Nalen possibly out for season

[ChampWJ]

And a bad game just got worse.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/nfl/article/0,2777,DRMN_23918_5717247,00.html

[Watchthemiddle]

And the hits just keep on coming.

[Den21vsBal19]

Damn, if he's gone for the season, I suspect he'll retire :ugh:

I'll be glad to see the back of 2007 from the Broncos perspective

[TXBRONC]

Well thankfully this is our bye week so maybe the team can some semblance of regrouping.

[Skinny]

Myers is listed as the back-up to Nalen who i beleive is starting at LG correct??

Then sliding Kuper into a starting position i would imagine.

[BroncoWave]

Top 10 pick, here we come!

[SR]

Oh well. :tsk:

[UnderArmour]

At least we have Ben Hamilton to play center! Oh wait...

[Requiem / The Dagda]

Denver is lucky to have Kuper in the wings.

[Retired_Member_001]

Our pass protection was already ONE of the worst in the league.

Now it IS the worst in the league.

[BaiLeY324]

Top 10 pick, here we come!

Denver McFadden...

[Tned]

Hamilton was always Nalen's replacement at center, in case of injury or retirement. He filled in the year Nalen blew out his knee, but as we all know, Hamilton is out. Let's hope the MRI he is having today turns out to be negative and he can come back in two weeks. There really isn't the depth to fill another O-line hole.

[OB]

That game (if you can even call it that) was bad enough

This bites

Although Nalen is getting on in years - you would think shanny would have a decent backup in the wings - who knows

Mondays SUCK - Life SUCKS worse :argh:


I'll need a few of these tonight :shots: (if my stomach can handle them after drowning my sorrows last night) :mad:

[Tned]

That game (if you can even call it that) was bad enough

This bites

Although Nalen is getting on in years - you would think shanny would have a decent backup in the wings - who knows

Mondays SUCK - Life SUCKS worse :argh:


I'll need a few of these tonight :shots: (if my stomach can handle them after drowning my sorrows last night) :mad:

Hamilton was always the heir apparent, and would slide from left guard to center if Nalen was hurt or retired. That went out the window with Hamilton being on IR.

[Requiem / The Dagda]

Hamilton was always the heir apparent, and would slide from left guard to center if Nalen was hurt or retired. That went out the window with Hamilton being on IR.

This has been speculated since Hamilton was a center for the Golden Gophers, but I have a hard time that the Broncos would have ever moved him from left guard since he's been playing there for so long. I think it's been an "unspoken" agreement, but if Ben was healthy, I think you'd see him at LG and Myers under center, considering Myers has got reps there for the past three years and Hamilton has been strictly a guard.

At any case, it's still unfortunate. A lot of people got down on my draft for us taking two OL on the second day, but with this injury - it just even makes more sense. I'd hate for Nalen to have to retire on a bad note.

[NameUsedBefore]

Our play took a big hit when Lepsis went down last year. With Nalen I don't even want to imagine...

[dogfish]

that sucks. . . . obviously i feel bad for nalen, the guy has been a warrior for us, and i hope that it doesn't turn out to be season ending. . . but honestly, if it does, there are probably worse things that could happen-- we aren't any freaking good right now anyways, if we're going to lose games it's to our benefit for guys like myers and kuper to at least get some experience. . . if we're going to struggle and be a mediocre team, we may as well go with a full-blown youth movement and get the growing pains out of the way now for any and all young players who are going to be part of our plans going forward. . . especially on the offensive line, where guys need to develop chemistry. . . let those guys take their lumps now and get the mistakes due to inexperience out of their systems while cutler is doing the same thing, so hopefully we can field a strong, cohesive offense in the next year or so. . . i just hope they can keep jay healthy. . .

this does highlight the need for more young bodies on the O-line, and with all those second day picks next year i'm sure it will be addressed (obviously i'd prefer it to be addressed with first day picks, but IMO those should be reserved for rebuilding the defensive front seven next year). . .

i think we should also play our D-line rookies as much as they can handle from a physical standpoint-- the vets are doing jack, if we're going to stink we may as well at least stink with rookies who have a real chance to grow and get better. . . i want to see a lot of moss, crowder and thomas going forward, and as little as possible of gordon, engelberger and rice (speaking of whom, we clearly droppped the ball on him-- he was deactivated yesterday, and they're now saying his frickin' shoulder isn't healthy. . . i thought they checked that out before we signed him! :frusty: ). . . .

[Den21vsBal19]

as is Nate Jackson..............................sheesh....... ...:rolleyes:


Champ Bailey has a quad injury, and he “should be fine” for Pittsburgh, but Tom Nalen and Nate Jackson both suffered season-ending injuries Sunday with a torn biceps muscle and a torn groin, respectively.

http://blog.denverbroncos.com/mason/2007/10/08/the-day-after-shanahan-week-5/

Going from bad to worse

[Tned]

as is Nate Jackson..............................sheesh....... ...:rolleyes:



http://blog.denverbroncos.com/mason/2007/10/08/the-day-after-shanahan-week-5/

Going from bad to worse

Ouch. He did confirm what some people last year said was no longer the case, that Hamilton would have taken over as center, which as he said, obviously isn't an option now.

I don't think the loss of Jackson is huge, and could be a blessing, as it will get Scheffler into the game, which wasn't happening much with Jackson on the field. Scheffler made some very good catches yesterday.

As to the line as a whole, this is a huge blow. This now leaves us with Lepsis (whom some don't believe is the same player that he was before the torn ACL) as the only starter from last year on th the line (obviously other than guys that started late last year filling in for injured players).

The hurdles keep getting larger and larger.

[dogfish]

as is Nate Jackson..............................sheesh....... ...:rolleyes:



http://blog.denverbroncos.com/mason/2007/10/08/the-day-after-shanahan-week-5/

Going from bad to worse


dang it. . . . :frusty:


two more season-ending injuries brings the tally to five so far this year. . . . and if we had to play this coming week, there's a good chance we'd be without champ bailey and javon walker, our respective best players on each side of the ball-- add in travis henry's looming suspension, and things are looking very ugly for this year. . . i just hope some guys can get healthy over the bye week-- i hated having it so early when the schedule came out, but we're already in desperate need of it. . . at least henry's knee and ankle will get some rest (assuming he's even available in two weeks!). . . i hope shanahan uses the extra time to his advantage and does some extra game planning, because we're REALLY going to need something special to even have a chance in the next two games. . . on efense, i hope bates uses the time to drill some frickin' fundamentals into the bums on that side of the ball. . . . :frusty:


too bad for nate jackson, the guy has always been dogged by injuries-- he'd worked hard to carve out a spot, seemed to have made strides as a blocker, and was seeing probably the most significant PT of his career. . . i don't know how many more times he can keep coming back from injury, or whether we should continue to rely on him going forward. . . but getting back to my earlier point, it should actually be of benefit to the team-- at least in the long run-- to get tony scheffler out there and get him some experience. . . he's not going to improve that much sitting on the pine, he may as well get out there with the rest of the youngsters and take his lumps now while they're getting handed out. . . .

[Den21vsBal19]

Ouch. He did confirm what some people last year said was no longer the case, that Hamilton would have taken over as center, which as he said, obviously isn't an option now.

I don't think the loss of Jackson is huge, and could be a blessing, as it will get Scheffler into the game, which wasn't happening much with Jackson on the field. Scheffler made some very good catches yesterday.

As to the line as a whole, this is a huge blow. This now leaves us with Lepsis (whom some don't believe is the same player that he was before the torn ACL) as the only starter from last year on th the line (obviously other than guys that started late last year filling in for injured players).

The hurdles keep getting larger and larger.

Not to mention the blocked punt, one of the few highlights...................

Speaking of injury, any word on Rod? Lord knows we could use some leadership

[Tned]

Not to mention the blocked punt, one of the few highlights...................

Speaking of injury, any word on Rod? Lord knows we could use some leadership

In that blog you posted, Shanny said he would know more by the half way point or something like that. He said Rod was jogging.

[TXBRONC]

Ouch. He did confirm what some people last year said was no longer the case, that Hamilton would have taken over as center, which as he said, obviously isn't an option now.

I don't think the loss of Jackson is huge, and could be a blessing, as it will get Scheffler into the game, which wasn't happening much with Jackson on the field. Scheffler made some very good catches yesterday.

As to the line as a whole, this is a huge blow. This now leaves us with Lepsis (whom some don't believe is the same player that he was before the torn ACL) as the only starter from last year on th the line (obviously other than guys that started late last year filling in for injured players).

The hurdles keep getting larger and larger.

There is one guy inparticular that I butted heads with about this. I had said Hamilton would move over but he insisted that it wouldn't happen its to late late in Hamilton's career and that he was drafted as center/guard which wasn't true. Hamilton is smart and could make the all the line calls if he were healthy. Unfortunately he's done for the year as well.

IF Hamilton can come back and if Nalen retires I would bet Ben would still move to center.

[Den21vsBal19]

In that blog you posted, Shanny said he would know more by the half way point or something like that. He said Rod was jogging.
I got depressed, and didn't read that far down ;)

[Slick]

This has been speculated since Hamilton was a center for the Golden Gophers, but I have a hard time that the Broncos would have ever moved him from left guard since he's been playing there for so long. I think it's been an "unspoken" agreement, but if Ben was healthy, I think you'd see him at LG and Myers under center, considering Myers has got reps there for the past three years and Hamilton has been strictly a guard.

At any case, it's still unfortunate. A lot of people got down on my draft for us taking two OL on the second day, but with this injury - it just even makes more sense. I'd hate for Nalen to have to retire on a bad note.

Any chance that Eslinger gets called up from the practice squad?

I thought he got rave reviews in the last season of NFLE.

[TXBRONC]

This has been speculated since Hamilton was a center for the Golden Gophers, but I have a hard time that the Broncos would have ever moved him from left guard since he's been playing there for so long. I think it's been an "unspoken" agreement, but if Ben was healthy, I think you'd see him at LG and Myers under center, considering Myers has got reps there for the past three years and Hamilton has been strictly a guard.

At any case, it's still unfortunate. A lot of people got down on my draft for us taking two OL on the second day, but with this injury - it just even makes more sense. I'd hate for Nalen to have to retire on a bad note.


There is no speculation or an "unspoken" agreement about it. Shanahan in his own word said Hamilton would have moved to center.

Also the fact that Hamilton has been at guard for several seasons doesn't mean that wouldn't happen. In fact it's not like it hasn't been done before. Two instances that come to mind are Carnell Lake of the Steelers was moved from safety to cornerback and Simon Fletcher who was moved from linebacker back to his original position of defensive end.

[TXBRONC]

Any chance that Eslinger gets called up from the practice squad?

I thought he got rave reviews in the last season of NFLE.

In NFLE yes he did play well, but I don't think he had particularly good camp when this year.

[Tned]

There is one guy inparticular that I butted heads with about this. I had said Hamilton would move over but he insisted that it wouldn't happen its to late late in Hamilton's career and that he was drafted as center/guard which wasn't true. Hamilton is smart and could make the all the line calls if he were healthy. Unfortunately he's done for the year as well.

IF Hamilton can come back and if Nalen retires I would bet Ben would still move to center.

It's aways been a fact, not sure why some have thought otherwise, but Shanny should have cleared up any doubt about it this afternoon. Anyway, as he said, it doesn't really matter now, as Hamilton is also gone for the year.

[TXBRONC]

It's aways been a fact, not sure why some have thought otherwise, but Shanny should have cleared up any doubt about it this afternoon. Anyway, as he said, it doesn't really matter now, as Hamilton is also gone for the year.

For some it had to do with drafting of Eslinger.

[Tned]

For some it had to do with drafting of Eslinger.

You might be right, but Shanny was clear from very early on that Hamilton was being groomed as Nalen's replacement. Not sure why things like that aren't taken at face value. :confused:

Anyway, I sure wish we had our starting guard and center back, as they were two big blows that the team wasn't prepared to take.

[BigBroncLove]

Ouch. He did confirm what some people last year said was no longer the case, that Hamilton would have taken over as center, which as he said, obviously isn't an option now.

I don't think the loss of Jackson is huge, and could be a blessing, as it will get Scheffler into the game, which wasn't happening much with Jackson on the field. Scheffler made some very good catches yesterday.

As to the line as a whole, this is a huge blow. This now leaves us with Lepsis (whom some don't believe is the same player that he was before the torn ACL) as the only starter from last year on th the line (obviously other than guys that started late last year filling in for injured players).

The hurdles keep getting larger and larger.

well I was right about HAmilton :D . He was Michigans top center in their colelges history for a reason...

None the less it's a blow IMO. With Hamilton out it changes the face of the Center position. We'll probably see Myers at Center now, with Kuper and Holland at the guard positions, and that's going to hurt his team. The Center is the field general of the Oline. They make the reads of the Dline and call otu adjustments to the line to properly execute whatever play has been called. Having Myers in there will lose a lot of that experience that Hamilton would have, and it will cause for some problems.

Another concern is the snap. Remember how hard of a time Cutler had last year adjusting to Nalens quick snap? I doubt we will see any problems like that, and some of those low snaps by Nalen early on in this season didn't help any, but you have to wonder how Myers wil ltake to that. Especially during silent counts. IF the Center misses the count, it's a guarunteed false start. I hope they don't start to pile up due to Myers being in his firt year as a starter, let alone as a starting Center. This is a big worry for me.....

This is a tough couple of injuries to take, but they could be worse. Scheffler got his chance to shine behind JAckson and I think the team is better for it, because he made some big plays I don't think would of been an option if he wasn't there. And Nalen had to go soon. Like dogfish said, this gives us a chance to put some experience under Kuper and Myers belts. Lets hope it works for the best, but I hate seeign any injuries, especially ones to any Bronco player....

[TXBRONC]

You might be right, but Shanny was clear from very early on that Hamilton was being groomed as Nalen's replacement. Not sure why things like that aren't taken at face value. :confused:

Anyway, I sure wish we had our starting guard and center back, as they were two big blows that the team wasn't prepared to take.


I know that's why I maintained that Hamilton is/was still the heir apparent.

[broncosfanscott]

The injuries just keep piling up. Nalen showed the mental toughness he has for playing 3+ quarters with a torn bicep and with Hamilton allready gone. :rolleyes:

Now Jackson as well is out for the year. At least Scheffler played more on Sunday so with him and Graham we should be fine at TE. Champ got injured as well, yet from what I hear he should be fine for our next game.

This is going to be one crazy bye week for the Broncos organization. I hope they are able to fix something by the time we play the Steelers.

[Skinny]

The injuries just keep piling up. Nalen showed the mental toughness he has for playing 3+ quarters with a torn bicep and with Hamilton allready gone. :rolleyes:

Now Jackson as well is out for the year. At least Scheffler played more on Sunday so with him and Graham we should be fine at TE. Champ got injured as well, yet from what I hear he should be fine for our next game.

This is going to be one crazy bye week for the Broncos organization. I hope they are able to fix something by the time we play the Steelers.The bye could'nt have come at a better time.

[broncosfanscott]

The bye could'nt have come at a better time.

Amen to that.

[TXBRONC]

The bye could'nt have come at a better time.

You got that right.

[Tned]

well I was right about HAmilton :D . He was Michigans top center in their colelges history for a reason...

None the less it's a blow IMO. With Hamilton out it changes the face of the Center position. We'll probably see Myers at Center now, with Kuper and Holland at the guard positions, and that's going to hurt his team. The Center is the field general of the Oline. They make the reads of the Dline and call otu adjustments to the line to properly execute whatever play has been called. Having Myers in there will lose a lot of that experience that Hamilton would have, and it will cause for some problems.

Another concern is the snap. Remember how hard of a time Cutler had last year adjusting to Nalens quick snap? I doubt we will see any problems like that, and some of those low snaps by Nalen early on in this season didn't help any, but you have to wonder how Myers wil ltake to that. Especially during silent counts. IF the Center misses the count, it's a guarunteed false start. I hope they don't start to pile up due to Myers being in his firt year as a starter, let alone as a starting Center. This is a big worry for me.....

This is a tough couple of injuries to take, but they could be worse. Scheffler got his chance to shine behind JAckson and I think the team is better for it, because he made some big plays I don't think would of been an option if he wasn't there. And Nalen had to go soon. Like dogfish said, this gives us a chance to put some experience under Kuper and Myers belts. Lets hope it works for the best, but I hate seeign any injuries, especially ones to any Bronco player....

I guess the only bright side is that if 62Olinesdad is really Myer's father, than he is finally getting to see his son get a chance to show what he's got. He said last year that Myer's was taking snaps as the backup center.

[DenBronx]

i'll go ahead and write rice off as an official offseason bust. he has been disgusting. im so glad he only got signed to one year, moss, crowder and elvis need to suck up the rest of the time this year. ekuban will be back next year and he is better against the run than rice anyway.

i was one of the biggest supporters of us getting rice and he totally sucks. be careful for what you wish for.

[Nick]

I guess the only bright side is that if 62Olinesdad is really Myer's father, than he is finally getting to see his son get a chance to show what he's got. He said last year that Myer's was taking snaps as the backup center.

I feel fine with having myers and eslinger as a back up. The sad thing is that if he does not come back that was the last we might have all seen of Nalen. I also feel good about kuper and ryan harris in the future.

Does Olines Dad have this new site? Great poster... Also we should bring to the attention of Kuper's dad.

[TXBRONC]

i'll go ahead and write rice off as an official offseason bust. he has been disgusting. im so glad he only got signed to one year, moss, crowder and elvis need to suck up the rest of the time this year. ekuban will be back next year and he is better against the run than rice anyway.

i was one of the biggest supporters of us getting rice and he totally sucks. be careful for what you wish for.

I was leery of us signing him given the facts that he was coming off a serious injury and his history of poor run support.

[Tned]

Does Olines Dad have this new site? Great poster... Also we should bring to the attention of Kuper's dad.

Not sure. For obvious reasons, I have not PM'd people or promoted this site on BM, as it would look much if I did it as compared to other people.

[DenBronx]

I was leery of us signing him given the facts that he was coming off a serious injury and his history of poor run support.

yeah i remember you were....but i think we had the right idea but it severly backfired.

i'll get flammed for this but i wasnt high on us getting graham. i think henry would still be getting his yards...regardless of graham. i really wanted us to get jenkins or rogers AND kerney this past offseason....but im glad we didnt get kerney. briggs was also my top favorite...we could have gave up a 1st rounder and came ahead by far....the dude is a tackling machine.

but TX...your boy DJ is very quietly having a really good year. he is 9th overall in tackles with 42, briggs has 38. DJ for all the changes that he went through deserves a lot of credit.

[Requiem / The Dagda]

Any chance that Eslinger gets called up from the practice squad?

I thought he got rave reviews in the last season of NFLE.

Eslinger has a long ways to go, but I wouldn't be surprised to see someone become activated due to the loss of players Hamilton and Nalen on IR the rest of the year. He could get a shot, just for depth reasons - I doubt he'd start.

[Requiem / The Dagda]

You might be right, but Shanny was clear from very early on that Hamilton was being groomed as Nalen's replacement. Not sure why things like that aren't taken at face value. :confused:

Anyway, I sure wish we had our starting guard and center back, as they were two big blows that the team wasn't prepared to take.

I had never heard or read any documented proof of this, just more-so the fact that he had experience at Minnesota and that would translate here - but with what I heard now, yeah it makes sense. Also, drafting Eslinger (a man who is a strict center) did make me believe that if he panned out (jury still out) he'd take over at center rather than Hamilton, because there would be no other place to put him.