Went to Broncos camp this AM

[Bronco Billy]

Praticed in helmets, tees, & shorts, about 1/2 of the practice was 11 on 11.

 

Best player of the session? Mike Bell, hands down. He & Henry were the only RBs who seem to understand the "one-cut" system. Bell did not make one judgment error in making his cuts - not once. He went parallel to the line, saw the seam open in front of him & behind him, and immediately darted into it and was well into the second level or beyond before any D players touched him. It looks like he's taking this Sapp playing 2nd string RB personally.

 

Sapp is Sapp - he's got a great attitude, but he's a missle - you aim him at a hole and he runs to that hole. End of story. No cuts, no running to daylight. His running style is best described as a battering ram. Doesn't make him a bad RB, or a non-contibutor to the team. But his style does not fit a Shanahan offense at all.

 

Cutler looked good for the most part. Went through his progressions and hit 2nd & 3rd options. A couple of "scratch your head" passes that made him look like a rookie or close to it, but for the most part he was on target and making good choices. No deep balls at all in 11 on 11. Fades & timing passes in the end zone drills were outstanding. Took the team to the 10 yd line from their own 20 with 49 seconds left on the clock in a last 2 minutes/down by 6 drill in 11 on 11. Getting rid of the ball on almost every pass in 3 1/2 seconds or less.

 

TE Daniel Graham caught as many or more passes in 11 on 11 than anyone. He didn't have a drop and Cutler seemed very comfortable checking down to him. If he isn't on your radar as a sleeper TE, you'd better change that. No one will confuse him with Gates, but there is potetial for him to have a good year, and he'll play in all situations except perhaps very long passing downs. Showed the catching skills he showed at CU.

 

Henry looked solid - not as good as Bell - but very comfortable in the offense. His running style definitely fits the O. Nailed Bly with a stiff arm when he bounced a run outside for the only real good contact of the day, and drew oohs & ahhs from the crowd. Some people taunted Bly about not being in DET any more (including me). He laughed & choked himself, playing with the crowd, which they ate up.

 

O line is intact & no one limping, arms hanging, etc.

 

Walker was solid but not spectacular. Cutler is looking like he's willing to limit his opportunities downfield in favor of safer throws, and let the running game & D win games while he manages them, which may affect Walker's numbers in a bad way.

 

Marshall & Scheffler, along with R Smith were all PUPped. Marshall expects to be back next week. Unknown on the other 2.

 

Ramsey is okay as a backup, but makes more bad decisions/forces than Cutler. Was the only QB to go deep in 11 on 11 (unsuccessfully).

 

Typical Bates' D, playing a 4-3 cover 2. Interesting starting 20 minutes of the practice after stretching. D was working exclusively on stripping, punching balls out, recovering the ball, and covering the corners, as well as catching INTs at their peak, including D-linemen. It set the tone and was noticable that D drills started this way. Shanahan clearly let Bates have his way with the first drill of the session, and Bates made his statement on what he wants to imrpove the most. Bates is very vocal & scratches players behind the ears when they make good plays as well as berating them when they screw up. Very refreshing, and the players really responded to it.

 

D-line is noticably improved. Lots of beef at DT, and lots of speed at DE. Biggest improvement over last year is right here. Jarvis Moss looks like a NBA small forward - he's got to beef up significantly, he has very skinny legs.

 

LB Nate Webster was out of control, holding in individual pass D drills every time, and managed to piss off some team mates with his behavior. The he collided with Walker in the flats on the 2 minute drill where both were on the ground & prone for 3 minutes or more - scaring the crap out of everyone. If he keeps this crap up, I'll project that he's history within 2 weeks. DJ Williams is clearly the D leader, and is vocal. Williams looked solid inside, never out of position or out of control.

 

Curome Cox is making a bid for a starting SS spot held by Nick Ferguson, who was injured last year. He made great reads & was all over the field. If it weren't for Bell being so spectacular, Cox would have been the player of the session. Sleeper alert for IDP leagues.

Edited July 29, 2007 by Bronco Billy

[The Wolf]

Thanks BB...good stuff in here. I see you have not changed your high opinion of Mike Bell since last season.

 

Do you see any chance that Bell cuts into Henry's carries this season? I'm not talking about goal line or breather situations either.

 

Thanks!

[Bronco Billy]

Thanks BB...good stuff in here. I see you have not changed your high opinion of Mike Bell since last season.

 

Do you see any chance that Bell cuts into Henry's carries this season? I'm not talking about goal line or breather situations either.

 

Thanks!

 

My opinion of Bell has nothing to do with what he did on the field today. If he looked bad or lost, that's just what I'd post here. The light bulb has gone on for him, & he gets it. He knows how the system works and what he has to do in order to be successful in that system.

 

Now, tomorrow we may hear that he looked like crap in Monday practices. But from what I saw today, there was no tentativeness, and when a seam opened, he literally exploded into it.

 

That said, Shanahan brought Henry in for one thing - to tote the rock as a featured RB. He's talented and has put up some very good numbers with some bad rushing teams in the past. His running style fits DEN's O well from what I saw today, so there is no reason to think that Henry wouldn't be the go-to guy this season. Based upon what else I saw today, it wouldn't surprise me to see Bell get a few carries a game despite Henry being the hoss. DEN is going back to smash-mouthed running from the previous few years of trying to hit a homerun every play & getting too many plays with 0, 1, or 2 yds gained as a result of using RBs who wouldn't or couldn't run between the tackles.

 

There's no reason why Henry couldn't hit 320 carries this year & still leave another 100-120 for another RB like Bell.

Edited July 30, 2007 by Bronco Billy

[broncosn05]

Where were you at BB? I went also before I went to the Rockies game, stuck with a crappy view most of the time. As for my session's best, David Kircus hands down.

[Bronco Billy]

Where were you at BB? I went also before I went to the Rockies game, stuck with a crappy view most of the time. As for my session's best, David Kircus hands down.

 

We were at the top of the hill at literally right to the immediate south of the VIP section at midfield.

 

Kircus had a very good session also, but had a bad drop on a 10 yd out in the 2 minute drill thrown in with his catches. Bell simply didn't miss on one opportunity. I wouldn't have believed that a RB could make that many good decisions in as many opportunities if I had not seen it myself. The kid was flat out in a zone & seeing everything. I don't expect it to keep up - I don't see how any RB could sustain tht kind of performance, but to watch it was pretty awesome.

[broncosn05]

We were at the top of the hill at literally right to the immediate south of the VIP section at midfield.

 

Kircus had a very good session also, but had a bad drop on a 10 yd out in the 2 minute drill thrown in with his catches. Bell simply didn't miss on one opportunity. I wouldn't have believed that a RB could make that many good decisions in as many opportunities if I had not seen it myself. The kid was flat out in a zone & seeing everything. I don't expect it to keep up - I don't see how any RB could sustain tht kind of performance, but to watch it was pretty awesome.

What VIP section? I know when you first walk in there's a VIP section to the left of the endzone and then another at the left of the other endzone. Does the middle have a VIP section?

 

Didn't see the drop, just saw two awesome catches, the long one I had an awesome view of. I'm not putting that much on a RB with no pads. Cutler looked good as well, even on that second field to the left.

[Bronco Billy]

What VIP section? I know when you first walk in there's a VIP section to the left of the endzone and then another at the left of the other endzone. Does the middle have a VIP section?

 

No, we were to the south of the VIP section at midfield, up near the top of the berm by the bushes. Ferguson walked over in front of us before practice and introduced Hixon to the crowd, and then he was running his mouth introducing all the secondary players when he was right in front of us during stretching.

[broncosn05]

No, we were to the south of the VIP section at midfield, up near the top of the berm by the bushes. Ferguson walked over in front of us before practice and introduced Hixon to the crowd, and then he was running his mouth introducing all the secondary players when he was right in front of us during stretching.

Nice. Got there late, sleep, so I missed the flip.

[loyalboyd]

So who was playing MLB Nate Webster or DJ. And what position was DJ playing if not MLB.

[broncosn05]

So who was playing MLB Nate Webster or DJ. And what position was DJ playing if not MLB.

DJ, as it's been for a while. Or at least reported.

[Outshined]

Good info - I am thinking Graham could have a good year. It seemed like Cutler like to throw to the TE last year. Heres hoping those two develop some good chemistry. Whats Schefflers role now? Are they going to use a lot of two tight end sets like they did a few years ago? You never knew who was going to score.

Edited July 30, 2007 by Outshined

[Bronco Billy]

So who was playing MLB Nate Webster or DJ. And what position was DJ playing if not MLB.

 

Actually, they both play MLB. Williams is the lock & load starter.

[Bronco Billy]

Oh - forgot to add that rookie 315 lb DT Marcus Thomas was called out in front of the squad before stretching & did a handspring followed by a back flip.

 

Pretty freakin' impressive to see a human that large be capable of pulling that off.

Edited July 30, 2007 by Bronco Billy

[Swiss Cheezhead]

Oh - forgot to add that rookie 315 lb DT Marcus Thomas was called out in front of the squad before stretching & did a handspring followed by a back flip.

 

Pretty freakin' impressive to see a human that large be capable of pulling that off.

 

Whoa. I knew the dude was super-athletic, but damm. That's amazing.

 

I'm also in the Daniel Graham camp. You can tell Cutler likes the TE, and Graham is just going to be on the field a lot more than Scheffler. I envision about 65 rec, 715 yds, 8 TDs.

[Ruffian]

If Bell is not the starter at the outset of the season, will he eventually take that role IYO, BB?

[Big Ernie McCracken]

If Bell is not the starter at the outset of the season, will he eventually take that role IYO, BB?

 

 

I doubt that Denver gave Henry a big pay day to do anything but tote the rock 20+ times a game. Bell is a must have handcuff, but not the starter coming out of camp IMO

[Fatman]

Thanks for the info BB. Very excited to hear about the prospects of Williams at MLB in Bates' defense.

[NAUgrad]

Whoa. I knew the dude was super-athletic, but damm. That's amazing.

 

I'm also in the Daniel Graham camp. You can tell Cutler likes the TE, and Graham is just going to be on the field a lot more than Scheffler. I envision about 65 rec, 715 yds, 8 TDs.

Be careful with this. I expect that Shanny will have 2 TE sets all day. Which will be a major problem for D's because both TE's can catch very well. Scheffler and Graham will basically be "splitting" catches all season. I actually would give the nod for more catches to Scheffler, but not by much. It's going to be sort of an RBBC, but an TEBBC regarding catches. There's basically going to be 4 WR's (2 TE"S, 2 WR's) in most of Denver's base sets. Seeing 2 TE's that can both catch is going to lead to match up problems with defenses and provide Cutler with many opportunities.

[Bronco Billy]

If Bell is not the starter at the outset of the season, will he eventually take that role IYO, BB?

 

I'd be surprised to see that. I don't see how Bell could maintain the level of performance that he displayed yesterday.

[Bronco Billy]

I'll have to respectfully have to disagree with fellow Donkey fan NAUgrad.

 

I think Denver is as deep on O as it has ever been (note - I didn't say more talented).

 

With Walker, Marshall, Stokley, a potentially healthy Smith, and even Kircus and/or Hixon, DEN can go legitimately 3 wides at any time (and they worked on emptying the backfield yesterday and placing Henry & Bell in wide positions in the slot - interesting that Sapp did not get one rep during those plays). With Graham, Scheffler, and Alexander they can go 2 TEs, and with a FB like Sapp and/or Johnson they can go conventional - and put legit NFL talent on the field at all times doing so.

 

I think you're going to see Shanahan open the playbook wide open with multiple formations on even single drives, and exploit whatever is working best.

 

My impression is also that Shanahan is trying to train Sapp to be both a RB & a FB, thus saving a roster spot to use elsewhere (probably WR or D-line), and the only way he'll learn to play RB is to get meaningful reps at RB. There has been what I would call some dramatic over-reaction to Sapp running with the 2nd team - he & Bell were splitting reps there, and Bell was clearly the better of the two.

Edited July 30, 2007 by Bronco Billy

[NAUgrad]

Your point makes sense BB. I guess I was looking at it in a general sense. They certainly have the players now to really get creative with the playbook. I was merely generalizing based on a 2 TE set. Most D's may have a linebacker that can cover a TE fairly well, but not many have 2 LB's that can effectively cover both TE's, which gives Denver some great miss matches.

 

My point was merely putting a larger stock in Graham over Scheffler, or visa versa would be a mistake, and taking either of them high I think would also be a mistake.

 

Keep posting your TC updates.