Good morning, Broncos Country!
One weekend down and no players involved in an arrest or shooting.
That's a win for Gary Kubiak and the Denver Broncos. Yes, it's only one weekend and there are about five weeks before the start of training camp, but let's take small steps. For those who say "give it time," I've made the choice to remain hopeful and positive this becomes a trend.
It's the first step in what we should hope will be a boring summer.
There are plenty of rumors and speculation with the Von Miller contract garbage; we don't need to add players putting themselves in the news for all of the wrong reasons. And by the time the July 15 deadline rolls around, Miller will have a contract that pleases him, ensures the Broncos aren't in salary cap hell and we can all move on.
Again, until that happens, we don't need other nonsense piled on top of it.
That's a wrap! See you at #BroncosCamp, @ChrisHarrisJr.
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) June 16, 2016
's https://t.co/nNLi5Q0kQv pic.twitter.com/rxY4YPru6p
What would help pass this boring phase is if John Elway extends Emmanuel Sanders before camp starts. That would be welcome news in Broncos Country. Lock up Brandon Marshall, Sanders and Miller this summer? And no one gets a mug shot in the process? Yes please.
The players should enjoy these weeks away from football. It allows them to clear their minds and bodies before the grind begins. Just as long as they don't do anything stupid that portrays their teammates, coaches, the organization, family and themselves in a negative light. We can include some members of the front office in this as well, but let's hope they learned from their mistakes.
Go on vacation.
Enjoy the fruits of your labor.
Lift weights, if you so choose. Run, if you so choose. Study the playbook now and then, if you so choose. But avoid the head coach and general manager getting the dreaded phone call that shows them how much of a dumbass you are.
In other words, make smart decisions.
✌️, fellas.
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) June 15, 2016
See you at #BroncosCamp!https://t.co/mqIttOOYta
Contrary to popular belief and the reactionary media, this hasn't been a bad, terrible, atrocious offseason for Denver. Those who mention Brock Osweiler, Malik Jackson and Danny Trevathan are countered with Chris Harris, Derek Wolfe, Paxton Lynch and Marshall. These are the same people who say this every year when Elway lets other teams overpay. Same song, different verse.
The Aqib Talib situation is just weird, but with no witnesses or cooperation, there isn't much to this story. The only factor is the length of time he will miss. Will he be ready by camp or closer to the regular season?
There is still the magic trick Kubiak is pulling on the media and fans by making them believe Mark Sanchez and Trevor Siemian are, indeed, neck-and-neck, and Lynch has no shot to start. David Blaine needs to chat with Kubiak on his sleight-of-hand mastery. If Siemian truly is neck-and-neck with Sanchez, there's no point of having Sanchez on the roster.
Regardless, the depth chart doesn't matter at this point in the season. It's fodder for bored fans and media.
But that's a topic for another day, and hopefully we can have it free from players who get arrested and/or shot.
#Broncos are in a "great spot," so @ChrisHarrisJr has personal goals before #BroncosCamp
— Broncos TV (@BroncosTV) June 16, 2016
⌚️ https://t.co/rXhTL5f5hU pic.twitter.com/v5T25PpVJc
If a player has a drug test in the near future, he should take the opposite approach of Josh Gordon and put the pipe down.
The NFL is now a yearlong business.
Breaks like this don't come along that often.
As he did with the Super Bowl 50 week, Kubiak has shown trust in his players to make the right decisions.
The Broncos should prove him right for doing so, just as they did in Santa Clara, Calif.
One week down, five to go.
They're on the right path.
Horse Tracks
Trevor Siemian in mix to be starting QB, and that's enough for him - Denver Broncos Blog- ESPN
He came into the NFL with little pedigree and a recent knee injury. Now Trevor Siemian has a shot to quarterback the defending Super Bowl champions.
Watch: Von Miller talks life and football with his dad | Broncos Wire
Courtesy of CBS Sports, here's Von Miller hanging out with his dad, because Father's Day. Happy Father's Day to all the dads in Broncos Country!
Picking a side in the Broncos-Von Miller contract dispute is easy: Pay the man
Von Miller has shown he's more than worthy of a long-term contract with $60 million-plus in guaranteed money. Now all that's left is for the Broncos to pay him.
Could Broncos ship Von Miller off to the Bay Area? - Silver And Black Pride
The contract dispute between the Super Bowl MVP and G.M. John Elway has gotten so ugly, it may be time to agree to disagree and part ways.
Peyton Manning "at peace" with retirement, looking forward to being just a fan
Peyton Manning is looking forward to the transition from football player to football fan.
Chiefs’ 53-man roster includes Tyler Bray, Kevin Hogan as backup QBs - Kansas City Chiefs Blog- ESPN
A projection of the Kansas City Chiefs' roster as the team breaks for the summer.
AFC West Q&A: Are the Raiders the most improved team in the division? - Oakland Raiders Blog- ESPN
There's wide agreement that the Raiders "won" free agency, but right now their improvement is just on paper.
As Cleveland celebrates, San Diego sports teams are on the clock | SanDiegoUnionTribune.com
The 1963 Chargers, powered by all-time greats, gave San Diego its only major sports title.
NFL-NFLPA dynamic delaying investigation of Al Jazeera report | ProFootballTalk
It's been nearly six months since Al Jazeera and the NFL intersected in a way far less natural than peanut butter and chocolate. The league office still hasn't taken officially buried its teeth into the ensuing concoction. Via Emily Kaplan of TheMMQB.
53-man roster projections for every NFL team - 2016 rosters, starting lineups, depth charts
Could former top-10 pick Justin Gilbert be on his way out in Cleveland? Will German WR Moritz Böhringer make the Vikings' roster? NFL Nation reporters project the 2016 rosters for all 32 teams.
Will NFL tell teams to kick away? | ProFootballTalk
In an effort to make the "most dangerous play" in the game safer, the NFL wants to reduce the number of kickoff returns. This year, the NFL adopted yet another rule change aimed at reducing the number of kickoff returns.
What to watch for during the NFL's quiet period - NFL.com
The NFL's players and coaches are set to embark on the work-free period of the summer yet many question marks exist around the NFL. Conor Orr examines some of the major ones.
Being an NFL mom is a job all by itself | New York Post
Moms know best — and are making their presence felt in the NFL.
No-huddle offense can produce immediate returns for young QBs - NFL.com
Blake Bortles, Jameis Winston and Derek Carr all possess plenty of potential -- and each one of their teams looks to exploit the raw talent with one straightforward tactic. Bucky Brooks explains.
Browns CB Joe Haden: LeBron, Cavs Show the Way | The MMQB with Peter King
The Curse is dead—and now it’s up to my teammates and I to follow LeBron’s inspirational lead and give Cleveland the NFL championship it’s been waiting so long for
Tackling player safety in the NFL - LA Times
The start of 2016 saw a milestone for the NFL, with the league celebrating its 50th Super Bowl in February.
Rex Ryan owns NFL's offseason trophy, but the Lombardi is another story
Realistically, we should be thanking Rex Ryan. He says his Buffalo Bills have "won the offseason.'' Everybody knows what the NFL offseason is like, so why not declare some team the offseason champion? And why not give it to Rex's team?
Carrie Underwood to debut new 'SNF' theme song - NFL.com
Let's pause for a moment of silence: "Waiting All Day For Sunday Night" is dead. Carrie Underwood will perform a new song that debuts when the Patriots and Cardinals kick off Sunday Night Football.