PDA

View Full Version : Dove Valley Days: Broncos rookies seeing lots of action



Lonestar
08-19-2009, 03:49 PM
By Jeff Legwold
The Denver Post
Posted: 08/19/2009 01:41:20 PM MDT
Updated: 08/19/2009 02:43:16 PM MDT

Brandon Stokley (14) catches a pass during training camp this week at Dove Valley. (John Leyba | The Denver Post)

The Broncos continue to show some progress in their rookie class with safety Darcel McBath and cornerback Alphonso Smith — both second-round picks this past April — having lined up with the starting defense Wednesday morning to fill in for veterans Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins. Bailey was given the morning off while Dawkins, who has been practicing with a cast on his fractured right hand has only participated in one practice each time the Broncos have held two-a-days since he returned to the field. Smith has also taken plenty of snaps as the Broncos nickel corner - the fifth defensive back — while McBath overtook fellow rookie David Bruton on the depth chart to line up as Dawkins' backup.


Lowlight of the day:

Everybody's coy at the moment, but wide receiver Brandon Marshall spent much of Wednesday on the scout team — wearing a red jersey with No. 84 — as he ran plays impersonating Seattle wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Marshall implied it was his call to run those plays because he wants to work against the Broncos defensive regulars while head coach Josh McDaniels said every players takes scout team repetitions in practice. All in all, it's adding up to a disgruntled player and a team that clearly is trying to make a point. Eddie Royal, Jabar Gaffney and Chad Jackson were in the starting offense when the team went to a three-wide look while Gaffney, rookie Kenny McKinley and Jackson lined up with the second-team offense in the three-wide look in many of the team drills.


Position battle:

It's fairly moot at this point since Marshall has yet been put into the mix, but there is an intriguing choice in the wide receiver spot.

Especially since most pro personnel executives who have look at the Broncos believe the best place to play either Jabar Gaffney or Brandon Stokley in the new offense is at the slot position. Both have been two of the real impact players on offense thus far in training camp and both, given what they have shown on the field, have the skill sets that are likely best suited to playing in the slot — the space between the outside receiver and either the tight end or tackle in a three wide receiver look.

Gaffney has worked most of the time in an outside position thus far with Marshall's drop down the depth chart and Stokley has played significantly on the outside in 2007 when the team had some injuries.

But both will do their best work on the inside, which could make the Broncos' four-wide look more of a possibility because they then are playing their best positions at the same time.


Camp facts:

The Broncos were scheduled to practice twice at their Dove Valley complex Wednesday with the evening workout set to begin at 5:30. Thursday the team is scheduled for its final practices of training camp open to the public. The team is currently slated to be on the field 8:45-10:45 a.m. as well as 5:30-7:30 p.m.

http://www.denverpost.com/ci_13161198?source=rss