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“I’m ready 100 percent”: Broncos’ Phillip Lindsay eager for training camp, won’t pinpoint return date By Kyle Fredrickson Denver Post July 16, 2019

Running back hosted his first youth football camp Monday in Denver

Phillip Lindsay’s mindset is locked in for the start of Broncos training camp later this week.

“I’m ready 100 percent,” Lindsay said Monday.

But the second-year running back also understands he’s not the final decision maker for how much he’ll participate as he recovers from a wrist fracture that required surgery last December. He was a limited participant throughout offseason workouts.

Lindsay hosted his first youth football camp Monday — a free event for first-through-eighth graders at the Evie Garrett Dennis Campus in Green Valley Ranch. He told reporters there is no rush to return if it means risking his future health.

“It comes down to what they feel is best for me,” Lindsay said. “It’s a long season, so I’d rather be able to go 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20 games than go one game. It depends on what coach (Vic) Fangio and all them feel like I should be doing right now.”

Lindsay combined for 1,278 yards rushing/receiving last season en route to the first selection ever for an undrafted offensive rookie. Growth in Year 2 requires adjustment to new ’s zone-blocking scheme. Should the medical staff limit Lindsay’s training camp work, will he be ready when Denver opens the season Sept. 9 in Oakland?

“I’m going to be ready regardless,” Lindsay said. “That’s just the type of person I am. I’m ready to go out there and compete. I can’t tell y’all how many reps (in training camp). I’m not the coach. But if I get one rep, I’m going to make the best of it.”

Lindsay aided in football instruction and sat down for a Q&A session with campers Monday as part of a football journey come full circle. Lindsay grew up in the Denver metro and attended area football camps with the dream to someday reach the NFL. He wants that inspiration to spread through a new generation of players.

“I wanted to host a free camp here in my neighborhood because I felt like it’s important to give back to these kids,” Lindsay said. “I was in their shoes. … It’s big for the kids to see that. They get to grind and get coaching.”

Broncos Position Preview: Additions give secondary needed versatility By Ryan O’Halloran Denver Post July 16, 2019

Seventh in a series previewing the Broncos. Today: the secondary

When the revamping of the Broncos’ secondary started in mid-March with the signing of Kareem Jackson and , the rest of the defense took note.

“When we signed those guys, I was happy,” outside linebacker Bradley Chubb said. “It’s definitely going to be special. If they can make the hold it a little bit longer so we can get there, it’s going to be fun.”

Not fun was watching the Broncos’ secondary defend the pass last year. They fell from fourth in yards allowed per game (200.6) to 20th (245.6) and allowed 56 completions of at least 20 yards compared to 47 in 2017.

Change was needed. First-year coach brought veteran secondary coach with him from Chicago and named him defensive coordinator. Jackson and Callahan were later joined by cornerback De’Vante Bausby. And cornerback Chris Harris’ contract dispute was semi-settled (raise this year, free agent next March).

Point: Jackson’s starting position (safety or corner) will be a week-to-week deal.

Counterpoint: The more safety he plays, the better off the Broncos will be.

Jackson played exclusively at safety in base packages during the offseason practices that were open to the media. His instincts and physical play will allow the Broncos to play him in a strong safety-type role and keep Justin Simmons in the deep middle part of the field.

Jackson was moved to safety by the last year before injuries forced him back to corner. He tied a career high with 17 pass break-ups. But safety is his best spot. In sub-package situations, expect Jackson to play cornerback with Harris and Callahan.

Point: Callahan’s arrival will allow Harris to play outside on third down.

Counterpoint: Why mess with success since Harris is regarded as one of the NFL’s best slot cover men?

Fangio craves versatility. Last year, Harris had to play the slot because there was nobody else. This year, depending on the opponent, Fangio could deploy Harris, Jackson or Callahan to cover inside.

The plus for Harris is he could be assigned to shadow the opponent’s No. 1 receiver regardless of where he lines up, which means more targets and more takeaway opportunities.

Callahan is the key to that possible formula. In four years with Chicago, he never played a full season (45 of a possible 64 games). But out of the slot, he knows how to track receivers and can also be a blitzer (two sacks last year).

Point: Bausby is the favorite for the top reserve cornerback spot.

Counterpoint: Even though he has experience in Fangio’s scheme, he’ll need to do well in camp.

Bausby, who played in the AAF this winter, was poked by Fangio during the offseason program for his inconsistency. Bausby played four games for Fangio’s Bears in 2016 (12 tackles) and six games for Philadelphia last year. The lack of experience means he needs to stay available and productive during camp.

Plan A for the Broncos should be for Bausby to fill a reserve role behind Harris/Callahan in the base defense and Harris/Callahan/Jackson in sub personnel.

Point: The competition for the back-up safety spots is Will Parks and then everybody else.

Counterpoint: Special teams play could be a deciding factor.

Simmons, Jackson and Parks as the top three safeties is a safe bet. But after that there is uncertainty.

The roster math could play a role. If Fangio is committed to nickel (three cornerbacks/two safeties) as his primary sub package, it may mean he keeps more linebackers than safeties.

Su’a Cravens, Trey Marshall, Dymonte Thomas, Shamarko Thomas, and are the candidates. Carter would have made the team last year if not for a preseason hamstring injury. Both Dymonte and Shamarko Thomas have special teams ability. Marshall could slide through waivers and be on the practice squad.

Wednesday: Special teams

Denver Broncos ratings in Madden NFL 20 By Joe Nguyen Denver Post July 16, 2019

Electronic Arts unveiled its complete launch ratings on Monday for the upcoming Madden NFL 20. Here’s a look at how the Broncos stack up.

The stars Linebacker dropped down from his game-high 99 overall rating last year to 97, but remains the top Broncos player in the game. He’s followed by cornerback Chris Harris Jr. (90) and Emmanuel Sanders (88). Cornerback Kareem Jackson and running back Phillip Lindsay each have an 86 overall rating.

Position battles Wide receiver: Sanders is far and away the No. 1 receiver. Second-year wideouts Courtland Sutton (76) and DaeSean Hamilton (73) come in next, followed by Andre Holmes (72), who was released by the team in January.

Tight end: Jake Butt leads Denver’s tight end corps with an overall rating of 75, followed by Jeff Heuerman and first-round draft pick Noah Fant, who come in at 74. Troy Fumagalli is next at 70.

Broncos overall ratings in Madden NFL 20 Von Miller LOLB 97 Chris Harris Jr. CB 90 Emmanuel Sanders WR 88 Kareem Jackson CB 86 Phillip Lindsay HB 86 Bryce Callahan CB 81 Bradley Chubb ROLB 80 Ron Leary LG 80 Justin Simmons FS 80 Derek Wolfe LE 80 Ja’Wuan James RT 78 Garett Bolles LT 77 Todd Davis MLB 76 Brandon McManus K 76 Courtland Sutton WR 76 Jake Butt TE 75 HB 75 Will Parks SS 75 Noah Fant TE 74 QB 74 Adam Gotsis RE 74 Shelby Harris DT 74 Jeff Heuerman TE 74 DaeSean Hamilton WR 73 HB 72 Andre Holmes WR 72 Andy Janovich FB 72 Josey Jewell MLB 71 Connor McGovern RG 71 Su’a Cravens SS 70 Troy Fumagalli TE 70 Dalton Risner C 69 Dekoda Watson ROLB 69 Zach Kerr LE 68 Shamarko Thomas SS 68 DeMarcus Walker RE 68 Isaac Yiadom CB 68 Dre’Mont Jones RE 67 QB 67 Tim Patrick WR 67 River Cracraft WR 66 Justin Hollins LOLB 66 Elijah Wilkinson RG 66 Aaron Wallace ROLB 65 Juwann Winfree WR 65 Brendan Langley WR 64 Dymonte Thomas FS 64 Colby Wadman P 64 Deshawn Williams DT 64 Aaron Burbridge WR 63 Bug Howard WR 63 Khalfani Muhammad HB 63 A.J. Johnson MLB 62 Joseph Jones MLB 62 Trey Marshall SS 62 Jamal Carter FS 61 Jeff Holland LOLB 61 De’Vante Bausby CB 60 Alijah Holder CB 59 Keishawn Bierria MLB 58 Horace Richardson CB 58 Austin Schlottmann LG 57 Linden Stephens CB 57 Don Barclay LG 56 QB 56 Jake Brendel C 55 Kevin Hogan QB 55 Chaz Green RT 54 Sam Jones C 54 Jake Rodgers RT 53 Nico Falah C 49 Casey Kreiter TE 40 Phillip Lindsay ready for camp providing bosses clear him

By Mike Klis KUSA July 16, 2019

Broncos' star running back spent offseason recovering from wrist surgery.

Cut off the cast and let the little guy run.

“I’m ready. In my mind, I’m ready," said Phillip Lindsay, the Broncos’ second year Pro Bowl running back. “One hundred percent.’’

Lindsay suffered a serious right wrist injury in the Broncos’ Christmas Eve loss at Oakland last year. He missed the final game of what was still a 1,000-yard rushing season, had surgery and missed both the Pro Bowl in January and the Broncos’ offseason team drills in May and June.

He is healthy enough to start practicing when the Broncos open training camp Thursday, but it will be Broncos’ Vic Fangio, running backs coach and the team’s medical staff who will determine whether Lindsay gets one or two reps a series or three or four.

“It’s a long season," Lindsay said. “I’d rather go 16, 17, 18, 20 games than go four (preseason) games. It all depends on what coach Fangio and all them feel like I should be doing right now.”

Lindsay addressed the media on a hot Monday morning as he was hosting his first-ever free Pro Star football camp for kids in grades 1 through 8. The camp was held at Evie Garrett Dennis school.

“I wanted to host a free camp here in my neighborhood because I feel like it’s a chance to give back to the kids," said Lindsay, who played at Denver South High School. “I was in their shoes. A lot of kids don’t have the money to come out here so that’s big.’’

As Lindsay held tight to his godson Markel, he was asked if this will be a breakout season for the Broncos’ offense.

“It’s about being healthy. We’ve got the tools,’’ Lindsay said. “We’re ready. There’s no excuses. We do have a new offensive coordinator, more explosive plays. Now it comes down to us. And us helping (new quarterback Joe) Flacco out. Protecting Flacco.

“It’s us doing our assignments right. It’s me making more big plays. It’s Royce (Freeman) making big plays. It’s (Devontae) Booker making big plays. And it’s Courtland (Sutton) and Emmanuel (Sanders) and DaeSean (Hamilton) and Tim (Patrick), and all them have to put it on them.

“Our defense is going to do their job. That’s not going to be the problem. It’s going to be us coming together as an offense and helping our defense out."

An NFL legend in his own right, Peyton Manning takes a trip through the league’s history — and collects his own keepsakes — in Peyton’s Places By Dan Pompei The Athletic July 16, 2019

On a glorious morning before a Cubs game, Peyton Manning is standing just past the field box seats at Wrigley Field on the left field line.

He has been here before for Cubs games, including for the famous Bartman game in the 2003 NLCS. But now he is here because of another sport. He is interviewing Virginia McCaskey, the principal owner of the and the daughter of , for his new Peyton’s Places show on ESPN+.

If this had been about 80 years earlier, he would have been in a good spot—not far from the 50-yard line—to watch history unfold at a Chicago Bears game. “In a lot of ways, this is kind of where my position sort of was born, right here,” he says, overlooking the field. “The quarterback position with [Sid] Luckman and the T-formation… Halas got that started.”

Manning knows some football history. Some of it, he has studied. Some of it, he has experienced. And some of it, he has made.

Subsequently there aren’t many people on the planet better suited to narrate a television show about the NFL’s 100 seasons. That is what he’s doing on Peyton’s Places, a 30-episode series co-produced by NFL Films and ESPN that debuts July 29. Manning also is the executive producer for the show. He has interviewed legends such as , , Jim Brown, Larry Csonka, , Franco Harris, Dan Marino, Joe Montana, , Jerry Rice, Deion Sanders, Roger Staubach, Lynn Swann and Steve Young. One of his stipulations in agreeing to do this was that ESPN would have to provide a still photographer for all the interviews so he could have keepsakes from the experience.

When Olivia Manning was pregnant with Peyton, she and her husband Archie — an NFL quarterback from 1971 through 1984 — decided they would name their baby Peyton after Archie’s Uncle Peyton. As it turned out, Peyton was born on Uncle Peyton’s 75th birthday.

At the time, Archie had worked out occasionally with Walter Payton in Jackson, Mississippi, where Payton still was living early in his NFL career. Upon hearing of Peyton’s birth, Payton called Archie.

Walter: “Thanks for naming your son after me, that was so nice of you.”

Archie: “Well, Walter, I love you. But I actually named my son after my uncle. It’s spelled differently.”

Walter: “I know you named him after me. I know.”

Payton, who had a way of busting chops while giving the impression he was serious, never let it go. Every time he saw Archie, he asked about his “namesake.” At the Pro Bowl in Hawaii after the 1979 season, Archie and Payton were teammates. Players and their families hung out on the beach during the week before the game, and at one point, little Peyton went missing. Somebody said Peyton was with Payton. About an hour passed before Payton pulled up in a catamaran with Peyton.

“I trusted Walter with a lot of things, but I’m not so sure he knew what he was doing on that catamaran with my four-year old son,” Archie says. “But that was a big treat for him.”

From the time he was a toddler, Manning had a press box seat, sideline pass or locker room access, courtesy of Archie. After Archie’s home games with the Saints, while Archie was receiving medical treatment or talking to the media, Peyton and his big brother Cooper would run to the Super Dome field with a wad of tape to play their own football game.

“It was their favorite thing to do,” Archie says.

On Saturday mornings, they came to practice, and Saints trainer Dean Kleinschmidt taped Peyton’s ankles, just like they were real players. Peyton hung around Archie’s teammates Wes Chandler and Chuck Muncie.

Archie was an elder statesman on the Saints in 1981 when future Hall of Famer Rickey Jackson was a rookie, so Archie invited Jackson to his house for dinner. Peyton asked Rickey if he wanted to see his bedroom, which featured a mini-basketball net and a small, soft basketball. After a couple minutes, Archie heard the ball bouncing. It went on for awhile. Finally, Peyton and Jackson came down, both sweating.

Archie figured Jackson allowed Peyton to win, as Archie always did.

Archie: “So, Peyton, did you cut him up?”

Peyton: “No dad, he beat me three straight games, 10-0 every time.”

Said Archie, “That’s when I knew Rickey was a great competitor, after he beat a five-year old 10-0 three straight times.’

Later in his career after Archie was traded to the Oilers, Cooper and Peyton stayed with him from time to time and went to work with dad, hanging out in the equipment room and helping out during practice as dad handed off to Earl Campbell.

For games of knee football in their living room, Peyton and Cooper liked to “dress out” in NFL jerseys. But this was before NFL jerseys were readily available. Archie would go to the local sporting goods store, buy any jersey and have the name of an NFL star sewn on it. Peyton rocked a Billy Sims jersey, among others.

Peyton and Cooper knew the jersey number of every star in the league. They’d often play games on road trips. What number is Harold Carmichael? Or, name as many players as you can who wear the number 32.

After Archie was traded to the Vikings, Peyton and Cooper used to sit with the Vikings’ wives and help them identify players by their numbers. After Archie retired, Peyton still had special access. Starting in 1985, Archie was the radio analyst for Saints games. He took his sons to work, which provided opportunities to watch Montana and Troy Aikman warm up on the field before the game, and to sit in on dad’s postgame player interviews.

When young Peyton asked Archie who his favorite athletes were, he told him about Mickey Mantle, Charley Conerly — who preceded Archie at Mississippi, and Johnny Unitas. After Peyton’s senior season at Tennessee, he was flown to Louisville to receive the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. At the banquet, he sat next to Johnny U.

Peyton then became the greatest Colts quarterback since Unitas, though they played in different cities. He met with Unitas again after playing the Ravens in Baltimore his rookie year, and they socialized at the Kentucky Derby before Unitas’ death in 2001.

The week after Unitas died, Peyton planned to wear a pair of black cleats to honor the QB, whose black cleats were a trademark. The NFL told him he would be fined if he wore them, so Peyton stood down.

But he is honoring Unitas with a segment in his show.

“Pictures of those old Baltimore Colts are in the [ Colts’] practice facility,” Peyton says. “You see Unitas, Geno Marchetti, Lenny Moore, Raymond Berry. I talked to Berry for the show, and to hear him talk about Unitas was special. They were the first quarterback-receiver combo to sort of master the timing element of the passing game. And then for me to be able to play all those years with Marvin Harrison, I kind of took the same pride in that.”

Unitas made his mark in NFL history, quarterbacking the Colts to an overtime victory in the so-called greatest game ever played, the 1958 NFL championship game against the Giants. He set many records, including one for consecutive games with at least two passes. That record is now held by Peyton Manning.

When he started work on this project, Peyton already knew a lot of NFL history. He says he has learned even more by reviewing video clips and notes from NFL Films as part of his prep work.

Now he is well-versed in so much.

“The fact that Halas worked for this starch company [A.E. Staley Manufacturing],” Peyton says. “He convinces Mr. Staley to move to Chicago. He has every job in the world. He’s PR, he’s a coach, he’s playing, he’s in charge of tickets. If it wasn’t for him, I don’t think any of this even happens….Richard Nixon tried to get rid of the blackouts because he couldn’t see the Redskins [in the 1972 NFC Championship game]. Pete Rozelle didn’t want to do it because [he thought] it would hurt attendance and viewership. It’s actually had the opposite effect. Every player should be thanking Richard Nixon for what they are making today. They have him on audio on the famous tapes saying this would be his greatest achievement if he can get rid of the blackouts. And that was after China and all his other major accomplishments.”

As for his own accomplishments, the list of men who have made as much NFL history as Peyton is a short one. There’s Halas, and Rozelle, certainly. And then , , , and Tom Brady, and maybe a few others.

He is the only quarterback in history to start in victories with different teams. He is the only five-time MVP in the history of the game. He threw for more passing than anyone, had more 4,000-yard passing seasons than anyone, and threw for more yards in a single season than anyone.

Manning played for a Hall of Fame coach in . He threw to a Hall of Fame wide receiver in Harrison. He handed off to a Hall of Fame running back in . He was signed as a free agent by a Hall of Fame quarterback turned general manager in John Elway.

He and Elway had a special bond as two of the game’s greatest . “It was cool hearing some of his old stories,” Peyton says. “I talked to him about . Anytime I’m around former players and coaches, I enjoy picking their brains.”

Peyton says he hasn’t reflected a lot on his NFL accomplishments. He recently was forced to reflect on what he did prior to getting in the NFL, as he was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, as well as the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.

He knows he will have to contemplate his NFL footprint soon. He is eligible for induction in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021.

“During my interview today, I heard Mrs. McCaskey say she doesn’t use the word ‘proud,’” Peyton says. “She uses the word ‘grateful.’ I’m grateful I got to do it a long time. Hearing some of these fans today, I got some ‘Omaha’ calls. I feel like I had a little niche there, whether it was calling an audible or calling some of your own plays that people identify with, I’m grateful to have been a part of that.”

He also is grateful to have first-hand observations of so much of what has happened in the NFL over the last four decades.

“Growing up around it and having an appreciation for the history of it has made it even more special,” he says. “I’m all in on this.”

Broncos' Phillip Lindsay on training camp: 'I am ready' By Troy Renck KMGH July 16, 2019

A play on the first day of practice last summer, as part of scripted offense, rattled the Broncos defense and created a wave of smiles at UCHealth Center. No matter how you viewed running back Phillip Lindsay — undersized, undrafted, underrated — one thing became clear.

“He is making this team,” linebacker Brandon Marshall said.

Lindsay not only secured a roster spot, he made the offense watchable in what was another disappointing year of production. The former University of Colorado star rushed for 1,037 yards, second most by an undrafted rookie, and nine touchdowns.

His season ended abruptly at Oakland in Week 15 when he tore ligaments in his right wrist that required surgery. He eschewed the brace in June, and when I asked Monday about his expectations for training camp, he remained blunt.

“In my mind I am ready. I am 100 percent.” Lindsay said, taking a break from his first annual youth football camp. “Once camp hits and you all will see me, you’ll know what I am doing. You got two more days. It’s a present.”

The Broncos are expected to take precautions with Lindsay, easing him back into the fold. As Lindsay explained on Monday, his goal is to play 19 games, not one because of an artificial deadline. Lindsay’s health is an issue because of his importance to winning. He provided espresso shots to a yawn-inducing attack. For the Broncos to avoid a third straight losing season, which last happened during a 10-year drought from 1963 to 1972, the offense must awake from its slumber. Optimism exists because of a new coach (Vic Fangio), new coordinator (Rich Scangarello from the ) and new quarterback (Joe Flacco).

The Broncos have provided Flacco a chance to rebound in his new home, adding offensive line boss Mike Munchak, signing right tackle Ja’Wuan James and drafting tight end Noah Fant in the first round. Will it fix the offense? Lindsay remains bullish, his entire mindset driven to prove people wrong.

“There are no excuses,” Lindsay said. “It’s us doing our assignments right. It’s me making more big plays. It’s Royce (Freeman) making more big plays. It’s (Devontae) Booker making big plays. It’s Courtland (Sutton), Emmanuel (Sanders), DaSean (Hamilton) and Tim (Patrick) and all of them putting it on. Our defense is going to do its job. That’s never going to be the problem. It’s about us coming together as an offense and helping them out.”

Under Scangarello, intrigue surfaces. This offense features a history of using two running backs, and utilizing them in the passing game. Could Lindsay rush for say, 900 yards, and post 350 receiving, creating a mismatch in space? Would he better as a complementary piece with Freeman, who showed improved burst in camp with his ankle issues behind him, easing the wear-and-tear on the 5-foot-8, 190-pounder? Options, for the first time since Peyton Manning retired, exist. For Lindsay, the focus remains narrow. He made critics swallow their tongues as a rookie — something he viewed as a start, not a final statement. “I was mad,” said Lindsay to a camper’s question about missing the postseason. “It’s hard when you watch former teammates in the playoffs. You are sitting around on the couch looking like a couch potato.”

Lindsay looks the part of a budding NFL star. Much has changed, and so much has not. He has new tattoos, and a cool ride from Acura. But his hair remains big, his body remains chiseled, and his speed, which changed his career path after working out with Broncos strength coach Loren Landow, remains breathtaking. Lindsay, at his core, is about rolling up his sleeves and getting stuff done.

In his second season, that means a team that plays in the postseason, exemplified in his message to campers as they broke down for drills.

“I want to see effort. This is how I started out. I want you all do the same (stuff) I did. Go to work,” Lindsay said. “Let’s roll.”

'I'm ready': Phillip Lindsay prepared to return to field By Aric DiLalla DenverBroncos.com July 16, 2019

Two days before the Broncos report for training camp, Phillip Lindsay feels ready to return to the field following an offseason of rehab.

“I’m ready,” Lindsay said Monday at his youth football camp. “In my mind I’m ready — 100 percent. That’s all I can say. Once camp hits and y’all see me, you’ll know what I’ll be doing. That’s what it comes down to. You’ve just got two more days.”

Lindsay, who suffered a wrist injury in the Broncos’ penultimate game of the season, emphasized that the Broncos’ coaching and training staffs would make the final decision on the timing of his return.

“At the end of the day, I’m ready for whatever,” Lindsay said. “It comes down to what they feel is best for me. … It’s a long season. I’d rather be able to go 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 games than go one game. It just depends on what Coach Fangio and all them feel like I should be doing.”

Whenever the training staff clears the second-year player for a return to team drills, Lindsay said he’ll attack each rep in the same fashion that he approached a rookie season in which he became the first undrafted offensive rookie to make the Pro Bowl.

“I’m going to be ready regardless,” Lindsay said. “That’s the type of person I am. I’m ready to go out there and compete. I can’t tell y’all how many reps. I’m not the coach. But if I get one rep, I’m going to make the best of it. If I get 10 reps, I’m going to make the best of it. At the end of the day, I’m excited to go out there. We’re going to need each other. It’s a long season, like I said. So it’s going to be good to have Royce [Freeman] and [Devontae Booker] and Khalfani [Muhammad]. It’s going to push us.”

And Lindsay, who only participated in individual drills this offseason, is ready to get those reps back again.

“I’m excited. I’m excited to be with my teammates,” Lindsay said. “It sucks when you just have to sit there and watch when you want to help contribute. I’m just ready to go out there and be with them. I’m ready to go out there and get at it.”

10 Burning Questions for Camp: Will the inside linebackers bring what Vic Fangio needs? By Andrew Mason DenverBroncos.com July 16, 2019

In the wake of the Broncos' decision to part ways with inside linebacker Brandon Marshall, one mock draft after another had the Broncos poised to target that position with the No. 10 overall pick prior to the 2019 NFL Draft.

Then the Broncos traded down ... and when they did take a potential inside linebacker, they picked Justin Hollins, who also projects as an outside linebacker after flourishing in that role at Oregon.

Todd Davis and Josey Jewell, you're up.

Davis is the proven commodity of the duo, a starter since 2016 who has developed into one of the league's best players at diagnosing runs as they develop and preventing opposing backs from reaching the second level.

The Broncos know what they're getting with Davis. They're still learning with Jewell, a fourth-round pick last year who started nine games, posted 58 tackles but played in a scheme not well-suited to his skill set.

The arrivals of Vic Fangio as head coach and Ed Donatell as defensive coordinator changed that. Jewell now works in a scheme similar to the one he ran at Iowa.

"It's pretty awesome. It kind of takes me back to Iowa and the defenses [run there]," Jewell said during OTAs.

"[Fangio's] disguises and the stuff about his defense, it's really good, and you're really using your brain on this one. You're really trying to disguise stuff."

Davis has seen the difference.

“He’s just making plays," Davis said of Jewell during OTAs. "I feel like he has a better command of the NFL offensive schemes and how teams are going to try and attack us as linebackers and our overall defense. I feel like he’s playing really well."

Jewell calls Davis "one of the best communicators I've ever been around." Between Davis' presence and the change in scheme and emphasis, the Broncos expect their defensive-communication problems of 2018 to vanish this year.

"Our communication is growing," Davis said. "We hang out. When we’re off, we talk and text nonstop trying to get the playbook down and make sure we’re both on our Ps and Qs. Our communication is really good." Good practices ... good communication. These things now need to happen in training camp and the games. Succeed, and the heart of the defense belongs to them. Fall short, and Fangio might not be able to execute what he wants to with his scheme. A look at Madden NFL 20's top skill ratings for the Broncos roster By Staff DenverBroncos.com July 16, 2019

We are just less than three weeks away from the release of "Madden NFL 20" and what better way to get amped than with some official player ratings for the full roster? A couple of weeks ago, we gave you a taste with some of Madden's skill ratings for three Broncos draft picks. Now, we'll give you a wider look at the Broncos' roster by listing the top three Broncos at some of the game's most significant skills.

And remember — player ratings will be re-evaluated and tweaked on a regular basis throughout the season, so there's always the opportunity for these ratings to rise.

Overall Von Miller: 97 Chris Harris: 90 Emmanuel Sanders: 88

Speed Bryce Callahan: 93 Phillip Lindsay: 93 Khalfani Muhammad: 93

Strength Bradley Chubb: 91 Garett Bolles: 90 Derek Wolfe: 89

Catch Emmanuel Sanders: 92 Bug Howard: 84 Jake Butt: 82

Throw Power Joe Flacco: 92 Drew Lock: 87 Brett Rypien: 82

Man Coverage Chris Harris Jr.: 93 Kareem Jackson: 83 Bryce Callahan: 81

Run Blocking Ron Leary: 85 Garett Bolles: 84 Connor McGovern: 79

Tackle Von Miller: 93 Derek Wolfe: 86 Todd Davis: 85

Play Recognition Von Miller: 99 Kareem Jackson: 96 Chris Harris Jr.: 95

Spectacular Catch Emmanuel Sanders: 90 Courtland Sutton: 89 Bug Howard: 85

Pass Blocking Ja'Wuan James: 83 Ron Leary: 77 Garett Bolles: 76

Zone Coverage Kareem Jackson: 89 Chris Harris Jr.: 88 Bryce Callahan: 80

Block Shedding Von Miller: 94 Bradley Chubb: 85 Todd Davis, Derek Wolfe: 82

Elusiveness Emmanuel Sanders: 88 Phillip Lindsay: 86 Devontae Booker: 82

Single-game Broncos tickets on sale starting Tuesday morning By Johnny Hart 104.3 The Fan July 16, 2019

Single-game tickets for individual home games during the 2019 season will be available for purchase starting at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, the team announced via a press release Monday.

Available to buy at ticketmaster.com, tickets will feature a variety of price levels, and the public can purchase full-price, ADA accessible, and club seat tickets.

Half-priced tickets will also be available through Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan program, though registration for the program closed on Sunday at 10 p.m.

According to the release, those looking to buy tickets will be limited to four tickets per household per game. Also, no multiple-game purchases will be allowed, and orders exceeding these limits will be canceled.

For more information, visit DenverBroncos.com/tickets or contact the Broncos Ticket Office via telephone (720-285-3333) or email ([email protected]).

Phillip Lindsay ready for Broncos camp: '100 percent' By Kevin Patra NFL.com July 16, 2019

Phillip Lindsay believes he's prepared for training camp later this week.

"In my mind I'm ready. I'm 100 percent," Lindsay said Monday at his football camp, via Mike Klis of 9News Denver.

The running back's Pro Bowl rookie season ended with a right wrist injury on Christmas Eve that required surgery, abruptly ending his campaign one tilt short. He's been rehabbing through the offseason and hand taken part in team drills at all during workouts.

Lindsay noted that it will ultimately be the coaches' decision how much work he gets early in camp, which opens Wednesday, July 17.

The new coaching staff will likely bring along the running back slowly to start camp and play him sparingly during preseason campaigns.

Even if the Broncos staff curtails his workload in camp, Lindsay's confidence redoubles our expectation that he'll be full-go once the regular season starts. How much the Broncos' new coaching staff, led by offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello, rides the bulldog running back early in the season will be something to track. Royce Freeman could push for a larger role in Year 2, making the Denver backfield a true committee this season.

2019 NFL head coach power rankings: Bill Belichick still No. 1 By Elliot Harrison NFL.com July 16, 2019

Just about everyone agrees Bill Belichick is the premier head coach in pro football today. But who comes after him in the pecking order?

Overall record is usually the primary metric when judging these coaches. That's not always the case in the actual job interview, though (and it's not the only measuring stick in this exercise). We saw hires this offseason where, in some cases, the new front man's win-loss record was either poor or nonexistent (six of the eight teams that made a change this offseason hired men who had never been an NFL HC).

All of which makes ranking the non-Belichick's a strenuous exercise. Check out the parsing below for the 26 guys who have experience in the role, with my thoughts on the first-time NFL HCs below them (that group is listed in alphabetical order).

Bill Belichick, Patriots

Not the most sneaky choice, eh? Interesting that when someone discusses Tom Brady's career, we often hear it mentioned that he has led the Patriots to eight straight AFC Championship Games. Well, that incredible streak is just as much the head coach's accomplishment as it is the quarterback's. There are those who will always look at Belichick with skepticism -- or outright disdain -- due to the team's videotaping scandal from the previous decade. Of course, it's more difficult for those folks to discount what he achieved before becoming the head coach in New England. Belichick won two Super Bowls as defensive coordinator for the Giants, which included crafting a game plan to defeat the high-octane Bills in Super Bowl XXV. He is also the only coach since 1990 to lead the Browns to a playoff victory. That should be good enough for a lifetime achievement award or something. Not sure how anyone can argue Belichick isn't the top head coach in the game today, if not in NFL history.

Pete Carroll, Seahawks

Pete Carroll ranks second on this list, although not solely for winning at least one playoff game every year from 2012 to 2016 and the zenith of capturing a Super Bowl title, but also for the job he did in 2018. Few folks had the Seahawks making it to the postseason. Not only did they make the playoffs, but they gave the Cowboys quite a game in the Round, too. While there was quite a bit of consternation in the Seattle bloggerverse centering around the Seahawks' play-calling in that contest, that ain't Carroll's area. The playoff loss also obscured what a fine season the Seahawks had sans the stars of recent vintage, and flying past the 6-10 season so many prognosticated for the team. The team's 2018 season was yet another testament to Carroll's ability to motivate, as well as manage in-game situations. Far more impressive is his energy in maintaining a positive atmosphere around a team that has enjoyed (endured?) its share of robust personalities over the years.

Sean Payton, Saints

Does deserve to be higher on this list? Quite possibly. He has been a central force in reinventing the Saints (again) by altering them into more of a run-the-ball-play-defense-and-don't-lean- on-your-HOF-quarterback-so-much team. Last year was the first time during ' 13 seasons in that he didn't reach the 4,000-yard barrier. The sea change with the Saints has come at a slow pace, and through the draft, over the last three years. The result, unfortunately, has been two tough losses in the postseason, each coming at least partially from ridiculous plays: one was a miracle touchdown pass from an unlikely passer, the other a non-call seen around the football world. Even with those playoff shortcomings, Payton is still above .500 in the postseason, owns a Super Bowl ring, and is 126-80 overall, including the playoffs. Saying he is Canton-worthy is not an overstatement.

Andy Reid, Chiefs

Andy Reid helped the Chiefs get to their first conference championship game since 1993 (only their second since the AFL-NFL Merger in 1970), yet the quarterback received all of the credit. Somebody had to make the decision to go with in the first place, right? Despite Mahomes' obvious talent, it took guts to start the sophomore quarterback and trade away Smith, who led the NFL in passer rating in 2017. The result was a top playoff seed for an ascending Kansas City team, which manhandled the Colts on its way to an overtime loss to the Patriots in the AFC title game. Speaking of, that was Reid's sixth trip to the penultimate game of the season, second among active coaches to you know who.

Doug Pederson, Eagles

Doug Pederson has earned his lofty perch on this list after taking the Eagles to the postseason for the second straight year without the services of his QB1 down the stretch. Not only that, but who knows? Maybe Philadelphia could have made it to another Super Bowl and had a rematch with the Patriots if catches that pass late in the fourth quarter against the Saints in the Divisional Round. Sure, the Eagles would have had to face the Rams in the NFC Championship, out in L.A, if they had won. That's OK, because they handled the Rams there in December. Anyhow, much of the reason for the late-season success was Pederson's steady leadership, and playing to ' strength. How many head coaches can win the Super Bowl with a QB2, then follow it up with a nine-win campaign and nice run in January with a QB2? Pederson is known for his offensive acumen, but to not tout his communication skills seems offensive.

Sean McVay, Rams

Every owner wants a Sean McVay to coach his football team these days. McVay's two-year success story speaks to his immersion in the family business of football, as well as his ability to draw off an excellent football mind and mental filing system to have his team better prepared than their opponents week after week. McVay's memory, ability to reach his players, and considerable energy has pushed the Rams to the playoffs in both of his seasons as the organizational front man, including a Super Bowl berth. To McVay's credit, he knows his place, too. He let run the defense, and got out of the way. It was the defense, not the offense, that really shined this past postseason. The touchstone of McVay's primary focus and background -- the offensive side of the ball -- has been the noteworthy development of quarterback , who has tossed 60 touchdowns over the last two years. That's a dude people were calling a bust the year before McVay arrived.

John Harbaugh, Ravens

The pundits have been keeping a steady pour of haterade on over the last couple of seasons. Never mind that Harbaugh, like Andy Reid, made an extremely difficult decision at quarterback last year, switching from Joe Flacco to in a move that pushed the Ravens to the postseason for the seventh time in his 11 seasons in Baltimore. The Ravens have done plenty of damage once reaching the playoffs during the Harbaugh era, as well, going 10-6 with a Super Bowl win and two AFC Championship Game losses. Whether he can sustain such success will be dependent on the performance of Jackson, as well as how NFL defenses adjust to the dynamic quarterback the second time through the batting order, so to speak. Defensive coordinators adjust. So do players.

Anthony Lynn, Chargers

Anthony Lynn might pass John Harbaugh in these rankings before too long. Some might say that time should have already come, as Lynn's Chargers handled the Ravens last January. But one playoff win isn't enough for him to supplant Harbaugh on this list, as the Bolts' dream died an ugly death in New England the next week. However, the blowout loss to the eventual Super Bowl champs should not distract league observers from, well, observing the strides this organization has made in the last two years, thanks in large part to Lynn. The Chargers were one of the strongest teams in the league down the stretch in 2017, as early season special teams woes derailed playoff hopes. Still, in two years Lynn has gone 22-12 (including the postseason), while Sean McVay seems to receive all the credit among that 2017 crop of coaching hires.

Mike Tomlin, Steelers

Tomlin is one of the more difficult coaches to rate. He won a title, lost a Super Bowl in a close game, and has led his team to the playoffs far more often than not. Last year was a "not" for Tomlin's group, as it seemed internal feuding distracted the Steelers just enough to have them in the unusual position of sitting at home in January. It's not hard to understand how the late-season implosion took place, given the considerable ego of , as well as the personality of the team's QB1. Then again, each are great players, and in previous years, Tomlin handled both en route to a Super Bowl appearance and multiple postseason entries. Maybe some fans would like to see Tomlin be more of a strict disciplinarian or an X's-and-O's wonk. Although, no one associated the latter with either Chuck Noll or . Tomlin has reached two Super Bowls, like his predecessor, and while he hasn't approached Noll's success, it's not like the legendary coach didn't endure his down seasons.

Mike Zimmer, Vikings

Zimmer lands in the top 10, despite the Vikings' failure to make the postseason one year after reaching the NFC Championship Game. Several factors contributed to Minnesota's "failed" 2018 campaign, including poor play-calling, inconsistent quarterbacking down the stretch, and a defense that wasn't as sturdy as the year prior. That is Zimmer's side of the ball, at least in the sense that running top-notch defenses over the years is what got him hired with the Vikings in the first place. Yet, finishing ninth in points allowed isn't exactly a failed season. Neither is finishing with a winning record, as Minnesota did last season. The key to getting back to the championship round will be the performance of the offensive line -- a huge problem area in 2018 -- and developing a consistent run game to take a little pressure off the much-maligned . Zimmer should have his players motivated, as a hallmark of his career has been how hard his players compete for him.

Dan Quinn, Falcons

The Falcons struggled to their worst season under Dan Quinn, finishing second in the NFC South at 7-9. Which should tell you much about Quinn's run in Atlanta. In four seasons, after inheriting what had been a floundering football team, the former Seahawks defensive coordinator pushed them to two postseason appearances and a narrow Super Bowl loss. Last season seemed to go up in smoke from Week 1, when Atlanta lost Deion Jones and Keanu Neal to injury right away. Devonta Freeman played in just two games, and the secondary was never right. Yet, in the end, Quinn was able to keep the team from fading from respectability. Still, 36-28 is a healthy regular season record for one of the youngish head coaches in the league.

Frank Reich, Colts

This might be a wee bit high for Reich, considering he's been a head coach for one season. Yet, what Reich was able to accomplish last year, transforming the Colts from a rudderless team to a stout 10-6 outfit, was nothing short of remarkable. Remember, hadn't thrown a meaningful pass in more than a year and a half prior to last season. You might also recall that Reich wasn't even the team's first choice for the job, and there was no way the organization could dance around that. That's because they had already hired Josh McDaniels, who quickly reneged. It was in that complex stew that Reich waded, then stirred enough to push his team from a 1-5 start to the playoffs. By the end of the year, Indy was playing as well as anyone in pro football. The Colts manhandled the Cowboys in December, then won a win-and-in match in Nashville before dismantling the Texans in the Wild Card Round. In other words, this spot is deserved.

Ron Rivera, Panthers

It was a down year in Carolina, marked by a seven-game losing streak that crushed any hopes for another postseason appearance. Prior to last season's collapse, the Panthers had reached the postseason in four of the last five seasons. was named The Associated Press Coach of the Year twice during that span. Some will say he rides the wave -- when the quarterback is right and performs optimally, Rivera's group soars. Last year a bum shoulder harnessed Newton's vertical range, making it harder to mitigate an average defense. Thus, a 6-2 start full of promise ended in 7-9 disappointment. The guess here is that Carolina will rebound under Rivera's strong leadership.

Matt Nagy, Bears

Matt Nagy more than delivered in his first year as the Bears' head coach, taking Chicago to the postseason for the first time since the 2010 season. What's interesting about Nagy is that his side of the ball is offense, and prior to getting hired by the Bears, he was known for his work with quarterbacks in Kansas City. Yet, it was Vic Fangio's defense that did most of the heavy lifting to get Chicago to the playoffs. A head coach does much more than run one side of the ball, though. In fact, some of them don't do that at all. They run the office, in some respects. Nagy clearly set a tone in the building, so to speak, which should not be taken lightly. Nor should Nagy's work with Mitch Trubisky, who showed improvement from Year 1 to Year 2. Why is Reich ahead of Rivera but not Nagy? Well, Nagy has yet to achieve postseason success and had stronger personnel than Reich did in 2018.

Jon Gruden, Raiders

Gruden presents a problem, at least when it comes to comparing him to his peers. He's one of only seven head coaches in the game today who have led a team to a Super Bowl win. Besides hoisting a Lombardi Trophy while in Tampa Bay, Gruden also took the Raiders to the brink in 2000 (and some would say he got a raw deal in 2001 thanks to a terrible rule). Yet, before last season, he hadn't coached since '08. His run with the Bucs post- Super Bowl was mediocre. As he shipped out star players and cut ties with front office execs he didn't want in Oakland last year, the Raiders managed just four wins. That's why '19 should be the tell on what kind of coach he is going forward. New GM Mike Mayock helped Gruden begin to rebuild the roster after stockpiling picks, providing an infusion of talent that should at least make this team more competitive. Given the strength of the division-rival Chargers and Chiefs, simply leading Oakland to the playoffs should be a ringing endorsement for the coach.

Bruce Arians, Buccaneers

Bruce Arians took a year off from coaching last year, although he stayed in the business, calling games for CBS. The season away from the sideline doesn't help his case here. I'm not going to vault him over some of the young coaches who have had nothing but success in the NFL thus far. While Arians has never reached the heights of a Super Bowl as a head coach, he has won Coach of the Year twice, with two different teams. Moreover, he lifted the Cardinals from division doormat to a formidable football team. Counting his work in Indianapolis in 2012, Arians won 50 games in six seasons as a head coach, despite not being the head coach for the full season in '12. He was a huge factor in elevating Ben Roethlisberger, Andrew Luck, and Carson Palmer as quarterbacks. Which is why so many folks are excited to see what he can do to augment Jameis Winston's game.

Jason Garrett, Cowboys

This spot will be too high for the Cowboys fans who don't believe in Garrett. It might be hard for them to believe that he is only three wins shy of Jimmy Johnson's career total, which spanned nine seasons, as Garrett's has to this point (Garrett has also coached in eight fewer regular season games since he took over at midseason in 2010). Yet, the gulf between Garrett and his former coach is easily discernible. Johnson won, and won big, in the playoffs, taking back-to-back titles. Garrett's Cowboys have won two playoff games in nine seasons (Johnson matched that total in his Dolphins tenure alone). My point here is that the current Dallas head coach has won a lot more games than people realize. However, every Cowboys team is measured against those '90s squads, much like Johnson's legacy was going to be matched against the high-water marks of the era. Garrett's going to need to advance this team further in the playoffs for people to feel more confident in his stewardship.

Doug Marrone, Jaguars

The Jags were as bad in 2018 as they were good in 2017. But with a new quarterback in Nick Foles, and Marrone's no-nonsense approach -- not to mention what remains a strong nucleus of talent -- Jacksonville could be speeding into the playoffs come January. Marrone deserves a ton of credit for making the Jags viable in the first place, and there is some leeway for the dropoff last season, considering how subpar was. He wasn't Marrone's guy to begin with, although Marrone's staff could have squeezed more effective play from the former third overall pick. The discipline issues with Leonard Fournette and T.J. Yeldon late in the year did come under Marrone's purview, one reason the stain of the poor season cannot be completely wiped away. Meanwhile, competent QB play can be the great elixir for a football team and its head coach. Don't forget that Marrone has led this franchise as far as anyone ever has, including Jaguars executive VP .

Bill O'Brien, Texans

Bill O'Brien is a good coach. How good of a coach is he? Well, his detractors will say he's good enough to get ya beat in the playoffs. Then again, O'Brien has helped the Texans post a winning season in four out of his five years with the team. That's after taking over a squad that went 2-14 the year before he got there. The complaints about O'Brien often center around an inconsistent offense and his in-game management. Of course, much of a head coach's job performance centers around things fans don't see. That includes the culture around the team from Monday through Saturday, communication with the players, and the ability to keep a team focused. Without the latter, there is no way Houston wins over 40 games in five years. The struggle for O'Brien this season will be to squeeze better play out of the offensive line, as well as get to avoid creating his own pressure by holding the ball for too long.

Mike Vrabel, Titans

Vrabel put in a nice freshmen year as Titans head coach, getting them this close to the postseason. Having to start Blaine Gabbert the final week of the season didn't help, but the main reason for Tennessee's failure to make the playoffs was a tougher-than-expected AFC South. No one thought J.J. Watt would return to his all-world self, ensuring the Texans were more than viable. No one saw the Colts coming. The Jags, while coming in last place, lost several close games and still own the core of a playoff-ready team. Vrabel's squad displayed its coach's head-strong resilience, often seen during his days with the Patriots. Take, for example, the win over the Eagles in Week 4, when the offense converted three fourth downs on the final drive to win the game in overtime. Vrabel will move up this list if he can coax more from Marcus Mariota, and move this team into double-digit-win territory.

Sean McDermott, Bills

McDermott received plenty of props for leading the Bills to their first postseason appearance of the century in 2017. It was a heckuva debut season. Last year's 6-10 showing was a disappointment, although you could make the argument that Buffalo wasn't that much worse than the year before, especially considering they started a rookie QB in . Some analysts thought Allen would be more of a redshirt freshman than an immediate starter when he was drafted seventh overall. The Bills' playoff hopes in 2019 will go the way of the redshirt guys in "Star Trek" if Allen doesn't take a big step forward in Year 2. The defense last season finished 18th in points allowed, just like the previous year. One big disparity, though, is that the scoring offense went from kinda bad (22nd) to cruddy (30th). With a little progress from Allen, and more consistency up front, Buffalo can move up the standings again. You know a McDermott-coached team will be opportunistic on defense.

Jay Gruden, Redskins

Harsh ranking for , who has watched each of the last two seasons get ruined by injuries, particularly on the offensive line. That makes it arduous for an offensive-minded coach to implement his scheme, much less put points on the board. Then again, even when health was not an issue early last season, the Redskins' "attack" was more of a mild skirmish. With Alex Smith under center, the offense generated less than 20 points per game. In that sense, 's reemergence saved the day. Gruden does deserve much credit for keeping his team in the race late in the season after losing Smith and backup Colt McCoy, hanging in there at 7-7 while giving the Titans all they could handle in a tough Week 16 road contest. The issue for Gruden is twofold: he's now endured three straight seasons without a playoff berth after a breakthrough campaign in 2015, and he's starting over at QB again, potentially with a rookie in Dwayne Haskins.

Kyle Shanahan, 49ers

This might not be a fair ranking for a guy who kept the 49ers competitive in the second half of the season while having to play musical chairs at quarterback. The problem here is that Shanahan hasn't really accomplished anything yet as a head coach, which makes the criteria for evaluating his performance somewhat narrow. Shanahan did a fantastic job as offensive coordinator with the Falcons. He played a big role in Atlanta making it to the Super Bowl, and Matt Ryan winning MVP, in 2016. In two years in San Francisco, he's gone 10-22. That record isn't masked by the obvious upside of the roster, or the potential many see in Shanahan. From the outside looking in, it sure seems he is the right man to develop , who is coming back from the ACL tear that cost him all but three games last season. Shanahan seems to be a good communicator, and is both confident and comfortable with himself. Whether that will translate into contention in the NFC West remains to be seen.

Matt Patricia, Lions

There's not much catalog to judge Patricia on right now, but a 6-10 debut season didn't inspire a lot of hope. The Lions roared coming out of their Week 6 , making a freshwater dive into the running game against the Dolphins, not to mention a big win over the Patriots a month prior. Then they petered out with a 3-7 finish. Trading Golden Tate away at midseason sure as heck didn't help Patricia's cause. Nor did the annual disappearance of balance on offense. That's the challenge for Patricia: Develop a running attack that can help the defense on a consistent basis. That said, defensive acumen is what landed him the job in Detroit in the first place. He spearheaded a top-ranked D that helped Bill Belichick's team make it to the Super Bowl, then stopped the bleeding in the second half of the big game itself to close out the 2016 season. Patricia now owns some new parts on D, including a player he coached with the Patriots in Trey Flowers, so improvement should be expected.

Adam Gase, Jets

The wonderful news for Adam Gase is that he doesn't inherit an inherent question mark at quarterback. To Tannehill or not to Tannehill was always the query during his time in Miami; in New York, the Jets will be riding the wave, which, from the optics of last season, isn't such a bad deal. Darnold flashed more than a handful of times as a rookie, and seems to possess the right mindset to succeed at this level. Skeptics don't harbor the same confidence in Gase, whose Dolphins were uninspiring the last two seasons. His offenses finished 31st (2018) and 25th (2017) in the last two seasons. Even Miami's 2016 playoff team ranked 24th in offense. New York's brass is banking on the fact that Gase has a superior operating system in Darnold than he managed in Tannehill, Matt Moore, Brock Osweiler and Jay Cutler. He better be a decisive upgrade, because Gang Green's defense has been long on potential and short on results in recent years.

Pat Shurmur, Giants

Shurmur led the Giants to a 5-11 record and last-place finish in the NFC East in his first year on the job, and the Giants' offense faltered more often than not. That was an area Shurmur was supposed to shore up. Even the ridiculous all-purpose production of first-year phenom Saquon Barkley couldn't solve Big Blue's woes, so much so that the rush offense finished 24th in the league. This, with a running back who racked up over 2,000 yards from scrimmage. Were the Giants awful on offense? No. They were inconsistent, couldn't survive health woes at receiver, and were far from strong enough to make up for a bottom-10 defensive unit. Shurmur has much work to do in 2019, from replacing Odell Beckham Jr., to successfully managing the Eli Manning/ Daniel Jones situation, to trying to stay feisty in the NFC East. The reason he's behind Gase on this list? Gase has led a team to the playoffs, and Shurmur has yet to have success as a head coach.

THE NEWBIES (in alphabetical order)

Vic Fangio, Broncos

You want to talk about a guy who has earned the opportunity to be a HC? Fangio has been in pro football since 1984 (with the exception of one season). He followed Jim Mora from the USFL to New Orleans, where he coached the Saints' linebackers. That group -- Rickey Jackson, Pat Swilling, Vaughan Johnson, and -- is arguably the greatest linebacker unit in the history of the NFL. He was part of a Ravens staff that made the playoffs three times in four years under and John Harbaugh, then joined the latter's brother at Stanford for the '10 season. From there, Fangio coached the 49ers defense that fueled three straight NFC title game appearances. He led the NFL's stingiest defense with the Bears last season. Now Fangio inherits a fantastic pair of pass rushers in Von Miller and Bradley Chubb, a young stud at RB in Phillip Lindsay, and a future WR1 in Courtland Sutton. What his staff can coax out of Joe Flacco will be the key to the head coach's success in '19.

Brian Flores, Dolphins

Comparing first-year head coaches who have yet to go to training camp, manage a game situation in their new role, or so much as throw a challenge flag is slightly absurd, which is why we're not ranking them here. What people do have to go on with versus or or any other rookie HC is the experience (and success) they bring into a job, as well as the roster at their disposal. Is the talent a fit for their expertise? Are they walking into a situation that is conducive to them succeeding? On those points, Flores faces an arduous task. The Dolphins might have the worst overall roster in the league. On the other hand, Flores achieved greatness while in New England, as he was a part of four Super Bowl winners during his 15 seasons with the club. Flores called defensive plays last year, which is notable considering that the Patriots finished seventh in points allowed. Whether he can work wonders with the woeful Miami defense is another matter.

Kliff Kingsbury, Cardinals

Kingsbury has never coached at the NFL level, and is coming off three consecutive losing seasons as head coach at Texas Tech. Does this mean that the former Red Raiders quarterback will fail miserably? Of course not. It merely reflects that fans don't have much to hang their hat on when it comes to the Cardinals' head coach. And that's OK. Kingsbury was able to develop some great QB talent at the college level, starting with Case Keenum at Houston and continuing with a guy named Patrick Mahomes at Texas Tech. People forget how prolific Keenum was for the Cougars. Now Arizona has handed the keys to the franchise, including this year's No. 1 overall draft pick, to Kingsbury. So much will depend on how fares at the next level.

Freddie Kitchens, Browns

Perhaps no rookie head coach is in better position to succeed in Year 1 than Freddie Kitchens. The RB coach turned offensive coordinator turned head coach is the only 2019 appointee to be hired from within, meaning that he is already well-versed, and part of, the culture that helped pushed Cleveland to its best season in more than a decade. While former interim head coach deserves plenty of credit for the team's 5-2 finish, it's worth noting that the offense averaged 24 points per game during that stretch under Kitchens' leadership. That's when came into his own. Kitchens developed balance with on the ground. Now the Browns are adding Odell Beckham Jr. to that mix. With a team ready to compete now, Kitchens should thrive.

Matt LaFleur, Packers

Like Freddie Kitchens, Matt LaFleur inherits a pretty decent situation in his first stint as a head coach. LaFleur will be coaching , which ties nicely into LaFleur's background as a quarterbacks coach. That's where LaFleur earned both future employment and much buzz around the league. As QBs coach under then-OC Kyle Shanahan with the Redskins, LaFleur developed a relationship strong enough to help him land the OC spot for the Rams when Sean McVay -- who served with LaFleur on that Washington staff -- got his head-coaching opportunity. As Matt Ryan's position coach in Atlanta, LaFleur helped him win the MVP award in 2016. While LaFleur didn't rewrite "Vince Lombardi on Football" and liven up the football world during his lone season as OC in Tennessee, the current find-me-another-Sean- McVay climate in the NFL helped him land a choice spot in Green Bay. Can LaFleur help fix a so-so defense? We'll see.

Zac Taylor, Bengals

The head-coaching hire that came with the least ballyhooing in 2019 has to be Zac Taylor. Taylor was Sean McVay's quarterbacks coach last season, which doesn't make him unique among the new HCs given that the Packers brought on another McVay disciple in Matt LaFleur, who was the Rams' OC under McVay in 2017. In 2018, Taylor built on LaFleur's success with Jared Goff, as the young QB posted another prolific campaign, then made clutch throws that helped the Rams advance through the NFC field in the playoffs. Taylor was an assistant wide receivers coach for the Rams in 2017, following one-year stints as offensive coordinator for both the Dolphins and the University of Cincinnati. Taylor is the poster child of NFL teams' desire to find the next transcendent offensive mind, as he's just a couple months past his 36th birthday, and has only two years of experience as a coordinator. Still, the new Bengals front man finds himself in a better situation than you think.

Kraft Analytics Group to provide NFL with deep dive in ticket sales, fan habits By Ben Fischer Sports Business Journal July 16, 2019

The NFL and Kraft Analytics Group are lifting the curtains on an advanced ticketing database that promises to give everyone from Commissioner Roger Goodell to club sales teams nearly real-time insights into ticket transactions and usage.

Officials believe the tools can lead to substantial improvements to both club revenue and the in-stadium experience by allowing executives to quickly identify and respond to buying trends.

The software, quietly implemented last October, was made possible by the NFL’s decision in 2017 to discard its previously exclusive relationship with Ticketmaster and embrace an open distribution model. It includes transaction data from Ticketmaster, StubHub, SeatGeek and others. Also critical is the rapid expansion of mobile ticket usage.

“The goal of it all is to better understand customer behavior and data in the primary and secondary market, bridging that gap, looking at it holistically as one,” said Peter O’Reilly, NFL executive vice president of club business and league events.

The NFL chose KAGR, spun off of Patriots owner Robert Kraft’s Kraft Group in 2016, through an RFP process and is paying an annual fee to access the software. Teams can access five visualization tools, according to Kraft Analytics CEO Jessica Gelman:

-A seating map display showing ticket sales and transfers by stadium geography as they happen.

-A season-ticket-holder tracker — when they use their own tickets or transfer them, and what that means for their future intentions to renew.

-One tool tracking the intersection of the primary and secondary ticket markets, which officials think will allow them to spot inefficient pricing or sense changes in demand.

-A comparison tool showing one club’s data against other teams (anonymously), both across the entire league and against predetermined peer clubs.

-A customer insights tool that will help teams group fans into various categories to better understand their tendencies — do they buy tickets at the last second? Do they only care about certain matchups or times of year? Are they bargain hunters?

At league headquarters, Goodell and the rest of the C-suite have access to an executive summary, and a deeper summary of team data is generated for the club business development unit.

The Steelers, Jaguars, 49ers and Patriots beta-tested the KAGR products. The 49ers were integral in helping develop the “realization rate” metric, which combines season-ticket-holders’ ticket usage frequency and price at which they resold tickets to pinpoint the value they receive from their tickets, O’Reilly said. Across the league, teams combined for about 2,000 dashboard views in the first nine months, according to Robert Gallo, NFL senior vice president of club business development.

The main goal of the tool, Gelman said, is to streamline the path from raw data to decisions. “If you don’t trust the foundational data, that it’s accurate and right, it doesn’t matter what you roll out,” she said. Now that the setup is done, “We have trust in what the data is, and now they can do the super fun and interesting work of applying it to improving the customer experience.”

Phillip Lindsay: In my mind I’m ready to go for training camp By Josh Alper Pro Football Talk July 16, 2019

Broncos running back Phillip Lindsay spent the offseason rehabbing the wrist injury that forced him to miss the final game of his rookie season, but it won’t be long before he’s able to move on to a longer list of activities.

The feeling around the team at the end of the offseason program was that Lindsay would be set to go once the team got to training camp. Players begin reporting to camp in a few days and Lindsay said that he’d give himself a green light to do everything in practice.

“In my mind I’m ready. I’m 100 percent,” Lindsay said, via Mike Klis of KUSA.

Lindsay allowed that the plan formulated with coaches and the medical staff may call for a gradual resumption of all activities, but it doesn’t sound like there will be much reason to keep Lindsay under wraps much longer.