John Fox warns Broncos to stay in shape during summer vacation - Eighty-nine Broncos players sweated through their final minicamp practice and a set of post-practice sprints, posed for a team picture and then were dismissed Thursday for their six-week summer vacation.  Players will report back to Dove Valley on July 25, though the facility will remain open if players want to use the weight room in the next six weeks. Players are prohibited from doing any on-field work until training camp begins.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Eric Page’s chance to crack Broncos roster lies in his return game - Today’s question about the Broncos is from Brandon Comes in Greensboro, N.C. Q:I am a graduate of the University of Toledo. I noticed the Broncos picked up wide receiver Eric Page, a rookie from Toledo. How is he doing with the Broncos so far? A: Page was one of the most productive wide receivers in college football during his career with the Rockets. He left Toledo as the school’s all-time leading receiver with 306 catches and three 1,100-yard seasons. He had 25 touchdown receptions.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Broncos DT Ty Warren ready for football, a.k.a. “the easy part” - By the end of today, the Broncos will head for their summer vacation, a six-week break from football before training camp begins July 25.  But for defensive tackle Ty Warren, the work is only beginning.  After missing all of the 2010 and 2011 seasons with hip and triceps injuries and sitting out the Broncos’ organized team workouts this spring while he negotiated a new contract, Warren is determined to make up for lost time during the team’s break.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Entering 14th season, Broncos’ Bailey as good — and fast — as he ever was - Most of the focus relating to the Denver Broncos might be on the future Hall of Famer on the offensive side — you know, that quarterback named Manning — but don’t forget about the Canton Corner on the other side of the ball.  Champ Bailey will turn 34 next week, but he’s a true freak of nature, a cover corner who still lines up week in and week out and plays man coverage on the other team’s best receiver.  Read more from CBS Sports >>>>

Role models for John Elway the exec: Dad, Ozzie and Ted – John Elway sits behind a massive desk inside his second-floorDove Valley office, sipping coffee, engulfed by mementoes of a Hall-of-Fame playing career and a rising hope of capturing more Super Bowl championships – this time as one of the league’s unheralded team builders.  Read more from USA Today >>>>

Look For A Much Improved Secondary - Broncos’ Corners are pleased with their progress.  With the off-season additions in the secondary, it’s obvious what the Broncos are trying to accomplish. Any time an offense spread the field last season against Denver’s defense, it was an absolute nightmare for the secondary. Every Bronco fan remembers last years’ AFC Divisional loss to the New England Patriots. During the game, the defense dropped back in coverage in order to let their personnel take care of the Patriots’ receivers. Problem was, the Broncos didn’t have the personnel to take on the Patriots in man coverage. It’s hard to see that nightmare repeat with the additions of Tracy Porter, Mike Adams, and Drayton Florence.  Read more from Predominantly Orange >>>>

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Brandon Stokley shows Broncos he’s more than guide to Peyton Manning’s moves - There’s this idea out there, and it would be correct, that Brandon Stokley deserves some credit for helping the Broncos land quarterback Peyton Manning. But the reverse also is true.  Stokley said he was “95 percent retired” and content to move on with his life as a former NFL player when he decided to accept Manning’s invitation to work out at Duke University in late February. It was basketball that sold Stokley on the trip to North Carolina. That Stokley rediscovered he still could play football was a bonus.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Mark Kiszla: Maria Sharapova prefers tennis over Twitter; D.J. Williams should follow suit - In way less than 140 characters, I can explain why I love Maria Sharapova way more than Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams.  Stop. Get your mind out of the gutter.  Sharapova is a tennis champion.  Williams is a twittering fool.  Need I go on?  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Kickin’ It: Peyton Manning may be great, but I’d rather have Andrew Luck - Beaming in the Broncos.  I don’t think I’m the only Indianapolis Colts fan who recently installed satellite television at my house so I can watch the Broncos this autumn. I always appreciated John Elway’s accomplishments as a quarterback, but I did not follow the Broncos after he stopped playing. Since March, I have been reading The Denver Post online. Here’s what I’m sure of that Denver fans will soon also know: When the Broncos are down by nine points at the end of the third quarter, the fourth quarter will be the most fun you have had since Elway retired. Get ready. Dennis, resident of the Hoosier State.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Denver Broncos ‘Pay It Forward’ with community service - You’ve heard the term “Paying if Forward.” That’s exactly what the Denver Broncos did on Saturday.  It’s part of their inaugural “Be a Champion in the Community Week.”  They dedicated a full week starting last Saturday to community service. Players and staff visited with kids at the Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children, helped out at the Ronald McDonald House, volunteered at the Denver Rescue Mission and many other service things. They’re also helping Habitat for Humanity build four homes for four deserving families. The families live in Lakewood, Aurora and northeast Denver.  Read more from 9 News >>>>

Catching up with….the Broncos - Part of a continuing series that takes a look at what some of the Patriots’ biggest competition in the AFC is doing this offseason. We’ve already looked at the Jets,  Ravens and Steelers. Now, we turn our attention to the Broncos: The last time we saw the Broncos, they were getting curb-stomped by the Patriots in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs at Gillette Stadium, 45-10. That being said, it was a tremendous run for Denver in 2011 — buoyed by a great run from the defense, some clutch work from its special teamers and a little magic from the quarterback, they finished 8-8 and upset the Steelers in the first round of the playoffs.  Read more from WEEI.com >>>>

Denver Broncos Undrafted WR Eric Page Can Make An Impact - It seems like every year, the Denver Broncos have some undrafted free agent emerge from their rookie class and make the final roster. Perhaps that’s a result of the team not having great depth overall, but I like to think these guys really know how to bring it and show up when their time comes.  This year, that player could be former Toledo wide receiver Eric Page, a smaller wideout who comes to the Broncos as one of the most productive players in all of college football over the last three years. Page finished his collegiate career with three thousand yard seasons, and left after his junior year with virtually nothing left to do except risk injury.  Read more from With The First Pick >>>>

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Derek, Brock, and company can finally start feeling a little more “official.”

The newest members of the Denver Broncos – along with a few others – now have number assignments.  Below is the breakdown:

Drafted players

• 95: DE Derek Wolfe
• 6: QB Brock Osweiler
• 34: RB Ronnie Hillman
• 47: CB Omar Bolden
• 64: OL Philip Blake
• 70: DL Malik Jackson
• 59: LB Danny Trevathan

Undrafted free agents

• 8: WR Gerell Robinson
• 19: WR Eric Page
• 38: S Duke Ihenacho
• 45: CB Coryell Judie
• 46: LS Aaron Brewer
• 48: LB Elliot Coffey
• 49: LB Jerry Franklin
• 57: LB Steven Johnson
• 60: OL Mike Remmers
• 62: OL Austin Wuebbels
• 69: OL Wayne Tribue
• 77: DL Jamie Blatnick
• 86: TE Anthony Miller

As for the other number assignments, cornerback Tracy Porter will now wear No. 21. Tight end Jacob Tamme will wear 84, with fellow TE Cornelius Ingram moving to 82.

Defensive lineman Jeremy Beal will now wear 79, a number previously worn by Marcus Thomas, who is still with the team…for now.  (Writing, meet wall.)

Defensive lineman Sealver Siliga will wear No. 98.

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Broncos quarterback Brock Osweiler gave up basketball for football - Brock Osweiler had sprouted to 6-foot-7 as a high school sophomore when he started to think that maybe his future was in football, not basketball. Though Osweiler had already given an oral commitment to play forward at Gonzaga, Osweiler figured he might as well at least start to see if any college football programs might be interested in him.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Draft fallout: Did Denver land any starters? - Where are the starters from Denver’s draft?  John Elway wasn’t afraid to wheel and deal his way out of the first round. The Broncos executive vice president traded down twice on opening night, leaving Denver without a clear home-run hitter. That set the tone for an underwhelming draft haul, but not a hopeless one. Still, it’s unclear where the starters are in this group.  Read more from NFL.com >>>>

The newest Denver Bronco, Eric Page speaks - Last week the NFL Draft came and went with Eric Page’s name never being called. No matter, shortly after he was picked up by the Denver Broncos.  Page signed autographs at Fifth Third Field during the Mud Hens game against Columbus on Saturday.  Read more from NorthwestOhio.com >>>>

Cutcliffe mentor for life to Peyton, Eli Manning – Peyton Manning knew where to turn when facing the most difficult challenge of his professional football life. It was time to go home. Not home as in Louisiana to work with his father, Archie, a former NFL great. But rather to work with the man who knows his right arm better than anyone; a man who has been there in some capacity as Peyton has gone from a big-time high school prospect to one of the greatest quarterbacks the game has ever known.  Read more from FS Carolinas >>>>

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With NFL Draft excitement behind us, it’s time to look ahead to rookie camp. The newest Denver Broncos will soon officially practice for the first time as Broncos.

According to Mike Klis of the Denver Post, Broncos rookie camp is May 11-13.  All rookies – whether drafted or not – and players who finished 2011 on the practice squad can participate.  Sorry, Klis, but by my count, that’s 28, not 27, players: 7 drafted players, 13 UDFAs (Eric Page was signed after the other 12 names were initially released), and 8 practice squad players. (Note: Tuskegee running back Demario Pippen is not listed on any official Broncos’ roster, despite some reports the undrafted free agent was signed by Denver.)

As for the other Broncos (*cough, cough* Peyton Manning), they’re continuing with the team’s offseason program. Now that it’s May, coaches are allowed on field during practices and throwing sessions.  As Klis reports, Denver has OTA on May 21.

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