We could talk about line drills, or punt coverage units, the quarterbacks, or just how damn good it is to be back at Dove Valley talking about the Broncos. It all lost a bit of its luster about 45 minutes into this morning's workout when Knowshon Moreno's right leg seemed to buckle. The injury serious enough for Moreno to be carted off the field.
The sound of the cart leaving the field had barely gone quiet when fellow running back Correll Buckhalter left with an apparent leg injury of his own.
"You never want to see guys that are going to be a big part of what you do go down," said Broncos Head Coach Josh McDaniels, after saying he had not been given an update on their injuries.
The Broncos and Moreno are reportedly awaiting the results of an MRI taken on KnowMo's knee. Cross your fingers. Not the way the Broncos had hoped to start camp.
The injuries to KnowMo and C-Buck shows just how quickly an area of strength can become an area of weakness in a hurry. The Broncos felt so strongly about their stable of running backs that the Broncos traded J.J. Arrington a couple days ago - addressing another weakness at linebacker.
For those that still want to know about the rest of the workout, read on....
I'll start by saying the Broncos actually broke attendance records for a Training Camp practice. 3103 made their way to Dove Valley this morning, breaking the old record set in 2007. That day, a Saturday, involved an early workout for Jay Cutler as the starting quarterback.
On with the show.....
The first question on your minds, after those surrounding the running back situation, are like to involve Tim Tebow. REMEMBER, this is the first day of camp. Take it for what's it's worth.....
- First off, there was plenty of Tebow Love to go around. Constant cheers, even while Tebow was stretching, was the norm.
- Watching Tebow perform on the field, one thing is obvious. The moment is not bigger than he is. He seems to fit right in. I think that is a huge part of the battle. Overcoming the moment from a mental standpoint. Tebow already seems to have that covered.
- Tebow made several good throws, but one thing was clear to me. His release is long. The ball definitely gets from point A to point B, but he really needs wind up to get it there. Is that a big deal? Not necessarily. Unless he quickens it up, Tebow will simply have to make a decision on where to go with the football sooner, than say, a Dan Marino, who simply flicked the ball to get it out. This doesn't have to be a negative, it us needs to be monitored.
- Tebow proved during the workout that he can be elusive as well. During 7-on-7 drills, Tebow was flushed form the pocket a couple of times, choosing to take off. While I worry that he could take an unnecessary beating, it is part of Tebow's DNA.
- At the end of the workout, during the end of practice 'gassers', Tebow was the winner on offense 5 out of 5 times. The guy is a competitor. He has that fire. He wants to win at everything. You can tell. He knows one speed - all-out. That is a blessing and a curse at times.
- Overall I really like what I saw from the kid. He is confident and looks like he belongs, and by the way, he carried Kyle Orton's pads and had no problem doing it.
- Kyle Orton impressed me as well. He is the unquestioned leader of the offense right now, and he is looking the part. He said after practice that he is playing the best football of his career, and I believe him.
- The surprise of the morning for me was WR Matthew Willis. He made a few great catches, and seems to hustle all the time. He impressed me last Camp as well, so keep an eye on Willis if you are coming out to camp.
- Justin Bannan is a huge man. He is easily bigger than anyone the Broncos through out on the D-Line last season. Forget the height and weight stuff. The Broncos may have had guys that were taller and heavier, but to me, Bannan is the biggest. A physical specimen.
- One moment I did like, before the injuries, was watching the running backs hit the blocking sled. It tells me that the coaching staff wants this group to be tougher and more physical. Love it.
That was about it. A lot for the first workout of camp. We'll keep you up to date on all the injury news at is happens. See you this afternoon!
I will have some video, including comments from Josh McDaniels, Tim Tebow, Kyle Orton and Eric Decker in a bit.