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Home , 2012 NFL season, Adam Weber, Caleb Campbell, Caleb Hanie, Cornelius Ingram, Drayton Florence

Broncos release CB ; stays

Mike Klis The Denver Post August 31, 2012

Go ahead, dwell on how Drayton Florence, Ryan Harris, Jeremiah Johnson, , and didn't make it.

The highlight to the Broncos cutting down to their 53-man roster Friday? How about for the first time, there is a named on it.

"He made it," said John Elway, the Broncos' executive vice president of football operations. "Surprise."

Manning is the one player among the 53 who allows the Broncos to realistically believe that after not winning the since Elway retired as a player following the 1998 season, they can reach the NFL's ultimate game at the end of the 2012 season.

In a perverse twist, Manning is a Bronco because he missed all of last season with a neck injury. The missed season forced the to give up on him and provide the Broncos the opportunity to land the NFL's only four-time MVP. In his final preseason tune-up, Manning was 10 of 12 with two and a 148.6 .

Now it's up to Manning and the Broncos to take it from there.

"The expectations of what we heard from the doctors and where he would be at this point in time, if anything he's exceed that," Elway said. "So is it surprising to me? No. Through all the hype we've been through since Peyton has been here, it's time now to start playing football, which is the fun part."

To reach their 53-man limit Friday, the Broncos had to make 22 roster moves. Easily the most surprising was the outright release of veteran Drayton Florence. It was an expensive cut as the Broncos had already paid Florence a $1.5 million signing bonus.

But the Broncos signed Florence before they drafted cornerback in the fourth round. Before he suffered a knee injury prior to his senior season at Arizona State, Bolden had a late-first, early-second-round grade inside the scouting community.

The Broncos gave Florence his $1.5 million assurance before showed marked improvement as a nickelback in his second year. And the money was spent before Florence was beaten out during the preseason by fourth-year cornerback Tony Carter. This was a move where it's both fair to criticize the Broncos for wasting $1.5 million and credit them for not letting money affect their decision-making. Carter is 26; Florence is 31.

"Played better," Elway said of keeping Carter instead of Florence.

Other notable cuts were Ryan Harris, a terrific right in 2008 but who has been beset by injuries since and had not returned to form during this preseason; Siliga, who was a starting during the offseason, but had fallen to third-string in the preseason; Mohamed, a middle who was a fifth-round draft pick last year; Johnson, who ran well in the preseason but lost his job when proved sufficiently healed from his knee surgery in late-November; and Weber, who still has a chance to return on the .

For now, the Broncos have kept three . Besides Manning and second-round rookie , the team decided to keep veteran Caleb Hanie. However, the Broncos are scouring the pile of players cut from the 31 other teams. There's a decent chance the Broncos may pick up another offensive lineman, or receiver and cut one of the current players on their current 53-man roster.

Also waived off the Broncos' roster: Jamie Blatnick, safety , linebacker , defensive tackle Ben Garland, guard Tony Hills, strong safety , cornerback Syd'Quan Thompson, receivers Greg Orton, Jason Hill and , , and guard .

The Broncos also placed defensive end on season-ending injured reserve and placed tight end and linebacker D.J. Williams on suspended reserve. Green will serve a four-game suspension; Williams six for violating 's performance-enhancement policy.

Beal spent his rookie season of 2011 on the Broncos' practice squad and was having an impressive preseason until he suffered a knee injury Thursday at Arizona.

Besides Tony Carter, the biggest surprise inclusion was linebacker Steven Johnson. Although he was an undrafted rookie from Kansas, Johnson had played extremely well in the past two preseason games against San Francisco and Arizona.

The Broncos also found room for 15th-year linebacker , even though he didn't perform in the preseason because of a late signing date and then a hamstring injury. , a veteran safety and punt returner, also made the team despite coming from knee surgery that didn't allow him to play until Thursday at Arizona.

Some of the players cut will return to the Broncos today as part of their eight-man practice squad. Siliga, Garland, Weber, Orton, Robinson and Mohamed are among the players with practice-squad eligibility.

Broncos place Jeremy Beal on injured reserve with knee injury

Mike Klis The Denver Post August 31, 2012

One of the Broncos' first roster moves Friday was to place defensive end Jeremy Beal on season-ending injured reserve.

Beal, a terrific player at the University of Oklahoma who spent his rookie season of 2011 on the Broncos' practice squad, was having an impressive preseason. However, he suffered what coach John Fox called a knee sprain in the final game Thursday night at Arizona.

With Beal on IR and two players — tight end Virgil Green and linebacker D.J. Williams — expected to be moved to the reserved suspended list, the Broncos will have 19 more roster moves to make by 7 p.m. MDT Friday in order to pare their roster to the required 53 players.

John Elway, head of the Broncos' football operations, is scheduled to meet with the press at 5 p.m., so the cuts should be revealed within the hour. Broncos TE Virgil Green, LB D.J. Williams begin suspensions

Lindsay H. Jones The Denver Post September 1, 2012

GLENDALE, ariz. — For the next four weeks, Virgil Green might be the biggest Broncos fan in Denver.

The second-year tight end begins his four-game suspension Saturday but said he plans to remain in Denver, work out with local trainer Loren Landow and watch plenty of football on television.

"It's a chance for me to get better, watch a lot of film, watch a lot of football, work out and just come back and help this team out," Green said.

The NFL suspended Green for a violating the league's banned substance policy early in his rookie year. In March, when the suspension was announced, Green said he tested positive for a prescribed attention deficit hyperactivity disorder medication that he had not gotten cleared through the league.

Green, clearly the Broncos' No. 3 tight end in training camp, is developing into a solid blocker, a skill the team will miss during his absence. In that sense, Green said he feels like he's letting down his teammates and coaches.

"At the end of the day, you have to accept the consequences and look to the next level," Green said.

Veteran linebacker D.J. Williams also begins his suspension Saturday for violating the banned substance policy. He likely will be suspended additional games because he was convicted of driving while ability impaired.

Williams, an eight-year starter, didn't play in any preseason games. He declined all interview requests during the preseason, including Thursday night in Arizona.

Green and Williams are allowed to keep their iPads containing the Broncos' playbook, but the team is prohibited from updating it or communicating with the two players during their suspensions.

Carter returns. Second-year safety recovered from knee and hamstring injuries suffered on the second day of training camp in time to get on the field for nearly two quarters of preseason work Thursday in Arizona.

"It felt very, very rusty. Really rusty," Carter said. "But it felt good to get out there and get some snaps, get some game experience." Carter started 10 games as a rookie in 2010, and when healthy, he should make a push to get back into the Broncos' .

Hillman getting healthy. Despite missing two games while dealing with a sore hamstring, rookie third-round draft pick led the Broncos in rushing in the preseason. Hillman gained 97 yards on 24 carries in the final two games.

"I think I can do a lot more. I'm just easing back into it," Hillman said. "Have a little bit more to go, but I'm just doing everything I can to show I can help this team win."

A Broncos preseason in review

Jeff Legwold The Denver Post August 31, 2012

The Broncos made the moves they had to make Friday as they trimmed the roster to 53 players in the hours following their preseason finale late Thursday night in Arizona.

And after the record crowds at their Dove Valley complex for open practices and the next level buzz both near and far about a certain future Hall of Famer now at quarterback all through the preseason, here are some things that stood out over the previous month:

• The Broncos talent is better. They do not have the depth chart constructed the way it needs to be to consistently be one of the elite teams in the league - building through the draft takes time and discipline, two things that aren't always in vogue in the NFL - but they are better.

It was far more difficult for them to make their roster choices than it was last season and the margin for error for many players was far smaller than it was last year at this time.

Case in point - Lonie Paxton. Contrary to what some have said, Paxton wasn't released for financial reasons.

The Broncos simply believed Aaron Brewer had shown enough ability and athleticism to earn the spot.

• That said there is still plenty of concern about the depth in the offensive line., and it figures to be a position where the Broncos give a lot of attention to the waiver wire.

The Broncos reserves consistently had trouble in pass protection in particular. Peyton Manning is the master of self in the pocket and rarely takes un- necessary hits when he sees the rusher coming. He'll make quick decisions and get the ball out - he wasn't sacked in the preseason.

But should the Broncos have an injury or two up front, they've shown that could be a problem for a team with playoff aspirations.

Caleb Hanie took nine sacks in the preseason - five against the Cardinals Thursday night with Arizona playing with several defensive starters against the Broncos' second-team offensive line. That meant for the preseason Hanie was sacked once for every 4.3 pass attempts, an enormous red flag number. To put that in context, the 49ers was the most sacked quarterback in the league overall last season with 44.

However in sacks per attempt, was the most oft-sacked quarterback among the league's regulars with 33 sacks in just 271 attempts or one sack for every 8.2 attempts. The Rams' was sacked once for every 9.9 pass attempts.

So, Hanie's number is rather startling for both the Broncos blockers and for Hanie as well.

• The Broncos run defense will get tested early in the regular season and it will get tested in much the same way opponents did it coming down the stretch in 2011. Offenses will line up in open formations, with three wide receivers or two tight ends, spread the Broncos out, and then pound away at the defensive middle.

The Broncos showed, even with their defensive upgrades in the secondary, some tackling issues at times in the preseason - especially the reserves - so middle linebacker Joe Mays may be the key to a lot of things.

The Broncos have tried to use Mays more in their specialty packages in training camp and some preseason game work to give them a little more bulk in the middle of the field when they're in the nickel (five defensive backs). The Broncos decision will be how to play Mays when teams line up and pass out those looks because those offenses are going to be looking to isolate Mays in coverage.

And if they don't use Mays their smaller, quicker , like and rookie are going to have to show they can consistently get the ballcarriers down.

• Score one, or two, for medical science. The Broncos just might be leaning toward using two players coming off of significant knee injuries as their top two returners.

Rookie Omar Bolden, who missed his final season at Arizona State with a torn ACL in his knee, was clearly the team's best option as a kickoff returner in the preseason. He was decisive, handled the ball well and uncorked the team's longest return in the franchise's history (103 yards) in Arizona.

And Jim Leonhard, who had surgery in December to repair a torn patellar tendon in his knee, looked, even with just one return, to be the Broncos' best option as a punt returner.

Leonhard has looked composed in the job in practice and had a 17-yard return in his only attempt of the preseason. It's time for Broncos QB Caleb Hanie to hit the pavement

Mark Kiszla The Denver Post August 31, 2012

The NFL is a tough business. And Caleb Hanie has no business playing quarterback for the Broncos. When Denver announces cuts Friday, he needs to hit the street.

While mystery and intrigue are attached to shaping the 53-man roster of a pro football franchise, it really should come down to a simple question for Broncos executive John Elway: Which players give Denver the best chance to win?

Let's be honest. Should the unthinkable happen, and star quarterback Peyton Manning miss an extended period of time due to injury, all the Super Bowl dreams for the Broncos are gone.

Nothing against Hanie, but there has been little to suggest in his tryout with the Broncos that he could step in and save the season. His late-night performance in the final preseason game against Arizona, which saw the 26-year old quarterback complete seven of 13 passes for 75 yards, served more as a sleep aid than an argument to keep Hanie.

On a team looking to build depth in the 25th through 40th spots on the roster, there's no room for Hanie to be a below-average No. 2 quarterback.

Tell me what player should the Broncos cut instead of Hanie.

If honest, even Broncomaniacs who hold a grudge against former coach Josh McDaniels would have to admit: Knowshon Moreno is a better football player than Hanie.

At age 36, linebacker Keith Brooking is a health risk. But with five appearances in the , his resume trumps anything Hanie has done in the NFL.

If David Bruton blocks one punt this season, he likely will have contributed more to Denver's success than Hanie could.

Defensive lineman Malik Jackson has greater potential than Hanie, so I would rather see Hanie looking for playing time in Canada.

There's only room for two quarterbacks on this 53-man roster. When the Broncos acquired Hanie in March, it seemed to be a puzzling choice. He had his 15 minutes of fame with the Bears. If the desire was for a quarterback capable of running a smashmouth attack, keeping Tim Tebow would have made more sense than adding Hanie.

So what should Denver do at the position that receives the most scrutiny in football? Let rookie quarterback Brock Osweiler follow every footstep of Manning, from the video room at the team's Dove Valley headquarters to the sound stage where the star films his next television commercial. Then hope and pray Osweiler never sees the field for anything more than mop-up duty until at least 2015.

If the Broncos are desperate for insurance against injury to Manning, they will have to look elsewhere around the league for a veteran quarterback. Hanie isn't the answer.

You don't need to be Vince Lombardi to know.

Hanie has got to go.

What does the near future hold for Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams?

Jeff Legwold The Denver Post September 1, 2012

Today's question about the Broncos comes from Ed in Colorado Springs. To submit a question for consideration, send an e-mail to The Denver Post's Jeff Legwold.

Q: Do the Broncos still have to pay (D.J. Williams) during his suspension, and would he count toward the salary cap if they released him?

A: Ed, all players suspended under the league's substance-abuse policy, the policy on steroids and other banned substances or the conduct policy are done so without pay.

Most teams pay their players' base salaries only during the 17 weeks of the regular season. So a player's weekly paycheck, unless the team and the player have worked out something different contractually, during the season is his base salary divided by 17.

Some teams have spread out overall salary payments throughout the year to match when the franchises get their network TV payouts, etc. The Houston Oilers were one of those teams before they moved to Tennessee. But for the most part, it's a 17-week pay cycle for players around the league.

In Williams' case, his base salary for this season is $5 million. So, his weekly paycheck during the season is scheduled to be $294,117.65.

So, his current six-game suspension will cost him $1,764,705.88 in lost salary. And if the league adds two more games because of his recent DWAI conviction, it would cost him $2,352,941.18 in salary. And if the league drops the hammer and adds four more games because Williams has had more than one off-the-field issue, it would be $3,529,411.76.

With the salary-cap arithmetic, Williams' cap figure for this season is $6.733 million, which is his $5 million base salary to go with a pro-rated $1.733 million portion of a bonus Williams received in 2010.

At that time, with the Broncos trying to save some salary-cap space, Williams had a significant roster bonus turned into a signing bonus. That bonus could be counted over the remaining years of his contract, which runs through the 2013 season, instead of one big additional hit in 2010. He has already received all of that signing- bonus money, including a $1 million payment that he had deferred until March 2011.

If Williams were simply released at some point this season, the Broncos would have $3.466 million worth of "dead" money on the cap from his contract — the accounting for the pro-rated bonus figure for this season and next season.

That's a hit, but not as big of a hit as the Broncos have taken on some deals in years past.

In terms of the roster spot, Williams will move to reserve/suspended until his suspension is finished and he then is formally re-instated by NFL commissioner . Goodell would formally inform Williams, in writing, that the linebacker can rejoin the team if the parameters of the suspension were met.

The team has to make a roster move when it adds a player from reserve/suspended to the active roster.

Players moved to reserve/suspended don't count against the team's 53-player active roster, but the team still maintains the rights to that player. It is where the Broncos will have moved tight end Virgil Green by the close of business Friday.

Green was suspended four games for violating the league's policy on steroids and other banned substances.

Williams and Green had to be out of the Broncos' Dove Valley complex by 7 p.m. Friday. Neither player could have contact with coaches or other team personnel.

Usually, suspended players who expect to return to their teams will often hire private strength-and-conditioning coaches to use during the suspension. That coach will often interact with the team's strength-and-conditioning coach to go over the program the player is using.

Broncos release CB Drayton Florence

Mike Klis The Denver Post August 31, 2012

There will be at least one surprise among the Broncos’ 22 roster moves Friday as veteran cornerback Drayton Florence was released.

Florence, who signed a two-year, $4.5 million contract as a free agent, was beaten out by Chris Harris at nickelback. It’s also possible the Broncos kept Tony Carter as a fifth cornerback. A stab at 52 of the Broncos’ 53-man roster

Mike Klis Denver Post August 31, 2012

I think I have 52 of the 53 Bronco players who will survive the final roster cut down today. Here’s my 52:

Offense: 24 QB (2): Peyton Manning, Brock Osweiler RB (4): Willis McGahee, Ronnie Hillman, , Knowshon Moreno FB (1): WR (5): , , Stokley, Caldwell, Willis TE (3): , , OL (9): , Zane Beadles, J.D. Walton, Manny Ramirez, , Chris Kuper, Chris Clark, , Ryan Harris

Defense: 25 DE (4): , , , Malik Jackson DT (5): , , Kevin Vickerson, Mitch Unrein, Sealver Siliga LB: (7): , Joe Mays, Wesley Woodyard, Danny Trevathan, Keith Brooking, CB: (5): , , Chris Harris, Drayton Florence, Omar Boldin Safeties (5): , , Quinton Carter, Jim Leonhard, David Bruton

Specialists: 3 K: P: LS: Aaron Brewer

The 53rd player comes from one of these eight guys: QB Caleb Hanie, CB Tony Carter, LB Steven Johnson, WR James Hill, G C.J. Davis, DE Jeremy Beal, LB Mike Mohamed, RB Jeremiah Johnson. Hanie would be the favorite to emerge but special teams may decide.

We’ll see. Veteran linebacker Keith Brooking makes Broncos roster on “reputation”

Lindsay Jones The Denver Post August 31, 2012

DOVE VALLEY — The Broncos had no game tape and very little practice tape with which to evaluate linebacker Keith Brooking this preseason.

Brooking has made the Broncos’ 53-man roster anyway.

The Broncos signed Brooking, a five-time Pro Bowler, in early August hoping the 36-year-old veteran could help improve the team’s depth at linebacker, if not push Wesley Woodyard for the starting job at weakside linebacker. But Brooking injured his hamstring in his second practice, and didn’t return to practice last week.

“We’re going off the reputation and the leadership that he can bring,” Broncos executive vice president John Elway said. “Obviously with him hurting that hamstring early in camp, it hurt him and it hurt us, the fact that we didn’t get to see him.”

Elway mentioned “leadership” multiple times in talking about Brooking, which shows why Brooking is still a Bronco today and younger players like Mike Mohamed and Jerry Franklin are not. D.J. Williams has always been the loudest voice in the linebacker meeting room, but he will miss at least the first six games of the season. Elway says team excited about Knowshon Moreno’s progress

Lindsay Jones The Denver Post August 31, 2012

DOVE VALLEY — John Elway and the Broncos’ bosses are impressed with the way running back Knowshon Moreno returned from the ACL injury he suffered last November.

“He’s carrying more weight, and he’s come back strong,” Elway said Friday after Moreno earned a spot on the 53-man roster.

Moreno lost his starting job early in 2011 to Willis McGahee, and after the Broncos’ drafted Ronnie Hillman this year, he spent the preseason not just fighting for carries, but for a job.

The Broncos decided to keep four running backs (McGahee, Moreno, Hillman and Lance Ball) and fullback Chris Gronkowski heading into the regular season. The Broncos waived Jeremiah Johnson.

“Knowshon probably makes us a better football team,” Elway said.

His spot was likely secure before the preseason finale, but he certainly helped himself by rushing for 49 yards on seven carries in the first half against Arizona. The Cardinals played most of their starting defense.

“When you look at the full package, we were excited about where Knowshon was, and how he ran the ball and continued to get better throughout camp,” Elway said.

Quarterback Adam Weber waived; could return on practice squad

Lindsay Jones The Denver Post August 31, 2012

DOVE VALLEY — As the Broncos debate whether to keep two or three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster, they released their No. 4 quarterback, Adam Weber.

Weber, a second-year player, is a likely candidate to join the practice squad if he clears waivers on Saturday. Weber spent all of 2011 on the practice squad.

Weber did not play in the Broncos’ second preseason game, and played only in the final minutes of each of the last two games. He led a game-winning drive against Arizona Thursday night, thanks to a 45-yard completion to Greg Orton to set up a Matt Prater as time expired. Who was Broncos preseason rushing leader? Answer might surprise you.

Lindsay Jones The Denver Post August 31, 2012

DOVE VALLEY — Ronnie Hillman missed two preseason games with a nagging hamstring injury, but with 68 rushing yards on 14 carries in Thursday’s preseason finale at Arizona, Hillman won the oh-so-coveted title of preseason rushing champion.

Hillman, a rookie third-round pick from San Diego State, finished the preseason with 97 total yards on 24 carries — an average of 4 yards per carry. Hillman is still looking for his first touchdown.

Hillman was one of the last players out of the visitors locker room at University of Phoenix Stadium last night. Before he caught the bus, I asked him if what we saw from him against the Cardinals was an indication of what he might be capable of in the preseason.

The good news comes in his response.

“I think I can do a lot more. I’m just easing back into it,” Hillman said.

Hillman said he is not yet fully recovered from the hamstring injury, but he is happy to have made it through two preseason games in four days without a setback.

“I have a little bit more do to go, but I’m just doing everything I can to show I can help this team win,” Hillman said. Backup QBs McCown, Rosenfels, Hoyer, Wallace cut

Barry Wilner & Arnie Stapleton August 31, 2012

Backup quarterbacks were prominent among players cut Friday as teams whittled their rosters to the 53-man maximum.

Nine-year veteran was beaten out by Colt McCoy in Cleveland, Mike Kafka fell to rookie and in Philadelphia, got axed in New England, Josh McCown was released by Chicago and 12th- year pro didn't make the cut in Minnesota.

The Ravens released quarterback , who started eight games for the Colts last season. He was in competition with throughout the preseason to be the backup to . And the released quarterback Josh Johnson, who started five games in four seasons with Tampa Bay.

Other veterans released as team's prepare for the regular season, which begins Wednesday night with Dallas at the , included 2005 Super Bowl MVP receiver and center in New England; defensive backs and O.J. Atogwe in Philadelphia; Pittsburgh offensive lineman and , who were waived injured; Buffalo DT ; and Giants running back D.J. Ware, who won two Super Bowls with the team.

"Today is the worst day of the year," said John Elway, executive vice president of football operations for the . "The second-worst is last week when we get down to 75 because of these guys, they put their hearts and souls into being NFL football players. So, you end a lot of dreams and guys put a lot of sweat and tears into trying to make a team. So, it's always a very tough day."

Tenth-year cornerback Drayton Florence was cut when Elway decided to keep three quarterbacks in Denver.

Caleb Hanie stuck around even though he was sacked nine times in the preseason, an astonishing once every 4.3 drop-backs. The Broncos also kept rookie Brock Osweiler, a second-round draft pick who was selected with the intention of one day succeeding Peyton Manning.

Of course, if Manning has his way, neither Hanie nor Osweiler will see the field this season. Teams had until 9 p.m. ET to trim their rosters to 53. They have until Noon ET Saturday to put in waiver claims and sign up to eight practice squad players.

Other notable cuts included:

—Running back of Washington. The Redskins also let go safety , who was suspended indefinitely by the NFL for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

—Former Pro Bowl punter Mat McBriar of the Eagles.

—Veteran defensive ends Dave Ball and were placed on IR by the .

—Former first-round draft pick of the St. Louis Rams.

—Outside linebacker , a 12-year NFL veteran, by the .

—Long snapper , who had played in 192 straight games for the Indianapolis Colts, the second-longest streak in franchise history behind Manning.

—Fullback of the San Francisco 49ers.

—Long-time defensive end and veteran fullback of the San Diego Chargers.

—Kicker John Kasay, 42, and veteran receiver of the Saints.

The 31-year-old Wallace spent two seasons with the Browns, who acquired him in a 2011 trade from Seattle, where he played for Browns President Mike Holmgren. Wallace started seven games for Cleveland.

Kafka, a fourth-round pick in 2010, appeared in four games last year. He completed 11 of 16 passes for 107 yards with two . Kafka played in one preseason game this summer before breaking his non-throwing hand.

"There was great competition at the quarterback position," Eagles coach said. "That's what football and training camp is all about. In the end, we had to make the difficult decision to let Mike Kafka go. Mike is a class act, a student of the game and a great person and I think he'll have no problem finding a job in the very soon."

Hoyer was 's backup the past three years, but lost the job to Ryan Mallet. Branch tweeted: "Truly thankful for all the support from everybody. I Love You guys (hash)LovePeaceandHappiness."

He won two rings with the Patriots and tied a Super Bowl record with 11 catches for 133 yards against Philadelphia when he was voted MVP in 2005. He was the first receiver to win the honor since San Francisco's Jerry Rice in 1989.

McCown was coaching quarterbacks at a North Carolina high school and hadn't taken an NFL snap since 2009 when the Bears signed him last November with sidelined by a broken right thumb. McCown appeared in three games, starting two, but the Bears have as their No. 2 QB.

It was not a good day for —either of them. The Arizona Cardinals' running back and his namesake, the ' defensive back, both failed to make their teams.

Former Baylor player Robert Griffin was cut. No, not that one.

Among the Jets' cuts was tackle Robert T. Griffin, who blocked for Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III at Baylor and was New York's sixth-round draft pick. He is not related to the Redskins quarterback chosen No. 2 overall in the draft.

Of course, in this day and age, the final cuts are never really final. Teams will be tweaking their rosters over the weekend and well beyond.

"Everything's fluid," Elway said. "The only guy that's set (in Denver) is 18."

That's Manning. Broncos cut 10th-year CB Drayton Florence

Arnie Stapleton Associated Press August 31, 2012

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Tenth-year cornerback Drayton Florence was cut Friday when the Denver Broncos kept three quarterbacks on their roster.

Caleb Hanie was sacked nine times in the preseason but he played better than 21- year-old rookie Brock Osweiler, who was drafted in the second round as the Broncos' QB of the future.

Hanie will back up four-time MVP Peyton Manning.

"He made it. Surprise," cracked Broncos boss John Elway.

If things go the way Manning and Elway hope, neither Hanie nor Osweiler will see the field in 2012.

Elway said Manning's progress from a series of neck surgeries that weakened his throwing arm and led to him switching teams in the offseason is on track.

"He's probably right where I thought he'd be," Elway said. "I really didn't have a lot of doubts once we heard the reports when we were back at Duke in March, and the expectations of what we heard from the doctors and where he would be at this point in time — if anything he's exceeded that.

"So, is it surprising to me? No. And so we're excited to finally get through the camp and through all that hype that we've been through since Peyton's been here and it's time now to start playing football, which is the fun part."

Florence signed a two-year deal with Denver in May after his release from Buffalo, but the Broncos kept just five when they trimmed their roster to 53. Tony Carter won the nickel back job and fourth-round draft pick Omar Bolden will be the dime back.

Asked why he kept Carter over Florence, Elway said, "He played better. ... We just felt that Tony was a better football player."

The Broncos also kept veteran linebacker Keith Brooking, who missed the entire preseason after pulling a hamstring during his second practice. "I think we're going off reputation and the leadership that he can bring," said Elway, who also kept safety/punt returner Jim Leonhard, who had offseason knee surgery and made a spectacular Denver debut Thursday night at Arizona.

Other notable cuts included free safety Rafael Bush, tackle Ryan Harris, running back Jeremiah Johnson, middle linebacker Mike Mohamed, cornerback Syd'Quan Thompson and quarterback Adam Weber.

Johnson was beaten out by former first-round pick Knowshon Moreno, who was one of the bigger surprises in camp after recovering from knee surgery that cut short his 2011 season.

"That was a tough decision, but Knowshon will probably make us a better football team," Elway said.

Overall, Elway said the cuts were tougher this year, "which is a good thing. That means you're getting better as a football team."

The Broncos also placed defensive end Jeremy Beal on season-ending injured reserve with a torn ligament in his left knee.

Weakside linebacker D.J. Williams (at least six games) and backup tight end Virgil Green (four games) were placed on the reserve/suspended list following failed drug tests. Williams' punishment could be extended following his recent conviction for driving while ability impaired.

Hanie came on strong halfway through camp but was up-and-down in the preseason games, where he completed 22 of 39 passes for 246 yards. He had one TD toss and one but was sacked nine times — an astonishing once per every 4.3 drop-backs — including five times Thursday night. Broncos put defensive end Beal on IR

Arnie Stapleton Associated Press August 31, 2012

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Tenth-year cornerback Drayton Florence was cut Friday when the Denver Broncos decided to keep three quarterbacks on their roster.

Backing up Peyton Manning will be Caleb Hanie, who was sacked nine times in the preseason but played better than 21-year-old rookie Brock Osweiler, who had a strong offseason and a good start to camp but couldn't win the No. 2 job.

Florence signed a two-year deal with Denver in May after his release from Buffalo, but the Broncos kept just five cornerbacks when they trimmed their roster to 53.

The Broncos also kept veteran linebacker Keith Brooking, who missed the entire preseason after pulling a hamstring during his second practice, and safety Jim Leonhard (knee surgery), who returned to action on the eve of final cuts and impressed the coaching staff.

Other notable cuts included free safety Rafael Bush, tackle Ryan Harris, running back Jeremiah Johnson, middle linebacker Mike Mohamed, cornerback Syd'Quan Thompson and quarterback Adam Weber.

The Broncos also placed defensive end Jeremy Beal on season-ending injured reserve with a torn ligament in his left knee. Beal had two sacks and five tackles in the preseason before getting hurt in the Broncos' final exhibition game Thursday night at Arizona.

Weakside linebacker D.J. Williams (at least six games) and backup tight end Virgil Green (four games) were placed on the reserve/suspended list following failed drug tests. Williams' punishment could be extended following his recent conviction for driving while ability impaired.

Hanie came on strong halfway through camp but was up-and-down in the preseason games, where he completed 22 of 39 passes for 246 yards. He had one TD toss and one interception but was sacked nine times — an astonishing once per every 4.3 drop-backs — including five times Thursday night. The last one came as the first half wound down with the Broncos at the Cardinals 7, preventing them from attempting a field goal. Denver Broncos cutdown analysis

Bill Williamson ESPN.com August 31, 2012

Most significant move: The Broncos kept newly signed veterans, linebacker Keith Brooking and safety Jim Leonhard. They have both been dealing with injuries. Both should fill rotational roles as well as offer leadership. It is a bit surprising Denver cut veteran cornerback Drayton Florence. The Broncos beat several teams to sign Florence this year. In the end, the Broncos liked their young cornerbacks such as Chris Harris, Tony Carter and rookie Omar Bolden. Watch for San Diego to make a full-court press to sign Florence. The team tried to sign the former Charger before Denver signed him and it needs a cornerback.

Onward and upward: Two interesting players who were kept in Denver were running back Knowshon Moreno and tight end Julius Thomas. Moreno, a first-round pick in 2009, had a decent preseason after coming back from an ACL. There was speculation he could be traded. But Moreno will be given a chance to help Denver off the bench. Thomas, a fourth-round pick last year, was considered on the bubble. But the former college basketball player turned NFL player will get more time to develop. The Broncos will likely try to sign Ben Garland to the practice squad. The defensive tackle from Air Force has a lot of promise and the team loves his spirit. I could potentially see quarterback Adam Weber being put on the practice squad again. Denver likes him. He is not going to leapfrog backup Caleb Hanie or No. 3 quarterback, second-round pick Brock Osweiler, but Denver may want him to stick around.

What’s next: The Broncos will likely look for linebackers. They are young and thin there, especially on the outside with D.J. Williams facing, at least, a six-game NFL suspension. Denver will likely look for experienced veterans, who could, at least, log some situational time on defense. Denver did keep undrafted rookie Steven Johnson. He was a preseason star and he should help on special teams, so the need for more linebacker help is still necessary. I could see Denver being interested in defensive players regardless of the position if they are the right fit and I think it can look for help on the offensive line as well. Expect Denver to make, at least, a couple of moves in the next couple of days. Our experts' NFL predictions for 2012

ESPN.com August 30, 2012

Our experts have predicted the 2012 division winners, wild cards, individual award winners, conference champions and Super Bowl titlist.

NFL Season Predictions

Andrew Bill Barnwell, Jeffri Chadiha, John Clayton, Brandt, ESPN.com ESPN.com ESPN.com SUPER BOWL CHAMPION

AFC East Patriots Patriots Patriots Patriots AFC North Steelers Ravens Ravens Steelers AFC South Texans Texans Texans Texans AFC West Chargers Chargers Broncos Chargers Bengals, AFC wild cards Bills, Ravens Bills, Steelers Ravens, Bills Steelers NFC East Cowboys Eagles Giants Eagles NFC North Packers Packers Packers Packers NFC South Falcons Falcons Falcons Falcons NFC West 49ers 49ers 49ers 49ers NFC wild cards Eagles, Bucs Bears, Giants Bears, Lions Giants, Bears AFC champion Texans Ravens Texans Patriots NFC champion Packers Packers Packers Packers Coach of the Andy Reid year MVP Matt Ryan Aaron Rodgers Tom Brady Trent Offensive ROY Andrew Luck Andrew Luck Richardson

NFL Season Predictions

Jamison KC Joyner, Ashley Fox, Dan Graziano, Hensley, ESPN ESPN.com ESPN.com ESPN.com Insider SUPER BOWL CHAMPION

AFC East Patriots Patriots Patriots Patriots AFC North Ravens Ravens Steelers Ravens AFC South Texans Texans Texans Texans AFC West Broncos Chiefs Broncos Chargers Steelers, AFC wild cards Steelers, Chiefs Steelers, Bills Titans, Bills Raiders NFC East Giants Giants Cowboys Eagles NFC North Packers Packers Packers Packers NFC South Falcons Falcons Falcons Falcons NFC West 49ers 49ers Cardinals 49ers Bears, NFC wild cards Eagles, Bears Eagles, Bears Eagles, Lions Giants AFC champion Patriots Ravens Texans Patriots NFC champion Packers Packers Cowboys Packers Coach of the Andy Reid year Aaron MVP Tom Brady Aaron Rodgers Tom Brady Rodgers Trent Offensive ROY Andrew Luck Trent Richardson Richardson Morris Luke Defensive ROY Claiborne Kuechly

NFL Season Predictions

Paul Adam Mike Sando, Kevin Seifert, Kuharsky, Schefter, ESPN ESPN.com ESPN.com ESPN.com Insider SUPER BOWL CHAMPION

AFC East Patriots Patriots Patriots Patriots AFC North Steelers Ravens Steelers Ravens AFC South Texans Texans Texans Texans AFC West Broncos Broncos Chargers Chiefs Paul Adam Mike Sando, Kevin Seifert, Kuharsky, Schefter, ESPN ESPN.com ESPN.com ESPN.com Insider Chiefs, AFC wild cards Ravens, Raiders Bills, Ravens Steelers, Bills Steelers NFC East Giants Giants Eagles Giants NFC North Packers Packers Packers Packers NFC South Falcons Falcons Saints Falcons NFC West 49ers 49ers 49ers 49ers NFC wild cards Lions, Bears Lions, Eagles Giants, Panthers Bears, Lions AFC champion Patriots Patriots Texans Ravens NFC champion Falcons Packers Packers Packers Coach of the Bill Belichick Andy Reid Romeo Crennel year MVP Aaron Rodgers Aaron Rodgers Aaron Rodgers Offensive ROY Andrew Luck Andrew Luck Andrew Luck Andrew Luck Defensive ROY Luke Kuechly

NFL Season Predictions

James Bill Matt Pat Walker, Williamson, Williamson, Yasinskas, ESPN.com ESPN.com ESPN.com ESPN.com SUPER BOWL CHAMPION

AFC East Patriots Patriots Patriots Patriots AFC North Steelers Ravens Steelers Steelers AFC South Texans Texans Texans Texans AFC West Broncos Chiefs Chiefs Broncos AFC wild Broncos, Ravens, Ravens, Bills Ravens, Bills cards Chargers Chargers NFC East Giants Eagles Eagles Giants NFC North Packers Packers Packers Packers NFC South Falcons Panthers Saints Saints NFC West 49ers 49ers Seahawks 49ers NFC wild Falcons, Eagles, Bears Giants, Lions Bears, Giants cards Panthers AFC champion Patriots Ravens Patriots Patriots NFC champion Packers Eagles Packers Packers Coach of the Gary Kubiak Andy Reid Bill Belichick year James Bill Matt Pat Walker, Williamson, Williamson, Yasinskas, ESPN.com ESPN.com ESPN.com ESPN.com MVP Aaron Rodgers Aaron Rodgers Offensive ROY Andrew Luck Andrew Luck Andrew Luck Andrew Luck Defensive Stephon Chandler Jones Luke Kuechly ROY Gilmore

Denver Broncos 2012 Season Preview

ESPN.com August 30, 2012

JOHN CLAYTON QB RANKING (6): After missing all of last season, future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning is starting anew in Denver. He enters the 2012-13 season with 399 career touchdown passes.

Expert Picks (Consensus: first)

The Broncos finished first in the AFC West last season with an 8-8 record.

ANALYST PREDICTION DIVISION FINISH: 2 Yes, Manning is in the division, but Bill the Broncos have to prove they can continue to make strides Williamson on defense and deal with the second-toughest schedule in the ESPN.com NFL. DIVISION FINISH: 2 I'd take 85 percent of Manning in a John second. His presence, leadership and mind should allow the Clayton Broncos to exceed last year's 8-8 record. A tough schedule, ESPN.com though, will make it difficult to get above nine or 10 wins. Adam DIVISION FINISH: 2 Few teams will be watched more Schefter closely, and no quarterback will be scrutinized more than one ESPN.com of the all-time greats. Jeffri DIVISION FINISH: 1 Everybody in Denver is excited about Chadiha Manning's arrival. The key is whether his supporting cast can ESPN.com play as well as it did last season. Ashley DIVISION FINISH: 1 This division race will be tight top to Fox bottom, but Peyton Manning will be the Peyton Manning of old. ESPN.com Look out.

Inside The Numbers

Manning was the NFL's biggest offseason acquisition. From 2008 to 2010, he went up against new divisional opponents the Chiefs, Raiders and Chargers a combined four times during the regular season. Manning averaged nearly 40 fewer passing yards per game against those teams than he did against AFC South opponents and both his Total QBR (81.6 to 69.9) and yards per attempt (7.4 to 5.8) dropped significantly.

• The Broncos' defense sent five or more pass-rushers on 46.3 percent of pass plays last season, the third-highest rate in the league. However, the Broncos struggled when committing extra defenders to the pass , allowing 10 touchdowns with only two interceptions.

• Broncos running back Willis McGahee was fifth in the NFL last season with 579 yards after contact, averaging 2.0 yards after contact per rush. However, in the red zone McGahee averaged only 0.6 yards after contact per rush, half the league average of 1.2. The Broncos gained 98 rushing yards in the red zone in 2011 (28th in the NFL) and scored six red zone rushing touchdowns (29th).

• Broncos kicker Matt Prater was a big part of Denver's success last season. Prater made 11 of 12 field goal attempts in the second half or overtime last season, including four game-winning kicks. Prater was the only kicker with three overtime field goals made last season (3-0), with no one else even attempting three. Broncos Cuts: Drayton Florence gets the axe

Andrew Mason CBSSports.com August 31, 2012

Drayton Florence was one of the Broncos' key offseason signings, but now he is out of a job as the most prominent name among the Broncos' cuts, announced late Friday afternoon. Florence had struggled in coverage, particularly late in the preseason, and was supplanted as the Broncos' No. 3 CB by second-year veteran Chris Harris. By the end of the preseason, Tony Carter had passed Florence; Carter simply "played better," Broncos executive vice president John Elway said. The Broncos aren't necessarily done with their roster moves, Elway described the roster as "fluid."

Notable cuts: FS Rafael Bush (3rd year, 2011 waiver claim, South Carolina State) -- Bush "had a good camp," Elway said, but was beaten out by fourth-year safety David Bruton, who blocked two punts in the preseason and was a special-teams "terror" ... CB Florence (10th year, street free agent in 2011, Tuskegee) ... QB Adam Weber (2nd year, undrafted free agent in 2011, Minnesota) -- Weber only played in the late stages of the preseason opener and preseason finale, but the Broncos are still high on him and would like to bring him back on the practice squad.

Complete cut list

DE Jamie Blatnick (rookie, undrafted free agent, Oklahoma State), Bush, Florence, LB Jerry Franklin (rookie, undrafted free agent, Arkansas), DL Ben Garland (1st year, undrafted free agent in 2010 before going on miltary leave, Air Force), OL Adam Grant (1st year, undrafted free agent in 2011, Arizona), OL Ryan Harris (6th year, street free agent in 2012, Notre Dame), WR Jason Hill (6th year, street free agent in 2012, Washington State), OL Tony Hills (5th year, street free agent in 2011, Texas), SS Duke Ihenacho (rookie, undrafted free agent, San Jose State), TE Cornelius Ingram (2nd year, street free agent in 2011, Florida), RB Jeremiah Johnson (3rd year, street free agent in 2010, Oregon), LB Mike Mohamed (2nd year, 6th-round draft pick in 2011, California), WR Greg Orton (1st year, street free agent in 2011, Purdue), WR Gerell Robinson (rookie, undrafted free agent, Arizona State), NT Sealver Siliga (1st year, street free agent in 2011, Utah), CB Syd'Quan Thompson (3rd year, 7th-round draft pick in 2010, California), OL Wayne Tribue (rookie, undrafted free agent, Temple), Weber.

Other moves: Injured reserve -- DE Jeremy Beal (2nd year, 7th round in 2011 draft, knee). Suspended -- LB D.J. Williams (9th year, 1st round in 2004 draft, six- game suspension), TE Virgil Green (2nd year, 7th round in 2011 draft, four-game suspension). 2012 Division Preview: AFC West

Jim Trotter Sports Illustrated August 31, 2012

Only one game separated first and last place in the AFC West last season. Don't be shocked if the same thing happens again this year. The division is so tight that every team finished 3-3 against each other last season; so tight that only once in the past four seasons has the first- and second-place teams been separated by more than a game.

With the exception of the Raiders, who were hamstrung by salary cap issues and limited draft picks, each team made key moves in free agency or at the top of the draft -- notably the Broncos, who won the Peyton Manning sweepstakes.

Kansas City Chiefs

What the Chiefs do best: Cope with adversity.

Safety , running back and tight end Tony Moeaki (torn ACLs) sustained season-ending injuries by Week 2, first-round pick missed the first five games with a broken hand, and QB missed the final seven with a hand injury, yet Kansas City was still in a position to win the division on the final Sunday of the season.

What the Chiefs need to improve: Putting points on the scoreboard.

The league average for scoring last season was 22.2. The Chiefs averaged 13.2 a game. Only St. Louis (12.1) was worse. The return of Cassel, Charles and Moeaki, as well as the additions of running back Peyton Hills and right tackle , should help them climb the rankings.

Which Chiefs needs to step up: Matt Cassel, quarterback.

Two years ago he went to the Pro Bowl after throwing for 27 touchdowns with only seven interceptions. Last year he was good for 10 scores and nine picks. A positive for the Chiefs is that Cassel has been as good in even-numbered years as he has been mediocre/bad in odd-numbered years. Consider his touchdown-interception totals the past four seasons: 21-11 in 2008 with New England; 16-16 in 2009 with KC; 27-7 in 2010; and 10-9 in 2011.

Predicted record: 10-6.

The Chiefs are talented and arguably have the best depth in the division. They'll struggle early but make their move midway through the season when they play five of their six divisional games after a Week 7 . San Diego Chargers

What the Chargers do best: Move the ball on , particularly through the air.

Since arrived as coach in 2007, ranks second in passing yards and third in yards per attempt. He'll be tested this year with the departure of in free agency and the loss of Vincent Brown (broken ankle) for at least eight weeks. Rivers threw a career-high 20 interceptions last season. If that happens again, San Diego has almost no shot of ending its two-year playoff drought.

What the Chargers need to improve: Getting off the field on defense.

In 2011, San Diego allowed its opponents to convert on a league-high 49.2 percent of their third downs and score touchdowns 59.2 percent of the time they reached the red zone, 29th in the league. New coordinator believes the players were doing too much thinking last year, so he has tried to eliminate the gray areas on defense. His goal is to win with better execution rather than complicated schemes.

Which Chargers needs to step up: Melvin Ingram, linebacker.

The defense has been searching for a pass rush complement to since 2007, when 's slide began. Ingram could be the guy. He consistently flashed in the preseason and is being counted on to balance the pass rush.

Predicted record: 9-7.

A favorable early schedule will allow the Chargers to get out to a quick start, and improvements on defense will keep Rivers from feeling like he has to make a play on every possession.

Denver Broncos

What the Broncos do best: It remains to be seen, but moving the ball figures to rank high on the list now that Manning is directing the offense.

With Tim Tebow at the controls the final 11 games last season, the Broncos finished 25th in scoring and had the most lopsided offense in the league, ranking first in rushing attempts and last in passing attempts. That won't happen with Manning, a four-time league MVP whose Indianapolis offenses ranked in the top four in scoring nine out of his 13 seasons. Manning also attempted 500 or more passes in all but two of his seasons.

What the Broncos need to improve: The run defense. Denver ranked 22nd against the run last year and allowed five of its final six opponents, including the postseason, to gain at least 140 yards on the ground. New coordinator made run defense a point of emphasis during training camp, but the results were spotty in the preseason.

Which Bronco needs to step up: Ty Warren, defensive tackle.

He could be a key to the run defense after missing the past two seasons because of injuries. If Denver can put teams in 3rd-and-long situations, it can turn loose end Elvis Dumervil and linebacker Von Miller, who were central to the unit having the 10th most sacks in the league last year.

Predicted record: 8-8.

The Broncos' early schedule is brutal, as six of their first eight opponents were participants in last season's playoffs. That, combined with limited depth on defense, will relegate them to .500.

Oakland Raiders

What the Raiders do best: Run the ball with a healthy Darren McFadden.

The former Arkansas standout was leading the league in rushing with 612 yards last season before sustaining a season-ending foot injury. In his last 19 games (not including the two-carry outing in Week 7 last season) he has run for 1,769 yards and averaged a staggering 5.3 yards a carry. McFadden also is a talented receiver, and new coordinator plans to expand his role in that area.

What the Raiders need to improve: The passing game.

Carson Palmer couldn't develop a rapport with two of his top three projected wideouts because Denarius Moore and Jacoby Ford missed most of camp with injuries. Consequently, Palmer was forced to lean on rookies and , who despite their talents are still feeling their way. The only wideout with significant NFL experience is Darrius Heyward-Bey, who led the team in catches (64) and yards (975) last season.

Which Raiders needs to step up: Rolando McClain, middle linebacker.

Oakland's run defense has been porous in recent seasons, and McClain, the eighth pick of the 2010 draft, is part of the reason. After a promising rookie season, he took a step back last year because of injury and off-field issues. He needs a strong season for the Raiders to challenge for the division title.

Predicted record: 8-8. First-year GM Reggie McKenzie inherited a tough situation. The Raiders were farther over the cap than any other team, and did not have a draft pick higher than the fifth round before receiving two compensatory selections in the third round. Both of those issues hurt Oakland's depth. Look for it to show late in the year.

NFL, referees reportedly resuming negotiations

Jarrett Bell USA Today August 31, 2012

Perhaps the NFL won't start the regular season with replacement officials after all.

NFL replacement officials, shown here before a recent exhibition game in New Orleans, would be sent to the sidelines if reports of renewed negotiations between the league and the officials union bear fruit.

NFL replacement officials, shown here before a recent exhibition game in New Orleans, would be sent to the sidelines if reports of renewed negotiations between the league and the officials union bear fruit.

Sponsored LinksThe league and the NFL Referees Association were slated to resume negotiations Friday, according to an ESPN report citing two league sources.

NFL.com reported the sides "exchanged information and numbers."

Given that the two sides haven't met at the bargaining table since late July — and with the NFL informing teams this week that it would enter Week 1 with the replacement officials who worked the preseason — the meeting might signal that the labor standoff can be resolved in the 11th hour.

The NFL would not confirm or deny a meeting.

Mike Arnold, the lead negotiator for the referees, was unavailable to comment but has repeatedly suggested recently he believed a deal could be struck quickly because the economic differences amounted to roughly $6,000 a game.

It is also notable that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, in an interview with the league-owned NFL Network on Thursday, would not rule out a return by the locked- out officials for Week 1 — despite announced plans to the contrary.

"We're, right now, planning on putting the replacement officials on the field," Goodell told NFL Network. "We would love to get an agreement. We respect our officials, and we'd work all night to get it done."

If a deal is struck quickly, could officials hit the field for Week 1?

It is conceivable, with the bulk of the regular-season openers nine days away. The NFL's kickoff game is five days away, with the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants hosting the on Wednesday.

Ray Anderson, NFL executive vice president, recently told USA TODAY Sports the league projected needing seven to 10 days to get the crews back on the field after striking a labor deal. Anderson said the timing included getting a new collective bargaining agreement ratified by membership, physical exams, security background checks and a two- or three-day clinic that would include a refresher on rulebook changes.

Arnold, however, told USA TODAY Sports last week that the 121 locked-out officials would be ready to hit the field almost immediately. Arnold said the officials took their physicals in May, and he believes the NFL has had time to initiate security checks.

A number of locked-out officials also attended a concussion forum at the NFL Players Association headquarters in Washington, D.C., in July to better educate themselves for the additional task the league is requiring of them to spot players suffering head injuries.

Arnold said the officials are up to speed on rules changes, particularly given the efforts of referee Ed Hochuli, who has led conference call meetings and electronically distributed periodic rulebook quizzes for the officials.

"Ed Hochuli has done a great job of carrying the ball on that," Arnold said.

Arnold said the officials would have preferred to work during preseason games and training camp practices to develop timing and rhythm, much like summer repetitions help players prepare for the season. But in lieu of that, he insists that the officials have trained for conditioning.

"We're doing everything we can to be ready," Arnold said.

Maybe that assertion will be put to a fast-track test.

Drayton Florence released by Denver Broncos

Marc Sessler NFL.com August 31, 2012

The Denver Broncos are moving forward without veteran cornerback Drayton Florence.

The Broncos announced Friday that Florence was let go. It's a disappointing turn of events for the Broncos after hailing Florence as a premier offseason acquisition. In the end, the 31-year-old defender lost the nickel corner job to Chris Harris, an undrafted role player who started four games for Denver last season.

The Broncos used this offseason to improve their secondary, signing Tracy Porter to start at cornerback after the team finished 18th against the pass a season ago.

With Porter and Champ Bailey locked in at corner, Florence failed to justify his price tag after starting 45 games for the over the past three seasons. He previously spent one season with the in 2008 after logging five with the San Diego Chargers, who selected him in the second round of the 2003 draft.

There weren't many other noteworthy names on the Broncos' release list. Six-year veteran tackle Ryan Harris was let go. Denver's roster isn't overly deep, so there really weren't many "tough" cuts. XLVII things to look forward to when 2012 NFL season begins

Ian Rapoport NFL.com August 29, 2012

When the 2012 NFL season kicks off next week, 32 teams will begin fighting for the right to play in Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans. As a way to pay homage to their pursuit of football's ultimate prize, I've picked XLVII things that I'm looking forward to seeing when the games start.

I. Tebowmania. Running that mysterious Wildcat, serving as the personal protector on punts, jogging in the rain without a shirt on ... There's no telling where the game's most polarizing player will end up. I, for one, can't wait to find out how the are going to use him. Anything for more Tebow coverage!

II. Postgame Belichick. There might not be a more underrated pleasure than listening to a Bill Belichick postgame news conference. The subtle messages, the monosyllabic answers that are occasionally followed by a random deep explanation of football; listening to the coach is always an experience of the unexpected.

III. Lewis' speeches. Is there a better pregame moment than when veteran gathers his teammates for a motivating yell session, complete with close-talking inspiration and shouts of acknowledgment? Lewis might be getting older, but those speeches are timeless. (It's just funny that the cameras always happen to be there.)

IV. A Hester breakaway. That instant when the crowd gasps as returner breaks one through, slipping past would-be tacklers and finding open space in Soldier Field, is like a Eureka moment shared by nearly 62,000 people, a murmur that turns into a roar.

V. Short people doing big things. There is a soft spot in my heart for short people. And , the diminutive starting quarterback for the , is filling it. When America realizes he's got game -- and that not every pass will be tipped -- it will be a worthwhile moment.

VI. Manning's magic. Finally -- finally! -- we'll be able to stop judging Peyton Manning's throws and trying to decide if he makes the Denver Broncos elite. We'll get to simply watch and enjoy. That first two-minute drill that brings us right back to his prime should be epic.

VII. Pirate ships. Or, more specifically, the ' pirate ship. It's just awesome. Weekly loser is forced to walk the plank? VIII. Brees being the man. New coach, no coach; Drew Brees will still line up under center for the . That, in itself, is worth the price of admission. Brees doesn't have to prove his worth to the city or the embattled franchise. But he'll do it anyway.

IX. An answer in Arizona. By the time the Arizona Cardinals start the season, coach will have named a starting quarterback. Right? Possibly? Maybe? At some point? Well, whenever it happens, we look forward to it.

X. Battlin' Big Ben. The first time quarterback is dragged down and pummeled on the field, he'll simply trudge back to the huddle afterward. Watching someone as tough as nails never gets old.

XI. Woodson the safety. For years, ball-hawking cornerback dabbled at safety. He worked inside in packages and thrived as a do-it-all slot corner. The only difference now? He's there full-time. Woodson is rolling with the challenge and eyeing a career rejuvenation.

XII. Cam's pearly whites. 's smile was criticized before the 2011 NFL Draft, held up as evidence that his apparently joyous approach to the game was a ruse. By now, of course, we know the quarterback wasn't putting one over on us; his love of football is real. We should see many more grin-worthy moments as Newton avoids a sophomore slump and continues to rise with one of the NFL's most dynamic offenses.

XIII. Fitz getting the ball. It'd be tough to give more than Cardinals receiver does, both as a humanitarian and on the field. So can someone please return the favor and give the Pro Bowl receiver the football? Hopefully, Fitz won't spend 2012 in three-and-out purgatory, regardless of who's under center.

XIV. McCoy coming back. The fast-playing, faster-talking Gerald McCoy ended last season on the sidelines with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, watching his train wreck of a team flounder. He has a new, more diligent routine, and his return to the field should be intriguing. It's easy to forget he was once considered a big-time rising star.

XV. Gronk. See Gronk run. See Gronk score. See Gronk spike. New England Patriots tight end dabbled with '80s-style celebrations throughout the 2011 season, starting with the high-five. We're thankful he finally settled on the spike, football's purest display of unbridled joy.

XVI. Dalton's cannon. You have to respect quarterback rubbing our noses in the fact that he can launch the deep ball. I feel you, Andy. Keep showing us up; it makes for some good highlights.

XVII. Freeney running free. Call me old-fashioned, but there's still something special about Indianapolis Colts veteran putting his hand on the turf and racing around the edge to get to a quarterback. New system, new look, new two-point stance; here's hoping he still spends most of his time harassing passers.

XVIII. A.P. playing again. Hey, teammates are now allowed to have contact with running back in practice. So that's something. But the physical freak will only be happy when he gets back to game action. Good thing it's still looking like we won't have to wait too long.

XIX. Julio rising. There will be a time when receiver climbs an imaginary wall to out-leap his defender and make a ridiculous catch. Actually, that will probably happen many times. This is the year when Jones comes into his own and becomes the all-world star he's threatening to be.

XX. The wrath of Willis. They're over quickly, but those moments when San Francisco 49ers linebacker spots an opening in the line and darts through are truly special. The poor running backs on the other side of the collisions that follow probably don't share this sentiment, though. Willis' recognition skills and a well-tooled closing ability turn him into a missile on the field.

XXI. Seeing how the Saints fare. I can't wait for the results of what should be a thought-provoking case study. The Saints are playing without suspended coach , but the roster remains explosive. How much does a matter on a day-to-day level? We'll find out.

XXII. When Megatron attacks. Rising young receiver A.J. Green spent time in the offseason working with Detroit Lions star , and he got a lesson in how Megatron attacks the ball in mid-air, closing in like it's his prey. (Never mind that the football looks like a piece of Pez candy in his hands.) So much fun to watch.

XXIII. Skittles. After blowing through would-be tacklers and trotting into the end zone, Seattle Seahawks running back will pop some Skittles on the sidelines. And that will be pretty awesome.

XXIV. The McFadden blur. You know that effect that results from a picture being taken out of focus? That's what Oakland Raiders back Darren McFadden produces when he hits the hole and takes off. A tall, rangy ball carrier with rare speed, McFadden just needs to stay on the field. If he does ...

XXV. The development of DJax. Armed with a new contract and speaking like he has renewed confidence, receiver DeSean Jackson is ready for the next chapter of his career. Thus far, he's had moments of brilliance and others that have ended with him being benched. The big question this year: Will he go over the middle and show his toughness? That remains to be seen. XXVI. Watching Bryant rule? You've heard about the Dallas Cowboys' so-called " rules." Maybe the young receiver will give us a reason to discuss his development on the field. If he plays like he did in camp, when he destroyed cornerbacks, it will be something to note.

XXVII. RG3 rescuing the Redskins. As the most marketable, likeable, dynamic rookie quarterback since , all Robert Griffin III carries on his shoulders are the expectations of a fan base that's tired of waiting to win. Ho hum. No biggie. Just watch the region-wide love fest that erupts after RG3 pulls off his first upset victory with the Washington Redskins.

XXVIII. The Windy City reunion. Quarterback Jay Cutler and receiver . Two players who have been through the media ringer. Two players who seem absolutely made for each other on the football field. Match.com couldn't have directed the Chicago Bears' offseason any better.

XXIX. Finding out about Mathews. The Ryan Mathews Express was ready to board when a broken collarbone derailed the young running back's preseason. Can Mathews finally, really, seriously, this-time-we-mean-it carry the load the way he was supposed to when the San Diego Chargers drafted him with the 12th overall pick in 2010? The way his rehab is going, we could find out in Week 1.

XXX. The Browns ... actually, there's not much to look forward to here. Poor Cleveland. A new owner points the way to a light at the end of the tunnel. But this season figures to be a long one.

XXXI. The Ravens getting their T-Sizzle back. The Baltimore Ravens are hoping that one of their dominant players, , can make it back to the field at some point this season. If they struggle to rush the passer -- and they sure might -- expect the drumbeat for the injured star's return to start early.

XXXII. Luck dealing with trouble. Andrew Luck might not be looking forward to it, but I can't wait until the Indianapolis Colts quarterback struggles. What's not to like about the way he grits his teeth and soldiers through adversity? It's hard to believe he's a rookie.

XXXIII. Wallace going long. Now that Mike Wallace is back with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the focus shifts to the receiver's on-field behavior. There is probably no player who can better accommodate Big Ben's desire to fire the ball downfield when he's under pressure; Wallace's re-acclimation process will likely be fast.

XXXIV. A vegan revolution? If running back Arian Foster leads the NFL in rushing, will it be a boon for the vegan movement? Maybe. The reality is, Foster was already eating little red meat when he first started tooling on defenders. Now he's just gone all-in, officially cutting out all animal products. XXXV. Football weather. Quarterbacks bundle up in the cold, guarding against the elements with hand warmers, scarves and sometimes even SCUBA suits. Linemen, by contrast, wear short sleeves. There's just something that's right about that.

XXXVI. Seeing Gang Green's true colors. We've all spent so much time in the grips of Tebowmania this offseason, it's easy to forget that there's more to the Jets. Criticize the franchise for creating a potential mess on offense, but also recognize that the defense could be nasty, maybe even the best in the NFL. This season will showcase , defensive mastermind, at his best.

XXXVII. The fearless Falcons. Go for it on fourth down, Mike Smith. And don't apologize for believing in what you believe in.

XXXVIII. Buffalo breaking through. The biggest splash of the offseason was made by one of the NFL's littlest teams. The Buffalo Bills reeled in star defender , hosting him for a visit then finding a way to keep him from leaving. The Bills' fruitful, expensive foray into free agency has them in position to challenge the New England Patriots in the AFC East.

XXXIX."Hard Knocks" re-runs. A rookie quarterback, no receivers, all-new coaches, a tough division and depth issues everywhere? This could be a loooooong year for the .

XL. The experience. It has a chance to be wildly successful, assuming the athletic second-year starter fixes his accuracy issues, which might be caused by nerves. The Tennessee Titans know that they have the best backup in football in , but they surely don't want to see him have to take the field.

XLI. Watching the MJD drama play out. Think the Jacksonville Jaguars are looking forward to the end of running back Maurice Jones-Drew's holdout? Of course. They just won't say it. In the meantime, another back has emerged in his absence. No, won't be another MJD. But he showed he can be a suitable backup, helping Jacksonville put pressure on Jones-Drew.

XLII. Gates being great again. Cross your fingers, knock on wood, but it looked like San Diego Chargers tight end was back to his old, fast, electric self in camp. San Diego will be without a key weapon in Vincent Brown for a while, but a resurgent Gates can make everything all better. Only quarterback Philip Rivers affects the offense more than the perennial Pro Bowler.

XLIII. Reid getting a break. Even the Eagles haters in the world -- and there are many -- have to be rooting just a little bit for Philly to win. Coach Andy Reid deserves some happiness after a tragic preseason that saw him bury his son. Notching a quick win to open an easy, carefree season would be fitting. XLIV. Someone remembering the New York Giants are Super Bowl champs. With Tebowmania taking New York, it's like the Giants have been forgotten. You don't hear them complaining, though.

XLV. That old A-Rod magic. The Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers makes playing quarterback look so easy -- passing the ball, finding a rhythm early and turning ordinary receivers into supermen. But I love when it all breaks down. That's when everyone can see what an athlete he is. Rodgers thrives against man coverage when no one is open, because then he can pull the ball down, run and make defenders feel the shock that comes with eating his dust.

XLVI. The Rams making noise. With so much youth and so many new faces, it might take time, but 's St. Louis Rams will eventually surprise someone. They will jump up and scare the heck out of an opponent. Whether they can do so frequently enough to bring the playoffs within reach is another matter, though that would be impressive.

XLVII. Kickoff. Let's go. QB Manning primed to continue proving he's back

The Sports Xchange September 1, 2012

One by one, Peyton Manning answered all of the questions that existed -- and some that arose through the offseason as training camp loomed.

How would his surgically repaired neck hold up when he took a hit? Evidently, fine, because he absorbed shots from Seattle's Bruce Irvin and San Francisco's and quickly arose.

How strong would his arm be?

Perhaps not as strong as it was for most of his years in Indianapolis, but still with enough pop for him to scatter passes all around the field and hit receivers deep, which he showed off in practice and then against the 49ers on Aug. 26, when he hit running back Lance Ball in stride for a 38-yard gain.

How accurate would he be? You don't want to hype up preseason statistics too much, since they can be flawed by representing a small sample size, but Manning's 71.4 completion percentage was topped by only two other starters this summer: Atlanta's Matt Ryan and Baltimore's Joe Flacco.

The rising tide of improvement for Manning and his new teammates finally crested against the 49ers, when he completed eight consecutive passes, finished the day 10-of-12 for 122 yards and didn't throw an interception. The offense's play was so comprehensive that Manning was benched after one quarter, a highly unusual move in the game where starters typically play at least to halftime.

Until then, there were murmurs of doubt from outside the Broncos about Manning's ability to bounce back from a hit or finding his timing fast enough. Those didn't translate to the locker room, where his coaches remained steadfastly in Manning's corner and his teammates didn't understand the hubbub when the fans wildly cheered Manning's ability to get up from a hit.

"We knew when we signed him what we were dealing with and where he was at that point in time," said Mike McCoy.

Manning thought in March that he could have played at that moment if the need arose, but that his arm strength would be compromised since he was only midway through the rehabilitation process following his fourth neck surgery in 2011.

Four months later, he wasn't concerned about any potential physical limitations, or even hung up on trying to replicate his old offense in Indianapolis. "I don't think there's any barrier with this offense," Manning said. "What I've done in my past on the teams I've played on I think are really irrelevant to this year's team. We're still forming our identity, seeing what plays we can hang our hat on."

Although the offense looks familiar to what Manning ran in Indianapolis -- featuring three wide-receiver sets, tight ends as slot receivers and running backs who can split out wide when the need arises -- there are a few differences. The nomenclature, for one; the offense is written in the language the Broncos have used since 2009, when McCoy arrived to work under ex-head coach Josh McDaniels. The use of a fullback, for another; the Broncos' only first-team rushing touchdown of the preseason and Willis McGahee's longest run came when fullback Chris Gronkowski entered the game and slammed open a hole for McGahee to exploit.

"He wants some new ideas and to run some new things," said McCoy. "There's a lot of things he hasn't done, that he's excited to look at, (to) get in some two-back situations, things he hasn't done a whole lot of. We've had a lot of success with that here in the past couple of years, so we're going to continue to build that."

Now, only one question lingers above all -- will Manning's presence be enough to carry the Broncos back to the Super Bowl for the first time in 14 years? They're not as close as it might appear. Questions about throughout the roster, and this remains a franchise that is suffering from some bad drafts between 2004 and 2009, leaving depth in question.

A Super Bowl title is their goal, but perhaps the Broncos are best served by trying to ensure they finish above .500 -- which they haven't done in six years. Manning might be answering all the questions so far, but others will linger -- and could delay their dreams for a year.

COACHING John Fox, 11th year, 2nd with Broncos (232-57-10).

REMEMBERING 2011 record: 8-8 (1sd in AFC West); lost in wild-card game to Patriots, 45-10.

PREDICTING 2012 regular season record 10-6 (1st in AFC West); lose in AFC divisional playoffs IT'S GO TIME

Chris Bianchi Mile High Sports Magazine August 31, 2012

Thanks, Republicans.

How dare the Grand Ol' Party schedule one of the potential future President's keynote speeches on the same night that a football team (in a swing state, nonetheless) plays a completely and utterly meaningless game, and deprive Bronco fans out of an hour of sleep? But I digress.

To be fair to Mitt Romney, stumblin' bumblin' Clint Eastwood and the rest of the conservatives serving as the Broncos' pre-game show, they were the perfect precursor for a night filled with conservatism on the football field. Peyton Manning spent his Thursday evening in suburban Phoenix rocking a visor, Von Miller joked with teammates on the sidelines for four quarters, and 22 other Broncos robbed Pat Bowlen out of a free trip to Arizona.

But in a few hours, many of the Broncos you stayed up to watch last night will go from having spent a night at a plush five-star hotel on Wednesday night to unemployed tonight.

The Broncos have until 7:00 p.m. MDT this evening - unless, of course, the Republicans stage another speech tonight to push that deadline back another hour - to trim down their roster to 53. All eyes later this afternoon will be on who the Broncos cut, and who they might add after they make those moves.

But just like there's no point in rationalizing your NCAA bracket, there's no point in predicting the 53-man roster. The Broncos will make moves this weekend, so even if a player makes the 53, he's not necessarily assured a spot on the sidelines for the Sept. 9 opener against Pittsburgh.

With that said, this preseason, three bubble players stood out. Perhaps in football more than any other sport, it's easy to spot the playmakers and the ones who, well, don't make plays. Players make plays. Period. It doesn't matter if they're going against second or third stringers - ball hawks find the ball and skill players get first downs.

With that in mind, three bubble players stood out as playmakers this preseason.

1. Malik Jackson - The fifth-round pick (the Cowboys cut a fifth rounder on Thursday, by the way) out of Tennessee didn't seem to have a proper position in the NFL coming out of college at 6-foot-6 and 290 pounds, putting him awkwardly between defensive end and defensive tackle. Jackson's size slid him near the bottom of the draft, but John Elway looks to have found a keeper in the tweener.

The 22-year-old has found a way to get to the quarterback this preseason. Jackson recorded a sack and a tackle for a loss on Thursday night, and he seemed to grow more confident as the preseason wore on.

Unlike fellow Tennessee grad Robert Ayers, Jackson appears to have a future in orange and blue.

2. Danny Trevathan - He was hyped early on as one of those inevitable darlings of training camp, but the truth is Trevathan has been a real darling in coverage. The sixth-round pick out of Kentucky does something no other Broncos linebacker seems to be able to do consistently well - cover opposing receivers.

In one play in the second quarter, Trevathan knocked down a pass while on perfect coverage. He made a play. Trevathan also led the Broncos with seven first-half tackles. He made plays.

Maybe the Broncos ought to put Trevathan on , should the Broncos and 49ers face each other in the Super Bowl - because Miller sure couldn't cover Davis last Sunday.

3. Knowshon Moreno - First and foremost, there aren't many players in the league who, entering their fourth NFL seasons, haven't gotten a fair shake yet. But Moreno's one of those guys.

Just as he seemed set to have the best game of his career last November against the rival Chiefs, Moreno tore his ACL and saw his Broncos future enter murky waters following two so-so seasons after being drafted 12th overall by Josh McOopsie in 2009. Moreno didn't help his cause by getting busted this offseason for a DUI - and having a license plate that read "SAUCED" at the time of his arrest.

But this preseason, all Moreno did was make plays. No, he didn't break out for a mega 40-yard touchdown run or anything of the sort, but he consistently showed elusiveness, as shown by his 49 yards rushing on seven carries last night. If you thought Lance Ball, Jeremiah Johnson or Ronnie Hillman outplayed Moreno this preseason, you might have been sauced yourself.

Oh, by the way, Knowshon's still not 100 percent healthy after suffering that torn ACL. He's been asked to win a roster spot on a knee that might be 70 or 80 percent healthy, and he's done it.

My votes are in - give me a Jackson, a Trevathan and a Moreno.

But more importantly, I want my hour of sleep back, Romney. CB Florence among Denver's roster reductions

Sports Network August 31, 2012

The Denver Broncos waived or released 19 players, including veteran cornerback Drayton Florence, placed two on the reserve/suspended list and another on injured reserve to reach the regular- season roster limit of 53 players.

Florence had signed a two-year contract with the Broncos in May. In 16 games for the Buffalo Bills last season, Florence had 50 tackles and three interceptions.

The 31-year-old Florence has 441 tackles and 17 interceptions in 135 career games with the San Diego Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars and Bills.

Denver placed defensive end Jeremy Beal on IR and put linebacker D.J. Williams and tight end Virgil Green on the reserve/suspended list.

The team waived defensive end Jamie Blatnick, safeties Rafael Bush and Duke Ihenacho, cornerback Syd'Quan Thompson, linebackers Jerry Franklin and Mike Mohamed, defensive tackle Ben Garland, guards Adam Grant, Tony Hills and Wayne Tribue, tackle Ryan Harris, wide receivers Jason Hill, Greg Orton and Gerell Robinson, tight end Cornelius Ingram, running back Jeremiah Johnson, nose tackle Sealver Siliga and quarterback Adam Weber. Rookie Steven Johnson makes Denver Broncos’ 53-man roster

Mark Tait KUSports.com August 31, 2012

The 2012 Denver Broncos will ultimately be known as the team led by quarterback Peyton Manning.

But for fans of Kansas University football, this year's Broncos represent something else — the professional home of a couple of former Jayhawks.

Friday, the Broncos trimmed their roster from 75 to the league-mandated 53-man squad that will open the regular season and both rookie linebacker Steven Johnson and second-year cornerback Chris Harris were on it.

Harris, who had serious competition for the nickel back spot he held for most of last season, held off all comers with a strong preseason. The Broncos on Friday waived veteran defensive back Drayton Florence, who had been considered Harris' biggest competition.

The undrafted free agent from Bixby, Okla., who joined the Broncos before the 2011 season, finished his first year among the league's top rookie tacklers and started nearly half of Denver's games.

Johnson has followed a similar path.

Passed over in last April's NFL Draft, Johnson signed as a free agent with the Broncos a few hours after the draft concluded and survived all of the preseason cuts to earn a spot on the 53-man roster. Denver will carry seven linebackers on its opening-day roster and John Elway, the team's executive vice president of football operations, indicated to The Denver Post that Johnson's initial role with the team would be on special teams.

Johnson shared his initial reaction to making the team with the Journal-World Friday night via text message.

"Man, just tears of joy," Johnson wrote. "I've come so far and it's nothing but God at work. I'm so thankful for the opportunities that were presented to me."

Johnson led the Jayhawks in tackles during each of the past two seasons.

In other NFL news Friday, former KU was cut by Atlanta. Meier, a former fifth-round draft pick by the Falcons in 2010, played in 12 games last season — mostly on special teams — and did not record a catch. He missed the 2010 season after suffering a knee injury in the preseason. Ben Garland waived by Broncos, could be headed to practice squad

Kevin Lilley Military Times August 31, 2012

The Denver Broncos waived Air Force Academy grad Ben Garland on Friday, but the defensive tackle might not need to pack his bags just yet.

Garland, who recorded a sack in Denver’s preseason-ending 16-13 win over Arizona on Thursday, could end up on the Broncos’ practice squad, according to multiple reports.

Denver and the 31 other NFL clubs had to cut their rosters to 53 players by 9 p.m. Eastern on Friday, but at noon Saturday, the teams can begin building practice squads of up to eight players.

The ESPN.com report linked above called him a “team favorite.” After Action readers already know that.

Garland joins and Caleb Campbell as former academy players on the wrong end of the NFL’s roster drawdown.

'Mile High Living' Show To Air On Sept. 7

TheDenverChannel.com August 31, 2012

DENVER -- Denver’s 7 will air a new program in partnership with the Denver Broncos called “Mile High Living” that will focus on life, health and community.

The show, which will air on Fridays at 9 a.m. , beginning Sept. 7, is a new wellness and lifestyle program featuring the best things about living at altitude.

The half-hour special will focus on the latest health, nutrition and fitness trends and will also provide viewers with expert advice on work, life and family balance.

7NEWS Anchors Christine Chang and Lionel Bienvenu will host a variety of self-help topics for Coloradans and special guests including fitness trainer Oyvind Gulbrandsen, who will help viewers “train like a pro.”

“I’m thrilled to be a part of this new half hour show,” said Chang. “We will feature life in our beautiful Mile High City and discuss everything from the latest in health and fitness discoveries to just what your neighbor is talking about. We will also take an inside look at the Broncos’ training activities and their philanthropic projects within the community. Our show will have a good pulse on what’s happening in our own back yards.”

“Mile High Living” will not only provide viewers with tips on how to amp up their fitness but will deliver expert advice from a nutritionist as well. Weekly segments will provide the best tips on how to find what works best for individual health, longevity and taste.

Organization, pampering, and inner-happiness are also among other life enhancement topics to be discussed.

“Mile High Living” will provide time-management tips along with relaxation techniques. It will also take viewers inside local award-winning spas and direct them to the top rated services in town. Bolden, running backs shine in preseason finale; cuts loom

Will C. Holden KDVR August 31, 2012

PHOENIX, Ariz. — It was the backups’ night to shine, as the Denver Broncos rested 25 starters in their late-night preseason finale Thursday. While some of the reserves impressed, it was a starter who ensured the Broncos headed into the regular season on a winning note.

Matt Prater hit a game-winning, 44-yard field goal as time expired, giving the Broncos a 16-13 win over the Arizona Cardinals. And it was a former Grand Canyon State resident who helped get Denver’s starting kicker in position for the winning boot.

Defensive back Omar Bolden, who played his for the Arizona State Sun Devils along with fellow Bronco rookie Brock Osweiler, had to wait for Mitt Romney to finish his speech at the Republican National Convention before he got his shot, as the game didn’t kickoff until 9 p.m. Mountain Standard Time.

But Bolden didn’t disappoint once it was given to him.

The rookie returned a kickoff out of his own end zone 103 yards for the touchdown that igniting his team’s second half comeback.

Though the fourth-round draft pick’s roster spot isn’t in question, the same can’t be said for 22 players that were calling themselves Broncos as of Friday morning. The team must trim its roster from 75 to 53 by tonight.

One of the toughest cuts for the Broncos may be at running back, where three players performed well Thursday night. Ronnie Hillman (14 carries, 68 yards), Knowshon Moreno (7 carries, 49 yards) and Jeremiah Johnson (5 carries, 31 yards) all averaged about 5 yards a carry or better.

Early training camp reports suggested Moreno, an often-disappointing former first- round draft pick, would need a good training camp to make the team. In four preseason games, he racked up 84 yards on 18 carries, an average of 4.7 yards a carry. Valued for his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield — something Peyton Manning likes in his backs — Moreno also had four catches for 40 yards in the preseason.

The team will likely also have to make a cut at the quarterback position. Though Caleb Hanie had his struggles Thursday — he was 7-of-13 passing for 75 yards and was also sacked five times — and Osweiler didn’t perform like many Sun Devil fans were hoping — he was 3-of-6 for 36 yards with an interception, it appears Adam Weber may be the one let go.

This despite the fact that Weber threw a 50-yard pass to Greg Orton to set up Prater’s game-winning kick and also despite the fact that the young signal caller has shown plenty of progress since the Broncos picked him up as an undrafted rookie a year ago.

In addition to Bolden, two other defensive backs made some noise for the Broncos in Thursday’s win — a game that ended after midnight in Denver. Syd’Quan Thompson’s interception set up the game-winning drive while newcomer Drayton Florence’s pick gave the Broncos a first half lift.

The Broncos begin their regular season with a 2011 playoff rematch at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 9. Broncos headed to Super Bowl? Predictions drive local businesses

Taylor Temby KKCO August 31, 2012

The Denver Broncos along with fans from around the country and right here in the Valley are now looking ahead to the first home game of the season. Also in the orange and blue cheering section? Local businesses.

For this season ticket holder, the Denver Broncos are back in business. That means Broncos business is back, too, especially with the blue and orange predicted to go far.

"The ‘Orange Crush’ was always something I saw my parents wearing when I was younger," Rocky Tops owner Spencer Pike said. “[It’s the] end of preseason, so we're looking to unleash some new designs."

In the coming weeks, shoppers can expect to see some new Broncos t-shirts in his store’s windows, their words ranging anywhere from “Orange Crush,” to “Manning for President.”

"Business does get a little bit better. We're not the main source for authorized things, but people always have fun ideas and they don't know where to get them done,” Pike said.

Pike and Rocky Tops are expecting to design, print and embroider more Bronco gear for happy fans wanting to express love for the home team. A projected winning season can mean an uptick for other businesses, too, and not just those selling t-shirts. The Team 1340 AM says it's Broncos club level seat giveaway is already off to a hot start.

"We had, I’d say probably record numbers of entries of people trying to get in to win these club level seats," The Team 1340 AM play-by-play caller Greg Wentzel said.

If Denver wins, like many project, listeners are likely to tune and call in more.

"I think we'll see a lot of people coming out of the woodworks, maybe some people we haven't heard from in a while," Wentzel said.

Of course, who wouldn't want to cheer on a winning team with friends?

"Everybody wants to see how Peyton Manning is going to do, and they're coming in to see the new Broncos, basically," Cruisers Bar owner Jon Uren said. Local bars like Cruisers expect full houses on Sundays, plus it doesn't hurt to watch a game on an 80-inch screen.

"When the Broncos are winning, everybody's having fun. Sales are up. It's a lot better than having a 2-14 team,” Uren said.

Sports Illustrated writer Steve King is predicting the Broncos will fall to the Green Bay Packers this Super Bowl, but what are local businesses thinking?

"Broncos 31, Vikings 3 in the Superbowl," Uren said.

"The Broncos are going to take it, probably 27-24 [over the Packers]," Pike guessed.

Don’t worry if you’re superstitious, Denver fans. It's important to note that King also guessed the two final teams heading to the Super Bowl two years ago. That year, he chose the wrong team to win so maybe that will play out in our favor this season. Broncos release veteran corner

Drayton Florence

Darin Gantt ProFootballTalk.com August 31, 2012

It looks like the Broncos didn’t need any help in the personnel department.

Veteran cornerback Drayton Florence, who said recently he wanted to get into scouting when he was finished playing, was released today, a source told PFT.

Florence should be able to find work elsewhere, especially at a high-demand position. Like many older players cut this weekend, it may take until after Week 1, so their full salaries aren’t guaranteed.

The only move the team’s announced is defensive end Jeremy Beal going to injured reserve.

Update: 8:06 p.m. ET: The Broncos announced the rest of their moves.They placed linebacker D.J. Williams and tight end Virgil Green on the reserve/suspended list.

They also waived the following players: Defensive end Jamie Blatnick, safety Rafael Bush, cornerback Drayton Florence, linebacker Jerry Franklin, defensive tackle Ben Garland, guard Adam Grant, tackle Ryan Harris, wide receiver Jason Hill, guard Tony Hills, safety Duke Ihenacho, tight end Cornelius Ingram, running back Jeremiah Johnson, linebacker Mike Mohamed, wide receiver Greg Orton, wide receiver Gerell Robinson, nose tackle Sealver Siliga, cornerback Syd’Quan Thompson, guard Wayne Tribue and quarterback Adam Weber. Breaking Down the Moves as Broncos Get to 53

Andrew Mason MaxDenver.com August 31, 2012

Noting the cuts as the Broncos get down to 53 …

 Drayton Florence has little left — and the Broncos knew it. His preseason was defined by plays where he looked a step or two slow, and the Broncos learned what Buffalo saw last year: that at 31 and with fading speed, he was a liability in coverage. For now, Tony Carter will be the fourth cornerback, John Elway said, with Omar Bolden the No. 5 cornerback and potential kickoff returner. “Tony is a guy that we felt was a better football player,” Elway said. The move means the Broncos have nothing to show for the $1.5 million signing bonus given to Florence, and also have no experienced depth at cornerback behind Champ Bailey, Tracy Porter and fifth defensive back Chris Harris.  Knowshon Moreno dominated on Thursday night, capping a summer in which he recovered from knee surgery and showed enough improvement to justify his place. “We were excited about where Knowshon was, how he ran the ball and continued to get better throughout camp,” said Elway. “Knowshon probably makes us a better football team.”  Caleb Hanie stays, but for how long? Two former John Fox/Mike McCoy backups with Carolina could be available; the Bears cut Josh McCown, while Matt Moore is one of four quarterbacks in Miami and is being shopped around. McCown outplayed Hanie in Chicago after replacing him last December following four successive defeats, but struggled in his preseason work this summer and lost the Bears’ backup battle to Jason Campbell. “At this point in time, we decided to go with three quarterbacks,” Elway said. But he also added that the roster is “fluid.” Stay tuned.  There wasn’t much thought to releasing tight end Julius Thomas, even though he struggled in the preseason as he tried to put his lingering ankle injury behind him. Thomas admitted late in training camp that his ankle was only at “80 percent,” but it was good enough for him to play late in the preseason — and good enough for him to be the Broncos’ only backup tight end behind Jacob Tamme.  John Fox indicated that he didn’t need to see much of Keith Brooking on the field this summer because his 15 seasons of play offered enough tape for him to know where Brooking stood. Thus, it was no surprise when Brooking made the 53-man roster, even though his hamstring injury kept him from taking a single preseason snap and sidelined him from practice until Tuesday. “We’re going off the reputation and leadership that he can bring,” Elway said.  Brooking’s arrival was one of two factors that likely cost Mike Mohamed his job. Mohamed’s primary asset was his versatility, but Brooking delivers that, since he can fill in at weakside and middle linebacker. When undrafted rookie Steven Johnson spent the last two games at middle linebacker channeling Charles Jefferson from Fast Times at Ridgemont High (okay, not quite — but he flourished and played aggressively nonetheless), Mohamed’s die was cast. “He made a lot of of plays in the games, continued to get better week in and week out and also worked hard on special teams,” Elway said.  Jeremiah Johnson, who was cut on Friday, is practice-squad eligible, but will the Broncos have room for a fifth tailback and sixth back overall on the combined 61-man roster? The Broncos will likely have to add two offensive linemen to the practice squad so they can go two-deep at practice, need a fourth tight end (which could be Cornelius Ingram, who was waived Friday) and could bring back quarterback Adam Weber. There might not be room for Johnson, explosive though he is.  One of the tougher calls was between safeties Rafael Bush and David Bruton, but Bruton’s two punt blocks against Seattle on Aug. 18 helped him get the nod. Bush has practice-squad eligibility, however, and it would be no surprise to see him land there.

BRONCOS MOVES:

WAIVED (15): DE Jamie Blatnick, FS Rafael Bush, LBs Jerry Franklin and Mike Mohamed, DT Ben Garland, Gs Adam Grant and Wayne Tribue, SS Duke Ihenacho, TE Cornelius Igram, RB Jeremiah Johnson, WRs Greg Orton and Gerell Robinson, NT Sealver Siliga, CB Syd’Quan Thompson, QB Adam Weber.

RELEASED (4): CB Drayton Florence, OT Ryan Harris, WR Jason Hill, G Tony Hills.

SUSPENDED (2): LB D.J. Williams (six games), TE Virgil Green (four games).

INJURED RESERVE (1): DE Jeremy Beal (knee). ‘A Good Mix’ at Linebacker

Sam Davis DenverBroncos.com August 31, 2012

The 53-man roster includes a seven-man linebacking corps that features a combination of youth and experience.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- With the Broncos down to the NFL-mandated 53 players, Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway believes the linebacking corps is left with a solid blend of leadership and youth.

Keith Brooking is an example of the former. The 15th-year linebacker is the most experienced player on the defensive side of the ball, and only quarterback Peyton Manning has been in the league for as long

Brooking, an offseason acquisition, injured his hamstring in his second practice as a Bronco, which caused him to miss all of the preseason games. That made it harder for the five-time Pro Bowler to be evaluated, but his intangibles are ultimately what secured his spot.

“I think we’re going off the reputation and the leadership that he can bring,” Elway said. “Obviously with him hurting that hamstring early in camp, it hurt him and it hurt us -- the fact that we didn’t get to see him. But we just thought at that position, we needed that leadership and the reputation that he’s brought in.”

On the other end of the spectrum, Steven Johnson is one of two undrafted rookies to make the squad, joining long snapper Aaron Brewer. Johnson, a former Kansas Jayhawk, led the team in the preseason with 15 tackles – three for a loss – and added sack as well. In the final preseason game on Thursday night, Johnson forced a in addition to his three tackles.

“He came in and had a great camp,” Elway said. “He’s a physical guy that knows the game of football, and did a heck of job competing. (He) made a lot of plays in the games, continued to get better week in and week out, and also worked hard on special teams.”

Elway added that Johnson’s initial role will be on special teams, but the rookie must be ready to step up if his number is called.

Seventh-round draft pick Danny Trevathan and second-year linebacker Nate Irving are two more players that Elway is excited to have on board in 2012.

Like Johnson, Trevathan secured his spot on the team with a strong training camp and preseason. On Thursday night at Arizona, the Kentucky alum showed why he led the SEC in tackles in back-to-back years. He made eight tackles against the Cardinals – the highest game total for any Bronco in the preseason. Elway called the performance “tremendous” and said Trevathan was “all over the place.”

As for Irving, Elway cited his instincts and improvement as elements that made him an asset to the team.

“Nate continues to make strides from last year,” Elway said. “He’s a very instinctive player that has done a good job on special teams also. He’s continuing to get better, which is what we want to see out of the young guys.”

Rounding out the seven-man group is Von Miller, who is following up his NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year campaign, and a pair of fifth-year players with experience as starters in Wesley Woodyard and Joe Mays.

“We’ve got a good mix in there,” Elway said. Notebook: Elway Talks Roster

Tyler Everett DenverBroncos.com August 31, 2012

Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway gives his take on the team’s 53-man roster.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- On Friday, Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway addressed a number of the team's decisions as the roster was trimmed down to 53 players.

Below are his thoughts on a handful of topics.

CARTER EARNS HIS ROLE

Cornerback Tony Carter, a fourth-year player who finished the preseason with a secondary-leading 10 tackles, was rewarded for his play with a spot on the 53-man roster. Carter beat out veteran Drayton Florence for the job as the fourth cornerback behind Champ Bailey, Tracy Porter and Chris Harris.

“He played better,” Elway said. “I think that’s the bottom line is it comes down to the competition and you look at what happened and (we) just felt that Tony at this point in time was a guy that was a better football player.”

Elway noted that rookie Omar Bolden is the fifth cornerback.

VETERAN LEONHARD MAKES ROSTER

Coming off a knee injury last season, safety Jim Leonhard, a veteran with 309 career tackles, showed enough in one preseason appearance against the Cardinals to prove that he’s still healthy enough for the job. An added bonus is Leonhard’s background returning punts.

“It was good to see Jim out there,” Elway said. “He was everything we expected him to be – very smart and in the right spots. I think he’s going to perform very well in this defense and what he can do, because of his smarts. Plus, his leadership back there. Obviously with Omar's (touchdown) and (Leonhard's 17-yard punt) return last night, that was a big boost to us.”

MORENO EMERGES IN BACKFIELD

One of the Broncos’ most crowded positions prior to Friday’s deadline was at running back. Knowshon Moreno rebounded from a torn ACL a year ago with a solid preseason capped off by his 49 yards rushing against the Cardinals in the finale. Moreno, the team’s second-leading rusher during the preseason, beat out Jeremiah Johnson for a spot in the backfield.

“Knowshon had a great camp,” Elway said. “We had to start him slow because of that knee surgery in the offseason. Jeremiah played well, too. When you look at the full package, we were excited about where Knowshon was, and how he ran the ball and continued to get better throughout camp. He’s carrying more weight, and he’s come back strong. He’s a first- and second-down guy, as well as a third-down guy.”

THOMAS EARNS TIGHT END SPOT

Thomas, a second-year player drafted by the Broncos in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft, will compete with Jacob Tamme and Joel Dreessen for playing time at tight end. Elway said the main thing holding Thomas back last season – his health – is looking like less and less of an issue every day.

“He’s finally getting healthy,” Elway said. “He’s finally starting to get back up to speed physically. We think that now that he’s physically healthy, he’ll be able to get better and help us on the offensive side."

ELWAY PLEASED WITH DEFENSIVE LINE

One of the bright spots of the Broncos’ entire preseason was consistently solid play from the defense, which forced at least one turnover in three of the four preseason games. Elway said a defensive line bolstered by the return to health of tackles Kevin Vickerson and Ty Warren played a big part in the unit’s success.

“We’ve had some success with it, and I think we’re better inside,” Elway said. “Ty Warren’s back healthy, and (he) got better each week. (Defensive tackle Justin) Bannan’s experienced, and he’ll do a good job holding the point. I think we’re better inside with some depth there. Kevin Vickerson’s had a good camp, and (defensive tackle) Mitch Unrein’s done a good job in there too. (We’re) keeping eight defensive linemen, and (we’ll) move some people down, with (Derek) Wolfe at the defensive end, and (Malik) Jackson backing him up at the left defensive end, and (Robert) Ayers and (Elvis) Dumervil at right defensive end. We feel like we’ve solidified that defensive line, which should help us against the running game.” Tough Decisions Lead to Strong Squad

Gray Caldwell DenverBroncos.com August 31, 2012

Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway said it's never easy letting players go, but hard decisions mean there's lots of of talent on the team.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Finalizing the regular-season roster brings with it plenty of excitement -- after all, it signals the start of the regular season.

But the process of trimming down a roster to the NFL-mandated 53 players isn't necessarily something Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway looks forward to.

In fact, he called Friday "the worst day of the year."

"The second-worst day is last week when we get down to 75 (players)," Elway said. "These guys, you know they put their heart and souls into being NFL football players. You end a lot of dreams. Guys have put a lot of sweat and tears into trying to make the team, so it's always a very tough day."

But those tough decisions are what help build a successful football team throughout the season. And the harder it is to let a player go, Elway said it just shines a light on the talent of the players that do make the roster.

"When it comes down to the talent and the decisions we had to make, they were much tougher this year than they were last year, which is a good thing," Elway said. "Because that means you’re getting better as a football team.”

From here, the Broncos still have a chance to improve the roster even further. Hundreds of NFL players will hit the waiver wire -- and free agent market, for veterans that were released as opposed to waived -- after Friday's cutdown deadline of 7 p.m. MDT.

The Broncos have the No. 25 waiver priority to claim any players waived from other teams, and can begin to do so after 10 a.m. MDT on Saturday.

"It’s still fluid -- we'll just have to wait and see what happens," Elway said. "We’ve been going through that process trying to prepare because of the short window we had between last night’s game and today and then by the time we have to claim by 10 (a.m.)." "We’ve been in the process the last week of working on that, and now that some of the cuts and names are getting out there, we’re in that process again.”

In addition, the team can also begin to form a practice squad of up to eight players beginning at 10 a.m. Of the 15 players the Broncos waived Friday, 14 are eligible to join the practice squad.

With the roster down to 53 players, the team is free to set its sights on the regular- season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, which kicks off a week from Sunday.

"Through all of the hype we’ve been through since (quarterback) Peyton (Manning) has been here, it’s time now to start playing football," Elway said, "which is the fun part.” Broncos Set 53-Man Roster

Gray Caldwell DenverBroncos.com August 31, 2012

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – Meet your 2012 Denver Broncos.

On Friday, the club waived or released 19 players — including veteran cornerback Drayton Florence — placed two on the reserve-suspended list and another on injured reserve to reach the regular-season roster limit of 53 players.

Here is a list of the transactions:

FRIDAY’S TRANSACTIONS

NAME POSITION EXPERIENCE TRANSACTION Jeremy Beal Defensive end 1 Placed on Injured Reserve Jamie Blatnick Defensive end R Waived Rafael Bush Safety 3 Waived Drayton Florence Cornerback 10 Released Jerry Franklin Linebacker R Waived Ben Garland Defensive end 1 Waived Adam Grant Tackle 1 Waived Virgil Green Tight end 2 Placed on Reserve-Suspended Ryan Harris Tackle 6 List Jason Hill Wide receiver 6 Released Tony Hills Tackle 5 Released Duke Ihenacho Safety R Released Cornelius Ingram Tight end 2 Waived Jeremiah Johnson Running back 3 Waived Mike Mohamed Linebacker 2 Waived Greg Orton Wide receiver 1 Waived Gerell Robinson Wide receiver R Waived Sealver Siliga Defensive 1 Waived Syd’Quan tackle 3 Waived Thompson Cornerback R Waived Wayne Tribue Guard 1 Waived Adam Weber Quarterback 9 Waived D.J. Williams Linebacker Placed on Reserve-Suspended List

Beginning Saturday at 10 a.m. MDT, the Broncos can establish a practice squad of up to eight players. Every player the team waived — except Thompson — is eligible for the practice squad. In addition, the team has the No. 25 waiver priority — based on last season’s record — to claim any players waived from other teams.

ROSTER BREAKDOWN

After Friday’s moves, here’s a quick look at Denver’s roster, position-by-position.

 Three quarterbacks  Four running backs  One fullback  Five wide receivers  Three tight ends  Nine offensive linemen  Eight defensive linemen  Seven linebackers  Five cornerbacks  Five safeties  Three specialists

Nine rookies made the active roster — including a college free agent for the ninth consecutive season. Linebacker Steven Johnson, who led the team in tackles in the preseason and notched a sack and a forced fumble, and long snapper Aaron Brewer kept the streak alive. It’s the first time multiple college free agents made the roster since the 2008 season. Note from Roger Goodell

DenverBroncos.com August 31, 2012

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell wrote a note to NFL fans prior to the start of the 2012 season.

To NFL Fans:

The 2012 NFL regular season is about to begin, and it promises to be another exciting, competitive, and unpredictable year of football which NFL fans have come to expect every season.

Part of our responsibility in helping teams and players prepare for each NFL season is to make sure they understand and respect league policies and rules. As always, we hold everyone, including ourselves, strictly accountable for protecting the integrity of the game, starting with the health and safety of our players. This year is no exception - bringing with it a clear, consistent, and renewed emphasis on enforcing our longstanding “bounty” prohibition.

Let me be clear: there is no place for bounties in football. No exceptions. No excuses. Bounties are an affront to everything that competitive sports should represent. Everyone in the NFL is responsible for adhering to these rules and we are all accountable for protecting the safety of our players - present and future.

The bounty prohibition forbids offering or accepting any reward - cash or otherwise - for on-field misconduct, plays that incentivize or result in injury to opposing players, or for performance against an opposing player, group of players, or team. The bounty prohibition not only preserves the competitive integrity of our game, but also protects player safety by removing incentives that could lead to dangerous play or unnecessary and/or intentional injury. As a league, we will ensure that the prohibition against bounties is clearly understood and consistently enforced. Period.

We will aggressively protect the health, safety and long-term livelihood of our players, both on the field and off. We can preserve the fierce competition that makes football great, while simultaneously committing to the relentless pursuit of safer play. Our players do not make excuses on the field; we will not make them off the field.

It is our job to protect, preserve, and promote the game of football that we all love. We want an exciting game featuring the world’s most talented football players enjoying long and successful careers. The bounty prohibition plays an instrumental role in achieving that. And we are committed to holding every team, player and owner accountable.

We appreciate your interest and hope you enjoy the 2012 NFL season.

Roger Goodell Beal to Injured Reserve

Gray Caldwell DenverBroncos.com August 31, 2012

On Friday, as the team trims its roster to 53 players, the Broncos placed defensive end Jeremy Beal on injured reserve.

Beal suffered a left knee injury in Thursday night’s preseason win against the Arizona Cardinals.

A seventh-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, Beal spent last season on the team’s practice squad.

During the preseason, Beal was making his presence felt along the defensive line as he notched five tackles, two sacks, three tackles for loss, two quarterback hits and a pass defensed.

The University of Oklahoma product is the fifth player the Broncos have placed on injured reserve in 2012, joining fellow defensive end Jason Hunter, running back Mario Fannin and wide receivers D’Andre Goodwin and .

The club’s roster now stands at 74 players, meaning there are still 21 transactions that must be completed by 7 p.m. MDT this evening to get to the NFL-mandated limit of 53 players. Inside the Numbers: Preseason Week 4

Stuart Zaas DenverBroncos.com August 31, 2012

3 Three of Denver’s starters on Thursday night at Arizona were 2012 draft picks: CB Omar Bolden, OL Philip Blake and LB Danny Trevathan. Bolden scored the team’s only touchdown (on a kick return) and Trevathan led the team in tackles.

8 Trevathan led the team with eight tackles, seven of which came in the first half at Arizona. His eight tackles were the most registered by a Denver defender this preseason.

57 Wide receiver Greg Orton led the team with three receptions for 57 yards, including a 45-yard catch from Adam Weber that set up Matt Prater’s game-winning field goal.

68 Ronnie Hillman’s 68 rushing yards at Arizona marked the most by a Broncos player this preseason. Hillman carried the ball 14 times, averaging 4.9 yards per carry.

85.7 Prater, who won Denver’s game at Arizona with a 44-yard field goal as time expired, finished the day 3-of-3 on kicks. For the preseason, he converted 6-of-7 field goals (85.7 pct.). The only kick Prater missed this preseason was a 57-yard kick against Chicago in the preseason opener.

103 Bolden’s 103-yard kick return touchdown marked the longest by a Broncos player in any game and tied for the third-longest preseason kick return touchdown in the NFL during the last 12 years. Bolden also had a pair of kick return touchdowns in college, playing at .