Dumervil Aiming High
Dumervil says his goal is to reach double digit sacks. All I can say is I hope he reaches that goal. There are some other interesting tidbits that you might enjoy as well.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drm...683534,00.html
Monday’s Broncos report: Dumervil aims for double-digit sack total
By Lee Rasizer, Rocky Mountain News
August 27, 2007
The bar has been set.
Elvis Dumervil has established his goal for sacks this season coming off a promising rookie year.
And he's shooting high.
"Definitely 12-15," he said Monday.
Dumervil was inactive the first three games last season but ended up leading the team with 8.5 sacks.
And after an offseason in which he worked hard on better using his hands and varying his overall repertoire of pass-rush moves, it's his feeling his goal is easily attainable.
Simon Fletcher holds Denver's team record with 16 sacks. No one else has gotten more than 13.5.
"Very much so, especially with the corners we have in Dre' Bly and Champ Bailey," he said. "It's really like stealing. I think up front we have to take it upon ourselves to get after it because we have guys that can cover."
Dumervil was active Saturday night in his final preseason appearance.
Particularly impressive was a bull-rush of Browns tackle Joe Thomas, the third overall pick in this year's draft, that forced Cleveland quarterback Charlie Frye out of the pocket and into teammate Amon Gordon's arms.
He also had a sack of his own.
"Last year, I thought I got slowed down a little bit because I didn't have any counter moves and teams started taking away my speed rush," he said, adding that with the help of coaches he's been able to alter his approach.
"I just want to keep the tackle guessing," he said.
It also appears Dumervil will get more time on early downs.
He started vs. Cleveland and, while there may still be some finagling of the lineup going on, he may have won the initial chance to show he can be an every-down player Week 1 in Buffalo.
Dumervil's been fighting a reputation as a specialist given his 5-foot-11, 260-pound frame. But he's always insisted he can hold up in the pros vs. the run despite facing bigger, stronger and quicker athletes.
"I'm going to play my best and keep that spot," he said.
Feeling good
Travis Henry returned to the practice field for the first time since spraining his left knee in the Aug. 18 preseason game in Dallas. The running back wore a brace and took limited repetitions with the scout team.
Henry admitted that he was "a little timid" running to his left but this week's practices should be enough for him to get his conditioning back for a full workload next week in preparation for Week 1 in Buffalo.
"No pain," he said. "They just wanted me to feel my way so I was just picking and choosing when I burst when I felt good," he said. "It was just to see how I was, and it was great."
The backfield was replenished all around, as Mike Bell (hip) and Andre Hall (groin, hamstring) also returned to practice after extended absences.
On defense, end Tim Crowder made his first appearance since spraining his left ankle Aug. 16.
"It was painful but they told me what to expect and with those ankles it takes awhile to heal. The more I started doing the more it loosened up. I just have to work through the pain," he said.
Crowder hopes to play vs. Arizona but isn't sure he can after Monday.
"Just the way it felt, I don't know if I would have helped anybody," he said.
Paring the roster
Defensive end Kenard Lang was the most high-profile name among the first round of cuts to 75 players, although the team hadn't officially submitted the list to the league pending Tuesday's 2 p.m. league deadline.
Lang, 32, started all 16 games for just the third time in his career last season, following Courtney Brown's season-ending knee injury.
His departure leaves the Broncos with five ends on the roster, plus swing-player Alvin McKinley, and means rookies Tim Crowder and Jarvis Moss will inherit more critical roles.
Others absent as the team began preparations for the final preseason game Thursday included defensive tackle Demetrin Veal; wide receivers David Terrell and David Kircus; kicker Brandon Pace; running backs Cecric Cobbs and Troy Fleming; and tight end Teyo Johnson.
Denver has 78 players remaining on the roster as of Monday's practice. That total includes wide receiver Rod Smith, who is on the physically unable to perform list and doesn't officially count.
Taking center stage
One of the players who figures to get a long look among the bevy of reserves against the Cardinals is quarterback Darrell Hackney to determine whether he may merit a practice-squad spot as the team's de facto No. 3 quarterback.
Hackney threw for nearly 10,000 yards at Alabama-Birmingham. He also led Conference USA in passing as a senior in 2005 before latching on with the Browns, who cut him last September. Hackney signed with the Broncos in January and went 4-for-9 for 29 yards and an interception in the Dallas game Aug. 18.
"He's got a very strong arm. And he works hard at it, he studies hard," assistant head coach/offense Mike Heimerdinger said. "He can throw it into spots. We'll see what Hack can do, whenever he plays."
Preston Parsons also should log his first time behind center this summer vs. his old team.
He said it
"We call it 'The Sniper.' The Sniper's going to shoot them out, or the Grim Reaper. It's tough for guys around this time."
Running back Travis Henry, on the reality that players may not have jobs this week with cuts looming.
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