Are You a Citizen of Broncos Country l Denver Broncos Franchise

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A Packed Practice

By Eric Caldwell Posted July 31, 2011 A record crowd made it to Dove Valley for Sunday morning's practice, which officially kicked off this season's training camp. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Not all of the Dove Valley-record crowd of 3,113 had lined the practice fields when Kyle Orton was the first Bronco to step out of the training facility for today's first full-squad training camp workout. But he got a loud ovation just the same, and the fans kept coming. As the Broncos officially kicked off workouts before their 52nd season of football, some fans arrived before 5 a.m. to get the best viewing spot. They helped energize the players with their consistent support throughout the two-hour practice -- even cheering through opening stretching drills. "There's a lot of excitement around here, and all the players are excited, too," Kyle Orton said. "We're happy to be here, and we just want to get this thing going and see what we got." After the first wave of fans completely filled their designated section, latecomers were led by security to an overflow area behind the end zone to make sure all the orange and blue-clad fans could get their first glimpse of the squad working in full pads since the end of last season. The response didn't seem to surprise Orton. After being around Dove Valley for training camp last year, he's now familiar with the passion of Broncos Country. But the crowd left a favorable first impression on at least one newcomer. "It's definitely nice to see a great turnout by the fans," Brady Quinn said. "Being my second year here, you can tell they're a very fan-favorite team and they get a lot of support from their fans." CRAYTON ARRIVES After signing a free agent contract, Patrick Crayton made his Broncos training camp debut. After missing the four early report workouts, Crayton said his first practice since June minicamp couldn't come soon enough. "I am so happy to be out here with the team," Crayton said. "I'm very excited to be here. The fans were awesome." Crayton fully participated in position drills and even worked with the "gunners" during special teams drills. Head Coach Eric Studesville said Crayton faces a "steep" curve after recovering from a foot injury, but he's encouraged by Crayton's progress since June. CHEERS TO TEBOW Some of the loudest cheers Sunday morning were reserved for the Broncos' 2010 first-round pick. After several completions during drills, groups of fans broke out the "Gator Chomp" in honor of the former Heisman Trophy winners' alma mater. Other fans brought homemade signs and Florida banners, or just chanted his name any chance they got. "Gator Nation is everywhere," Tebow said with a laugh. Tebow said the support, which began with a cheer when he first stepped onto the field, gave him an adrenaline rush. But he also acknowledged that he's used to a lot of attention and won't let it overwhelm him. RUNNING BACK SPOTLIGHT With Knowshon Moreno and Lance Ball knocked out of the morning practice due to injury, the remaining backs saw extensive action during 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills. The injuries gave rookies Isaiah Pead and Davin Meggett an opportunity to shine. "We know (injuries are) part of the game and that's why you have to have people behind them," Studesville said. "We'll see what the timetable may be or the diagnosis." Pead,who rushed for over 1,000 yards last season for the Cincinnati Bearcats, is roomates with fellow rookie back Meggett, who played college ball at Maryland, just like Lance Ball. "I have to seize the opportunity and be ready to step up when guys get injured or nicked up a little bit," Pead said. "It's nothing new. It's just about passing the torch and keeping it moving."

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Long Time Coming

By Associated Press Posted Aug 2, 2011 Shannon Sharpe will finally be inducted into the Hall of Fame tonight. DENVER (AP) -For seven years, the pats on the back were more like punches to the gut. Shannon Sharpe would be eating dinner at one of his favorite haunts in Atlanta or Denver or Chicago, and a well-meaning fan would come up to his table for an autograph and tell him he should be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Another reminder that he was a forgotten man in the eyes of the voters. It happened once at an Italian restaurant while Terrell Davis, Mark Schlereth and Sharpe, who starred for the Denver Broncos teams of the late 1990s, were back at Savannah State to retire his number. ``I guess the same anguish came over my face when that subject came up again and when the guy left the table, Schlereth said, 'Shannon, let it go. Anybody that played with you or watched you play knew that you were a Hall of Famer, my friend. You don't need a bunch of guys to validate that,''' Sharpe recounted. ``I let it go that night,'' Sharpe said. ``I did let it go - to a degree.'' Elway called him ``the greatest and loudest Bronco of us all,'' and Schlereth said, ``He may have gotten on my nerves some days, but he was a great teammate.'' Like the words of Schlereth, these were occasional salves for all the torment Sharpe shouldered through the years. ``It's hard to let it go when people keep introducing you as a 'future Hall of Famer,' and you've always been called a 'future Hall of Famer,''' Sharpe said. ``Well, how far in the future are they talking about?'' Then, last August, Sharpe was shocked to get the call from Hall vice president Joe Horrigan. ``I knew he wasn't calling to tell me I was passed over again,'' Sharpe said. At 42, a month after co-hosting the NFL Today on CBS for the fifth year, Sharpe was finally a Hall of Fame nominee, something he has started to suspect he'd never see for a long time. ``I didn't know what the voters had against me,'' said Sharpe, whose career in Denver spanned the years 1990-1990 and then the Ravens in 2000-2001, and then back to Denver from 2002-2004. He won three super bowls. Two with Denver and one with Baltimore. In Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in February, Sharpe was elected as the 264th member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He'll be inducted Saturday, three years overdue. ``Sharpe has made immeasurable contributions to our franchise and to the NFL, on and off the field, and he deservedly takes his place in Canton among the greatest ever to play this game,'' team owner Pat Bowlen said. Ozzie Newsome, Hall-of-Fame tight end, Ravens' general manager, and the man responsible for signing Sharpe before the 2000 season had this to say about him, "I think he's a threat when he's on the field. He has to be double-teamed. He's a great route-runner. He's proven that he can make the big plays. That's what separates him. He's a threat." Sharpe was selected All-Pro 4 times, played in eight Pro Bowls(1992–1998, 2001) and amassed over 1,000 receiving yards in three different seasons. In a 1993 playoff game against the Los Angeles Raiders , Sharpe tied a postseason record with 13 receptions for 156 yards and a touchdown. In the Ravens 2000 AFC title game against the Raiders, he caught a short pass on 3rd down and 18 from his own four-yard line and took it 96 yards for a touchdown, assisting his team to a 16-3 win. He finished his 14 year career with 815 receptions for 10,060 yards and 62 touchdowns in 204 games. On October 23, 2009, the NCAA Division II Football Hall of Fame announced that Sharpe would be inducted in December of that year. In addition, Savannah State University also retired Sharpe's No. 2 jersey. In 2009, Sharpe was named to the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame and the franchise's 50th Anniversary Team. ``I am so proud to say that I saw every game Shannon Sharpe played here in Denver, and I am well aware of what Sharpe means to this franchise, city, and league,'' Bowlen said. ``Aside from his stellar play on the field, he was instrumental in strengthening the bond between this team and its fans. ``Sharpe waited a long time for this honor, and I could not be happier for him.'' For at long last, Sharpe can go out for dinner now and smile when somebody brings up the Hall of Fame.

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Offseason Rewards

By Eric Butcher Posted Aug 2, 2011 Robert Henson refocused on football this offseason, earning praise from his coaches and teammates. Now the linebacker hopes to parlay his improvement into a bigger onfield impact. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Robert Henson earned one of 10 front row spots in the players' parking lot at the Broncos' Dove Valley facility for being named one of the team's offseason champions. For now, the prime parking space remains the major reward for his months of running, lifting and hard work since the close of last season. But if Henson can continue that momentum as the 2011 season nears, he hopes he's just begun to reap the benefits. Three days into training camp, the 6-foot, 242-pound linebacker continues to impress coaches and teammates with his transformation. Buoyed by a new attitude, Henson is poised to parlay his re-dedication to the sport into an increased impact on the team that drafted him in the 6th round in the 2009 NFL Draft. "I want to go ahead and start a legacy for myself and just live up to what people are expecting me to be," Henson said Monday. "I know what I am capable of and I know what I expect to be." After two seasons in which he played a total of 2 games and recorded just 1 tackle in Washington, who cut him this off-season. Henson understood some changes were in order before his third campaign. Looking back, it's easy for Henson to realize his approach needed adjusting all along. For Henson, who turns 26 today, that meant prioritizing his life, focusing on football and working toward the form that made him a star at Texas Christian. The result of a tireless offseason has been the addition of a few pounds of muscle to his long frame and a renewed sense of purpose on the field. "I just had to sit down and take a deep look at myself," Henson said, "and realize that I am a football player and this is what I love to do." Many around Dove Valley have taken notice. During June minicamp, Henson earned reps with the first-unit defense. In his second year as an outside linebacker in the Broncos' 3-4 scheme, he's shown flashes of the burst and playmaking that first impressed the Broncos during TCU's run to the Fiesta Bowl in 2009. That success has many wondering how a resurgent Henson could boost an already talented linebacking corps. "He’s doing a lot of the little things right that takes some time to learn," Head Coach Eric Studesville said, "so we are excited about what we’ve got with Jarvis this year." That's a sentiment Henson can embrace. While some want to discuss his last two seasons, Henson remains focused on the present and future. Regardless of the role the linebacker ultimately plays this season, teammates have said they are excited about Henson's new attitude. In that way, the offseason champion vote and new parking spot just completed the transformation.

[dtackel78]

what happened to ayers?

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Quote: Originally Posted by dtackel78

what happened to ayers?

Cut I had to...in a couple years I'm probably gonna have the whole defense revamped with new stars. Obviously D.J. Williams will probably be around forever, but I'm betting Joe Mays will be better.

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Running with the Ones

By Gray Baldwin Posted Aug 4, 2011 Jimmy Smith has seen his share of first-team reps, including Wednesday morning, when Champ Bailey and Perrish Cox sat out practice. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- For the Broncos, the secondary is a strength. The defensive backs, comprised of names like Champ Bailey Nate Jones , David Bruton and Renaldo Hill , set the tone for a passing defense that ranked third in the league in 2010. , So cracking the starting lineup is an uphill battle. But a little more than a month after being drafted, that's exactly what a fifth-round pick from Colorado did. Jimmy Smith spent time rotating in for Bailey or Cox at cornerback during the club's June minicamp, occasionally running with the first-team defense. But jumping in with a group of starters the youngest was more than a little nervewracking. "Going in with the ones, I was nervous," Smith said. "I didn't want to make any mistakes, and that was kind of the biggest part. I was thinking so much, it was hurting me on the smaller things as far as where my hips are and everything." But the rookie continued earning reps, improving while soaking in all he could from his teammates -- and even snaring a couple of interceptions in the process. Wednesday, Smith once again took his place in the starting lineup when Bailey sat out the morning practice of the fourth day of training camp, and Cox sat out because of a groin injury. Head Coach Eric Studesville said the rookie is seeing increased reps to "see what happens," along with Nate Jones , as both are competing for a spot behind the two starters, Bailey and Cox. What happened Wednesday was a standout performance by Smith. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound corner grabbed an interception during 7-on-7 drills early in practice and broke up a handful more throughout the session. During an 11-on-11, two-minute drill, he leaped to snatch a Kyle Orton pass in mid-air that looked like it would've fallen into Donte Stallworth 's hands for the quarterback's second-consecutive touchdown pass. "Getting a few days under my belt going out with them, it's kind of put me in a little comfort mode," Smith said of playing with the starters. "I'm kind of comfortable and staying in my playbook as much as possible and talking to (Secondary) Coach Ed (Donatell)." In addition to going to his position coach, Smith is not afraid to ask his teammates for help, particularly Bailey. The 13th-year veteran gives Smith pointers about "everything," from proper technique to what to expect from offenses in certain formations. The rookie has gone to Cox and Jones for help, as well, and even looked to safeties Renaldo Hill and David Bruton for pointers on what to expect during his rookie campaign. That willingness to listen and penchant for playmaking has caught the eye of his teammates. "He's an awesome talent," Mario Haggan said. "Right now he's young, he's got a lot of things to learn, but who better to learn from than Champ Bailey? He's soaking it in right now. With his size and athletic ability, I think he can be a very good corner." As Smith's confidence rises along with his training camp interception total, his coaches are taking notice as well. "Coach Ed always used to come to me after every play -- 'Technique, technique, technique,'" Smith said. "Today he kind of backed off and gave me a five after making plays."

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A Hall of Fame View By Eric Butcher Posted Aug 4, 2011 Broncos fans can watch Shannon Sharpe's Hall of Fame induction ceremony via Thundervision on video screens at INVESCO Field at Mile following the stadium practice. On Saturday, the third player to spend a significant portion of his career with the Denver Broncos will put on the golden blazer as a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. A bust of Shannon Sharpe will be presented to the league legend, and the franchise is making sure the fans can enjoy training camp and watch Sharpe's induction at the same time. The Broncos are holding a practice open to the public with free admission at INVESCO Field at Mile High from 6-8 p.m. MDT on the same day as the Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Immediately following the practice, Sharpe's speech will be broadcast on Thundervision video screens at the stadium for all the Broncos faithful to see. The players will wear decals featuring Sharpe's intials "SS" on their helmets in both of the day's practices to celebrate Sharpe joining John Elway, Gary Zimmerman, and Floyd Little as the fourth Denver Bronco in the Hall of Fame. Sharpe was drafted in the 7th round of the 1990 NFL Draft, 192nd overall, by the Denver Broncos. He had a mediocre rookie season as a wide receiver, until Broncos head coach Dan Reeves convinced him to convert to tight end. He remained with Denver until 1999, winning two championship rings in Super Bowl XXXII and Super Bowl XXXIII in the process. After the 1997 season championship, his first, he appeared on General Mills' Wheaties boxes with four other Broncos. After a two-year stint with the Baltimore Ravens, where he won another championship ring in Super Bowl XXXV, he returned to the Broncos. He played there until 2003. Then he retired to become an NFL broadcaster for CBS. In 2009, Sharpe was named to the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame and the franchise's 50th Anniversary Team. "I'm thrilled to be sharing this experience with the fans that will be coming out to INVESCO Field at Mile High," Sharpe said. "In my Hall of Fame speech, I'll talk about Broncos fans who I feel are the best fans in the world. I truly was blessed to be a Bronco in my life. I just want to say, 'thank you,' to the fans for all of the support and loyalty they have given me all these years." FAN INFORMATION Parking will be available free of charge in all stadium lots with the exception of Lots F,H, I and N. Last year the stadium practice drew 13,402 fans, representing the largest attendance for a practice in franchise history, so fans are encouraged to arrive early and avoid delays. Entry to the stadium through Gates 4 and 10 will begin at 5 p.m. Seating for the practice is general admission, and the standard stadium bag and prohibited item policy will be in place. Bags must be soft-sided and larger than 12" x 12" x 12". Non-alcoholic beverages in plastic bottles that are still factory sealed are permitted through stadium gates. Broncos cheerleaders and alumni will be available to sign autographs for fans starting at 5 p.m. at Gate 9 of the stadium. A Broncos Kids Zone will be set up at the Sports Legends Mall at the south entrance of the stadium with inflatables and other activities for kids to participate in. Play-by-play man Dave Logan (850 KOA) will emcee the full-pads practice that will help the players simulate game day scenarios.

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Home For Practice

By Eric Butcher Posted Aug 8, 2011 The Broncos practiced before more than 20,000 at INVESCO Field at Mile High on Saturday night, creating a unique game-like atmosphere. DENVER -- Daniel Graham doesn't generally hide his excitement. So it's no surprise that as the Broncos lined up for a live goal-line drill during Saturday night's practice at INVESCO Field at Mile High, the veteran tight end dispensed the first headbutt to an offensive teammate. Soon, the first-team offensive players were all headbutting each other, pumping themselves up for a goal-line score. When the defense held the offense out of the end zone on three straight run plays from the 2-yard line, Graham was the first to get in their faces. His teammates followed with a score on the very next play, a 2-yard run by Lance Ball. The second-team defense followed with their own stop and more jubilation. Then, the crowd of 20,792 broke into the wave. Clearly, this was a special practice. For the third straight year, the Broncos offered fans a chance to watch a workout at INVESCO Field at Mile High and players an opportunity to practice under more game-like conditions more than a month before their first regular season game. "I think it’s great for us to come down here and play in an atmosphere like this," Head Coach Eric Studesville said. The first-year coach said he had several more tactical goals for the workout -- in addition to giving many players their first taste of the home crowd. Part of that was giving players a chance to work on substituting in and out of game-like scenarios from their spots on the sidelines. Although Studesville said the game-like situations and competitive situations, such as the goal line drill, likely would've been included in today's workout if it took place at Dove Valley, many players said having thousands of screaming fans on hand added an extra element. "To be able to have a drive and try to run the offense was fun," said Tim Tebow . "It was exciting. I loved being out there." The crowd, which exceeded the 13,402 who showed up for last year's inaugural event, started filing into the stadium at about 4:45 p.m. Within minutes, the Broncos' fine-tuning for play at their home stadium began when the specialists took the field for some work. Matt Prater pounded a few kickoffs and field goal attempts into the nets behind each goal post, while Britton Colquitt took snaps from Lonie Paxton and hit punts from a variety of spots. Once the full squad took the field, the learning continued. The rookies -- many of whom were sporting new and interesting haircuts given to them by the veterans -- particularly benefitted from the chance to feel the buzz created by Broncos faithful. With the preseason opener in Arizona two weeks away, tonight served as a sneak peek for what is to come. "It was more real," Doug Mathis said. "I got a good feeling of what it might be to play a game here." "It was just a great opportunity to come out here and compete with my teammates," added John Engelberger . "I had a blast." At times, the Broncos clearly played to the crowd. After a long catch from Tim Tebow during 11-on-11 drills, Brandon Lloyd sprang up and tossed the football high in the air back in the direction of the quarterback. Later, Brady Quinn celebrated a touchdown pass to Eric Decker with a jumping body bump involving his receiver and Derrick Dockery . Studesville said that sort of excitement -- whether it was the offense making a big play or the defense stuffing the goal-line drill -- was one indication of his team's progress during an important practice session. "I think we showed that we were a little bit ahead maybe of where we were at this point last year," Studesville said. "(There are) still plenty of mistakes and things to correct, but I think the guys are working the right way and are working towards being good at the right types of things early in the season.”