NFL draft hopefuls flock to Denver to build their skills - To show what the scouting combine has become to NFL hopefuls, Drake Dunsmore took his degree in communications from prestigious Northwestern and started his life in the real world by moving to Denver so he could spend six weeks working with performance coach Loren Landow.  Read more from The Denver Post >>>>

Broncos must be concerned with depth at quarterback - Today’s question about the Broncos comes from Christopher W. in Nebraska: Q: With the NFL’s scouting combine coming up, do you have any sense of what the Broncos want to do at quarterback other than Tim Tebow?  Read more from The Denver Post >>>>

Woody Paige: Broncos face a brutal schedule in 2012 - Ringo Starr had it rationally, if not grammatically, right. It don’t come easy.  Based on their opponents’ records and accomplishments, the Broncos will have the second-toughest NFL schedule in 2012.  Read more from The Denver Post >>>>

2012 NFL Free Agents: The Denver Broncos’ Definitive Offseason Shopping List - After finishing the 2011 season with a 45-10 thumping at the hands of the New England Patriots, it was a time for reflection for the Denver Broncos and their fans.  Read more from Bleacher Report >>>>

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This morning, the Broncos released its updated active/inactive list:

ACTIVE: safety Brian Dawkins and safety David Bruton

INACTIVE: wide receiver Quan Cosby, safety Kyle McCarthy, linebacker Mike Mohamed, guard Manny Ramirez, tackle Tony Hills, tight end Julius Thomas and defensive end Derrick Harvey

OUT today for Buffalo: wide receiver Naaman Roosevelt, running back Johnny White, defensive back Josh Nesbitt, right tackle Sam Young, defensive lineman Jarron Gilbert, wide receiver Ruvell Martin and tight end Fendi Onobun

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Matt Prater is named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for the third time. (courtesy Jeffrey Beall)

Matt Prater now has his moment in the spotlight.

The team announced Tuesday the Broncos kicker has been named Week 14 AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his two clutch field goals in that exciting comeback victory against the Bears.

In the waning seconds of regulation, Prater kicked a 59-yard field goal, which tied a career long.  Prater’s 51-yard field goal in overtime earned the Broncos their sixth consecutive win of the season and extended the team’s lead in the AFC West.  Prater’s clutch kicks have put him in elite company; he’s the third kicker in league history with at least four game-winning field goals in a season.  With three games left in 2011, and knowing the Broncos’ late-game exploits, don’t be surprised if that number grows.

This is the third time Prater has won the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week award.

Broncos Make Roster Moves

Practice squad cornerback Tony Carter has been signed to the active roster.   Carter, who played for the Broncos in 2009, spent last season with the Patriots.

Denver waived second-year safety Kyle McCarthy.  Rookie linebacker Derek Domino was waived/injured.

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The Denver Broncos announced Monday afternoon cornerback and special teams standout Cassius Vaughn is done for the year.  He’s been placed on injured reserve with a broken fibula.

Kyle McCarthy had a strong preseason for Denver. (personal photo)

Vaughn suffered the injury during a first quarter kickoff return in San Diego.

To fill his roster spot – and the one left by Kyle Orton’s release last week – the Broncos signed safety Kyle McCarthy and linebacker Mike Mohamed to the active roster.

McCarthy, an undrafted safety signed by Denver in 2010, was a bright spot early in the Broncos preseason, and was among the final cuts before the season opener.  Mohamed was a sixth-round pick from California in this year’s NFL Draft.

The Broncos are seemingly content with only two quarterbacks on the 53-man roster: Tim Tebow and Brady Quinn.

Adam Weber remains on the practice squad.

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The Broncos have announced their first rounds of roster cuts, but Denver isn’t done just yet.

The league’s full list of waiver eligible players will be available later tonight.  With the No. 2 waiver priority, expect Denver to be very active, specifically looking for defensive linemen, offensive linemen, running backs, and judging by recent developments, cornerbacks.

Released

• WR David Anderson
• TE Dante Rosario

Waived

• DE Jeremy Beal
• CB Brandon Bing
• LB Alvin Bowen
• DT Ronnell Brown
• G Jeff Byers
• CB Perrish Cox
• G Stanley Daniels
• WR Britt Davis
• WR D’Andre Goodwin
• T Adam Grant
• TE Dan Gronkowski
• K Steven Hauschka
• DT Jeremy Jarmon
• RB Jeremiah Johnson
• S Kyle McCarthy
• G Eric Olsen
• WR Greg Orton
• DT DeMario Pressley
• WR Eron Riley
• LB Lee Robinson
• RB Austin Sylvester
• QB Adam Weber

Injured Reserve

• WR Jamel Hamler
• RB Brandon Minor
• CB Syd’Quan Thompson

In a Saturday afternoon news conference, GM Brian Xanders indicated the Broncos are interested in signing some players – namely  Weber – to the practice squad.   The Broncos can add up to eight players to its practice squad starting Sunday.

Surprises

On the practice squad player for much of last season, McCarthy was a pleasant training camp surprise.  An impressive showing in Denver’s first preseason game against Dallas earned McCarthy some first-team practice reps, though the safety made little impact after that.  Xanders said Saturday:

“With him, it was more some guys came on at the end, and that’s how it works out sometimes.”

Jarmon, who Denver acquired in the Jabar Gaffney trade with Washington, moved from defensive end to defensive tackle following Ty Warren’s triceps injury and figured to play a role in the team’s defensive rotation.  Riley’s 144 receiving yards in Thursday’s preseason loss to Arizona was enough to make him a new fan favorite, but not enough to keep him on the final roster.

Non Surprise

Legal issues aside, Cox had a ho-hum preseason, though I didn’t rule out his staying with the team – only because of Thompson’s injury.

Thomas Update

WR Demaryius Thomas, who underwent surgery earlier this year for a partially torn Achilles tendon, has been cleared to practice.  Xanders said it’s up to the trainers to decide when Thomas is ready to play.

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TV Coverage (MT)

7:00 p.m.  KUSA – Pregame Special

8:00 p.m. KUSA – Kickoff

Thursday night’s final preseason game poses an interesting dichotomy.  How can one game mean so little to some and so much to others?

Denver’s starters have nothing to prove, and are expected to play little – if at all – at Arizona.

For others, the game is a final audition.  Denver must cut 27 players by Saturday afternoon to set its final 53-man roster.  A strong showing at University of Phoenix Stadium can swing the pendulum from outside-looking-in to wearing a Broncos uniform come September 12.  Head coach John Fox told The Denver Post:

“It’s their last opportunity to show something. Hopefully it’s a good one.  There are probably eight to 10 jobs still up in the air. There are two types of pressure: the pressure you feel and the pressure you apply.  At this point in the game, you want to do well in this last audition.

“This game’s about what to do and how to do it under pressure. That’s why you put a little more stock in games, no matter if it’s preseason, regular season or playoffs. You see how they handle it.”

Positions to Watch

The Broncos have a logjam at running back.  This time a month ago, Denver had seven RBs on the roster. Now down to five, two of those players (Knowshon Moreno and Willis McGahee) are “safe,” leaving Lance Ball, Jeremiah Johnson, or Brandon Minor as the likely odd man out – maybe odd men out if Denver is active on the waiver wire as expected.

Denver has six safeties on the current roster.  Remove Brian Dawkins from this conversation, and you have two rookies (Rahim Moore and Quinton Carter) and an ex-practice squad member (Kyle McCarthy) outperforming third-year players David Bruton (who’s practiced little since suffering a concussion against Buffalo) and Darcel McBath.

Fox Mum on Starting QB

Fox hasn’t confirmed if Orton will sit out; in fact, the playing status of Denver’s starters is shrouded in secrecy:

“I don’t want to send any messages to the Arizona Cardinals, so we’ll keep that in house until we go out on the field.”

That’s very regular-season-speak of you, coach.

Assuming Orton doesn’t play, Brady Quinn will likely get the start, though Tim Tebow is expected to get the most snaps.  Quinn did not play in last weekend’s preseason game against Seattle.

Undrafted rookie Adam Weber could also play tonight.

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While I unabashedly love summer’s high temperatures and long days, there’s something special about September.  Say it all with me: Football.

We have to wait another week for NFL-games-that-actually-count, but college football gets underway tonight.  Also tonight, the Broncos’ final preseason game. DHF will preview that game later today, but for now, let’s jump into the morning’s headlines.

At least one so-called Josh McDaniels player is living up to expectations.  The Denver Post has more on Joe Mays.

Also from The Denver Post, with the Broncos starters expected to sit out tonight’s game, attention shifts to the season opener.

QB Kyle Orton is eager to see an established Broncos running game. More from the team’s official website.

Sporting News has an update on the Broncos backup QB situation.

St. Louis Today has the latest on former Broncos RB Laurence Maroney, who faced drug charges.

Kyle McCarthy’s preseason play has all but locked up a spot on the Broncos final roster, writes Indiana’s The Republic.

Chieftain reports former Broncos player Mark Schlereth will make an appearance Sunday in Pueblo.

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NBC Miami breaks down what it takes for the Denver Broncos to win the Super Bowl. Yes, that’s a stretch for even the most hardcore Broncos fans.

Gatorsports.com reports Tim Tebow is perhaps the NFL’s most polarizing player.

The Denver Post‘s Mark Kiszla writes head coach John Fox’s instincts make him a winner.

Also from The Denver Post, Kyle McCarthy has played well enough to secure a spot on the team.

Many readers probably know what former quarterback Jake Plummer is doing these days, but if you don’t, Lost Letterman has this update.

Sure, it’s more than a week old, but World Magazine has high praise for Shannon Sharpe’s Pro Football Hall of Fame induction speech.

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Denver let this one slip away.

Thursday’s night outcome was all too familiar to Broncos fans; defensive miscues and blown coverage result in a loss.  Thank goodness this was only the first preseason game, a rough dress rehearsal for next month’s opening weekend.

Yes, a loss is a loss – even preseason – but there’s the Oakland Raiders blowout loss and there’s the competitive-until-the-end loss.

At least this was the latter.  John Fox told The Denver Post:

“I was encouraged by what I saw.  But I was disappointed by the outcome.”

You and me both.

It’s perhaps unfair to dissect the Broncos’ play after one preseason game, especially following a mere two weeks of training camp in an offseason sans OTAs, but I will anyway.  Why the heck not, right?

What I liked

Denver’s first-team rushing attack – RB Knowshon Moreno is keenly aware of the pressure to succeed.  No player wants to hear the word ‘bust’ attached to his name.  Entering the season in the best shape of his career, Moreno made an impact in his lone series, rushing for 23 yards on four attempts.  Partner-in-crime Willis McGahee contributed a 12-yard run on the opening drive, finishing the night with 17 yards on two carries.  Staying with the ground theme…

Playing much of the second half, Jeremiah Johnson led the Broncos with 28 yards and a touchdown. Johnson, who’s battling Lance Ball, Brandon Minor, and LenDale White for playing time (and a spot on the roster) made a strong argument on his behalf.

Safety Kyle McCarthy’s 2nd quarter sack of Dallas third-string QB Stephen McGee was among Denver’s defensive highlights.  DE Jason Hunter had Denver’s other two sacks.

The Broncos first-team defense surrendered yards early, but once in the red zone, flustered QB Tony Romo’s offense.  Dallas came away with only a field goal.

This just in: Von Miller is fast.

Brady Quinn, you're not so bad after all. (Courtesy Jeffrey Beall)

I typically refrain from using words such as ‘determined’ or ‘impressed’ when describing Brady Quinn, but that ends here. My critique of Quinn dates back to his days at Notre Dame; I thought he was overrated, and I took joy from his uncomfortable NFL Draft wait four years ago.  Even so, I felt sorry for Quinn last year.  It was obvious Josh McDaniels wanted little to do with him, creating an unhealthy situation for the former starting quarterback whose NFL experience was in Cleveland, where, as a longtime friend once told me, “dreams go to die.”  Now refreshed with a better outlook on his future, Quinn is a bona fide NFL backup – if not more. (Yeah, you read correctly).  Maybe I’m jumping to conclusions here, but he should not be third on a depth chart.  That’s not to suggest Kyle Orton or Tim Tebow be demoted at Quinn’s expense. As for those words ‘determined’ and ‘impressed,’ both appropriately define Quinn’s play Thursday night.

What I disliked:

Sloppy 4th quarter third-team defense cost the Broncos the win. Dallas converted on two fourth-downs in the game’s final two minutes, including a fourth-and-goal with :15 remaining. The Cowboys also connected on the decisive two-point conversion, capping off a drive the defensive-minded Fox certainly didn’t want to see.

The Broncos’ first-team offense and defense were one and done, not surprising for the opening preseason game.  Still, I wanted more, especially on the defensive end.  Next week, I suppose…

The lack of depth at offensive line.  Here’s hoping the Broncos front office is scanning the waiver wire as we speak.

Denver had 10 penalties for 85 yards – three coming on a single play: a wild run left, scramble right, and short-yet-illegal-forward-pass by Tebow.  Did those dastardly jitters strike the Broncos last night? Sure, I’ll blame that.

I know Orton isn’t a running quarterback, but why didn’t he tuck and run on second-and-goal from the 6?  He could have easily picked up three or four yards.  Instead, Orton threw beyond the end zone to Brandon Lloyd, setting up a predictable passing situation on third-and-goal.

Love stats?  Check out the full box score here.

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