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Good morning, Broncos Country!
We are in the boring part of the NFL season. There’s no news at this point, unless it’s the bad kind - meaning injuries or someone got in trouble with the law.
To pass the time, fans are forced to either make predictions of what the team will look come training camp, or the position battles we’re most looking forward to come training camp.
I’ll throw a knuckle curve: The Denver Broncos are in the most crucial part of the 2017 season. Some will say it’s training camp, and while it’s important, it’s not nearly as much as right now. That’s especially true with a new head coach, new coordinators and offensive system.
As I told Adam Malnati on the latest Mile High Report Radio Podcast, this is when the Broncos lay the foundation for the 2017 season. Come training camp that’s when they start to build the house on that foundation. But until the foundation is in place, you can’t build anything else.
@IanStClair and I are clear now is most important part of season for #Broncos on the @MileHighReport Podcast https://t.co/oxM3MVA0c2
— Adam Malnati (@AdamMalnati16) May 16, 2017
Denver is set to enter Phase 3 of organized team activities on Tuesday. That’s when teams are able to do offense vs. defense drills. So the work to master the playbook, especially on offense, gets put to an early test. It’s the first indication of what the Broncos could look like on both sides of ball. It’s also the first chance to get recall and the mind ready for the season. Not to mention timing and familiarity with positional players.
That’s not to say training camp doesn’t still play a big role, it’s just not near as important as it was say 15-20 years. Back then, training camp was the first time players stepped on the field to begin preparation for the season. Now, it’s a year-long process. So there’s a bit of nostalgia for training camp, and that’s especially true for Adam and me given we grew up in Greeley. But it’s not as vital as it was back in the day given they work all year.
There may not be any news at this point in the season, but it doesn’t mean it’s not crucial. What the 2017 season eventually looks like depends on the foundation the Broncos lay right now.
Broncos
Vance Joseph insists Broncos team 'isn't broken' - NFL.com
Rumors of the Denver Broncos' demise have been greatly exaggerated, according to their new skipper. Vance Joseph has an optimistic outlook for 2017.
Fit to be tied over NFL's new overtime proposal | 9news.com
An old Navy coach once said, settling for a tie game is like kissing your sister.
Woody Paige: Denver Broncos lead the league in tight ends, coordinators | Colorado Springs Gazette, News
The Broncos lead the league in former and/or current coordinators (10) and...
Is Jamaal Charles in danger of not making Broncos’ 53-man roster? | Broncos Wire
In NFL news, veteran running back Jamaal Charles has just a "50-50" chance of making the Denver Broncos' 53-man roster this NFL offseason.
Denver Broncos Jamaal Charles: Comeback Player of the Year Candidate
The constant theme for Denver Broncos players remains the chip on the shoulder mentality to prove doubters wrong and Jamaal Charles is no exception.
Where Does RB Devontae Booker Fit in Year Two with the Denver Broncos? - Denver - Scout
With a couple of significant additions at running back this offseason, what can Devontae Booker do to stay on the field?
AFC West Tracks
Los Angeles Chargers DT Brandon Mebane praises Gus Bradley's swag
The players are getting used to life under new Chargers defensive coordinator Gus Bradley. Their takeaway: They need more takeaways.
Keenan Allen looks fit while catching passes during Chargers drills - LA Times
Keenan Allen’s first practice since tearing the ACL in his right knee last September went well, with the fifth-year receiver and Philip Rivers connecting on passes.
Should the Los Angeles Chargers Sign Ryan Mathews? - Bolts From The Blue
Should the Chargers sign their former lead back when he is inevitably released?
Chiefs’ selection of Patrick Mahomes didn’t surprise Alex Smith | The Kansas City Star
The Chiefs dealt away their 2018 first-round pick for the right to move up and select Patrick Mahomes, but it Alex Smith — a 12-year veteran who is handling it all with grace — will do all he can to fend him off as long as possible.
Patrick Mahomes II gives Andy Reid another first-round QB to work with - Kansas City Chiefs Blog- ESPN
According to former quarterbacks and experts, Patrick Mahomes couldn't have asked for a better coach to help him find success than Andy Reid.
Alex Smith threw a lot of screens because the Chiefs did well with them - Arrowhead Pride
Screens in the Kansas City Chiefs offense: it’s complicated. Complaining about screens fits in well in Kansas City.
Raiders draft pick David Sharpe received Del Rio stamp of approval
David Sharpe protected Luke Del Rio's blind side at Florida and Raiders coach Jack Del Rio has known the team's fourth-round pick for some time.
Raiders to Las Vegas journey continues to move at breakneck speed – Las Vegas Review-Journal
On the same day that Stan Kroenke’s palace in Inglewood, California, hit a rain cloud, a nine-member Stadium Authority Board unanimously approved a stadium lease agreement with the Raiders.
Mario Edwards Jr healthy and “extremely motivated” to prove he can be “a dominant football player” - Silver And Black Pride
Since the moment the Raiders drafted Mario Edwards Jr in the second round of the 2015 draft, they have been telling people how motivated he is.
NFL Tracks
Myron Rolle's journey from NFL to neurosurgery - CNN.com
Myron Rolle, former NFL player and Rhodes Scholar, talks about concussions, his aspirations and starting his neurosurgery residency at Harvard Medical School.
Eugene Monroe wants NFL to re-think marijuana policy - Business Insider
Former Baltimore Ravens player Eugene Monroe quit playing football — and now wants the NFL to adopt medical marijuana.
Judge dismisses most claims brought by retired NFL players in painkiller lawsuit
Most of a 2015 lawsuit filed against the NFL by retired players who claimed that its teams had illegally dispensed painkillers was dropped by a federal judge this week.
Will NFL Ad Changes Reverse Falling Ratings? | Variety
The NFL is employing new tactics against an unfamiliar opponent — ratings decline.
Before she was a Tampa legend, Gayle Sierens was an NFL trailblazer | Tampa Bay Times
It's in a picture frame on a wall in Gayle Sierens' South Tampa home, a home she and her husband have mostly filled with photographs of their three children.
Shortened OT in the NFL for safety may not be popular. | Sports on Earth
NFL owners are expected to pass a measure that would reduce overtime in the regular season from 15 minutes to 10 minutes in an effort to reduce the number of snaps players take. Is that worth the almost certain increase in tie games?
Falcons confident Devonta Freeman deal will get done - NFL.com
With momentum building toward an impasse, Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff took to the airwaves to set the record straight regarding Devonta Freeman's contract situation.
UCLA's Josh Rosen draws comparison to Giants' Eli Manning - NFL.com
UCLA QB Josh Rosen has some qualities similar to New York Giants QB Eli Manning, according to NFL.com analyst Daniel Jeremiah.
Christian McCaffrey among Panthers with NFL pedigrees | Charlotte Observer
Christian McCaffrey is among the Carolina Panthers whose fathers played in the NFL. Ron Rivera says legacy players, like coaches’ sons, know the game.
O-Zone Chat: Calais Campbell
Jaguars DE Calais Campbell spoke with senior writer John Oehser in advance of next week’s beginning of 2017 organized team activities.
Drew Brees sees one major problem with the new NFL OT, prefers college rules - CBSSports.com
The Saints quarterback thinks we'll see too many ties moving forward
Quarterback Confidence Index rating for all 32 NFL teams - 2017 post-draft offseason rankings
How confident is your favorite NFL team about its quarterback situation headed into 2017? Green Bay, Atlanta, Pittsburgh and New England are set at the top, but this is about more than starters.
The NFL’s smartest over/under bets for the 2017 season - The Washington Post
The Steelers are still the team to beat in the AFC North and should easily outpace their Vegas-predicted win total.