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First look at Broncos Von Miller and
DeMarcus Ware in Madden NFL 15
By Joe Nguyen
The Denver Post
July 2, 2014
It may be two months away until the start of the regular season, but Electronic Arts
revealed an early look at the Broncos new pass-rushing duo in Madden NFL 15.
The official Madden NFL Twitter account tweeted a screenshot Wednesday of Von
Miller and DeMarcus Ware advancing on Kansas City quarterback Alex Smith.
Madden NFL 15 will be released Aug. 26 for the Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4
and PlayStation 3.
Denver Post launches new sports app for
iOS, Android devices
By Daniel Petty
The Denver Post
July 2, 2014
The Denver Post on Wednesday launched a new native mobile application for iOS
and Android devices — including iPad — to deliver the latest news, scores, photos,
video and information on Colorado's professional, college and high school sports
teams.
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Fans can download the apps from the iTunes app store and Google Play for Android.
With information on the Broncos, Nuggets, Avalanche, Rockies, Rapids, Olympics,
World Cup, outdoors and college and prep sports, the app features columns, blog
posts with larger images, a revamped navigational menu, photo galleries, live and
on-demand video and live-updated stats and standings.
Fans can watch The Press Box live in the app from 9-11 a.m. daily, and then view
clips of the show later. The app will also deliver the latest sports push notifications
on scores, injuries and trade news — information that won't be pushed in the main
Denver Post app. In the coming months, users will be able to customize push
notifications for specific teams and types of information.
The app replaces The Post's four iOS-based applications for football, basketball,
baseball and hockey. Fans who already have the Post's pro football app can
upgrade automatically to the new one. The pro baseball, pro basketball and pro
hockey apps will no longer be fed content; fans must download the new app
separately.
Tel Aviv-based startup Rumble Inc., which has a partnership with Digital First
Media, The Post's parent company, powers the technology behind the app.
Zoom in on ... linebacker Von Miller
By Jeff Legwold
ESPN.com
July 3, 2014
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Whenever the Denver Broncos' chief decision-maker, John
Elway, describes the developmental process, he will routinely offer “we don’t draft
All Pros, we have to make them."
And over the course of the past week, wrapping up today, we've taken a glimpse at
a few key players who are at various stages of the developmental process. Some
have been named to the Pro Bowl, some will be starters for the first time in the
coming season.
But what they all have in common is more is expected of them than they could
give, for a variety of reasons, in last season’s run to the Super Bowl.
Today: Linebacker Von Miller.
There is a theory in and around the Broncos about Miller as the first draft pick of
the Elway/John Fox regime gets set to enter his fourth season. And granted the
sample size is fairly small and all, but the bottom line is if folks see less of the Miller
of 2013 in the season to come the more they’ll see the Miller of 2012.
And that's a good thing -- a potentially really good thing -- as one of the people
with that opinion is Miller.
As he said during the team’s recent offseason workouts; “Last year, my body, I was
great. I liked where I was. But it’s just experimentation. That didn’t work as well as
I thought it would … It’s just experimenting. I think me being able to be lighter is
just better for me."
As Miller returns from last December’s surgery to repair his ACL, the Broncos have
seen at least two things that give them hope Miller can return to his 18.5-sack form
of 2012 when, if not for an other-worldly season from Houston Texans defensive
tackle J.J. Watt, Miller would have likely been the league’s Defensive Player of the
Year.
First, the arrival of DeMarcus Ware, a steadying presence in both word and deed,
has helped Miller. At least some of the other players in the locker room believe that
to be the case.
Miller is immensely talented, but has also wrestled with his immature, it’s-not-myfault, I-do-what-I-want side, particularly last season with several off-the-field
issues including a six-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse
policy. He respects Ware and Ware sees the potential in Miller.
Miller, by most accounts, has also been reliable, focused and well-intentioned in his
rehab work and appears to understand at least some that, as a player in Stage 3 of
the league’s substance-abuse program, he has less room for error than most when
it comes to his football future.
And secondly, there’s just less of Miller. He’s far closer to the 255 pounds or so he
was, as he works through his recovery with the team’s strength and conditioning
staff, when he was among the league’s elite. Last season, having made the decision
to get bigger as he tried to add more power to his game, Miller checked in following
his suspension at about 270 pounds.
While he flashed his potential at times and affected offenses, he was not the
explosive, have-to-block-him guy he had been the season before. He had five sacks
in nine games in his return from his suspension before suffering his injury against
the Texans. Or, as one of his former teammates said "he went from special, really
special, to just pretty good."
“I feel like my confidence has never swayed," Miller said recently. "...I definitely
have confidence in myself and it never swayed and I think that’s what’s gotten me
to this point now, going through like the ACL and everything. You definitely
question a lot of stuff and you have to dig deep and realize what really makes you
go. For me, it was just being able to have the opportunity to play football and have
the opportunity to be the best and that’s what gets me going."
It all means the Broncos are tinkering with all kinds of plans for Ware and Miller in
the pass rush, including some with the two on the same side of the formation as
they did when they were drawing up ideas to use with Miller and Elvis Dumervil.
In the end, the proof will always be in how Miller conducts himself on and off the
field, in whether he lives the words he has spoken about wanting to have more in
his football career than he’s had and that he understands the opportunity he has.
But it’s safe to say, as the Broncos have crossed their collective fingers to this
point, they’ve liked what they’ve seen so far.
Jimmy Graham ruled a tight end
By Mike Triplett
ESPN.com
July 2, 2014
Jimmy Graham is a tight end after all.
In a groundbreaking decision, the NFL has confirmed that arbitrator Stephen
Burbank denied Graham's request to officially be declared a wide receiver under the
NFL's franchise-tag rules.
Although Graham lined up either in the slot or out wide on 67 percent of his snaps
last year, Burbank agreed with the New Orleans Saints and the NFL Management
Council, who argued that the tight end position has always involved a combination
of splitting out wide to run pass routes and staying in to block -- especially in
today's modern passing offenses.
Graham and the NFL Players Association can appeal the decision within 10 days to a
three-member appeals panel.
In the meantime, the Saints will not have to increase their one-year tender offer of
$7.053 million to Graham. The receiver tender would have cost them $12.132
million.
More important, with the franchise grievance nearing a conclusion, the two sides
can now focus on setting their own value for Graham in long-term contract talks.
The deadline for signing long-term deals with franchised players is July 15.
"The NFLPA will review with Jimmy Graham the decision from Arbitrator Stephen
Burbank which permits the player to be designated as a tight end for Franchise Tag
purposes. We will advise Graham of his options and carefully determine next steps
in this matter," the NFLPA said in a statement. "We will also continue to assist
Graham and his representation as necessary to help the player reach a fair longterm deal with the New Orleans Saints."
Graham will still almost certainly become the highest-paid tight end in NFL history,
surpassing the $9 million per year that Rob Gronkowski received in a 2012
extension with the New England Patriots. However, it will be harder for Graham to
approach something in the $12 million-per-year range now.
The Saints have leverage because they could potentially lock up Graham for two
straight years with the franchise tag at costs of $7.053 million this year and $8.46
million in 2015 -- though Graham obviously could refuse to sign the tenders and
hold out of training camp.
Graham and the NFLPA were banking on the notion that Burbank would assign a
more literal definition to the wording in the collective bargaining agreement, which
states that the franchise-tag designation is based on the position "at which the
Franchise player participated in the most plays during the prior League Year."
Ultimately, Burbank ruled that Graham was officially lining up at the position of
tight end either when he was against the line or when he was flexed out into the
slot "at least if such alignment brought him within four yards of (the nearest
offensive) lineman."
Burbank said he only considered those plays because evidence showed that Graham
was lined up within four yards of the line on more than 50 percent of his snaps.
Burbank determined that it wasn't essential for purposes of this grievance to
consider snaps where Graham lined up even farther out.
Burbank's 12-page ruling laid out a number of compelling arguments from both
sides -- including testimony from Saints coach Sean Payton, Saints general
manager Mickey Loomis and expert witnesses Bill Polian and Butch Davis, among
others.
The evidence that appeared to weigh most heavily into Burbank's decision was that
Graham was often defended as a tight end even when he lined up in the slot (i.e.,
by a linebacker or a strong safety).
Wrote Burbank: "The evidence also supports findings that, like tight ends, wide
receivers and running backs often line up in the slot ... and that the defense
employed against any player so aligned turns on the player's position, not his
alignment, because of the physical attributes and skill sets of the players in those
positions."
As Burbank dissected all of the arguments, he wrote that there were "a number of
sources of ambiguity" in trying to determine when Graham was officially lining up
as a tight end -- mainly because there is no clear definition of the tight end position
contained within the CBA.
The two sides even submitted alternate definitions of the word "position" from
competing dictionaries, which Burbank said he didn't find helpful in this case. And
Burbank dismissed the notion that the word "tight" should be taken literally -- just
as the word "wide" shouldn't be taken literally in defining a wide receiver. Burbank
wrote that such literal interpretations would leave Graham in "a categorical no
man's land."
However, Burbank also dismissed a number of arguments from the Saints and the
NFL's side as being absolute definitions, as well -- including the arguments that
Graham was drafted as a tight end, works with tight ends in practice, has earned
postseason awards as a tight end, is listed on the roster as a tight end and even
that he refers to himself as a tight end in social media.
Graham's grievance against his position designation was the first to reach the stage
of an arbitrator's decision. In 2008, a hearing was held over whether the Baltimore
Ravens'Terrell Suggs should be considered a defensive end or a linebacker. But the
two sides worked out a compromise before an arbitrator made his ruling.
No matter what position he's been playing, Graham has emerged as one of the
NFL's top weapons during his four-year career since being drafted in the third round
out of the University of Miami.
Graham has led the NFL with 36 touchdown catches over the past three years. He
has averaged 90 receptions, 1,169 yards and 12 touchdowns per year over that
span.
Ranking 32 NFL QBs by tier
By Mike Sando
ESPN.com
July 2, 2014
You know you're onto something interesting when an NFL head coach requests a
few additional moments with your laptop.
"Let me see that one more time," one coach said, leaning forward in his chair.
I asked 26 league insiders to grade every projected starting quarterback on a 1-5
scale, with "one" reserved for the best and "five" for the worst. Eight general
managers, two former GMs, four pro personnel evaluators, seven coordinators, two
head coaches, two position coaches and a top executive participated, attacking the
project with gusto almost across the board.
The result of the polling is a composite ranking of all 32 NFL starting quarterbacks,
and an understanding of how some of the league's most important evaluators
separate the best from the rest at the position. With their input, we were able to
compile an average rating of each QB, to rank them in a 1-32 pecking order, and to
divide the starters into general tiers. I've passed along insights from voters when
applicable.
Five QBs cracked Tier 1, including one surprise. Ten other QBs fell into Tier 2 and
nine landed in Tier 3. The remaining eight starters fell into Tier 4. Five of them
received nearly as many Tier 5 votes, but not enough to drop any of them into that
bottom level.
"That is a pretty good consensus of where we are at in the league," one of the GMs
said upon surveying the overall results.
The head coach referenced earlier has finished staring at the results. Now, it's your
turn.
Tier 1 (5)
T-1. Tom Brady, New England Patriots (1.04 average rating)
I was deep into this project when ESPN Insider published Sam Monson's
piece highlighting Brady's diminished production while under pressure. Monson
questioned Brady's status as one of the top five QBs. Still, none of the people I
spoke with thought Brady had slipped to a significant degree. Twenty-five of the 26
voters put him in the first tier. The lone exception, a pro personnel evaluator, saved
his only Tier 1 vote for Peyton Manning. He was an unusually tough grader at the
top, focused more intently than others on the 2013 season, when Manning
performed at a historic level.
"Brady did a lot of good things with limited resources, but I saw holes when they
put the onus on him to carry it all, as you saw when Denver beat him," this
evaluator said. "Brady has to have more of a running game at this stage. He cannot
line up with five wides and win it as consistently as before. I still think Brady is a
top-five quarterback, but I would not say he is the best right now."
That was a minority opinion. A veteran offensive assistant who listed Manning,
Rodgers, Brady, Brees and Luck as his Tier 1 QBs said the first three were pretty
much interchangeable.
"Brady might be the best because he does it with the least every year, just about,"
this offensive assistant said. "To me, there is no falloff with that guy. If he played
with what Rodgers and Peyton and Brees have played with, it would not even be
close. He has not had an outside guy since Randy Moss. These other guys have
outside guys coming out of their ears, especially Peyton and Rodgers. It is such a
difference when you have outside guys that can stretch, like Manning had in Indy.
Then he'd kill you with the inside guys. Brady doesn't have half the skill players
that Manning has. The thing that is scary is that sneakily, the Patriots were pretty
good last year anyway."
From 2006 through 2012, Brady trailed only Manning in Total QBR at 74.8. That
figure fell off to 48.6 through eight games last season as the Patriots lost nearly all
their top weapons, but it was back to 73.1 over the final eight games, fourth-best
in the league over that span.
T-1. Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos (1.04 average rating)
Not much explanation required here. All Manning did last season was set an NFL
record with 55 touchdown passes.
One of the evaluators with a background in pro personnel nearly gave Manning a
Tier 2 grade on our first run through the ballot. Then, he started laughing.
"As soon as I said two, I was like, 'Really?' " the evaluator said. "Arm strength is
such an issue at this point and the smart teams are going to neutralize him easier
than others, but he is a one."
Manning received his only Tier 2 grade from a GM concerned that the QB's age had
hampered his ability to avoid the rush. Brady, Brees and Rodgers were the only Tier
1 QBs on this GM's ballot. Exceptions such as these could say more about the
voting process than the players. "It's an incredible accomplishment if you can get
everyone in the building on the same scale," another GM said.
T-1. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers (1.04 average rating)
If Rodgers gives up anything to Brady and Manning before the snap -- which is
debatable -- his athletic ability seems to make up for it.
"You can't fool him," a defensive coordinator said. "We watched some cutups on
him and he was ridiculous. He sees everything. They'd have a blitz on and he'd
throw it and he knows what the blitz is. I don't know how he knows it. He throws
into this tight window that nobody would throw into. Brees is the same way."
A veteran cornerback I talked to this offseason put it this way: "He is very cerebral.
I don't think he is quite like a Peyton Manning, but he can read defenses and all
that stuff, and when stuff breaks down, he is mobile enough to get out of the
pocket and run. That is what made him so good, especially a couple years ago. He
is still playing well. He just got hurt last year."
T-1. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints (1.04 average rating)
Brees' credentials need no explanation. Still, most placed him just behind Brady
and Manning within the top tier.
One evaluator said he thought Brees wasn't as good outdoors. But Brady wasn't
any better statistically in outdoor road games last season. Among Tier 1 QBs, only
Manning (83.0 QBR) and Luck (59.1) were particularly good in outdoor road games.
"The best guys bring everyone else's level up and the guys around them can
change and they still play at a high level," an offensive coordinator said. "You saw
that comment by Brees talking about Jimmy Graham and he was saying, 'Well,
Jimmy is really good, but I've been here for eight years and Jimmy was not here for
four of those years and we still had the big numbers.' With these Tier 1 guys,
they're productive almost regardless."
One evaluator questioned whether Brees could hang with the other Tier 1 players
when his team fell behind by 21 or 28 points. Since 2010, counting the playoffs,
Brady is 2-1 and Manning is 1-3 when their teams fall behind by 21-28 points. Their
QBR scores were exceptional in those situations (90.9 for Brady and 88.3 for
Manning). Rodgers went 0-2 in those games, but played respectably (64.6 QBR).
Brees, meanwhile, had an 0-5 record in these games and a 52.6 QBR.
5. Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts (1.50 average rating)
Luck doesn't have the track record of the other Tier 1 QBs, and there was a clear
gap in the voting between him and the top four. But people in the league love him
almost unconditionally, and 14 of the 26 voters insisted upon putting him in the top
tier (each of the top four received 25 of 26 Tier 1 votes).
The evaluators think Luck has carried a subpar roster to a 22-10 record without
much help. They see no limitations. They have zero doubt about his long-term
stardom and felt strongly enough to give him 14 first-tier votes even while
acknowledging he's below the Big Four at this early stage. Every other QB fell into
the tier in which he received the most votes, and So shall Luck, even if his Tier 1
designation feels a bit premature.
"I'm not going to downgrade him because it's only his second year," a defensive
coordinator said after placing Luck in the first tier. "He can put it on his back as a
younger player, where some of these other guys had good help running the ball like
Ben (Roethlisberger) or Matt (Ryan) or Russell (Wilson) or Joe (Flacco). They have
had people you could hand it to. They say you can win with a young QB when you
have a top-10 defense and a top-10 running game. Luck hasn't had either."
The Colts have gone 22-10 with Luck, while ranking 28th in defensive EPA and 24th
in both rushing yards and rushing attempts by running backs. Luck ranks fourth in
drop-backs over that span, trailing only Matthew Stafford, Brees and Ryan.
Still, there isn't much of an individual statistical argument for Luck's inclusion in
Tier 1. His completion percentage (57.0) and passer rating (81.5) lag. His QBR
score (63.8) ranks eighth and reflects significant value added through rushing.
"Luck turns the ball over too much," one GM said in explaining why he left Luck in
the second tier for now. A head coach called Luck "a two becoming a one" -- a
comment consistent with the thinking of everyone who placed Luck in the second
tier.
Tier 2 (10)
6. Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers (1.77 average rating)
Quite a few analysts said they would ideally put Rivers and Roethlisberger in the
1.5 range -- better than the typical Tier 2 player, but not as dynamic as the Tier 1
QBs. Eighteen of the 26 voters placed Rivers in the second tier. The same was true
for Roethlisberger.
"Rivers can't run, but he can throw and he's smart," a defensive coordinator said.
"He is definitely a two to me -- a real good quarterback."
Another defensive coordinator put Rivers in his first tier with Brees, Brady, Rodgers
and Peyton Manning. He also described what separated the top-tier QBs from the
rest in his mind. "A one to me is a guy that -- he is going to get 300 on you every
game and you kind of know it," that coordinator said. "He's a guy you are going to
have to manage, you're going to have to try to disguise and do different things
against because he has seen everything. Those guys see everything. The twos are
guys you can get. Like Eli, you can get him on some things and can disguise some
things on him. But [the twos] still run their offense, they have control of it."
7. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers (1.85 average rating)
One of the offensive coaches placed Rivers and Roethlisberger in the top tier. He
noted that Rivers wins with his mind while Roethlisberger wins with his physical
abilities. Several GMs said they thought Roethlisberger had declined into the second
tier over the past couple seasons. "If you were there in Pittsburgh, you saw him run
the no-huddle, you saw the command, you saw him run and make plays," a
coordinator said. "Other people will not think as much of him. He is a very good
quarterback, able to get himself out of tough positions."
Said one GM: "Ben plays big-boy football -- and regardless of what you think, he
knows how to win the game."
T-8. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons (2.23 average rating)
I was surprised to see Ryan command zero Tier 1 votes and six Tier 3 votes. Nearly
everyone said Ryan needed to prove himself in the playoffs. There was a feeling
Ryan would never be able to carry his team the way the very best QBs have.
That's not a knock, either. "If you told me I'm getting a guy who can win 10 games
and get you to the championship game and lose, I'd take it in a heartbeat," one
former GM said.
The other former GM said it's become clear to him Ryan cannot carry a team. "I
think he has potential, but I see a guy that is a little bit hesitant and cannot pull the
trigger," this former GM said. "From afar, it looks like the more Matt Ryan has on
his plate, the less productive he becomes."
One evaluator noted that Ryan has benefited from outstanding receiving
weapons: Julio Jones can win jump balls; Roddy White, a former wrestler, knows
how to fight for position; and the recently retired Tony Gonzalez was a master at
using leverage to make life easier for quarterbacks.
One of the pro personnel evaluators called Ryan a "solid starter who will never be a
top-five player" at the position. Another put it this way: "He's the most
disappointing guy to me. He does not have a great line or run game, but other guys
overcome that and are better than Ryan has been. You can throw stats away at
some point and it's just a feel for the player."
T-8. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys (2.23 average rating)
A few evaluators questioned whether Romo had the mind-set to play at the highest
level consistently. It's a familiar refrain in league circles, a feeling that Romo is an
undisciplined QB playing for an undisciplined organization with a poorly constructed
roster.
"People want to knock him," one GM responded, "but the guy has talent and is one
of the top 10 starters in the league."
Romo is 34 years old and coming off back surgery, but he still could be in line for a
"monster" season, one evaluator said. "But I absolutely believe they will not win big
with him. As soon as he decides it's a clutch moment, his brain goes elsewhere. He
loses focus and tries to create something."
T-8. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks (2.23 average rating)
Everyone likes Wilson. But not everyone loves him, especially when it comes to
projecting how a 5-foot-10 QB would fare without a dominant defense and running
game on his side. Still, Wilson came in ahead of Colin Kaepernick, Cam
Newton and Robert Griffin III, three other young, mobile QBs.
"I love Russell Wilson," one GM said. "I like him for the intangibles, which
Kaepernick has not displayed. I have Wilson as a three and think he might ascend
to a two. I don't think he will ever be a one. Kaepernick has a chance to be a one,
but he also has a chance to be a three or a four."
Evaluators across the board lauded Wilson for his decision-making, both with the
football and in avoiding big hits when scrambling.
Still, some said they wanted to see more from Wilson in terms of decision-making
and downfield accuracy from within the pocket. "He has a curl-flat wide open and
cannot see it, so he spins out and rips it 40 yards downfield to make an amazing
big play," one evaluator said.
A head coach said he'd rather have Sam Bradford than Wilson purely from a talent
standpoint.
As noted previously, the numbers from Wilson and Kaepernick from within the
pocket are solid, but that doesn't mean people in the league perceive them as
effective pocket passers. One head coach said teams with good game plans have
taken away escape routes and made Wilson struggle. Injuries at receiver and along
the offensive line have not helped. "I want them to win games from the pocket at
some point," one GM said of shorter QBs. "That is what will separate Russell Wilson
-- besides a great 'D' -- from the Doug Fluties of the world. Eventually, you made
them beat you from the pocket and they could not do it. Maybe he ascends to the
bottom of that one tier, but I see him probably more top of the second."
T-8. Eli Manning, New York Giants (2.23 average rating)
Quite a few voters paused and feigned anguish when asked to make sense of
Manning following a brutal 2013 season. Seventeen of them placed Manning in the
second tier.
"He is really a two when you supply him with the right weapons," a head coach
said. "He is a guy that has the ultimate trust in a big wide receiver."
Some thought Manning would benefit from a scheme change this offseason, but
most of the voters placing him in the second tier sounded a little apprehensive. "I
see Eli having a hard time generating things on his own," one GM said. "I don't see
a great decision-maker. He has never struck me as a take-charge, carry-the-team
type of guy." That GM put Manning in the third tier. Another drew comparisons
between Manning and the Kurt Warner who became gun-shy at times later in his
career.
"Eli can go from a championship quarterback to throwing five interceptions in one
game," an offensive coordinator said.
12. Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens (2.31 average rating)
Flacco came in just ahead of Matthew Stafford, thanks to a couple of Tier 1 votes
from evaluators honoring the dominant form Flacco showed during the Ravens'
Super Bowl run.
"Flacco would be a guy that you probably either love him or hate him because he's
a big guy, probably not the most mobile guy, and he's kind of got the droopy face,
kind of like the Jay Cutler face, where it always looks like things are bad," an
offensive coordinator said.
One defensive coordinator said he thought Flacco played with a grittiness that was
appealing. Another saw shortcomings from a football standpoint. "He has a big arm,
but he misses so many plays because he doesn't read defenses well," this second
defensive coordinator said. "On film, you see guys open, but he doesn't throw it to
the right guy."
13. Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions (2.38 average rating)
There's a feeling among evaluators that Stafford, more than any other QB outside
the top five, has the talent to ascend into the first tier. He is arguably the most
intriguing starter in the league.
"I've watched Stafford a lot and some of the decision-making is questionable," a
defensive coordinator said. "[But] as a talent, I would have drafted the kid No. 1
when he was coming out of Georgia."
A head coach said it's critical for Stafford to work on his mechanics the way Brady
and Peyton Manning have done over the years.
14. Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco 49ers (2.50 average rating)
Evaluators want to see more from Kaepernick as a reader of defenses, playing
within the pocket. They acknowledge his strong arm and dynamic running ability:
Kaepernick, like Wilson, has good passing stats from within the pocket, with or
without play-action. But there's still a perception around the league that neither is
proven in that area.
"Kaepernick can affect the game on so many levels," a defensive coordinator said.
"He's been to a Super Bowl, been in a championship game. He has kind of
revolutionized some stuff. He is a different kind of 'two' than most of them, more
multidimensional."
Kaepernick, like Wilson, has benefited from a dominant defense and running game,
and his team hasn't asked him to carry the offense week after week.
But he's been resilient. "Last year, there were a number of people injured and he
still kept finding ways to win," a different defensive coordinator said. "Those kind of
guys who show that moxie at quarterback, as a defensive coach, that does factor
[in] to me. It is not necessarily all based on their stats."
15. Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles (2.56 average rating)
Foles just made the bottom of the second tier, even though three evaluators put
him in the fourth tier, including one GM who called him "a four who played like a
two" last season.
Another GM boldly placed Foles in the first tier based on what he saw last season.
He kept Foles there upon additional reflection, but his was an outlying view.
Most wanted to see more. We've seen Matt Cassel and other QBs flash for a season
or two before fading away. Still, the evaluators most familiar with Foles liked his
future. When asked about the Cassel comparison, they thought Foles had a much
better arm. But others wondered if part of one season wasn't enough to go on.
"Foles could be like a Kerry Collinsor Jake Delhomme, a three who plays like a two
or four," one evaluator said.
Tier 3 (9)
16. Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers (2.58 average rating)
Players with the ability to escape the pocket and run have less incentive to become
polished pocket passers, according to some. That is one reason a number of
defensive backs I've spoken with think Newton and others with similar skill sets
might never move into the top tier.
One GM called Newton "phenomenal" and someone he'd pay to see play. He
thought Newton needed continuity on the coaching staff and in the huddle. "He is a
little bit like Ben [Roethlisberger] in that he is so physical," one head coach said.
"But he is so inconsistent. I would say he is a three. Some days, he's a one. Some
days, he's a five."
Newton appears to have no limitations. "I would say Cam Newton has rare stuff," a
defensive coordinator said. "You don't worry about him getting hit like you worry
about other quarterbacks. He would be at the top of the list for me as a three
because he is not a rare thrower, but he has rare stuff. I could see him elevating to
a two, and it might just be winning past the regular season."
17. Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears (2.62 average rating)
I thought Cutler would fall into the second tier based on his talent, but 16 of the 26
voters put him in the third. They lamented Cutler's inconsistency, poor mechanics,
proclivity for turnovers and abbreviated postseason résumé.
A few evaluators thought Cutler took a step forward last season and could progress
further now that the Bears' offensive line has stabilized. "For me, it's all about how
impactful a player can be on game day," one GM said, defending Cutler. "The
reason Cutler is not a one is because he is too up and down. But you talk about a
guy that can beat you with his arm, and how many in the league can do it better
than him? Now he finally has a line in front of him, he has more than one receiver.
So, there is no way he is a three, in my opinion."
The Bears' failure to protect Cutler in past seasons arguably justified what some
have seen as the QB's negative body language. "I don't know the kid," a defensive
coordinator said. "I like him as a player. He runs their offense very well, he can
make any throw, I think he has some toughness to him, some cockiness to him. He
is as good as Matt Ryan. He's a two."
18. Alex Smith, Kansas City Chiefs (2.96 average rating)
Smith was solidly in the middle of the third tier. A defensive coordinator familiar
with Smith's career in San Francisco said he thought the 49ers' game plans
demonstrated very little confidence in the former No. 1 pick. "It really did seem like
he was just managing," the coordinator said. "The guy is an NFL talent. Can he
make a play somewhere? Of course, they can all make plays. But it seemed like
when they say managing it, it was almost like they were managing him. Don't let
him screw it up. Not like he was managing the game."
Smith has heard it all before. Despite a Total QBR (51.8) that ranks 22nd over the
past three seasons, he has the third-best winning percentage (.750, including
playoffs) of any quarterback over the same time frame.
Even with a winning record, Smith doesn't receive high marks from evaluators.
"There is nothing about him runningwise or arm-talentwise that makes you say,
'Shoot, we have to take this away,'" one GM said. "But he is better than an Andy
Dalton because he protects the ball. Dalton does not protect the ball. There are just
too many games he gives it to the other team."
T-19. Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals (3.00 average rating)
The people who like Dalton like him more as a person than as a talent. They love
his approach to the game, his professionalism and his demeanor. They think the
Bengals can win with him if they're strong enough in other areas. But most don't
see him climbing out of the third tier, where 20 of 26 evaluators placed Dalton
without much hesitation.
One person familiar with Dalton questioned how he'd fit under his new offensive
coordinator, Hue Jackson. He described Dalton as a "sweetheart" and Jackson as a
"badass who would punch you out" -- and as someone who wouldn't be afraid to
give Jason Campbell a chance.
"The ceiling for Dalton is a three," one GM said. "There is not enough about him.
With a Colin Kaepernick, does he read coverages well? No, but if things are clicking
for him, he can throw fastballs. Dalton cannot do that."
A former GM called Dalton a "poor man's Russell Wilson" for his dedication to the
job and the respect that dedication earns throughout a building. "With Dalton, if he
is your quarterback for 10 years, you'll go to the playoffs five times and say he's a
good QB," the former GM said. "But is he physically gifted enough to win it if you
have to throw it?"
T-19. Robert Griffin III, Washington Redskins (3.00 average rating)
Only five of the evaluators who cast ballots for Griffin placed him in the second tier.
Fifteen placed him in the third tier. Five put him in the fourth. And when I spoke
with a mix of players -- four defensive backs, two linebackers and two QBs -- they
gave him a 4.1 grade on average. I decided against including the players' grades in
the overall results because they tended to be exceedingly low. One GM put Griffin in
the second tier despite some reservations about Griffin's personality. The veteran
QBs I consulted separately crushed Griffin in that area. "He does not take any
blame," one of them said. A head coach placed Griffin in the fourth tier and said, "I
just don't think he can play in the pocket."
Health and durability are key variables. "Pre-injury and with [Mike] Shanahan and
all the things they did [in 2012], I would put him in that two category with Wilson
and Kaepernick," a defensive coordinator said. "If he is healthy, he adds a scary
dimension because the kid can run and he is accurate enough, but post-injury, I
don't know."
T-21. Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals (3.12 average rating)
Palmer is an interesting study because his production went from being pretty brutal
through eight games last season (10 TDs, 14 INTs, 35.1 QBR score) to ranking
among the NFL's best from that point forward (14 TDs, 8 INTs, 68.9 QBR).
Not many people seemed to notice. Twenty-three of 26 voters placed Palmer in the
third or fourth tier. The eight players who gave Griffin a 4.1 grade on average
combined to rate Palmer at 3.1, something I found interesting and somewhat
surprising. "I really like Palmer," a veteran safety said. "He is a tough guy. I
respect his game and his work ethic. I like the way he plays."
T-21. Sam Bradford, St. Louis Rams (3.12 average rating)
Just about everyone placed Bradford in the third tier, almost as a hedge. They
thought he had the talent to be a solid two, if only he could stay on the field.
The harshest criticism painted Bradford as a player who struggles at handling
pressure and throwing accurately on his second or third reads. "There are some
guys like Cam Newton where you go, 'Oh boy,'" a defensive coordinator said. "You
would never say that going against Bradford. We were just like, 'OK, let's go play
football.'"
One of the head coaches thought Bradford had gotten a bad rap. "I don't think
offensively they have done a very good job with him," this coach said. "Talentwise,
I think Bradford has it all, but I'd have to say he is a three. He can stay in the
pocket, he can make all the throws, he can check things."
23. Ryan Tannehill, Miami Dolphins (3.32 average rating)
A pro personnel director put Tannehill in the second tier, but a defensive
coordinator whose team faced the Dolphins was not convinced.
Either way, Tannehill needs better blocking. "To me, he is a manager of the game,
a guy where if everything is right, he is OK," the defensive coordinator said. "We
didn't fear him. I don't think he has the strongest arm, the best release. When you
ask me about guys, I think about how I have to game plan against them. Am I
afraid of them?"
One pro personnel evaluator placed Tannehill in the second tier, predicting good
things for the third-year pro behind an upgraded line and within an uptempo
offense.
24. Josh McCown, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3.52 average rating)
Teams will be watching to see how McCown's 2013 season in Marc Trestman's
system translates to Tampa Bay. Some see a 34-year-old QB with no résumé
before last season, when McCown arguably provided an upgrade from Cutler with
13 touchdown passes and one interception.
"We got ready for him last year and boy, did he have a good season," a defensive
coordinator said. "I would have to put him in the three group because you have to
factor age in there and it might have just been that perfect storm, but he played
well last year. It could have been the system. Maybe it was right with the reads and
what they did. Good for him."
A head coach called McCown "a four who played like a three" or better at times last
season.
Tier 4 (8)
25. Matt Schaub, Oakland Raiders (3.58 average rating)
Questions persist about whether Schaub can right his career after a brutal 2013
season. He is seen as a system QB. Ten of the voters put him in the third tier, but
15 had him lower than that.
"That will be interesting confidencewise coming off last year," a defensive
coordinator said. "He is accurate, but I put him in that three category because the
passes were underneath, boot type and then, here and there, they took shots."
26. Chad Henne, Jacksonville Jaguars (4.15 average rating)
Lots of people loved Henne -- as a backup. "He'll have one good game and then
have trouble repeating it," one GM said.
27. EJ Manuel, Buffalo Bills (4.24 average rating)
Manuel hasn't played enough to register with evaluators. Twenty-three voters
placed him in the bottom two tiers. The two former GMs were higher on Manuel,
placing him in the third tier. "I think he can beat you from the pocket and be an
NFL passer and some of that is having studied him before the draft," one ex-GM
said. "I still have some belief in him. EJ has some intangibles. He can process
information that the Geno Smiths and Jake Lockers of the world cannot process well
enough to be good from the pocket."
A defensive coordinator whose team faced the Bills last season questioned Buffalo's
approach. "They tried to run some Cam Newton stuff with him, but I think he is a
pocket passer," the coordinator said. "What are they doing with him? He may be a
three-minus, but I would give him a four right now."
28. Matt Cassel, Minnesota Vikings (4.27 average rating)
Cassel was at his best in New England and Kansas City under Charlie Weis. There's
some thought among evaluators that he has a tendency to hold the ball and stare
down his receivers in the absence of proactive coaching. Perhaps Norv Turner can
help him out. "Everything has to be right to win games with him," a GM said.
29. Brian Hoyer, Cleveland Browns (4.28 average rating)
Hoyer and Henne drew positive reviews as backups, but not as starters. "Hoyer is a
great backup," one defensive coordinator said. "He can win some games for you,
but if he had to start all 16, that's going to be tough."
A head coach put it this way: "He is a four leaning toward a three, but he is a four.
He is OK. He is smart. He gets the ball out quick. He knows what he's doing in the
New England system. He was playing pretty well for the Browns last year before he
got hurt."
30. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Houston Texans (4.35 average rating)
Fitzpatrick ranked a respectable 16th in Total QBR last season (55.4). That was
better than the figures for Roethlisberger (54.3) or Stafford (52.5), but the reviews
from evaluators were almost universally negative -- overly so, in my opinion.
"The one thing he gives you is, he is not a statue in the pocket," a former head
coach said. "At least he can move around a little bit. He would rather play emptyset football. It's kind of how he made his money in Buffalo. I don't know that Bill
O'Brien is going to do that with him in Houston."
31. Jake Locker, Tennessee Titans (4.42 average rating)
The Titans were 4-3 when Locker started last season. He had eight TD passes, four
INTs and a respectable 58.1 QBR score. That seemed encouraging, and yet
compliments for Locker were scarce.
"Locker never showed from college that he could do it from the pocket," one GM
said.
The hope in Tennessee is that a new coaching staff and better luck with injuries
could help Locker ascend to a higher tier. "We'll see," a former GM said. "Guys like
Locker can be run-around guys. To me, Jake's die has been cast."
32. Geno Smith, New York Jets (4.48 average rating)
It's too early to write off Smith. Some coaches in particular had a hard time placing
any QBs in the fifth tier. To them, a Tier 5 QB would be a backup, not a starter.
"Would a five be an Akili Smith or JaMarcus Russell?" one coordinator asked. "I
think the way Geno Smith played last year was close to that. He was a rookie and
he struggled and some of his reads were poor, but I would give him a four."
"He is young enough to make a move," a pro personnel evaluator said.
Agent's Take: 25 big-time players
heading for contract crossroads
By Joel Corry
CBSSports.com
July 3, 2014
This season will be pivotal for NFL players entering a contract year or facing a
crossroads (typically because of age, salary cap concerns, injury or off-the-field
issues). Here are 25 players to keep an eye on during the 2014 season who fit into
one of these categories.
Eli Manning, QB, Giants: Manning led the NFL with 27 interceptions, a career high,
in 2013. If new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo doesn't resurrect the Super
Bowl XLVI MVP and fix the Giants' offense, a quarterback could be taken early in
the 2015 NFL Draft.
Ndamukong Suh, DT, Lions: Suh has leverage in discussions with Detroit about a
new deal thanks to a $22,412,500 cap number, which makes it virtually impossible
to use a franchise tag on him in 2015 at $26.87 million (based on 120 percent of
his 2014 cap number).
A contract extension for Suh should be the richest veteran deal in NFL history for an
interior defensive lineman because he probably isn't going to accept a decrease
from his rookie contract (worth a maximum of $68 million over five years with $40
million guaranteed) after earning All- NFL honors in each of his four NFL seasons.
Rob Gronkowski, TE, Patriots: Gronkowski is the best tight end in the NFL when
healthy but has missed 14 regular-season games over the last two years because of
back, forearm and knee injuries. The Patriots have until the last day of the 2015
league year to pay him a $10 million option bonus to pick up his 2016 through
2019 contract years. A decision on Gronkowski's future with the Patriots may come
much sooner if he can't stay on the field in 2014.
Marshawn Lynch, RB, Seahawks: Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell toying with
the idea of a running back by committee approach indicates that the Seahawks
believe they are prepared for life after Beast Mode.
Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Cardinals: His $23.6 million salary-cap number in 2015 could
be a problem with a third straight year under 1,000 receiving yards.
Darrelle Revis, CB, Patriots: If wide receivers are getting stranded on Revis Island,
the Patriots or someone else will likely sign him to a long-term deal at the top of
the cornerback market ($13.5 million to $14 million per year with $40 million to
$45 million in guarantees.)
Aldon Smith, LB, 49ers: Smith's long-term future in San Francisco remains in doubt
because of multiple off-the-field incidents despite the 49ers exercising their 2015
option year with him for $9.754 million. If the 49ers aren't comfortable that Smith
has learned from his mistakes, they could decide he is more trouble than he's worth
before the option year becomes fully guaranteed at the start of the 2015 league
year.
Dez Bryant, WR, Cowboys: The 2010 first-round pick is in a select group of wide
receivers (A.J. Green, Julio Jones and Demaryius Thomas) whose rookie deals
expire at the end of the 2014 or 2015 season that should top the five-year, $60
million contract (includes $30 million in guarantees) Mike Wallace received from
the Dolphins last year as a free agent.
Bryant, who had 93 receptions for 1,233 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2013, is the
only wide receiver in Cowboys history with consecutive seasons of at least 90
catches and 1,200 receiving yards.
Demaryius Thomas, WR, Broncos: John Elway would like Thomas signed to a longterm deal before training camp starts. In 2013, Thomas joined Larry Fitzgerald,
Marvin Harrison, Terrell Owens and Jerry Rice as the only wide receivers in NFL
history with consecutive seasons of at least 90 catches, 1,400 receiving yards and
10 touchdown receptions.
Sam Bradford, QB, Rams: Although Bradford received a vote of confidence when
the Rams didn't select Johnny Manziel with their second first-round pick (13th may
be his last chance in St. Louis to live up to the potential that made him the first
overall pick of the 2010NFL Draft.
Von Miller, LB, Broncos: His 2013 season was derailed by a six-game suspension for
violating the NFL's substance abuse policy and a late-season ACL tear. If Miller's
troubles are behind him and he regains his pre-injury form, surpassing Clay
Matthews as the NFL's highest paid linebacker ($13.2 million average per year in a
five-year extension) is a possibility.
Andy Dalton, QB, Bengals: Cincinnati wouldn't be reluctant to meet Dalton's
contract demands if he could consistently perform like he did when he was named
AFC Player of the Month for October last season. Dalton completed 67.9 percent of
his passes (89 of 131) for 1,246 yards with 11 touchdowns and three interceptions
while posting a 116.8 passer rating to earn the honor.
Ray Rice, RB, Ravens: A bounce-back season from a disappointing 2013 campaign
(660 rushing yards with 3.1 yards per carry) is needed with a personal conduct
policy suspension looming for an offseason domestic violence incident.
Gerald McCoy, DT, Buccaneers: It's imperative that Tampa Bay sign McCoy to a
contract extension because it will be $18.393 million to franchise him in 2015.
Alex Smith, QB, Chiefs: Smith needs to be careful about overplaying his hand in
contract negotiations. He's reportedly seeking a Jay Cutler type deal ($18.1 million
average per year/$54 million guaranteed). Smith didn't generate much interest
from teams as an unrestricted free agent in 2012. It's unlikely that he has
dramatically altered his perception around the NFL since then.
Frank Gore, RB, 49ers: 2014 will likely be a farewell season in San Francisco for the
31-year-old with an expiring contract.
Justin Houston, OLB, Chiefs: Don't expect a lengthy preseason holdout from
Houston if a new contract isn't forthcoming. He won't get a year service toward free
agency without reporting to the Chiefs at least 30 days prior to their first regular
season game. Missing the deadline and playing out his rookie deal will make
Houston a restricted free agent in 2015.
Mike Wallace, WR, Dolphins: Wallace was the subject of pre-draft trade rumors
after he didn't live up to the expectations of his five-year, $60 million contract in his
first year with Miami.
Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, Giants: A big payday will be awaiting Pierre-Paul in 2015 if
he starts to resemble the player who notched 16.5 sacks in 2011.
Jordy Nelson, WR, Packers: Nelson was a victim of bad contract timing with the
three-year contract extension averaging $4.2 million per year he signed early in the
2011 season because he finished the year with 68 catches for 1,263 yards and 15
touchdowns. He set career highs of 85 receptions and 1,314 receiving yards in
2013. Nelson's top priority with his next contract should be maximizing its value
because the Packers are getting a tremendous bargain on his current deal.
Randall Cobb, WR, Packers: Quarterback Aaron Rodgers believes Cobb could have
100-catch seasons in Green Bay's offense. If the Packers are hesitant about having
two high-priced wide receivers, a decision must be made on whether re-signing the
2011 second round pick or Nelson is the higher priority.
DeMarco Murray, RB, Cowboys: Even if Murray has a career year by rushing for
more than 1,128 rushing yards, he'll likely have a hard time getting a deal in Dallas
comparable to the six-year, $45 million contract Marion Barber signed with the
team in 2008 because of the devaluing of running backs.
Matt Schaub, QB, Raiders: No. 36 overall pick David Carr is waiting in the wings if
Schaub can't recover from his 2013 implosion.
Mike Iupati, G, 49ers: Iupati might price himself out of San Francisco by looking to
become one of the NFL's highest paid guards ($8 million per year/$16 million to
$20 million in guarantees).
Dwayne Bowe, WR, Chiefs: Bowe is being paid like an elite wide receiver ($56
million/5 years) but hasn't been producing as one (116 receptions, 1,474 receiving
yards and eight touchdown receptions in 2012 and 2013).
Hakeem Nicks, WR, Colts: Nicks took a one-year, $4 million deal (worth a
maximum of $5.5 million through incentives) because of a soft free-agent market
after two straight disappointing seasons with the Giants.
Jordan Cameron, TE, Browns: The Browns would like to sign Cameron, who had a
breakout 2013 season with 80 catches and 917 receiving yards, to a contract
extension. His price tag, which is probably already north of the maximum value
of Jared Cook's deal ($38.1 million for five years with $19 million guaranteed), will
only go up if Cameron assumes a bigger role in the passing game because of Josh
Gordon's indefinite suspension.
Nick Fairley, DT, Lions: Fairley could make the Lions regret their decision to pass on
a fifth-year option with him for 2015 at $5.477 million if his reported 25 to 30
pounds weight loss translates into a career year.
Jeremy Maclin, WR, Eagles: Maclin could largely fill the void left by DeSean
Jackson's release if he has recovered from a preseason ACL tear that cost him the
2013 season. Based on Jackson's 2012 contract, the Eagles have established a
value of $9.7 million per year for a No. 1 wide receiver.
Jake Locker, QB, Titans: The Titans declining a fifth-year option in 2015 for
$14.666 million speaks volumes about whether Locker is viewed as the quarterback
of the future.
Others to watch: Patriots WR Danny Amendola; Seahawks DE Cliff Avril; Rams
WR Kenny Britt; 49ers WR Michael Crabtree; Titans DT Jurrell
Casey; Bills DT Marcell Dareus; TexansRB Arian Foster; Panthers DE Greg
Hardy; Falcons RB Steven Jackson; Vikings WR Greg Jennings; Raiders RB Maurice
Jones-Drew; Cowboys DT Henry Melton; Chargers RB Ryan Matthews; Raiders
RB Darren McFadden; Jaguars TE Marcedes Lewis; Bills RB C.J. Spiller; Packers
DT B.J. Raji; Panthers RB Jonathan Stewart; Broncos TE Julius Thomas; Seahawks
LB K.J. Wright.
Ward: Nothing against Cleveland but
Broncos have 'winning culture'
By Connor Kiesel
Fox Sports Ohio
July 2, 2014
Former Browns Pro Bowl safety T.J. Ward hasn't been gone fromCleveland for long
but it's taken him only a few months to notice something different in his new
locale of Denver.
"Nothing against Cleveland but this is a winning culture," Ward said following the
team's OTAs in a story on DenverBroncos.com. "They're used to winning and you
treat all things the same way, period: with a preparation to win. That's how the
coaches treat you and that's how the players treat each other. You expect
everybody to know their job, do their job and do it the right way."
Subtle dig at the Browns or just speaking the truth?
In Ward's four seasons in Cleveland, the Browns won just 18 of 64 games.
Denver, on the other hand, has made the playoffs each of the past three seasons,
reaching the Super Bowl last season.
Ward played under three different head coaches (Eric Mangini, Pat Shurmur and
Rob Chudzinski) with the Browns and didn't stick around for a fourth (Mike
Pettine), signing a four-year, $22.5 million deal with the Broncos this offseason.
The Broncos hope Ward will bring ferocity to a defense that was ripped apart by
the Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVIII.
Ward was quick to make news in Denver since his arrival, charged with assault
and disturbing the peace in relation to an incident at a nightclub in May.
Making the Leap, No. 7: Broncos' Montee
Ball
By Dan Hanzus
NFL.com
July 2, 2014
Why Ball is on the list
There's no piece of real estate more coveted for an NFL running back than the spot
directly behindPeyton Manning. The Broncos quarterback is a force of nature, and
his ability to diagnose defenses in real time puts his running backs in great position
to succeed.
After a season playing behind Knowshon Moreno, Ball now gets his opportunity as
the Broncos' top backfield option. Ball came on strong in Denver's final six regular
season games, compiling 337 yards on 52 carries (6.48 yards per carry) and adding
15 catches for 102 yards. This is a powerful downhill runner who showed the ability
to thrive as a rusher, receiver and blocker -- all qualifications in a Manning offense.
The decision to let Moreno walk tells you the Broncos believe Ball is ready to
become a pillar in this offense. We agree.
Obstacles
Ball showed undeniable growth as the season progressed, but it should be noted
that the first half of his rookie year was not pretty. Through Week 8, Ball had 55
rushes for 177 yards (3.2 YPC) and one touchdown. He lost two fumbles in his first
three games, leading to a disappearance from the team's game plan in Weeks
4 and 5.
Ball said the turning point came when he learned to properly anticipate Manning's
pre-snap audibles. Manning often checks into a pass play that requires his running
back to pick up a blitzer. When Ball got the hang of Manning's machinations, his
fortunes changed.
"I started playing better then," Ball told The Denver Post in May. "I wish that it had
happened earlier. I always tell myself, imagine what it would have been like had I
begun like this."
After watching tape of every one of Ball's touches, we're not yet sold on his
receiving abilities. Ball dealt with some drops, though he cleaned up that part of his
game as the season progressed.
Moreno's absence should give Ball some peace of mind if he gets off to another
slow start. Ronnie Hillman is the next man up if the starter falters.
2014 expectations
Offensive coordinator Adam Gase said Ball was the Broncos player who made the
biggest strides over the course of the 2013 season. Gase calls Ball a "full package"
who can run, receive and block.
Manning's presence will create plenty of nickel and dime looks for Ball, who should
see fewer eight-in-the-box looks than any running back in football. Denver's
offensive line should also be improved, with the return of star left tackle Ryan
Clady -- who missed most of last season with a Lisfranc injury -- creating a positive
domino effect on the rest of the line.
Add it all up and Ball is set up to deliver Pro Bowl-level production -- 300 total
touches, 1,300 rushing yards, 50 receptions and 10 TDs are all feasible
benchmarks. Life in Peyton's posse creates a golden opportunity.
Julius Thomas: Broncos plan to use me
more creatively
By Kevin Patra
NFL.com
July 2, 2014
Julius Thomas' breakout season took place last year and put him in line for a
contract extension, but the Denver Broncostight end could make another leap in
2014.
Thomas' versatility allowed him to become a vital weapon in the Peyton Manningled aerial attack. As NFL Media's Judy Bautista pointed out last month, Thomas
burst onto the scene while essentially still learning Tight End 101.
Entering his fourth year with the Broncos, the athletic tight end expects to be
utilized even more in his second season as a starter.
"What I think people will see different in me (this year) is that they will use me a
lot more creatively," Thomas recently told FOXSports.com. "I think there are a lot
of things that our offense wanted to do with me, but you can only learn so much in
one year. No matter how much time you have at practice, it never seems to be
enough when you're learning and trying to come into your own."
Even while he was just getting by on athleticism, Thomas forced teams to gameplan ways to slow him down. He compiled 65 receptions for 788 yards and 12
touchdowns last season.
The Broncos' loss of Eric Decker in free agency will open up even more
opportunities for Thomas. The tight end's increased knowledge of the offense,
experience from starting 14 games and an expanded role could have him flirting
with the 1,000-yard barrier in 2014.
"I do think I'm still scratching the surface," Thomas said. "I've had guys who have
told me that playing football around Year 4 and Year 5, it starts to click and then it
all starts to make sense of what you're doing. That's typical of a normal guy who
has been playing forever. I still think I have so far to go. I need to keep getting
repetitions and keep getting comfortable with things."
Experts: Police error shows need to use
social media carefully
By Naheed Rajwani
Dallas Morning News
July 2, 2014
The Dallas Police Department has increasingly used social media to connect with
constituents who might not care much about traditional crime watch meetings.
But the department dropped the ball over the weekend when Maj. Max Geron, a
spokesman for the department, tweeted that Denver Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib
was arrested for public intoxication.
There was one embarrassing catch, though. Dallas police had actually arrested Aqib
Talib’s brother, Yaqub Talib, instead.
Sunday’s online goof, experts say, is a sign that Dallas police need to tread more
carefully in the future and re-evaluate how it disseminates information to the
public.
Nearly two hours after he incorrectly tweeted that Aqib Talib had been arrested,
Geron publicly apologized to the former Berkner High School star in a tweet and
followed up with a news release that stated the incorrect information was sent out
“not in keeping with normal protocol.”
But by then, his original message had been retweeted hundreds of times and
screen shots of the tweet continued to circulate on the Internet even after it was
deleted from Twitter. In addition, dozens of news outlets nationwide reported the
mix-up.
Geron declined to elaborate on the matter Tuesday, but this was not the first time
Dallas police have been involved in a Twitter controversy. In September, Police
Chief David Brown tweeted out the name of a person of interest in a case involving
a series of rapes in South Dallas. The man named in the tweets, however, was later
cleared in the investigation but Brown’s action created a furor and talk of lawsuits.
Brown addressed the City Council’s public safety committee last week and he
lauded his department’s efforts to increase its social media presence. The
department has more than 36,000 Twitter followers and its blog — DPD Beat — has
had more than 362,000 views since February, the chief said.
But experts say that with a large social media following comes an increased
likelihood that one mistake will overshadow the benefits of tools such as Twitter.
In a news release Sunday, Dallas police explained the circumstances that led to the
incorrect tweet about Aqib Talib. Police said they responded to a call early Sunday
about a verbal and physical altercation inside a club on Main Street.
Police believed Yaqub Talib, 31, to be the “primary instigator in the disturbance,”
the news release stated. He told officers that he played for the Denver Broncos,
police said.
He was arrested for public intoxication and gave police his Texas ID. Police at the
scene told the department’s communications unit that a Denver Broncos player had
been arrested.
The communications officer dealing with the case didn’t understand the spelling of
the man’s name and said she would Google the team's roster for it, according to
the news release.
The miscommunication evolved into the tweets that incorrectly identified Aqib Talib,
28, as the man who was arrested.
“It’s unfortunate, the confusion, but they definitely should be verifying before
putting it out. ... It looks like person manning the computer went a little out of
bounds,” said William Ward, a social media professor at Syracuse University.
Aqib Talib’s agent did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday. Yaqub
Talib does not play professional football.
Representatives of the Dallas Police Association have long expressed concerns
about the department’s strong push for a social media savvy force.
Christopher Livingston, an attorney who represents the DPA, said Police
Department’s apology to Aqib Talib “was too little, too late.”
“The first thing that you learn in journalism school is that it’s better to be right than
first,” Livingston said. The Police Department “is supposed to give out correct
information and find out the truth, and here, again they are trying to beat the
media rather than do their jobs.”
Still, Livingston said, social media can be valuable to law enforcement if used
properly and carefully.
“It can be useful to alert the community of events. It can be useful to use the
community through social media to try to solve crimes,” he said. “But the idea that
we’re going to publish the names of arrestees because we think it’s sensational is
just inappropriate.”
Denver Broncos ticket prices hit highest
resale level ever
By Heather Draper
Denver Business Journal
July 2, 2014
Denver Broncos fans are shelling out big bucks on the secondary market for tickets
for the 2014 season, according to online ticket broker SeatGeek.com.
Through July 1, Broncos fans have paid an average of $278 per ticket for regular
season Broncos tickets, the highest amount SeatGeek has ever recorded for Denver
home games.
Last year at this time, Broncos fans were paying an average of $270 per ticket on
the resale market, SeatGeek said.
“Since Peyton Manning’s arrival in 2012, Denver’s average resale price has ranked
in the top six in the league, and they finished last season as the third-most
expensive behind only [Chicago] Bears and [New England] Patriots tickets,”
saidConnor Gregoire, spokesman for SeatGeek.
As of Wednesday, the only teams with higher average ticket prices on the
secondary market for the 2014 regular season were:
 Super Bowl champions Seattle Seahawks at $343 a ticket;
 New England Patriots at $343;
 San Francisco 49ers at $314; and
 Chicago Bears at $297.
The Broncos’ home opener on Sept. 7 against Manning’s former team,
the Indianapolis Colts, is the most in-demand regular season game at Sports
Authority Field at Mile High this year.
Fans so far have paid an average of $370 per ticket on the resale market for the
Colts game, making it the sixth-most expensive game across the entire league.
The Buffalo Bills game at Sports Authority Field on Dec. 7 is the cheapest game so
far, with fans paying an average $154 per ticket for that match-up.
Sports biz: Data network answers
Broncos’ need for speed in digital era
Stewart Schley
COBizMag.com
July 2, 2014
There’s a trendy tech move happening in professional football these days: Shotgun
formations and cornerback blitzes are sharing the field with cloud-based video and
ultra-fast Ethernet connections.
It’s a measure driven by a familiar football hunger: the need for speed. The vast
consumer embrace of smartphones, the reliance on instant video for scouting, and
the transformation of stadiums to high-tech entertainment theaters demands more
bandwidth than old-school telecom systems could supply.
That’s why teams, including the Denver Broncos, have ripped out legacy data
networks and replaced them with state-of-the-art infrastructures optimized for the
digital era.
Comcast’s 2013 deal with the Broncos to supply high-capacity data networking
capability exemplifies the modernization trend. Comcast supplies a pair of highspeed, dedicated network links. A private fiber network connects the team’s Dove
Valley training and office facilities to Sports Authority Field. A second network
floods the stadium with high-speed Internet access, connecting Sports Authority’s
larger-than-life scoreboard, 1,000 high-definition TV sets and an expanded Wi-Fi
network to the Internet.
The Wi-Fi component is increasingly important as fans come to the stadium armed
with smartphones, intent on sharing game-day images and messages across social
media platforms or interacting with the team’s own digital app. Because Wi-Fi
networks can be subdivided into multiple serving zones, they’re able to scale more
reliably than cellular data networks in high-usage environments. That means Wi-Fi
is a better bet to survive a digital version of Rocky Mountain Thunder: a strain on
cellular networks caused by too much concurrent demand from too many users.
More than once, I’ve been at the stadium when AT&T’s cellular network has been
too bogged down under the weight of thousands of simultaneous data requests,
leaving my iPhone to display only the endless spinning wheel of digital death.
Verizon was first to rig up Wi-Fi antennas in and around stadiums, providing
enough capacity to handle 25,000 simultaneous connections. The remaining Big 3
carriers are in various stages of implementation that will ultimately turn the place
into a giant, multi-carrier hotspot.
“It’s not just the venue, but the other offices that are associated (and) the imagery
that gets moved from training facilities to where scouts are,” said Bill Stemper, the
Philadelphia-based president of Comcast’s business services unit, at a cable
industry conference in April.
A star performer on this new field is metro Ethernet. As the name suggests, it’s a
type of high-speed, metro-wide data network that meets a global technology
standard. Across the U.S., “metro E” networks are rapidly replacing legacy data
infrastructures built around circuits known as T1 lines. The metro Ethernet
networks Comcast provides for the Broncos can pump data down the pipe at
speeds of up to 100 megabits per second, or more than 60 times the maximum
limit of old T1 circuits. But they’re built for even more capacity, with switches from
Cisco Systems that can sling information at up to 10 gigabits per second.
“We find ourselves having enormous success bringing teams gigabits of fiber,”
Stemper said. “It’s an area that really has kind of a hand-in-glove fit.”
Julius Thomas: Broncos will use me more
creatively this year
By Josh Alper
ProFootballTalk.com
July 2, 2014
Broncos tight end Julius Thomas is one of several players keeping an eye on how
things play out with Jimmy Graham’s franchise tag grievance because his future
contract negotiations will likely be impacted by whatever the arbitrator rules in
regard to Graham being viewed as a tight end or a wide receiver.
Thomas is heading into the final year of his rookie deal, so he will be in line for a
big raise regardless of Graham’s ultimate situation. Unless he reaches a deal with
the Broncos before the start of the season, the question of how big a deal will be
determined in part by his production in 2014. According to Thomas, an additional
year of experience will lead to bigger and different things.
“What I think people will see different in me [this year] is that they will use me a
lot more creatively,” Thomas said, via FOXSports.com. “I think there are a lot of
things that our offense wanted to do with me, but you can only learn so much in
one year. No matter how much time you have at practice, it never seems to be
enough when you’re learning and trying to come into your own.”
Thomas played just one year of college football and injuries kept him off the field
for most of his first two seasons, so he really hasn’t had that much time to polish
his skills on the football field. The absence of Eric Decker should offer Thomas more
opportunities than he had on his way to 65 catches and 12 touchdowns last season.
Taking advantage of them would likely impact the look of his next contract as much
or more than any arbitrator’s ruling.
2014 Game-by-Game: Week 8
By Andrew Mason
DenverBroncos.com
July 2, 2014
On Oct. 23, the Broncos' rivalry with the Chargers will grab the prime-time spotlight
for the eighth time in the last nine seasons.
WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 23; 6:30 p.m. MDT.
WHERE: Sports Authority Field at Mile High.
TV: NFL Network and CBS.
SERIES RECORD: Broncos lead, 58-49-1 (Broncos lead, 1-0 in the postseason).
JOHN FOX'S RECORD: 5-3 (1-0 in the postseason).
PEYTON MANNING'S RECORD: 7-4 (1-2 in the postseason).
SERIES STREAK: Denver has won five of the last six, including the postseason. San
Diego has won six of the last eight in Denver.
LAST TIME IN DENVER: Broncos 24, Chargers 17; Jan. 12, 2014. A late San Diego
comeback fell short when tight end Julius Thomas caught a pair of third-down
passes in the game's final moments, allowing the Broncos to run down the clock
and escape with a win over a perennial nemesis. For much of the game, it appeared
as if the Broncos would roll to a comfortable win; they took a 17-0 lead that was
only held down by a pair of second-quarter turnovers and a missed Matt
Prater field-goal attempt in the third quarter. But when cornerback Chris Harris
Jr. suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament late in the third quarter, San Diego's
offense awoke. The Chargers scored on three consecutive drives, with Philip Rivers
throwing repeatedly at Harris' replacement, ex-San Diego mainstay Quentin
Jammer. But the Broncos escaped by chewing up the last 3:51 of the game, thanks
to Thomas' to third-down receptions and, finally, a 5-yard Knowshon Moreno run on
third-and-1 to ice the game.
LAST TIME IN DENVER IN THE REGULAR SEASON: Chargers 27, Broncos 20; Dec.
13, 2013. Philip Rivers' regular-season mastery of the Broncos in Denver continued,
as he threw two touchdown passes in leading the Chargers to their sixth win in their
last eight trips to Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Broncos sprinted to a 7-0
lead via a 67-yard, game-opening drive capped by a 15-yard Peyton Manning-toAndre Caldwell touchdown pass. San Diego scored 24 of the next 27 points, as
Rivers and running back Ryan Mathews kept the Brocnos off balance. San Diego
had touchdown marches of 43, 75 and 80 yards. But the most damaging possession
might have been an eight-minute, 20-second march that was halted at midfield late
in the third quarter, but should have ended nearly seven minutes earlier. The
defense had forced a three-and-out on the series, which began at the San Diego 1yard-line. But on the fourth-and-4 punt, Nate Irving was called for a neutral-zone
infraction. The five-yard penalty gave San Diego a first down, and helped the
Chargers gobble up six minutes, 55 seconds of clock time. That gave the Broncos
no margin for error in their fourth-quarter comeback attempt, which ultimately fell
short.
NOTING THE GAME:
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This will be the second consecutive year in which the Chargers have traveled to
Denver to play on Thursday Night Football. This will also mark the eighth time in
the last nine yard that at least one Chargers-Broncos game has been showcased
in prime time.
The teams have split the series in four of the last six years, with San Diego
sweeping the games in 2010 and the Broncos doing the same two years later.
The Broncos are 4-3 on NFL Network's Thursday night package, which this year
will be shared with CBS. Last year's loss snapped a four-game Broncos winning
streak on TNF.
The Chargers have won six of their last eight games at Sports Authority Field at
Mile High, a run that began when Rivers became their starting quarterback in
2006. In the previous 37 seasons, the Chargers won just five games in Denver,
going 5-31-1 in the Mile High City during that span.
The last four Broncos-Chargers games in Denver have been decided by seven
points or less.
Four of San Diego running back Ryan Mathews' 11 career 100-yard rushing
games have come against the Broncos. The Chargers have won three of these
four performances, including last December, when he rushed for 127 yards on 29
carries.
Green Earning More Reps, Opportunities
By David DeChant
DenverBroncos.com
July 3, 2014
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Virgil Green might be known best by some Broncos fans for
his 6-yard carry against the Patriots in last year's AFC Championship Game.
That normally wouldn't be odd, except that Green plays tight end.
"I’m down for whatever," he said near the end of OTAs. "If I’m at running back,
fullback, wherever. As long as I’m out on the field, I like being out there."
It makes sense that posters of Green aren't hanging on the walls of teenagers all
over Colorado. A seventh-round pick out of Nevada, he has 17 catches for 132
yards in his three NFL seasons and hasn't scored a touchdown. In Peyton Manning's
first year in Denver, Jacob Tamme and Joel Dreessen were freshly signed veterans
who Manning trusted. Last year,Julius Thomas broke out and even pushed the vets
to the background.
But Green has quietly carved out a much bigger role than his limited offensive
production would suggest. In 2013, he played in 26.4 percent of the Broncos'
offensive snaps, more than both Tamme (21.9) and Dreessen (13.2). Particularly
notable was Green's playing time in the two games that Thomas missed, Weeks 12
and 13 against the Patriots and Chiefs respectively. Of the 170 snaps in those
games, Green was on the field for 111, good for 65.3 percent. Tamme had 49
snaps and Dreessen had 12 over the same span.
By no means did Green replace Thomas' receiving numbers -- understandable,
considering the wealth of proven options elsewhere -- but the fact that he took the
lion's share of the snaps shows the confidence he invokes from the coaches, and
just how far he's come in his three NFL seasons.
Green was drafted three rounds after Thomas in 2011 and required some grooming
in his transition from the pistol offense he played in during college. Developing
wasn't made easier for either player when the offseason was shortened by the
lockout.
"We came in with our backs against the wall to begin with," Green said. "And we
just kind of had to lean on each other to learn the offense."2 Phot
os
Now in his fourth year, Green continues to flash more capability and comfort on the
field, looking active while catching a number of passes from Manning during OTAs
and minicamp. After watching his draft classmate ascend from the unknown to
stardom last season, Green is eager to show how he can build on 2013.
"To see his success is only added more fuel to my fire because I feel like I’m a
gifted enough athlete to do the same kind of things," Green said of Thomas.
A gifted athlete Green certainly is, and his body style seems a bit different than
most tight ends. His measureables are similar to those of Thomas, but Green
appears less lanky and surprisingly compact, seemingly without an ounce of fat on
his body.
Perhaps the leaner, stouter body type promotes his jack-of-all-trades ability. Most
of Green's snaps still come at tight end, but he also played 55.4 percent of Denver's
special teams plays in 2013 and functions as the team's fullback when needed, in
addition to the occasional foray at running back.
"Each year I try to teach myself something new and different every year and
master it," he said. "So that’s just the point where I’m getting to: I have everything
learned, so now I’m just trying to master all those things.”
It remains to be seen whether or not his production on offense will grow, as
Manning's collection of weapons is perhaps even deeper than it was last year. The
team's propensity for three-receiver sets and Thomas' continued development
won't make it any easier for Green to see the ball either. But Green is clearly
becoming a more reliable receiver, showing sure hands and focusing on adapting
his routes to opposing defenses.
"Peyton expects things to be done a certain way against certain coverages, so you
just have to learn those things and respond at a quick pace," he said.
Even if there aren't more throws available to come his way, his multi-tool skillset
should ensure he’ll be on the field often once again.
"(In college) coach always preached to the eleven guys, 'Do your part,'" Green said.
"And that’s just how I figure my role is. Just do my part."
Elway to Play Celebrity Golf Tournament
By David DeChant
DenverBroncos.com
July 2, 2014
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- After 24 years of playing in the event, Executive Vice
President of Football Operations/General Manager John Elway won't miss the Silver
Anniversary edition of the American Century Championship, a celebrity golf
tournament held in Lake Tahoe, Calif., each July.
One of only four people to play each year since the event's inception, Elway has
posted 11 top-ten finishes, including second place in 1999 and 2010 and third place
last year. The other three who have competed in all 24 tournaments are US Hockey
hero Mike Eruzione, former Bears quarterback Jim McMahon and actor/signer Jack
Wagner.
Head Coach John Fox will be among the competitors as well, and so will Denver
stars Terrell Davis and Joe Sakic. Other notable players include Steph Curry, Aaron
Rodgers, Larry the Cable Guy and Marshall Faulk, among many others. Also in the
field will be retired US Army Cpl. Chad Pfeifer, an Iraqi War veteran and amputee
whose golf-centered rehabilitation has turned him into a top-tier tournament
player.
The 54-hole tournament will be held July 18-20 at the Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course
and will be televised on NBC Sports, NBC Sports Network and Golf Channel.
The event has raised more than $4 million over the years for various charities and
foundations, including Autism Speaks and LIVESTRONG.
Eight Broncos Receive Grants for Youth
Camps
By Lauren Giudice
DenverBroncos.com
July 2, 2014
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Three current and five former Broncos have received grants
from the National Football League Foundation for their youth football camps.
Cornerback Chris Harris Jr. will host a camp on July 12 in Plano, Texas; wide
receiver Demaryius Thomas will host his camp on July 19 in Dexter, Ga.; and wide
receiver Wes Welker held his camp on April 5 in his hometown of Oklahoma City,
Okla.
The NFL Foundation awarded $750,000 in grants to 252 current and former NFL
players and coaches who are hosting camps.
In order to qualify for the grant, the camps must be free, non-contact and for
children ages 5-18. Camp coaches complete an online education course beforehand
that teaches them about injury prevention, concussion awareness and heat and
hydration tips.
Former Broncos hosting camps are: Jeremiah Castille, Rondell Jones, Robert
Perryman, Bruce Plummer and Desmond Clark.
Of the 252 grant recipients, 72 are hosting FUNdamentals camps this summer.
These camps are based on USA Football’s Player Progression Development Model,
which ensure that participants’ training is appropriate for their age.
Thomas and Clark are both hosting FUNdamentals programs, which are a part of
NFL Play 60.
“The NFL Foundation is proud to support hundreds of current and former NFL
players and coaches who are making an impact in their communities by hosting
youth football camps,” said NFL Foundation chair and executive vice president of
the Dallas Cowboys Charlotte Jones Anderson. “These camps provide children with
an opportunity to learn the fundamentals of football in a positive and enjoyable
environment that encourages physical activity.”