Mile High Report - All Posts

Peyton Manning's contract restructure provides cap relief in 2013, 2014

2013-05-19T20:59:36Z

Last week, the Denver Broncos and quarterback Peyton Manning agreed to a renegotiated contract with the primary intent on adding insurance language for the 2014 season.

Instead of earning $20 million in fully guaranteed base salaries in 2013 and 2014, Manning received a $10 million salary advance and his base salaries in 2013 and 2014 have been lowered to $15 million in each season. The $10 million salary advance is treated like a signing bonus and will be prorated over the next four seasons, reducing Manning's cap number from $20 million to $17.5 million in both 2013 and 2014.

The nature of the beast also means that Manning's cap number will rise from 19 million to 21.5 million in 2015 and 2016. If for some reason the Broncos and Manning parted ways before then, his cap hit would be 2.5 million in dead money each season.

Overall I like the move. It provides the Broncos some cap relief the next two seasons when the Broncos have a slew of freeagents to resign. It also isn't a big enough restructure that the Broncos will be handicapped by it in future seasons.

According to the article, the Broncos now have approximately 9.9 million in cap space this year.

2013 NFL Power Rankings Countdown: #23 Philadelphia Eagles

2013-05-19T18:00:07Z

I have noticed the sentiment out there that there isn't much difference between the teams from about 15-26 and I agreed with that. Every ranking from here to number 15 is really just splitting hairs. The NFC East gets tons of hype every single year and since I'm on the west coast, you won't see that from me. The NFC East is severely limited in talent, but not on pride or arrogance.

Chip Kelly has his work cut out for him, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Everything will depend on how quickly he can install his style of offense.

23. Philadelphia Eagles (2012 Record: 4-12)

The Eagles draft was pretty meh for me up until the beginning of Day 3 when the jumped ahead to select Matt Barkley, thus saving him from Oakland Raider purgatory. To me, it looks like new boss Chip Kelly plans to roll with Michael Vick this year and groom Barkley to replace Vick in 2014. I think this is the right move and I also think Matt Barkley is destined to succeed in the NFL - especially since he was stolen away from the Raiders.

In comparison to previous USC quarterbacks, Barkley is superior in every way. You look at his down season that caused his draft stock fall from Top 5 to Day 3 and I attribute it more to a horrible coaching staff and surrounding talent. You put top tier talent around any quarterback and you'll end up with Matt Leinart's and Mark Sanchez's on your team.

I still think this team has some talent deficiencies, especially on the defensive side of the ball and it will take a year for this team to really start to implement the new regime's scheme.

Previous: 24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Next: Tune in tomorrow at Noon MST

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Peyton Manning: Over/Under

2013-05-19T17:00:06Z

Peyton Manning

Category	2012 Numbers	Over/Under	Bronco Mike's bet
Completions	400	390	Over
Attempts	583	550	Over
Passing Yards	4659	4500	Over
Completion Percentage	68.6%	67%	Over
Average per attempt	8.0	7.7	Push
Touchdowns	37	30	Over
Interceptions	11	15	Push
QB Rating	105.8	100.0	Over

You heard it here first, Peyton will exceed 4,700 yards, approach 40 TD's and approach 70% completion percentage. These would all be among career highs. The fact that he had such a historic season under the circumstances he faced tells me things can be even better in year 2. For context though, let's take a closer look.

- Peyton has had more than 390 completions 4 times in 14 seasons. He's also accomplished that feat the last three active seasons.

- has attempted 550 or more passes in 9/14 seasons.

- has reached 4500 yards 4 times and all three previous seasons.

- has reached or exceeded 67% completion percentage 5 times in his career.

- has reached or eclipsed 7.7 yards per attempt 8 times

- has exceeded 30 TD passes 7 times.

- has had 15 INT or less 9 times

- has eclipsed a passer rating of 100 4 times.

Very impressive numbers over the life of his career. It was interesting to hear John Elway refer to a "pitch count" in training camp. I'm wondering if they limit his throws in practice all season in order to preserve his arm strength--I wonder if they'll look to have a more balanced approach? One thing is for sure, I would expect to see Brock Osweiler a ton more especially when the Broncos have a lead. All of these things have the ability to impact any numbers Peyton puts up in 2013.

While I was perusing the all time NFL record book, I discovered some interesting ones that Peyton holds:

- 46 career games with a passer rating of 120.0 or better

- Tied with Craig Morton with 4 perfect passer rating games in career (never would have thought that about Morton).

- Most seasons with 550 or more pass attempts (9)

- Most seasons with at least 350 completions (8)

- Most games with at least 70% completion percentage (71)

- Most games with 300 or more yards passing (72)

- Most games with 3 passing TD's or more (73)

- Most seasons with 25 or more passing TD's (14)

We already witnessed something historic last season. Very much looking forward to a repeat performance. I would even bet that Peyton's arm is a bit stronger than where he ended the season last year. As long as he doesn't throw anymore balls across his body the other way while scrambling we should be fine.

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Denver Broncos News: Horse Tracks - 5/19/13

2013-05-19T16:26:09Z

Six Seahawks have tested positive for PEDs since 2011 | ProFootballTalk
Plenty of players test positive for performance enhancing drugs. But the Seahawks definitely are in the midst of a troubling trend. As pointed out by Eric D.

NFP Sunday Blitz | National Football Post
When Schiano was the head coach of Rutgers in 2007, he visited Glennon at Westfield High School in Fairfax County, Va., to recruit him Glennon told Schiano his goal was to play in the ACC, not in the Big East.

Denver Broncos News and Blogs

Broncos shouldn't add too many old guys - The Denver Post
Welcome, Woodson. Is free agent Charles Woodson too old to help the Broncos win a championship? No! Bring him on board. Get this Hall of Famer another ring.

Competition Benefits Broncos | DenverBroncos.com
Depth on the roster will lead to tough competition at the wide receiver and middle linebacker positions.

Want a Sneak Peek at Sports Authority Field Upgrades? " DenverBroncos.com
Maybe you’ve already seen the photos of the new Sports Authority Field at Mile High scoreboards being installed.

Carrying the Workload | DenverBroncos.com
The Broncos know Montee Ball can handle 20 carries a game and more than 300 in a season, as he did each of his last two seasons at Wisconsin, racking up 307 (21.9 per game) in 2011 and 356 (25.4 per game) last year. In 2011, he handled 52.6 percent of the Badgers’ run calls; a year later, that spiked to 58.6 (adjusting for sacks, which count as runs in NCAA statistics).

Woodson Comes, Woodson Goes...Broncos Remain A Favorite - Predominantly Orange
Charles Woodson has come and gone. We know the Broncos made him an offer but seeings how he is not on the roster, we can assume the offer was too low for Woodson’s tastes.

Peyton Manning: novo contrato, mesmo acordo. " BroncosBrasil.com
Ano passado, quando foi anunciado que Peyton Manning assinara um contrato milionário com nosso querido Denver Broncos, muitos acharam um absurdo o valor de 98 milhões de dólares. Entretanto, ficou claro que para o primeiro ano eram "apenas" 18 milhões, o resto ficando sujeito a exames médicos.

NFL News and Blogs

Dwight Freeney, San Diego Chargers agree on contract - NFL.com
Dwight Freeney and the San Diego Chargers reached an agreement Saturday on a two-year, $8.75 million contract, NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported.

Nick Saban: Rolando McClain 'being fair' to Ravens - NFL.com
Rolando McClain signed a one-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens in early April, only to announce his retirement a month later. Nick Saban says his former player has been fair to the Ravens.

Greg Schiano says Glennon can win the starting job for the Bucs - Bucs Nation
The quarterback controversy continues! This time, Greg Schiano fuels the Mike Glennon/Josh Freeman quarterback controversy, while simultaneously reinforcing that Josh Freeman is the starter. Oh yes, good fun.

Chargers sign Dwight Freeney, Willie Colon thinks Goodson will be released - SBNation.com
It was a slower day on Saturday, but one of the big-name free-agents remaining on the market was signed, and we found out that the NFL is bringing rugby to the United States.

Lynch is back on the national stage at USF | National Football Post
When Aaron Lynch decided to transfer from Notre Dame, it was supposed to be a big blow to the Fighting Irish defense.

Chargers Sign Dwight Freeney To Two-Year, $8.75 Million Contract | GridironGrit.com
Dwight Freeney has finally found a new home after more than two months on the open market, as he agreed to terms to sign a two-year contract with the San Diego Chargers, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Inside the Super Bowl L and LI voting process | ProFootballTalk
With only two cities vying for Super Bowl L and then only two cities squaring off for Super Bowl LI on Tuesday, the voting process becomes much more simple than if three or more cities were being considered for one game.

Super Bowls L and LI to be awarded this week | ProFootballTalk
NFL owners will be gathering in Boston this week for a meeting that has one primary item on the agenda: Awarding two Super Bowls. First, it's Miami versus San Francisco for Super Bowl L. Then, the loser takes on Houston for Super Bowl LI. The votes will happen on Tuesday.

Larry Fitzgerald: 2012 was most frustrating season I’ve ever had | ProFootballTalk
Statistics don't always tell the entire story, but they do a pretty good job of providing everything you need to know about how 2012 went for Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. His 71 catches were his least for a season since 2006 and he never had a lower average than the 11.

Husain Abdullah wanted to return to football in 2012 | ProFootballTalk
Safety Husain Abdullah drew a lot of attention for his decision to skip the 2012 season to join millions of other Muslims on a pilgrimage to Mecca. It's not every day that you hear about a NFL starter in his prime walking away from the game when he's still healthy enough to play it and Abdullah t...

Giants convinced rookie’s heart issue a thing of the past | ProFootballTalk
As we learned last week, some teams are more willing than others to work with players with certain medical conditions. But the Giants had no such qualms about drafting safety Cooper Taylor in the fifth round, even though he had a lengthy medical report including a heart condition which was diagno...

Charles Woodson will visit Raiders Tuesday, despite "standing offer" from Broncos

2013-05-19T15:00:09Z

The Denver Broncos have reportedly made Charles Woodson a contract offer, but the free agent safety is still considering his options, the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports.

Per Rapoport, those options include the New York Giants, Carolina Panthers, and Oakland Raiders.

"(Woodson) still can do it on the field." Woodson doesn't "just" want to be signed to be a de facto assistant coach helping rookies. -Woodson's agent Carl Poston, via NFL.com

Beside the Broncos, the Raiders are the most actively interested. Woodson has accepted an invitation by the Oakland Raiders to visit the team this Tuesday.

The draw to Oakland might not be strictly financial for Woodson; should he sign with the Broncos' AFC West rival, he would be reunited him with his original NFL team. The Raiders drafted Woodson in the first round (4th overall pick) of the 1998 draft; Woodson spent eight years in Oakland.

Meanwhile, the Broncos' offer is standing, and was reportedly for more than the veteran minimum. Other teams have "balked" at offering Woodson more than the veteran minimum, according to Rapoport, but this visit with Oakland is a sign that may change.

Credit Woodson's agent for doing his job: using the media to drum up interest around the league, legitimate or not, and likely upping the price tag for his future Hall of Fame client in the twilight of his career. The Broncos now have serious competition in the Charles Woodson sweepstakes.

Dwight Freeney, Chargers agree to two-year deal

2013-05-19T12:50:45Z

Three months ago, just after the Indianapolis Colts released Dwight Freeney, Peyton Manning reportedly texted him, telling his former Indianapolis Colts teammate, "Don't worry, come play with me in Denver."

Instead, the sack specialist will play against Manning twice a year, as a member of Denver's division rival, the San Diego Chargers.

After an extended free agency period that drummed up mixed interest from a handful of teams, including the Broncos, Dwight Freeney and the San Diego Chargers have agreed to a two-year, $8.75 million deal, USA Today reports. The deal could reportedly pay Freeney $13.35 million over two years, should he hit incentives tied to him remaining on the roster and hitting sack thresholds.

Freeney, 33, spent the majority of his career as a 4-3 defensive end, but tallied only five sacks as a 3-4 outside linebacker with the Colts last year. The Chargers also run a 3-4, suggesting at first glance that Freeney might not be the best fit with San Diego. However, USA Today reports the Chargers plan "to adjust some schemes that would put Freeney in his more natural position as a down lineman."

The Chargers' interest in Freeney peaked after outside linebacker Melvin Ingram suffered a torn ACL in organized team activities this week.

The Broncos' interest in Freeney waned after they grabbed their own sack specialist in April: ex-Chargers outside linebacker Shaun Phillips, who is expected to see time at defensive end in Denver. This free agency soap opera between Manning, Freeney and Phillips has turned into a prequel to the drama that will unfold on the football field in 2013: Freeney will be trying to take down his friend and former teammate Peyton Manning, while out-performing the defender the Broncos chose instead, Shaun Phillips. Meanwhile, Phillips will have a score to settle of his own, playing against his former team.

The time for texting is nearly over. Let the games begin.

2013 NFL Power Rankings Countdown: #24 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2013-05-18T18:00:05Z

Now that SB Nation's finally gotten their server apocalypse under control, I feel secure in resuming my normal blogging activities. It's been four days since the last rankings post, so as a quick reminder here is a quick run down of the power rankings so far:

32. Jacksonville Jaguars

31. New York Jets

30. Oakland Raiders

29. Arizona Cardinals

28. Buffalo Bills

27. Tennessee Titans

26. Dallas Cowboys

25. Carolina Panthers

As for the Bucs, the only reason I put them slightly ahead of the Panthers is because I think they traded and drafted for players that will make an immediate impact from Day 1.

24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2012 Record: 7-9)

In spite of the Darrelle Revis trade, the Buccaneers are suffering from horribly inconsistent offensive output and I don't see that trend improving anytime soon. Their draft was actually pretty good considering they gave up their first round selection for Revis.

Josh Freeman showed really good potential in his rookie campaign, but has since floundered terribly. So much so that the front office are hoping third round draft pick in quarterback Mike Glennon will either beat out Freeman in camp or push him to play better.

The problem is, I'm not sold on either guy and in a top heavy division that tells me they will be picking fairly high next year. I give them an A for effort, but until the quarterbacking issue is resolve, this franchise will continue to flounder.

Previous: 25. Carolina Panthers Next: Tune in tomorrow at Noon MST

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Denver Broncos News: Horse Tracks - 5/18/13

2013-05-18T11:15:05Z

The pressure index | National Football Post
1. Denver Broncos: No matter how many times it’s been uttered, it still bears repeating: The Denver Broncos won more playoff games with Tim Tebow under center than they did with Peyton Manning. As played-out as that statement is, you can’t help but think about it after last year’s colossal failure at Mile High.

Denver Broncos News and Blogs

Video: Broncos' Wesley Woodyard Hosts Charity Dinner For At-Risk Youth - Predominantly Orange
The Denver Broncos capped off Be a Champion in the Community week Thursday with a posh dinner put on by Wesley Woodyard and his charity, the 16Ways Foundation.

Denver Broncos Draft History – School Representation | Bronco Planet
I did some looking and went down a rabbit hole seeking answers. Using Pro Football Reference, which isn’t entirely accurate (but better than most), I found that they listed only 15 players drafted by the Broncos out of Florida. That is still the most by a few.

Why Denver's Von Miller is the Most Complete OLB in the NFL | Bleacher Report
Strong cases can be made for guys like DeMarcus Ware and Aldon Smith, but at the end of the day, there's no outside linebacker a front office would choose over Von Miller when building a defense.

Woodson in no hurry to sign, but Denver Broncos still in play - The Denver Post
Although they were met with a contractual stiff-arm, the Broncos remain in play for the services of veteran defensive back Charles Woodson.

Demaryius Thomas ranked way too low as NFL player No. 68 | First-and-Orange
What sports discovered from that List boom is they instantly generate debate. And so 13 years later, the Lists continue. The NFL Network is putting out its top 100 players for 2013 and the first Bronco showed up at No. 68 last night with receiver Demaryius Thomas.

Concussions: the cost of doing business? - It's All Over, Fat Man!
Last week's column about controversial Chargers team doctor David Chao and the NFL's continuing campaign to discredit CTE pioneer Bennet Omalu prompted a comment that I’ve heard often in the discussions of making professional sports safer.

Gray Matter: May 17 | DenverBroncos.com
In this week's fan mailbag, we talk Charles Woodson, more free agent possibilities, three 1,000-yard receivers and more.

Star Trek: The NFL Generation | NFL.com
Spock is the calm, collected and highly logical first officer of the Starship Enterprise, who uses his intelligence to guide the Enterprise to safety. Similarly, Manning has arguably the best football mind in the NFL, and he uses his knowledge to guide the Broncos to victory on Sundays. If only Manning could use his knowledge to cover Jacoby Jones, too. That would have been great.

Grading the Draft: Denver Broncos | Draft Insiders
Peyton Manning helped put the Broncos back into the playoffs again last season yet they fell disappointingly short in January. The Broncos hoped to add the final pieces on defense which would push them closer to the Super Bowl.

NFL News and Blogs

Ranking the NFL quarterbacks - NFL.com
Is Tom Brady the best around, or has another signal-caller stolen the crown? Marc Sessler takes on the task of trying to rank the top quarterbacks in football.

Lawyer: Mario Williams sent ex-fiancée strange texts - NFL.com
Mario Williams filed a lawsuit against his ex-fiancee to recover a $785,000 engagement ring. But her lawyer claims the Buffalo Bills defensive end was the one who broke it off and peppered his client with texts.

RG3 throwing, Rob Gronkowski may need more surgery and more - SBNation.com
Robert Griffin III has been throwing since April, Rob Gronkowski may need back surgery, David Garrard could try his hand at coaching and more. Here's what you may have missed on Friday.

Chip Kelly, Stunned by Media Scrutiny Behind Hot Dog Eating Contest | GridironGrit.com
Chip Kelly has gained notoriety in recent days by doing away with the Philadelphia Eagles‘ now infamous "Taco Tuesdays" and "Fast Food Fridays" that were staples under Andy Reid‘s tenure.

Smokers will help pay for funding gap in Vikings stadium | ProFootballTalk
As it turns out, folks who puff on Marlboros will help pay for the next place where Ragnar will be blowing his horn. With electronic pulltab and bingo games, the original funding mechanism for the state's portion of the new Vikings stadium, falling far short of projections, Minnesota needs a new ...

NFL Power Rankings | Fanspeak NFL Blog
The Broncos improved their defensive backs, defensive tackles, offensive line, running backs and on top of that added Wes Welker. The loss of Elvis Dumervil still is problematic, but other than that it was the perfect offseason.

Mile High Report - All Posts

Peyton Manning's contract restructure provides cap relief in 2013, 2014

2013 NFL Power Rankings Countdown: #23 Philadelphia Eagles

23. Philadelphia Eagles (2012 Record: 4-12)

Eagles 2013 Draft Picks

Are the Eagles ranked too high or too low here?

Peyton Manning: Over/Under

Peyton Manning

Film Study: Peyton Manning's Interceptions

Do you speak Gaelic?

Denver Broncos News: Horse Tracks - 5/19/13

Denver Broncos News and Blogs

NFL News and Blogs

Charles Woodson will visit Raiders Tuesday, despite "standing offer" from Broncos

Dwight Freeney, Chargers agree to two-year deal

2013 NFL Power Rankings Countdown: #24 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2012 Record: 7-9)

Buccaneers 2013 Draft Picks

Are the Bucs ranked too high or too low?

Denver Broncos News: Horse Tracks - 5/18/13

Denver Broncos News and Blogs

NFL News and Blogs