HEAD COACH MIKE SHANAHAN

On the morning practice --
"I felt we had a great practice today, an extension of what we had yesterday. We got a chance to evaluate a lot of our people. We got a chance to evaluate them under different conditions, (and) we are very pleased."

On practice being more intense than Wednesday's sessions --
"Usually, the second day is always that way. It was the same way last year. I've probably practiced with a different team seven or eight times since I've been in the National Football League, and it never changes. That second day is usually a bit more competitive and we had some great work."

On Cowboys LB Zach Thomas --
"Zach is a great football player. I think we all know Zach Thomas. He practices at a certain level, and that's why he plays at a certain level every time he hits that football field. He's an experienced pro, a guy I have always admired and he had a good practice today."

On WR Brandon's Marshall's messages on the back of his shoulder pads --
"I think both of those guys (Marshall and Cowboys CB Adam Jones) are just having fun. There is a lot of respect level there by both guys just going out and competing. Brandon has a hard time staying quiet though after someone takes a shot at him, I do know that."

On tempers flaring during practice --
"It wasn't a fight. That's was just a little pushing. That happens all the time, but they kept their composure and they didn't swing. That's what you want. Tempers are going to flare up a little bit. That's the nature of this profession. But (they were) professional enough to back off and players laugh at it and smile. That's part of practicing against another team. But there were no swings and that's what I appreciated. Two teams acted in a professional manner, and hopefully we will have another good (practice) this afternoon."

On the purpose of practicing with the Cowboys before playing them in a preseason game --
"They get a chance to see what we are doing and we get a chance to see what they are doing. There isn't a gameplan involved, but you still want to go out and do a good job. You still want to evaluate players as well. If we were playing them in a regular season game, obviously we wouldn't be practicing against them, but that's not they key at this time of year, it's to try to find your best 53-man squad and also put your system in against other people. I think we have had a productive day-and-a-half."

On WR Darrell Jackson (ankle) missing practice --
"I can't tell you if he's going to play on Saturday, but it's not serious."

On comparing the maturation processes of Broncos QB Jay Cutler and Cowboys QB Tony Romo --
"I think it's a lot different. Romo was in a backup role, I believe, for four years if I'm not mistaken. He's a student of the game. When you run the scout team or if you are on a team as a quarterback and you have four years looking at different defenses, it's a little easier to go behind that center and read defenses. Jay is a little bit different. He wasn't thrown in the fire right away in the first year. It was a growing experience, but there are a little bit more growing pains the quicker you get in. Romo is reading coverages unbelievably. I admire how quickly he reads coverages and gets the ball to the right spot. He is going to have a heck of a year. You could see it out here today and yesterday."

On Cowboys QB Tony Romo's improvement from last season --
"I see a difference just watching (Romo) play last year. He plays with a lot of confidence, he knows where the ball is going and if something breaks down he has the ability to make a play on his own. He can throw the ball at all different angles and he is a heck of a weapon."

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BRONCOS HEAD COACH MIKE SHANAHAN

On the morning practice with the Cowboys --
"I thought we got some great work in today. I thought both sides were very professional in their approach. We have a little different schemes on both sides of the ball, and it was good work for Dallas and obviously the Broncos. We have a practice this afternoon, and I'm looking forward to that.

"They have a different type of offense and a different type of defense. We get a chance to work against a 3-4 look, and they get a chance to take a look at a four-man front. I thought it was good for both teams. It was a very healthy practice and there was some good, fresh hitting. You go against somebody where you don't know their tendencies, so everybody plays a little bit more honest and it's a good evaluation process for us."

On what he is looking for in terms of improvement --
"What you want to do-when you're taking a look at your OTAs, when you're taking a look at your summer camp-you want to find your best 53 guys that can play. You want to get better as a scheme offensively, defensively and special teams. This is a little bit different here. Normally that third week of practice you get tired of hitting against each other. This is a good changeup for both teams where you get a chance to go against different schemes and different people. I thought it was good for both squads."

On the timing of practicing against the Cowboys --
"Normally the first couple of weeks (of training camp) you want to install your offense and defense. To go against a team too early would kind of take away what you are trying to put in as your basic fundamentals to installing your offense, defense and special teams. Usually it's better (before your second preseason game) because you have all of that installation in, you have a preseason (game) under your belt, you know who you want to evaluate and you get a chance to do it against different people."

On why he wanted to practice with the Cowboys --
"You change it up. We went there last year. Obviously they are playing at our facility, so they are going to come here. We will probably do the same thing next year if we play the Cowboys in preseason."

On signing CB Tyrone Poole --
"We brought in a couple of corners (Poole and CB Wale Dada) that we thought would give us more depth at that position, guys that we feel have more of a chance to make our football team. Sometimes you make changes after a game based on how they play. We didn't feel like either of those players (CB Lamont Reid and CB Christian Morton) could make our football team, so we went in a different direction and brought some guys in that we thought could compete for possibly making our squad."

On LB Niko Koutouvides --
"He has been playing with the first team and second team throughout camp. We have some competition there (at middle linebacker), and we will find out at the end of camp who steps up and who is our starter. We have two guys (Koutouvides and LB Nate Webster) that are practicing extremely well and we want to give both guys a chance to practice and play with the first team unit. Part of the evaluation process is how they play in practice and how thy play here in the games, so we will have a chance to do both."

On seeing WR Brandon Marshall match up against another team in practice --
"I don't know if he picks (his play) up any more. Brandon has been doing this throughout camp. I think you get a chance to see him against different people and obviously a very good football team in the Cowboys. It's always nice to see a guy step up and make some plays like he did."

On whether the intensity level picks up while practicing against another team --
"Naturally it does-players and coaches. You want to perform in front of your peers, you want to practice well, you want to play well and at the same time we want to evaluate a lot of people. We have a chance to do it all today."

On why undrafted running backs get a chance to compete with the Broncos --
"To be honest with you, they take advantage of an opportunity. (RB) Selvin Young was obviously injured at Texas but he came in here, stayed healthy and took advantage of an opportunity. Any time you get a scholarship and are averaging about five-and-a-half to six yards per carry at Texas, you know you have a big upside and he is taking advantage of that opportunity here."

On RB Selvin Young's potential this year --
"Well he guaranteed 2,000 (yards) I think, so he is going to be much better. We have a long way to go though."

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It didn't take long during the morning workout for Adam Jones, formerly known as Pac-Man, to make his feelings about Brandon Marshall known -

Immediately after practice, Cowboys cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones was asked to compare Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall with Cowboys wideout Terrell Owens.

"He's nowhere near T.O.," Jones said of Marshall. "He's a good athlete, but he ain't on T.O.'s level. T.O. is 10 times faster and 10 times bigger. I wouldn't say he's nowhere near T.O."

Of course, Jay Cutler's retort, when apprised of the comments was nothing short of pure genius -

When reporters asked Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler about the comments, Cutler's reply was short and to the point: "We go against Champ Bailey every day."

I, for one, don't care what the "Rain-Maker" says, and to be honest Marshall hasn't put together enough of a resume to be compared to anyone, let alone T.O., but I wouldn't mind a bit of proper english.  I mean, "I wouldn't say he's nowhere near T.O", doesn't that mean he is on T.O's level?  How many negatives were there?

BRONCOS HEAD COACH MIKE SHANAHAN

On the Cowboys' offense --
"It's always good to go against somebody new. They have a different style running attack than we do and a lot of similarities in the passing game. There is a little different philosophy, but it will be good work for our defense and our offense."

On tackling against the Cowboys --
"We don't tackle obviously, but we'll form up a little bit. We have a pretty smart football team on both sides and a lot of competition. At the same time, they are trying to protect each other. It's more of an evaluation process, and cooler heads always prevail. We were able to do that last time, and I'm sure we'll be able to do it this time."

On the format of practice --
"Basically, it is the same both sessions. We'll do different teamwork on one session than the other. One is more play action, the other one is more drop action. The morning practice will be a little longer than the afternoon practice."

On the Broncos hitting players other than their teammates --
"It's a little different. You are still going to hit, you hit your own players, you hit somebody else. It's good, especially in the third week, to hit somebody else. You get used to the talent level here, first teamers, second teamers, third teamers, what their strength is, what their weakness is. It's always nice to go against somebody you don't know. You play a lot more honest because you don't know the tendencies. It is a good evaluation process for all of us."

On the intensity of practice with the Cowboys --
"That is why you do it. There is a respect level when you go against another team, and you want to go out there and practice well and play well. When you have different competition, it always gets the juices flowing, that's one of the reasons why we do it."

On motivation level --
"Our football team is pretty smart. I told you our last time we practiced against them, I thought it was a Super Bowl team, and people laughed. I don't think people are laughing anymore because of the talent they displayed last season. We are going against a very talented team, a lot of Pro Bowl players out there. It will be a good test for us."

BRONCOS WR BRANDON STOKLEY

On looking forward to practicing against Dallas --
"It's going to be nice. We will get to go against different defenses, techniques and players. It's going to be fun to kind of judge yourself early in the preseason to see where you are at for a couple of days."

On if the intensity level will be greater practicing against Dallas --
"It's no doubt about it. It's a little bit different going against your own guys. It definitely brings up the intensity level."

On if Denver will change its effort against Dallas in practice --
"No not really. Guys are fighting for their jobs. So, if you don't come out here 100 percent every day, you will not be in this business long."

BRONCOS RUNNING BACK ANDRE HALL

On his initial reaction to rookie RB Ryan Torain's injury --
"Ryan was doing great. He's is very emotional and when I saw him go down, it hurt. At first I thought it was just a bump and he'll come back soon, but unfortunately he has a pretty serious injury that will put him out for a while. So I'm kind of messed up about that."

On what Torain's injury means to Andre and the rest of the running back rotation --
"We have to double up our load now. Ryan was going to step up and handle the short-yardage and goal-line packages. We couldn't argue on him about that position. He is one of those guys that are tougher and have a bigger body. He's bigger than Selvin (Young), Anthony (Alridge), and me. It kind of messes up the rotation a little bit, but we just have to step up and just do it."

On the excitement of going into the first preseason game of the year --
"I'm just sick of hitting against our defense. I'm ready to beat up on somebody else. I want to see how our plays work against a different team."

On how much playing time he'll have against Houston --
"The coaching staff will let us know by 11 a.m. They will tell us how many quarters or halves we are going to play each."

On how far he has come from last year --
"I can believe it. I worked hard and everything I get, I deserve. I go to work hard everyday. The coaches and players see it. I see it. I just pray that I get a shot once again and make the most of it."

On the news of QB Brett Favre going to the New York Jets and the prospect of playing against him later in the regular season --

"I'm not worrying about him. I worry about the defense. Maybe our defense should take heed in that. I don't really care."

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BRONCOS WIDE RECEIVER BRANDON MARSHALL

On his suspension --
"All I can do is come out here every day and try and be the best player I can be. My job right now is to be a leader in this team and get the guys out there better. I believe in our system, and I believe in what we are doing around here. I expect those other young guy receivers to go out there and have no drop off at the receiver position."

On if he plans to appeal --
"All I can do is come out here and be the best I can be. I'm just out here to work hard."

On his reaction to the ruling --
"I can't worry about the past. I am going to worry about the future and getting better on the field and in the community, and show my teammates that I am here every day, no matter what is going on. I'll come to play. "

On what he has learned --
"It's just being more responsible. It's just being the best I can be in the community and on the field. That is all it is. It's not hard, it's not rocket science. Like I said, I have a job to do, and I plan on getting it done."

On the conditions of the ruling --
"It is three games. I guess if I do some things it might be two. All I can do is take everything in and continue to work hard. I've got guys out there that have to get ready for this game, so I can be a leader verbally, and with my actions."

On what things he can do to reduce the ruling --
"I'm not sure, but I'm pretty sure I will find out in the next couple of days."

On his thoughts on getting counseling --
"Like I said, I'm just going to do what I am supposed to do, whether it is off the field or on the field, and get past this. One thing about our organization, our team is that they make it easy for me to come out here and (not) have the weight of the world on my shoulders. Like I said, I gave that weight for someone else to carry."

On how he'll stay sharp after missing two games --
"Continue to work hard. Otherwise I am feeling good. I am enjoying camp, I am out there running the routes, and I am excited to see where we will go as a team, and as an organization."

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BRONCOS' HEAD COACH MIKE SHANAHAN

On his most pleasant surprise of training camp thus far --
"We have a bunch of them. We have some free-agents looking good, some draft choices looking good. We are a young football team but we have been pretty impressive thus far but you have to put it together in gameday and game situations. I am looking forward to them playing some exhibition games and see how they do when the lights are on."

On WR Darrell Jackson's camp thus far --
"He has done a good job. We have some competition amongst the wide receiver positions. We have a pecking order right now but it can change very quickly. There are a lot of guys competing and it will probably come down to game situations and obviously the remainder of camp."

On CB Champ Bailey's hamstring --
"It is like all hamstrings, it will take a little bit of time to rest but Champ recovers pretty quickly. It wasn't a bad hamstring so that is good news."

On C Tom Nalen's knee --
"Anytime Tom sits out of practice it is not just another injury because it is tough to keep him out of practice. He is obviously sore but it is healing better according to Greek (Steve Antonopulos). Hopefully it will keep getting better so he can get out there and practice. I think he has the experience where he doesn't really need the preseason games and he is working hard in the weight room to make sure his conditioning level stays at a certain point. Hopefully in the next couple weeks we can get him back and he will be ready for the first regular season game. Right now the MRI is negative so we are not going to do surgery just to do surgery. Hopefully rest will be enough but we will find out in the next couple of weeks when some of the pain subsides. It is very painful, like I said; if Tom is not out there then you know it is quite painful."

On QB Jay Cutler --

"He has been doing this for awhile. As you know we had 17 OTA days and he was very impressive. The more reps a quarterback gets the better he feels. When we put him in some game situations like we have been doing out here, he gets to experience some of this before our preseason games. He feels more comfortable with the system and more comfortable with himself. He has been doing a good job and hopefully it shows up."

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HEAD COACH MIKE SHANAHAN

On WR Brandon Marshall --
"If I made comments every time I heard a rumor, I'll be talking to you every day and have to answer every question you (the media) ask. Let's deal with reality. We'll let you guys know when we know something."

On why LB Nate Webster is ahead of LB Niko Koutouvides on the depth chart --
"We have to start somewhere. Nate earned the chance to start just by what he's done here in these first eight days. It's very close. We are going to switch off in the middle linebacker position. By no means anyone has that job locked up. Most guys get a chance to work with the first unit. At the end of the preseason, we will come out with a winner. Either way, we have two good football players that will help us win."

On if he likes releasing a depth chart --
"You have to put a depth chart out during the week of the first preseason game. It's mandatory, and we had to do it last night, but I think we all know there are a number of positions that are very close. You got to put down a first team and second team even though we really don't know it's really that close. So Nate (Webster) will get the start against Houston, and we'll switch it off with Niko, and like I said that's part of the preseason and we'll see how it folds out."

On RB Michael Pittman's status on the depth chart --
"Michael plays both at fullback and tailback. He's a guy that can play both, very similar to Mike Bell. Michael has a lot more experience at both positions, and he looked it today coming back from his hamstring (injury)."

On DT Marcus Thomas being listed as a starter on the depth chart --
"We had (Kenny) Peterson as a starter in OTAs. Marcus has had a good first week. It's still close, but Marcus has earned a chance to work with the first unit. Hopefully, he could keep it. He's very solid and he's in excellent shape and hopefully he can keep on getting better."

On the possibility of players who are currently low on the depth charts making the team --
"To be honest with you, with 80 players we have guys that are very close and that's what preseason is all about ,which is getting the chance to evaluate these guys not only in practice situations but also in game situations. You really don't know. We had Terrell Davis way back when and didn't know if he was going to be on the final roster and he played really well in the last preseason game. That's when you get a chance to see some of these guys that are free agents right now that we haven't talked about. They have a chance of not only be part of the 53 (man roster), but part of the 45 (man roster). We have some talented young kids on this team, and I'm looking forward to seeing them in game situations."

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First, my apologies for the tardiness of this report.  With the Broncos taking the afternoon off to celebrate Gary Zimmerman's induction into the Hall of Fame, I was fortunate enough to get an early flight back home Saturday afternoon/evening.  Then, of course, I had to get involved with being a dad again, something all fathers know whenever they are away for a few days.  That left little time to get this out and for that I apologize.

That said, I want to take a moment to thank the Denver Broncos Media Relations staff, including Patrick Smythe and his folks for making me feel welcome and giving me anything and everything I needed to make my job easier.  I also want to thank the Broncos internal Media staff, including Kyle Sonneman, Dave Gaylinn and others for making sure I didn't feel the wrath of Fred, the resident bad-ass security guy for the Broncos.  We have talked many times about the CLASSY type of organization the Broncos are, and it doesn't stop on the field.  These guys and gals are all class off the field as well, and it starts at the top with Mr. Bowlen and goes all the way down to the interns in the media room.  Thanks to all of you again!

With all the Thank You's out of the way, let's break down what I saw on my final day of seeing practice up close and in person.....

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BRONCOS HEAD COACH MIKE SHANAHAN

On LB Boss Bailey's absence from practice --
"His knee was a little inflamed today so we kept him off."

On his confidence in this year's team --
"What I said is you have to be a little bit lucky, fortunate and healthy. Like I said, in the two Super Bowl years we lost 10 starters (games) one year and we lost 15 starters (games) the next year. Last year we lost 72. I've got some high expectations for this team and hopefully we will get there."

On S Hamza Abdullah's health --
"Same thing, a little tight; his groin was a little sore. We kept him off the last two periods. He practiced everything except the last two."

On Gary Zimmerman being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame --
"It's a great tribute to Gary and this organization. Obviously the first Super Bowl we won he was a big part of that. Like I said, he's a guy we never had to worry about making a play. You don't say that very often in the National Football League, especially at that left tackle position. I gave an illustration of this one where his shoulders popped and he refused to come out until John (Elway) did. That gives you an idea of how tough he was as well. We will be down there (in Canton, Ohio) with about nine or 10 coaches that were with Gary. We are looking forward to it."

On status of C Tom Nalen's return to practice --
"I don't know. Tom is such a tough guy. When he's feels like he's ready to go, he'll go. When that will be, I really don't know. He's smart; when you get older, you understand what you can do and what you can't do. There is a difference between being injured and being hurt. Tom knows the difference. So when he can play he'll be back in the lineup."

On the importance of signing C Casey Wiegmann --
"That's the reason we signed him. Not only was he a veteran player, (but) we thought he was kind of the nuts and bolts of the offensive line at Kansas City all these years. I don't how many snaps he made in a row. He was a guy that held that offensive line together a lot of years. He did a very respectable job at Kansas City. Having him on our football team and playing the way he has is a plus for us."

On his impressions one week into training camp --
"Obviously we talk about a lot of things. The main thing is we just want to get better every day. There is not just one thing in training camp. What we are trying to do is get better every day as a team and focus on the now. Don't worry about what happened in the past and just worry about what's happening in the future. If guys go out there with that mindset, then you have a chance to play a little football."

On G Montrae Holland's return --
"I don't know. I'll tell you when his weight is down. His weight is not down right now. When his weight does go down to the weight that we wanted, then he'll be out there practicing."

On how Holland will fit in the lineup --
"Anytime you give guys an opportunity to get in front of you, it's never good. I'll answer that question when he comes back."

On T Ryan Harris and G Chris Kuper's performance --
"They are doing a good job. Not much experience there, but playing very well. I'm hoping we have one of the better offensive lines we've had in a long time."

On the Canadian Football League scouts at practice --

"What they do is evaluate our players, just like we evaluate college players. If somebody is cut at the end, they have a pecking order too, just like we do through free agency and what we do in college. If the guy is not picked up, and they think he might help their football team, we want them out here. We feel like all these guys are working their rear ends off. If for some reason they don't make it with us, they have an opportunity in Canada to play as well."