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More On The Undrafted Free-Agent Signees, As Well As Who They Replace

The Denver Broncos on Monday signed seven college free agents, Head Coach Mike Shanahan announced. As per club policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.

        In addition, the club waived defensive tackle Michael Bozeman, safety Steve Cargile, guard Mark Fenton, fullback Steven Jackson, linebacker William Kershaw, fullback Paul Smith and running back Marquis Weeks.

        The following seven college free agents were signed by Denver on Monday.

Anthony Alridge (5-foot-9, 175 pounds) is a running back who finished his career at the University of Houston ranked sixth in school history with 2,595 rushing yards on 363 carries for a 7.1-yard rushing average. A two-time second-team All-Conference USA choice, Alridge posted the second-highest single-season rushing total in Houston annals (1,597 yds., 6.2 avg., 14 TDs) along with 42 receptions (428 yds., 5 TDs) as a senior. His 10.1-yard rushing average (95-959) as a junior led the nation and marked the highest single-season average (min. 75 att.) in the NCAA since 1945 (Army’s Glenn Davis, 11.5 avg., 82-944). Alridge, who also returned kickoffs at Houston, totaled 4,438 career all-purpose yards that ranked fourth in Cougars history. An honorable mention all-state selection at Denton High School in Denton, Texas, Alridge was born on Nov. 24, 1983.

        Mitch Erickson (6-foot-6, 285 pounds) is an offensive lineman who started at either guard or tackle in every one of South Dakota State University’s 44 games played during his four seasons (2004-07) at the school. A three-time All-Great West Football Conference selection, Erickson received first-team All-America honors from the Associated Press as a senior and was tabbed his team’s offensive Most Valuable Player. He picked up third-team All-America accolades (AP) as a junior and helped SDSU lead the conference in rushing as a sophomore. Erickson earned all-state recognition at Hutchinson High School in Hutchinson, Minn.

        Garrett Hartley (5-foot-8, 204 pounds) is a kicker who was a two-time second-team All-Big 12 Conference selection at the University of Oklahoma, where he finished his career ranked third in school history in field goals made (47) and sixth in points scored (310). A second-team All-Big 12 Conference selection as a senior, Hartley connected on 13-of-15 field goal attempts (.866) in his last year with the Sooners. He was a finalist for the Lou Groza Award (nation’s best kicker) as a junior, setting a school record with a .950 field goal percentage (19-of-20) to pick up second-team all-conference honors. He played 43 career games at Oklahoma, connecting on 47-of-58 (.810) field goal attempts and 169-of-176 (.960) extra point attempts. Rated the second-best kicker in the nation by Rivals.com at Southlake Carroll High School in Southlake, Texas, Hartley was born on May 16, 1986.

        Brett Kern (6-foot-3, 201 pounds) is a punter who ranked second in the nation in gross punting average (46.1 yds., 52-2,399) and was a finalist for the Ray Guy Award (nation’s top punter) as a senior at the University of Toledo. He was a third-team All-America choice during his final year at Toledo as the only player from the Mid-American Conference to receive Associated Press All-America honors. Kern, who also was tabbed the MAC’s Special Teams Player of the Year in 2007, punted 189 times for 7,994 yards (42.3 avg.) with 59 punts placed inside the 20-yard line in 47 career games. A first-team all-state selection at Grand Island High School in Grand Island, N.Y., Kern was born on Feb. 17, 1986.

        Tyler Polumbus (6-foot-8, 300 pounds) is a tackle who played 48 career games (38 starts) at the University of Colorado after concluding his prep career at Cherry Creek High School in Greenwood Village, Colo. A 13-game starter as a senior at Colorado, Polumbus earned second-team All-Big 12 Conference accolades that year after allowing only one sack and was CU’s recipient of its Eddie Crowder Award in recognition of his leadership. He also was the only Buffalo to play every down from scrimmage (961) on his respective side of the ball in 2007. As a junior, Polumbus opened all 12 games at left offensive tackle and was one of just four CU players to start every game. A SuperPrep All-American at Cherry Creek High School, Polumbus was born on April 10, 1985.

        Lorne Sam (6-foot-3, 215 pounds) is a wide receiver who played his final two collegiate seasons at the University of Texas-El Paso after transferring from Florida State University. Sam played 42 games during his college career, totaling 64 receptions for 934 yards (14.6 avg.) with one touchdown and 77 rushes for 436 (5.7 avg.) with four scores. Sam, who saw time as a quarterback and running back at UTEP, caught 42 passes for 589 yards (14.0 avg.) with one touchdown as a 10-game starter during his senior year. A PrepStar All-American who threw 15 touchdown passes and averaged 8.6 yards per rush as a senior at Buford High School in Buford, Ga., Sam was born on Dec. 5, 1984, in Denver.

        Wesley Woodyard (6-foot-1, 227 pounds) is a linebacker who earned first-team All-Southeastern Conference honors during each of his final two seasons at the University of Kentucky, where he played 47 career games (42 starts). Woodyard, who concluded his college career ranked eighth in UK history with 395 tackles, led the SEC in tackles per game (10.6) and tied for 14th in the nation in total stops (139) as a senior. An academic all-conference choice, Woodyard posted 122 tackles as a junior that marked the second-highest total in the conference and ranked 14th in the nation. He was tabbed the Georgia Class AAA Defensive Player of the Year by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution at LaGrange High School in LaGrange, Ga., and helped the school win a pair of state championships. Woodyard was born on July 21, 1986.

 

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Welcome back Guru...

I saw that we let go of our two FB(Special Teamers really), does that show us that Denver has total confidence in its newest rookie FB? I’m excited about this guy…he is versatile and was the blocker for two first round draft choices this year. lol

Is 2008 part of Shanny’s three year plan? 2006=fix the offense, 2007=fix the defence, 2008=fix special teams. Perhaps I was premature to call 2007 the new 1995. We may very well be entering the new 1995…which means we’ll be Super Bowl bound in 2010. That’s a good year…I would rather start our dynasty early this time rather than late. I still think the 1998 Broncos were better than any team the Cowboys fielded in the early 90’s, but alas they were annointed instead of us.

by Zappa on Apr 28, 2008 6:09 PM MDT reply reply   0 recs

Funny thing...

I think we didn’t fix the defense so much in ‘07, but I think we upgraded it this reloading season with FAs (2 at LB, 2 at SAF). We then used the draft to shore up the OL, STs, and to provide us with the depth to worry about getting the “flashy” players with fewer picks in the future.

But back to ‘07, I saw the best additions as being Graham and Stokely, two offensive guys. Moss was a good try (at DE), but he went IR. Man I hope he plays for us and plays up the the hype!

"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe

by hoosierteacher on Apr 28, 2008 6:17 PM MDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Most DE(rare cases excluded) take 2-3 years to

start making a difference in the NFL. It must be a hard transition from College ball to the NFL at the DE position.

by Zappa on Apr 28, 2008 6:28 PM MDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Agreed.

"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe

by hoosierteacher on Apr 28, 2008 6:30 PM MDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Doom is the only one who comes to mind

in the exception category

Davis to the Hall!

by Jon Tollerud on Apr 29, 2008 11:05 PM MDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Zappa

Zappa, I agree about our teams of the late 90’s being better than the Cowboy teams. Those Dallas teams were partially overrated because they smashed an overrated Buffalo team 2 times in the SB and O’Donnell handed them their 3rd ring. Our late 90’s teams would whoop those Bill teams as well. TD would run on their sorry defense all day. I got tired of them after they lost to Dallas the first time.

I also agree with this possibly being the new 95, but it could be a bit more successful than that year was. Technically, you should want to go to the SB and win every year, but 2010 is a realistic year for our first SB trip and win with this new crew of talent. I like how we are building through the draft like the old Steeler teams of the 70’s did it. Maybe the 10’s are our decade.

by PABroncofan on Apr 28, 2008 7:04 PM MDT reply reply   0 recs

2010 makes more sense,

it is Cutler’s 4th year in the league and the foundation around him would be more solidified and our defense will finally be gellin’ again. I just hope we do some damage this year and next…get into the playoffs and mess things up a little for other teams. The point is that I worry we are not strong enough to win the Super Bowl this year, so I’d rather go into the playoffs and beat the Colts and Chargers or whoever and lose than to get to the Super Bowl and lose. lol I look forward to the day when the Broncos are .500 in the big game.

I think if we make it to the Super Bowl in 2009 or later, we would be in great shape to win the thing..this year is a year of “Let’s all get to know each other”....then next year we’ll have a team that has been together long enough that we won’t have to worry about integrating a bunch of new starters…

I’m rambling…but basically I think it might be somewhere around 95-96 right now. We’re closer than “experts” think we are. I promise you that Jacksonville is not as close as the “experts” think they are.

by Zappa on Apr 28, 2008 8:53 PM MDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

No rambling -m I love it!

We may even be better than you suggest.

You said it all. “I look forward to the day when the Broncos are .500 in the big game.”

We will surprise some people early this year.

I wish my pic was as good as broncofanstuckinsd

by firstfan on Apr 28, 2008 10:32 PM MDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Once again...

You come over to my thinking, Zappa. I have been saying this is Year 3 of 5 of the Shanny re-loading process. By that thinking, 2010 would be the target year. Welcome to the club.

-TSG

www.milehighreport.com

by TheSportsGuru on Apr 29, 2008 5:46 AM MDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Yea, but I still insist that last year was 1995...(I'll believe it all the way until the bloody end!)

I really want it to be 1996, cause that would mean we’re going to win the division. lol

by Zappa on Apr 29, 2008 1:28 PM MDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Nice to see a SD boy!!!

Hopefully he can replace Adam Vinatieri as SD’s most well known Pro, as well as replacing Lyle Alzedo as the most well known Bronco w/ ties to SD… Although something tells me that being an offensive lineman in the Orange Hush isn’t the way to get wide recognition.

This is our division. It's always been our division ... It's always been ours and we just have to take it back. Brandon Marshall 11/19/07

by SD Bronco on Apr 29, 2008 7:02 AM MDT reply reply   0 recs

Pretty sure

Terrell Davis graduated frmo Lincoln High School in San Diego. Before SB XXXII, he went back to his old high school for his jersey being retired. Of course, I could be wrong and this all could have been imagined 0_o

by SlamDunkTheFunk on Apr 29, 2008 12:11 PM MDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

TD may just be more popular as a Bronco with ties to SD than

Lyle Alzedo. TD graduated from…Helix was it? No, but one of those high schools in that area. My mom graduated from Helix, and my dad some other school in the area. Grossmont maybe. TD has a stadium named after him I think now.

by Zappa on Apr 29, 2008 1:30 PM MDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Alzado was never warm and fuzzy...

...but he was extremely intense. I can’t say he was more intense than Romanowski but certainly they were in the same neiborhood. He once ripped a guys helmet off and threw it across the field. What’s the term? Roid rage? At the end of his life he admitted using steriods early and often. He blamed them for the brain cancer that killed him not long after that.

I’m going to depart from the line of thought but I’ve got to say there was one guy even Alzado called Mister: Rich “Tombstone” Jackson, another one of those Forgotten Broncos and charter member of the Ring of Fame . I don’t care what those Rams fans say. Jackson was the real inventor and perfecter of the head slap. He broke helmets, sent monster O-linemen home crying to their mommies and into retirement, and created the rule change. He had two speeds; “off the field”, and “please accept my soul dear Father.”

by Trinidad Jack on Apr 29, 2008 3:29 PM MDT reply reply   0 recs

I think Alzado was more intense than Romo.

Romo struck me as a punk (I’ll never forget him spitting on the official). Alzado was a pure killer on the field.

But Tombstone was just plain not human. Opposing players were genuinely afraid of the guy! It was a dfferent era then, and much more rough. And in that era of true “in the trenches” kind of warfare, Tombstone was one of the true terrors. I don’t think anyone in the modern era of football fandom understands what kind of “tough guys” used to play the game. Tombstone was the toughest of the tough.

"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe

by hoosierteacher on May 1, 2008 12:11 AM MDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Those were the kind of guys you would go to war with, literally

It is a shame his career ended before he could pile up more of the accolades that would most assuredly have come his way. Another five years and he might very well have been the first Bronco inducted into the h.o.f. Heaven help those who might try to stand in his way.

If this be Hell, let us make the most of it!

by Trinidad Jack on May 1, 2008 2:10 PM MDT reply reply   0 recs


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