With the Denver Broncos regular season now under a week away (yay!), the team released its Week 1 depth chart:

(Courtesy Denver Broncos official website)

OFFENSE:

DEFENSE:

SPECIAL TEAMS:

A few quick thoughts:

Biggest surprise: Keith Brooking, hands down.  Look, he made the roster based largely on reputation, practiced sparingly during training camp, and played in one game, yet is listed at second-team ahead of rookie Danny Trevathan at WLB.  Trevathan got plenty of first-team reps during training camp, notably in nickel packages.

Keep an eye on: Caleb Hanie vs. Brock Osweiler as Broncos backup QB.  For now, the veteran Hanie, who some wondered if he’d even make the team, gets the nod, but it wouldn’t shock me if that were to change during the course of the season.

All about Ball: Well…kinda.  I know rookie running back Ronnie Hillman was injured throughout much of training camp, but I still expected him ahead of Lance Ball on the depth chart.  Hillman, however is listed at No. 4 behind first-teamer Willis McGahee, suddenly resurgent Knowshon Moreno, and Ball.  It’s not that I dislike Ball, because that’s simply untrue, but it seems that certain folks in Dove Valley see something in him that I don’t.  In all fairness, those “folks in Dove Valley” know a heckuva lot more about football than I do.

I’m happy to see: Eric Decker off primary punt return duties.  That statement is by no means a knock on his return skills; I’m merely looking at this from a personnel perspective.  Don’t risk it.

*Note: Linebacker D.J. Williams and tight end Virgil Green are not listed on the depth chart due to suspensions.

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Broncos TE Virgil Green, LB D.J. Williams begin suspensions - For the next four weeks, Virgil Green might be the biggest Broncos fan in Denver.  The second-year tight end begins his four-game suspension Saturday but said he plans to remain in Denver, work out with local trainer Loren Landow and watch plenty of football on television.  ”It’s a chance for me to get better, watch a lot of film, watch a lot of football, work out and just come back and help this team out,” Green said.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Adam Weber to join Tampa Bay practice squad - Adam Weber is no longer a Bronco.  The second year quarterback has decided to sign on to the practice squad in Tampa Bay, according to a league source.  Weber was waived by the Broncos on Friday. He had an opportunity to re-sign with the Broncos on the practice squad, but chose the Bucs instead.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Rafael Bush claimed by Saints; Ryan Harris signs with Texans - When a team cuts players that other teams pick up?  “That means you’re getting better,” said John Elway, the Broncos’ executive vice president of football operations.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Notebook: Elway Talks Roster - On Friday, Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway addressed a number of the team’s decisions as the roster was trimmed down to 53 players.  Below are his thoughts on a handful of topics.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

‘A Good Mix’ at Linebacker- With the Broncos down to the NFL-mandated 53 players, Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway believes the linebacking corps is left with a solid blend of leadership and youth.  Keith Brooking is an example of the former. The 15th-year linebacker is the most experienced player on the defensive side of the ball, and only quarterback Peyton Manning has been in the league for as long  Brooking, an offseason acquisition, injured his hamstring in his second practice as a Bronco, which caused him to miss all of the preseason games. That made it harder for the five-time Pro Bowler to be evaluated, but his intangibles are ultimately what secured his spot.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Evaluating the Denver Broncos’ Cuts - The Denver Broncos needed to trim their roster by 22 players today to get to the league mandated 53-man roster. As with every season, the Broncos made some surprise moves cutting experienced veterans and moving towards youth by bringing in inexperienced rookies.  Read more from Bleacher Report >>>> 

A.F.C. West Preview: Broncos’ Success Hinges on Manning’s - Player to Watch Don’t overthink this. Peyton Manning.  Game to Watch Denver at New England, Oct. 7. Manning and Tom Brady/Bill Belichick have had some epic meetings. A month into the season, this may be the first real snapshot of how close Manning is to his old self, and how far he will be able to take the Broncos.  Read more from New York Times >>>>

Denver Broncos cut-down analysis - Most significant move: The Broncos kept newly signed veterans, linebacker Keith Brooking and safety Jim Leonhard. They have both been dealing with injuries. Both should fill rotational roles as well as offer leadership. It is a bit surprising Denver cut veteran cornerback Drayton Florence. The Broncos beat several teams to sign Florence this year. In the end, the Broncos liked their young cornerbacks such as Chris Harris, Tony Carter and rookie Omar Bolden. Watch for San Diego to make a full-court press to sign Florence. The team tried to sign the former Charger before Denver signed him and it needs a cornerback.  Read more from ESPN >>>>

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The Denver Broncos have released their first preseason depth chart.

Keep in mind the depth chart will change before the Sept. 9 season opener, but here are a few interesting nuggets:

• Caleb Hanie is currently listed as the Broncos’ backup quarterback.
• Lance Ball is the second-team running back behind Willis McGahee.  Rookie Ronnie Hillman – and not Knowhson Moreno – is third-team.
• Rookie DT Derek Wolfe is listed as second-string defensive end.  As I tweeted at the Broncos’ July 28 training camp practice, I noticed Wolfe lining up both at end and interior.
• Suspended LB D.J. Williams is listed as first-team just ahead of Wesley Woodyard.
• Eric Decker (punts) and Lance Ball (kickoffs) are listed at first-team returners.

View the depth chart on the team’s website >>>>

Broncos Sign Veteran Linebacker

The Broncos have added some depth at linebacker with the signing of free agent Keith Brooking.

The five-time Pro Bowler is entering his 15th NFL season.  He played most recently with Dallas, and before that Atlanta.  The Denver Post reports Brooking will begin practicing with the Broncos Saturday.

Injury News

Denver has placed newly signed safety Jim Leonhard on the physically unable to perform list.  Meanwhile, the Broncos tweeted earlier today that RB Mario Fannin has been placed on Injured Reserve because of an Achilles tendon injury.

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New Horsepower Fueling Broncos — Part II: The Renovation -  Shortly after the Broncos announced the hiring of Luke Richesson and his strength and conditioning assistants Jason George, Mike Eubanks and Anthony Lomando, the team’s weight room underwent a complete overhaul.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Broncos Pledge $50,000 to Wildfire Relief Efforts - The Denver Broncos on Wednesday pledged to make a $50,000 donation to assist with relief efforts for the wildfires burning in Colorado, Owner Pat Bowlen announced. Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Denver Broncos: AFC West Defenders Peyton Manning Must Be Wary of - The clock is ticking toward the opening kickoff of 2012 and on Tuesday, the Denver Broncos announced their training camp schedule.  As we continue to forecast the Broncos upcoming season, most of the talk around the team continues to be centered on their huge free agent acquisition, Peyton Manning.  Read more from Bleacher Report >>>>

Five Denver Broncos Facing Do-or-Die Seasons in 2012 - After acquiring Peyton Manning in the offseason, the Denver Broncos are expected to be media darlings beginning July 26, the first day of training camp. Most people will be keeping a close eye on Manning to see how his repaired neck is rehabbing, but there are other Broncos being watched closely.   Read more from Bleacher Report >>>>

Demaryius Thomas will step up for Broncos — or else - Here’s the mind-set Demaryius Thomas grapples with as September nears: ”Every time I make a mistake, I get mad at myself because I know Peyton (Manning) is counting on me,” Thomas told ESPN.com last week. “I have to be good. Peyton picked the Broncos, and I have to make him know he made the right choice.”  Read more from NFL.com >>>>

The Denver Broncos Should Cut Ties With LB DJ Williams - Denver Broncos‘ LB DJ Williams has been arrested for DWI multiple times and was stripped of his defensive captain duties in 2012 following his latest DWI incident and now will be receiving a suspension for performance-enhancing drug use to start the 2012 season.  I truly believe that now would be a great time for the Denver Broncos to part ways with Williams. He has had multiple issues and has been suspended multiple times.  Read more from Rant Sports >>>>

The choice: ‘Old’ Bronco or ‘New’ Bronco? - Based on numbers alone and past history, there should be no debate on which quarterback you would want to have on your fantasy team.  Player A: Over the past three seasons, he has completed just under 60 percent of his passes for an average of 3,086 yards, 21 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. He has the tendency to get sacked a lot (110 times in these three seasons) and is coming off a season that was curtailed by injury.  Player B: Has been a model of consistency throughout his career. Thrown for more than 4,000 yards in all but two of his NFL seasons. Has a career 2:1 TD to interception ratio and completed at least 65 percent of his passes for eight consecutive seasons. His quick release limits the amount of sacks he takes. Yet, he too, is coming off a season that was curtailed by injury.  Read more from Tulsa World >>>>

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Happy Mandatory Minicamp., Broncos fans!

Be sure to follow DHF on Twitter for minicamp updates throughout the day. I’ll have a recap here tonight.

Broncos’ Julius Thomas will find playing time tough to get in NFL in 2012 - Today’s question about the Broncos comes from Dave Webb.  Q: I was thrilled when the Broncos drafted tight end Julius Thomas in 2011, but he didn’t have a good rookie season. How much playing time will he get this year?  A: Thomas’ rookie season went downhill on the first reception of his NFL career. On a 5-yard catch against Cincinnati last September, Thomas injured his right ankle. He left that game and ended up missing a total of 14 games — 12 in the regular season and both of the Broncos’ playoff games — because of the injury.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Same Number, New Name - “The Wolverine,” Adams said. “I just watched him all my career, especially when I was at the University of Delaware. I watched him play with the Eagles. (Brian) Dawkins was a great player.”  Adams has worn No. 20 his entire career because of the respect he has for two men who have worn the same number and played the position: former Jacksonville Jaguar Donovin Darius and recently retired Bronco Brian Dawkins – The Wolverine.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Woman files lawsuit against cornerback Cox, wideout Thomas - A woman who accused former Denver Broncos cornerback Perrish Cox of sexual assault has filed a lawsuit seeking unspecified damages against Cox and current Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas.  The woman’s lawyer, Craig Silverman, says he filed the lawsuit electronically Sunday. A jury in March acquitted Cox of all charges and Cox then signed a two-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers. Silverman says the lawsuit filed anonymously as “Jane Doe,” allows the woman to prosecute the allegations in court.  Read more from USA Today >>>>

Denver Broncos: Why Team Didn’t Address the Right Issues This Offseason – The Denver Broncos made the biggest splash of them all in free agency when they won the Peyton Manning sweepstakes. Coming off an 8-8 season in which they won the AFC West crown, the Broncos decided that their team needed to make a switch from the Tim Tebow gimmick offense and bring in the four-time NFL Most Valuable Player.  Read more from Bleacher Report >>>> 

Denver Broncos: Why Peyton Manning Will Return to MVP Form in 2012 - After a major injury in the NFL, there are always questions regarding the level of play to which a player can return. Some are able to carry out their come back very successfully, whereas others seem to lose sight of their game altogether.  For example, Tom Brady’s performance hardly lagged upon his return from a major knee injury in 2008, while Carson Palmer has failed to reach his full potential since returning from a similar injury in 2006.   Read more from Bleacher Report >>>>

Mini Camp Rules for the Broncos (and the Rest of the League) - The Denver Broncos will hold their final offseason Mini Camp tomorrow. This is the mandatory veteran Mini Camp and will last 3 days just like all other Mini Camps do. All of the players should be in attendance, meaning Franchised tagged Kicker Matt Prater will either sign his tender or we will be reporting an extension. Hopefully the latter. Rookie Quarterback Brock Osweiler and Running Back Ronnie Hillman are the only unsigned players left. Hopefully all three will get their deals completed today and not miss any time.  With the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) being signed last August, the regulations have changed the way teams can go about their offseason business. Here is what the CBA has to say about NFL Mini Camps.  Read more from Mile High Report >>>>

Mile High Monday: Broncos Country Ready For 2012 Season - While flipping through the channels on Sunday morning, I came upon a replay of the 2011 Denver Broncos-Chicago Bearsgame. Naturally I watched every second. Not only did it take me back to the emotional highs and lows of the 2011 season, but it had my head spinning for the rest of the day thinking about the future.  Read more from Predominantly Orange >>>>

Denver Broncos 2012 NFL Draft And Offseason Analysis, Reaction, And Projections - The Denver Broncos are no strangers to stealing headlines on ESPN and NFL Network, especially lately. With that whole Tim Tebow thing last year (remember that?) ending in a blowout loss in the playoffs to the AFC Champion New England Patriots, John Elway felt as though he had seen enough to know that while he loved Tim Tebow as a person, he didn’t think he was the future of the Denver Broncos’ organization.  Read more from NFL Mocks >>>>

Playbook breaches among overrated stories - NFC West teams do not face the Denver Broncos this season, but I could not resist one of the funnier stories from the weekend.  D.J. Williams probably faces a team fine for tweeting images from the Broncos’ digital playbook. He should be embarrassed.  But to suggest Williams has put the Broncos at a strategic disadvantage would be going too far. Players switch teams every offseason. The detailed knowledge they bring with them has some value, but probably less than one might imagine. Versions of entire playbooks have shown up online without anyone seeming to care much.  Read more from ESPN >>>>

Top ten tweets about D.J. Williams sharing Broncos playbook photo - Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams’s inexplicable decision to tweet a photo from the squad’s playbook earned him slaps o’ plenty from Twitter Nation. See the ten most memorable reactions below.  Still, there’s irony in this censure — because the response was considerably larger than the ones involving his DUI trial and six-game suspension.  Read more form the Westword >>>>

Denver Broncos Caravan Tour In Estes Park This Wednesday, June 13th! - The Denver Broncos have announced the next three cities to be visited on the third annual Broncos Country Caravan. The 2012 Caravan features 9 major stops throughout Colorado during the summer. The second leg of the tour will kickoff Wednesday, June 13 in Estes Park, CO followed by visits to Greeley (6/14) and Longmont, CO (6/15). In May the Caravan visited 3 communities in southern Colorado (Trinidad, Pueblo and Cañon City) and will wrap up the 2012 Broncos Country Caravan by a western tour in July visiting 3 communities; the specific dates for the western tour are yet to be announced. The 2012 Broncos Country Caravan is sponsored by the Colorado Department of Transportation, Rocky Mountain Health Plans and U.S. Bank.  Read more from Estes Park News >>>>

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It’s a quiet weekend for Denver Broncos news…

That is, unless you’re D.J. Williams, because the kerfuffle over his infamous defensive formations tweet lives another day.

Denver Broncos: Is D.J. Williams More Trouble Than He’s Worth? - Denver Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams has been in the news often this offseason. Perhaps a bit too often, in fact.  After a history of trouble off the field—including multiple DWI arrests and receiving a suspension for performance-enhancing drug use—Williams was already on thin ice with management. Williams was previously stripped of his captain status in 2010 following his latest DWI incident.  Read more from Bleacher Report >>>>

D.J. Williams Keeps Showing Poor Judgement for Denver Broncos: Fan’s Take - The news was so unthinkable that I originally thought it was a joke. Or a twitter hoax. An NFL player tweeted out not only pictures from his new team playbook but the news that the team was teaching him to play a new position? How could an NFL player, in this age of ultra-secret activity, actually publicly reveal secrets from his team? Well, once I heard it was D.J. Williams, I realized that this is the one guy who would do such a thing. Williams has had a long line of questionable decisions, and the Broncos keep paying the price.  Read more from Yahoo! Sports >>>>>

Denver Broncos News: An Improved Defense Will be Key for the Broncos This Year - Last year, the Denver Broncos were one of the most talked about teams in all of sports, thanks to one specific player, Tim Tebow.  With the approach of the new season, Tebow is gone, but the arrival of his replacement, Peyton Manning, has once again stolen the spotlight from the unappreciated and underrated Denver defense.  Improving last year, the Broncos went from last in nearly every category in 2010 to 20th overall in 2011. While not perfect, the defense has certainly shown it is on the right path.  Read more from International Business Times >>>>

Little Known Broncos Facts: We Have a General Manager? – Okay, question and answer time: Name three current stars (however you want to define the word) of the Denver Broncos. I can imagine most of you saying, “Jeez, Brian, how about something more challenging?” Alright, name three stars of the Broncos from the 1990s. Still not challenging enough? How about three from each of the following decades: 1980s, 1970s, 1960s. Not hard at all, is it? As fans, we tend to remember the players that are the stars — and occasionally the goats.  Read more from Mile High Report >>>> 

Ranking best/worst QBs in Broncos history - Ever since John Elway rode into the sunset, Front Range residents have awaited another elite quarterback. It’s all we talk about at the dinner table. It’s why we were so cruel to Brian Griese, Jake Plummer, Kyle Orton and Jay Cutler. It’s our statewide obsession.  Right?  Wrong.  Broncos fans realize Elway was a blessing from the football gods. Taking a 16-season journey with Elway was the kind of joy ride that arrives once a century, and that’s if you’re lucky.  Read more from the Colorado Springs Gazette >>>>

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Broncos safeties Moore, Carter figure to be better with added experience - In 2003, some rookie safety named Troy Polamalu didn’t start a game for the 6-10Pittsburgh Steelers.  A decade earlier, aTampa Bay safety named John Lynch had only four starts through his two seasons and didn’t become a full-time starter until his fourth year of 1996.  Come again why people are down on Rahim Moore?  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

D.J. Williams posts Broncos plays on Twitter, says he’s switching positions - Is D.J. Williams trying to find trouble?  In what has to be considered a serious breach of security in the secretive world that is the NFL, Williams posted what appeared to be six formations of one defensive play from the Broncos’ playbook on his Twitter account today.  A team official quickly contacted Williams and the plays have been deleted from his account.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Harris, Carter Carve Out Roles in Secondary - Defensive backs Chris Harris and Quinton Carter both faced a great deal of pressure as rookies.  The cornerback and safety, respectively, shared a secondary with veteran cornerback Champ Bailey and former Broncos safety Brian Dawkins, who recently retired after 16 NFL seasons.  ”I think any time you’re dealing with rookies, it’s a level jump,” Head Coach John Fox said. “They’d be the first to tell you that it’s bigger, stronger and faster (in the NFL) and it takes a little while to get used to.”  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Should the Denver Broncos Grab Ochocinco for Peyton Manning? Fan’s Take - Any time a prominent NFL player is released from his team, fans of every other team will debate on whether he would make a good addition for them. I will admit that when I heard that Ochocinco had been released from the New England Patriots, I immediately started thinking about whether or not the Denver Broncos should try and add him to the team.  Read more from Yahoo! Sports >>>>

Mike Shanahan hosts Peyton’s Place - Peyton Manning is taking over John Elway’s old job — and living in Mike Shanahan’s house.  The Associated Press learned about the arrangement the Broncos new quarterback made with the Redskins coach, who before going to Washington teamed with Elway in the 1990s to bring two Super Bowl titles to Denver.  Though Denver and Washington are in different conferences and only play once every four years, some might still call this a case of sleeping at the enemy’s digs. Regardless, Manning is certainly living in style.  Read more form ESPN >>>>

What we know about the 2012 Denver Broncos through the OTAs - The Denver Broncos have wrapped up their OTAs for the preseason, with mandatory camps beginning on June 12, and lots of stories have surfaced.  Read more from Examiner >>>>

5 Biggest Winners and Losers of Denver Broncos OTAs, so Far - The offseason is young and the OTAs will soon be a distant memory for everyone, but that doesn’t mean that what happens now won’t have an effect on the final roster in August.  Winning and losing can be separated by a fine margin with so many players competing for a precious few spots on the roster. A great catch here, a dropped interception there can easily be the difference in making the team or not.  Read more from Bleacher Report >>>>

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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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Broncos defensive tackle Ryan McBean and linebacker D.J. Williams could file a lawsuit in Colorado as soon as Monday following their suspensions, the New York Times reports.

Ryan McBean and teammate D.J. Williams could file lawsuits as soon as Monday. (courtesy Jeffrey Beall)

Both players, along with Denver tight end Virgil Green, face multi-game suspensions to start the 2012 season for testing positive for banned substances.

McBean and Williams insist their samples were mishandled.  McBean’s agent, Peter Schaffer, told the New York Times:

 “To me, there are so many things that they have done wrong that they have trampled on my client’s rights, so we’re going to do everything possible to make sure he is vindicated.”

The NFL announced Friday McBean and Williams were each suspended for the first six regular season games.  Green, who blames his positive test on ADHD medication, is suspended for four. Green said he took the ADHD drug without the league’s consent, but now has permission from the NFL.

Green tweeted an apology Friday to Broncos fans.

Williams released a scathing statement Friday, which you can read here.

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Phew, what a day.

As if Peyton Manning’s much-ballyhooed visit to Denver wasn’t enough…

The NFL announced Friday afternoon three Broncos players will begin the 2012 season suspended for performance-enhancing drugs.

Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams disputes the validity of his failed test. (courtesy Jeffrey Beall)

Linebacker D.J. Williams and DT Ryan McBean will be suspended for the first six games of the season.  Tight end Virgil Green will be suspended for four.  The Broncos released a statement, but didn’t go into too many details citing confidentiality:

“We are aware of this matter, but due to the confidentiality of the program, we are unable to provide additional comment on the situation.”

The Broncos may not be saying much, but Williams is.  Through his agent, Williams called the suspension “unjust” with the following:

 I understand from media reports today that the NFL has announced a suspension based on a specimen that the NFL acknowledges did not contain steroids or any illegal substance. Instead, the NFL contends that I provided a non-human specimen.

I have never failed a test of any kind – for steroids or illegal substances – during my eight-year pro career. I am proud of my record and proud of the way in which I conduct myself as a professional athlete and citizen. We proved – conclusively – at the NFL hearing on this matter that the NFL and its specimen collector wholly failed in their duties to safeguard and process my specimen properly.

In fact, the specimen collector was fired by the NFL after compromising my specimen as well as others’. The hearing officer, an NFL executive, ignored the NFL’s own Policy, engaged in inappropriate communications with top NFL officials about this matter without my knowledge or approval, corrupted the system, ignored that my specimen had been compromised, and now has subjected me to humiliation as well as suspension. We will be vigorously pursuing my rights in the judicial system.

My suspension is unjust; the NFL has undermined and corrupted its own steroid policy.

The three suspended players can still participate in offseason activities and the preseason.

Williams says he’ll fight the suspension.  The Denver Post reports McBean will do the same.