Denver Broncos place linebacker Joe Mays on injured reserve. (personal photo)

Middle linebacker Joe Mays’ 2012 season is officially over.

The Denver Broncos played Mays (ankle) on season-ending injured reserve Tuesday.  Mays suffered a fracture left fibula just above the ankle on a special teams play in Sunday night’s game against the New Orleans Saints.

Interestingly (at least to me), the Broncos did not promote linebacker Mike Mohamed from the practice squad, instead adding safety Duke Ihenacho to the active roster.

Denver also signed cornerback Mario Butler to the practice squad.  An undrafted free agent from Georgia Tech, Butler was signed by the Dallas Cowboys in 2011, since splitting time between the practice squad and active roster.

Mays is the eighth Broncos player placed on IR this season, joining Jeremy Beal, Philip Blake, Quinton Carter, Mario Fannin, Jason Hunter, J.D. Walton, and Ty Warren.

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

The Denver Broncos have announced some roster moves to accommodate the signings of veteran center Dan Koppen and quarterback Caleb Hanie.

Defensive tackle Ty Warren has been placed on injured reserve with a triceps injury.  Warren was hurt in the first half of Sunday night’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.  It’s the same injury that forced Warren to miss all of the 2011 season.

On Tuesday, the Broncos also waived offensive lineman C.J. Davis.  Fellow offensive lineman Wayne Tribue was dropped from the practice squad.

Sources reported the Broncos and Koppen, formerly of the New England Patriots, reached an agreement last night.  Just hours before, head coach John Fox announced the team’s intent to re-sign backup QB Caleb Hanie, who was released Saturday for “procedural” (i.e. money) reasons.

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

Peyton Manning, perfect setting pardon Mr. Manners at Broncos’ opener - Every once in a while, even old crusty sports writers like yours truly have to put down the laptop, go out and just sit in the stands like everyone else. It was nice to get that chance Sunday night for the Broncos’ regular-season opener against Pittsburgh.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Broncos’ Ty Warren tears triceps again, likely done for the season - Ty Warren had suffered two consecutive season-ending injuries. When it’s three in three years, there has to be fear the injury is career-ending.  Broncos coach John Fox announced at his Monday news conference that the veteran defensive tackle tore his right triceps again early in the game Sunday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Manning Makes History - For quarterback Peyton Manning, Sunday’s season-opener at Sports Authority Field at Mile High carried plenty of significance.  After missing the entire 2011 season with a neck injury, Manning was released by his former team, joined the Broncos and continued months of rehab to be able to run through the tunnel in Week 1.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Porter Shines Opposite Bailey - Cornerback Tracy Porter knew when he signed with Denver this offseason that playing opposite 11-time Pro Bowler Champ Bailey would regularly put him in the crosshairs of opposing quarterbacks.  Porter arrived in Denver with 39 career starts, seven interceptions and 44 passes defensed in his first four seasons in the NFL, all with the New Orleans Saints. But lining up opposite a player like Bailey makes him a target in the Broncos’ defense, a role he embraces.  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Monday Morning Notebook: Wolfe Performs - On a Steelers third-down play at the edge of field-goal range, rookie defensive end Derek Wolfe dove and grabbed on to the leg of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger as he looked to scramble out of the pocket.  “I just grabbed hold of the foot and held on,” said Wolfe, who finished with three solo tackles and the sack. “That’s about all you can do. If you look, I probably had five or six yards on each side of me to cover. It was one of those plays where I just reacted to it and grabbed his foot, and just got lucky.”  Read more from Denver Broncos >>>>

Denver Broncos: 5 Reasons Peyton Manning Will Win Broncos the AFC West - Four-time MVP Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos took their first step toward repeating as AFC West division champs, as they rolled over the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-19 on Sunday night.  Manning hadn’t played an NFL down since his Colts suffered a playoff loss to the Jets on Jan. 8, 2011, but you wouldn’t know it.  Read more from Bleacher Report >>>>

Peyton Manning makes Denver Broncos force in AFC - The Denver Broncos huddled for the first three possession of the Peyton Manning era. They punted twice and fumbled. It was all very Broncos offense, circa 2011.  And then John Fox let Peyton Manning be Peyton Manning. The Broncos went no-huddle the rest of the game. It was like the four-time MVP never left.  Read more from NFL.com >>>>

Broncos’ Manning says learning new offense a humbling experience - Peyton Manning baffled defenses for years by using strange words such as “ice cream” and “soul train” at the line of scrimmage.  The four-time NFL MVP is struggling to grasp a new language now.  ”That’s been one of the hardest things, learning new terminology, new formations,” Manning told Tony Dungy on NBC’s “Football Night in America.”  Read more from Associated Press >>>>

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

Denver Broncos DT Ty Warren is likely done for the season.

Monday afternoon, head coach John Fox announced Warren re-tore his triceps.  It’s the same injury that forced Warren to sit out the entire 2011 season, his first with the Broncos.

It looks like another season cut short for Ty Warren. (personal photo)

The team has yet to determine Warren’s status, but given the nature of the injury, it’s unlikely he plays again this season.

Caleb Hanie is set to be a Bronco…again

As expected, the team will re-sign Hanie, who was released Saturday.  Fox called the move “procedural,” since it saved the team money.

With the quarterback’s return imminent, Denver will need to make a roster move.  The Broncos promoted practice squad DT Sealver Siliga to the active roster to fill Hanie’s spot for Sunday night’s game.

Peyton Manning’s Denver debut sets record

In today’s other “as expected” story, Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers was a ratings smash.

The 18.0 rating (ironic, right?) was an all-time high for Sunday Night Football on NBC.  That’s the most-watched primetime non-playoff game since December of 1997 – between the Broncos and San Francisco 49ers.

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

First and foremost, apologies for going old-school and waiting until less than 12 hours prior to the game to get a preview generated.  It’s just like 20 years ago when you had to wait for the Sunday paper.  This preview won’t take up too much of your time.  Let’s face fact.  There’s really only one storyline for this game…The Return of Peyton Manning.

I could go on about how we got here, what the Broncos organization has done since we last saw it play a competitive game, and what it all means for Peyton Manning as he comes back to football.  Seeing though as how we’ve spent about the past five months doing that, let’s not revisit all the subplots and get down to what I’ll watch for Sunday night (and by extension, what I recommend you watch for as well).

When Denver has the ball:

The running game.  Totally kidding…of course it’s the passing game.  Every facet of it.  Is the protection strong even with the Steelers vigorous need to get to the quarterback?  What role do the tight ends have and is Demaryius Thomas picking up where he left off last season?  A quick note about Thomas: his game winner last season has earned him the title of the “big play threat,” but he has yet to establish himself as a “downfield” threat.  Can Thomas consistently stretch the field to open space up for slot receivers and tight ends?

While kidding about the running game getting the headline, it’s still going to be an important point of emphasis.  According to common inference, a big part of Manning’s Denver decision was John Elway offered the, “I’ve been in your shoes, and know what’s needed to thrive late in your career” selling point.  Translation: It’s really helpful to have a running game.  A Manning-orchestrated, one-dimensional passing attack may win a few games, but ultimately the Broncos will need to convince the Steelers defense to remain honest.  If the Broncos running game is relegated to handoffs picking up 2-yards and swing passes, it’ll be putting too much mileage on Manning.

When Denver doesn’t have the ball:

Is the defense trying to get the ball back?  This doesn’t mean three and outs (although those are welcome), but  can this defense be opportunistic, and create mistakes from opposing quarterbacks.  The Broncos defense is truly built to be a quandary to quarterbacks, ideally creating enough chaos in the backfield to force immediate mistakes, or poor decisions that will allow a savvy secondary to capitalize.

Elvis Dumervil has all the trappings of a man about to have a thunderous year.  Von Miller will continue to create serious problems for offensive lines.  The big difference will be if the other bigs (Justin Bannan, Ty Warren, Mitch Unrein, and Derek Wolfe) will make the base of the pocket as dangerous as the outskirts.  The Broncos secondary is improved, but will need assistance from the grinders up front.

It’s safe to assume heading into this game that Denver’s linebacking corps is the team’s weakest position.  The starting trio is probably average at best from a coverage standpoint.  However this group wasn’t assembled to monitor passing lanes.  It needs to clog holes on the ground.  It will be interesting to see if the Steelers (who like to run as it is) put a premium on the ground game from the start.  Remember, Peyton Manning at his prime only needed the ball for 15 minutes once to score enough points to win.  If the Steelers find it difficult getting to Manning the next step is to limit his effect with ball control.

If the Steelers come out throwing it will signal their bet is Manning no longer has the gusto to go score for score.

Manning Prediction: 267 yds., 2 TD, 1 INT

It’s a modest start as Peyton shakes off the rust against a tried and true defensive unit.

Game Prediction: Broncos 27, Steelers 24

Fortunately, the rest of the Broncos roster reminds a national audience that despite the coverage, just like last year, winning is a TEAM effort.  The Broncos offense keeps the Steelers off pace with contributions from Willis McGahee, Knowshon Moreno, and even a Ronnie Hillman sighting.  The defense can’t shutdown Ben Roethlisberger, but once again gets enough stops to give the Broncos a chance.

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

Salute to true grit: Broncos’ Ben Garland, Greg Orton, Adam Weber all have it - During this Colorado summer of natural disaster and human tragedy, Ben Garland became the face of the Broncos franchise.  As the lightning-ignited High Park fire burned more than 87,000 acres and at least 259 homes, Garland was part of a Broncos contingent that visited the area to thank and inspire the firefighters and volunteers, and comfort the victims.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Broncos defensive tackle Ty Warren back in saddle, ready to make Denver debut - Before every snap Ty Warren takes in practice and the preseason, he knows what it’s supposed to feel like. Even after two full seasons away from football because of hip and triceps injuries, Warren remembers how it feels to be one of the most dominant interior defensive linemen in the NFL. Warren, a 31-year-old, 300-pound defensive tackle, knows enough to realize he’s not that same player anymore. But after surviving his first complete preseason since 2009, Warren is confident that he is on his way back to becoming himself again.  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Mark Kiszla: With Manning at helm, only Fox can be goat - There’s no doubt the Broncos could win a Super Bowl with Peyton Manning at quarterback. The bigger question: Is John Fox the right coach to help Manning get fitted for that championship ring?  Read more from the Denver Post >>>>

Source: Lions add Drayton Florence - The Detroit Lions agreed to terms with veteran cornerback Drayton Florence on Sunday, a team official told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.  Florence, a 10-year NFL veteran, was cut by the Denver Broncos on Friday.  Read more from ESPN >>>>

My biggest worry for each AFC West team - With the regular season starting in one week, let’s look at the biggest concern I have for each AFC West team heading into Week 1.  Read more from ESPN >>>>

2012 Denver Broncos Roster – Quarterbacks - Now that we know the 53 men that will be tasked with carrying our hopes and dreams as fans of this Denver Broncos football team, let’s examine each position in greater detail. We’ll start with the offense and the obvious positional choice of Quarterback.  The rest of the positions will be published over the next three days.  Read more from BroncoTalk >>>>

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

You know those things that require your attention, but you just never can seem to get around to in a timely fashion?  For you and I they’re probably things like oil changes every 3,000 miles or organizing a closet.  For the Denver Broncos, it is getting a solid defensive line.

Stop me if you’ve heard this before…

The Broncos used to be pretty deep on the defensive front.  Alfred Williams, Trevor Pryce, Neil Smith, Keith Traylor, and Maa Tanuvasa weren’t ever looked at as the “best” defensive line during the late 90s, but they were better than most.  In the decade-plus since them, the Denver defensive front has been at best…average.  Mostly though in the past several seasons it’s been a notch or two shy of average.

With this in mind I’ve been keeping an eye on the D-line personnel as training camp progresses.  With a little more than a week’s worth of work so far, here are some observations on how the Broncos are planning to bolster the defensive front four:

• Ayers Dropping: On Day 3 of camp (the first day in pads), Robert Ayers joined Justin Banaan, Ty Warren, and Elvis Dumervil on the first team.  Within a week Ayers had been replaced by Jason Hunter, who lined up with Warren, Dumervil, and Unrein (replacing an injured Bannan) during the summer scrimmage.  Ayers may not be facing the cut list, but if he fails to deliver much beyond replacement duty this season it could likely mean Denver stamps “Miss” on his first-round selection, and moves on.  (Need further evidence?  Look no further than the recently revealed depth chart.)
• Inside Out: When the Broncos boasted about Derek Wolfe’s ability to play both DE and DT after drafting him early in the second round they made their intentions clear.  Wolfe has seen a decent amount of snaps at each position.  During the team’s first scrimmage Wolfe was replacing Ty Warren on third down situations.  It’s evident Jack Del Rio is hoping Wolfe provides the interior pass rush that made him the team’s first pick of the draft.  (For the record, Wolfe is listed as DE on the latest depth chart, but I still fully expect him to get playing time, at least during the preseason, at DT.)
• True Tackles: What’s also evident is that right now, the competition at defensive tackles goes Ty Warren, Justin Bannan, and everybody else.  Warren seems motivated after missing two years of football with injury.  What will remain unclear for several months is whether he can hold up for a full season.  Justin Bannan is an above-average known quantity to the Broncos, and should likely earn a starting spot.  Wolfe and Mitch Unrein appear the likely fill-in candidates on the second team, while Kevin Vickerson could now be even more removed from the “startersphere.”
• End Note: There’s only one position truly up for grabs here.  Right now that belongs to Jason Hunter, and as previously discussed, Robert Ayers has fallen to the second team.  However, the Broncos have brought in competition here.  Last year’s seventh-round pick Jeremy Beal remains on the team, and notables Ben Garland and rookie Malik Jackson are also in the mix with several others.  As mentioned above, Derek Wolfe is also getting looks at DE.

The massive crowds that have swarmed training camp are likely there primarily to see Peyton Manning make some throws, and there’s nothing wrong with that.  However, there’s plenty of other position battles and performances to watch as the Broncos aim to build a true contender.  Keeping an eye on the play of the team’s defensive line candidates could tell us a lot about whether the Broncos can expect a true upgrade, or “average at best.”

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

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 >>>>

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