Familiar Faces To Staff Broncos Practice Squad

The Denver Broncos on Sunday signed eight players to their practice squad, Head Coach Mike Shanahan announced. All eight players competed in the club's 2007 training camp.

Players signed to the Broncos' practice squad were safety Steve Cargile, center Greg Eslinger, guard Mark Fenton, quarterback Darrell Hackney, defensive tackle Steven Harris, wide receiver Glenn Martinez, safety Roderick Rogers and tackle Cliff Washburn.

Cargile (6-foot-2, 210 pounds) is a third-year safety from Columbia University who is in his second season with the Broncos after joining the club's practice squad on Nov. 13. Cargile, who totaled four special-teams tackles in three games with Denver last year, entered the NFL with Dallas as a college free agent in 2004 and was in Tampa Bay's 2006 training camp before signing with the Broncos. He attended St. Peter Chanel High School in Bedford, Ohio, and was born June 2, 1982.

Eslinger (6-foot-3, 290 pounds) is a second-year center from the University of Minnesota who is in his second season with the Broncos after the club selected him in the sixth round (198th overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft. He earned All-NFL Europa honors in the spring with the Cologne Centurions after spending his rookie season on Denver's injured reserve list (right shoulder). He attended Bismarck High School in Bismarck, N.D., and was born April 23, 1983.

Fenton (6-foot-4, 295 pounds) is a rookie guard from the University of Colorado who entered the NFL with Denver as a college free agent on May 7. He played six games (5 starts) for the Buffaloes as a senior in 2006 and received honorable mention All-Big 12 Conference recognition from the Associated Press. Fenton attended Westchester High School in Los Angeles and was born Nov. 14, 1983.

Hackney (6-foot-0, 240 pounds) is a first-year quarterback from the University of Alabama-Birmingham who is in his first season with the Broncos after signing with the club on Jan. 2. He entered the NFL with Cleveland as a college free agent in 2006 and competed in the Browns' training camp but spent the regular season out of the NFL. Hackney finished his career at UAB as its all-time leader in career passing yards (9,886) and was a first-team All-Conference USA selection in 2005. He attended Douglass High School in Atlanta and was born Aug. 7, 1983.

Harris (6-foot-5, 285 pounds) is a rookie defensive tackle from the University of Florida who entered the NFL with Denver as a college free agent on May 2.  He played 13 games (5 starts) for Florida in 2006, helping the Gators capture the Southeastern Conference championship as well as the BCS national championship. Harris appeared in 47 career games (19 starts) for the Gators and saw time at both defensive tackle and defensive end at the school. He attended Coral Gables High School in Coral Gables, Fla., and was born Aug. 14, 1984.

Martinez (6-foot-1, 183 pounds) is a second-year wide receiver from Saginaw Valley State University who is in his first season with the Broncos after signing with the club on Jan. 4. He saw time on Detroit's practice squad in 2006 and played all five career games with the Lions in 2005, recording an 11-yard reception and two kickoff returns for 42 yards. Martinez, who entered the NFL as a college free agent with Pittsburgh in 2004, attended Auburndale High School in Auburndale, Fla., and was born Nov. 30, 1981.

Rogers (6-foot-2, 187 pounds) is a rookie safety from the University of Wisconsin who entered the NFL with Denver as a college free agent on May 2. He received second-team All-Big Ten Conference accolades in each of his final two seasons at Wisconsin and totaled 99 tackles (66 solo) and five interceptions (138 yds.) for his career. A 13-game starter for Wisconsin in 2006, Rogers' 56 tackles that year ranked fourth on the team. He attended Stephenson High School in Stone Mountain, Ga., and was born Sept. 7, 1984.

Washburn (6-foot-5, 305 pounds) is a first-year tackle from The Citadel who is in his first season with the Broncos after signing with the club on July 2. He played 11 games (1 start) for the Hamburg Sea Devils of NFL Europa in the spring, helping the club to a victory in World Bowl XV. Washburn saw time on the rosters of Dallas and Minnesota in the offseason leading up to the 2006 campaign but spent that regular season out of the NFL. He competed on Chicago's practice squad during the 2003 and '04 seasons after entering the NFL with the New York Giants as a college free agent on May 2, 2003. Washburn attended Shelby High School in Shelby, N.C., and was born Jan. 25, 1980.