans strive to have faith that Peyton can last more than three games. Sheesh!
Whatsamatter w/ Rivers? Personality, skill, and everything is about the same as Peyton. They both like to humiliate their receivers on the field. And their temper tantrums look similar.
???
LBF, if we have to wait four to five years for the next Aaron Rodgers, I’ll take it. Really. I think he has that ability if he strives to really be the best he can be.
I’m sorry Cat – you are too easy for me to escalate. I’m going to go do something less devious.
DB, once again you forget that some quarterbacks TEACH on the field and don’t just go chew ice chips…
I’m supposed to like Rivers now?
That’s cool, I like it when it gets hot in here.
OS needs the ‘killer’ instinct. But we already had that and sold it down the river because the paparazzi caused a few unscratchable itches.
DB… Chewing ice chips……….
LOL
Maybe I’ll go do some Tebowing too……….
Just wanted to make certain Lou knew that I wasn’t softening any.