Broncos tight end Jake Butt is confident his form will return after third ACL injury By Ryan O’Halloran Denver Post June 23, 2019

Butt said he will be ready for the start of training camp next month.

When he suffered a noncontact left ACL injury in practice last Sept. 27, Broncos tight end Jake Butt was emerging as a reliable, multidimensional player.

But when training camp starts July 18, Butt will find himself in an unfamiliar position.

“I’m used to being a guy that the team can rely on, used to being at the top of the depth chart,” he said Saturday. “For me, I’m probably going to be starting off at the bottom and work my way up. It’s a whole different deal for me, but it’s nothing I’m going to shy away from. I’m excited about the competition. I know what I can do as a football player.”

What the Broncos hope Butt can do is join healthy tight ends Noah Fant and Jeff Heuerman as middle-of- the-field targets for quarterback Joe Flacco. Butt had eight catches for 85 yards in three games last year.

Butt, who turns 24 next month, plans on being available when camp begins.

“I haven’t had any setbacks, so that’s been great — it’s been a steady climb,” he said. “It’s obviously a long process, but I feel really close. At this point, it’s (about) getting back into football shape and to where I feel good every day.”

Butt hasn’t talked about a practice snap-count ceiling with coach Vic Fangio or the training staff, but he expects to be managed.

“I think they’ll see how I’m feeling the first couple of days,” Butt said. “I can’t imagine I would go from not playing football to doing everything. I’m sure there’ll be some plan in place so I’m not taking a million reps.”

Butt tore his right ACL twice before joining the Broncos — in high school and in his final college game for Michigan (against Florida State in Orange Bowl). The second injury equaled a redshirt year as an NFL rookie in 2017.

For his left ACL reconstruction, surgeons shaved part of his hamstring, tied it in a bundle and used it as the new ligament. Butt revealed Saturday his meniscus (cartilage) also was damaged.

“The hardest part for me was (when) I was on crutches for 10 weeks because they did a meniscus repair,” he said. “There is only so much you can do. Once I got through that, I was cruising right along and then you start walking, the next thing you know, you’re jogging (and) the next thing you know, you’re running. And now here I’m basically doing everything I was before the injury.”

During the Broncos’ offseason practices that were open to the media, Butt did not participate in any team drills, but he was in every meeting and went over the practice script multiple times the night before each workout.

“I know my job on every single play,” he said. “There shouldn’t be (a) slow start in camp. There’s no excuse.”

And his verdict on coordinator Rich Scangarello’s offense?

“You can tell the tight end is going to be a big part of the offense,” Butt said.

Butt was at Valor Christian Academy for the 10th annual football and cheerleading camp for kids with Down syndrome sponsored by the Global Down Syndrome Foundation. Also in attendance were former Broncos players Ed McCaffrey, Brandon Stokley, Ben Garland and Nick Ferguson.

“(Saturday) marks the start of football,” McCaffrey said. “It’s the most fun day of the year for me. It reminds me of why I originally started playing football — to be with your friends, to have fun and to be a part of something bigger than ourselves.”

“His heart is beyond big.” Broncos’ Chris Harris gives back to hometown with annual camp. By Kyle Fredrickson Denver Post June 23, 2019

The Bixby, Okla., native hosted an estimated 400 kids and their families at free event.

Broncos’ cornerback Chris Harris did not have a football home in the summer of 2011 as an undrafted rookie free agent in the midst of an NFL lockout. So Harris returned to the one place that made sense while in limbo.

His actual home.

Bixby, Okla., sits about 20 miles south of Tulsa in a suburban community of roughly 26,000 known for scenic views of the Arkansas River, agriculture and high school football. Loren Montgomery is Bixby’s longtime high school coach and recalls two things about that July in particular: The hottest recorded month in state history (26 days of 100-plus degrees) and Harris showing up daily to the high school football facility.

“He’s out there in the heat on the field or the in weight room busting his tail,” Montgomery said. “He had some of his relatives out there running routes against him and timing him.”

Said Harris: “I always thanked Coach Montgomery for letting me go up there and make it my home. I pretty much took over and was able to get all my work.”

Broncos’ fans need no reminder of what happened next. Harris enters Year 9 in Denver with 105 career regular season starts, 80 pass deflections, 19 interceptions and a new one-year contract worth $12.05 million. And for the last several offseasons he’s recharged back home with an annual camp called the “Chris Harris Jr. Underdog Academy.”

What started as a small Bixby football camp for kids to gauge local interest has blossomed into a full- fledged community celebration. On Saturday, the high school hosted an estimated 400 kids and their families where hands-on football and life skills training were combined with food trucks, carnival rides and a fireworks show. Harris picked up the entire tab so anyone could attend.

“His heart is beyond big,” said Bixby athletic director Jay Bittle. “There are a bunch of low-income kids who get to come to a football camp they may not get to go to around the community. It fills up very quickly and he does a tremendous job with his staff. He’s just a real inspiration to a lot of people.”

Harris’s family ties run deep in Bixby.

Bittle attended school with Harris’ mother, Lisa, played college basketball at the University of Tulsa with his uncle, Timmy, and even taught Chris as an eighth-grader at Bixby Middle School in typing class. Bittle recalled Harris often helping special needs students before starting his own work.

When historic Oklahoma flooding ravaged portions of the state last month, Bixby High School put out a call on social media asking for volunteers to create a sandbag barrier around campus before the storms hit. Bittle said: “We had 800 people within two hours. It was crazy how giving and helpful everybody was.”

No surprise to Harris. Much of his family still lives “real deep in Bixby in the flood zone” and said thankfully water damage was limited. Other residents weren’t so lucky, including several members of the football team, whose families have since received community aid, Montgomery said.

“Bixby is different,” Harris said. “We went to school together from kindergarten all the way up. It was definitely a tight-knit group.”

Harris spent Saturday ensuring the small-town values he cherished about Bixby continue in a new generation. But now with greater goals in mind. Harris, arguably the town’s most famous son, has a platform to teach more than just football at his camp.

“The main focus is teaching them about all aspects of life,” Harris said. “I want to strain them, get them tired and have them thinking. Build their mental toughness. We’ve got a lot of teamwork activities so we want them to learn to work together.”

Added Montgomery: “He talks a lot about how Bixby is a special place for him. It’s important to recognize his beginning and that he has been an underdog; to prove to people in our community and the Tulsa area that you do have a chance.”

A permanent reminder exists on the drive up to Bixby’s football stadium. The final stretch is named Chris Harris Jr. Road.

“That just recognizes I left a legacy there,” Harris said.

It continues to grow.

Nearing return from third ACL injury, Broncos TE Jake Butt is on a mission to prove doubters wrong By Nicki Jhabvala The Athletic June 23, 2019

The third time was not the charm. Not for Broncos tight end Jake Butt, who watched his promising comeback from two ACL injuries crumble when he sustained yet another in practice early last season. The player the Broncos believed was a steal in the fifth round of the 2017 draft suddenly joined the pool of players few, if any, believed could return from in full.

Only a limited number have successfully come back from two ACL injuries. Those who have returned from three might be limited to linebacker Thomas Davis.

Could Butt be the next miracle athlete?

He thinks so. Nine months into what he described as his most grueling recovery yet, Butt is on the brink of returning for the Broncos, with the hope that this time his body cooperates.

“It’s obviously a process, a long process, but I feel really, really close,” he said Saturday at Ed McCaffrey’s annual Dare to Play football game for individuals with Down syndrome. “At this point, it’s just getting back into football shape and getting to where I feel good every day.”

Butt expects to be a full go for training camp, though the Broncos’ training and coaching staff are all but certain to ease him in to try to prevent re-injury. He’ll wear the cumbersome brace he hates, and his early days back will be both a personal and physical test, as he seeks to regain his status as a featured piece of the offense.

Following a full season to recover from an ACL injury he sustained in college, Butt made his NFL debut in Week 1 last season and started the first three games, catching 8-of-13 targets for 85 yards (10.6 average).

His momentum was halted prematurely when he went down during practice and was immediately placed on injured reserve with an injury that was even worse than the previous two tears. Butt was on crutches for 10 weeks after surgery because he had not just his ACL repaired but also his meniscus.

“This third time was the hardest, no doubt, just because of how hard I rehabbed and I was playing good ball, where I was proud of myself those first couple of games,” he said. “Just to have that happen in practice, too, is gut-wrenching. But in a sense, it’s kind of motivating.”

In the months after, the Broncos’ tight ends room underwent a transformation. New head coach Vic Fangio brought on Wade Harmon to lead the group, veteran Jeff Heuerman was re-signed to a two-year deal, former Iowa standout Noah Fant was drafted in the first round, and Troy Fumagalli returned from a year on injured reserve with a sports hernia to have a breakout spring in OTAs and minicamp.

Butt will soon be back on the field but not at the spot he left it. “I’m used to being the guy a team can rely on. I’m used to being at the top of the depth chart,” he said. “For me, I’m thinking I’m probably going to be starting off at the bottom and having to work my way back up. This is a whole different deal for me, but it’s nothing I’m going to shy away from. I’m excited about the competition, and I know what I can do as a football player, so I’m going to just work and let the chips fall where they may.”

He also returns to essentially a new team and a new system in Denver. After hiring Rich Scangarello, the former quarterbacks coach of the 49ers, to run the offense and after trading for veteran quarterback Joe Flacco, the Broncos all but ensured their tight ends will be featured heavily and regularly.

Scangarello’s system is built off the one Kyle Shanahan ran in San Francisco, in which tight end George Kittle produced a single-season record 1,377 receiving yards to go with five touchdowns.

When Fant was drafted by the Broncos at No. 20 overall, he described Kittle as a mentor, dating to their Iowa days, and said Denver was his preferred landing spot because of the offense Scangarello planned to run. The potential was undeniable.

Consider Butt just as intrigued.

“You watch all throughout spring OTAs, you can see that the tight ends are going to be a big part of this offense,” he said. “With Rich coming over from San Francisco and how they used George Kittle last year, I mean, we just turned on the tape and he showed us right away there’s going to be a lot of opportunity, and a lot of this offense is built on the underneath routes, winning one-on-one matchups. We’re going to all have to compete for those different roles.”

The potential expands further than just single-tight-end production. Having a group that boasts Fant’s speed and size, Heuerman’s experience, Butt’s toughness in the passing game and Fumagalli’s route- running gives the Broncos a multi-pronged weapon to wreak havoc on defenses.

Throw a couple together and the mismatches might finally allow the Broncos to turn the tables, and do to opponents what their own defense has struggled to contain in recent years.

“Noah can just take the top of the defense, which you don’t really say about a tight end too often. But that guy can fly,” Butt said. “Jeff, what he can do in the run game and the passing game, defenses are going to be on their heels, and he’s probably one of the best pass-protecting tight ends I’ve seen in the whole league. And then Troy has been running amazing routes all spring. He can run a lot of those underneath, shifty routes. I think I fall in somewhere there, too. It’ll be interesting to see how camp unfolds and how the coaches use our different talents.”

Butt’s time in the new offense has so far been relegated to self-learning and limited scripts, but he believes he’s had plenty of time to learn it thoroughly and said there are “no excuses” for not being fully prepared once he’s medically cleared.

But first, Butt is focused on getting back into the rhythm of practice, getting in front of the new coaching staff and earning his way back into the fold.

The process has been long, but it hasn‘t taken him anywhere he hasn’t already been.

“There are a lot of people that are doubting it, a lot of people just on the outside saying, ‘Oh, it’s three ACLs. No way can he come back from that,’” he said. “But I have a huge heart, I have a strong passion for this game, so nothing is going to stop me from working hard and going out there and proving people wrong.”

Sacco Sez: Honoring the Broncos' long history of community service By Jim Saccomano DenverBroncos.com June 23, 2019

The Denver Broncos not only have represented the city and region in a championship manner on the field, but they have a long history of giving back to the community, as well.

The generosity of our late Owner Pat Bowlen has long been recognized, but most recently in the many articles written after his passing.

The players who have represented his organization, though, have made numerous notable contributions in their own rights.

Last week, All-Pro outside linebacker Von Miller was named the winner of the 2019 Jefferson Award for Public Service in Sports

This was a major award given in Washington D.C. and was reflective of Von’s great work with children for several years through Von's Vision. Miller, of course, was also the team's Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee last season.

He is a classy representative of Broncos players in the community, but Von is not the first.

On May 17, Hall of Fame running back Floyd Little received the University of Denver's Distinguished Alumnus award and an Honorary Doctorate degree for his lifetime of public service beyond his play on the field.

When you google Ring of Fame quarterback Charley Johnson, he shows up as “American professor,” not “football player,” an amazing feat in itself.

A 4.0 graduate of New Mexico State in chemical engineering, Johnson went on to earn master’s and doctorate degrees, while playing, from the prestigious Washington University of St. Louis.

After his playing days he headed the chemical engineering department at his alma mater and even has a chair in his name at the school.

He is one of the most accomplished and beloved professors in school history.

While our great fans know John Elway as a Hall of Fame quarterback and the face of the franchise, many might not be aware that John was named NFL Man of the Year in 1992 for his community work.

Peyton Manning won that same award while with Indianapolis in 2005, and he continued his philanthropic endeavors while with the Broncos.

Back in 1977, Lyle Alzado was named the winner of the Byron “Whizzer” White Award for community service.

Alzado worked tirelessly with countless youth organizations and I can personally vouch for his sincerity.

Lyle never said no to a kid and absolutely had a heart of gold.

Way back at the start of the Broncos, Gene Mingo was leading the American Football League in scoring and was a pioneer as the game's first black placekicker. Mingo, too, is in our Ring of Fame.

But I can attest that there are dozens, maybe hundreds of people who know him more as a drug counselor who literally saved many a life in the Denver area for decades after his playing days.

While these players, past and present, might be among the most prominent, there have been many more Broncos who have freely given their time and talent to those who have needed a helping hand.

So here’s a big tip of the hat to Von Milker and all other current players making a difference.

Former Air Force Academy Coach Fisher DeBerry has said, “when you see a turtle sitting in a fence post, remember, he did not get there by himself. Someone lifted him up.”

A lot of Bronco players have lifted a lot of folks up over the years, and I am proud that community giving is part of our team’s culture.

That important part of being a member of this community was emphasized by Pat Bowlen, and is a tradition continuing today.

Camp Countdown: Safe move is for Broncos to carry 3 QBs in 2019 By Johnny Hart 104.3 The Fan June 23, 2019

From the moment the Denver Broncos drafted Drew Lock in the second round of this year’s NFL Draft, the speculation on when, or if, he might overtake Joe Flacco for the starting quarterback commenced.

However, since the jump, general manager John Elway and the Broncos brass have emphasized that Flacco will be the starter in 2019 and Lock’s role is to learn from the former Super Bowl MVP.

“When we look at it, we’re hoping Drew is the future. But Joe is the starter, is going to be the starter, and he’s going to battle,” Elway said during the draft. “We tend to look at it as the Brett Favre-Aaron Rodgers type situation. He’s going to have time to sit and watch Joe and take his time and learn and continue to get better.”

Whether Lock will be ready and able to take over for Flacco should something happen, however, is another question.

On Friday, “The Drive” co-host DMac said that should a situation where Flacco has a minor injury in a tight game, veteran backup Kevin Hogan might be the better option over Lock.

“In my mind, there’s no doubt, in that specific scenario, Kevin Hogan’s going to give you a better chance to win that night,” DMac said. “That’s not even fair to Drew Lock to think that he would be better prepared in that specific situation. It’s silly.”

With that potential scenario in mind, DMac’s co-host, Tom Nalen, said, “The safest thing for them to do would be to keep three quarterbacks and see how Drew Lock continues his progression for the first quarter of the season.”

But that plan could potentially create a “nightmare scenario,” said DMac, wherein Flacco cannot play and Lock is unable to fill his shoes.

“The nightmare scenario is Drew Lock is so incompetent that they’re that desperate, I guess it’d be Kevin Hogan,” DMac said. “I mean, it would be a nightmare.”

No excuses for Broncos TE Jake Butt in comeback By Grant Gordon NFL.com June 23, 2019

Just when Jake Butt appeared to be carving out a spot for himself in the Broncos' starting 11, an ACL injury ended his 2018 season.

Now, the soon-to-be 24-year-old tight end will be battling not only to come back healthy but for playing time in the Denver offense.

"I'm used to being a guy that the team can rely on, used to being at the top of the depth chart," Butt said via the Denver Post. "For me, I'm probably going to be starting off at the bottom and work my way up. It's a whole different deal for me, but it's nothing I'm going to shy away from. I'm excited about the competition. I know what I can do as a football player."

In Butt's absence, Jeff Heuerman took on the starting tight end roll and the Broncos nabbed Iowa product Noah Fant with the 20th selection of the 2019 NFL Draft.

So the latest setback in a string of ACL injuries for Butt isn't the only obstacle to overcome as he struggles for snaps and looks to climb back up the depth chart.

At the onset of the Broncos' 2018 campaign, Butt was the starter, claiming that role in each of the first three games. His stats certainly weren't eye-popping at eight catches for 85 yards, but he was becoming a presence, he was making some key grabs for first downs.

That all ended at practice on Sept. 27 when a non-contact left ACL injury brought his season to a close. Unfortunately for Butt, it wasn't a first, as he suffered ACL injuries in high school and college, the latter forcing him to miss all of a 2017 rookie season with the Broncos.

While many in his situation would likely lean on being snake-bitten, Butt's initial comeback steps seem to be carried by optimism as the July 18 genesis of training camp looms ever sooner.

"I haven't had any setbacks, so that's been great -- it's been a steady climb," Butt said said. "It's obviously a long process, but I feel really close. At this point, it's (about) getting back into football shape and to where I feel good every day."

Beyond that, Butt is offering no excuses as he moves forward, insisting it's full speed ahead.

"I'm basically doing everything I was before the injury," he said. "I know my job on every single play.

"There shouldn't be (a) slow start in camp. There's no excuse."

The uphill battle will continue as he aims to find his footing along with his reps in the hopes of pulling off a memorable comeback.

Jake Butt says no “slow start” to camp after torn ACL By Josh Alper Pro Football Talk June 23, 2019

Broncos tight end Jake Butt is no stranger to coming back from a torn ACL.

He did it in high school, he did it after his final game at the University of Michigan and he’s been doing it since going down in a game last September. Butt suffered the injury in Week Three last year and was off the field during Denver’s offseason program as he worked his way toward being cleared to resume football activities.

Butt expects to get that clearance for the start of training camp next month and is “sure there’ll be some plan in place so I’m not taking a million reps.” While his workload will be managed, Butt spent the last few months learning the offense and doesn’t expect to be wearing training wheels for long.

“I know my job on every single play,” Butt said, via the Denver Post. “There shouldn’t be [a] slow start in camp. There’s no excuse.”

Butt missed his entire rookie season and most of last year, so he can’t take long to get up to speed and expect to have a role in the offense. The Broncos drafted Noah Fant in the first round and also have Jeff Heuerman and 2018 fifth-round pick Troy Fumagalli on hand at tight end this year, so Butt will have to show that he hasn’t lost too many steps this summer.

Clock ticks on NFL’s Sunday Ticket decision By Mike Florio Pro Football Talk June 23, 2019

The NFL’s arrangement with DirecTV for NFL Sunday Ticket will end after the 2019 season — but only if the NFL acts to end the relationship within the coming weeks.

According to John Ourand and Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal, the NFL must decide whether to opt out of the Sunday Ticket deal early by early September. If the NFL doesn’t exercise its right to end the arrangement earlier before the regular season begins on September 5, the contract between the league and DirecTV will continue through 2022.

The challenge for the NFL is simple: Stay the course for $1.5 billion per year from DirecTV, or roll the dice on what could be a better distribution package but less money. The NFL has been exploring whether other companies have interest in taking over Sunday Ticket. Per the report, however, none of the various streaming services will offer $1.5 billion for exclusive access to Sunday Ticket.

One potential approach would entail DirecTV offering the package via satellite, with another company taking over the streaming rights. That approach wouldn’t necessarily replace the $1.5 billion in annual revenue from DirecTV.

Former Denver Broncos Hit The Field For ‘Dare To Play’ Football Camp By Staff CBS Denver June 23, 2019

Former Denver Broncos Ed McCaffrey joined other players and the Broncos cheerleaders on Saturday for a football camp like no other. The Dare To Play football camp features players and cheerleaders with Down Syndrome.

They played a touch football game at Valor Christian High School in Highlands Ranch on Saturday not only with All-Pro wide receiver McCaffrey, but Broncos tight end Jake Butt, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Max McCaffrey, former Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Stokley, and former Denver Broncos safety Nick Ferguson, just to name a few.

There were hundreds of people in the crowd to watch the 40-some players on the field.

After the game, there was a picnic with food, music and fun. This is the 10th year for the event.

The event was sponsored by the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of people living with Down Syndrome.

5 unanswered questions facing Broncos in 2019 By Chad Jensen 24/7 Sports June 23, 2019

The Denver Broncos are about to embark upon a 2019 season hell-bent on turning the ship around. On the heels of back-to-back losing seasons, it would seem the Broncos have nowhere to go but up.

GM John Elway has been setting ‘em up and knocking ‘em down from a decision-making perspective, ever since the dark moments of Black Monday. From the right coaching hires, to a blockbuster trade (possibly), to savvy free-agent signings and yet another lauded draft class, the Broncos’ front-office czar has attempted to move mountains in an effort to bring his team back to respectability.

In an increasingly tough Division and with the second-toughest schedule in the NFL, can the Broncos finally break this streak of bad football ju-ju? I’m optimistic and you should be, too.

There are five key questions that will ultimately determine the Broncos’ success or failure in 2019, though. Will this season result in embarrassment or triumph?

How this team ends up answering the following questions will determine the outcome.

1. What version of Flacco will Denver get? Will the Broncos get the Joe Flacco of the previous three seasons as a full-time starter? Or will Flacco more closely resemble the Super Bowl MVP QB who stunned Peyton Manning‘s Broncos in the 2012 Divisional Round playoff?

There’s reason to believe that the latter is more likely in store. And there are a few reasons.

First, Flacco was actually playing excellent football last year before he suffered the hip injury that ultimately cost him the starting the job. He was on pace to eclipse 4,300 yards passing and throw 21 touchdowns to 10 interceptions.

Flacco was a killer in the redzone last year. Just ask the Broncos, who could not stop Flacco’s Ravens inside the 20’s in Baltimore last year in Week 3’s loss.

Second, Flacco’s best statistical season came in 2014 playing in Gary Kubiak‘s system — a scheme that the Broncos believe in. It’s one that has brought home three Lombardi Trophies.

Third, in tight games, will Flacco prove to have the same ice running through his veins late in the fourth quarter of years past? In his decade-plus of starting experience, Flacco has proven to be one of the best QBs in the clutch.

Only time will tell. There are other questions to answer but at the end of the day, the Broncos will only go so far as their quarterback can take them.

2. Will Scangarello call plays like an inspired OC?

As exciting as the Rich Scangarello hire was, he’s very much an unknown quantity when it comes to calling plays in the NFL. Scangarello built his reputation in the league by identifying and developing QBs, and the Broncos certainly hope to take advantage of that skill-set.

But we’ve never seen Scangarello perform as an X’s and O’s shot-caller. Scangarello has brought with him to Denver an offense built on the bones of the same one employed by Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers and as mentioned earlier, it’s not one unfamiliar to the Broncos.

However, being an offensive coordinator is more than just teaching, game-planning, and designing plays. It’s also about having the instinct to know which plays to call in the right situations, while scheming to the strengths of the personnel and putting players in the best position possible to succeed.

There’s a reason the Niners were loath to let Scangarello even interview with the Broncos. Here’s to hoping that it had something to do with his talent and command of offense.

3. Will the O-line stay healthy?

The Broncos have put together a formidable offensive line heading into 2019. And by landing Mike Munchak to coach the unit, along with assistant Chris Kuper, the stars are aligning for a renaissance in the trenches.

However, it’ll come down to health for the Broncos’ starting five. Garett Bolles showed strong signs of progress in the second half of last season, and Connor McGovern proved he could be an above average starting center in this league. Ronald Leary‘s health is a big-time question mark, but there’s no denying his leadership acumen and playing ability.

The Broncos have two new components to the starting five this year — right tackle Ja'Wuan James and rookie second-round left guard Dalton Risner. Risner is an iron man who seems to have already taken to Munchak’s coaching like a duck to water.

But James, who’s only been available for all 16 games twice since entering the league in 2014, has already missed time during the Offseason Training Program due to health. Granted, the Broncos pulled him out of action during OTAs as a precaution, but for a tackle who has struggled to stay healthy traditionally, it wasn’t exactly an encouraging development.

If this unit can stay healthy and unified as a starting five, it has a chance to be a top-15 O-line. But that’s a big ‘if’.

4. Will Fangio succeed in transitioning to play-calling from the sidelines? In 19 years as an NFL defensive coordinator, Vic Fangio has only called plays from the sidelines in one season. He’s more comfortable up in the booth, where he can see all 22 players with a full view of the field.

As head coach, though, he’ll be needed on the sidelines on gamedays. While it’s yet to be determined, the likely solution is for Fangio to put defensive coordinator Ed Donatell up in the booth, where he can call down through the headset what he’s seeing from on high.

Still, there’s no way to know how being at field level will affect Fangio’s knack for calling the right plays in the right time. Fortunately, the Broncos will get five exhibition games in August to work out the kinks and acclimate Fangio to life as a play-caller on the sidelines.

5. Can the young skill-position players take the next step? The Broncos are absolutely teeming with young talent at the skill positions, thanks in large part to a phenomenal 2018 draft class. Heading into year two, players like Phillip Lindsay, Courtland Sutton, Royce Freeman and DaeSean Hamilton are poised to take the next step in their respective development.

If this group does leap forward as expected, Joe Flacco is going to have arguably the most dynamic and talented supporting cast of skill players he’s ever led. Throw in the addition of rookie first-rounder Noah Fant and the first-year of action from 2018 fifth-round tight end Troy Fumagalli, and it’s possible the Broncos will have an embarrassment of riches offensively.

However, like the old maxim goes, ‘if if’s and but’s were candy and nut’s, we all would eat our fill’. The Broncos have great talent in potentia but the game of football is played on the grid-iron, not on paper.

Broncos training camp preview: Running backs By Chad Jensen 24/7 Sports June 23, 2019

Welcome to our in-depth training camp preview, breaking down each of the Denver Broncos’ position groups. In this series, we aim to not only highlight the overall standing of each position group, but also the players who factor into the roster battles poised to be fought.

Thus far, we’ve hit the quarterbacks and edge rushers. Today, we’re deep-diving on the running back stable.

This is a group that over the course of one season went from being lackluster to being one of the strengths of the team. GM John Elway can thank the Football Gods for a little luck, as it pertains to the Broncos’ upgrades at RB, but the front-office czar also deserves a little credit himself for making some key draft selections and making the right coaching hires.

Let’s break down the RB room, starting with the only Pro Bowler in the group

Phillip Lindsay

What more can be said about Phillip Lindsay‘s unlikely rise in the NFL that hasn’t already been uttered? He wasn’t even invited to the NFL Combine last year, which led to him slipping completely out of the draft.

The fact that he went undrafted is a travesty and an indictment on the NFL’s current scouting M.O. Don’t think or a second that Elway had any inclination that Lindsay would be as good as he turned out to be.

Oh, no.

Despite Lindsay receiving assurances from the Broncos themselves while the draft was going that he would be taken by the team at some point in the late rounds, he wasn’t. Instead, the Broncos drafted Arkansas’ David Williams in the seventh round, which as you can imagine, really chapped Lindsay’s hide. Williams didn’t make the 53-man roster out of camp, for what it’s worth.

When the Broncos came calling on the phone immediately following the draft, hoping to sign Lindsay as a college free agent, he was of a mind to tell his hometown team to pound sand. Denver wasn’t the only team interested in the former CU Buff’s services and he felt like he'd been led on.

But thanks to a prescient gut feeling from Lindsay’s mother, Phillip was persuaded to accept Denver’s offer. Lindsay told Elway when he accepted the deal that he would soon become the Broncos’ starting running back.

It seemed like a far-fetched claim, especially considering that the Broncos had drafted not one but two running backs. But I’ll be darned if Lindsay’s bold prediction didn’t come true.

Although Lindsay didn’t start the season as the Broncos’ RB1, he did carve out a role on offense immediately. In the Broncos’ Week 1 victory over Seattle, he totaled more than 100 yards from scrimmage on 17 touches and scored a touchdown.

By Week 10, Lindsay was the starting RB. Despite suffering a wrist injury in Week 16 that would require immediate surgery, Lindsay finished his rookie campaign with 1,037 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on the ground, to go along with 35 receptions for 241 yards and another score.

It earned him an unprecedented Pro Bowl election. Alas, he wasn’t able to participate in the Pro Bowl, but it still shows up on his resume as having earned the all-star accolade, because he was voted as a starter, not as an alternate.

Heading into 2019, you can believe that Phillip Lindsay is just as motivated as he was as an undrafted rookie. This time, the NFL world can’t wait to say that his sensational rookie year was a fluke, an outlier — absolving the scouting institution for it’s collective miss.

Lindsay's not about to let that happen. He has been slow to return to practice this spring, though, as the team has taken a cautious approach. But he is expected to be a full participant in training camp. Look out, NFL.

Royce Freeman

Royce Freeman was the first RB the Broncos drafted in 2018 — taken in the third round out of Oregon. He projected out of the gates as the team’s RB1 and that’s exactly how his rookie campaign began.

Despite Lindsay’s consistent play-making ability, Freeman managed to hold onto the starting job (in a nominal sense) until Week 9, when he suffered a pesky but severe high-ankle sprain. There was a reason, however, Freeman continued to control the starting job through the first nine weeks.

While he might not have risen to the explosive heights of Lindsay, Freeman proved to be a very good ‘back in the Broncos’ offense, showcasing a physical and aggressive running style. Often Freeman would make the first man miss and pick up those coveted yards after contact.

But the ankle sprain ended up sapping all of the momentum out of his rookie year. He missed two games and when he returned, he simply wasn’t the same ‘back. Just because a player returns to the field of play doesn’t mean that he’s 100%.

Such was the case for Royce Freeman, though he did finish the season strong. In Week 17, with Lindsay being placed on injured reserve, Freeman started once again, eclipsing 100 yards from scrimmage. He hauled in a whopping eight receptions in the season finale.

All in, Freeman rushed for 521 yards as a rookie and five touchdowns, averaging 4.0 YPC. That average was significantly higher before he suffered his injury.

Looking ahead to 2019, Freeman is also a man on a mission. Seeing himself get outshined by an undrafted teammate, despite the fact that Freeman and Lindsay became close friends, has seemingly had a galvanizing effect on the former Oregon Duck.

As the Broncos’ RB1 during OTAs (with Lindsay sidelined), Freeman looked even better than he did last year. The battle between Freeman and Lindsay for the honor of being named the starter will be one of training camp’s most explosive competitions.

Devontae Booker

Lost among the sensation of Lindsay’s Pro Bowl campaign, and Freeman’s draft pedigree, was Devontae Booker. Booker was Denver’s fourth-round pick in 2016 and finished his rookie year as the Broncos’ leading rusher.

Alas, Booker appeared to regress in 2017, but it no doubt had something to do with Denver’s putrid offensive scheme, as originally conceived by OC Mike McCoy, who was fired midseason. But no excuses, Booker didn’t take that step forward in year two that the Broncos’ brass had hoped to see, necessitating the drafting of two ‘backs in 2018, plus the signing of Lindsay.

However, Booker appeared to perceive the front-office moves appropriately as a shot across his bow, because he looked like a completely different player in 2018. Despite being the Broncos’ RB3, Booker had a career year, finishing with a 5.4 YPC average (tying Lindsay for the team high).

It goes without saying, the emergence of Denver’s three-headed rushing attack and the arrival of RBs Coach Curtis Modkins was no coincidence. Modkins helped this trio to rise to dominant and prolific heights, which is no doubt the biggest factor for Vic Fangio making him one of the few Joseph hires to be retained.

As for Booker, he’s entering a contract year. I’m curious to see where things go for him. But there’s no doubt about his stock — he’s RB3 again, despite his strong 2018 campaign.

Devontae Jackson

Devontae Jackson went undrafted this year out of West Georgia. The 5-foot-7, 176-pound rookie is diminutive but he’s fast and explosive.

Jackson will have to get in where he fits in as a rookie, but Lindsay’s story serves as all the inspiration a guy like Jackson should need. It’s not easy to earn NFL attention coming out of a Division II football program.

Jackson can only embrace his opportunity for what it is. He doesn’t have to be the best RB on the roster. He only has to be better than Booker to make it to the 53-man roster.

Khalfani Muhammad

Despite being nearly identical in size to Jackson (5-foot-7, 174), there is one factor that separates Khalfani Muhammad — he got to hear his name called on Draft Day. Muhammad was Tennessee’s seventh-round pick in 2017.

Muhammad is a former track star and as such, brings tremendous speed to the Broncos’ RB stable. At his pro day, he was clocked at 4.34 in the 40-yard dash.

Both Muhammad and Jackson represent intrigue, but the Broncos have a logjam at the RB position. Barring injury, the most realistic hopes for these two young players is to make it to Broncos’ practice squad.

Fullbacks

Since this is a preview of the running back position, we can’t omit the fullbacks. Andy Janovich enters his contract year and he does so with some real competition nipping at his heels.

The Broncos signed former Pitt behemoth George Aston, sending a not-so-subtle message to Janovich that he’s under the microscope.

It could simply be a matter of the Broncos’ brass wanting to hedge against he future possibility of losing Janovich in free agency. But that’s not an eventuality that will happen until 2020, unless Janovich is cut.

I doubt that’ll happen, because the addition of Aston also telegraphs the intention of new OC Rich Scangarello to utilize the fullback position. Hopefully, it’ll result in Janovich being used as more than a lead-blocker because he is a surprisingly dynamic player with the ball in his hands.

With an inspired play designer, Janovich can be a weapon flying under the radar. I’d be stunned to see Aston unseat Janovich this summer but you can never say never.

Bottom line The Broncos are deep and talented at the running back position. The trio at the top has the ability to be prolific in 2019 and the group is rounded out by two formidable fullbacks who’ll be going at each other in training camp.

Roster prediction The Broncos carried three running backs and a fullback last year and that’s how it’ll likely shake out again in 2019. There’s no doubt the Broncos will carry a fullback this year and his name is Andy Janovich.

The running backs making the Broncos’ 53-man roster will likely be Phillip Lindsay, Royce Freeman and Devontae Booker. But don’t completely sleep on the possibility of Booker being unseated by either Devontae Jackson or Khalfani Muhammad.

15 questions to determine the HoF worthiness of former Broncos By Bob Morris 24/7 Sports June 23, 2019

The 2019 Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony is about a month away and two prominent Denver Broncos — Pat Bowlen and Champ Bailey — will take their rightful places in enshrinement.

Meanwhile, Broncos fans await the day that other former players who have been overlooked get the call.

However, where Broncos fans sometimes err in how to argue cases is often the same way others — particularly those who vote — err in arguing cases. They fall into certain traps that don't really paint the big picture, which leads to certain candidates getting overlooked and other gaining too much traction.

I sat down a few years ago to think about what really needed to be considered when evaluating players, coaches and anyone else for the Hall of Fame. I rolled that list out and I'm sharing it with Mile High Huddle readers. This isn't the first time I've broached the topic.

For anyone who is asking what makes this list so special, I will say this: When I rolled it out at a forum where sports writers frequent, at least one person remarked that what I delineated, if used to determine candidacies, would have put Terrell Davis into the Hall.

No, I don't take credit for my list getting Davis into the Hall. But if it's good enough to get people to conclude that Davis is HOF worthy, then I hope Broncos fans will consider this list.

Let's go over a few things first.

HOW THE LIST CAME ABOUT The list is loosely based on the questions that longtime baseball statistician Bill James put together to get people to evaluate Hall of Fame cases for baseball players. James rolled out the questions in response to a contingent of baseball fans who argued that third baseman Ken Keltner should be in the Pro Baseball Hall of Fame. James' intent was to get people to put a player's career into perspective.

The questions to be asked weren't simply about scoring points, though. Sometimes the answers to a few questions will strongly support a player's case, without having to look at others. In other cases, answers to nearly all questions help the player's case, but not a single answer indicates the player is a lock.

What the questions are designed to do is get people thinking more clearly about how a player measures up in terms of his overall career, how he compares to others and how much works in favor of his case.

It's what Broncos fans really need to do if they want to see, say, Steve Atwater get in to Hall for the Class of 2020.

WHAT'S NOT CONSIDERED James didn't want people thinking too much about conventional wisdom when evaluating baseball players. I don't want the same for football players, either.

Here's what the list isn't going to consider.

Super Bowl rings: Though many deserving Hall of Famers have been part of at least one Super Bowl winning team, many others have not. And when thinking about Super Bowl rings, too much emphasis gets placed on Super Bowl performances.

But Super Bowls are only a small part of the picture. Thinking too much about the number of rings a player has doesn't get you to look at other factors that could help his case.

Furthermore, when you start talking about Super Bowl rings, you start movements for teams that have won multiple Super Bowls to get more players into the Hall. But winning Super Bowls is a sign of great teams, not simply great individuals.

There can be exceptions (coaches would be the big one, such as Mike Shanahan), but you need to think past the rings to determine a candidate's case.

Pro Bowls: There is a lot of fixation on the Pro Bowl to determine who should go into the Hall. While many players with multiple Pro Bowl bids deserve the honor, it's another factor that gets too much weight.

There may be years in which a player deserving of the Pro Bowl doesn't get to go, or players who skip the Pro Bowl for whatever reason lead to others getting a berth -- and in some of those cases, the players really weren't that good, but are going because there's a need to fill a spot.

More importantly, It keeps the focus too narrow, such as certain positions that voters and fans alike don't always understand how to evaluate, or players who don't get much attention because they aren't household names.

It's something to keep in mind when somebody like, say, Chris Harris, Jr. doesn't get attention from those doing Pro Bowl selections.

Statistics: Everyone makes a big fuss about statistics, but they don't always paint a full picture.

Let's take offensive linemen — what stats have been kept on a regular basis? Very little. Thus, statistics aren't a good way to evaluate players such as Tom Nalen.

Now consider the other side: What stats have only been kept more recently? Could they have helped players who have been overlooked? Did it get more recent candidates overrated because the game has changed in recent years?

While stats can be useful, they get too much emphasis, often to the detriment of players for whom stats don't tell the whole story.

Feel-good stories: If one thing has too much influence over the decisions voters make, it's looking for the feel-good narrative about a player so much, said voters want to put the player in the Hall.

This is one aspect that really needs to go away, even if it makes it more difficult to get certain players into the Hall. Because while feel-good stories are fun, they are merely one aspect of a player's career.

And when those stories get pushed too much, it can lead to candidates who were good but not great, slipping into the Hall.

I get that Rod Smith, for example, has a feel-good story about being an undrafted player who rose to prominence. But while I won't say that Smith doesn't belong in the Hall, if you focus too much on the feel- good story for his Hall case, you then give credibility to other players who had such stories and got in when the big picture isn't so kind.

I will talk more about Smith and other Broncos as I go over my questions, but let's get to the questions that fans should consider more to weigh Hall of Fame cases.

1. WAS HE REGARDED AS THE BEST PLAYER IN FOOTBALL AT ANY POINT OF HIS CAREER?

Here's the question that was a boost for Terrell Davis' Hall of Fame case. During the 1998 season, Davis was considered not just the best players on the Broncos roster, but the best player in the NFL, period.

Davis set the tone for the season, keeping the Broncos offense dominant even when John Elway missed time with injuries and backup Bubby Brister stepped in.

Of course, such players are rare, so this won't come into play often. But other questions to consider will.

2. WAS HE THE BEST PLAYER ON HIS TEAM? WAS HE THE BEST PLAYER ON HIS TEAM'S OFFENSE OR HIS TEAM'S DEFENSE?

When you look at this question, you need to consider how much that player impacted his team or the unit on which he played.

John Elway and Peyton Manning are obvious examples for the offense. On defense, this is the question that really boosts Steve Atwater's case.

He was easily the Broncos' best defensive player throughout almost his entire career with the team.

3. WAS HE THE BEST PLAYER AT HIS POSITION? HOW DID HE DEFINE THE POSITION?

The second part of this two-part question is what fans should really examine, because that is where you'll find your best arguments.

Champ Bailey's case was boosted here.

Not only could he often lay claim to being the best cornerback in the NFL in his career, he could also lay claim to defining what it meant to be a shutdown corner and how its importance came to be understood.

4. DID HE HAVE AN IMPACT ON A NUMBER OF PLAYOFF RUNS, NOT JUST SUPER BOWLS, BUT CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS & DIVISION TITLES?

In order to win a Super Bowl, you need to win a conference title. In order to win a conference title, you need to get to the playoffs and a division title is the surest way to get there.

This was what helped Elway's case when the Broncos played in three Super Bowls under Dan Reeves. During those years, the Broncos claimed three AFC titles and multiple AFC West titles.

Were it not for Elway's heroics and ability, the Broncos don't get that far.

5. WAS HE A GOOD ENOUGH PLAYER THAT HE COULD CONTINUE TO REGULARLY PLAY AFTER PASSING HIS PRIME?

Peyton Manning was arguably passing his prime when he joined the Broncos.

But he put together three quality seasons that made the Broncos a playoff contender.

His fourth season didn't go well on an individual level, of course, but the three prior seasons showed that he could still play quarterback, play it well and, in a rare feat for an older player, put together a record- setting season.

6. IS HE THE BEST PLAYER IN THE HISTORY OF FOOTBALL WHO IS NOT IN THE HALL OF FAME?

7. IS HE THE BEST PLAYER AT HIS POSITION IN THE HISTORY OF FOOTBALL WHO IS NOT IN THE HALL OF FAME?

The two questions go hand in hand, though the first one won't apply in most cases. But the second one comes into play more often.

I come back to Steve Atwater here. With Ed Reed now in the Hall, Atwater is the best safety in the NFL's history who is not in the Hall but is eligible.

It's this point Broncos fans should emphasize — and illustrate why from the big picture perspective — to make stronger arguments to get him in.

8. IS THERE ANY EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THE PLAYER WAS SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER OR WORSE THAN IS SUGGESTED BY STATISTICS?

Let's look at Rod Smith. When you look at his statistics, he doesn't really jump out as one of the top receivers in the NFL.

However, Smith may be a case of statistics not telling the whole story. How did his presence, for instance, force defenses to account for him and thus open opportunities for teammates?

This is why you don't want to rely too much on statistics — they don't always tell you the whole story.

Keep in mind that stats might overrate a player's case, and the question is about examining that, too.

9. IS THERE ANY EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT HIS PRESENCE ON HIS TEAMS MADE THE PLAYERS AROUND HIM BETTER OR ELEVATED THEIR PLAY? Let's consider Tom Nalen. While Alex Gibbs deserves plenty of credit for coaching up players, Nalen's presence made a big difference.

Nalen served as the anchor for the Broncos offensive line throughout the 2000s. The Broncos had multiple players on the line in those years, but Nalen was the mainstay.

When you look at the O-line's play, Nalen's presence did a lot to make the rest of the line better. That's a point in his favor for the Hall.

10. HOW MANY MVP-TYPE SEASONS DID HE HAVE? DID HE EVER WIN THE MVP AWARD?

Did someone mention Terrell Davis? Because we know this question gets the affirmative here.

Of course, you have to look at more than just if he won the MVP award — that's the point about MVP- type seasons. After all, there's only one MVP award presented and, in most cases, only one player gets it.

If you think defensive players get overlooked here, you can talk about Defensive Player of the Year. But keep in mind there are years in which defensive players have seasons worthy of MVP, too.

11. IF THIS PLAYER WERE THE BEST ON HIS TEAM, HOW LIKELY WOULD HIS TEAM WIN A CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP? HOW LIKELY WOULD HIS TEAM BE TO WIN A DIVISION TITLE?

Let's go back to look at the Denver Broncos of the 1970s. When you think about how they won several AFC West titles and an AFC championship, you think about the Orange Crush.

Randy Gradishar and Louis Wright were both crucial to those team accomplishments. Either one has a case for being the best player on those teams at the time they played.

Thus, each player has an argument that works in his favor for the Hall of Fame — and thus is one fans should put forward more often when discussing HOF worthiness.

12. WHAT IMPACT DID THE PLAYER HAVE ON THE HISTORY OF THE GAME? DID HE CHANGE THE GAME IN ANY WAY?

I'm going to step away from players for a moment because this is the question that really put Pat Bowlen over the top.

Bowlen was never one to take credit for ideas, but it was his ideas regarding the NFL's televison deals, such as for Sunday Night Football and Thursday night games, that did a lot to increase the NFL's presence and revenues from TV contracts.

He also had plenty of influence on the collective bargaining agreements under Paul Tagliabue and is credited for the concept of the franchise tag.

His franchise's success works in his favor, but I'd argue his influence was more important to his case than people realize.

13. DID HE UPHOLD STANDARDS OF CHARACTER & SPORTSMANSHIP? You want to be careful here — a player who everyone liked doesn't equal a Hall of Famer.

But it does help when looking at how he represented himself and how that impacted the team. DeMarcus Ware, for example, was a player of high character who influenced players around him to become better, both in terms of play and character.

Bear in mind that players who might not have been liked doesn't equal not being worthy of the Hall of Fame. Only when the answer to this question overwhelms other answers should you start to question a player's HOF worthiness.

14. HOW DOES HE COMPARE OVERALL TO ALL PLAYERS WHO ARE IN THE HALL OF FAME?

15. HOW DOES HE COMPARE TO OVERALL PLAYERS AT HIS POSITION WHO ARE IN THE HALL OF FAME?

In some ways, this can be difficult.

Karl Mecklenburg has this problem because he wasn't your typical off-ball linebacker. He was utilized at several positions.

In fact, Mecklenburg was renowned for having played every position in the front seven. And along the way, he earned six Pro Bowl nods and four first-team All-Pro selections.