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 >>>>
Denver Broncos 2012 NFL Draft Prospect: DT Devon Still - The Denver Broncos ranked 22nd in the NFL against the run last season mostly because of the play by the defensive tackles, and the 303-pound DT Devon Still out of Penn State has a great mix of size and quickness. The Broncos have been lacking a force in the middle of the defensive line for several years now, which is a problem that head coach John Fox is not accustomed to. Fox has had several great defensive tackles when he was in Carolina and that turned into a great run defense, which turned into great teams. The Broncos have already bolstered their secondary with the signings of FS Mike Adams from Cleveland and CB Tracy Porter from New Orleans, but still may need a young CB/SS in the draft. I still think the most important position to upgrade in the 1st round at this point is the DT position. In a recent post I mentioned the Broncos taking DT Michael Brockers out of LSU. If Brockers doesn’t fall, Still could be a great selection at pick #25. Read more from Rant Sports >>>>
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Perhaps the worst part of my NFL Draft night was the fact that a fiber optic line break left me without television or internet service for the entirety of the first round. The good news is that it didn’t really matter whether or not I watched the draft as the Broncos ducked, side-stepped, and ultimately relieved themselves of a first round selection. Not that I think there’s much panic over this in Denver, but just for the record…Denver’s delay is okay.
For many Broncos fans who are still thinking positively about last night’s draft decisions, the only other downside to the proceedings (apart from not collecting greater value in the trades) would be the fact that the Broncos basically gave Dont’a Hightower to the Patriots. Considering the expectations this team has with the arrival of Peyton Manning, it’s somewhat disheartening to see the Patriots improve on Denver’s dime…or at least on Denver’s draft selection. Then again, the fact that the Broncos are now in the discussion as a team that could go head to head with New England is an improvement over, “just trying to keep up with the Chargers.” However, this trade also shows Denver: a) is confident in its current depth at linebacker, b) is smart enough to realize Hightower could have difficulty in its 4-3 scheme, c) believes it can find better value at the position in later rounds, or d) all of the above.
