Reunited in Orange and Blue
When Head Coach Josh McDaniels and Daniel Graham are on the same NFL roster, the results have been fruitful.
Eleven playoff games. Nine victories.
Two Super Bowl appearances. Two Super Bowl trophies.
After a two-season hiatus, McDaniels and Graham have joined colors once again, hoping to bring the same rewards they experienced in New England to Denver.
Constantly ImprovingJeb Putzier and Vernon Fox stepped to the podium one after another this afternoon, and both seemed upbeat about the progress the team is making day by day.
Thursday marked the seventh day of passing camp, and the team is working extremely hard to make their mark in 2009.
“Definitely in the circumstance that we’re in — the new coaching staff, a new system — that’s imperative, and guys have taken the initiative to be here,” Fox said of the passing camp attendance. “We’re working hard to get better, getting in awesome shape, and I think you can see that on the field each and every day, that we’re gelling as a team.”
In fact, Fox — who played in 10 games in 2008, starting three — thought the team improved significantly this offseason just with some of the roster moves before offseason camps even started.
“I remember (Head) Coach (Josh McDaniels) mentioning that all the pieces that we brought in were guys that were coming from winning organizations, yet they still wanted to be part of what we have going on here,” he said. “I’ve learned something from each and every guy, and I think that if you put it together collectively, it’s something that is going to make us successful on the defensive back end. I’ve seen our ability to make plays, and I think just being more sure of ourselves and our confidence in the guy beside us is just a difference that I’ve seen from last year to this year.”
Reunions Set For SundayCOLLEGE TEAMMATES TO REUNITE ON SUNDAY
Brandon Stokley and Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme were college teammates at Southwestern Louisiana from 1995-96. Fast forward 12 years and both are 10-year NFL veterans.
“I never would have though either one of us would have lasted this long,” Stokley said. “It is pretty special. I think both of us feel we are pretty blessed to have this opportunity to keep playing.”
The two former teammates keep in touch and keep tabs on one another.
“I do keep a pretty keen eye on Denver — I want to see what they do, I want to see what Brandon does week-in, week-out,” Delhomme said.
Stokley said that coming from a smaller school and having the mindset that they had to prove themselves is part of the reason both players have had such long and successful NFL careers.
“You can’t ever take anything for granted,” he said. “You have to work a little bit harder than everybody else.”
Putzier Back in DenverIt’s only Wednesday, but it’s already been a busy week for the Broncos, personnel-wise. After all the transactions Tuesday, more have taken place this morning.
The Broncos have signed tight end Jeb Putzier, Head Coach Mike Shanahan has announced. To make room for him on the roster, the team waived safety Herana-Daze Jones.
Putzier began his NFL career in Denver in 2002 and stayed with the Broncos until 2005. He spent the following two season with the Texans before joining the Seahawks in 2008. He saw action in six games for Seattle before being waived.
In 67 career games, Putzier has totaled 96 receptions for 1,251 yards with three touchdowns. He also has appeared in three career postseason games, posting 10 receptions for 159 yards with one touchdown.
The tight end will wear No. 87 for the Broncos.
The team also signed running back Steve Baylark to the practice squad. A second-year player out of the University of Massachusetts, Baylark has yet to see action in any regular season games, though he has played against the Broncos twice in the preseason with the Arizona Cardinals.
At UMass, Baylark became just the third Division I-AA player to post four 1,000-yard rushing seasons. A second-team All-American as a senior, Baylark finished his collegiate career with 1,080 carries for 5,199 yards with 42 touchdowns.
– Adam Zinser, DenverBroncos.com