Bradley Roby open to idea of serving as Broncos' safety net By Troy Renck Denver Post April 22, 2015 Bradley Roby doesn't want to be known as a shutdown safety. But as the Broncos continue their offseason program this week, the promising cornerback remains agreeable to dabbling at a new position. Coach Gary Kubiak broached the experiment at the league meetings last month and coaches have begun persuading Roby that it could work. "I consider myself a cornerback. I don't see myself as a safety. But I am open to it," Roby said. "They have talked about putting me in certain packages to get me on the field rather than having one of their better players watching from the sidelines. I understand what they are thinking." Roby opened eyes last season, delivering as a rookie in nickel coverage. He didn't shy from the spotlight or contact. The first-round pick sealed the season-opening victory with a play against Indianapolis' Reggie Wayne. Roby excels at open-field tackling, and, as Pro Bowl strong safety T.J. Ward explained, "He's not a little guy." Training in Los Angeles and Phoenix in the offseason, Roby added muscle without compromising speed. He is physically equipped for free safety cameos, comfortable at close to 195 pounds, five shy of former starter Rahim Moore's weight. Kubiak's interest in creating a larger role for the former Ohio State star stems from his production. "It's just us saying, 'Hey, he needs to be out there.' If that's how we get him out there full time, then that's something we're going to address. I don't want to do too much to him where we take something away from him," Kubiak said, "but at the same time he needs to be a guy playing 70 to 100 percent someway, somehow." Roby finished with 65 tackles, two forced fumbles, two recovered fumbles, and two interceptions (he kept the ball from his first, a pick of New England's Tom Brady). However, he logged 859 snaps, 291 fewer than Moore. "That's why they are considering it. There's no doubt I can do it. It just teeters in my mind: Is this something for the rest of my career or just certain times in the game?" Roby said. "I hope it leans to the first one. But adding versatility will only help." Ward talked with Roby about safety, and left impressed with Roby's selflessness. Ward believes that he could make a seamless transition, combining with free-agent acquisition Darian Stewart to man a position opened when Moore signed with the Houston Texans. "It's about getting him on the field more. Some guys can't do it, but he has the ability to make it happen. He's smart enough, strong enough," Ward said. "He's just a football player."

Roby loves the game. He watched Ohio State's semifinal and national championship victories from the Buckeyes' sideline and recently visited their spring practice. "Even though I didn't play, there was a certain amount of pride," Roby said. "A lot of those guys looked up to us. We felt like in our own way we got them ready for that moment." As it turns out, Roby began preparing for time at safety 13 years ago. During his first tackle football season at age 9, he played safety and receiver, positions he held through eighth grade. He purposefully switched to cornerback late in his high school career, leading to his scholarship at Ohio State. Roby grew to relish one-on-one matchups. He views himself as a cornerback, but working as a safety net could give the Broncos' defense a stronger chance of succeeding. "I can say I have done it before, though little league football is obviously no comparison," he said, laughing. "The coaches are doing a good job right now of just teaching us the defense as one entire group. I don't know exactly how I would be used as safety, but whatever it is I will be ready to do what's best for the team."

Louis Vasquez returns to familiar spot, at right guard By Mike Klis Denver Post April 22, 2015 With his short-cropped hair, thick black beard, tattoos and bulging arm muscles exposed thanks to a sleeveless T-shirt, 6-foot-5, 325-pound Louis Vasquez stood more imposing than usual. Fortunately for the Denver media sitting before him Wednesday at Broncos headquarters, Vasquez easily disarms any potential fright from his audience through his friendly disposition and warm smile. Looking at the guy, it's hard to believe the Broncos moved him in the second half of last season from right guard — where he was an all-pro at pushing, shoving and mauling amid a hulking mass of human behemoths — to right tackle, where it's all about fast feet and an extended reach. "My mentality is I'm a guard," Vasquez said while flashing a wry grin. "I would love to stay inside the trenches. That's how my mentality is. I'm a big, strong guy. I like to get physical. Being out on the outside, it's more finesse. Guys want to rush the passers and that's not my forte." Yet, Vasquez made the move last season because he is obedient, and because his coaches told him it was for the good of the team. Coaches are always asking something. The new Broncos coaches — specifically head man Gary Kubiak and offensive coordinator Rick Dennison — will move Vasquez back to his natural right guard position while also asking him to remain light on his feet. A prototype power blocker in the run game and sturdy anchor in pass protection, Vasquez will join his four offensive linemates out to the second level of the opponents' defense. He will be asked to cut block, another staple in the zone-blocking scheme. Does Vasquez look like a cut blocker? "In this scheme, we'll be doing it a lot more, and the more we do it the better we'll get," he said. Truth is, Vasquez has plenty of experience with the blocking in space techniques. He played his college ball, remember, for Mike Leach at Texas Tech, where all those outside, receiver screens require guards to stay on the hoof. In Vasquez' rookie NFL season of 2009, San Diego Chargers coach Norv Turner ran zone-blocking plays for running back LaDainian Tomlinson. So what the Broncos are about to do, Vasquez already has done. He won't have to drop any weight. Training camp always takes care of that, anyway. So will executing the zone-blocking playbook.

"I feel like it will complement what my strengths are," Vasquez said. "It's been successful in the past. We'll work at it up front. The zone's going to be our bread and butter."

Brandon Marshall hoping to return for training camp following foot surgery By Mike Klis Denver Post April 22, 2015 Like so many football tough guys, Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall initially described his foot injury as nothing. He'd be sidelined a week, maybe two. However, he and the Broncos have become painfully aware in recent seasons that a Lisfranc injury is never nothing. "It didn't come around," Marshall said. After suffering the injury in December at San Diego, Marshall missed the final two games of the regular season, took another week's rest for a first-round playoff bye, then came back to play in the Broncos' second-round playoff loss to Indianapolis. But when the injury lingered during the offseason, further tests revealed more extensive ligament damage and "bones were shifting," Marshall said. He had surgery March 11 to correct the problem. The hope is he will be ready to practice football again by the start of training camp in late-July. Despite missing the final two games, Marshall led the team with 110 tackles last season. He added six more in the playoff game against the Colts. "It was kind of crazy that I was actually able to play on it," Marshall said. "But when I went into the offseason and started to train again, it just wasn't there." In recent years, the Lisfranc injury essentially ended the career of Broncos' cornerback Champ Bailey, cost left tackle Ryan Clady most of the 2013 season and hobbled starting running back Ronnie Hillman last season. The Lisfranc injury, which involves displaced bones in the arch of the foot, does not heal easily, especially for large-bodied athletes whose performance involves sudden stops and starts. "Mine was a freak thing," Marshall said. "Somebody stepped on my foot. It wasn't like I cut or planted. It was an offensive lineman that fell on my foot." With Marshall sidelined during the offseason, and the Broncos other starting inside linebacker, Danny Trevathan, returning gradually from a fractured left leg, the team will give more reps to its group of young linebackers that includes Thomas Davis, Corey Nelson and Lamin Barrow along with veterans Steven Johnson, Lerentee McCray and Reggie Walker.

T.J. Ward, excited about 2015, calls for patience as Broncos undergo changes By Nicki Jhabvala Denver Post April 22, 2015 T.J. Ward has spent the past few months becoming more acclimated with the city and community that became his new home around this time last year. He says he's more comfortable now, heading into his second year as a Bronco, understanding that his more relaxed state came only with time and experience. "As soon as I got here, I felt like I was welcomed with open arms and that I was part of the community," Ward, the Broncos' two-time Pro Bowl safety said at the team's Dove Valley headquarters Wednesday. "I'm definitely more comfortable. I know my surroundings now, I know my teammates a lot better. I'm not really trying to find my niche on the team. I know what my niche is and I know what I want it to be." But comfort doesn't mean continuity, or complacency. And now more patience, and time, is required as he becomes acclimated to a new coaching staff, new schemes and, possibly, some changes to his role. For Ward, the transition has been smooth, so far. And he's excited about the direction the 2015 Broncos appear to be headed. "It's going very well right now," he said. "I think the installs, the direction that they want to go with the team and how they're going about it right now is great for us. Specifically, transitioning from a good coach in (John) Fox to another good coach in (Gary) Kubiak, they have different ways of doing things, but I think coach Kubiak has a good philosophy. His coaches under him—(defensive coordinator) Wade (Phillips) and (defensive backs) coach (Joe) Woods working with us and the DBs and the secondary—they're doing a lot of teaching right now. Sometimes you've got to get back to the basics and get those fundamentals down. I think they're doing a great job of that." Ward, who made 62 tackles and two sacks in his first season with Denver, anticipates more variety at his position next season. More opportunities for him to freelance. And, he hopes, more blitzing. "That was definitely a subject that was brought up as soon as (Phillips) got here," Ward said. "I think you'll see a lot more of it this year. "Right now we're still starting with the basics, and we're just now getting into the blitz installs and the subpackages, but there's definitely more variety in what I am going to be allowed to do. So I'm excited about that." Ward knows that going back to the basics, and starting anew with Kubiak's staff, and with the new faces from free agency, won't transform the team overnight . The changes, he said, depend a lot on the team's chemistry.

"We're only going to get better," he said. "That cohesion is going to come with time, and I think the more we play together, especially in the secondary, when it's me, Chris (Harris) and whoever steps into that safety role — we're going to need that time to gel. And we're going to get better with time." Footnotes • The Broncos' 2015 schedule that was released Tuesday has Denver scheduled to face Ward's old team, the Browns, in Cleveland on Oct. 18. Ward said he hasn't reached out to any of his former teammates in Cleveland about the game. "I don't want to talk to anybody right now," he said. " I'll just show up and play." • Ward said Darian Stewart, the Broncos' new safety, is "a pro. He comes in, doesn't say too much, works hard." • David Bruton, the Broncos' special teams captain last season, has said he wants to earn the starting safety job in 2015. Said Ward: "I got a chip on my shoulder all the time. I know guys are coming for my spot and I'm working as hard as I can. ... It's going to be a competitive offseason."

Broncos visit with DT Jordan Phillips, OT D.J. Humphries By Mike Klis Denver Post April 22, 2015 For the past six weeks or so, I’ve projected the Broncos taking a right tackle with their first-round draft pick, No. 28 overall. Broncos general manager John Elway has said — and is likely to reiterate during his predraft press conference Thursday — that he will select the best player available. Two players who visited with the Broncos in recent weeks — Oklahoma’s enormous defensive tackle Jordan Phillips and Florida’s nimble, athletic offensive tackle D.J. Humphries — offer the combined theory that the Broncos will give serious consideration to the available offensive tackles, but will shift to another position of need if that player has a higher grade. The Broncos do need a stout a nose tackle-type who can fill the middle in Wade Phillips’ 3-4 defensive system. Phillips is large at 6-foot-5, 329 pounds — and considering he declared for the draft after his redshirt sophomore season at Oklahoma, he will likely get even bigger. In his two upperclassmen high school seasons, Phillips had 32 catches for 538 yards and six touchdowns and also averaged nearly 37 yards a punt. So he’s also an athlete. Humphries is a tad light as top-round offensive tackles go at 6-foot-5, 307 pounds, but he is quick and athletic, the type of edge blocker who would fit well in the Broncos’ zone-blocking system that will be coached by Gary Kubiak, Rick Dennison and Clancy Barone. The Broncos have also visited with at least three other highly regarded offensive tackles — Andrus Peat, T.J. Clemmings and Cedric Ogbuehi — and one other defensive tackle in Angelo Blackson.

Broncos draft preview: Tight ends By Jeff Legwold ESPN.com April 22, 2015 The countdown to this year’s NFL draft is in the final days with the Denver Broncos poised to use 10 picks to create the 2015 draft class, whether that means packaging some for a trade or simply picking the 10 players they believe can pump up the roster. So, with the bulk of their work in free agency done, this is the fourth of a position-by-position look at where things stand on the roster and what draft prospects could be a fit for the Broncos. At the moment: There is no question the position has been a focus of the Broncos’ work in free agency. As the Broncos elected to let starters like tight end Julius Thomas, guard Orlando Franklin, safety Rahim Moore and defensive tackle Terrance Knighton head into the open market to sign elsewhere in free agency, they elected to re-sign tight end Virgil Green to a three-year, $8.4 million deal. Green is just the kind of receiver/blocker combination the Broncos want in the new offense that figures to be in two-tight end sets far more than last season. In 2014, the Broncos had just three games, regular-season and playoff game combined, when they were in a two-tight end formation more than they lined up with three wide receivers in the formation. But they also signed Owen Daniels in free agency to be a starter, as well as the addition of James Casey, who will likely line up at fullback in the new scheme as much, or even more, as he does at tight end. Dominique Jones spent much of last year on the Broncos' practice squad with a brief cameo on the active roster. And Joe Don Duncan, who came into the 2014 draft with some medical concerns after knee (surgery in 2012) and foot injuries in college, was signed as a developmental prospect. Need factor: Despite having five tight ends on the current roster, the Broncos will give a long look to the position in the draft because there are some players on the draft board who certainly fit what they need done in the offense and could well be the best players available when some of the Broncos' 10 picks roll around. Green, Daniels and Casey figure to make the final roster when the cuts come to 53 players at the end of the preseason, but that would still leave room for one more player if the Broncos keep at least four. Names to keep handy: Minnesota’s Maxx Williams is the front-burner name at the position and is expected to be off the board by the time the Broncos pick in the first round -- at 28th overall. Williams ran a 4.78 40-yard dash at the scouting combine. He led the run-heavy Gophers in both receiving yards and receiving touchdowns in each of the past two years. He does need some polish as a blocker, especially on the move as he would be in the Broncos’ new scheme.

Michigan’s Devin Funchess is a tweener prospect some teams see as a big wide receiver -- he’s 6-foot-4 ¼ and 232 pounds. He did his best work out of the slot much of the time and would be a catch-first prospect for the Broncos, at least initially until they could try to dial him in a little more as a blocker. Down the board a bit, the best fit of all for the Broncos may be former Oklahoma quarterback Blake Bell. Bell, a good enough athlete to complete 60.1 percent of his passes and throw for 1,648 yards in 2013 after he had 24 rushing touchdowns combined in 2012 and 2013, moved to tight end for his final season at the school. He finished with just 16 catches in ’14, but he showed enough at 6-6, 252 pounds to warrant a long look for the Broncos. Iowa State's E.J. Bibbs also showed himself to be an efficient receiver who has good footwork as a zone blocker as well. Notre Dame’s Ben Koyack, too, is a player who has the blocker/receiver characteristics the Broncos are searching for. Though Koyack had a quiet life as a receiver in the Irish offense for his first three years -- one, three and 10 catches, respectively -- he has plenty of room on the developmental curve. The question will be how much do the Broncos believe he can grow as a player given he had one catch of more than 25 yards in his collegiate career.

This time Louis Vasquez looks forward to a move By Jeff Legwold ESPN.com April 22, 2015 It's a move of only a few feet, but for Denver Broncos guard Louis Vasquez there is no place like football home. And for Vasquez, that football home is that slice of real estate between the center and the right tackle. "My mentality is I'm a guard … I'm a big, strong guy, I like to get physical," Vasquez said Monday at the Broncos suburban Denver complex. "Being on the outside is more finesse, the guys want to rush the passer and things of that nature, that's not my forté." Perhaps it isn't Vasquez' forté to play right tackle, but that's exactly what he did for the Broncos for seven regular-season games and one playoff game last season. The Broncos, amid shaky offensive line play for much of the season, needed to find a workable solution and moved Vasquez one spot to the right Nov. 9 against the Oakland Raiders as part of a three-player shuffle. And that was no small decision since Vasquez had been an All Pro right guard in 2013, his first season with the Broncos. Vasquez helped improve things some with the move, but in the end the Broncos still had issues at times blocking in the run game -- a third of the team's rushing attempts resulted in the back getting hit at, or behind, the line of scrimmage -- and in pass protection. "Any time you get a shift like that … I had to put my work in, because it wasn't easy," Vasquez said. "It strained us as a unit up front. Having just the stability, everybody in the same places … helps everybody's chemistry." Broncos coach Gary Kubiak had already said this offseason the expectation was Vasquez would move back to right guard. With the Broncos now in Phase 1 of their offseason program, Vasquez said Monday he's formally been told that as well. Vasquez and left tackle Ryan Clady are really the only two linemen who can be written into the depth chart with ink at the moment. The Broncos have three starting jobs open -- center, left guard and right tackle. Kubiak and executive vice president of football operations/general manager John Elway have said they see Michael Schofield, a 2014 draft pick, as a potential option at right tackle and the team did trade for center Gino Gradkowski and sign guard Shelley Smith in free agency. On Schofield, Vasquez said Monday; "He picked up the system fairly quick last year. That's a guy that we don't have to worry does he know what he's supposed to do. It's more of a developmental deal for him. He does show some promise and his work ethic is tremendous. We're excited up front to see what he can do this year." Vasquez added he was glad to hear Kubiak's promise for the Broncos offense: To be more physical with a concerted effort to pump up the team's run game with the zone-blocking scheme.

"I just feel like it will complement what my strengths are," Vasquez said. "Obviously it's been successful in the past. … We're excited up front to get it going. Any time we get to beat people up front that just excites us."

Vasquez returns to his comfort zone but challenges remain By Arnie Stapleton Associated Press April 22, 2015 Louis Vasquez is at once comfortable and restless. After serving as Denver's emergency right tackle over the last half of last season, Vasquez confirmed Wednesday that he's moving back to his natural position at right guard. More change is afoot, though. Not only is Vasquez adjusting to a new position coach in Clancy Barone and to the zone blocking scheme that coach Gary Kubiak and offensive coordinator Rick Dennison are reintroducing in Denver, but he'll also be playing between two new starters in 2015. The Broncos allowed center Will Montgomery and left guard Orlando Franklin to leave via free agency, and right tackle is high on general manager John Elway's wish list heading into the draft. "Obviously, the center's going to be the guy that makes all the calls up front and it kind of trickles down from there. But I'd say it's equally as challenging playing next to two new guys," Vasquez said. "But I'm excited to see who's going to take over the spots." The Broncos traded for center Gino Gradkowski this offseason and he'll compete with Manny Ramirez, who served as Denver's snapper for 1 1-2 seasons before being benched over the last half of 2014. Chris Clark, who started almost an entire season at left tackle when Ryan Clady was hurt in 2013, and second-year pro Michael Schofield, are in the mix at right tackle along with, in all probability, a high draft pick. There will also be a new man at left guard. Ben Garland and newcomer Shelly Smith are vying to replace Franklin, who signed a five-year, $35.5 million deal with rival San Diego. Vasquez is returning to a position where he was an All-Pro in 2013, allowing no sacks while playing every one of Denver's 1,207 offensive snaps. He was asked to slide over to tackle midway through last season when the former coaching staff made wholesale changes along the line in what turned out to be a futile attempt to salvage their Super Bowl hopes. "My mentality is I'm a guard," Vasquez said. "I would love to stay inside the trenches. That's just how my mentality is. I'm a big, strong guy and I like to get physical and being on the outside, it's more finesse. The guys want to rush the passer and things of that nature and that's not my forte."

Vasquez, who was already bothered by a balky back last season, had to learn tackle on the fly as he tried to keep pass-rushers away from Peyton Manning. "I had to put my work in because it wasn't easy," Vasquez said. "And it strained us as a unit up front." The Broncos are in the midst of remaking their offensive line again this offseason, but at least their best lineman is back in his comfort zone.

Judge OKs 65-year deal over NFL concussions; could cost $1B By Maryclaire Dale Associated Press April 22, 2015 A federal judge has approved a plan to resolve thousands of NFL concussion lawsuits that could cost the league $1 billion over 65 years. The NFL expects 6,000 of nearly 20,000 retired players to suffer from Alzheimer's disease or moderate dementia someday. The settlement approved Wednesday by a federal judge in Philadelphia would pay them about $190,000 on average. The awards could reach $1 million to $5 million for those diagnosed in their 30s and 40s with Parkinson's disease or Lou Gehrig's disease, or for deaths involving chronic brain trauma. The league has been dogged for years by complaints that it long hid the risks of repeated concussions in order to return players to the field. Players' lawyers have argued that the settlement will help families get needed financial awards or medical testing that might take years if the case went to trial. Senior U.S. District Judge Anita Brody approved the deal after twice sending it back to lawyers over concerns the fund might run out. The negotiators did not increase the original $765 million plan, but agreed to remove that number as the cap. The deal means the NFL may never have to disclose what it knew when about the risks and treatment of concussions. The league's top lawyer said Brody's approval "powerfully underscores the fairness and propriety" of the settlement. "Retirees and their families will be eligible for prompt and substantial benefits and will avoid years of costly litigation that — as Judge Brody's comprehensive opinion makes clear — would have an uncertain prospect of success," NFL general counsel Jeff Pash said in a statement. The total NFL payouts over 65 years, including interest and $112 million sought for lawyer fees, is expected to be more than $1 billion. Critics contend the NFL is getting off lightly given annual revenues of about $10 billion. But plaintiffs would have first had to fight their way into court — instead of getting booted to NFL mediation under their players' contracts — to prevail. "From a business point of view, (the NFL has) ... avoided what may have been the biggest risk to their continued prosperity," said Andrew Brandt, director of the sports law program at Villanova University law school.

"Removing this as a threat is extraordinary," he said. The NFL lawsuits, and similar suits filed later against the NHL, the NCAA and others, has fostered debate, discussion and safety reforms about sports concussions. Yet the NFL games seem to be as wildly popular as ever. "I know people talk about, it's dangerous, and mothers won't let their sons play football. But I don't see that. I don't see that at all," Brandt said. About 200 NFL retirees or their families have rejected the settlement and plan to sue the league individually. They include the family of Junior Seau, the popular Pro Bowler who killed himself at his San Diego-area home in 2012 after several years of increasingly erratic behavior. An autopsy showed he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. Brody most recently asked for several tweaks, including partial credit for time played in NFL Europe and other developmental leagues, to broaden the settlement. Negotiators quickly agreed to her suggestions. She rejected other complaints raised at a November hearing, including those who say the agreement does not cover future deaths from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease that can only be diagnosed after death, or contemplate the day when it might be diagnosed in the living. Others oppose the award reductions for older men and those who played in the league for fewer than five years. "Although objectors insist that there must be compensation for CTE, the NFL parties were unwilling to settle claims based solely on a (diagnosis) ... rather than on manifest neurocognitive deficits," the lead negotiators wrote in a March court filing urging Brody to approve the deal. "Many of the behavioral and mood conditions claimed to be associated with CTE are prevalent within the general public."

Brennan: NFL should be lauded for handing 10-game suspension to Greg Hardy By Christine Brennan Associated Press April 22, 2015 The National Football League has been saying publicly for several months that it has learned its lesson from the Ray Rice incident and will take domestic violence cases much more seriously in the future than it did in the past. On Wednesday afternoon, the league did just that, laudably handing out one of the toughest penalties for domestic violence in U.S. sports history, a 10-game suspension without pay for Dallas Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy. Hardy put his former girlfriend, Nicole Holder, through an ordeal far worse that what happened to Janay Palmer Rice in that Atlantic City elevator last year. The NFL's investigation, led by Lisa Friel, the former head of the Sex Crimes Prosecution Unit in the New York City District Attorney's office, found that Hardy violated the league's personal conduct policy by using physical force against Holder in at least four instances, including "physical force against her which caused her to land on a futon that was covered with at least four semi-automatic rifles." Three or four other guns were also present on the futon, according to a person with knowledge of the league investigation who was not authorized to speak publicly. The NFL sought and obtained several photographs from the crime scene, including a photo of the guns and another that showed "visible marks" around Holder's neck. "The net effect of these acts was that Ms. Holder was severely traumatized and sustained a range of injuries, including bruises and scratches on her neck, shoulders, upper chest, back, arms and feet," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday in a strongly-worded letter to Hardy. "The use of physical force under the circumstances present here, against a woman substantially smaller than you and in the presence of powerful, military-style assault weapons, constitutes a significant act of violence in violation of the Personal Conduct Policy." Goodell was among the NFL executives who saw the photos. Representatives of the NFL Players Association also saw them, according to the person with knowledge of the league investigation. Hardy, then with the Carolina Panthers, was found guilty of domestic violence last summer and not allowed to play for most of the 2014 season, but was still paid his $13.1 million salary. The charges were dismissed on appeal when Holder received a financial settlement, according to multiple reports, and could not be found to testify. Holder's testimony against Hardy in the trial last July is horrifying, detailed and worth repeating:

Holder said Hardy, who is 6-4 and 265 pounds, flung her from a bed, threw her into a bathtub and then tossed her onto a futon covered with rifles. Holder said Hardy ripped a necklace he had given her off her neck, threw it into a toilet and then slammed the lid on her arm when she tried to retrieve it. Hardy dragged Holder by the hair room to room, she said, before putting his hands around her throat. "He looked me in my eyes and he told me he was going to kill me," Holder said. "I was so scared I wanted to die. When he loosened his grip slightly, I said, 'Just do it. Kill me.' " Later, as Holder said she was held by her former boyfriend's personal assistant, she said Hardy called 911, showed her the phone, and said, "Run, little girl. You're going to jail." Mecklenburg (N.C.) District Judge Becky Thorne Tin believed Holder when she found Hardy guilty, handing him a 60-day suspended sentence and 18 months' probation on misdemeanor charges of assault on a female and communicating threats. Under North Carolina law, someone found guilty of a misdemeanor in a bench trial is allowed to appeal to a jury trial. When Holder could not be found, prosecutors threw out the charges before that trial. But justice was served Wednesday, at least on the football field. While some might wonder why Hardy will ever be allowed to play in the NFL again, the strong action taken by the league should serve as a precedent for all sports organizations dealing with domestic violence. The players' union, in its predictable, knee-jerk way, will immediately appeal. But for the rest of us, disgusted by the abusive behavior of men like Hardy, this is the first day of the rest of our lives in our post-Ray Rice sports world.

Agent's Take: The hidden economics in the 1st round of the NFL Draft By Joel Corry CBSSports.com April 22, 2015 Sam Bradford signed a six-year contract with a base value of $78 million with $50 million in guarantees when he was named the first pick of the 2010 NFL Draft. His deal is worth a maximum of $86 million through base salary escalators and incentives. A year later, Cam Newton, who was taken by the Carolina Panthers with the first overall pick in 2011 draft faced a world with significant changes to his bank account. Newton signed a fully guaranteed four-year, $22,025,498 deal, including a $14,518,544 signing bonus, in the initial year of the rookie wage scale. He is scheduled to make $14.666 million this year, which is his option year. Newton could have reasonably expected to sign a six-year deal that had a base value of $82 million, including $52.5 million in guarantees, with a maximum of $90 million minus the system changing. So what changed between those two drafts? The consensus opinion was the system for compensating rookies needed to be modified long before changes were made in the 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The adoption of a rookie wage scale after the 2011 lockout drastically reduced salaries at the top of the NFL Draft. All deals for draft picks are four years under the rookie wage scale. These contracts can't be renegotiated until the conclusion of a player's third regular season. This means players selected in the 2012 NFL Draft became eligible for new deals on December 29, 2014. Teams have an option for a fifth year with first round picks. This fifth year option must be exercised after the third year of rookie contracts. The deadline to pick up the option year is May 3. The fifth year is guaranteed for injury when the option is exercised. The option year becomes fully guaranteed on the first day of the league year in the fifth contract year (approximately March 8, 2016 for the 2012 draft class). The fifth year salary for the top 10 picks is the transition tender, which is average of the ten highest salaries for a player's position, in the fourth year of his contract. For example, Andrew Luck, the first overall pick in 2012, has a $16.155 million option year salary with the Indianapolis Colts in 2016. The fifth year salary for players selected outside of the top ten (picks 11-32) is the average of the third through twenty-fifth highest salaries at a player's position. NFL front office executives I spoke to thought this change could be keeping Jameis Winston, who is the odds on favorite to be the first overall pick this year, from slipping down draft boards because of character concerns. “I don't think we would take Jameis first having to make the type of financial commitment that used to be required for top picks with his off-the-field issues,” said one AFC team executive. “I suspect that a lot of other teams would feel that same way.”

Here are a couple of additional financial or economic dynamics surrounding the draft and rookie deals that have developed under the 2011 CBA. Why a player really wants to be picked 10th, not 11th Nebraska outside linebacker/defensive end Randy Gregory was considered as a potential top five pick before a failed a drug test at the NFL Combine. He could drop out of the top 10 because of his affinity for marijuana. A slide will have significant financial ramifications that aren't immediately evident. Let's assume Gregory is taken by the New Orleans Saints with the 13th overall pick instead of going to the Washington Redskins as the fifth overall pick because of off-the-field concerns. There's slightly over a $3.3 million difference in the fifth year option salary for linebackers chosen in the top 10 during the 2012 draft and ones selected outside of the top 10. This difference could easily exceed $4 million by the time Gregory's 2019 option year would need to be exercised in 2018. The 11th pick in the first round is the worst draft position from an option year standpoint. Defensive tackle Dontari Poe was taken 11th by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2012. His option year salary in 2016, which the Chiefs will certainly pick up, is $6.146 million. If Poe had been drafted one pick higher, his option year salary would have been $9.314 million. There's a $3.168 million difference in option year pay because he went 11th instead of 10th. The two tiers of option year salary creates added valued for those picks right outside of the top 10. Not only are the salaries for these picks lower than top 10 picks, there's additional future savings with the option year. A couple of the team executives I spoke to recently thought teams trading out of the top 10, particularly the bottom portion, because of the option year price could start to become more a consideration. “We thought about trading out of the top 10 because of the option year salary but weren't sure the player we actually drafted would still be available if we did,” said a team executive with a top ten pick in the draft within the last three years. The blueprint may have been inadvertently created by Oakland Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie during the 2013 draft. He traded the third overall pick to the Miami Dolphins for the 12th overall pick and a second round pick (42nd overall). Cornerback D.J. Hayden was chosen with the 12th pick. At the time, McKenzie said he would have taken Hayden third overall if he had not made the trade. Another AFC front office executive said, “Teams wanting to move up in the draft should be able to get good deals in a trade because of the difference in option year salaries.” Economics may not have been the driving force behind this move. Regardless, the Raiders are saving almost $10.25 million over four years for the player McKenzie wanted. The option year salaries for the 2013 draft class won't be known until next February or March but can be projected. Based on the available data of the two tiers with options years for cornerbacks and assuming the salary cap continues to increase by approximately 8 percent like it has in each of the last two years to the $154 million neighborhood in 2016, the option year salary discrepancy for cornerbacks should be approximately $3.75 million. Why you may see more trades into the top 5

Teams rarely made trades to move up to the top of the draft under the previous CBA. Early first round picks were paid like Pro Bowlers as unproven commodities who hadn't played an NFL game. 2008 first overall pick Jake Long became the NFL's highest paid offensive lineman when he signed a five-year contract worth a maximum of $57.75 million, including $30 million guaranteed, with the Miami Dolphins. The five-year rookie contract worth a maximum of $68 million and containing $40 million guaranteed second overall pick Ndamukong Suh received from the Detroit Lions in 2010 made him one of the NFL's five highest paid defensive players. There was only one trade into the top five of the draft in the last five years of the old rookie system. The New York Jets gave up the 17th overall pick, a second round pick (52nd overall) and three players (defensive end Kenyon Coleman, safety Abram Elam and quarterback Brett Ratliff) for the fifth overall pick in 2009, which was used to select quarterback Mark Sanchez. Three drafts have taken place since the rookie wage scale was put in place with the 2011 CBA. Five trades to move into the top five of drafts have occurred during this span. Three of the trades have been for one of the first three picks in the draft. Most notably, in 2012, the St. Louis Rams received 2012, 2013 and 2014 first round picks, which were sixth, 22nd and second overall respectively, and a 2012 second round pick (39th overall) from the Washington Redskins for the second overall pick so Robert Griffin III could be taken. “The Rams would have had a harder time moving the second pick when RGIII came out (in 2012) without the change to rookie deals because of the contract,” an NFC executive told me. “I can't see St. Louis getting all of those picks with a team having to pay such a big contract after the trade. These same sentiments of the executive would be true if the Tennessee Titans were trying to auction off the rights to this year's second overall pick, which presumably would be used on quarterback Marcus Mariota, in the old system. The 2014 Heisman Trophy winner is expected to sign a fully guaranteed four-year contract worth slightly under $22.5 million. Mariota probably would have been in line for a six year deal with a base value of $100 million containing $60 million in guarantees, where a maximum of $111 million could have been earned through salary escalators and incentives without the rookie wage scale. I doubt there would be the persistent rumors of a Philip Rivers trade to the Titans involving the second pick if the Chargers paying this type of contract to a rookie were part of the equation. Why some teams will covet late first-round picks Teams drafting toward the end of the first round would attempt to move back into the second round to get a player they were targeting at a better financial value under the old CBA. The reverse has been occurring with the new CBA because of the fifth year option. The Minnesota Vikings have been the biggest proponent of this draft strategy. The Vikings have traded into the bottom of the first round for three straight years. In 2012, free safety Harrison Smith was selected with the 29th overall pick when a second round pick (35th overall) and a fourth round pick (98th overall) were dealt to the Baltimore Ravens. Smith may have been still been available if the Vikings had stood pat. The next safety wasn't taken until 48th overall by the New England Patriots. There would have been more a sense of urgency to sign Smith

to a contract extension this offseason with him entering a contract year as a second round pick. Instead, the Vikings will have a fifth year for Smith in 2016 at $5.278 million and more leverage to negotiate a new deal on more team friendly terms than if he was entering his contract year. Only four players taken in first round of the 2011 draft that had options picked up last year (Patrick Peterson, Robert Quinn, Tyron Smith and J.J. Watt) received extensions after three seasons. It's actually cheaper for the Vikings with Smith through the option year than him playing out his rookie contract as the 35th pick and getting a franchise tag in 2016, which would have been a realistic possibility given how he has performed. The Vikings will be paying Smith a little more than $12.4 million for five years absent a new deal. The five-year total would be slightly over $16 million with a franchise tag, assuming similar salary cap growth as in the last two years. Wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson was the target in 2013. Second (52nd overall), third (83rd overall), fourth (102nd overall) and seventh (229th overall) round picks were given to the Patriots in exchange for the 29th overall pick. Vikings general manager Rick Spielman acknowledged shortly after the 2014 draft that the fifth year option with first round picks was a primary consideration in moving up to the last pick in the first round for quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. The Seattle Seahawks received a second (40th overall) and fourth round (108th overall) for the 32nd overall pick. Minnesota's second round pick in this year's draft is 45th overall. Expect this type of maneuver to become more of a trend in future drafts with teams in the top half of the second round that covet a particular player, especially a quarterback. “Teams at the bottom of the first round should be able to drive a hard bargain to move down in a trade given what could be at stake with a quarterback,” said an AFC executive.

Hardy’s New Bench Trial By Peter King MMQB.com April 22, 2015 The new NFL was on display Wednesday afternoon when it suspended Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy for the first 10 games of 2015 season, without pay, for allegedly assaulting and threatening to kill his former girlfriend in May 2014. Though a judge found him guilty in a bench trial last July, Hardy was ultimately cleared of wrongdoing by the North Carolina judicial system in February, when prosecutors dropped charges instead of proceeding to a jury trial. But the new NFL, in which a former sex-crimes prosecutor handles domestic-violence investigations and a former ATF czar oversees disciplinary rulings, didn’t rely on a conviction in order to proceed with severe punishment. The NFL Players Association will likely appeal the suspension, and argue that Hardy’s being unable to play in 15 games last year while on the commissioner’s exempt list (with pay) should count as a suspension and time served. My guess is that the NFLPA will win a reduction in the 10-game suspension, the same way it won lesser sanctions for Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson in their respective domestic-abuse cases. Such an appeal and a possible adjustment to the suspension won’t surprise the NFL—nor will it alter the league’s new way of handing down discipline in these types of cases. It was clear that the NFL was going to suspend Hardy for at least six games, and probably more, after Roger Goodell put more teeth into his domestic-violence policy last August. At that time, part of his letter to team owners about his new policy said: “Effective immediately, violations of the Personal Conduct Policy regarding assault, battery, domestic violence or sexual assault that involve physical force will be subject to a suspension without pay of six games for a first offense, with consideration given to mitigating factors, as well as a longer suspension when circumstances warrant. Among the circumstances that would merit a more severe penalty would be a prior incident before joining the NFL, or violence involving a weapon, choking, repeated striking, or when the act is committed against a pregnant woman or in the presence of a child.” A reasonable argument can be made that someone who was suspended with pay last year—and that’s essentially what the commissioner’s exempt list did to Hardy—should not be double-jeopardized and have to serve another suspension (without pay) in 2015. But this is something the NFL had to do, or it would have been accused of not backing up its new policies with legitimate action. If this 10-game suspension stands, then Hardy will be held out of 25 games, one-and-a-half seasons of play. That would the longest contiguous suspension of any active player in league history. We’ll see if, on appeal, Hardy’s punishment is deemed egregious. Hardy never faced a jury trial in North Carolina because prosecutors couldn’t locate the alleged victim, Nicole Holder. (According to media reports, she had reached an agreement with Hardy in a civil suit.) Lisa Friel, the former sex-crimes prosecutor who is now the NFL’s senior vice president and special counsel for investigations, attempted to interview Holder but wasn’t able to. Most of the NFL’s evidence was gleaned from the disturbing testimony, documents and photos that were presented at the bench trial nine months ago. In that trial, Holder testified that Hardy threw her onto a bed filled with guns in

his Charlotte home, that he put his hands on her throat and left visible marks, and that he threatened to kill her. According to the NFL’s press release on Wednesday, the league described another aggravating element that factored into Hardy’s suspension: “The NFL’s investigation also concluded that Hardy failed to provide complete and accurate information to NFL investigators and members of the NFL staff.” A month after the NFL hired B. Todd Jones away from the ATF to oversee player discipline, the league suspended Hardy for 10 games just days after he filed paperwork in North Carolina to have the domestic-abuse charges officially expunged from his record. In March, Hardy signed an incentive-laden, one-year deal with the Cowboys that could have been worth as much as $13.1 million if he were to play the whole season. In the old NFL, in the absence of a legal conviction, he might have played virtually the entire 2015 season. But with Friel having conducted her own investigation, and concluding that weapons were present in the alleged assault, that Hardy put hands around the neck of the victim, and that he wasn’t entirely forthcoming in his dealings with the league, he won’t be eligible to return until the Cowboys play his old team, the Panthers, on Thanksgiving Day. My view: Whether the NFL wins or loses this on appeal, a message has been sent. The new policy puts teeth into rulings on domestic violence cases that didn’t exist before. Now, on to your emails … Prime-time games are great, but why do they start at 8:30 p.m. Eastern time? They usually don’t end until midnight. It’s pretty hard for working people on the East Coast, where most of us live, to watch the games till the end. This year almost a third of the Patriots’ games are primetime. This does not seem to be the right way to reward Patriots Nation for winning the Super Bowl by having their best games of the season end at midnight. Please start prime-time games earlier!!! — Pat That point has been made for the last 45 years, and as someone who has lived in the Eastern Time Zone for his entire life, I couldn’t agree with you more. But because the NFL wants the 27% of the country in Mountain and Pacific Time to be able to see the games after work, I don’t expect this to change. * * * How much more (or less) difficult was the schedule creation process prior to the fixed rotation of out-of-division games? I’d guess the flexibility to create any matchup was a plus, but too much flexibility maybe a negative? — Mike That’s a very good question. In the Val Pinchbeck room where Howard Katz and his staff spend four months working on the schedule, there is an old-fashioned board on the wall that Pinchbeck—the former schedule maker—used in the ’70s and ’80s. He used to sit there and gaze at the scheduling puzzle without the benefit of 136 computers. His head was the computer. So the schedule was not

nearly as complex for the reason you mentioned and many others. But it was also not an obsessed-about thing in America, either. It used to be the release of the schedule was a blip on the public’s radar screen. Now, NFL Network has 18 people analyzing it for three hours upon its release. There’s no question that the schedule, like so many other things in the NFL, has become overly dissected. * * * FULL DISCLOSURE: I am a Steelers fan. Leading up to the schedule release, a lot of teams from both coasts sent the league requests to “bundle” trips to the opposite coast. Most of the responses from the league were along the lines of “they would consider those requests, however, it is hard to accommodate requests like that.” It seems to me that the NFL did the Ravens a huge favor by “bundling” their four West Coast games into two trips. On top of that they got them out of the way before their Week 9 bye. A little quid pro quo maybe? — Rick I doubt there are many people in the Baltimore Ravens’ offices thanking their lucky stars that they have two two-game Western road trips in the first seven weeks of the season. I sincerely doubt that any team with only two games on the opposite coast would have requested that those two games be played in consecutive weeks. But if a team did, I doubt the league would try very hard to put those games back-to-back. I look at this from a different perspective than you. I think the Ravens playing five of their first seven on the road, including four in the Mountain or Pacific Time zones, is a tremendous burden. But I understand all schedules are looked at with a jaundiced eye. Every fan is going to find something to hate about his team’s schedule or a rival’s schedule. Just my opinion, but I think you need to look at this a little more globally and a little less locally. * * * How can Alex Boone say, “Dude, we got over the mountain,” when the 49ers did not win a Super Bowl?! Isn’t that the “mountain” or goal??? He sounds like a player who should have been gone, rather than the coach who was still pushing his players/team to the ultimate goal! — Reginald C. I agree with you more than I disagree. I have always thought that a coach who is very hard to get along with, but who wins, is the kind of coach you have to figure out a way to exist with. I understand clearly that Jim Harbaugh was very difficult to work with. But as I pointed out several times last winter, Bill Walsh was difficult for Eddie DeBartolo and Carmen Policy to work with, too. Having said all that, it still is difficult when so many people in the organization are having a problem with the head coach. And those people included players. Boone is certainly not the only one who had a difficult time with his coach. At least now we’re getting to see a fuller picture of Harbaugh’s relationship with players in the organization. * * *

Dear Peter, I appreciate your points on the Hernandez trial, but you missed one thing. Not only should the Patriots investigative staff take blame, but Urban Meyer should also be faulted for failing Hernandez at Florida. College coaches should also serve as mentors, and it seemed that while he helped Hernandez the football player, Meyer really came up short in helping Hernandez the person. — Benny R., Los Angeles I don’t know that, and I’m not sure you do either. I still think the bottom line in all of this is that Aaron Hernandez should have been playing very far away from the bad influences in Connecticut. Foxboro simply wasn’t far enough away. * * * Hey Peter, I don’t understand your fascination with Chip Kelly. Is he a good coach? I’d say so. Is he a great coach? The jury is still way out on this. Is he deserving of your adulation? I can’t understand why he would be. You had a separate section just for him during the season, and every week you’re telling us about his latest, greatest new move. Would it be possible for him to win just one playoff game before you anoint him the new Messiah? Seriously, he’s doing so many things for the Eagles that appear to be simply for the reason of doing something, anything, that it’s hard to find a method to his madness. Time will tell, but this Giants fan is happy to see him in Philly. It won’t be long before the Eagles return to mediocrity and Chip is back in college where his style of play belongs. — Warren Meyer, Oceanside, N.Y. If time will tell, why do you seem to have already made your decision? I agree that time will tell. We don’t know how good of a coach he is going to be in the NFL, and many good college coaches have failed at the pro level, including Steve Spurrier and Nick Saban. I don’t idolize Chip Kelly, although I do write a lot about him. He’s a compelling figure. What we try to do is find interesting people and good stories, and we write about people who do edgy things without fear. That’s Kelly. I don’t know if he’ll succeed, but I’m fascinated by his moves. I think the larger issue here is that if I see somebody in the NFL who is unafraid to take chances, despite an avalanche of criticism for it, that’s the kind of person that fascinates me. You mentioned me writing a special category in my column last year for Kelly. It’s because he made a lot of sense talking about things that most people around the NFL weren’t talking about. But I get it. If I write a lot about somebody there are going to be people who view that I love the guy or something like that. In today’s 24/7 NFL media culture, that’s the price of doing business.

Chargers GM: It's our plan to keep Philip Rivers By Kevin Patra NFL.com April 22, 2015 The San Diego Chargers continue to remain staunch in their stance that Philip Rivers will remain their quarterback. "There really is no update," general manager Tom Telesco said Wednesday. "It's the same thing I've said for the last four months, Philip's our quarterback and it's our plan and intent that he's our quarterback well into the future. "In all my discussions with him, he's shown a great amount of respect for his teammates and a great amount of respect for this organization. He's been here every day working extremely hard working with his teammates being the leader that he is. ... I know he's really excited about this season, as are we, and we move from there." That's what Telesco has to say. But what he didn't say on Wednesday was just as telling. One reporter asked if Telesco had discussed a trade with the Tennessee Titans involving Rivers. "I'm going to leave that go," Telesco said via the Union-Tribune San Diego. Translation: Absolutely, we have. Discussions about Rivers' future with the Chargers have run rampant the past several weeks. The quarterback is reportedly wary of the team's potential move to Los Angeles. Telesco then shut down further questions about the possibility that the Chargers would try to move up to No. 2 in a trade with the Titans, chasing Marcus Mariota. The GM said working out the quarterback was part of the draft process, and if team president Dean Spanos were to ask him about a player -- even a quarterback likely to go well before the No. 17 pick -- he needs to have an answer. Telesco said all discussions between players and agents will stay internal, but reiterated he intends on keeping Rivers in San Diego. "I've been crystal clear what our plan and intent are, I don't know what else to say," he said. "He's our quarterback. And hopefully for many, many years moving forward. I think he's got a lot of good years left in him. Through eight games last year, he was an MVP candidate, so we are thrilled to have him."

Denver Broncos get 5 prime-time games By Mark Harden Denver Business Journal April 22, 2015 The Denver Broncos are slated (tentatively) to appear before national television audiences five times in the coming season, including twice in the first three weeks. According to the schedule released late Tuesday, the Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs will share a Week 2 NFL Network/CBS national bill on Thursday, Sept. 17, at Kansas City, a week after Denver opens the 2015 campaign at home against the Baltimore Ravens — Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak's previous team — on Sept. 13. Then, on Week 3, Denver's Sept. 27 road game against the Detroit Lions will be NBC's Sunday Night Football broadcast (carried in Denver on KUSA-9News). Here are the three other scheduled prime time games, all home contests (subject to change in weeks 5-17 under the NFL's flexible scheduling policy): Nov. 1 — Against the Green Bay Packers, NBC's Sunday Night Football. Nov. 29 — Against the New England Patriots, the defending Super Bowl champions, NBC's Sunday Night Football. Dec. 28 — Against the Cincinnati Bengals, ESPN's Monday Night Football. Broncos games are likely to be followed closely this season nationwide because of the possibility that it will be the last for sure-fire future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning. Other high-interest games on the schedule: Nov. 8 on the road against the Indianapolis Colts, who eliminated the Broncos in last season's playoffs; and Nov. 22 on the road against the Chicago Bears, helmed by former Broncos head coach John Fox.

Broncos want to use Bradley Roby at safety By Josh Alper Pro Football Talk April 22, 2015 Chris Harris revealed that the Broncos will be putting their corners on islands more often this season in Wade Phillips’s defense and they might be putting one of their corners in a different position entirely. The Broncos are putting together plans to use 2014 first-round pick Bradley Roby at free safety in order to get him on the field as much as possible during his second season in Denver. Roby admits that his first choice is to be a full-time cornerback, but he’s open to something that both boosts his playing time and helps the defense. “That’s why they are considering it. There’s no doubt I can do it. It just teeters in my mind: Is this something for the rest of my career or just certain times in the game?” Roby said, via the Denver Post. “I hope it leans to the first one. But adding versatility will only help.” Coach Gary Kubiak said that the goal is to have him on the field for “70 to 100 percent somehow” and strong safety T.J. Ward believes that Roby has the ability to handle the shift in position. The Broncos signed Darian Stewart as a free agent, so they can still use Roby as their nickel corner alongside Harris and Aqib Talib as they work to put their best players on the field as much as possible in 2015.

In roles and personnel, safety a position in transition By Andrew Mason DenverBroncos.com April 22, 2015 For Denver's safeties, the 2015 offseason brings a new scheme in which "activate" could have any number of meanings, the potential for big plays through well-timed aggression, and a few potential tweaks on the depth chart. The Broncos' safety corps has not endured as much change as some other units -- most notably the offensive line. But with the addition of former Ravens starter Darian Stewart, the potential for Bradley Roby to get some safety work and a streamlined workload for T.J. Ward after a late season spent as a sub-package linebacker, the landscape is different. The changes begin with Stewart, signed in the wake of Rahim Moore's free-agent departure. "The transition's been (going) well. I'm loving it out here," Stewart said. "I'm getting acclimated very well, and I'm just having fun." One of the first tasks for the safety duo is to get their pre-snap communication up to speed. "All of that is going to take time," Ward said. "We’re going to come in and get on the field. All that meshing, cohesion and chemistry is going to come. "It’s not all going to come in the workouts. It starts now in the meeting room and workouts. Everyone knows it doesn’t mean anything until you get out there on the field." And once the Broncos take the field, the competition for playing time begins in earnest -- and will include Roby and veteran David Bruton. "[Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips] says he’s going to put the six best DBs on the field," Ward said. "Whoever it is, is going to be more than capable of filling that job. Bradley, with his ability, his smarts and his competitiveness, he’s definitely one of those players that is definitely capable of doing that.” The same could be said for Bruton, who saw more playing time late last season because of injuries. He found a niche diagnosing screen passes as they developed and attacking the receiver, limiting yardage. "When I was out, he had a good game against Oakland and then in the sub-packages he came in and tackled well, was physical and aggressive," Ward said. And his play is one reason why not even the two-time Pro Bowler Ward assumes his spot is secure. "I know the coaches haven’t and I haven’t penciled in anyone next to me," Ward said. " know guys are coming for my spot and I’m working as hard as I can to be the best player I can.

"We’ve got a bunch of guys that can fill that spot, and that’s a great thing about it. We have two, three, four guys -- Omar [Bolden] as well -- that are all going to be fighting for that spot. It’s going to be a good competitive offseason."

T.J. Ward excited for diverse role, sees more secondary improvement By Ben Swanson DenverBroncos.com April 22, 2015 When it comes to the Broncos' secondary, few teams—if any—were better in 2014. They ranked No. 1 in passing yards per play allowed, ranked No. 2 in pass coverage according to Pro Football Focus and three of the four starting members went to the Pro Bowl. So in thinking about the coming season, getting even better would be quite impressive. "We had a talented secondary, but it’s all about gelling together. It was our first year playing together — it was the first year for a lot of guys on defense playing together. We’re only going to be better," T.J. Ward said Thursday. "That cohesion is only going to come with time. I think the more that we play together, especially in the secondary, me, [CB Aqib] Talib, [CB] Chris [Harris Jr.] and whoever steps into that safety role, we’re going to need that type of gelling. We’re going to get better with time." As they gained that cohesion in the first year as the season went on, after it concluded the Broncos then had to look to find a new part of the puzzle once Rahim Moore signed with the Houston Texans in free agency. Now the competition has included new safety Darian Stewart, veteran David Bruton and possibly even Bradley Roby, who could see time at the position as a cornerback. Along with trying add a new starting piece into the fold to go with their coelescing talents, the group will also be part of a changing defensive scheme, from 4-3 to the 3-4. One of the benefits of this is freeing Ward to do what he does best. "Now it’s going to be more of a five-man front compared to a four-man front where I’m the fifth guy last year. Now I’ll be the sixth guy," he said. "It takes a little bit of pressure off of me as far as having to take on blockers, offensive lineman and things like that. I’ll be able to move around a little bit more. I think you’ll see a lot more running and hitting from me compared to shedding guards." The aggressiveness involved in the new defense has been perhaps the biggest focus in regards to the impact of a new defense, and that is a key advantage for Ward. The possibility of bringing his speed, physicality and tackling skills to blitzing has made considerable conversation among Broncos media, and Ward said it's been something he and Wade have already talked about. At this point in the offseason program, the initial talks are the basis for what's to come. "Right now, we’re trying to start with the basics. We’re just now getting into the blitz installs and sub packages," Ward said. "It’s definitely more of a variety of what I am going to be allowed to do, so I’m excited about that."

Rick Upchurch to represent Broncos at 2015 NFL Draft By Ben Swanson DenverBroncos.com April 22, 2015 Ring of Famer Rick Upchurch will proudly represent the Broncos at the 2015 NFL Draft, announcing the Broncos' second-round pick at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, 51 years years after the last time it hosted the event. This is the fifth year that NFL legends from each of the league's 32 franchises will take the stage to make the second-round pick announcement. Upchurch was a legendary kick returner for the Broncos, earning selections to the Pro Football Hall of Fame's All-Decade Team for the 1970s and the 1980s, as well as four Pro Bowl nods and three First-Team All-Pro selections. "This is truly a blessing, first and foremost, and I am honored to be representing the Denver Broncos at the draft this year," Upchurch said in an interview on Wednesday. "I’m thankful that they would think of me in that way; I'll represent them very, very well." In addition to announcing the Broncos' second-round pick, Upchurch will partake in all the draft festivities, signing autographs, doing interviews and meeting his fellow legends from other teams in a "Legends Lounge," where he's excited to meet other great players and share stories that he jokingly described as "telling a bunch of lies and a little bit of the truth." Upchurch, who was inducted into the Broncos' Ring of Fame last year in 2014, finished his career having either tied the NFL record in punts returned for a touchdown (eight) and broke the record for career punt return yardage (3,008). "Just to have the opportunity to go and represent the Broncos means a lot and being inducted to the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame with the rest of the great ballplayers, it’s truly an honor and I’m very thankful," he said. "...Any way I can use that to represent the Denver Broncos in a positive way, that’s certainly what I’m going to do, and like I said, I’m truly honored and I’m very thankful."

Back at guard, Louis Vasquez adjusts to zone blocking By Andrew Mason DenverBroncos.com April 22, 2015 Louis Vasquez made the best of a difficult situation in 2014, handling his midseason move to right tackle without complaint. But even with the unfamiliarity of a new scheme focused on zone blocking, this offseason brings him back to the spot he knows best: right guard, the position at which he was a first-team All-Pro in 2013. "My mentality is that I'm a guard," Vasquez said. "I would love to stay inside the trenches. That's what my mentality is. I'm a big, strong guy and I like to get physical. On the outside it's more finesse; the guys want to rush the passers and things of that nature. That's not my forte." And the other personnel changes along the line hampered the unit's attempt to gain chemistry. And although the Broncos' rushing offense became more efficient, cracks formed. "It strained us as a unit up front," Vasquez said. "Having that stability and everybody in the same places helps with our gelling together and just becoming a unit as one. That just helps everybody else's chemistry." And that's why this offseason is so crucial for the offensive line. The competition at left guard, center and right tackle will define the offseason as the Broncos attempt to find a combination to build around their twin pillars, Vasquez and left tackle Ryan Clady. "Having guys competing, it's going to make us work even harder and just make us even better," Vasquez said. "Through this time we'll work at it and we'll get the guys in the right spots." But building cohesion takes time. As Vasquez noted, when an offensive line meshes as it should, the unit reaches a point later in the season where the linemen "don't have to talk -- we know what each other's going to do and what each other is thinking." So the sooner that potential starters rise to to the top line of the depth char, the better. "Hopefully we'll figure it out sooner rather than later," Vasquez said. "And if we figure it out sooner, that'll help us have more chemistry up front." And chemistry is as essential as above-average footwork to a zone-blocking scheme. "I just feel like it will complement what my strengths are," Vasquez said. "Obviously, it's been successful in the past. We'll work at it up front. The zone is going to be our bread and butter." But for the moment, it's still something new, making the classroom time with Offensive Coordinator Rick Dennison and Offensive Line Coach Clancy Barone essential.

"We're in there first thing in the morning meeting with [Dennison], installing the daily installs," Vasquez said. "He's there to answer any questions, and he quizzes us to make sure that we're doing what we're supposed to do, doing our part, because he's for sure during his."

Five interesting things about for the Broncos' schedule By Ben Swanson DenverBroncos.com April 22, 2015 1. The later bye week is key Last year the Broncos' bye week came early, setting the team up for a Week 4 break followed by 13 consecutive weeks of games. This year's bye comes much closer to splitting the schedule, with six games before the break. The bye will provide a nice reprieve after spending four of the five weeks prior on the road, as well as let the Broncos prepare with an extra week for the Packers, who remain much the same as the roster they had last year that nearly took down the Seahawks in the NFC Championship. In regards to general health, being able to split the schedule like this just helps keep the players from accumulating a ton of attrition in consecutive weeks. 2. The timing of the Broncos' Week 8 and 9 opponents Peyton Manning passed Brett Favre for the NFL's career passing touchdowns record last year with No. 509 coming against the 49ers, and this year Manning could pass Favre again in another passing record. Manning currently sits at No. 2 in the NFL's all-time passing yardage marks with 2,147 fewer yards than Favre. This could set up Manning to break that record, if he passes for an average of about 307 yards in each of those games and against Green Bay. If it takes another week (an average of 268.4 passing yards in first seven games), then he would hit the mark against his former team. In addition, if the Broncos happen to be undefeated at that time, Manning would tie Favre's mark for career wins in Week 8 and break it in Week 9. Never a dull storyline. 3. Five nationally televised games showcase big matchups The Broncos will be mainstays on the big networks for their biggest games, beginning with a Week 2 Thursday night showdown with the Chiefs, who made a big free agency move to get Jeremy Maclin. A healthier Chiefs defense with a bigger spark in their wide receiver corps could make them more dangerous, though the Broncos probably won't be too disappointed that their early visit to Kansas City won't have last year's bitterly cold and windy weather. The following week the Broncos head to Detroit for Sunday Night Football. Calvin Johnson will test the Broncos' secondary as few receivers can, but the cornerback duo of Aqib Talib and Chris Harris Jr. could give him trouble. The tough early back-to-back road games will be an early challenge. The Broncos return to the limelight for the aforementioned game against the Packers. Beyond the intriguing notes above, this will be Aaron Rodgers' first game in Denver. Then Denver will host New England in Week 12 on NBC Sunday Night Football to cap the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. The reigning Super Bowl champs will have a revamped secondary, but by that time of the season, Bill Belichick and the Patriots coaching staff might have figured out a way to compensate for the loss of Darrelle Revis back to the Jets. The Broncos last beat New England in the regular season in 2009.

As the season winds down, the Broncos' final nationally televised game will be on Monday Night Football against the Bengals, just like last year, except on the Broncos' turf. The Bengals have the second-hardest schedule, and this will be the Broncos' 24th consecutive season with a Monday Night Football game, which is the longest active streak. 4. Homefield advantages and road difficulties During the 2014 regular season, the Broncos went undefeated at home before the passionate Mile High fans. They'll hope to do the same this year and though the difficulty ramps up at home—visiting teams had an overall winning percentage of 56 percent in 2014—those teams' success fell considerably on the road to win just 42 percent of those games. Meanwhile, the road holds big challenges. Away teams combined to have a lower winning percentage based on their 2014 records than the Broncos' challengers at home, but the teams the Broncos will visit defend their home stadiums well. The away opponents won 60.5 percent of their home games, beating out the NFL's 2014 league average of 56.6 percent. 5. Reuniting with old friends and foes This season's schedule is chock full of games against familiar opponents, either in team or in the individuals. The Ravens—Head Coach Gary Kubiak's old team, as well as a few others on the coaching staff and Darian Stewart's, too—is first up for the Broncos in Week 1. When the Broncos go to Cleveland in Week 6, safety T.J. Ward will play his former team. In Week 9, Denver will go to Indianapolis, where they'll face the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year in the divisional round. Going on the road to face the Colts also gives Peyton Manning the opportunity to make a first in his career—winning in Indianapolis on the visiting team. The Broncos offense will face a familiar face in Nate Irving, too. The Broncos will play against teams coached by members of their previous coaching staff both within the division and outside it. The Raiders are coached by former Defensive Coordinator Jack Del Rio, and the Bears have former Head Coach John Fox and Offensive Coordinator Adam Gase. The Patriots are also a team the Broncos are quite familiar with, and Peyton Manning, too, with the always-heralded Manning-Brady matchup. And Emmanuel Sanders will face his old team, the Steelers, in Week 16 as they travel back to his old stomping grounds in Pittsburgh. There will be plenty of interesting stories prefacing each game, not just the customary anticipation that goes with plenty of outstanding matchups.