Denver Native (Carol)
04-05-2010, 05:46 PM
http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=334&storyID=10005
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- For Robert Ayers and the rest of the 2009 draft class, the time is now.
Gone are the days of training camp haircuts and soaking wet drills. No more rookie hotel and extra meetings.
No longer rookies, they face higher expectations, and their first full offseason in the NFL is a critical period.
"You take a rookie and transform him from being the low guy on the totem pole and raise the expectations," Head Coach Josh McDaniels said. "You tell them, 'We expect more out of you. What you did was OK, you helped contribute to some of the success we had last year, but you've got to do more.' The offseason program is a great place for them to start."
Ayers said he and his teammates are taking that transition seriously. He has been hard at work in the team's voluntary offseason conditioning program, working with strength and conditioning coach Rich Tuten and getting to know new teammates.
This time last year, Ayers and fellow draft prospects were focused on workouts centered around the scouting combine -- 40-yard dash, bench press, vertical jump and the like. Now, workouts at Dove Valley have, as Ayers says, have "more intensity and real football things."
Correll Buckhalter said that will help the second-year players when the season rolls around.
"For them to be able to go through an offseason, that will kind of prepare their minds and bodies for the upcoming season, because they know what they're facing," the 10-year veteran said.
Ayers played in 15 games in his rookie season, starting one, and picked up 18 tackles, two pass breakups and two fumble recoveries.
Against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football in INVESCO Field at Mile High, Ayers picked up a fumble and returned it 54 yards for a touchdown for the longest fumble return score by a rookie in franchise history. He notched his second fumble recovery on special teams against the Philadelphia Eagles after Darrell Reid jarred the ball loose. He picked it up and set up what two plays later resulted in a touchdown pass from Kyle Orton to Knowshon Moreno.
Though his stats weren't spectacular, defensive coordinator Don Martindale spoke highly of Ayers' progress midway through last season, explaining that numbers don't define a football player.
"That's what fantasy football has done -- everybody's looking at tackles, assists and sacks and all that instead of actually watching the game and seeing some of the things that he does," Martindale said. "I think every snap, every play, he gets better."
Ayers intends to ensure that improvement continues into his second season.
"On the field I took some bumps, and I gave some bumps, too," he said of his rookie campaign. "I look at it as just a learning experience. I know what to expect going into this season -- I know what it's going to be like, I know what's expected of me and I know what to expect of myself. I know what I can do, and I know what I will do."
McDaniels said he expects the draft class of 2009 to get better at watching film, get stronger in the weight room, get smarter in the system and become better leaders.
Ayers has no doubt he and his teammates will pass those tests with flying colors.
"I think when the opportunity comes, I have a lot of faith in myself and I have a lot of faith in the guys, too, that we'll be ready to step up," he said.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- For Robert Ayers and the rest of the 2009 draft class, the time is now.
Gone are the days of training camp haircuts and soaking wet drills. No more rookie hotel and extra meetings.
No longer rookies, they face higher expectations, and their first full offseason in the NFL is a critical period.
"You take a rookie and transform him from being the low guy on the totem pole and raise the expectations," Head Coach Josh McDaniels said. "You tell them, 'We expect more out of you. What you did was OK, you helped contribute to some of the success we had last year, but you've got to do more.' The offseason program is a great place for them to start."
Ayers said he and his teammates are taking that transition seriously. He has been hard at work in the team's voluntary offseason conditioning program, working with strength and conditioning coach Rich Tuten and getting to know new teammates.
This time last year, Ayers and fellow draft prospects were focused on workouts centered around the scouting combine -- 40-yard dash, bench press, vertical jump and the like. Now, workouts at Dove Valley have, as Ayers says, have "more intensity and real football things."
Correll Buckhalter said that will help the second-year players when the season rolls around.
"For them to be able to go through an offseason, that will kind of prepare their minds and bodies for the upcoming season, because they know what they're facing," the 10-year veteran said.
Ayers played in 15 games in his rookie season, starting one, and picked up 18 tackles, two pass breakups and two fumble recoveries.
Against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football in INVESCO Field at Mile High, Ayers picked up a fumble and returned it 54 yards for a touchdown for the longest fumble return score by a rookie in franchise history. He notched his second fumble recovery on special teams against the Philadelphia Eagles after Darrell Reid jarred the ball loose. He picked it up and set up what two plays later resulted in a touchdown pass from Kyle Orton to Knowshon Moreno.
Though his stats weren't spectacular, defensive coordinator Don Martindale spoke highly of Ayers' progress midway through last season, explaining that numbers don't define a football player.
"That's what fantasy football has done -- everybody's looking at tackles, assists and sacks and all that instead of actually watching the game and seeing some of the things that he does," Martindale said. "I think every snap, every play, he gets better."
Ayers intends to ensure that improvement continues into his second season.
"On the field I took some bumps, and I gave some bumps, too," he said of his rookie campaign. "I look at it as just a learning experience. I know what to expect going into this season -- I know what it's going to be like, I know what's expected of me and I know what to expect of myself. I know what I can do, and I know what I will do."
McDaniels said he expects the draft class of 2009 to get better at watching film, get stronger in the weight room, get smarter in the system and become better leaders.
Ayers has no doubt he and his teammates will pass those tests with flying colors.
"I think when the opportunity comes, I have a lot of faith in myself and I have a lot of faith in the guys, too, that we'll be ready to step up," he said.