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Denver Native (Carol)
02-24-2010, 06:05 PM
http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=334&storyID=9871

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- To some in the general public, the 2009 season might be framed as Ryan McBean's breakout campaign.

And it's hard to argue with that notion.

After spending the majority of his first two seasons in the NFL between practice squad tenures with the Steelers and Broncos, McBean earned his first extended look of playing time this season, starting 14 games on a young and promising defensive line.

Overall, the 25-year-old was satisfied with how he performed in year one as a starter, but he knows he has plenty of work ahead of him to get to where he wants his game to be.

"There are a lot of things I did well and a lot of things I need to improve on," McBean said. "My focus for this coming offseason is to work on things that I need to improve on and stay consistent with the things that I was doing well."

At the forefront of that offseason agenda for McBean is working on his pass-rushing skill set. After he visits family in his homeland of Kingston, Jamaica, and completes the credits necessary to earn an undergraduate degree from Oklahoma State, McBean plans on shifting his focus to becoming a more complete player.

"I was so much more of a run stopper," McBean said. "I was more focused on making sure I'm stopping the run and make sure nobody would run my side. So, with that, now I have to transfer it to pass rushing and getting up field and giving quarterbacks pressure instead of leaving it up to (Elvis Dumervil) and the rest of those guys."

McBean didn't start learning the game of football until his freshman season at Trinity High School in Euless, Texas. But if he continues to take to heart the advice given to him from his veteran counterparts as he did in 2009, the sky could be the limit for the energetic defensive lineman.

From the moment Vonnie Holliday signed with the Broncos on Sept. 5, McBean built a strong bond with the 12-year veteran. Throughout the course of the season, Holliday helped McBean with everything from his preparation and technique to the personal challenges that everyone encounters in everyday life.

McBean absorbed all of that valuable information.

"I took from Vonnie really anything and everything that he had to offer," McBean said. "During practice, if I needed something or during the game if I made a mistake, he was there to correct me on my technique and stuff like that."

"Him being here didn't just help me being on the field, but also off the field," he continued. "Because we also had personal talks about social life and stuff like that -- stuff he's been through and stuff that I'm going through right now as well. He's able to say, 'You know what? This is what I did.'"

McBean said Holliday's advice has been well appreciated in his eyes and enhanced his development.

And now, after a season filled with personal and professional growth, the 6-foot-5, 297-pounder is eager to see what he can accomplish alongside his defensive teammates in 2010.

"We did a great job together," McBean said. "Now we've just got to come back and build on that and try and do a better job than we did this year and try and really progress forward for next season ... Everybody has somewhere to improve. With that, we just come back with a great mindset and just take care of business."

dogfish
02-24-2010, 07:05 PM
After spending the majority of his first two seasons in the NFL between practice squad tenures with the Steelers and Broncos, McBean earned his first extended look of playing time this season, starting 14 games on a young and promising defensive line.


i couldn't believe somebody described our D-line as "young and promising"-- then i realized that this came from denverbroncos.com. . .


:lol::lol::lol:


:rofl:

Broncolingus
02-24-2010, 07:15 PM
i couldn't believe somebody described our D-line as "young and promising"-- then i realized that this came from denverbroncos.com. . .


:lol::lol::lol:


:rofl:

:D

Melikes this post...well done, sir!

:salute: