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Depth Charged: Who’s Where on the Depth Chart

August 20th, 2007 - 2:26am by AndrewOther posts by Andrew

Of note on the latest depth chart, released Sunday and found in the media release issued for the Cleveland preseason game Aug. 25:

… Brandon Marshall officially moved up to the second team. Fellow 2006 draftee Domenik Hixon is now with the third unit, while Brian Clark, who was the No. 3 receiver Saturday night, is listed behind Javon Walker with the second team. Brandon Stokley remains on the first unit …

… Guard Montrae Holland is listed as the second-unit right guard, although he has started both preseason contests; Chris Kuper remains listed as the first-teamer at the position …

… Gerard Warren is still listed on the first team, even though he has neither practiced nor played in any preseason games in the last 10 days. Amon Gordon, the starter next to Sam Adams in the last two games, is listed with the third team. Jimmy Kennedy and Marcus Thomas are shown with the second unit …

… Nate Webster is shown as the first-team strongside linebacker. Louis Green is with the second team. D.D. Lewis, who also saw substantial playing time on the strong side during training camp, is listed as the second-team middle linebacker …

… Jarvis Moss is listed with the second team, but the man in front of him at right defensive end is the injured Ebenezer Ekuban …

… Nate Jackson is listed as the fourth-team tight end, but he has started the last two games as the Broncos opened in two-tight end sets each time.

Tags: Defense, Offense
Posted in Archives | 6 Comments »

Blog Bonus: Andre Hall

June 20th, 2007 - 10:50am by AndrewOther posts by Andrew

For some players, a season in NFL Europa accelerates their development. Both Ben Hamilton and Erik Pears became starters along the Broncos’ offensive line just months after completing a spring stint on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.

But Europe isn’t the right option for all players — even when they haven’t had much on-field, game-action experience. Such was the case for Andre Hall, a practice-squad running back for the final month of the 2006 season who spent his spring going through workouts and organized team activities.

“We’d rather see him in game action (in the preseason),” Sundquist said. “You would hate to see him get banged up (in Europe).”

Hall’s game-time experience on the NFL level is limited to carries on five consecutive plays in preseason games for the Chicago Bears against San Diego and Cleveland, and three more against San Diego. His final tally: 13 carries for 59 yards — a healthy 4.5-yard average. Many of those yards came behind fellow Bear-turned-Bronco Thump Belton, who served as Hall’s blocking escort throughout last year’s summer work.

“(Sundquist) told me I didn’t need to go to Europe, and it made me feel a little bit better,” Hall said. ” I don’t think I needed to go, to be honest.

“What I need to work on is studying, making sure I know every play, because I won’t get many chances. I have to know the playbook forwards and backwards, and make sure I make something happen when I do get a chance.”

His practice-time performance shows that he’s done just that.

“He showed us great, great ability in nine-on-seven drills during the (2006) season,” Sundquist said. “He’ll get an opportunity to play this preseason.”

Tags: Andre Hall, Offense, Organized Team Activities, OTAs, Running backs, Thump Belton
Posted in Archives | 2 Comments »

Blog Bonus: Thump Belton

June 18th, 2007 - 8:55am by AndrewOther posts by Andrew

For those of you in the “Free Thump Belton” movement — which made it into the fullback’s Wikipedia entry — this blog entry’s for you:

Keith “Thump” Belton leads the life that few fans understand, but many players know innately — the life of a player scratching to find a semi-permanent place on an NFL team’s roster, a life that comes with the potential for great success, but a distinct lack of job security.

While he’s been a part of the Broncos since they signed him to their practice squad last December, it’s the day he was cut by the Chicago Bears that remains etched in scarlet on his mental calendar.

“September 2. That was the best day of my life and the worst day of my life,” Belton recalled.

“I kind of saw the writing on the wall. I did the best I could, but when I got that phone call from Coach (Lovie) Smith, that was the first time I’d cried in a long time. My grandmother had passed, my grandfather — a lot of people had passed (away) and I hadn’t dropped a tear, but that was like I lost a child, almost, because I hold the game so close to me, and that time from April until I got released was one of the lowest points of my life, because I (thought), ‘I’m not getting the opportunity; I’m not getting the reps; I don’t know what to do. There wasn’t anything I could do.

“When they released me for the last time, I sat there and put my head down and cried, because it was like, ‘What more could I have done to keep this from happening?’ But at the same time, by me being in Chicago, I did build a stronger relationship with my faith, and I did believe it was going to work out, one way or another.”

But it was Belton’s summertime reconnection with his Christian faith last year and his eventual landing in Denver which led him to dub it the best day of his life.

And although his given name is Keith, you can call him “Thump.” Virtually everyone on the Broncos does, “except the strength coach,” he says. Belton has answered to “Thump” since his infancy, and while he notes that the origin of his nickname has changed from time to time with the stories his parents have shared with him, it has become his identity among his nearest and dearest.

“My mom would never call me Keith because it’s my father’s name,” he said. “I don’t think she’s ever called me Keith in my whole life. Her, my family — all call me ‘Thump.’”

By any name, Belton carries a story that’s common, but his has its own unique twist. After being cut by the Bears, he went back home to Charlotte, N.C. to work as a substitute teacher and assistant football coach. It was work he handled well — one of his players, Daryl Vereen, led the Charlotte area in rushing yardage and signed to play at the University of Tennessee.

But Belton sees college-football coaching in his distant future. For now, it’s making it as a player and supporting his growing family that stand as his peak priorities.

Tags: Fullbacks, Offense, Thump Belton
Posted in Archives | 5 Comments »

Painting the Roster By Numbers

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

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).

Tags: 2007 season, Daniel Graham, Darrell Hackney, Mike Bell, Offense, Terrell Davis, Travis Henry, Uniform
Posted in Archives | 4 Comments »

Working Hard; Reflecting Back

April 10th, 2007 - 1:39am by AndrewOther posts by Andrew

One week into offseason conditioning, it’s definitely the former for the Broncos who reconvened at Dove Valley for the workouts that commenced on April 9.

“I think it’s the same stuff, just more of it,” fullback Kyle Johnson said after completing his Monday session. “I’ve really got to give him (stength and conditioning coach Rich Tuten) credit where credit is due.

“He does incorporate a lot of the things that they teach you to do over the years, all your football training, incorporating that, conditioning, plyometrics, speed training, ball training. He has a nice varied program. It’s quality. It’s just hard.”

But at the same time, the sweat and toil is welcome after a three-month period unlike any endured by an NFL team in recent memory. The deaths of Darrent Williams and Damien Nash hit Johnson hard, though he acknowledges that others in the locker room probably endure more pain and grieving that himself.

“Certain guys who were closer to them, it’s affected them more, and when you see them, you can tell,” Johnson said. “It depends on how intense your relationships were with both of those guys.

“We talk about D-Nash; we talk about D-Will, because they’re not forgotten and they’re still in our hearts and minds,” he added. “But … we’re not talking about what happened, we’re talking about remembering them. At least that’s what I’ve done.”

Johnson heard the news of Nash’s death while on vacation in Europe, which offered him a chance to pause and turn over some thoughts in his always-active mind.

“You ended up with a little more time to reflect and understand that as important and significant as this game is in every aspect of our lives, it is a job and a game at the end of the day, and life itself is more important,” Johnson said. “So I thought that not playing football and not being around each other for a while might have been the best thing — and now being back together should be something that’s beneficial for us to continue the healing process.”

And sometimes the hardest of work can be a soothing emotional balm when it’s needed most.

Tags: Fullbacks, Kyle Johnson, Offense
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A Return to the Veteran Backup

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

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.

Tags: Darrell Hackney, Jay Cutler, Offense, Patrick Ramsey, Preston Parsons, Quarterbacks
Posted in Archives | 1 Comment »

Say ‘Cheese’

March 13th, 2007 - 3:06am by AndrewOther posts by Andrew

Henry and Graham If you want to get Travis Henry’s attention, simply say, “Cheese.”

But don’t merely expect a smile when he hears the word. Expect a story, too — of how the Broncos’ newest tailback earned an unusual nickname during his days at the University of Tennessee.

“It’s a long story. There was a guy, a senior . I was a freshman. His name was Corey Terry. We were scrimmaging and he hit me and I kind of buckled him. When we got back to the locker room. he was just like ‘Man, you’re hard. You’re hard. You’re like a block of cheese.’ He told me I was like a block of government cheese.

“He said I was hard to slice. A reporter heard it and they ran with it.”

The only slicing that the Broncos hope to see from Henry is of him knifing through opposing defenses — exactly what they expect from a runner who has three 1,000-yard seasons in the last five years.

“That’s been my M.O. my career,” Henry said. “I run it hard. I’m going to run it the whole game. I get better as I tote it. I think that’s the perfect way to describe it.”

Tags: Offense, Running backs, Travis Henry
Posted in Archives | 9 Comments »

Talking Tight Ends

March 12th, 2007 - 1:44am by AndrewOther posts by Andrew

As Daniel Graham returns to his hometown, he joins a team that could likely use the boost a tight end of his ilk could provide.

That’s because the Broncos, a team that once used the tight end like no other, are coming off a season in which they got fewer receptions, yards and first downs per game from tight end than at any time this decade.

(Before I go any further, I must note the discrepancy in tight-end receiving totals from the games Jake Plummer started last year versus the ones in which Jay Cutler took part. In Plummer’s 11 starts, Broncos tight ends collectively averaged 2.4 receptions, 22.7 yards, 0.1 touchdowns and 1.4 first downs a game. Cutler’s five starts saw those averages skyrocket to 3.4 receptions, 53.4 yards, 1.0 touchdowns and 3.0 first downs per week, numbers that compare favorably to the performance of Broncos tight ends in previous years, particularly between 2000 and 2003.)

But back to the decade-long numbers. Granted, Shannon Sharpe’s exploits are now four years in the past. But the Broncos’ utilization of tight ends went far beyond the man who amassed more yardage, receptions and touchdowns than anyone else at the position. In fact, it was during the two seasons when Sharpe played for the Baltimore Ravens that the Broncos had their best per-game numbers from the position — 6.4 receptions (2001), 70.3 yards (2000), 0.8 touchdowns (2001) and 3.6 first downs (2001).

Graham’s receiving numbers don’t put him among the league’s pace-setters at his position, but the Patriots shuffle tight ends in and out of the lineup the way most teams do defensive backs.

Nevertheless, since Graham entered the league in 2002, his 120 receptions rank 24th among tight ends. But his 1,393 yards place him 18th; his 17 touchdowns are 10th-best and his 11.6 yards per reception is sixth among tight ends with at least 100 receptions since 2000.

It’s too early to tell just what kinds of numbers Graham will amass in the Broncos’ offense — although his receiving totals at the University of Colorado seem to show that he is capable of some spectacular tallies when given the opportunity to catch the football. But Graham’s first charge in joining the Broncos is obvious — to help the tight ends as a collective return to the productivity they displayed four, five, six and seven years ago, years when the Broncos demonstrated how to make tight ends indispensable to an efficient offense.

By the numbers at tight end, this decade:

2000:
Receptions/Game: 5.6
Yards/Game: 70.3
Touchdowns/Game: 0.4
First Downs/Game: 3.5

2001:
Receptions/Game: 6.4
Yards/Game: 61.7
Touchdowns/Game: 0.8
First Downs/Game: 3.6

2002:
Receptions/Game: 5.5
Yards/Game: 56.3
Touchdowns/Game: 0.4
First Downs/Game: 2.8

2003:
Receptions/Game: 4.7
Yards/Game: 55.4
Touchdowns/Game: 0.6
First Downs/Game: 3.1

2004:
Receptions/Game: 4.1
Yards/Game: 50.3
Touchdowns/Game: 0.4
First Downs/Game: 2.6

2005:
Receptions/Game: 3.7
Yards/Game: 42.1
Touchdowns/Game: 0.1
First Downs/Game: 2.4

2006:
Receptions/Game: 2.7
Yards/Game: 32.4
Touchdowns/Game: 0.4
First Downs/Game: 1.7

Tags: Daniel Graham, Offense, Tight ends
Posted in Archives | 5 Comments »

Season Review: David Kircus

March 5th, 2007 - 3:20am by AndrewOther posts by Andrew

David Kircus The receiver nicknamed “Circus” certainly lived up to the moniker on his celebrations last year — particularly after scoring a touchdown in his preseason return to his hometown of Detroit.

While Kircus didn’t have many catches — nine for 187 yards — his pace was the best, as his per-catch average of 20.8 yards led the team.

Where Kircus might be best positioned to make an impact for 2007 is on special teams. The untimely death of Darrent Williams left a vacancy at punt returner, and Kircus showed flashes of brilliance in his brief forays into the return game last year, with a 14.3-yard average on six punt runbacks, including a 42-yard return at Oakland on Nov. 12.

Even if the Broncos don’t acquire a receiver or receivers in the draft or free agency, Kircus will have a more crowded wideout field in which he must compete this year with Domenik Hixon set to enter the fray. Hixon, one of the Broncos’ fourth-round picks last year, missed all of the offseason camps and the entire season with a foot injury incurred during workouts leading up to the draft last year, but is fully recovered now.

FINAL ANALYSIS: Had at least one catch in seven of the Broncos’ 16 games … Now has a 20.9-yards-per-catch average for his career.

NEXT: Offensive lineman Chris Kuper.

Tags: 2006 Season Review, David Kircus, Offense, Wide receivers
Posted in Archives | No Comments »

Season Review: Kyle Johnson

March 4th, 2007 - 11:49pm by AndrewOther posts by Andrew

Kyle Johnson After being the clear first-team fullback through the back half of the 2004 season and into 2005, Johnson had to share fullback responsibilities with Cecil Sapp, who started once while Johnson started seven times.

While Sapp had 47 more yards from scrimmage than Johnson, boasting a 114-67 advantage, it was Johnson who accounted for the only touchdown from a Broncos fullback last year — and it proved to be significant, as it was the game-winning score on a fourth-and-goal pass at Oakland.

Johnson is eligible for restricted free agency; a team must be willing to surrender a fifth-round pick — and have the Broncos opt not to match their contract offer — in order to pry the Syracuse alumnus away from the only team for which he has played a regular-season snap.

FINAL ANALYSIS: His career touchdowns-to-touches rate remains impressive, with one score for every 4.7 times he’s touched the football in his four-season career … An ankle injury kept him sidelined for two games in 2006 … Started in Weeks 2, 5, 8, 13, 14, 15 and 17.

NEXT: Wide receiver David Kircus.

Tags: 2006 Season Review, Fullbacks, Kyle Johnson, Offense
Posted in Archives | 2 Comments »