Mason's Morsels

For the Broncos, the weekend proved to offer no time to rest.

A busy week opening week of free agency carried over into Saturday as the team fortified its secondary by adding a pair of safeties — Marquand Manuel, formerly of the Carolina Panthers, and Marlon McCree, late of the San Diego Chargers.

Terms on the contracts for both were not disclosed.

McCree, a street free agent, started all 16 games for the San Diego Chargers in 2007.  He logged 65 total tackles — 48 solo — three interceptions and six passes defensed as part of a Chargers defense that held opposing passers to a 70.0 rating last year, the best for any NFL defense in 2007.

 He has been a starter on winners in recent years, spending 2005 with the Carolina Panthers and the last two seasons in San Diego.  During those three seasons, his teams were 34-12 during games in which he played, a statistic skillfully researched by Patrick Smyth of the media-relations department.

McCree’s best statistical season came in 2005, when he notched 87 total tackles. three interceptions and 10 passes defensed.

The eighth-year veteran celebrates his 31st birthday this St. Patrick’s Day.

Manuel, an unrestricted free agent, started all 16 regular-season games for the Seattle Seahawks in 2005, then started throughout their run to Super Bowl XL.  He moved on to Green Bay in 2006, where he again started the full season, before joining the Panthers in 2007, for whom he started twice while playing in all 16 games.

Manuel has 38 starts in 91 career games played, with 215 total tackles, 10 passes defensed, a pair of interceptions and 33 stops on special teams.

The University of Florida product enters his seventh year in the league, with the Broncos being the fifth team for which he has played.

Discuss below, and vaya con Dios.