The NFL has handed out its weekly fines, and two Denver Broncos made the dubious list.

Linebacker Von Miller has been fined $21,000 for a hit on Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton.  Miller was penalized for roughing the passer on the play for hitting Newton below the knees.  Miller plans to appeal, telling the Denver Post:

“How am I supposed to know if he threw the ball or not?  I was down on the ground — actually the guard facemasked me and threw me into the quarterback. I’m supposed to what? Stand straight up and continue with the tackle?”

Defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson was fined $15,000 for a horsecollar penalty on Newton.

Now back to the field…a focus for the Broncos this week in practice has been ball security.  Running back Willis McGahee has five fumbles though nine games this season – tying a career high for an entire season.  (McGahee has lost four of those fumbles.)

Get a grip, Willis, and we all mean that in the most loving way possible:

McGahee’s are especially troubling, given it hasn’t been a problem previously in his career and he is the team’s primary back, the kind of player the Broncos would like to power a big part of the offense down the stretch, to protect leads and run the clock.

But those plans come with a warning label if McGahee can’t tighten his grip. He’s lost four fumbles in 160 carries this season — one for every 40 carries.

That total would be slightly worse had McGahee been unable to scramble his way on a second fumble he had lost against the Panthers this past Sunday.

Other Headlines:

• Bleacher Report: Tim Tebow’s ex-teammate Brian Dawkins comes to his defense.
• Denver Broncos: The Broncos expect the Chargers to give them their best shot in Sunday’s rematch.
• Denver Broncos: Safety David Bruton, linebacker Von Miller and tight end Jacob Tamme go one-on-one with fans.
• Denver Post: More history for Peyton Manning?  It’s possible.
• ESPN: Can the Broncos represent the AFC in the Super Bowl?

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‘Tis the voting season…

But here’s an election of sorts that hopefully won’t pollute your Facebook timeline.

Voting for the 2013 Pro Bowl is underway until Monday, Dec. 17.  A total of 26 Broncos are nominated, and you can vote here.  The AFC and NFL teams will be announced on NFL Network on Wednesday, Dec. 26.

Fan voting accounts for one-third of results.

You can watch (there are so many jokes to make there…) the 2013 Pro Bowl on Sunday, Jan. 27 at 5:00 p.m. MST on NBC.  Yes, the Pro Bowl is kinda sorta lame, and yes, the NFL is considering dropping it altogether, but being selected is still an honor for players.

Last season, six Broncos were selected: Champ Bailey, Ryan Clady, Brian Dawkins, Elvis Dumervil, Willis McGahee, and Von Miller.

Follow Denver Horse Force on Twitter at @DENHorseForce and Facebook at www.facebook.com/denverhorseforce.

It’s good to be back.

Back in Denver from my vacation extravaganza…though still mourning its demise, it’s time to refocus on the Broncos.

First things first, time for headlines.

Kickin’ it with Kiz: John Elway’s job title someday could include Denver Broncos owner - Broncos had better win big. If the Broncos fall under .500 this season and miss the playoffs regardless of whether quarterback Peyton Manning stays healthy, will John Elway get the ax as the team’s top football executive?  Johnny, Huntsville, Ala.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Brian Dawkins at peace after retiring from Broncos, NFL - He has played football for most of his life, but there’s more about life than football for Brian Dawkins.  His numbers helped revolutionize the safety position: 13 years as a Philadelphia Eagle and the past three as a Bronco; nine Pro Bowls; six times named all-pro; one Super Bowl appearance; 624 total tackles; 26 sacks; 98 passes defended; 37 interceptions and 28 forced fumbles.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Del Rio, Dawkins Help Children Dare to Play - In the NFL, it might seem that winning is the only thing that matters when it comes to football.  That couldn’t have been farther from the truth during Saturday’s Dare to Play Football Camp.  The camp, hosted by former Bronco Ed McCaffrey and the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, allows children with Down syndrome to live out their dream of playing football.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Report: LT considered Broncos- LaDainian Tomlinson officially retired as a San Diego Charger on Monday.  But Tomlinson told U-T San Diego on Saturday that he considered joining one of the Chargers’ main rivals — the Denver Broncos.  ”The only team I really gave a thought to was the Broncos, because of Peyton (Manning),” Tomlinson told the Union-Tribune. “We talked. Tom (Condon, Tomlinson’s agent) talked with them … It made me pause a little (and think), ‘Was this what I really want to do?’ and I said, ‘They got Peyton, they have a good defense already; they went deep in the playoffs with Tim Tebow, what are they going to do with Peyton?’ I seriously thought about it.”  Read more from ESPN >>>>

Broncos negotiating deals with three players - With training camp less than a month away, the Denver Broncos still have several contracts to get done.  The team has $10.87 million in cap space, according to PFT, and three players remain un-signed.  Disgruntled kicker Matt Prater, rookie quarterback Brock Osweiler and running back Ronnie Hillmanare negotiating multiple-year deals with the club.  Read more from Bronco Talk >>>>

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Follow me on Twitter and you’ll notice I like taking pictures.  Being that phones have also become primary cameras, I’m usually snapping photos of just about everything that sparks my interest (this includes signs referencing Indiana or Hoosiers, and basically anything with an Angry Bird on it).  As a consequence, the cameras that I have that don’t also allow me to check my email or make calls have sat largely unused.

Recently though, I had to pull out one of the “just a cameras.”  Checking the memory card I stumbled across my last big photo shoot.  Dozens of snapshots from the Denver Broncos training camp in 2011.  My first reaction was, “Man, I can’t wait for football to return!”  As I scrolled through the photos, I had another thought, “Hmm, I’m gonna need to get back to camp this year as most of these photos are of people no longer with the Denver Broncos.”

Denver’s roster moves aren’t any sort of new revelation.  We’ve been aware of every move since that cold, disappointing, January night in New England.  It’s just the context of it all.  At the time the shutter clicked, many of the players in these shots weren’t just on the team, they were guys that would need to be key components if the Broncos had any chance of improving from a 4-12 season.  Now these pictures are like the end of a movie where there’s a freeze frame of each character accompanied by a blurb about what became of them:

“Brandon Lloyd reunited with Josh McDaniels after a midseason trade to St. Louis.  The Rams finished with a losing record and Lloyd and McDaniels are now with New England.”

“Kyle Orton was benched, then traded to the Chiefs.  He started against Denver in Week 17 and won…7-3.  He’s now backing up Tony Romo.”

“Eddie Royal continued to battle injury.  He signed with San Diego in 2012.”

“Brian Dawkins played with his usual passion until injury ended his season.  He retired in 2012.”

“Tim Tebow led the Broncos to the AFC Divisional Playoffs in one of the most insane, inexplicable runs in NFL history.  He was traded to the Jets in 2012 for a 4th round draft pick.”

It’s not like half the team departed, but think about those names, and what they were a year ago.  Chances are every Broncos fan at one point or another thought something like, “Hey, Brandon Lloyd is a weapon, and Eddie Royal is due to get back on the track he started with his rookie season.”  Or maybe, “You know, Orton can move the ball, and if Tebow gets involved more in the Red Zone this team could score some points.”

When the Broncos return to Dove Valley a little more than a month from now, the pictures are bound to be quite different.  So will the mental images fans have for the pending season.  Instead of Lloyd and Royal “maybe making some noise,” it will be “Thomas and Decker must deliver.”  Whereas there were infinite theories about how Orton and Tebow could effectively coexist, it’s now going to be about how many points Peyton Manning can put on the scoreboard…and how far the offensive line can keep defenders away from him.  The veteran leadership and defensive heart of Dawkins won’t be lurking in the secondary.  Now it will be about veterans holding tight in the secondary while Von Miller, Elvis Dumervil, and a must-be-productive defensive front create chaos in two seconds or less.

Sitting at training camp last year, the overarching thought was, “Which of these guys might surprise us?”  This year, I have a feeling that sentiment will be replaced with, “Are these guys ready to win a Super Bowl?”

An entirely different picture indeed.

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Broncos’ Ryan Clady, O-line preparing for change from Tebow to Manning - Ryan Clady stood at the podium in the Broncos interview room Friday afternoon and said his job as the team’s left tackle hasn’t changed much in the past few months.  Oh really, Ryan?  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Broncos will monitor how often Peyton Manning passes in practice - Peyton Manning is coming off a season’s worth of missed games and has four neck surgeries in his medical history. With all that in mind, the Broncos have their quarterback on a pitch count of sorts as he learns the team’s playbook.  Manning has been cleared by the Broncos’ medical staff and by his surgeon from his most recent procedure, noted neck and spine specialist Dr. Robert Watkins, to participate fully in the Broncos’ offseason workouts and training camp.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>> 

Broncos kicker Matt Prater remains a “franchise player” for this season - Today’s question about the Broncos comes from Tom Howard in Vail: Q: A good field-goal kicker is critical to success and hard to find. Why, with all the money the Broncos have been throwing around, don’t they come to terms with Matt Prater and move on? They need him, or someone like him, and there just aren’t that many like him sitting around looking for a job.  A: Tom, Prater has not participated in the Broncos’ offseason workouts, but he will be under contract for the coming season. The issue for both sides is what happens after 2012.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Peyton Manning Will Be the Biggest Free Agency Addition in NFL History - Peyton Manning will be the biggest free-agent signing when the 2012 NFL season comes to a close. In fact, he’ll end up as the best free-agent addition in NFL history.  The Denver Broncos gave Manning a five-year, $96 million contract this offseason and, in the end, he’ll be worth every penny.  If Broncos fans thought former quarterback Tim Tebow was a natural leader, wait until they see Manning run the show. Even though he never played a single snap in 2011, Broncos GM John Elway knew what he was doing when he signed the future Hall of Fame quarterback.   Read more from Bleacher Report >>>>

Denver Broncos Greatest Defensive Plays: #1 - Any Denver Broncos fan over the age twelve in 1997 would tell you, the victory in Super Bowl XXXII was the greatest sports moment they had ever experienced before or since. Super Bowls are typically filled with big time plays and this one was no different.  The Broncos were 14 point underdogs to the defending champion Green Bay Packersand played out the role in true Hollywood fashion – and John Mobley would ultimately be the heroin that saved the day.  Read more from Bronco Talk >>>>

Peyton Manning named 50th best player in 2012, despite not playing a down in 2011 - Can you tell the true greatness of a player in his absence? That’s most certainly what NFL Films and the NFL players who voted believed when it came time to tally the votes for the NFL Network’s Top 100 rankings shows this year. These shows always create controversy, which makes sense — you can have the shows in which players are ranked, and then have a panel of people (usually Jamie Dukes most of all) yelling about who got ranked where.  Read more from Yahoo! Sports >>>>

Dawkins not worried hits will take toll - Former Eagles safety Brian Dawkins said he wouldn’t change the way he played regardless of the NFL’s crackdown on big hits. Dawkins who announced his retirement last month played 13 seasons with the Eagles and three with the Denver Broncos. On Thursday, he told NFL.com’s “Cover Two” podcast that – if he had to do it all over again – he would play the same tenacious style and isn’t worried that the hits he gave and received might affect his health in the future.  Read more from Philly.com >>>>

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Mistrial declared in Broncos linebacker DJ Williams’ DUI trial - A mistake during jury selection has resulted in a mistrial in the DUI case against Denver Broncos linebacker Genos “DJ” Williams.  Defense attorney Harvey Steinberg motioned for mistrial this afternoon in Denver County Court, arguing that he should have been allowed to challenge three jurors during selection this morning but was allowed to strike only two.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Tim Tebow subject of E! TV special in July - You know Tim Tebow has hit the high-water mark in celebrity success when an entertainment network produces a show about him.  Sports Illustrated reports that the Jets quarterback will be the subject of a 30-minute special airing on E! Entertainment Television sometime in July.  E!’s cameras were part of the throng of more than 200 media members who covered Tebow’s introductory news conference in New York on March 26 inside the field house of the Jets’ practice facility in New Jersey.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

OTAs Day One: Fox - Head Coach John Fox addresses the media after the team’s first practice of OTAs.  Watch video from Denver Broncos >>>>

Denver Broncos: Will Pass-Rush Suffer Without Brian Dawkins? - Earlier this month, the stats experts at Pro Football Focus posted a very interesting article involving recently-retired Denver Broncos safety Brian Dawkins, stating that he was the most effective pass-rusher in the league from the cornerback and safety positions in 2011.  Read more from Bleacher Report >>>>

Denver Broncos Greatest Offensive Plays: #5 - Seventeen years of being a doormat to the Oakland Raidersseasonal drive to the AFC Western Divisional Title grated hard on Denver Broncos fans. Then came the most magical season in Broncos history, 1977. It tops the 1997, 1998 and even the 2011 season to this day. The best defense ever assembled in franchise history steamrolled to a 12-2 record, which included a 30-7 beatdown of the Raiders in their home stadium early in the season.  Read more from Bronco Talk >>>> 

Broncos, eight players negotiating contracts - The Denver Broncos are negotiating contracts with at least eight players, including five drafted rookies.  The team hopes to have all the rookies signed by the time organized team activities end early next month.  The Broncos are trying to re-work defensive tackleTy Warren‘s contract ($4 million), extend offensive tackle Ryan Clady‘s contract ($3.5 million this season), have kicker Matt Prater sign his one-year tender ($2.5 million) and sign Derek Wolfe, Brock Osweiler, Ronnie Hillman, Philip Blake and Danny Trevathan to rookie contracts.  Denver has already signed rookies Omar Bolden and Malik Jackson to four-year contracts.  Read more from Bronco Talk >>>>

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Denver Broncos’ AFC West rivals full of hope before NFL draft - In a division in which the Broncos wore the crown in 2011 with only an 8-8 record, it’s natural for every team in the AFC West to believe it’s “right there” and think that a great draft this week will be the push to get over the top. ”I think you always realize the guaranteed trip to the playoffs is by winning your division,” said John Elway, the Broncos’ executive vice president of football operations. “What you do in the division is always going to be very significant.”  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Brian Dawkins always a welcome Bronco even in retirement - The reality of his life-changing, career-ending retirement decision sunk in for Brian Dawkins as he drove to the Broncos’ facility Tuesday morning to say goodbye.  Dawkins realized he no longer knew where to park. Should he pull in up front, where visitors park and check in at the front desk? Or could he still pull into the players’ parking lot around back and use his pass code to enter the large metal gate?  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Broncos are willing to trade out of NFL draft’s first round - Today’s question about the Broncos comes from Mike Shields in Torrington, Wy. Q: I would like to see the Broncos trade out of the first round in the draft, perhaps getting the Colts’ pick near the top of the second round. Any chance of that happening?  A: The Broncos are willing to trade out of the first round if they can strike a deal that benefits them. “Preferably, we’d like to go back,” John Elway, the team’s executive vice president of football operations, said this week.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

2012 NFL Draft Preview: Specialists - In the weeks leading up to the 2012 NFL Draft, DenverBroncos.com is taking a look at the draft prospects position-by-position. We will devote a week to each group, looking back at some of the Broncos’ previous picks at the position and showcasing some of the top prospects through top stories, blogs and Broncos TV videos.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Cakes for Cancer Pancake Breakfast - During the 2011 season, the Broncos offensive line had even more reason to put defenders on their backs.  For every pancake block the line made last year, Zane Beadles donated $250 to Brent’s Place as part of his “Cakes for Cancer” program.  This Saturday, April 28, from 10 a.m. to noon MDT, Beadles and his teammates are holding a Pancake Breakfast to benefit the Cakes for Cancer program even further, helping kids and families of Brent’s Place.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Colts remove Peyton Manning’s banner at Indianapolis stadium - The large banner of Peyton Manning has been removed from Lucas Oil Stadium.  The move Wednesday comes a day before the Colts will take Andrew Luck, Manning’s replacement, with the No. 1 overall choice in the NFL draft.  Pete Ward, the team’s chief operating officer, says the timing had nothing to do with the draft. Instead, he says, it was because a crane was in the area and available to take it down.  Read more from Associated Press >>>>

Denver Broncos 2012 Draft: 10 Prospects Denver Should Target in the Early Rounds - The 2012 NFL draft is now just hours away. Beginning on Thursday evening, the draft has grown from a blip on your local news channel. It is now a full-blown prime time party.  Spanning three days, the NFL Draft now provides every team and fan with hope for what the future may bring.  Read more from Bleacher Report >>>>

Denver Broncos Mock Draft: Final 7-Round Predictions with Analysis - John Elway and the Denver Broncos are facing a make-or-break draft on Thursday. If Denver misses on more picks than they score on, then it will be up to the checkbook of Pat Bowlen to assemble a team via free agency in the years to come.  However, if Elway and his draft team can find big scores in 2012, then the team will be poised for an immediate run, as well as continued success in the future.  Read more from Bleacher Report >>>>

An Easy Choice - With the 28th overall pick in the 1997, the Denver Broncos selected a 6-foot-5, 295-pound and raw defensive tackle out of Clemson named Trevor Pryce, who was questionably forgoing his senior year to enter the draft.  Not exactly a sexy pick.  Read more from Mile High Sports >>>>

Peyton Manning leads Tim Tebow in new Nike jersey sales- New Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning is leading New York Jets QB Tim Tebow in early sales of the newly designed NFL team jerseys from Nike that hit stores this week.  The move of the former Indianapolis Colts QB to Mile High Stadium is making Manning’s jersey the best-selling player jersey at NFLShop.com since the high-tech new jerseys became available for pre-order April 15, says league spokeswoman Joanna Hunter. Manning did not rank in the Top 10 best-selling player jerseys last season.  Read more from USA Today >>>>

Would LSU WR Rueben Randle Fit In With The Denver Broncos? - John Elway had his pre-draft press conference on Monday, and I still have no clue what the Broncos are going to do. However, it’s been a real favorite pick of mine to mock the Broncos a receiver in the first round, and one player who is rumored to be sneaking his way into the top 32 discussion is LSU’s Rueben Randle.  The former top prep-star prospect had a solid career in Baton Rouge, and in terms of his on-field ability is one of the best receivers in this entire draft. Randle is a very good route runner with sure hands, and he could contribute early in his career if he gets in with a smart quarterback.  Read more from NFL Mocks >>>>

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Broncos busily analyze NFL draft options for 25th pick - Upstairs on the second floor of the Broncos’ Dove Valley headquarters, the team’s highest-ranking officials will spend the final days before the draft not unlike many of the most die-hard NFL fans.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Broncos’ Nate Irving not a bust (yet), but he has a lot of work to do - Today’s questions about the Broncos come from Mark Hardee in Cheyenne.  Q: Will middle linebacker Nate Irving contend for a starting job this year? Or is he a bust?  A: It’s too early to declare any 2011 draft pick a bust. But Irving, from North Carolina State, didn’t have the rookie year the Broncos thought he would have when they made him a third-round pick.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Brian Dawkins “at peace” with retirement from NFL - Brian Dawkins walked through the locker room at Dove Valley today for the first time as an ex-player.  Dawkins, who announced his retirement after 16 seasons, hugged his former teammates, shared stories of games past. It was a bittersweet day for many of the Broncos players who will now move on without him.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Carrying on Dawkins’ Legacy - Week 1, 2009.  Brian Dawkins, then a 14th-year NFL veteran, was fully in Weapon X mode — completely engrossed in the game at hand, a battle against the Cincinnati Bengals.  But right before Cincinnati’s first snap, he looked to his left in the secondary.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Dawkins Ready for Next Steps - For Brian Dawkins, Tuesday’s visit to Dove Valley wasn’t a tough one.  Walking back through the familiar locker room, seeing his teammates work out, talking with coaches — it was all positive.  ”When you first make that decision, it was a little bit emotional for me,” Dawkins said. “I’m at peace with the decision, so today it’s more of a joy to be able to see these guys.”  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

NFL Films Ranks Tebow 7th Best Heisman Winner In NFL History - NFL Films has been one of the most respected voices on the history of the league and the accomplishments of individual players. But they have made a controversial pick in one of their latest top 10 lists and it involves Tim Tebow.  Read more from CBS Miami >>>>

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I can’t say I’m surprised, but it’s still a sad day when one of the game’s greats walks away.  After 16 NFL seasons and a whole load of accolades, safety Denver Broncos safety Brian Dawkins announced his retirement this morning via Twitter:

Dawkins was drafted in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, and remained with the team through 2009 before joining the Broncos.  Dawkins was selected to nine Pro Bowls and named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 2000s.  In 2002, he became the first player in league history to record a sack, interception, forced fumble, and touchdown reception in a single game.

Dawkins, who was also named to Philadelphia’s 75th Anniversary Team will reportedly sign a one-day contract and retire as an Eagle.

Broncos head coach John Fox released the following statement on Dawkins:

Brian Dawkins' final game came as a Denver Bronco, but he will retire as a Philadelphia Eagle. (courtesy Jeffrey Beall)

“Brian Dawkins is one of the best to ever play the game, a future Hall of Famer who changed the way his position is played. In many ways, he helped my job as a coach with his great leadership and preparation. He brought so much to the table and was such an enormous asset to our football team.

“His contributions go far beyond the wins, interceptions, sacks and Pro Bowls he accumulated during his career. Brian is the definition of class and is what you want in a leader. I know our players, coaches, fans and so many within the National Football League feel the same way.

“I competed against Brian for many years with the Giants and coached him once in the Pro Bowl, but to be around him every day for a season was truly special. I’m not sure there was a more respected guy in our building than Brian. He knows defense, he knows football and he knows what it takes to win. I’ve got the utmost admiration for him as both a player and person.

“It’s been an honor and a privilege to coach Brian. Although I will miss the positive impact he had on our team, I congratulate Brian on a tremendous career and wish him and his family all the best going forward.”

Fox’s statement pretty much sums it up.  What’s not to respect and appreciate about Dawkins?  He certainly embodies the “good guy” in professional sports: an elite player who served as the consummate leader, a mentor to younger players – not just how to play but how to live.

More on Brian Dawkins

My good friend Brandyn of Philly Sports Muse is as big of a Dawkins fan as they come, and I’m thrilled for her that Dawkins will retire as an Eagle…because that’s really how it should be.  For more coverage from the Eagles’ perspective, visit Philly Sports Muse.  (You’ll be glad you did.)

From the Broncos’ official site, you can check out a video tribute on Dawkins’ time in Denver and photo gallery.

What the Broncos (past and present) are saying…

What others are saying…

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