Denver Broncos are loaded with talent at defensive tackle

By Mike Klis The Denver Post July 31, 2014

Give defensive tackles their own meeting room, and the Broncos would have to replace desk chairs with benches.

Taking up ample space would be fat guys who can dunk, heavyweight weightlifters who can run, veterans who are wise, kids who must learn.

There would be first-, second- and third-round talents, early-round disappointments and undrafted overachievers.

The Broncos' defensive tackles have a little bit of everything — and a huge amount of everything — except their own meeting room. Even with all of the construction at the team's Dove Valley headquarters, the defensive tackles must share a room with the defensive ends, in part because guys such as Derek Wolfe and Malik Jackson are interchangeable, but also because there isn't a room big enough to hold all of these behemoths.

This figures to be the deepest group of defensive tackles the Broncos carry into a season since Gerard Warren and Trevor Pryce anchored the 2005 team, which played in the AFC title game.

"It (stinks) as an offensive lineman when you have a six- or seven-play period and after the third or fourth play, you see a fresh defensive tackle coming in," said Broncos left guard Orlando Franklin.

The defensive tackle group is so deep, the Broncos probably will have to make some difficult decisions come roster-setting time.

"It's one of those things where you can't worry about the numbers game," Jackson said. "Of course you notice it. When you go into OTAs, you count. But I'm just trying to build off last year and not worry about the numbers."

After quarterback Peyton Manning, the buzz at Dove Valley this offseason was created by, well, the buzz from saws and other power tools. But also by the additions of defensive end DeMarcus Ware, cornerback Aqib Talib and strong safety T.J. Ward.

The success of any defense, though, begins up front and runs down the middle. The Broncos have Terrance Knighton, who was so good while starting every game at right defensive tackle last season that his nickname, "Pot Roast," went national — as did his commercials.

Knighton is flanked by Sylvester Williams, a first-round draft pick last year, or Kevin Vickerson, a 10-year NFL veteran who probably was the team's best interior defender when healthy last season. Wolfe, a second-round pick in the 2012 draft who made six sacks as a rookie, and Jackson, a fifth-rounder who made six sacks last season in his first year of meaningful playing time, move inside from their end positions on passing downs.

Mitch Unrein, the pride of Eaton, is an undrafted grinder who has reached his fourth season through versatility, desire and technique. He will be pushed this year by Marvin Austin, a 2011 second-round pick of the New York Giants who has been playing with the Broncos' first-team defense during training camp this week.

Sione Fua is a former third-round draft pick who signed late with the Broncos last year. Although he's been practicing from down on the depth chart, Fua has been disrupting plays during camp.

"It's like we have five guys going for one spot," Knighton said. "It makes it so the starters can't relax. The best defenses in the NFL have D-lines that have that depth. Seattle for instance; their D-line was eight deep and they were just coming in waves. That's just something we want to build in our group."

Knighton and Vickerson are the most imposing in the defensive tackle fraternity. Both are 330-something pounds and former high school basketball stars. Wolfe is 290 pounds, with seemingly little body fat. Williams and Austin played at North Carolina and might have the greatest upside.

Vickerson said only once before did he play with a defensive tackle group this good. That was during the 2008 and 2009 seasons when his Tennessee Titans were anchored by Albert Haynesworth in his prime.

"It's all about how it comes together," Vickerson said. "We can be the best on paper. But paper never did (expletive) in this league."

The Broncos have so many quality defensive tackles, two of their top three, Vickerson and Williams, were rarely, if ever, paired together until they decided to mix in some walk-through reps last week.

Vickerson and Williams prefer playing the left side. It wasn't until a hip injury felled Vickerson for the season in 2013 that Williams started getting playing time. When Wolfe went down with a season-ending illness, Unrein nearly became an overtaxed rotational player. He went from playing in 28 percent of the snaps in Week 2 and Week 3 against the Giants and Oakland, to 50 and 48 percent in Week 13 and Week 14 against Kansas City and Tennessee.

There should be more backups to the backups this year.

"That's a good position to have depth at because it keeps us fresh, especially during practice and the preseason games," Unrein said. "I feel like we have really, really good depth. It's not like we have our starters and then it drops off. I feel like our 1s, 2s and 3s can play."

But where do they all sit?

Affordable production

Not to say defensive tackles are unappreciated, but the Broncos' top eight defensive tackles (Derek Wolfe and Malik Jackson are ends who move inside on passing downs) are scheduled to make a combined $9.17 million this year — nearly $4 million less than the $13 million defensive end DeMarcus Ware will draw:

Defensive tackle ...... 2014 salary

Terrance Knighton ...... $2.5 million*

Kevin Vickerson ...... $2 million**

Mitch Unrein ...... $1.43 million

Sylvester Williams ...... $749,625

Derek Wolfe ...... $710,017

Sione Fua ...... $645,000

Marvin Austin ...... $570,000

Malik Jackson ...... $570,000

Total ...... $9.17 million

*Includes $1 million in game bonuses.

**Includes $750,000 in game bonuses.

Pro Football Hall of Fame could add contributor category

By Mike Klis The Denver Post July 31, 2014

The Pro Football Hall of Fame will consider an amendment at its board meeting Friday that may help clear the way for more of the game's "contributors" to have their busts bronzed in Canton, Ohio.

Dave Baker, president of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, said that should the amendment proposal pass, it would potentially increase each class from a maximum of seven to at least eight by distinguishing a contributors category from modern-day player candidates.

The Hall made a similar distinction for their senior players in 2006.

There are currently 19 contributors in the Hall of Fame, 11 of whom are owners. Only eight of the game's Hall contributors have been elected since 1967, and just two — NFL Films' creator Ed Sabol, 97, and Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney, 82 — are living.

"Obviously, during the last 30 years there has more been growth in the game than ever before," Baker said. "There are a lot of people who are responsible for that, but unfortunately, what often happens is a contributor gets compared to a modern- day player (on the ballot) and it's not really a fair comparison. It's apples and oranges. It's what happens on the field and what happens around the field that makes that game happen."

Such an amendment would figure to help the Hall of Fame chances of owners like the Broncos' Pat Bowlen, just as the senior players category (pre-1989 era) helped former Broncos running back Floyd Little become elected in 2010.

Baker said the proposed amendment would continue to call for a minimum 80 percent approval from the 46-person selection committee and a maximum of five modern-era player-coach candidates.

To be determined is whether there would be one contributor candidate and two senior player candidates up for election each year, or two contributors and one senior player, or whether the two-to-one ratio between the contributors and senior players would rotate year to year. The current system places two senior players and five modern-era candidates from a combined pool of players, coaches and contributors for final vote.

"What we're looking for is a similar amendment in how we distinguish these seniors and contributors to overcome what has become a bit of an inequity," Baker said. "Clearly, there are a lot of guys who deserve consideration and I suspect down the road one of these who will receive consideration will be Pat Bowlen."

Denver Broncos' DeMarcus Ware has extra value as a mentor

By Troy E. Renck The Denver Post July 31, 2014

Even when he doesn't participate, Denver teammates remain aware of DeMarcus Ware, who brings a presence befitting a potential Hall of Famer.

Ware returned to action Thursday, his 32nd birthday, after missing two practices because of a bruised calf. He explained, for the first time, that he suffered the injury when he was kneed halfway through the Broncos' workout Sunday at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

"If there was a game, I would have played," Ware said. "It's about getting ready for the season. They are making sure they are taking care of me."

Ware is attempting to mock history, becoming that unique player who rebounds in his 30s after a season compromised because of an injury. His right elbow is healed, and he has made adjustments to his already cut physique in preparation for his first season with the Broncos.

"You think about guys like Michael Strahan and Jason Taylor, guys who later in their career got smaller. That's the key, not carrying a lot of weight," Ware said. "I need to make sure I am in the trainer's room almost every day. You can't just go out there like a cheetah and go chase prey."

Leadership ranks high among Ware's attributes, but his impact has gone beyond expectations. Ware works like a coach on the field and a mentor in the locker room. He helped defensive end Quanterus Smith on the sideline with his technique, and Smith beat star offensive tackle Ryan Clady moments later in a one-on-one drill.

"He's taught me how to be a better man off the field," defensive end Malik Jackson said of Ware.

Sanders stands strong. Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders created a stir this week when he said on 104.3 FM that Peyton Manning is a "far better leader" than his former Steelers quarterback, Ben Rothlisberger, whom Sanders referred to as a winner in the interview. He didn't back down from his comments Thursday, but he provided context. "Yeah I was surprised (by the fuss it caused)," Sanders said. "At the end of the day, if you are in touch with reality, you know Peyton Manning is one of the greatest leaders in the National Football League. How can you debate that?"

Footnotes. Safety Quinton Carter continues to get reps in nickel packages, showing he has recovered from microfracture knee surgery. ... Chase Vaughn (knee), Greg Latta (hip) and Louis Young (groin) did not practice. Derek Wolfe left practice because of a sore lower back. ... Former CU defensive tackle Wil Pericak, on signing with Denver: "It's a dream come true. Sometimes you question when a team doesn't pick you up right away and you wonder, 'Is my football career over?' " ... Coach John Fox has adapted to less contact in training camp, saying: "I think new football has changed quite a bit. It's not quite as much hitting as it used to be. I think it's moving in the right direction because guys are healthier and fresher."

Dove Valley Days: Bright future for speedy CB Kayvon Webster

By Troy E. Renck The Denver Post July 31, 2014

Highlight: Cornerback Kayvon Webster remains convinced he's not keeping the seat warm for anyone. He was placed in a difficult spot last season, guarding the opponent's second-best receiver as a rookie when he wasn't ready. Webster looks more confident this summer. And it's not just the gold grille on his lower teeth. He intercepted Peyton Manning for a second consecutive practice. If Chris Harris returns healthy, and his knee is on the fast track for the Sept. 7 opener, Webster, should play inside as a nickel back. He might be the fastest guy on the team, and provides an intriguing future because of his improvement.

Lowlight: Offensive tackle Ryan Clady provides a reminder that serious injuries take time to heal. He suffered a Lisfranc injury to his left foot last Sept. 15 in a victory over the Giants, and said Thursday he's not 100 percent. Clady needs reps as he tries to climb back to his all-pro form. "I am doing OK," Clady said. "I definitely need to improve a little bit, just moving around and adjusting to everything. There's a little bit of rust." Clady recovered from an offseason knee injury in 2010 to start all 16 games. Which is more difficult? "I am not quite sure. I'll tell you in about two months," he said.

Position battle: Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware talk about disruption, about becoming the NFL's best sack tandem. But they won't play every down, leaving depth critical at defensive end. Quanterus Smith is opening eyes with his play in camp. The former Western Kentucky star, who spent last season on the injured reserve, has taken advantage of extra reps as Ware eases back from a bruised leg. Smith is competing for a roster spot against the likes of surprising Kenny Anunike. "(Smith) is fast," Clady said. "Really good hands. He's definitely a good player, and he'll definitely make the team."

Will Pericak, former Boulder and CU star, on joining the Denver Broncos

By Joe Nguyen The Denver Post July 31, 2014

Growing up Will Pericak dreamed about playing with the Denver Broncos. This week that dream came true.

Born and raised in Boulder, the former Boulder High and University of Colorado star defensive lineman was signed by the Broncos on Wednesday.

“I signed my contract and I was in a full-padded practice two hours later,” said Pericak, 24. “I hadn’t been playing football for a little bit, so it was good to get out there.”

Pericak, 24, said he grew up watching the Broncos and being a fan of players such as John Elway and Bill Romanowski. So when he received a message from the team, he leapt at the opportunity.

“(Director of player personnel) Matt Russell called me. I missed it at first and he said, ‘Call me back,’ ” Pericak said. “… I called him back one minute later … and he goes, “Good reaction time.’ And I was like, ‘I’m excited about it.’”

The 6-foot-3, 300-pounder is a first-year player who spent time on San Diego’s and Jacksonville’s practice squads last season. In college, he was an honorable mention All-Pac 12 performer and was named the Zack Jordan Award winner as the Buffaloes’ MVP as a senior in 2012. He was also a Denver Post All-Colorado selection his senior year in high school.

He said he is loving the opportunity to play football again — it’s something that he’s not taking for granted.

“Sometimes you question it when a team doesn’t pick you up right away and you think, ‘Is my football career over?’” he said. “It feels great to be playing football. There’s no better feeling.”

Drier weather, veteran DeMarcus Ware return to Broncos camp

By Joe Nguyen The Denver Post July 31, 2014

The Denver Broncos returned to Dove Valley Thursday for Day 8 of training camp. While it rained early in the morning, precipitation tapered off as practice continued.

"I think today, obviously the conditions were better. It wasn't quite as wet as it was yesterday," coach John Fox said. "All in all the guys handled it well, the field was in great shape today, so I didn't feel they felt the effects of it quite like they did yesterday."

Defensive end DeMarcus Ware, who was out for two practices because of a leg bruise, returned to the practice field. Ware said he was kneed during Sunday's practice that cause a bruised bone in his right calf.

"It wasn't a bad injury, but it was an injury when you run, it hurts," Ware said.

Fox said with the addition of Ware and the return of Von Miller and Quanterus Smith this season, the Broncos are improved on the defensive line. Terrance Knighton said defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio tells the defensive line that he wants "dancing bears," big players who can move well on the line.

"We take pride in our front," Knighton said. "We're always arguing about about who is more athletic ... so it's a lot of competition, but it's also making each other play better and we want the best for each other."

Safety John Boyett also returned to the field after missing the last week with a tight back.

After practice ended, quarterback Peyton Manning stayed on the field to work with receivers Cody Latimer and Emmanuel Sanders.

"It's great because it helps me. I'm a rookie, so there are a lot of signals I don't know," said Latimer, the Broncos' 2014 second-round draft pick. "(I'm) just trying to get adapted to them and know what he (Manning) is thinking and just learning from the best."

NFL officials were at training camp for their annual visit to go over rules and how they are enforced. "It is always fun to get his (referee Scott Helverson's) emphasis every year," Fox said. "Points of emphasis, rule changes and getting those guys out here to talk to the players."

Injury update: DE Derek Wolfe left practice with a lower back strain, he is listed as day to day. DE Greg Latta (hip), DE Chase Vaughn (knee) and CB Louis Young (groin) all sat out.

NFL officials detail rules changes for 2014 season

By Joe Nguyen The Denver Post July 31, 2014

Improving player safety and zero tolerance for unsportsmanlike conduct headlined the NFL officials' annual media briefing Thursday at Broncos training camp.

Referee Scott Halverson led the briefing where he and three officials discussed rule changes and points of emphasis for the 2014 NFL season.

There will be a greater focus on deterring unsportsmanlike conduct, specifically the use of abusive and threatening language toward opponents, as well as prolonged and excessive celebrations.

"It's been a point of emphasis in the last few years," Helverson said.

Rules changes for the 2014 season include:

• The uprights of the goal post are extended an additional 5 feet to 35 feet above the crossbar.

• The game clock will keep running after a sack outside two minutes of each half.

• Blockers cannot roll up on the side of a defender's leg.

• Referees can now consult with members of the NFL officiating department during replays.

• Reviewable plays now include recovery of a loose ball in the field of play.

There are also a number of rule clarifications, including making it illegal for defenders to pull receivers' jerseys.

"Three or four years, maybe even five, we really got into the jersey pulls," Helverson said. "We kind of got away from it because the jersey pull didn't necessarily take a stride away from a receiver. Now they want to clean it up and it make it a foul that everyone understands."

Hochman: "Country Broncos" a hit in Broncos country

By Benjamin Hochman The Denver Post July 31, 2014

Von Miller plays like a boss and dresses like Boss Hogg.

There stood the country fried linebacker after Wednesday's Broncos practice, wearing a white cowboy hat, a fashion hazard straight out of Hazzard County. Miller famously showed up at the 2014 ESPY Awards dressed for the 1981 Country Music Awards, wearing a black cowboy hat while sporting a sportcoat that was as paisley as Brad.

They call it Broncos Country, of course, but really it's the Country Broncos. The Texan Miller is neither a Texan nor a Cowboy but dresses like a Cowboy on "Walker, Texas Ranger," more Chuck Norris than Chuck Noll.

He's not the only one: Quarterback Peyton Manning has shown up on stage at country concerts, kicker Matt Prater has lucky boots and Wes Welker has blue eyes that make him look like Frank Sinatra but walking in his boots make him look more like Nancy Sinatra parading around.

Of course, as in any locker room, the Broncos have a range of musical and fashion taste, but this season it seems the Broncos are like Bob's Country Bunker from "The Blues Brothers," in which the sweet bartender explains they enjoy both kinds of music — country and Western. Denver is John Denver.

Quarterbacks often make big purchases for their offensive linemen, to thank them for their thankless work. Quarterbacks have been known to buy their linemen fancy watches or take them to steak dinners, but what did Manning do for his good ol' boys this past offseason?

"We all got cowboy boots," said right guard Louis Vasquez. "Special handmade boots, and we had a chance to pick the skin, the lettering and the color. I went with ostrich black and had my initials and numbers on opposite sides."

Manning is part quarterback, part cooter. He's fancy pants, to be sure, raised in uptown New Orleans, where the closest thing to country is the horse on polo shirts. But he went to Tennessee, and now he's showing up on stage at Kenny Chesney concerts and dancing to "Rocky Top" and "Friends in Low Places," as though his Gatorade bottle were filled with Tennessee's finest. As for Prater, after his famous boot, his boots became famous.

Last season, after setting an NFL record by kicking a 64-yard field goal, he left the locker room in lucky Lucchese leather, his prized right foot (and, for symmetry, his irrelevant left one, too) nestled inside size-10½ brown boots.

"Regular leather boots, real comfortable," Prater told me that day, sounding something like Brett Favre in a Wrangler commercial. "You get a nice pair of boots, there's nothing better. Now I'm going to have to wear those boots to every game."

Julius Thomas stays hungry after Pro Bowl year

By Arnie Stapleton The Associated Press July 31, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Even after the fog lifted from the Denver Broncos' blowout in the Super Bowl, Julius Thomas was in no mood to celebrate his breakout season.

Coming off a Pro Bowl year in which he was a bulls-eye for many of Peyton Manning's biggest moments, it would have been easy for Thomas to sit back and act as if he's finally arrived after two injury-filled seasons.

Instead, Thomas watched hours of film to find flaws in his game and met with the recently retired Tony Gonzalez to pick his brain.

"We both happen to live in the southern California area, so we met up and talked a little football," said Thomas who asked Gonzalez's all about how he stayed a step ahead of opponents and maximized practices all those years, "just some things that only a future Hall of Famer and 17-year veteran would know."

He's now applying those tips at training camp.

"For him, it was all about preparation," Thomas said. "I think that's something that he and Peyton both have in common. You hear them talk about doing the little things and not overlooking aspects of the game."

That's why Thomas watched film to find the flaws in his game, not relish the highlights.

"When I go into tape back in April and we're breaking it down as a position group, you're ducking your head during certain plays, like, 'Oh, what was I doing there in Week 2? And what was I doing in Week 8?'" Thomas said. "Just seeing my progress throughout the year, I can't wait to show how much I've grown, continue to learn more and keep getting better."

After catching just one pass in his first two seasons, Thomas was the key to Denver's record-breaking offense last season. The 6-foot-5, 255-pound late- bloomer was a matchup nightmare for defenses, freed up Manning's other targets and earned his first Pro Bowl honor. Thomas caught Manning's 51st TD throw that broke Tom Brady's single-season record, one of his dozen TD receptions that surpassed Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe's team record for tight ends.

And he came up huge in the Broncos' two wins that got them to their first Super Bowl in 15 years.

About the only knock on Thomas last year was that his run blocking skills didn't match his route-running prowess, but when asked if that's his point of emphasis, he insists, "I want to get better across the board."

He said the film shows he has room for growth in the passing game as much as the ground game, he can protect the passer better against blitzing linebackers and he has to recognize things a tick quicker and make the "right adjustment on the fly."

That dogged determination pleases offensive coordinator Adam Gase.

"I think he's just going to keep getting better," Gase said. "He works so hard. He's a really smart player and person. So he understands what defenses are trying to do and I'm really excited to see what he can do this year."

So is Thomas, who basically has one season in the NFL under his belt after playing just one season in college. He didn't go out for football until he'd exhausted his eligibility on the hardwood, where he was a power forward and led Portland State to two NCAA tournaments.

Due for a huge pay raise either this year or next, Thomas isn't acting as if he's a man who's figured it all out, but one who accepts he's still raw.

"By no means do I think that I've peaked or reached my limitations on the football field," Thomas said. "I think it's a growing process. Every day, get a little bit better. Every season I learn more."

Manning loves hearing that Thomas sought out Gonzalez this spring and isn't getting big-headed.

"I like guys who are constantly trying to learn and get better," Manning said.

Notes: WR Emmanuel Sanders said he's surprised his recent comments on 104.3 The Fan radio in Denver suggesting Manning was a great leader were taken by some to mean he was trying to disrespect his former QB, Ben Roethlisberger. But he's not backing down on his assertion that "Manning is one of the best leaders ever." ... DE Derek Wolfe left practice with a recurrence of his lower back strain.

Broncos Camp Report: Day 8

By Jeff Legwold ESPN.com July 31, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- A daily review of the hot topics coming out of Denver Broncos training camp:

The Broncos have found some pro personnel gems in recent seasons, veteran players signed to short-term deals with injury or performance questions in tow, who play their way into the rotation in Denver. Last year, Paris Lenon was a training camp signing who eventually started at middle linebacker. In 2012, it was safety Jim Leonhard, Justin Bannanand Brandon Stokley who turned a 1-year deals into premium snaps. This year it just might be defensive Marvin Austin, a former second-round pick by the Giants whose career has been de-railed by injuries, including a back injury with the Dallas Cowboys last season. Austin signed a one- year deal with the Broncos earlier this year, and coming off back surgery has said he's healthy and looking for a rebound. He has consistently flashed in practice thus far and dominated one-on-one drills with the offensive linemen Thursday, though he did have two false starts during one of his turns in the rotation. "He's come off of a fairly significant injury and he looks like he's got that explosiveness and quickness he had when he came out of Chapel Hill," said Broncos head coach John Fox. The Broncos, who kept 10 defensive line after cuts in 2011, nine in 2012 and eight last year, could be faced with keeping nine or 10 because of their depth this time around.

No. 2 quarterback Brock Osweiler has had some bobbles in this camp as the Broncos defense has turned up the heat on the offense as a whole -- Peyton Manning has had a far more difficult time against the team's re-vamped defense than he did in drills last summer -- but he continues to show plenty of progress as well. Thursday he showed plenty the scoring touch on the deep ball with two in- stride throws for touchdowns toCody Latimer and Bennie Fowler, respectively. Latimer's catch was a double-take worthy one-hander in between David Bruton, Omar Bolden and Jerome Murphy as he crossed the goal-line.

As the Broncos went through short-yardage work in the run game, the defense got after it. Cornerback Aqib Talib stopped rookie running back Kapri Bibbs short of the goal-line in one set, safety John Boyett cracked rookie Brennan Clay on another and middle linebacker Nate Irving stopped Montee Ball cold in a goal-line drill. “We want to be nasty, we want to be aggressive," said linebacker Danny Trevathan. The Broncos had some of the league's officials on hand for practice as part of the NFL's preseason tour. The players were shown a video outlining this year's rules changes as well as the “points of emphasis," which include downfield contact by defensive players on receivers as well as defensive holding. No flags were thrown on the defenders in coverage in Thursday's practice. The officials will be at Broncos' practices through Saturday's scrimmage at Sports Authority at Mile High.

Defensive end Derek Wolfe, who was pulled out of a practice earlier in camp with stiffness in his lower back, was taken out of Thursday's practice as well. Broncos head coach John Fox said; “(He) should be fine, we'll evaluate him day to day." The Broncos also held defensive end Chase Vaughn (right knee), defensive end Greg Latta (right hip) and cornerback Lou Young (groin) out of Thursday's workout. Defensive endDeMarcus Ware (lower right leg) was limited, but did return to the practice field for the first time since Sunday.

The Broncos have one practice Friday -- at 10:25 a.m. MT.

Ronnie Hillman chases a second chance

By Jeff Legwold ESPN.com July 31, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- When former Denver Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno had scratched and clawed his way out of the depth chart doghouse to post his best season as a professional in 2013 (1,038 yards rushing and 60 receptions), running backs coach Eric Studesville said this:

"I hope guys, young guys, older guys, anybody, look at what Knowshon did for himself, how he worked, how he carried himself to go from where he was to do what he did, and see that's exactly how you handle football adversity."

Well, consider the point taken. In a meeting room where no running back has played more than two seasons worth of games in the NFL, Ronnie Hillman was apparently paying attention.

While Montee Ball is this team's starter and the guy who will lug the rock much of the time, Hillman has the most potential to be a home-run hitter in the run game. Hillman's potential, though, has far outweighed his accomplishments.

Last year he was handed the first crack at the starting job in offseason workouts, but by the time the Broncos rolled into the regular-season opener against the Baltimore RavensHillman had just four carries in that game. By the eighth game of the season, Hillman was a game day inactive and eventually did not play in any of the Broncos' postseason games.

So it could be easy to be jaded about any uptick the Broncos say they see in Hillman's play because last season is still fresh in many people's minds. They've heard about potential before, heard what he could give to the offense.

"But I love what Ronnie has done," Studesville said. "From when we started this spring in April forward, he has been unbelievable. He's a completely different guy in the best possible way and I'm just excited about what he's doing, how he's approaching it, how he's making plays on the field. It's been great. It's been there the whole time, but we're finally seeing the maximum side of it. ... I didn't do a good job of bringing it out, but now we are, he's bringing it out."

During offseason workouts, offensive coordinator Adam Gase said the depth chart behind Ball was "wide open." Since the start of training camp, however, Hillman has been solidly No. 2 in the rotation. C.J. Anderson has nudged himself back into the No. 3 spot, for now, after losing about 20 pounds and rebounding from a sluggish performance in OTAs and minicamp. Rookies Juwan Thompson, Brennan Clay andKapri Bibbs have also gotten some select carries in the No. 3 spot, while Thompson has had a few with the No. 2 offense in short-yardage work.

But it is an odd twist of fate and roster building that Hillman, who is entering his third season in the league after being a third-round pick by the Broncos in 2012, is the most experienced back on the team. Hillman has flashed his speed to the corner in the run game, the acceleration with a screen pass in his hands and far more willingness to dig in and take on a rusher in pass protection.

"Give a lot of credit to him," Studesville said. "For ... sitting back and looking at two years in the NFL, a talented guy who should be here, who's demonstrated he's got the ability to be here and wasn't playing for whatever reason. And he found a way to turn that around and turn our eyes around ... and we love what we're seeing."

Asked what he's learned along the way and Hillman has been quick to say "that you have to be accountable ... that I probably relaxed a little bit last year when maybe I shouldn't have. It won't happen again ... I come in here every day with a chip on my shoulder."

Hillman has also been savvy enough to add "you have to show it in how you practice and what you do in games. I want to make plays in games that help us do good things."

DeMarcus Ware back on practice field

By Jeff Legwold ESPN.com July 31, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Defensive end DeMarcus Ware returned to practice Thursday after missing two days' worth of practice with a bruised lower right leg. Ware was limited some but participated in some drills.

Ware suffered his injury Sunday in the team’s practice at Sports Authority Field at Mile High and had not practiced since. He had done conditioning work and looked to be running without any problems during the team's stadium practice Wednesday.

Defensive end Derek Wolfe, who was pulled out of a practice earlier in camp with stiffness in his lower back, was taken out of Thursday’s practice as well.

"(He) should be fine, we’ll evaluate him day to day," Broncos coach John Fox said.

The Broncos also held defensive end Chase Vaughn (right knee), defensive end Greg Latta(right hip) and cornerback Lou Young (groin) out of Thursday’s workout.

Safety John Boyett (back), who had not practiced this week, returned to practice as well. Boyett had a big hit in red-zone drills when he knocked rookie running back Brennan Clayoff his feet.

Broncos get first look at points of emphasis

By Jeff Legwold ESPN.com July 31, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The Denver Broncos spent plenty of money trying to add a little more teeth to their defense this offseason.

Included in their ample free-agency haul were safety T.J. Ward and cornerback Aqib Talib. The Broncos wanted players like Ward and Talib because they want to be more physical on defense. The Broncos want to affect opposing wide receivers before those pass catchers get too deep into their routes, something they did not do consistently well last season.

But with that the league has also , again, told the officials to make illegal contact –- contact by defensive players in coverage outside the 5-yard chuck zone -- and defensive holding among the “points of emphasis" this season. The Broncos tied for the league lead last season in illegal contact and defensive holding penalties -- 16 combined, 13 for defensive holding -- so this is no small matter for the team on Front Range.

The Broncos will get their first look at what all that might mean Thursday morning when referee Scott Helverson and his crew is on the field for the team’s practice. During his time at the Broncos complex, Helverson will also meet with the players and coaches as well as show the league’s video about the rules changes and those “points of emphasis."

Broncos coach John Fox and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio have said they can adjust to how penalties are called if there is some consistency to how the rules are enforced.

“I think a lot has changed even since the owners’ meetings," Fox said. “They [the officials] have had plenty of meetings, they have had their offseason, they began their training camp, so it will be fun to get them in there and visit with the players and show the videos — not just rule changes but even the enforcement and how they are going to attack that in the preseason."

“You want to know how they’re going to call it," Broncos cornerback Chris Harris Jr. said. “You know the league wants points, so you just have to play it how they are calling it."

Brennan: What Ravens' Ray Rice, NFL should do now

By Christine Brennan USAToday.com July 31, 2014

Out of the hundreds of NFL interviews that will take place over the next two days as training camps chug along and the year's first preseason game approaches, two particular media availabilities stand out.

One is in Owings Mills, Md., the other in Canton, Ohio.

Neither one was set up to right a wrong, but that should be their purpose now.

On Thursday, Ray Rice, who has become the most discussed and disliked athlete in the nation over the past week, is scheduled to stand in front of the news media at the Baltimore Ravens' training facility. If ever there were a moment for a man to try to begin to make some sort of amends for knocking out his soon-to-be wife, then being caught on videotape trying to drag her listless body out of an elevator, and receiving only a two-game suspension as punishment, this is it.

Rice should come to the news conference ready to announce any number of significant actions on his part, both financial and personal, to prevent domestic violence and to support women who are the victims of violence from men like him. At a time when outrage against Rice and his light sentence is at its greatest, he should begin to explain exactly how he'll change himself – and in doing so, try to change the lives of millions of abused women.

Rice should present a serious and sustained plan for how he's going to help women who are battered and abused. He should talk specifically about the treatment he is undergoing. He should speak directly to his fellow abusers to do everything in his power to encourage them to stop and get into similar programs.

He should donate money, lots of money. The $529,000 fine he is giving up from not two, but three, game paychecks is going into programs for retired NFL players. That's all well and good, but he should at the very least match it with a donation of his own to stop people like him from ever doing what he did in that elevator.

Obviously, that's a lot of money. But the man makes a lot of money. And after the unprecedented and nearly universal national outrage over his light suspension, he has to do something big and bold and he needs to do it now, or he'll continue to be known to the vast majority of our population that doesn't wear Ravens jerseys as the man who punched out his fiancé in Atlantic City, not the man who runs the football in Baltimore.

Rice shouldn't for one moment be fooled into thinking the sports world has already moved on from this and from him. Hanging around Ravens fans could give him that impression. These are the people who spotted him on the stadium video board the other day and broke into joyful and robust applause. What in the world is wrong with these people?

As sickening as this was, fans are fans, and cheering for the laundry in sports is a given. It also must be said that these are some of the same people who spent more than a decade loving Ray Lewis after his involvement in a still-unsolved double murder, so the bar has been set pretty low for – how shall we say it? – misbehavior by the Ravens.

After Rice speaks, the Ravens should announce that they are matching him word for word, step for step, dollar for dollar. If this sounds like a heavy obligation, it is. This is a very big deal.

Then comes Friday, and Commissioner Roger Goodell's opportunity with the press at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The NFL and some of its players have made inroads into domestic violence prevention over the last few years, yet that's all but forgotten now. Goodell should present a plan too, adding the league's considerable financial resources and energy to this issue right away.

The damage has been done with that far-too-lenient two-game suspension. It's time to start undoing it.

Suspended Ray Rice: 'I made the biggest mistake of my life'

By Nate Davis USAToday.com July 31, 2014

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Ray Rice faced the music Thursday. But when it was time for the Baltimore Ravens running back to address reporters for the first time since the NFL handed down his controversial two-game suspension last week for violating the league's personal conduct policy, you could hear a pin drop.

With his wife, Janay Rice, watching from a balcony overlooking a large contingent that included reporters, Ravens staffers and about two dozen players, Rice struck a tone of extreme contrition for the incident that led him to this point.

"I made the biggest mistake of my life," said Rice.

"I want to own it."

Rice entered a diversionary program in May, three months after an infamous episode with his wife (who was his fiancee at the time) at an Atlantic City casino led to an aggravated assault charge against him. Security cameras caught Rice pulling an apparently unconscious Janay Rice (nee Palmer) out of an elevator.

"My actions that night were totally inexcusable," said Rice, who apologized profusely to his wife, 2-year-old daughter, teammates, the Ravens organization, Baltimore community and even other victims of abuse. "That's not who I am as a man."

He said he needed help in the aftermath of the assault but pledged to help others suffering from domestic violence once his counseling is complete.

Rice admitted the press conference held with his wife at the Ravens headquarters in May was "awkward" and took the opportunity to publicly and explicitly apologize to her Thursday. He took no questions two months ago while letting the legal and NFL disciplinary process play out.

"My wife can do no wrong," he said Thursday, while declining several times to discuss what exactly happened in the elevator. "She's an angel."

The league has been subjected to a withering fusillade of blowback from both traditional and social media, with many of the critics wondering why Rice's penalty for allegedly knocking out a woman is only half as harsh as the four-game suspensions so often issued to early-stage violators of the NFL's substance abuse or performance-enhancing drug policies.

Rice would only say he had no control over the process.

In a letter to Rice, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell wrote he believed the running back's efforts to atone for his mistake and undergo counseling were "sincere" but warned, "your conduct was unquestionably inconsistent with league polices and the standard of behavior required of everyone who is part of the NFL. The league is an entity that depends on integrity and in the confidence of the public and we simply cannot tolerate conduct that endangers others or reflects negatively on our game. This is particularly true with respect to domestic violence and other forms of violence against women."

Rice is already anticipating uncomfortable receptions on the road and maybe even at Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium when he plays this season.

"I'm prepared for the worst," he said. "But that's something I brought upon myself."

In addition to being docked his team's opening games against the division rival Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers, Rice will also forfeit an additional game check.

Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome classified the penalty as "fair" last week while vouching for the character of Rice, who had a sterling off-field reputation prior to the incident.

Rice expressed appreciation for the support he has received from the locker room.

"We all make mistakes. I've made mistakes in the past," said Ravens linebacker Elvis Dumervil. "I've known Ray for a while.

"He's a great guy, man."

Rice consistently ran with the first-team offense during Thursday's training camp session and seemed to have good burst a year removed from a career-worst season when his production was hindered by a lingering hip injury.

The Ravens, who are also in the midst of installing a completely different offense under new coordinator Gary Kubiak, will rely on veteran backs Bernard Pierce and Justin Forsett during Rice's absence.

Rice called football his "safe haven" and said he would not have appealed any discipline. "I live with the pain of me and my wife having to explain that to my daughter," he said. "Not only my daughter, I have kids who look up to me. In some people's eyes, Ray can do no wrong."

Donald Trump selected to advance in Bills' sale process

The Associated Press/USAToday.com July 31, 2014

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Donald Trump remains in the running to purchase the Buffalo Bills.

Trump's attorney, Michael Cohen, confirmed in an email to The Associated Press on Thursday that the real estate mogul has been chosen to advance to the next round of bidding to purchase the team. Cohen said he was informed of the decision by Morgan Stanley, the banking firm overseeing the sale of the team for late owner Ralph Wilson's estate.

"Mr. Trump's significant wealth, name recognition and real estate knowledge makes him a viable option," Cohen said.

Trump is bidding on his own after electing against being joined by partners. He is prepared to make an all-cash offer upon closing.

Trump is proving to be serious in his efforts to buy the Bills, who are on the market after Wilson died in March. Trump was previously dismissed by critics as using the Bills sale as a publicity stunt.

The Bills most recently were valued by Forbes at $870 million but are expected to sell for at least $1 billion, partly because NFL teams rarely go on the market.

Morgan Stanley's selection of Trump comes after prospective groups were asked to submit non-binding bids by Tuesday. It's unclear which other bidders have been chosen to advance.

NHL Buffalo Sabres owners Terry and Kim Pegula submitted a bid and also are expected to advance to the next round. A Toronto group that includes rocker Jon Bon Jovi was expected to submit a bid, but it's not clear if the group had.

The deadline Tuesday was regarded as a soft one, meaning other interested parties can still submit bids until a prospective owner is identified. The time, however, is growing shorter for outside groups to become involved.

The next step is for groups who have been approved to advance is to meet with both Morgan Stanley and members of the estate to obtain the franchise's financial information. Bills President Russ Brandon also is expected to make a presentation to prospective bidders. Once that is done in the coming weeks, groups will then be asked to submit formal bids. The bidding process is unsealed, meaning Wilson's estate will have the ability to ask groups to increase their bids.

Though no timetable has been established by Morgan Stanley, a prospective owner is could be identified by as early as Labor Day and presented to NFL owners for approval during league meetings in early October.

Player-tracking system will let NFL fans go deeper than ever

By Tom Pelissero USAToday.com July 31, 2014

How quickly did the receiver accelerate? What was his top-end speed? How far did he run and how much separation did he really get against the defensive back?

Clearer answers than ever before are coming to your TV screen this fall — and it's only the beginning of the NFL's foray into player tracking and advanced statistics that could change the way fans, and even teams, look at what happens on the field.

Every NFL player will wear two tiny sensors in his shoulder pads this season in the first "live" phase of a project the league hopes will enhance the in-stadium experience as well, with further media expansion and integration with teams' existing training technology likely down the line.

"What you're going to see is touchpoints that happen throughout the league," Vishal Shah, the NFL's vice president of domestic media and business development, told USA TODAY Sports.

"Certainly, the most comprehensive and impactful might be to the fans themselves. But it's going to touch areas of our league and give us a deeper understanding of our game."

The NFL partnered with Zebra Technologies, which is applying the same radio- frequency identification (RFID) technology that it has used the past 15 years to monitor everything from supplies on automotive assembly lines to dairy cows' milk production.

Work is underway to install receivers in 17 NFL stadiums, each connected with cables to a hub and server that logs players' locations in real time. In less than a second, the server can spit out data that can be enhanced graphically for TV broadcasts with the press of a button.

If a player finds another gear in the fourth quarter of an important game, the sensors will pick it up. And if he's running out of gas, the sensors will reveal that, too.

"For those of us that are coaches from our couches, we're like, 'Oh, come on! That guy was open!' Maybe he was and maybe he wasn't," said Jill Stelfox, general manager of Zebra's location solutions division, which produces its MotionWorks software.

"If we know closing distance of a defender and an offensive guy, you can really know whether that hit would be made or whether he really could've made that play."

TV networks have experimented in recent years with route maps and other visual enhancements of players' movements. But league-wide deployment of the sensors and all the data they produce could be the most significant innovation since the yellow first-down line.

The data also will go to the NFL "cloud," where it can be turned around in seconds for in-stadium use and, eventually, a variety of apps and other visual and second- screen experiences. Producing a set of proprietary statistics on players and teams is another goal, Shah said.

NFL teams — many already using GPS technology to track players' movements, workload and efficiency in practice — won't have access to the in-game information in 2014 because of competitive considerations while the league measures the sustainability and integrity of the data.

"But as you imagine, longer-term, that is the vision," Shah said. "Ultimately, we're going to have a whole bunch of location-based data that's coming out of live-game environment, and we want teams to be able to marry that up to what they're doing in practice facilities themselves."

Zebra's sensors are oblong, less than the circumference of a quarter and installed under the top cup of the shoulder pad, Stelfox said. They blink with a signal 25 times a second and run on a watch battery. The San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions and their opponents wore them for each of the two teams home games in last season as part of a trial run.

About 20 receivers will be placed around the bands between the upper and lower decks of the 17 stadiums that were selected for use this year. They'll provide a cross-section of environments and make sure the technology is operational across competitive settings before full deployment.

All 15 teams that host Thursday Night Football — Atlanta, Baltimore, Carolina, Chicago, Cincinnati, Denver, Green Bay, Houston, Jacksonville, Miami, New England, Oakland, San Francisco, St. Louis and Washington — are on the list, along with Detroit and New Orleans.

"That'll be cool to know how fast people accelerate, how far they've gone on each route," Arizona Cardinals receiver Michael Floyd said. "We don't really think about it, but to get everyone's thoughts on it, everyone outside of football, it's pretty interesting."

The innovation was accounted for in the 2011 collective-bargaining agreement, which reads in Article 51, Section 13(c): "The NFL may require all NFL players to wear during games and practices equipment that contains sensors or other nonobtrusive tracking devices for purposes of collecting information regarding the performance of NFL games, including players' performances and movements, as well as medical and other player safety-related data."

Shah said the league tested GPS and infrared technology over the past two years as well but chose RFID in part because there are so many players on the field, which can cause problems with signals. Camera-based solutions used in basketball and other sports weren't an option either.

Sensors also will be attached to officials and yardage sticks. The technology isn't accurate enough yet to put a sensor in the ball and, say, tell whether it crossed the goal line. But it is accurate within less than six inches, Stelfox said.

Zebra already is already is developing a device for the 2015 season that includes Bluetooth technology to measure players' heart rate, lung capacity and temperature as well — another step towards producing data that is not only entertaining, but useful to teams and players.

"It takes time and history with these kind of systems to really get the full flavor of what's possible," Stelfox said. "There's even more we can't think of that's possible."

Poll finds most Americans would have suspended Ray Rice for full season

By Sam Galanis NESN/FOXSports.com July 31, 2014

The NFL has been on the receiving end of a lot of backlash from the media after Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice was suspended just two games for assaulting his now-wife in a casino elevator in Atlantic City, N.J.

Now, a HuffPost/YouGov poll is showing that Americans agree with that backlash.

When asked what they believed was the most appropriate punishment for an NFL player caught assaulting his partner with no prior offense, most Americans (31 percent) were in favor of a season-long ban. The next most popular choice was a lifetime ban, with 23 percent of respondents in favor. Another 17 percent was in favor of a half-season ban, meaning 71 percent of those polled believed Rice's punishment was too short.

Just 12 percent believed a suspension of a few games was enough, and 5 percent said no punishment or fine. The remaining percentage said they were not sure.

Respondents who identified themselves as supporters of the NFL had nearly identical results.

HuffPost noted that the poll was conducted "among 1,000 U.S. adults using a sample selected...to match the demographics and other characteristics of the adult U.S. population."

Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees headline list of top QBs

By Chris Burke SI.com July 31, 2014

This week has brought a boon for the draft class of 2011. First, Patrick Peterson landed a contract extension to make him the league's highest-paid cornerback, and then Tyron Smith inked an eight-year deal to lock him up at more than $100 million overall.

We are talking about the quarterback position here, though, and no draft in recent memory has better highlighted just what a crapshoot that position can be.

The No. 1 overall pick that year was Cam Newton, by the Panthers. Though Newton took home Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2011, only now is he scratching the surface of his full potential. Two QB prospects drafted a full round after him, Andy Dalton and Colin Kaepernick, have seen more immediate NFL success, at least in terms of wins and losses. Between the Newton selection at No. 1 and the Dalton pick at No. 35, three other QBs came off the board: Jake Locker, Blaine Gabbert and Christian Ponder. Locker is the lone one with a starting gig awaiting him in 2014.

Finding the Next Great NFL Quarterback has been a challenge failed by several teams, time and again. Not every franchise has that problem. Those lucky enough to land a true No. 1, or better yet a future Hall of Famer, have reaped the benefits.

As we wind down our NFL positional rankings, here are the top 10 quarterbacks in the NFL as he '14 season approaches:

Boomer: NFL's 5 most overrated players

Boomer Esiason lists the five most overrated players going into the 2014 NFL season.

Honorable mention: Cam Newton, Panthers; Colin Kaepernick, 49ers; Matthew Stafford, Lions; Jay Cutler, Bears; Nick Foles, Eagles; Alex Smith, Chiefs; Robert Griffin III, Redskins; Eli Manning, Giants; Joe Flacco, Ravens

Newton is closer -- far closer -- to being included among the league's upper- echelon than ever before. Last season, he made strides as a decision-maker, inside and outside the pocket. As a result, his completion percentage ticked above 60 for the first time in his career, his TD passes increased and the Panthers found a little offensive balance. They do, however, need more moving forward from their franchise quarterback.

Kaepernick has worlds of talent and has been extremely successful in his one-and- a-half years starting for the 49ers. He was, however, downright mediocre at times in 2013. His new contract was a bet on his potential by the 49ers more than on where he currently sits in the QB pecking order.

Which other honorable mentions stand out? How about Manning, a two-time Super Bowl champion? On that basis alone, he has a top-10 QB argument; on his 27- interception showing of 2013, he deserves to be on the outside looking in. Foles was a revelation in Chip Kelly's offense, posting a ridiculous 27:2 TD-to-INT differential. If he does it again, Foles will be impossible to ignore. Stafford and Cutler are not far removed from the top 10, either -- certainly not from a statistical or talent standpoint. Brandon Marshall recently said Cutler could win the MVP award this season, which is not all that outlandish a statement if Cutler stays healthy.

10. Matt Ryan, Falcons

Is there a statute of limitations on when a quarterback can enter "elite" classification? Back in February, Ryan's longtime (and now retired) tight end Tony Gonzalez said during an ESPN interview that Ryan was "not elite" but that he's "this close" and "he'll get there."

Until then, Ryan lingers near the top of the Tier 2 guys, as a plenty capable quarterback with the occasional penchant for brilliance. What he has lacked so far is the ability to flip the switch and carry those around him, as the Peyton Mannings of the world can. Ryan is more of a right-place, right-time quarterback -- a potential star, so long as there is not chaos in the ranks.

Last season provided evidence both of why Ryan is on this top-10 list ... and why he's not any higher. Behind a brutal offensive line and with Julio Jones and Roddy White banged up, Ryan completed 67 percent of his passes for more than 4,500 yards. He started every game despite taking 44 sacks and being hammered repeatedly. But he also fired a career-high 17 interceptions and generated just one game-winning drive.

Still, in a better situation this season, Ryan again will be a Pro Bowl-caliber QB.

9. Russell Wilson, Seahawks

The Seahawks' passing attack was seen as a bit of a weakness last season, what with Wilson completing less than 20 passes in 13 of 16 regular-season games. Most of that, however, was by design as the Seahawks leaned on a strong run game and dominant defense. And a closer look at the numbers reveals just how effective Wilson was. To wit:

• Wilson finished top five in yards per completion (13.1), yards per attempt (8.2) and top 10 in touchdowns (26).

• Wilson ranked in the top 10 in Football Outsiders' DYAR (Defense-adjusted Yards Above Replacement) and DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average) -- a pair of ratings similar in concept to baseball's WAR.

• Wilson was Pro Football Focus' No. 4 QB, and the second-rated QB when he ran the football, behind only Cam Newton.

Seattle's offense has been crafted perfectly around Wilson and his abilities, but as he progresses, the demands placed on him will increase. In turn, expect the defending Super Bowl-winning QB to increase his stats.

8. Tony Romo, Cowboys

Barring a Super Bowl breakthrough in the next couple of seasons -- and a glance at Dallas' defense hints that it won't come in 2014 -- Romo may later walk off into retirement with a wholly unfair reputation. Yes, he tends to turn in some ghastly errors and has all of one playoff win to show for his career. He also has far more talent than he is given credit for, especially in light of an inconsistent roster around him.

7. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers

There were times last season when Roethlisberger was flat-out awful, his passes taking off in seemingly random fashion. Of course, much of Roethlisberger's aura has come from making the best of bad situations. Though he was sacked 42 times last season (his sixth time topping the 40-sack mark), Roethlisberger is the toughest QB in the league to bring down. His improvisational abilities are what take him from a solid QB to one of the best. He was far better late in the year than he was at the start, offering hope that he can pick up in 2014 where he left off in '13.

6. Philip Rivers, Chargers

Maybe it is because Rivers slogged through 2011 and '12. Maybe it is his 4-5 playoff record, a mark that does not yet include a Super Bowl trip, or that his sideline reactions are why internet memes were created. Whatever the reasoning, Rivers often gets overlooked in the top-QB discussion.

It's a mistake. As the NFL saw last season with Rivers in a friendly offense, backed by a solid run game and a breakout rookie WR Keenan Allen, the Chargers' QB still has plenty left in the tank. Keep in mind that he's just 32, five years younger than Peyton Manning and four younger than Tom Brady. In other words, Rivers still has time to deliver that one unforgettable season. For now, he'll enter 2014 off a season in which he led the league with a 69.5 completion percentage, buoyed by strong decision-making and a still-lively arm.

5. Andrew Luck, Colts

Is there enough evidence to justify Luck's high standing here? Some of you might argue no. I say, without hesitation, yes.

In just two NFL seasons, Luck has guided (according to Pro Football Reference) eight fourth-quarter comebacks and 11 game-winning drives. His flare for the dramatic is matched only by his beyond-his-years feel for the pocket -- The MMQB's Andy Benoit recently tabbed Luck as the "NFL's best running quarterback," a notion borne of Luck's knack for knowing exactly when he must escape. His passing improved last season as well, with his interception total dropping from 18 to nine.

This is the NFL's next great quarterback.

4. Tom Brady, Patriots

Statistically, Brady's 2013 season was a marked step back. He finished outside the top 10 in touchdown passes, outside the top 15 in QB rating. Yet, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Brady's critics will argue that the future Hall of Famer, who turns 37 this weekend, is a shell of his former self. The Patriots, after all, have gone a decade since their last Super Bowl win and Brady's stats have regressed each of the past two seasons.

Others will point to the laughable situation Brady has had to endure at WR and TE, with Aaron Hernandez in jail, Rob Gronkowski in and out of the lineup and a rag- tag collection of receivers struggling to provide any production at all. In spite of all that, Brady still soared past 4,000 yards through the air and helped guide New England to the AFC title game.

The truth lies somewhere in between those two stances. Brady is no longer at the height of his greatness -- Super Bowl wins in 2003 and '04, MVP honors in 2007 and '10. He remains, however, an irreplaceable QB able to diagnose defenses as well as any quarterback ever.

3. Drew Brees, Saints

Were such things possible, it would be quite interesting to see an alternate timeline where San Diego committed to Brees over Rivers way back in the mid-2000s. Would Brees have been able to get the Chargers over the top? Would Rivers have made the move from San Diego to New Orleans? Could he have won a Super Bowl there, as Brees did?

Questions that, obviously, have no answer.

And the Saints are tickled with how this universe unfolded. Brees has stood with the NFL's top quarterbacks for close to a decade now, with nearly 40K yards passing to his credit as a Saint. More than 10,000 of those yards have come over the past two seasons, with the 2012 season standing as a massive disappointment by Brees' standards -- a league-high 19 interceptions to go along with his NFL-best 43 touchdowns, as the Sean Payton-less Saints finished 7-9.

Last season was more like it. Brees earned his sixth consecutive Pro Bowl nod in guiding New Orleans back to the playoffs. Perhaps he would not have enjoyed such a prolific NFL career playing elsewhere. As the Saints quarterback, though, Brees keeps shredding defenses.

2. Peyton Manning, Broncos

Nearly had to drop Manning further down because of this:

Dancing monstrosities aside, what more really needs to be said about Manning's talent? His 2013 showing, en route to the MVP award, was absolutely absurd: 450 completions for nearly 5,500 yards. Oh, and 55 touchdowns, nearly 3.5 per game. A shoo-in Hall of Famer and a worthy candidate for the title of "Greatest QB ever," Manning has buried his lost 2011 season -- and, for the most part, the neck injury that caused it -- by adding to his resume with back-to-back sensational seasons in Denver.

Granted, the arm strength is not what it once was, due to a combination of that prior injury and the fact that Manning is now 38 years old. The Seahawks also totally confounded him in the Super Bowl by generating repeated pressure, pinning the immobile Manning in a collapsing pocket.

The end is nearer than the beginning for Manning's career. Still, if an NFL team had its pick of any quarterback for the upcoming season, Manning would receive myriad backing. Almost as much as ...

1. Aaron Rodgers, Packers

Despite his team capturing the NFC North again, Rodgers probably would just as soon forget the 2013 season. He left the Packers' eighth game with a shoulder injury and did not return until Week 17, just in time for the Packers to be bounced from the playoffs a few days later. His numbers then are not even in the same vicinity as what Brees or Brady or Manning posted last year.

But before that, Rodgers had been on a remarkable run. It began with a Pro Bowl 2009 season, continued on through a Super Bowl win and MVP award in '10, and included a stretch from '11-12 that saw Rodgers throw 84 touchdown passes to just 14 interceptions. Prior to suffering that injury against the Bears last season, Rodgers was on pace to throw for more than 5,000 yards, 30-plus touchdowns and less than 10 interceptions.

Rodgers had the highest QB rating in the league in both 2011 and '12, and he threw touchdown passes on a staggering nine percent of his throws the first year. (Foles landed at 8.5 percent and Manning at 8.3 percent last season, for comparison's sake.)

No quarterback in the league so brilliantly meshes accuracy, vision, the ability to move the pocket and a knack for the clutch play like Rodgers. When he is healthy, Rodgers is arguably one of the two or three best players in the league on a consistent basis. Without taking anything away from what Manning accomplished last season, or what the likes of Brady and Brees have done through their careers, Rodgers sits atop the QB totem pole right now.

ATL End Around: Dance like nobody's watching, Peyton

By Dan Hanzus

Around the League/NFL.com August 1, 2013

Welcome to the Around The League End Around, a weekly look back at the world of the NFL. Dan Hanzus serves as your guide.

It was a good week for ...

1. San Antonio: Could the home of the Alamo and the Spurs be getting an NFL team? Probably not, but Toronto, Los Angeles and London welcome you to the conversation!

2. Marshawn Lynch: The Seahawks running back managed to extend his summer vacation and get a raise in the process. Beast Mode in Business Mode.

3. Ray Rice: The Ravens running back delivered the public apology that should've happened the first time around. This one felt sincere.

It was a bad week for ...

1. David Wilson: The Giants running back reportedly "needs a miracle" to return from his neck injury. Sad.

2. Sanders Commings: Might have literally had his ankle broken by a Jamaal Charles cut.

3. Johnny Manziel: When did it become OK to cover this guy like Brangelina?

America's Uncle gets down

When I got married, I specifically told -- nay, warned -- the DJ not to play the "Chicken Dance" song. I remember holding eye contact with the man for a few extra seconds, a gesture of intimidation I'm sure had a resounding effect. I mean, look at this dude. Does he look plugged in? You think he feels alive? That's a hard negative, friends.

What does this have to do with Peyton Manning dancing at Broncos practice this week? I'm not sure. But I'm almost positive Manning loves the "Chicken Dance" and the infernal rhythmic movements that accompany it. It is the divide that will separate us forever. Brandin Cooks: Potentially productive at this level?

Yes.

What the What?

Texans running back Arian Foster rubbed some reporters the wrong way on Wednesday when he offered the same answer 11 times during a 90-second Q&A session.

"Yeah, man. I'm just out here trying to be the best teammate I can be. And I'm gonna work hard at doing that."

I've read some #hottakes in which Foster is portrayed as an iconoclast who refuses to feed the media machine. By antagonizing reporters with a cliched, repetitive answer, Foster is taking a stand. Against what ... I have no idea.

Listen, on balance, I've enjoyed the Arian Foster era. He can really play. He comes at sports celebrity from a different angle. He has a lovably ponderous Twitter feed. He co-starred in a tepid Kevin Costner vehicle that will be fun to mock once it reaches cable.

But this week was a bridge too far. Just remember Foster's attitude here if he pops up as an analyst in a few years.

Oh, here's a deeply earnest Chris Snee tribute

This is by far the most epic Chris Snee tribute going on the Internet right now.

Your mom busted in and said, "What's that noise?"

It might seem inconsequential, but Mike Pettine's decision to play the Beastie Boys classic -- thistotally seems like a Pettine move -- has to make you feel better as a Browns fan. Manziel's off-the-field antics have garnered crazy amounts of attention. This small moment shows a sense of humor remains in Berea.

Ten crucial Beastie Boys jams for the kids

The Lonesome Kicker

Being a kicker is hard enough. Being a rookie kicker? That's like showing up to high school wearing a pocket protector and a mouth brace. Just call yourself No Chance.

Tweets of the week

The Richard Sherman and Patrick Peterson rivalry is kind of silly (they'll never face each other), but we're in anyway. Peterson just signed a new deal that makes him the highest-paid cornerback in the league. The Cardinals star celebrated by borrowing the phrase that put Sherman on the map.

Minutes later ...

Sherman and Peterson are reason enough to bring back those old Pro Bowl skills competitions that NFL Network runs on loop during the offseason.

Quote of the Week, Part I

"I'm always ready to get weird."

-- Rob Ryan, referring to his new defensive scheme with the Saints, though I imagine it extends into other reaches of Bad Santa's existence.

Quote of the Week, Part II

"F--- Seattle."

-- Broncos defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson, who may not be over the events of Feb. 2.

"Man, f--- Bon Jovi!"

-- Hall of Fame wide receiver Andre Reed, who is not down with the idea of Jon Bon Jovi buying theBills and moving them out of Buffalo.

Added Reed: "You might as well just take this city, throw it in the river, and let it go down Niagara Falls." That, my friends, is some powerful imagery.

In Shad We Trust

Some fans would be alarmed if their owner was dressed like an extra in Cocktail. They shouldn't be. Khan is a glorious outlier.

Read Option(al)

"Why Marty Schottenheimer belongs in the Hall of Fame" -- Marc Sessler, NFL.com

The Sizzler bangs the table for Marty, who had 200 career victories, a .613 winning percentage ... but no rings.

Until next time ...

Top 10 Undrafted NFL Players Of All Time Miami.CBSlocal.com July 31, 2014

NFL scouts and general managers spend tireless hours watching collegiate players in order to make what they hope are the best decisions on who to pursue. It’s a great feeling when a draft pick ends up becoming a great NFL player and it’s an even better feeling when that pick comes in the later rounds. The only thing better? Finding an undrafted player who was passed over by every single team and watching him blossom into a star. All 32 teams in the NFL have begun their respective training camps which means the regular season is just around the corner. There are hundreds of rookies around the league trying to prove themselves and earn a spot on the final 53-man roster. Obviously the higher picks have a much better shot at making it because teams have a hard time cutting someone that was taken in the first few rounds loose. The later round picks have to go above and beyond to prove that they should have been taken much sooner than they were, and sometimes you’ll see a sixth or seventh round draft pick become a star in the NFL. As rare as that can be, it’s even more unlikely for a player who wasn’t drafted to earn coveted spot on someone’s roster, let alone become a star. That doesn’t mean it never happens though. There is always a chance of finding that diamond in the rough, the players who were overlooked by 32 different teams and end their college careers without having a job in the NFL…yet. Some of those undrafted players end up becoming great players who win Super Bowl’s and make it into the Hall of Fame. They may be rare, but over the years there have been several players who weren’t drafted and still became superstars in the NFL. While I can’t list them all, here is my top 10 undrafted players. 10- Jeff Saturday (Center) North Carolina Saturday went undrafted largely due to his size despite being a team captain and an All-ACC player at the University of North Carolina. He signed with the Baltimore Ravens in June of 1998 but was cut six weeks later and returned to North Carolina to manage an electrical supply store. His former college roommate, Nate Hobgood- Chittick, was a defensive tackle playing for the Indianapolis Colts and got Saturday a tryout in following the ’98 season. The Colts signed Saturday as a free agent and in his second season he was their starting center, snapping the ball to Peyton Manning. Saturday went on to be selected to six Pro Bowl’s and won Super Bowl XLI with Indy. He also led an offensive line that gave up the fewest sacks in the NFL in 2004, 2005 and 2006. 9- Wes Welker (Wide Receiver) Texas Tech After putting up some great numbers while at Texas Tech, including an NCAA record-tying eight punt return touchdowns, Welker wasn’t even invited to the NFL Combine. He would sign with the San Diego Chargers and made the team out of training camp but was cut after Week 1. He was offered a contract with the Miami Dolphins and immediately began standing out on special teams. He immediately turned into the Dolphins’ ultimate utility player and in a game against the New England Patriots in 2004, Welker became just the second player in NFL history to return a punt and a kickoff, kick an extra point and a field goal, and make a tackle in a single game. The Patriots traded a 2nd and 7th round pick to the Dolphins for Welker after the 2006 season. Welker would go to five consecutive Pro Bowl’s and lead the league in receptions three times while with the Patriots. 8- Priest Holmes (Running Back) University of Texas A knee injury suffered in college set Holmes back and when he was finally healthy, Texas was giving most of its handoffs to Ricky Williams and Shon Mitchell. In 1997 Holmes signed as a free agent with Baltimore and a year later he rushed for over 1,000 yards with the Ravens. The good times didn’t last for Holmes in Baltimore though, ultimately losing his starting job to a rookie named Jamal Lewis in 2000. He signed an inexpensive contract with Kansas City in the offseason and exceeded all expectations by becoming the NFL’s leading rusher in 2001, the only undrafted player to do so at the time (Arian Foster did it in 2010). The following season he accumulated 2,287 total yards from scrimmage and scored 24 touchdowns, winning the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year award. The year after that he broke Marshall Faulk’s record for touchdowns in a season with 27. 7- Adam Vinateri (Kicker) South Dakota State After a quiet but successful collegiate career with South Dakota State in which he was a four-year letterman as a placekicker and punter, Vinateri went undrafted and took his talents across the Atlantic to the World League of American Football (now known as NFL Europe) in 1995. The following year Vinateri returned to the U.S. and signed with the New England Patriots. He quickly established himself as the Patriots kicker and would become known as one of the most clutch and consistent kickers in the NFL. In the 2001 playoffs, his game-tying and game-winning field goals against the Oakland Raiders in the snow (the “tuck rule game”) were big enough, but his 48-yard field goal as time expired won Super Bowl XXXVI for New England. At the age of 41, Vinateri is still known as one of the best kickers in the league and has no intention of calling it quits any time soon. 6- Rod Smith (Wide Receiver) Missouri Southern When you are a college wide receiver and you break conference records for receiving yards and touchdowns, that will usually get you drafted. Unfortunately for Rod Smith, his Division II college records weren’t enough to earn him being selected in the 1994 NFL Draft. He signed on with New England but was cut shortly afterwards. The Denver Broncos swooped in and signed Smith and it didn’t take long for him to show that they made the right decision. The very first reception of his 14-year career was a last-minute, game-winning 43-yard touchdown catch from the king of comebacks, John Elway. Smith played a major role in Denver’s back-to-back Super Bowl victories. He made five receptions for 152 yards in Super Bowl XXXIII, including an 80-yard touchdown catch. Smith would go to three Pro Bowl’s and is the only undrafted player with over 10,000 receiving yards. 5- Antonio Gates (Tight End) Kent State If it had been up to Antonio Gates, he never would’ve played a down in the NFL. Gates bounced around several universities and junior colleges looking for the right basketball program until finally landing at Kent State. There, Gates led the Golden Flashes to the Elite Eight in 2002 but was told by scouts that he was too much of a “tweener” to have success in the NBA. Gates arranged a workout in front of NFL scouts despite never playing a down of football in college and as many as 19 teams contacted him based on that tryout. He chose to work out first for the San Diego Chargers and they were wise to sign him quickly before any other team could snatch him up. Following a mediocre rookie season in 2003, Gates exploded onto the scene in ’04 and was selected to his first of eight consecutive Pro Bowl’s. He was named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 2000’s and is a five-time All-Pro. Gates is 12th on the all-time receiving touchdown’s list with 87 and is just 802 receiving yards away from reaching 10,000 for his career. 4- John Randle (Defensive Tackle) Texas A&M Kingsville Another player who was initially labeled as too small for the NFL, John Randle saw the 1990 NFL Draft come and go without hearing his name called. His brother, Ervin Randle, was a linebacker for Tampa Bay and got John a tryout with the Bucs but he was ultimately not offered a contract. Randle continued to pursue his NFL dream and was eventually signed by the Minnesota Vikings during their 1990 training camp. Randle would made the Vikings extremely happy for offering him a contract, recording 9.5 sacks in his second season before registering double-digit sacks in each of the following eight seasons. He currently ranks seventh on the all-time sacks list with 137.5, tied with former Chicago Bears great Richard Dent. Randle went to seven Pro Bowl’s, was a six-time All-Pro and is a member of the NFL 1990’s All-Decade Team. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010. 3- Dick ‘Night Train’ Lane (Cornerback) Scottsbluff Junior College Holding one of the all-time coolest nicknames in NFL history, Dick ‘Night Train’ Lane never graduated from college, dropping out in order to join the U.S. Army. He served four years in the Army before getting a job at an aircraft factory. One day, at the age of 27, Lane decided that he didn’t like his job and showed up at the Los Angeles Rams training camp looking for a new one. In his rookie season in 1952, Lane intercepted 14 passes and returned two for touchdowns (keep in mind the NFL season was only 12 games long back then). Aside from making interceptions, Lane was known for his aggressive tackling style that earned its own nickname, the Night Train Necktie. His 14-year career included seven Pro Bowl selections. He was a six-time All-Pro and was named to the NFL’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, its 75th Anniversary All-Time Team and the 1950’s All-Decade Team. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974. 2- Warren Moon (Quarterback) University of Washington Moon’s college career was pretty uneventful, aside from being named the MVP of the 1978 Rose Bowl, and he was passed over in the NFL Draft. With no takers as a free-agent, Moon turned to the Canadian Football League and signed with the Edmonton Eskimos. He would lead his new north of the border team to five consecutive Grey Cups and was named the offensive MVP in two of those title games. In 1982, Moon’s second-to-last season in the CFL, he became the first professional quarterback to throw for 5,000 yards in a single season. He eclipsed the 5k total again the following year, winning the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player Award, and decided that the time had come to move on to the NFL. He chose to sign with the Houston Oilers who just happened to be coached by Hugh Campbell, his former coach in Edmonton. Moon ended up playing 17 years in the NFL (in addition to the six he played in the CFL) and was selected to nine Pro Bowl’s. He was an All-Pro three times and was in the top five in passing yards, attempts, completions and touchdowns when he retired in 2000. Moon is one of just two people to be inducted into both the CFL Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 1- Kurt Warner (Quarterback) University of Northern Iowa Of all the players on this list, nobody personifies the qualities of an undrafted player-turned NFL superstar than Kurt Warner. He didn’t become the starter of Northern Iowa’s football team until his senior year and watched the 1994 NFL Draft pass him by. Warner received an invite to the Green Bay Packers’ training camp but was released before the season after competing with Brett Favre, Mark Brunell and Ty Detmer. Warner’s next move was to take a job stocking shelves at a Hy-Vee grocery store in Cedar Falls, Iowa for $5.50 an hour. With the NFL not interested, Warner turned to the Arena Football League in 1995 and signed with the Iowa Barnstormers. He quickly became a star in the AFL and was named to the AFL’s First-Team All-Arena in 1996 and 1997, leading the Barnstormers to the Arena Bowl in both seasons. Before the 1997 Arena Football season, Warner wanted to take another shot at his NFL dream. He requested a tryout with the Chicago Bears but a freak injury to his throwing elbow (he was bitten by a spider during his honeymoon) kept him from attending. A year later, Warner was finally signed by an NFL team when the St. Louis Rams gave him a shot. He was sent to the Amsterdam Admirals of NFL Europe during the summer of ’98 and led the league in touchdowns and passing yards. Warner returned to the NFL for the ’98 season and was the Rams third-string quarterback behind Tony Banks and Steve Bono. The following season Warner was promoted to backup behind newly signed free- agent Trent Green. During the ’99 preseason, Green tore his ACL and was out for the year. Suddenly, Warner was a starting quarterback in the NFL and he didn’t let the opportunity pass him by. He put up one of the best statistical seasons for a quarterback, leading the ‘Greatest Show on Turf’ to a Super Bowl championship. Warner retired after the 2009 season, having reached three Super Bowl’s and being selected to four Pro Bowl’s. He was the NFL’s Most Valuable Player twice, a two- time All-Pro and was the MVP of Super Bowl XXXIV. He also holds the record for most career Super Bowl passing yards with 1,156. His entire career is a great example of perseverance and one of the all-time best comeback stories in professional sports. It’s only a matter of time before Warner finds himself being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

DeMarcus Ware celebrates his birthday with return to the field

KUSA.com July 31, 2014

KUSA - Broncos Defensive End DeMarcus Ware celebrated his 32nd birthday by returning to the field today. Ware had missed time with what he today described as a bone bruise.

"I got kneed in my lower extremity almost by my calf muscle," said Ware after practice." It's just bruised the bone. It wasn't a bad injury, but it was an injury where I was running, it hurt. Now, a lot of that soreness is gone and that's why I practiced some today."

"It's always a different approach when you think about your body is not recouping like it always used to", continued Ware. "You're not as young and as spiffy as you used to be, so you have to go to the second level. Make sure you go to the trainers and that's almost an everyday thing. You can't just get out there like a cheetah and go chase prey. Now, you actually have to warm up a little bit. I just rely on the trainers because they will get you right each and every day and just stay on it."

As far as turning 32, "I think when you look at age, you think about maturity and experience that you really bring to the game. You think about guys like Michael Strahan and Jason Taylor, guys in the later part of their careers how they played better. They got smaller and that's the key, not carrying a lot of that weight and letting your experience carry you through a lot of the season."

The Broncos will play their first preseason game a week from today when the host defending Super Bowl champion Seattle

Roby: ‘To hell with’ fellow Broncos rookie Latimer, ‘he beat me deep’

By Will C. Holden KDVR.com July 31, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Shortly after they were drafted by the Denver Broncos in May, Bradley Roby and Cody Latimer built a friendship built on mutual experiences. They made a pact to honor that friendship on the field through training camp in July and August.

That was until Latimer beat Roby deep during the very first day of camp. Twice.

“To hell with that,” Roby said about the two’s friendship since then. “He’s not not my friend. We’re enemies. I like that a little better. I’m not friends with receivers during a game, so why do it in practice?”

That might be Roby’s bruised ego talking. Considering he was the team’s first- round draft pick and Latimer was drafted in the second round, most pundits expected Roby would have the better camp.

Instead, it was Latimer who had a sea of reporters around him after the Broncos training camp session on Thursday morning.

Speaking to a smaller audience, Roby wasn’t shy when asked to speculate about the reason behind Latimer’s early camp success.

“Peyton Manning,” Roby said, laughing. “When you’ve got Peyton Manning throwing you the ball it makes life a lot easier.”

To be fair, most of what Roby said about his “ex-friend” was followed by a chuckle. When Latimer spoke to reporters, he echoed those tongue-in-cheek sentiments.

“Off the field, we’re cool,” Latimer said. “On the field, we’re out here for the same goal: to compete, help this team get better and win.”

As for the insinuation that his success is due to Manning?

“Peyton Manning does a good job helping receivers get better,” Latimer said. “But as a receiver, you’ve still got to go up and get the ball.”

And for the record, the one-handed touchdown pass Latimer hauled in Thursday was thrown by Brock Osweiler. Chris Harris back at practice for Broncos

By Josh Alper ProFootballTalk/NBCSports.com July 31, 2014

It has been a little more than six months since Broncos cornerback Chris Harris tore his ACL in the team’s playoff win over the Chargers, but it doesn’t look like a decision on Harris’ readiness for the regular season will go down to the wire.

The Broncos activated Harris from the PUP list on Wednesday, clearing Harris to return to practice and eliminating the possibility that he could go on the regular season PUP list if there should be any setback in his rehab. Harris isn’t going to be doing everything right away as they try to avoid such a setback, but he’s going as fast as he can while doing the things he is allowed to do at the moment.

“They actually had to slow me down a couple of times even in the walkthrough,” Harris said, via the team’s website. “Right now the walkthrough is like practice to me. I’m just getting back out there and getting my skills retuned and ready to go.”

Harris’ return to the lineup is one of many ways the Broncos secondary will look different than the one we last saw. Aqib Talib, T.J. Ward and Bradley Robyare new to the team and Rahim Moore is also returning from an injury that kept him off the field at the end of the season. It is a group with a lot of talent and they’ll look to develop cohesiveness over the next month so that they can provide the better final result that the Broncos are looking for this time around.

Mason's Five Thoughts from Camp Day 8

By Andrew Mason DenverBroncos.com July 31, 2014

Cody Latimer's continued emergence, Ryan Clady's play and Quanterus Smith's pass rush caught Andrew Mason's eyes during Thursday's session.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- When something happens once, it's a fluke. Twice or three times, it's a pattern. Four or more, it's legitimate.

A week into training camp, that's where Cody Latimer stands. Whether against the first team or the second team, he's made plays -- short and downfield. In a short span Thursday, he caught a pass fromPeyton Manning in the flat, beating Bradley Roby, then caught a deep toss from Brock Osweiler on a post route. The pass was well-placed and hit Latimer in stride -- and he caught it with one hand.

"It was just a good ball by the quarterback. I ran an okay route, got past the DB, but he did a good job of throwing it past the safety," Latimer said. "It was just a great ball. I just made a play on it, concentrating."

Just an "okay route." Latimer sells himself short, but perhaps that's understandable. At the time he met with the media, he and Emmanuel Sanders had just completed an extra session with Manning, the two new Manning targets working to hone their timing.

"I try to stay out there and learn from them," Latimer said. "He’s doing a good job, I’ve seen him, daily improvement because he’s doing it, so I’m just taking after that and hopefully I keep growing every day."

The return of Demaryius Thomas this week would seem likely to reduce Latimer's first-team repetitions. But as he makes play after play, his performance speaks louder for his case to see regular on-field work than any words he could utter. With Andre Caldwell also contributing solid play when he works with the first team, the Broncos have a problem that most teams would love to have in a league that grows more wedded to the pass every year.

And now, five thoughts:

1. The road back from last September's Lisfranc injury has not been easy for eft tackle Ryan Clady, Although he has practiced since taking the field for organized team activities in May, he acknowledged there is still "a little soreness here and there" in the foot. Clady has been effective much more often than not, but has allowed some pressure on Peyton Manning from time to time in the last week.

"I’m doing OK. I definitely need to improve a little bit -- just moving around and adjusting to everything, but it’s feeling a lot better for sure," Clady said.

He added that the absence has led to "a little bit of rust," but his target for being full speed is September 7 -- when the Broncos face the Colts in Week 1.

"I want to be 100 percent and on the same level that I was playing at (before the injury). That’s definitely my goal," he said.

2. Quanterus Smith has been one of the reasons why Clady and his fellow offensive tackles have faced a difficult task in recent weeks. Smith got past Clady to post pressure -- and what qualifies as a "sack" with do-not-touch edicts on the quarterbacks -- of Manning.

"He's a good player, for sure. Fast. Really good hands. He’s definitely a good player, and he’ll definitely make the team."

A return to form from Derek Wolfe, continued growth from Malik Jackson, the emergence of rookieKenny Anunike and the arrival of DeMarcus Ware give the Broncos' outside blockers no respite.

"This is probably the best (defensive) line we’ve had here since I’ve been here," said Clady.

3. Few things in the course of live, full-contact football make linemen happier than when their defensive backs get involved with the dirty work of defending the run near the line of scrimmage. So when cornerbackAqib Talib lowered his shoulder into running back Kapri Bibbs in a goal-line drill, the defense exulted.

Talib's contact stopped Bibbs' momentum long enough for teammates to arrive, preventing the touchdown.

"It makes us proud, because it shows that we're developing a mentality throughout this whole defense, said defensive tackle Terrance Knighton. "A lot of defensive backs won't come up and hit, won't come up and bang the pads. They just want to be pretty and get interceptions.

"It's just starting to show that, as a group, we're developing the mentality that if you run up the middle, you're going to get a headache," said defensive tackle Terrance Knighton. "If you run to the edge, we've got corners that can come up and hit." 4. Beyond the top five wide receivers, the derby for position -- including perhaps a practice-squad place -- seems to see a new leader every day. During Thursday's work, that was undrafted rookie Bennie Fowler, who used a good route to get open deep past Omar Bolden for a long catch from Osweiler that resembled Latimer's deep play earlier in practice.

On a day-to-day basis, Isaiah Burseappears to be the most consistent of the undrafted rookies and first-year receivers. His work as a punt and kickoff returner likely gives him an edge. But Fowler, Greg Hardin andGreg Wilson have all had their moments, and five-year veteranJordan Norwood was also active Thursday.

5. Dumping out the notebook …

One reason why Montee Ball is ahead of Ronnie Hillman is their work in pass protection in the team period. Ball kept Manning's pocket clean, but Hillman didn't pick up T.J. Ward, allowing the safety to create pressure that forced an incompletion.

Julius Thomas is becoming more difficult to defend. During a seven-on-seven period, he grabbed a pass in triple coverage after running a crossing pattern.

Undrafted rookie Jordan Sullen is improving at making his breaks on the football. During a team period, he made a perfect break on the ball to knock down a Zac Dysert pass intended for Nathan Palmer.

Sylvester Williams shone in the goal line period, forcing Manning to his right with pressure from up the middle.

Danny Trevathan and Steven Johnson each burst up the middle for sacks, and were both active against the run and in pass defense. Johnson had a strong all-around day; he stuffed the run, notched that sack and broke up a pass.

Rules Changes, Points of Emphasis Leave Much to Ponder

By Andrew Mason DenverBroncos.com July 31, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Of the rules changes and points of emphasis presented by back judge Scott Helverson and three other officials Thursday, the one with the most profound impact on most games will be the extra emphasis placed on illegal contact by defenders on potential receivers and offensive pass interference.

But the one that could attract the most attention is what NFL vice president of officiating Dean Blandino describes on a video shown to players and media -- which can be watched above -- as "zero tolerance for unsportsmanlike conduct -- particularly verbal abuse at an opponent." This includes slurs in regard to race and sexual orientation, or other verbal abuse.

The question of what constitutes "verbal abuse looms. This is articulately valid regarding with the "n-word," which can be heard in game-time combat -- and often not as a pejorative.

"I don't think there's ever a good time to use the 'n-word,'" said Helverson, one of four NFL officials to work Broncos practice Thursday.

But 15 yards is assessed depends on the context, which puts NFL officials in an unenviable position, of trying to judge the intent.

"I think it (context) always matters," Helverson said. "Again, you just have to know the circumstance, who said it, why they said it, and in what circumstances.

"We don't know how it's going to work out. (With) the education that we bring in the preseason, along with these videos, and help from the coaching staff, hopefully we can eliminate it."

But before that can happen, officials have to know the difference between insult and affection between players who are on opposite sides now, but who might have played against or with each other growing up or in college.

"That's a problem for us," Helverson said. "One thing, the players, trust us, (saying), 'Oh, he's my buddy,' 'He's my friend,' 'I played with him in school.' We don't know that. That's the kind of education we have to teach them when we're here and when we go through preseason and the regular season." By comparison to that minefield of context and subjectivity, the re-emphasis on illegal contact and offensive pass interference appears as clear as the skies often seen above Denver. Helverson made it clear that every bit of contact more than five yards beyond the line of scrimmage -- assuming the quarterback is in the pocket with the football -- will be penalized.

It continues the evolution of how illegal contact is administered.

"Three or four years ago -- or maybe even five -- we really got into the jersey pulls," Helverson said. "We finally got away from it because the jersey pull didn't necessarily take a stride away from the receiver.

"Now they want to clean it up, make it more of a foul that everybody understands. You pull the jersey, and it's a foul, regardless. So we've always had that rule, now it's a point of emphasis.

"Sometimes we wouldn't call illegal contact unless it displaced a player. Now they want to get into if he's making any kind of contact beyond five yards, that we're going to call that."

There is the risk that teams could simply chuck, shove, grab and obstruct receivers beyond the five-yard mark on every play, daring officials to try and call every infraction, knowing that they might miss some. Another risk is that if every instance of illegal contact is called, the games, already creeping beyond the three-hour, 10- minute mark, will become herky-jerky slogs that have no flow, approach three and a half to four hours, and become interminable for audiences both in the stadium and on television.

"We don't really concern ourselves with time and TV production. We officiate the games, and that's all we do," said Wayne Mackie, a head linesman. "We keep the integrity of the league and the integrity of the game up. I couldn't care how long the game went. If it goes three and a half hours, it goes three and a half hours. We really don't care.

"We just enforce the fouls that we are taught to enforce."

Other changes and points of emphasis include:

PRE-SNAP MOVEMENT ON THE OFFENSIVE LINE: The NFL-produced video showed to teams used a Broncos play to illustrate what will be called a penalty, when center Manny Ramirez bobbed his head before sending a shotgun snap to Peyton Manning. "The whole thing is how quickly they're doing it, and when are they doing it. So they want that cut back," said umpire Richard Hall. "If they're moving their rear end down and they don't snap the ball, it's a foul. The center has almost got to become still the whole time after the initial set." ILLEGAL USE OF HANDS: Direct and forcible contact to the head, neck or face of the opponent -- regardless of whether it pins the head back or not -- will be called. The illegal use of hands "in close line play" will also be closely monitored.

INSTANT REPLAY: Officials can consult with senior members of the officiating department, who will sit near a bank of television monitors at the NFL office. This is similar to the communication that exists between Major League Baseball's umpires on site and umpires at a command center in New York City. In MLB, the umpires in New York make the calls; in the NFL, the final judgment will continue to belong to the on-site referee.

The use of replay was expanded to include plays involving the recovery of a loose football in the field of play.

CLIPPING: Rolling up on the side of the legs of a defender is now considered clipping, punishable by a 15-yard penalty. This expands the definition of the rule, from being just for rolling up the back of the leg.

SACKS: The game clock will now continue to run for sacks made outside of the two- minute warning in each half.

EXTRA POINTS: In the Hall of Fame Game this weekend and the first two full weeks of the preseason, extra points will be executed with the ball snapped from the 15- yard-line, instead of the 2-yard-line, as is currently the case. Two-point conversions will not move.

UPRIGHTS: They were extended an extra five feet.

SPORTSMANSHIP: Using the pylon, crossbar, goalpost or any other object as part of a celebration is now a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. So we have seen the last of Julius Thomas' dunks over the crossbar, unless he wants to draw a penalty.

Refs Meet with Broncos' Players, Coaches

By David DeChant DenverBroncos.com July 31, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – Last year’s rule changes and emphasis on hits to the head were initially panned and opposed when they were announced, particularly by defensive players.

But eventually, the opposition faded and players adapted. By the end of the season, it felt like the changes were years old.

Behind the scenes of that smooth transition were the referees that made the rounds with teams during training camp, illustrating and explaining everything the players needed to know. This year, referee crews are doing the same, as one group did Thursday at Dove Valley.

A full version of the video that is shown to players, detailing all of the changes, can be seen above.

For all the worry about the emphasis of illegal contact and defensive holding, the referees don’t expect it to be difficult for players to accept the new system.

“When we did this five years ago with the holds,” referee Scott Helverson said, “after the four preseason games and Week 1 or 2, it all took care of itself and it all went away. So it can be taught and if we get on it early, they’ll adapt.”

Helverson was referring to a similar emphasis placed on the rule that didn’t take long to feel ingrained into the NFL playing style. He said that even though that emphasis this year may be the toughest for the officials to adapt to as well, it should happen relatively quickly.

"If we can get it going early in preseason and training camp, warn these guys and show them these videos, it’ll take care of itself," he said.

Umpire Rich Hall pointed out that in addition to making the presenation to players, officials are talking with them on the sidelines at practice and working with the team's coaches. With position coaches knowing how the new rules are supposed to be called, they can teach their players the proper techniques to avoid drawing flags on the field.

For what the officials saw today on the field, Broncos players haven't been pushing the boundaries. "I didn’t see too much of anything today as far as the illegal contact or the defensive holding or the offensive pass interference," head line judge Wayne Mackie said. "The players were talking about it on the sideline, saying, ‘You guys are going to call this?’ And we stressed that it’s a point of emphasis."

"They will adapt. I don’t think it will be a big issue."

Training Camp 2014: Day 8 Quick Hits

By David DeChant DenverBroncos.com July 31, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The Broncos were back at Dove Valley working under gloomy skies on Thursday, but handled the damp field well with a crisp practice and a physical goal-line drill. Here are some of today's highlights.

ROLL CALL

Linebacker Chase Vaughn (knee), defensive end Greg Latta (hip) and cornerback Louis Young (groin) did not participate.

Derek Wolfe left practice early with a low back strain and left practice early. Head Coach John Fox said Wolfe "should be fine."

PLAYMAKERS

After having an excellent first week of practice, second-round pick Cody Latimer came up with perhaps the best play of camp thus far. He ran a deep post against Omar Bolden with David Bruton lurking over the top, but Brock Osweiler tossed a gorgeous pass between the defenders. Latimer couldn't get his right arm away from Bolden, but didn't give up, using his left arm to pull the ball into his body. He kept his feet long enough to cross the goal line despite a third defender, Jerome Murphy, arriving late. The impressive catch earned Latimer plenty of congratulations on the sideline.

Osweiler hit on another deep touchdown later in practice, finding Bennie Fowler beyond Bolden's reach on a post route.

Kayvon Webster followed up a big day at the stadium on Wednesday with another interception and another "sack" of Peyton Manning. The pick came during 7-on-7s in the flat and the sack came early in team drills, with Webster timing his blitz perfectly and coming free through the offense's right side.

Another guy who keeps finding his way onto this list, Marvin Austin was at it again Thursday, getting push up the middle and clogging running lanes frequently. He again had issues jumping offsides in pass rushing drills -- doing so three times in a row at one point -- but bullied offensive linemen backwards, and even used speed and a swim move to beat Will Montgomery for a "sack." Quanterus Smith also continues to shine, beating Winston Justice to the inside and Ryan Clady to the outside for sacks during line drills. Smith also got to Manning for a "sack" and batted down an Osweiler pass in goal line drills.

Rookie linebackers Lamin Barrow and Corey Nelson combined for a nice sequence early in practice. Nelson got into the backfield to disrupt a carry by Kapri Bibbs before Bibbs could get going, and Barrow stuffed Bibbs for no gain a play later.

Danny Trevathan had a nice day, filling running lanes on multiple occasions to stuff Montee Ball.

Ronnie Hillman continues to show his power and determination, offering a few strong runs through traffic. In the goal-line period that finished practice, he improvised nicely, bouncing a carry outside and following a punshing lead block from C.J. Anderson to scoot inside the pylon for the touchdown.

Terrance Knighton was rotating through several units Thursday, but made impact wherever he went, frequently wrapping up C.J. Anderson, Juwan Thompson or Kapri Bibbs for short gains or losses.

Sylvester Williams was his usual terror in one-on-one pass rush, earning sacks against Ryan Miller andOrlando Franklin with good power and active hands.

Kevin Vickerson showed he certainly still has some explosion, giving Louis Vasquez a rare defeat in pass rush drills by swimming over his outside shoulder and getting to the center of the pocket very quickly.

For the second consecutive day, T.J. Ward "sacked" Manning during team drills.

Brennan Clay had nice runs back-to-back, squeezing through the middle for six or seven yards and then scampering around left end to pick up 10 or 12. The second run was punctuated with the biggest hit of the day, laid by safety John Boyett, but Clay held on to the ball.

Manning connected with Jacob Tamme for a touchdown in front of Rahim Moore in goal line drills.

Aqib Talib was the first to the ball carrier for an impressive run stop on Kapri Bibbs in goal line drills.

QUICK HITS

The defense began the individual period by rotating all players through three turnover-based drills. Players practiced scooping loose footballs off the ground at one station and were stripping each other from behind at another. In the final drill, defenders tried to catch passes through the distraction of a teammates' arms.

It's difficult to find a time between drills when DeMarcus Ware isn't offering advice or working on techniques with one of his teammates. Ware continued his work with Smith while waiting their turns in pass rush drills and was the first to congratulate Smith after a "sack."

Latimer and Emmanuel Sanders stayed after practice to work with Manning on routes. Even after Manning went inside, the pair of receivers kept working, throwing each other passes.

Broncos to Host ‘Military Combine’

By Lauren Giudice DenverBroncos.com July 31, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – Before the Broncos’ Summer Scrimmage on Saturday, local military will have the opportunity to train like the team in a “Military Combine,” provided by USAA.

The Broncos will host 50 military members and their guests at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

The experience includes a personalized locker, posing with the team’s Lombardi Trophies and meeting Broncos players.

“USAA’s hosting of the Denver Broncos’ Military Combine demonstrates USAA’s commitment to creating memorable military appreciation experiences through our status as the Official Military Appreciation Sponsor of the NFL and the Denver Broncos,” said Russ Arnold, a military affairs representative with USAA and a retired Air Force chief master sergeant. “The participating service members are getting the full NFL treatment, starting from the moment they enter the locker room and see their name above their locker to doing drills and interacting with the Denver players and coaches. It’s an experience that only USAA can offer.”

Each service member will participate in football drills used by NFL coaches. After the Combine, the participants and their guest will enjoy brunch at the stadium, access to Broncos’ Lombardi Trophies for photos, player meet & greets and VIP seats to the team’s practice at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

Here is the schedule for the day:

7:30-7:45 a.m. - Military members take the field for stretching

7:45-8:45 a.m. – Combine begins

9-10:30 a.m. - Photo opportunity with military, the Broncos and the Lombardi Trophies