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Denver Broncos News: Horse Tracks - 4/24/12

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Dawkins Steps Away
Veteran safety Brian Dawkins is retiring after a 16-year NFL career. 'Congratulations on a Hall of Fame career, Dawk,' John Elway said via Twitter

Dawkins Finds 'Complete Peace'
On Monday, safety Brian Dawkins retired after 16 NFL seasons. He said he simply knew it was the right time.

From 2 to 25
EVP of Football Operations John Elway talks about the difference in preparing for the draft this year versus last season when the Broncos had the No. 2 pick.

NFL.com news: NFL increases offseason roster limit to 90 players
The 90-man roster will include active, inactive, practice-squad, exempt and reserve-list players. It also will house unsigned draft choices and franchise free agents

Denver Broncos Videos

Gruden QB Camp - Nick Foles - ESPN Video - ESPN
Nick Foles talks to Jon Gruden about why a team should want him, the benefits of his size, strength, injury history and pre-snap routine.

Draft Buzz: Kalil, Blackmon and Tannehill - ESPN Video - ESPN
Scouts Inc.'s Kevin Weidl and Steve Muench deliver the latest news and notes surrounding the 2012 NFL Draft

Denver Broncos Blogs

Elway says Broncos will choose impact vs. position in NFL draft - The Denver Post
John Elway is hoping the 25th selection in this weeks NFL draft is an impact player. The Broncos vice preside said the team wont base any of its picks on need as much as finding players who can contribute immediately.

MaxDenver " Elway: DT Not the Need Many Believe It to Be
You might think that defensive tackle is the Broncos’ most pressing need. I’ve written that it’s the Broncos’ biggest need. That doesn’t mean John Elway believes it to be so

Broncos busily analyze NFL draft options for 25th pick - The Denver Post
Upstairs on the second floor of the Broncos Dove Valley headquarters, the teams highest-ranking officials will spend the final days before the draft not unlike many of the most die-hard NFL fans.

MaxDenver " If You’re a Top Broncos Pick, You Won’t Be Eased In
John Elway often speaks of wanting to find multiple "impact" players in the draft. And when he means "impact" players, he means immediate impact — not two to four years down the line

You might think that defensive tackle is the Broncos’ most pressing need. I’ve written that it’s the Broncos’ biggest need. That doesn’t mean John Elway believes it to be so

Broncos looking for immediate help for Manning - The Denver Post
The Denver Broncos are building around new quarterback Peyton Manning with the immediate future in mind.

NFL.com news: John Elway: Peyton Manning not a part of Broncos' draft process
The Denver Broncos have begun the process of installing a Peyton Manning-friendly offensive system, and the acquisition of the Pro Bowl quarterback has changed the type of offensive players they'll target during the NFL draft.

Height always big deal in draft - The Denver Post
There is no Statue of Liberty at the entrance to the NFL, no inscription about having a guaranteed place for those players who may be a tick slow, too light, too heavy.

Woody Paige: Denver Broncos' draft still a guessing game - The Denver Post
Mock that draft. The consensus is that with the 25th pick in the first round of the NFL draft Thursday, the Broncos will select ...

Draft preview: Tight ends - The Denver Post
The Denver Post's Jeff Legwold offers his list of the top tight ends available in the NFL draft Thursday through Saturday:

Front Range prospects eagerly awaiting NFL draft - The Denver Post
Amid the uncertainty that surrounds his future in pro football, offensive lineman Ryan Miller has learned how a sigh of relief sounds on a plane.

Broncos transfer traditional playbooks to iPads for 2012 season - The Denver Post
The Denver Broncos are tossing out the tradition of printing 500-page playbooks every week for each of the 120 players, coaches, scouts and other personnel. This season, the team will hand out iPads that feature the weeks game plan, scouting reports, video clips and other relevant data.

Stanford's Coby Fleener is the top tight end available in NFL draft - The Denver Post
Folks around the NFL are more than fond of what tight ends can do in the current pass-happy state of the league.

NFL Draft: Brock Osweiler and the vertical game | National Football Post
Throughout the draft process there is talk about arm strength at the QB position. The ability to throw the vertical game along with the deep out, comeback and skinny post. Prospects that can "drive the ball" down the field.

NFL.com news: Peyton Manning only one voice in room for Broncos
Andre Caldwell recently described a new world order in Denver, one that involved Peyton Manning seamlessly taking control of Broncos workouts.

As he retires, Brian Dawkins remembers Jim Johnson | ProFootballTalk
Longtime NFL safety Brian Dawkins announced his retirement today, and in comments to the Philadelphia media, Dawkins demonstrated why he’s been such a respected and beloved man in Philadelphia since the Eagles drafted him in 1996.

Broncos' Brian Dawkins decides to retire while still healthy - The Denver Post
Brian Dawkins thought for sure he was going to retire in early March. Free agency was approaching and he was a day or two from announcing his retirement when he received a call from Broncos coach John Fox.

NFL.com news: Brian Dawkins will be remembered for leadership
The Philadelphia Eagles still haven't recovered from losing Brian Dawkins three years ago. He was the rare player whose leadership abilities were tangible and sorely missed when removed. He was the rare player who continued to play well after he turned 35, when he finally changed teams.

Reactions from NFL social media about Brian Dawkins’ retirement | First-and-Orange
We already knew that Brian Dawkins was among the NFL’s most respected players. But just how much current and former players, as well as media folks nationwide, respect the now former Broncos safety became clear today after Dawkins announced his retirement after 16 years.

Brian Dawkins leaves NFL with legacy of intensity, leadership - The Denver Post
As John Lynch can attest, its not true that Brian Dawkins was an NFL safety and nothing but.

Coach Fox lauds retired safety Dawkins - AFC West Blog - ESPN
Denver coach John Fox just released a statement on the retirement of Denver safety Brian Dawkins. I will be back soon with some thoughts on Dawkins leaving the game.

Dawkins made a huge impact in Denver - AFC West Blog - ESPN
Brian Dawkins will be remembered as one of the few strong moves of the Josh McDaniels era in Denver.

Hall of Fame an uphill battle for safeties Atwater, Dawkins, Lynch | First-and-Orange
With Brian Dawkins’ retirement from the NFL on Monday, there will be the inevitable talk about a player of his abilities and his potential place in the Hall of Fame.

Division News

Inside the NFL Draft: Chargers team needs | National Football Post
A look at the prospects that fit in San Diego.

Chiefs now have options with Jackson - AFC West Blog - ESPN
Tyson Jackson's time in Kansas City is hitting a critical stage.

ProFootballWeekly.com - Immaturity issues cloud deep crop of versatile catchers
This year’s receiving class is loaded with talent, but as has become very typical of a prima donna position, the class comes with its share of blemishes, including those involving Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon and Notre Dame’s Michael Floyd.

NFL.com news: Mark Barron reportedly drawing interest from Chargers
The San Diego Chargers have interest in safety Mark Barron and are considering trading to ensure being able to select him in the 2012 NFL Draft, U-T San Diego reported Monday.

Shawne Merriman confident he’ll be healthy, contributing | ProFootballTalk
Shawne Merriman has played just five games since the Bills claimed him off waivers during the 2010 season. But Merriman says he has a big future ahead of him in Buffalo.

Davis says he wants to keep Raiders in Oakland | ProFootballTalk
At a time when the Vikings have emerged as a prime candidate to move to Los Angeles, the owner of the team that many think is at the top of the short list of potential candidates for relocation has said he prefers to stay where he is.

NFL tries to forget JaMarcus Russell | ProFootballTalk
If you’re in New York for the draft this week and you happen to pass by the NFL’s store in Manhattan, look up.

NFL News

Player that sued NFL over concussions commits suicide | National Football Post
Former Falcon Ray Easterling suffered from dementia

NFL.com news: Federal concussion lawsuit changes with death of Ray Easterling
The nature of the concussion-related lawsuit against the NFL will change with the suicide of former Atlanta Falcons safety Ray Easterling.

Salisbury helps solicit more concussion plaintiffs | ProFootballTalk
With more than 1,200 former NFL players suing the league for concussions suffered while playing pro football, former Vikings quarterback and ESPN analyst Sean Salisbury is recruiting other players to join the effort.

Free agent receiver Jerome Simpson to be suspended three games, league source says - ESPN
Cincinnati Bengals free agent wide receiver Jerome Simpson will be suspended for three games under the league's substance abuse policy, an NFL source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Free Agency

Jaguars waive Darcel McBath | ProFootballTalk
Safety Darcel McBath didn’t live up to expectations as the 48th pick of the 2009 Draft with the Broncos and now he’s looking for work again.

NFL.com news: Asante Samuel likely to be traded by Eagles before draft
There is a very high probability that the Philadelphia Eagles will trade four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Asante Samuel this week, league sources said Monday.

The Draft

Player-for-Player Trades Remain N.F.L. Rarity - NYTimes.com
Last October, cornerback Asante Samuel accused the management of the Philadelphia Eagles of "playing fantasy football."

Taking Luck Allows Colts to Focus on Other Needs - NYTimes.com
Now that the Indianapolis Colts have decided who their new quarterback will be, they can start filling in other holes.

NFL.com news: Could Matt Kalil fall to Buffalo Bills at No. 10?
There are legitimate doubts if the Vikings will take USC offensive tackle Matt Kalil with the third overall pick in the NFL draft, which means Minnesota's smokescreens are working.

ProFootballWeekly.com - Intriguing developmental D-linemen
The best defensive units are strong through the core, and the first line of defense is the tackle position. Be it run-stopping nose tackles or penetrating under tackles, teams never can have enough capable big bodies inside, a place where mentality is as important as ability.

ProFootballWeekly.com - Deep RB crop has bell cows, playmaking talent
Trent Richardson sits in a class of his own in this year’s RB class as a proven bell-cow back, possessing the power to repeatedly churn out 1,500-yard seasons in the NFL.

NFL.com news: Janoris Jenkins battles character questions before NFL draft
North Alabama cornerback Janoris Jenkins knew his background would be questioned by teams and media leading up to the 2012 NFL Draft.

Fletcher Cox got second-round grade from Draft Advisory Board | ProFootballTalk
Mississippi State defensive tackle Fletcher Cox has flown up draft boards of late and it now looks like he’ll be drafted before we’re a third of a way through the first round

Report: No interest in trading up for Jaguars pick | ProFootballTalk
There’s been a lot of talk about the Jaguars’ desire to move down from the seventh pick in the first round, but there doesn’t seem to be much interest from teams looking to move up.

Report: No interest in trading up for Jaguars pick | ProFootballTalk
There’s been a lot of talk about the Jaguars’ desire to move down from the seventh pick in the first round, but there doesn’t seem to be much interest from teams looking to move up.

Go Broncos!