Patrick Smyth, Executive Director of Media Relations ([email protected] / 303‐264‐5536) Rebecca Villanueva, Media Services Manager ([email protected] / 303‐264‐5598) Erich Schubert, Media Relations Coordinator ([email protected] / 303‐264‐5503)
DENVER BRONCOS ROOKIE MINI‐CAMP QUOTES (5/12/12)
CORNERBACK OMAR BOLDEN
On his workout Saturday “It was a good day. It’s good to be back on the field, just competing again. It’s just a learning process, getting down a new defense, stuff like that.”
On the last time he participated in a full practice “In 2010. I got hurt in the spring of 2011. So this is all exciting for me. I really love this game. Just to have the opportunity to be out here and play in the NFL and for the Broncos, it’s an amazing opportunity.”
On being injured last season “It was a tough situation to go through. I was very excited to come back [to school]. We had very high expectations for our team. For us not only to lose me and a couple other starters, it was pretty devastating to the team. To sit back and watch your senior year, it’s pretty painful, especially when you put a lot of time and energy and effort and heart into this game.”
On if he was able to stay involved throughout the year “I stayed involved. I traveled to every game, went to every practice, went to every meeting. I was still named a captain of the team. So I played my part. But it was just hard to watch.”
On when he got back to 100 percent “I would say in between the Combine and the Pro Day. It’s a long road to get back coming off an ACL injury, but I think I’m there. I’ve been making a few plays out on the field. I’m just excited to move forward.”
On whether he hurt his other knee earlier in his career “Back in 2009, I hurt my MCL at practice. Unfortunately both my injuries came at practice. I sat out the remainder of the year, also.”
On going against former teammates Gerell Robinson and Brock Osweiler “It’s fun. It’s pretty cool, too, because I kind of know a little bit of their tendencies. It just makes for better competition. They know a little bit about me as well. They kind of know what might work on me, what might not work on me.”
On who is getting the better of that matchup “We’re equally working hard (laughing).”
On whether he learned anything from being hurt “Definitely. That was one of the few pluses of sitting out. I was able to grow mentally and develop more as a player as far as sitting back in the meetings and just watching the defense develop in front of my eyes and unfold and stuff like that.”
©2012 Denver Broncos Football Club. All rights reserved. The individual quotes cited in this document may be used for the purpose of news reporting and other fair uses as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act. Duplication or posting of this quote sheet, in its entirety, or any other use of this material which is not a fair use as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act is strictly prohibited without the prior written consent of the Denver Broncos Football Club. On whether that knowledge will help in the NFL “Definitely. But at the same time, I’m now going through a whole new learning experience as far as a different defense, new terminology, new offenses. It’s just all part of this learning experience.”
On ‘positive living’ “I’ve always been a positive, high‐energy guy. But it really came about when I got hurt. It was a really hard time for me. I really wanted to come back and help my team win. For me to lose that whole season, it was pretty hard. I just have a tight circle of close friends and we’re real big on positive energy. It kind of just started as ‘live positive, live positive.’ We turned it into ‘positive living.’ Then we started tweeting about it. Before you know it, a lot of people were just catching on and it turned into a movement. It wasn’t planned, it just happened like that.”
On having a lot of veterans in the secondary “For one, there are a few vets in here. I see that as a huge opportunity to learn. There’s no better situation to come in than to be in my shoes—to learn from [CBs] Champ Bailey, Tracy Porter and [Drayton] Florence, who they just brought in. These are guys, they’ve been around for a long time. There’s a reason why they’re still here. Seven‐to‐10 years later, I want to be one of those guys that’s still around. I’m just going to do my best to stick in their pocket, stick in their ear and learn as best as I can.”
On how he describes himself as a corner “I would say I can do a little bit of everything. I take pride in the way I play as far as being aggressive, being able to run with guys downfield and making plays. I’m just trying to do whatever I can to contribute and help this team win.”
On whether he returns kicks “Yes. If they give me the opportunity, yes, I’m going to take it and run full speed with it.”
On whether he returns punts and kickoffs “I didn’t really return punts in college, except for in practice. Also if I get that opportunity, I’m definitely going to try to.”
On whether being on the same team with Osweiler and Robinson makes the transition easier “Oh yeah. It’s always good to come in with somebody you know. Obviously you come in with a class full of rookies and everybody’s going through the same thing. But when you can look to your right or to your left and know that you’ve been through similar situations like this for the past three‐to‐four years with guys that you kind of consider as your brothers, it helps. It makes it a little easier to transition to the NFL.”
On whether he has experience covering tight ends “I played in the Pac‐10, now the Pac‐12, so we’ve seen a wide variety of offenses, from spreads to pro formations to pro‐style offenses. I’ve seen the whole nine [yards]. There’s not really too much I haven’t seen, I haven’t covered. But obviously this is all new to me. It’s different formations. We’ve got a guru in Peyton Manning who is going to run the ship. It’s going to be an exciting experience, and I’m definitely going to enjoy learning the whole time.”
On whether he wore a knee brace during practice “No.”
On where he played on special teams at ASU “My freshman year I played gunner. Sophomore year I played a little bit of gunner. Then after that I was just a corner on punt returns and returning the ball as far as kick return goes.”
On whether special teams will be his role as a rookie “Oh definitely. Well, wherever my role is, whatever they want me to do, I’m going to do. Whether they want me to run down on kickoff, or they want me to run down and cover punts or they want me to return the ball, whether they want me to play nickel— whatever. I’m just excited to have this opportunity to play in the NFL. Coming off a knee injury, missing a whole year, I see myself as very blessed and fortunate. A lot of guys would love to be in my position, so I’m going to take full advantage.”
©2012 Denver Broncos Football Club. All rights reserved. The individual quotes cited in this document may be used for the purpose of news reporting and other fair uses as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act. Duplication or posting of this quote sheet, in its entirety, or any other use of this material which is not a fair use as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act is strictly prohibited without the prior written consent of the Denver Broncos Football Club.