banner

Posts Tagged ‘Darrell Hackney’

OTA Day 7: Notes and Photos

May 24th, 2007 - 12:20pm by AndrewOther posts by

OTA Day 7
Why open with a skyline shot? Because by any measurement, the conditions in the Mile High City for the final session of Quarterback Camp were glorious, even if the mercury was slow to rise, giving the Broncos their chilliest OTA so far this year.

The Broncos began their session about an hour early, and stepped onto the field Thursday morning to witness a dazzlingly clear sky — but also 48-degree weather.

“This is (like) the middle of Christmastime in Jacksonville,” said defensive tackle and Sunshine State product Marcus Thomas. “But I like it out here. I’m really enjoying myself. I like the weather. I still haven’t gotten to see snow yet, so I’m looking forward to that.”

OTA Day 7
A bigger deal at first for Thomas was his adjustment to the altitude, but that didn’t prove as problematic as he expected.

“It’s a heck of a lot better (now) than the first day,” Thomas said. “People told me it would take two or three weeks, but I think in the first three days I was pretty much set.”

Click to continue reading “OTA Day 7: Notes and Photos”

OTA Day 6: Photos and Notes

May 23rd, 2007 - 1:32pm by AndrewOther posts by

OTA Day 6
This is one of my favorite shots of the OTAs to date, taken as the team stretched out prior to the practice session. Some of the coaches stroll through the players as they warm up, engaging in conversation. But looking at Bill Johnson standing on the FieldTurf surface about 50 yards from the players, I couldn’t help but notice how intently he watched his defensive linemen prepare. With the blocking sled in place, it’s as if he’s thinking, “I’m ready when you are, guys — let’s hurry up and get this thing started!”

And really, could you blame him for feeling that way? Three of the Broncos’ four picks over the first four rounds of the draft are under his jurisdiction. He’s helping a cadre of returning veterans adjust to Jim Bates’ new defensive scheme. There’s a lot Johnson and his fellow defensive coaches want to impart, and only eight more OTAs and three mini-camp days left in which to do it.

“We’re putting in quite a few defenses,” defensive tackle Gerard Warren said. “Coach (Bates) expects us to pick them up fast and keep it moving.”

And the movement won’t stop for the four-day Memorial Day weekend respite the players receive. “(Bates) told us to take those playbooks home and make sure we stay polished up for the next camp,” Warren said.

Click to continue reading “OTA Day 6: Photos and Notes”

Images from OTA Day 2

May 17th, 2007 - 11:18am by AndrewOther posts by

OTA Day 2

Bon giorno from Dove Valley on a cloud-shrouded but nevertheless pleasant Thursday morning, one which saw the Broncos take the field for the second day of quarterback camp.

With only 10 minutes on the field, I figured I would get a good look at the quarterbacks today after watching the D-linemen go through warmup drills yesterday morning. In particular, I wanted to check out the two new quarterbacks, Darrell Hackney and Patrick Ramsey, although neither would show their full arm strength during the warmup segment of the session.

Not too much to report from the 10 minutes of open access today … aside from new kicker Brandon Pace being implored to hustle as he ran from one practice field to another in time for pre-practice stretching — although I must note that it looked to me like he was moving at a pretty brisk pace.

A few more photos follow below, and I’ll be back with more this afternoon after on-field player availability for interviews.

OTA Day 2

Click to continue reading “Images from OTA Day 2″

Painting the Roster By Numbers

April 19th, 2007 - 1:12am by AndrewOther posts by

Earlier this month, we learned that Travis Henry had successfully pried No. 20 away from fellow running back Mike Bell, moving the second-year back to No. 30, a jersey last donned for a regular-season game by Terrell Davis.

The rest of the numbers game is coming into focus, as well, with many new Broncos grabbing their digits for the upcoming season. Grab your scorecards, and let’s go:

Darrell Hackney, QB: He’ll wear No. 4, which he donned at at UAB.

Brandon Stokley, WR: The Broncos issued him No. 14. He has never worn a number outside of the 80s in his NFL career until now, but wore this number to great acclaim back at Louisiana-Lafayette. It was retired from UL-L annals after he completed his four years there with 241 receptions for 3,702 yards and 25 touchdowns while becoming the first player in Division I-A annals to average 100 receiving yards per game for his career.

Glenn Martinez, WR: Will wear No. 17. He wore No. 87 for the Rhein Fire in 2005 and Nos. 12 and 84 for the Detroit Lions in recent years.

Paul Smith, FB: Will wear No. 26. He’s been all over the map, donning jersey No. 27 in San Francisco, 40 in Detroit and 31 in St. Louis.

Troy Fleming, FB: Jersey number 35. He donned 44 with the Tennessee Titans and had No. 27 at the University of Tennessee.

Eric Hill, CB: Jersey number 36. He had Nos. 14 and 37 for the Colts earlier in his career, but that belongs to fellow Colorado State alumnus Cecil Sapp. Hill wore No. 38 for the Carolina Panthers on their practice squad last year and donned No. 26 for the Hamburg Sea Devils in 2006. Back at CSU, he played wide receiver and wore No. 7.

Eddie Moore, LB: Will wear No. 51, donned by Keith Burns the last two years. Moore wore No. 58 in his four years with the Miami Dolphins — three of which were under Broncos assistant head coach Jim Bates — and was No. 37 in your program at the University of Tennessee.

Montrae Holland, OL: Will wear No. 70 after donning No. 61 for his entire New Orleans Saints career. He also wore No. 61 at Florida State.

Carlos Hall, DE: Will wear No. 98 in Denver; he had No. 92 in Kansas City and No. 97 in Tennessee.

Alvin McKinley, DT: Issued No. 99. He had No. 97 for most of his years in Cleveland, although he started there with No. 70. He also wore No. 97 at Mississippi State.

Some players have not yet been issued numbers: tight end Daniel Graham, punter Eddie Johnson, quarterback Patrick Ramsey, offensive tackle Jacob Rogers and three NFL Europa allocations: tight end Teyo Johnson, guard Kevin McAlmont and cornerback Lamont Reid. On Graham, it’s worth noting that there is only one number in the 80s currently open (81).

A Return to the Veteran Backup

March 20th, 2007 - 1:22am by AndrewOther posts by

From 1997 through 2004, the Broncos had a veteran backup quarterback standing at the ready. From Bubby Brister to Chris Miller to Gus Frerotte to Steve Beuerlein and on to Danny Kanell, Denver’s backup was not only a veteran — but one who at a point in his career had been a full-time starter. Miller, Frerotte and Beuerlein had even been Pro Bowlers, while Brister and Kanell had directed previous teams to a playoff win and a division title, respectively.

In 2005, the Broncos veered away from that postulate, opting to keep Bradlee Van Pelt as their only relief option. But that year, he wasn’t needed; he didn’t see extensive action until the final half of the regular season with the Broncos’ playoff seed coated in cement.

The signing of Patrick Ramsey — made official Monday — shakes up the quarterback situation, but it also brings the Broncos back to what they had for most of their recent years: a veteran standing at the ready.

Of course, Ramsey hasn’t claimed the job; Preston Parsons returns after a year on the practice squad, while the team also signed former UAB passer Darrell Hackney in January; he was a preseason casualty in Cleveland last year. But of the Broncos’ quarterbacks behind incumbent Jay Cutler, only Ramsey has been an NFL starter — or has thrown a pass in a regular-season game, for that matter.

Ramsey also possesses a similar background to another backup quarterback of recent Denver vintage. Like that understudy, he spent multiple seasons with the Redskins, occasionally serving as the starting quarterback. Like him, he had a one-year stopover elsewhere before joining the Broncos.

That passer, of course, is Frerotte, who played two seasons for the Broncos before departing for a potential starting opportunity in Cincinnati that only materialized for three starts in 2002. His peripatetic career has since witnessed three more stops for an NFL total of seven teams, pushing him into the realm of passers like Chris Chandler and Steve DeBerg who stayed in the game by remaining portable and open to potential suitors.

But in his two Denver seasons, Frerotte posted a passer rating of 85.5 over his two seasons and seven starts. Only Jay Cutler’s 88.5 rating is higher among all Denver players to throw at least one pass this decade. Frerotte also went 4-3 in seven regular-season starts as a Bronco, and was 6-3 in games during which he threw at least 15 passes.

If Ramsey can mimic those numbers, he’ll be a succesful pickup.