Broncos join local KaBOOM! playground build By Ben Swanson DenverBroncos.com September 30, 2014

DENVER — This morning, the courtyard at the Garden Court Community was barren, little more than mud. But with the help of dozens of volunteers, the same ground had become a brand new playground just within seven hours.

The steel and plastic playground structures had been put together and arranged, the mulch had been sprinkled and spread around, the cement holding the poles to form had been set. It was a long process, but nothing a group of volunteers that size couldn't accomplish in one day.

Intent on giving the community's children a new place to safely play, the volunteers split up to conquer the task at hand. Some hauled the mulch to the playground from a big pile, some painted a train-shaped playhouse, some put together benches or the playground equipment, some mixed concrete, and eventually it all came together.

The Broncos were on hand, some of the staff participating as volunteers and the cheerleaders were there to cheer on at the beginning with Miles, and offensive linemen Manny Ramirez and Louis Vasquez joined in to put the finishing touches on the playground.

"It's just part of giving back to the community, especially with all the support they give us," Ramirez said. "Just being able to return the favor in every possible little way that we can—it is our day off, but it is the kind of stuff we enjoy. I, for one, have kids, so I know how much this means to them. And going back to growing up, I didn't really have much nice areas to be able to go out and play and not have to worry about anything and just being able to give back and be part of the future of little kids being able to come here and enjoy their time, it means a lot."

The event came about through the partnership of four key organizations: the CarMax Foundation, KaBOOM!, Rocky Mountain Communities, and the Denver Broncos. KaBOOM! has been building playgrounds for communities since 1995, and has built more than 2,000 playgrounds since their inception. This playground is the 14th of a partnership between KaBOOM! and the CarMax Foundation.

The playground that was put into the ground Tuesday came to life following a two-month planning process with Rocky Mountain Communities, KaBOOM! and CarMax associates.

But it's much more than just a playground, and I don't just mean that they also built benches and planters.

"While it starts with the playground, it's much more of a community space, so in addition to the playground structure, we're building shade and benches and planters and we're doing murals to really make this a focal point for this community, a multi-generational place so while the kids are playing or the grandkids are playing, the parents are socializing and getting to know each other and networking with the community," said Leslie Parpart, manager of the CarMax Foundation.

Being able to give the kids and families a positive presence and safe space to congregation and in which to play is an invaluable resource, and it goes hand in hand with the Broncos and NFL's Play 60 campaign effort to encourage children to get 60 minutes of activity a day.

And after Tuesday's quick construction, the children at the Garden Court Community have a place to have fun outdoors within just a short walk.

Texas Tech well represented on Broncos' starting offense in Super Bowl By Nick Kosmider The Denver Post January 27, 2014

The week leading up to the Super Bowl in Lubbock, Texas, like much of the Lone Star State, is often spent lamenting another lost season with the beloved, yet frustrating Dallas Cowboys missing out on the big game.

But this year is different.

"I think there's a whole town of new Broncos fans," said Evan Onstot, a TV news anchor in Lubbock who grew up in Denver and attended Arapahoe High School. "You listen to sports talk radio down here, and they're talking about it all the time. Almost everyone is cheering for the Broncos, and the main reason, if not the only reason, is because of the three Red Raiders on the team."

Wes Welker, Manny Ramirez and Louis Vasquez, more than a quarter of the Broncos' record-setting starting offense this season, attended Texas Tech University in the heart of Lubbock. And each player has been a key contributor to the Broncos' first Super Bowl in 15 years.

Welker, who played in only 13 games during the regular season because of concussion issues, caught a career-high 10 touchdown passes in his first year with the team. Vasquez, also in his first season with the Broncos, earned all-pro honors for the first time in his career and was selected to his first Pro Bowl.

Ramirez has been perhaps the most pleasant surprise, seamlessly sliding into the No. 1 center slot and forging quick chemistry with demanding quarterback Peyton Manning.

"I think it's very seldom that you have two centers go on (injured reserve), and for him to step up the way that he has, it has been pretty incredible," said Welker, who was a teammate of Ramirez's for one season in college. "I knew what a great player and person Manny was at Texas Tech, and he continues to show it even now."

While the Super Bowl can be a major boost for the cities that are home to its participants, college towns feel the connection to the biggest game in American sports through their former stars. That can be especially true for coaches.

Washington State coach Mike Leach, who coached Welker, Ramirez and Vas- quez during his previous job at Texas Tech, estimates that he will be one of the few souls in the Pacific Northwest pulling for the Broncos against Seattle. He said he is especially proud of Ramirez and Vasquez, whom he called "the unsung heroes" of the Red Raiders' successful teams in their college careers.

"Manny was freakishly strong," Leach said. "He could bench 550 pounds, and I'm not sure if I've had anybody else who could do that. Louis was just more talented than everybody else. I used to hope somebody on the other team would hit him in the mouth early the game, because then he would just explode and really wreck people inside."

Vasquez, who played with Ramirez for two seasons at Texas Tech and calls the center "my brother," said the support he's received from those who coached him or watched him play in college has been humbling.

"Wherever you have been and whatever lives you've come into contact with," Vasquez said, "to know that they're behind you, it's an honor."

In Lubbock, hearing "Texas Tech" three times when the Broncos' starting offense is introduced on Super Bowl Sunday will be a source of pride.

"It's not like Miami or Alabama, where's there's just a ton of guys to follow," Onstot said. "There's only a handful of (former Texas Tech players) starting in the NFL, so to have three of them on one side of the ball playing in the Super Bowl, it's pretty special."

Centers to the stars By Elizabeth Merrill ESPN.comJanuary 15, 2014

DENVER -- Sometime before the Denver Broncos' playoff game last weekend, Peyton Manning delivered a short speech. He talked to his teammates about all the adversity they'd overcome in 2013, from coach John Fox's in-season heart surgery to injuries to suspensions to skyscraping expectations.

And then Manning singled out Manny Ramirez. Not the troubled baseball player with the dreadlocks; the bald-headed 30-year-old center who's a relative unknown outside of the Broncos' locker room. Six months ago, Ramirez hadn't snapped a ball in an NFL game, and now here he is, confident and steady, one with his quarterback. They've come a long way together, and Manning just wanted to acknowledge his center's efforts.

"He said it's been a pleasure being able to put his hands in my rear," Ramirez said. "Which didn't come off right. But everybody understood what he was saying."

There is no way to fully understand what Ramirez does. He is a protector, a translator in a world of dummy calls and verbiage; he is the calm in the chaos. He's a guy who snaps a football between his legs. One of the few people who can relate, perhaps, is New England Patriots lineman Ryan Wendell. Ramirez and Wendell are centers for two of the greatest -- and most demanding -- quarterbacks in NFL history.

Ramirez will not go as far as to say Manning is anal-retentive. He prefers to call him "passionate." It is Manning who requests that they work on the quarterback-center exchange before every practice, because that's what he's always done. It was Manning who once made former Indianapolis Colts center Jeff Saturday run through an entire practice soaking wet in the days before the Super Bowl because he'd heard there was a chance of rain, so they had to do a wet-ball drill.

Ramirez and Wendell make the line calls in fast-moving offenses with quarterbacks who change things on the fly. Virtually no one grows up aspiring to be a center. He's usually the smallest, smartest and strangest of the offensive linemen. To work with Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, you also have to be one of the toughest. Former Broncos great Tom Nalen, who served as John Elway's center in the 1990s, isn't sure he'd want either of their jobs.

"Mentally, it would be really draining on me," Nalen said. "I look at Tom Brady and it's a little different. They rely a little more on the running game now, they huddle up and do a little more traditional offense. But they can go hyper speed and all. With Peyton Manning … they don't even huddle. I like to prepare and know what the plays are. This is almost a 'check-with-me' system.

"There's a lot of communication, a lot of words, and if you miss one of them, you're screwed. There's a lot of pressure snapping the ball to who I think is one of the best quarterbacks of all time. Let's not forget making sure he stays healthy. I felt that way with John Elway. With Manning, even more. You don't want to be that guy who ends his career. There's a lot of thought process that goes into it. I don't think I'd be smart enough to do it."

But there are at least a dozen men who have done it, and most of them say they wouldn't want to snap to anyone else. Here are some of their stories and memories of playing in front two of the most iconic athletes in professional sports:

DAN KOPPEN, New England Patriots center, 2003-11, Broncos center, 2012-present

About an hour before Sunday's kickoff between the Broncos and the San Diego Chargers, Koppen was standing outside the locker room in street clothes, talking on his cell phone. Koppen tore his ACL during training camp, and for the past six months, he's been part of something big, but also feels as if he's watching it through a plate-glass window. Manning broke the single-season passing yardage and touchdown records in the NFL; the line gave up a league-low 20 sacks. And Koppen, who's used to being in the middle of the action, was on the outside.

As the Broncos celebrated their playoff victory Sunday night, Koppen, wearing a red hoodie, quietly slipped out into the windy night. He said he's happy for the guys. But this next week no doubt is killing him. The Broncos are playing New England -- his former team -- for a trip to the Super Bowl.

It didn't seem that long ago that Koppen was young and in control. His rookie year with the Patriots, Koppen got his first start in Week 2 at Philadelphia, when Damien Woody was injured. Things seemed to flow naturally between Koppen and Brady from the start. They went to three Super Bowls together, and Koppen has two rings.

He considers himself lucky, not burdened, to have played with both Brady, 36, and Manning, 37. They've got the tough jobs, Koppen says. He considered his easy in comparison.

"We had a good time," Koppen said. "I think Tom's more of that laid-back type. And Peyton has more of that coach attitude. He's really always grinding. And both approaches work for each guy. To each his own."

One of Koppen's favorite memories involves Brady and a photo shoot the quarterback did for GQ magazine in 2005. Brady was holding a goat in one of the poses, and the linemen had a field day with it. One practice, Koppen and Matt Light made copies of the goat photo and affixed them to the backs of their jerseys.

"If they ask you [to do it]," Koppen laughed of one of Brady's only ill-fated decisions, "you don't have to say yes."

Brady is one of his closest friends. There were never any long, detailed discussions with Brady about what he expected of him. Like every other Patriot, Koppen knew what was expected of him: Do your job, and do it to the best of your ability. "That came from the head coach," Koppen said.

He broke his ankle in a Week 1 game against Miami in 2011, was put on injured reserve and was one of the final cuts the next summer. When he was picked up by Denver, it seemed like a perfect fit. The offense was similar aside from some line calls and terminology.

Koppen didn't watch a lot of film with Manning, who was coming off neck surgery and learning a new system. They'd talk quite a bit to make sure they were on the same page. But like Brady, Koppen always knew what he was getting with Manning.

"They want guys out there who know what's going on so they don't have to worry about another thing," Koppen said. "They want to know that the line is taken care of and that the fat guys up front are all set and they don't have to worry about that."

Koppen, who's 34, said he's retiring after the season. He hates to go out this way, but his mind is set.

"Before I signed the contract this year to come back to Denver, my wife and I talked about it, that this would probably be my last run," he said. "I'm just going to go away and disappear. Well, not disappear, but just go away. I've had a wonderful 11 years with two great programs, with a lot of great football players. And just as important, we've won a lot of football games."

TREY TEAGUE, former NFL lineman, Manning's center at the University of Tennessee

Teague was driving through the Mississippi Delta on Monday, headed for a trip to hunt deer and ducks. On a few occasions, Manning would take this trip with him. They were roommates in college, which means Teague has a distinct memory of waking up in the middle of the night and finding Manning asleep, clutching the remote control, snow on the TV. Manning always used to doze off watching cutups on VHS tapes.

Now normally, Teague, who played in the NFL for nine years, says no to interviews if the caller is asking about Manning. He's always believed that locker-room stories were supposed to stay in the locker room, stored away until old friends could meet again and laugh about them on trips or reunions. But so much of who he is today is because of Manning, and he wants to talk about that.

There are many stories that are funny now, and would make just about anyone else besides Manning come off as uncool. But let's just say that any roommate of Manning's was going to have to be focused. If Teague was up late on a Thursday

night during football season, Manning would ask him why. If he'd try to bring his girlfriend over on a Friday night -- that didn't fly with Manning.

"It was just a different level of accountability that you wouldn't normally expect from a 19- or 20-year-old," Teague said. "I probably was more successful after college and may or may not have even made it in the NFL if I wasn't witnessing that kind of work ethic.

"Peyton wasn't demanding in terms of, 'You need to do this,' or 'You need to do that.' He just set the bar really high. You just felt like you didn't have a lot of choice but to try to get toward that level. I got a personal foul penalty on the first play of the year my senior year, I think. I don't know if I was more concerned about going to the huddle to hear what Peyton had to say or going to the sideline and hearing what coach [Phillip] Fulmer had to say."

Teague switched to center midway through his junior year at Tennessee. Everybody on that team was in the spotlight because it was Manning's team. When Teague switched positions, the local media wanted to know how they'd prepare to work together. Someone, either he or Manning -- he can't remember -- joked that they practiced their snaps at home while watching "Seinfeld." Because it was uber-prepared Manning, the media thought it was true.

Teague said that in his first game at center, Manning got hit and sprained his MCL. At halftime, he told Teague they'd have to play in the shotgun formation the rest of the way. Teague had never done a shotgun snap. Manning asked if he was good with it. "Am I good with that?" Teague asked incredulously. Manning told him not to snap it over his head.

"When I played center after that going forward," Teague said, "I figured that was a good philosophy."

DAMIEN WOODY, Brady's center in New England, 2001-03

Woody was with Brady in the beginning, when he was a fresh-faced 24-year-old stepping in for an injured Drew Bledsoe. At first, the kid leaned on Woody a bit, but Brady was a fast study and soon everyone turned to him.

Early in Brady's career, the Patriots were playing at Miami, a place that was a very tough road venue for New England. Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor was taunting Brady, roaming and lining up all over the place.

Finally, Brady got fed up with Taylor.

"He tapped me on my rear end," Woody said. "He said, 'Take care of that guy right there. Take him out of the play.' So we changed the play at the line of scrimmage. We got Jason Taylor really good on that play to kind of send him a message that this is going to be a long day for not only you but everybody out there."

It was a special locker room back then, Woody said. There were no cliques. Brady was friends with everyone. He was just one of the guys. If they botched a snap -- which didn't happen very often -- both Woody and Brady got an earful from coach Bill Belichick. The coach didn't discriminate against who he yelled at, Woody said.

Woody could never quite master the shotgun snap. Four yards seemed like 40. It was such a mental challenge that he saw a sports psychologist for help.

"It was always like, 'Man, I don't want to snap it over his head,'" said Woody, who now works as an NFL analyst at ESPN. "I'd either snap it one direction or the other or snapped it without enough velocity. It was always something.

"In the latter part of my career, I was a backup center for the Lions and Jets, and I would just go up there and flick it back, no problem. But when I was with New England, it was all in my head. I just didn't want to be the one making that mistake."

STEVE FRAZIER, Brady's center at the University of Michigan

They came in together in 1995, and what Frazier remembers about that freshman year at Michigan is how skinny Brady looked. Guys called each other by their last names back then, but Brady hated that. He went by Tom or Tommy.

Frazier, who's now a pilot for American Eagle Airlines, sweat a lot back then. Most people thought the towel hanging on his back was for Brady, but it was actually so Frazier could dry his hands before he snapped the ball. Frazier rarely made mistakes, but during their senior season in 1999, when the Wolverines were ranked No. 9 and playing Illinois, he launched a shotgun snap that sailed over Brady's head. Brady fell on it for a 25-yard loss, and the Illini wound up pulling off an upset.

For days, Frazier received hate mail from angry fans (players' emails were in the student registry). Brady, though, never lashed out at him. He was a cool customer, in command in the huddle. He made everything easy.

"He just expected us to do our jobs and we did it most of the time," Frazier said. "If guys were not getting it done, he would say something but he was never … I don't remember him ever losing his cool over anything like that."

Frazier still gets a Christmas card from Tommy and supermodel Gisele, and he sees Brady at reunions. On Saturday night, when the Patriots beat the Colts for a spot in the AFC Championship Game, Frazier's two kids wore Michigan gear. They always do that during New England games.

Sometimes, when he watches Brady on TV, it reminds him of their days and their chemistry at Michigan.

"I can't point to a certain mannerism, but you recognize him from afar," he said. "I don't spend a whole lot of time living in the glory days, but I do think back fondly to those days. We had a good time."

RICHARD O'BRIEN, Manning's center at Isidore Newman High in New Orleans

Here's the best indicator of how under-the-radar the centers for Brady and Manning fly: Tony Reginelli, who coached at Isidore Newman for more than three decades, remembers everything. He can talk for 15 minutes about a practice from 25 years ago.

But on Saturday morning, when Reginelli took a call at his house in New Orleans, he was stumped. He could not remember who served as Manning's center in high school. He suggested calling Lee Zurik, a former Newman star who is now an investigative reporter for the local Fox affiliate. Zurik quickly responded, saying Richard O'Brien was Manning's first center in high school.

O'Brien now lives in Denver, and he doesn't have much of a memory of Manning being a taskmaster. See, O'Brien is two years older, and grew up with Peyton's older brother, Cooper. So he always knew Peyton as Cooper's little brother.

But he did remember a story that was so Peyton. When they were in high school, Dan Marino was doing commercials for Isotoner gloves. In the ads, Marino would give his linemen gloves, and all of Manning's line knew Marino's catchy slogan by heart: "Take care of the hands that take care of you."

Newman's linemen, who gave young Peyton a very clean pocket during his sophomore season in 1991, began to jokingly give the quarterback grief. They told Manning that they protected him better than the Dolphins protected Marino, so where was their gift?

Before the Greenies' first playoff game, Manning outfitted each of his linemen with the gloves.

"I think I still have mine," O'Brien said.

MANNY RAMIREZ, Manning's center for the Broncos, 2013

Before training camp, there was nothing about Ramirez that made outsiders believe he could handle the demands of his new job. Ramirez struggled at his natural position, guard, in 2012. But Manning always had confidence in him. Maybe he saw something in Ramirez during all the film he watched.

"He has just gotten better each week," Manning said after a practice last month. "He's played through a lot of injuries. It speaks to his toughness. He's one of the strongest guys on the team. I think people in this building understand with the sophistication of this offense just how difficult his job is. And he's just been outstanding."

Ramirez has spent much of his career defying his critics. He'd listen to people tell him he wasn't supposed to go to college because he's of Mexican-American descent; he'd hear the talk that he wasn't in the same class as Koppen and former Broncos center J.D. Walton.

Even Nalen was surprised at how Manning and Ramirez got on the same page so quickly. He figures they've watched a lot of film together.

Shortly after the Broncos' victory Sunday, Manning passed by Ramirez's locker, shared a handshake and congratulated him, always taking care of the hands who protect him.

JEFF SATURDAY, Manning's center in Indianapolis, 1999-2011

It always seemed easy for Manning and Saturday. It wasn't. Like many centers, Saturday didn't choose his path. He was a young defensive lineman at the University of North Carolina when he sized up his competition and realized that it would be a very long time before he got on the field. Luckily, the offensive line needed help. Saturday's introduction to center started something like this: Tar Heels assistant Eddie Williamson asked if he liked making calls and studying football. Saturday said yes.

Williamson handed him a ball and told him to learn how to snap it. Saturday wound up clobbering his more talented defensive opponents in practice, but went undrafted in 1998, the same year Manning went No. 1 overall. Saturday was working at an electric supply company in North Carolina when the Colts signed him in January 1999.

He would eventually make 170 starts with Manning, a league record for a quarterback-center duo.

"Once we started doing it, we just added to it week by week and then year by year," said Saturday, an ESPN analyst. "And then ultimately it became our offense. You communicated with signals, and then it was code words and then it kind of morphed as you continued to play together. Then as you see things in games, you kind of build a rapport of, 'Hey, do you remember when this happened in Baltimore in 2003 or against New England?'

"So now you're all drawing from very similar memories and you can really recall the information of what needs to be done. That's why the offense worked as well as it did. Listen, Peyton Manning is a brilliant football mind. He understands the game; he gets it and you're completely comfortable. You practice and you play the game

exactly the same. So he's got to work through every scenario that he thinks you're going to face so there's no surprises come game day."

The wet-ball drill was one of these annoying Peyton preparations. They'd dunk footballs in five-gallon buckets, and the ball would get heavy and hard to handle. Saturday was wet and annoyed; Manning was trying to figure out how to hold the wet ball and adjust to its weight.

It was just another day in the life of Peyton's center. That Sunday, the Colts beat the Chicago Bears 29-17 in Super Bowl XLI in Miami. It rained continuously that night.

Ramirez has fended off doubters, d-linemen alike By Arnie Stapleton Associated Press December 25, 2013

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Manny Ramirez has arguably the toughest job in pro football. As Peyton Manning's center, he literally works under the most demanding quarterback in the NFL.

Not only that, but before this season, the seventh-year journeyman from Texas Tech hadn't played a full year at center since his junior year at Willowridge High School in Houston — way back in 2000.

With Ramirez as its anchor, the Broncos' offensive line has allowed the fewest sacks in the NFL (17), giving Manning time to throw his record 51 TD passes and plowing the way for Knowshon Moreno to top 1,000 yards rushing for the first time.

The Broncos (12-3) are 28 points shy of becoming the first 600-point team in history and a win at Oakland (4-11) on Sunday will secure home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs.

"Manny's been awesome," Manning said after a Christmas afternoon practice in pads. "That is no easy task to go from guard to center, especially in a sophisticated, fast-moving, always-changing offense. I think it would be one thing if you knew what play was going to be called and you had 40 seconds to process it. But we call one play and change it to the next with five seconds on the play clock and when we change a play, Manny has to make his own calls and he has just gotten better each week."

He's got the brawn and backbone to match the brains, too, Manning said.

"I know he has played through a lot of injuries. It speaks to his toughness," Manning said. "He is one of the strongest guys on our team, so it's very impressive. I'm not sure people (appreciate it). I think people in this building understand with the sophistication of our offense just how difficult his job is and he's just been outstanding."

Ramirez is an unlikely fulcrum for this historic offense, spending all season casting aside doubters and defensive linemen alike.

"This summer, I'm hearing all kind of grief about Manny can't do this, Manny can't do that," offensive line coach Dave Magazu said. "Well, I think Manny's proven all those people wrong."

Coach John Fox laughs now that nobody seemed to believe him when he kept saying in the offseason that Ramirez was his starting center and that he wasn't just keeping the position warm for J.D. Walton or Dan Koppen or Ryan Lilja or Steve Vallos or even Chris Kuper.

Ramirez, whose claim to fame before this season was bench-pressing a school-record 550 pounds in college, didn't listen to the skeptics but he couldn't help but hear them, either.

"Truthfully, and unfortunately, that's been my entire life," Ramirez said. "You know, even when I was playing in middle school and high school, I've always had doubters, and that's fine. That's always been motivation for me."

He's been proving people wrong since he first starting playing football.

"Growing up, where I'm from, people aren't shy to tell you to your face, 'You're not going to make it. You're a Mexican, for one thing. There's not many Mexicans that play in the league anyways. You're not smart enough. If you go to college, you're going to have to go to a juco first and then go to college if you get an opportunity,'" Ramirez said. "I don't know, it's just some dumb stuff people were always saying, trying to put me down for whatever reason it might be. But you've just got to put all that to the side."

Ramirez started 11 games at right guard for Denver last year, but free agency was barely 20 minutes old when he got a call from his old college teammate, Louis Vasquez, informing him he'd just signed a four-year, $23.5 million deal with the Broncos to play right guard.

"I was shocked, but at the same time I was excited because Louie and I got a bond that's like brothers, so I was happy for him," Ramirez said. "And then my mindset was I've just got to fight for a job."

The Broncos had a plan in mind for Ramirez.

When Manning began the second chapter of his career in Denver following the series of neck surgeries that affected his famed right arm, he rebuilt his throwing motion from the ground up.

No longer does he rely as much on his arm strength so much as he does on proper mechanics, using more of his hips and torso to direct his passes and generate speed. So, it's imperative that he has room to step into his throws.

That means, the Broncos needed more height and beef in the middle of their line, and they got it with Vasquez (6-foot-5, 335 pounds) and Zane Beadles (6-4, 305) at guard and Ramirez (6-3, 320) at center.

"That's helped us become a little more powerful on the run and a little stouter on the pass," Fox said. "So, those are areas you try to get better at physically. And then mentally is the thing that Manny's done a great job with.

"He's got a quarterback behind him that's a pretty demanding guy and changes and does things on the fly, so you've got to be a sharp guy and you've got to earn his trust and he has and done an excellent job."

Ramirez, Vasquez Join MuñozBy Brandon Moree DenverBroncos.com September 22, 2013

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – Sunday afternoon, approximately 300 children aged 9-13 were at the Broncos’ training facility learning from a Hall-of-Famer and two current Broncos offensive linemen.

Anthony Muñoz, who played offensive tackle for the Bengals from 1980-92 was an 11-time Pro-Bowl selection, went to a pair of Super Bowls and was named Offensive Lineman of the Year three times.

Muñoz was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 1998.

Sunday he was at the Broncos’ Dove Valley headquarters with Louis Vasquez and Manny Ramirez to host an NFL PLAY 60 Character Camp. The one-day, non-contact football camp was designed to positively impact youth through football instruction, focus on exercise and the importance of character.

Ramirez said that when he was a young football player he was nicknamed Muñoz, but didn’t know why. His coaches made him look it up and he figured out that it was a big honor – just as it was to meet him so many years later.

“It’s a privilege,” Ramirez said of meeting Muñoz. “I look at it as another blessing in my life just because of what he’s meant to our culture and what he represents. It’s been amazing.”

The camp – one of 13 around the country – was part of a Hispanic outreach initiative by the NFL that aims to offer the chance to play football to youth.

“One of the initiatives was Hispanic outreach with this camp,” Muñoz said. “Really bringing into the fold not only teaching the game but teaching character. For most of these kids it’s their first exposure to American football.

“That’s the great thing about it. We can use this great game to teach them football and at the same time give them the PLAY 60 message.”

NFL PLAY 60 is the league’s youth health and fitness campaign. The goal is to keep kids active for 60 minutes a day.

The event was conducted in accordance with USA Football’s FUNdamentals curriculum – teaching the basics without contact.

The 2012 Tochito flag football championship team from Coahuila, Mexico – which will be honored pregame Monday night – was a special guest at the event.

Denver linemen are happy to inspire By Jeff Legwold ESPN.comSeptember 22, 2013

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Looking back on it now, Denver's Manny Ramirez can't remember the moment, the day or even the week when things changed in how he looked at football and his place in it.

He just knows at some point in his time at Houston's Willowridge High School, he looked around the huddle, the locker room, and a simple reality set in.

"I didn't start to pay attention to anything about the NFL until I got to high school," Ramirez said. "I just played in the neighborhood when I was a kid because I loved to play and in seventh grade, I probably started to play organized [football] to stay out of trouble. But then I played as I went through school. I just played and played, and my teammates were my teammates.

"But in high school, I do remember looking around at one point and really thinking about it. I suddenly sort of realized, 'You know, I'm the only Hispanic player in here.' I think from that point on it's become something I've appreciated and respected. It's important to me for kids to look at me, maybe Mexican-American kids who are growing up like I grew up, and see the NFL is out there for them if they work and believe."

The NFL is the nation's undisputed sports king, a phenomenon that crossed virtually every economic and cultural barrier along the way. And it is no surprise that what has been characterized as the fastest-growing demographic group in the nation is on board as well. There are some projections that the Hispanic population in the United States could triple by the year 2050.

Statistics from the NFL show just more than 50 players of Hispanic heritage were on NFL rosters league-wide during training camp. Players such as Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez, Bears center Roberto Garza and Ramirez. But Ramirez need only look to his right when he lines up over the ball as the Denver Broncos center to see another, in guard Louis Vasquez. The pair will be in the lineup Monday night, as the Broncos host the Oakland Raiders (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).

Like Ramirez, Vasquez is a native Texan (Corsicana), who simply played football in his youth because he enjoyed it and, well, he was on his way to his current towering 6-foot-5, 335-pound frame.

"I grew up 50 miles south of Dallas, and when I was a kid it was just Cowboys all the time. They had [Troy] Aikman, Emmitt [Smith], Michael Irvin -- they won all

the time," Vasquez said. "I liked football, and the team right there was the best team, it was a natural thing. We all loved the Cowboys, you know? The Cowboys were Cowboys, I didn't really see anything beyond that, probably."

And like Ramirez, it was when Vasquez reached high school, when colleges had taken notice of the towering lineman with powerful hands and smooth technique, when he suddenly took notice of people and places.

"I didn't really watch the NFL and think I didn't see many Hispanics, it didn't even really dawn on me in that way," Vasquez said. "But when I was playing in high school, people would ask me sometimes, 'Why are you the only Mexican on the team,' and I really started to look around at that point and said, 'Man, there aren't many in the NFL or anything.'"

And Vasquez said when he was trying to decide where he might play college football, that he visited the University of Texas, as many prep players hope to do with visions of being a Longhorn dancing in their heads. He said: "But it just didn't feel right for me, for whatever reason." So, he kept looking, kept listening to various recruiters make their pitches. Kept checking the map to see how far he might have to go over the horizon to keep playing.

He ruled out Texas A&M, he said, and then took a visit to Lubbock.

"And at the time I'm starting to worry a little bit about where I'm going to end up and those kinds of things, and then I go visit Texas Tech," Vasquez said. "And they're taking me through the facility and I'm meeting some of the guys and it feels like there's a lot of potential for that to be the place. And then I meet Manny and Manny was just like me. Manny's like my brother now. You know, we've been around each other a long time, but Manny was kind of my host on that recruiting trip and now we're together again."

But in all of the inevitable questions of why that began to swirl in their heads as they also began to think of themselves as future adults with careers and families and responsibilities, there was also a name that began to enter the football conversation as well. A milepost, someone, like them, who came before them.

Someone both Ramirez and Vasquez had to discover.

"My high school coaches started calling me 'Munoz,'" Ramirez said. "When I would do something good in practice, or make the right pickup, showed some good technique, they would say something like, 'Way to work, Munoz.' So, I went and looked him up and figured out that wasn't just a compliment. Anthony Munoz was somebody I could aspire to be as a football player. Not like a Hall of Famer, but just somebody who did his job and did it well as a professional football player. I could relate to that."

Vasquez, too, said Munoz's name started coming up again and again and that he, too, took to a bit of research to see more about the Hall of Famer's playing career.

"Basically, I saw somebody who looked like me in the Hall of Fame," Vasquez said, "and that was a pretty big realization."

It can be easier to give directions once you've been down the road, easier to show the way once you've been where others want to go. Munoz hasn't taken an NFL snap since 1992 and the member of the NFL's 75th Anniversary Team was enshrined into the Hall of Fame in the Class of 1998. But the thought of two offensive linemen for the Denver Broncos, in 2013, having once poured through his career statistics brings a smile to his face.

"Wow, it's pretty neat for me to hear that," Munoz said with a hearty laugh. "Every culture can have firsts -- Tony Dungy, first African-American coach to win a Super Bowl. But you think back to those Raiders teams that won the Super Bowl with Tom Flores as head coach and Jim Plunkett at quarterback and, heck, that was 30 years ago. Those were people I looked at. When you think of someone looking at you, there is a pride there."

"I know in my own life, that sort of connection between being Mexican-American and playing football wasn't really something I thought about too much maybe until I got in the NFL," Munoz continued. "Growing up as a kid, we never lost our culture. Even though I've always considered myself proudly to be an American, I am, have always described myself as a Mexican-American. There's a lot of pride with the culture. Even in college, at USC, I was very proud to represent people. The neat thing about it was for 10 years, with the Bengals, we had two guys, myself and Max Montoya."

Ramirez said when he returns to Earth each offseason -- as in Earth, Texas, where he makes his offseason home with his family -- his heritage and his profession are on the minds of the children in front of him as he does appearances here and there.

"Especially when I go back home I think it's something people are aware of, that kids can relate to, that it is possible," Ramirez said. "And everyone once in a while in Denver, I'll go to a school and kids will want to know if I think it's something they can accomplish. I mean, I originally thought football would get me my degree, that I could play ball, get my degree and go back to help my family because my dad [Manuel Sr.] had a heart attack and was having a hard time. It's all become a lot more."

"I think I feel it, too, from kids from time to time," Vasquez said with a laugh. "Although maybe not at first, usually kids, especially younger kids, are a little overwhelmed at my stature at first, my height, how big I am, so they may not always notice I'm Hispanic at first. But I think some kids have looked at me and seen what is possible, maybe, and that's a great feeling. I think, maybe what [Munoz] felt, too, but to have someone look at you and believe something is possible because of that, you really want to live up to that and appreciate what that means. And I hope I do both."

Broncos' 30-year-old center takes long path to top By Arnie Stapleton The Associated Press September 13, 2013

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Peyton Manning's new snapper won't say "I told you so." He'll leave that to his coaches.

One week after making his first career start at center since high school, Manny Ramirez proved he was more than just a 30-year-old fill-in when he signed a two-year extension with the Denver Broncos.

"I've been kind of talking about him for a while and nobody believed that he was going to be our starting center," coach John Fox said. "We feel really good about where he is and I think it's a good marriage for both sides."

It was an unconventional courtship.

In 2010, Ramirez was out of football, his NFL career seemingly over after his release from the woeful Detroit Lions, and he started to wonder whether he'd have to fall back on his studies in exercise sports science.

"I was at peace about it. If that was meant for me, that I was done playing, I was OK with it," Ramirez said. "But I feel like I've been given another opportunity and I'm just going to run with it."

Back then, he realized he hadn't reached his potential in the pros, so he rededicated — and remade — himself.

"You do something for so long, especially something you have so much passion for that you love, and all of the sudden it's taken away from you. It kind of puts everything in perspective," Ramirez said. "It kind of makes you think that, if I do get an opportunity again, you've got to take advantage of it and give it all you have.

"That's where I feel I'm at today. I'm not going to let it go with ease. I'm going to give it all I've got."

Ramirez put that mind-set into action this offseason when he slid over to center with J.D. Walton still recuperating from an ankle operation.

"He's done a great job as far as developing that relationship with the whole offensive line," offensive coordinator Adam Gase said. "Like I've been saying since the spring, he's been our starter since the spring it's just that nobody wanted to give him the credit."

Maybe that's because the Broncos kept bringing in veteran centers.

When an infection set in, Walton had to have another operation on his ankle and the Broncos brought back Dan Koppen, who filled in for Walton at center last season while Ramirez was starting 11 games at right guard.

The Broncos signed free agents Steve Vallos and Ryan Lilja after Walton blew out a knee in July. Lilja didn't make it through camp healthy and Vallos made the roster as a backup.

Fox said this week that bringing in the newcomers was more about adding veteran depth than looking for a better option.

Either way, Ramirez fended off one after the other to hold onto the starting job, a remarkable rise for a guy who signed with Denver in 2011 and was inactive for 14 weeks plus both playoff games before earning a bigger role last season due to injuries.

He was the one snapping the ball when Manning became the first quarterback in more than a half century to throw for seven touchdowns without an interception in the NFL kickoff. One week later, he put his signature on a contract extension through 2015.

"Yes, a very good week," Ramirez said. "I'm blessed."

Notes: CB Champ Bailey (left foot) won't play against the Giants on Sunday, missing consecutive games for just the fourth time in his 15-year career. "That's a big loss for us," S Rahim Moore said. "I mean, the greatest corner ever to play this game. But we're doing a good job and when he comes back we're going to be even better. What we say is when he's not in there, let's go out and make him proud."

Ramirez's Contract Extension 'A Blessing' By Mike Morris DenverBroncos.com September 12, 2013

After walking a long road toward becoming the Broncos' starting center, Manny Ramirez called his two-year contract extension 'a blessing' on Thursday.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- A day after signing a two-year contract extension with the Broncos, Manny Ramirez proclaimed that his new deal was “truly a blessing.”

Given the long and winding road Ramirez has walked throughout his NFL career toward becoming the Broncos’ starting center, it’s tough to question the sincerity of his statement.

“It’s been a blessing ever since I’ve come to this organization. I think the path that I’ve taken has been a tough one and I’m just happy to be here,” Ramirez told the media on Thursday. “I’m very happy that the organization wants me to be a part of it, as well.”

Ramirez’s contract extension came less than a week after he made his first-ever start at center for the Broncos, helping anchor an offensive line that blocked for Peyton Manning’s record-tying seven touchdown pass performance in Denver’s 49-27 win over the Ravens.

For Ramirez, it’s all a far cry from three Octobers ago, when he was waived by the Lions on Oct. 6, 2010 and spent the rest of the season unsuccessfully searching for a new team – an experience he that he said shifted his entire outlook on football.

“You do something for so long, especially something you have so much passion for that you love, and all of a sudden it’s taken away from you. It kind of puts everything in perspective,” Ramirez said. “It kind of makes you think that, if I do get an opportunity again, you’ve got to take advantage of it and give it all you have.”

The uncertainty Ramirez faced during those three months caused him to question whether he would ever even play professional football again.

“Any call that I got, I’d go take a visit and try out, just like any other play would,” he said. “You never knew if you would have that opportunity again. You kind of had to start adjusting for the other lifestyle. I was at peace about it. If that was meant for me, that I was done playing, I was OK with it.

He eventually found a home in Denver – signing a future contract on Jan. 4, 2011 – but his odyssey was still just beginning.

Ramirez made two appearances for Denver in 2011 and was inactive for 14 games. The following season, he saw his most extensive playing action in a Broncos uniform, lining up at right guard in 15 games and getting 11 starts in the regular season after Chris Kuper was lost to injury – as well as playing in his first-career playoff game in the Broncos’ AFC Divisional Round loss to the Ravens.

In the offseason, however, he switched positions and began practicing at center. And while Ramirez was never certain that he would ultimately win the starting position, he approached the competition with confidence and the readiness to step in and be the starter if called upon.

“It was never specifically told to me in that way, that I was the starter. But I approached it like I was. Because, again, every year is a new year all over,” Ramirez said. “You’re in there competing – there’s the competition from everywhere. I don’t think there’s any other way that you could approach it. Because if you don’t approach it that way, this isn’t an easy job to do. It’s very hard, so you’ve got to have the right mindset for it.”

Ramirez’s persistence was rewarded when he held on to the starting job that Offensive Coordinator Adam Gase said was his "since the spring" despite having to navigate the feeling out process of switching positions.

“It is an adjustment just because it’s a whole different position,” he said. “It’s more of a mental game inside as far as playing center and guard.”

For Ramirez, winning the trust of quarterback Peyton Manning was one of the most crucial challenges of the position switch.

“The center sets all the protections. You want your quarterback to feel comfortable when he’s back there, knowing that the person that’s responsible for that is going to make the right calls and the right adjustments when the time comes,” he said. “I think I’ve filled that role so far and I’m just going to continue to improve it.”

Gase noted that Ramirez’s progression has been an important part in developing unity and consistency on the offensive line.

“His development has been just exactly what we thought was going to happen,” Gase said. “He stepped in that role. He’s kept that group together. We’ve had the same guys playing together since the spring and we’re looking for good things from him and that group.”

In reflecting on a time when he thought his playing career might have ended and where he now finds himself, Ramirez was quick to note that he’ll always continue looking for opportunities to keep moving forward and growing as a player.

“That’s where I feel I’m at today,” he said. “Where I’m at today, I’m not going to let it go with ease. I’m going to give it all I’ve got.”

“I feel like I’ve been given another opportunity and I’m just going to run with it.”

No Matter His Role, Ramirez Has Value By Andrew Mason DenverBroncos.com September 12, 2013

Independent analyst Andrew Mason shares his thoughts on the contract extension signed by Manny Ramirez.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Whether Manny Ramirez is a long-term starter or not, he has tangible value in the construction of the offensive line, and signing him to a two-year extension removes an item from the Broncos' draft-and-free-agent shopping lists for the near future.

Head Coach John Fox likes to cite the importance of "swing backups" who can play multiple positions on the offensive line, and Ramirez has shown the intelligence and flexibility to grasp the nuances of the guard and center positions, while also emerging as a quiet leader. How he fares in his starting gig at center is to be determined -- one game is not a large enough sample size for judgment -- although his improvement through three games of the preseason and his performance against the Ravens justifies optimism.

Ramirez also offers stability, which is crucial to the overall composition of the line, both on the first and second units. Here, it's important to note the contract situations along the offensive line, particularly at the three interior spots.

While right guard Louis Vasquez is the short- and long-term right guard with a four-year contract signed in March, left guard Zane Beadles has a contract that expires after the season. Chris Kuper is under contract through the 2015 season, but his future years aren't guaranteed, both in contract and as a result of his continued recovery from an ankle injury. Center J.D. Walton, currently on the physically-unable-to-perform list as he continues recovering from an ankle injury, is in the same situation as Beadles; as a 2010 draft pick outside of the first round, his contract expires after this season, as well. Guard John Moffitt, acquired via trade from Seattle last month, is under contract through next year.

That's a lot of uncertainty with injuries and contracts for a key area of the team. But in the last six months, the Broncos have signed Vasquez, re-signed left tackle Ryan Clady and added two years to Ramirez's contract. Right tackle Orlando Franklin is under contract through the 2014 season, which leaves only left guard unsettled for the medium term -- something that could be crossed off the list if the Broncos retain Beadles.

Should Ramirez blossom with further experience at center, the Broncos have found a bargain that brings them a step closer to long-term offensive-line stability, while also preventing a need from arising for next year's draft. If Ramirez struggles and eventually returns to the second team, the Broncos still have a swing backup who has starting experience at two spots on their offensive line.

Either way, the Broncos have a valuable commodity.

Broncos briefs: Manny Ramirez's union with Denver seen as "good marriage" by coach John FoxBy Christopher Dempsey The Denver Post September 13, 2013

It wasn't long ago that Manny Ramirez was out of work and taking stock in what he'd done as an NFL player — and what needed to change.

That was after being released by the Detroit Lions in 2010.

"It was hard," said Ramirez, who was drafted by the Lions in 2007. "You do something for so long, especially something that you have so much passion for and that you love, and suddenly it gets taken from you. It kind of puts everything in perspective, and it kind of makes you think if you do get an opportunity again, you've got to take advantage of it and give it all you have."

He did, and he did.

The Broncos signed Ramirez on Jan. 4, 2011. Since then, he's ascended to starting center, and was rewarded Wednesday with a two-year deal, keeping him firmly with the Broncos.

"Whatever my routine was, it wasn't good enough," Ramirez said. "I made quite a few adjustments and they've worked so far. I'm still looking for other adjustments that I can make to improve even more."

Broncos coach John Fox said there was never a doubt in his mind Ramirez had worked his way into being the unquestioned starter at center this season.

"I've been talking about him for a while, and nobody believed that he was going to be our starting center," Fox said. "It gives an opportunity for us to get him under contract for some time moving forward. We feel really good about where he is and think it's a good marriage for both sides."

Bailey not likely to play. Cornerback Champ Bailey did not participate in practice Thursday, further dampening his chances of returning to action Sunday against the New York Giants. He has not practiced since spraining his foot during the preseason, and he appears pointed toward another week of watching while he recovers.

Fox did not elaborate on Bailey's condition, calling him "day to day" and adding "he'll be back (at some point)."

Meanwhile, middle linebacker Wesley Woodyard (ankle), a non-participant in Wednesday's drills, was back on the field Thursday. He was a limited participant along with safety Omar Bolden (shoulder), offensive guard Chris Kuper (ankle) and receivers Trindon Holliday (knee) and Wes Welker (ankle). Receiver Eric Decker (shoulder) moved from the limited practice list to being a full participant.

The only Broncos not practicing were Bailey and tight end Joel Dreessen (knee).

Nominees are ... Seven Broncos were among 126 selected as nominees for the Hall of Fame class of 2014. Those Broncos are running back Terrell Davis, receiver Rod Smith, center Tom Nalen, safeties Steve Atwater and John Lynch (also being claimed by Tampa Bay), linebacker Karl Mecklenburg and coach Dan Reeves. Voting takes place Feb. 1, 2014.

Ramirez Signs Two-Year Contract Extension By Gray Caldwell DenverBroncos.com September 11, 2013

Center Manny Ramirez signed a two-year contract extension Wednesday that will keep him in Denver through the 2015 season.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Last season, offensive lineman Manny Ramirez stepped in when the team needed him, starting 11 games at right guard after Chris Kuper was lost to injury.

This year, the versatile seventh-year pro switched positions to center, making his first career start at that spot in a Week 1 win that saw quarterback Peyton Manning tie an NFL record with seven touchdown passes.

On Wednesday, Ramirez was rewarded for his performance with a two-year contract extension that will keep him in Denver through the 2015 season.

"(Ramirez) has done a heck of a job in everything we have asked of him," Manning said in late August.

Thursday night, Manning dropped back to throw 42 passes and ended up with 462 passing yards. Ramirez did not allow a sack in the game while playing every offensive snap.

Head Coach John Fox, who said the team had Ramirez pegged as its starting center since the offseason, was impressed with what he saw from the lineman.

"I thought he performed well," Fox said. "That was a very formidable front that we played against. I haven’t seen everybody, but they’re in the top five in the league. They’ve got more than one deep. I thought, all-in-all, was it perfect? No. But for a first outing, I thought our offensive line matched up very well.”

Ramirez has started 27 of 36 regular-season games played with Denver and Detroit. He played in a career-high 15 games in the 2012 regular season, which saw the Broncos earn the AFC's No. 1 seed with a 13-3 record. He committed just three penalties in that span, and Pro Football Focus gave him a positive grade for the year.

The former Texas Tech standout is one of three former Red Raiders on the Broncos' roster, including Ramirez's offensive line teammate Louis Vasquez.

Ramirez gets two-year vote of confidence By Jeff Legwold ESPN.com September 12, 2013

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – There are some things that exasperate Denver Broncos coach John Fox from time to time. Things like turnovers on offense, dropped interceptions by his defensive backs, questions about basic roster decisions – "We do this full-time," he likes to say – and, oh yeah, anything that even hints at the Broncos having wanted anybody but Manny Ramirez at center. "I've said it like 10,000 times," Fox said earlier this week. "And I'm not sure anybody believes me, but I'll say it 10,000 more [times], Manny Ramirez is our starting center. He was our starting center in the offseason, in training camp and in the preseason, and he's our starting center now." And the Broncos put a contract extension where their mouth was Wednesday. Ramirez signed a two-year deal, which keeps him under contract with the Broncos through the 2014 and 2015 seasons. Ramirez, with a base salary of $815,000 this season, was set to become an unrestricted free agent next March.

Ramirez has been an oft-discussed member of the offensive line. He had never started a regular-season game at center in his career until last Thursday night against Baltimore. And after the Broncos moved him into the middle of the offensive line during offseason workouts, when they learned J.D. Walton was going to need another ankle surgery and treatment for an infection in the joint, they also signed Dan Koppen, who had started 12 games at center last season. Then, just after training camp opened, Koppen suffered a season-ending knee injury. And so the Broncos signed Steve Vallos. And then they signed Ryan Lilja. Meanwhile, folks just kept asking about Ramirez, about when somebody else would be doing his job. For his part, however, as the team was set to pick its 53-man roster to open the season, this is how Ramirez handicapped the race for what he considered his position: "I'm always here for competition and put my best foot forward and if the other person beats me out, he beats me out, but I'm going to give it all I got. And right now it's my position to lose and I don't see myself letting that go, no matter what people say." Turns out he was right, as the Broncos moved quickly to offer an extension just a few days after a 49-27 victory over the Ravens. Though the Broncos still hope Walton will be ready to return by late October or early November – he’s currently designated as reserve/physically unable to perform – he has not played since

fracturing his left ankle on Sept. 30, 2012, against the Raiders. Walton’s recovery may have also played a part in Ramirez’ signing. Walton is also in the final year of his original four-year contract he signed as a rookie in 2010, a deal that has a $1.323 million base salary this season. Walton’s recovery is still a bit of an unknown given how long it has taken guard Chris Kuper to recover from a similar fracture/infection over the last two years. From a football perspective, the Broncos have shown they believe Ramirez will continue to smooth out his rough edges in pass protection at center – Ramirez started 11 games at right guard in place of Kuper last season. Personnel executives around the league say he has trouble in pass protection when he loses his base, but the Broncos like his progress in their movement-heavy zone-run game. And in man-on-man power situations, Ramirez routinely grades out well. "I always say I just keep working, keep my head down and continue to grind it out," Ramirez said in describing his approach. Ramirez was selected by Detroit in the fourth round (117th overall) of the 2007 NFL draft after competing as a four-year starter for Texas Tech. "Things just didn't work out there, in Detroit, for whatever reason," Ramirez said. "But Denver has been an important part of my development, they saw something in me, they brought me here and I just want to keep proving what I can do."

Ramirez still the Broncos guy in the middle By Jeff Legwold ESPN.com August 21, 2013

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- In an offseason/preseason when Broncos center Manny Ramirez has seen the Broncos sign Dan Koppen, sign Ryan Lilja, sign Steve Vallos, centers all, and even talk to Eugene Amano, Ramirez has simply held down the job, day after day, practice after practice. And Tuesday Ramirez received a vote of confidence. Namely the guy he snaps the ball to every day in practice.

“Manny has done a great job,’’ quarterback Peyton Manning said. “He’s worked hard. He’s in a new position. The best teacher is experience and there’s not a walk-through or taking snaps before practice or a single play in practice that’s not valuable that he’s not learning something, that I’m not learning something from him. He and I are constantly communicating and he’s done everything that the coaches have asked of him. I think he’ll just continue to get better each day.’’ Good thing Manning feels that way because since Koppen is already on injured reserve and Lilja is now dealing with a knee issue -- he had knee and toe surgery early in the offseason -- Ramirez has continued to be option No. 1 at the position. He has never started a regular-season game at center since being moved into the middle of the offensive line from guard during the Broncos’ offseason program, but he's fairly locked in at this point, having started the first two preseason games. Ramirez figures to play into the third quarter Saturday night against the Rams. Broncos coach John Fox said Tuesday he plans to take all of the regulars, on both sides of the ball, into the third quarter. “We like getting them used to coming out after halftime,’’ Fox said. “Halftime is an event in itself. So this will be the first time they have to come out and play after the halftime routine.’’ The Broncos did add another potential center Tuesday when they traded defensive tackle Sealver Siliga to the Seahawks in exchange for guard/center John Moffitt. Moffitt, a third-round pick by the Seahawks in 2011, has started games at both guard spots in Seattle.

He also started 15 games at center in his career at Wisconsin, 13 of those as a sophomore. Moffitt did miss time as a rookie in Seattle with a knee injury, but entered training camp in a battle to be the starter at one of the guard spots. But like Lilja and Vallos, Moffitt now moves into the depth chart behind Ramirez in the middle of the offensive line. And Ramirez is still the guy snapping to Manning. 

Hochman: Louis Vasquez, Manny Ramirez

give Hispanic pride to Broncos

By Benjamin Hochman

The Denver Post

August 2, 2013

Louis Vasquez — I wouldn't dare call a man the size of Portugal "Lou Lou" — is the

anti-La La Vazquez.

For one, he wanted to be in Denver. Secondly, the spotlight is his enemy.

Requested for an interview, the Broncos' right guard asked to do it in a hall away

from the media hordes. He can swat away swarming linemen but, alas, not

swarming cameramen.

So, Denver, you've added a touchdown-scoring machine in college (Montee Ball),

Tom Brady's old favorite target (Wes Welker), a former Pro Bowl cornerback

(Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie) and a first-rounder (Sylvester Williams) whose

favorite food is quarterback — and yet I say the Broncos' top offseason addition is

this guy.

Why? Well, Welker might be the easy choice because he's so conspicuous, but

Denver's passing game already was awesome. The addition of 6-foot-5, 335-pound

veteran Vasquez will bolster the Broncos in so many ways. He's proficient when

blocking for the run and the pass, he's had only two penalties called on him in his

career and he instantly enhances the talents of right tackle Orlando Franklin during

combination blocks.

I asked former Broncos center Tom Nalen, headed for the Ring of Fame this fall,

about my proclamation and he said: "If Chris Kuper doesn't come back healthy,

then absolutely. He was definitely injured in that Baltimore game, and that hurt the

team. Getting (Vasquez) was the first thing they did in the offseason. And not only

does it strengthen your team, it weakens San Diego."

People I talked to at Dove Valley gush about Vasquez's ability to adjust his

technique during a play, as well as the strength in his hands and arms. (Even his

handshake hurts.)

"If he gets his hands on you," center Manny Ramirez said, "basically, you're done.

His extension is amazing. His balance is good. He's a complete offensive lineman."

But perhaps my favorite thing about Vasquez is that he's a Vasquez. Our city is rich

with a Hispanic culture.

"We take great pride in being Hispanic, showing the younger Hispanic generation

that it is possible to play in the NFL," said Vasquez, 26. "We're just showing them

that the door is open, regardless of what the outside world says. We're living proof

that we can (make it)."

The "we" is he and Manny. This is one of the craziest what-are-the-odds stories in

the NFL. Vasquez was a high school recruit visiting Texas Tech when he met

Ramirez, then a Red Raiders offensive lineman. Vasquez said it "opened my eyes"

that there were Hispanics playing at a high level of college ball. The two quickly

bonded. Later they roomed together at Tech.

"And since we were the only two ones there, they called us brothers," he said. "And

we both took it to heart."

In a league with few Hispanic players, the former Texas Tech linemen now play

alongside each other. (Of course, it remains to be seen how much Ramirez will

actually play. After the Dan Koppen injury, John Elway, Peyton Manning and Co.

basically said, "If we're doing this, we're doing this," and persuaded Peyton pal

Ryan Lilja to come out of retirement to play center.)

Vasquez and Ramirez speak proudly about being a part of their community, and

representing their community. Vasquez will be a part of a weekly interview session

with Entravision, the Broncos' Spanish language media partner. It will be aired on

local radio and TV shows.

"There's a huge Hispanic community here, we love it, and we try to represent it the

right way," Ramirez said. "I have pride for the simple fact that not many Hispanics

play at this level. There's only a handful now, and to have two on the same

offensive line? I don't think there's ever been two Hispanics on the same team. It's

going to be an amazing experience."

Pride permeates all the way to Pullman, Wash. Mike Leach was the coach who

signed these two men at Texas Tech. Now at the helm of Washington State, Leach

talked about how the Broncos — with Red Raiders Vasquez, Ramirez and Welker —

are his new favorite team, just as the Broncos were when he rooted for Floyd Little

during his childhood in Wyoming.

"I love it and wish them the best. I'm excited about it," Leach told me by phone.

"Louis is really naturally gifted, and Manny is ridiculously strong, even stronger

than he looks. I have to kind of hand it to Manny. That league counted him out

several times, but they haven't been able to get rid of him."

Ramirez stepping in at center for

Broncos

By Pat Graham

The Associated Press

July 29, 2013

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — One practice in and Manny Ramirez has yet to send any

snaps sailing over Peyton Manning's head that would incur the wrath of his

quarterback.

That's a good start for the Denver Broncos' newest center.

Granted, there were a few slightly off-target — making Manning have to reach up

to grab — and one botched exchange early in the workout on Monday, but that was

about all the miscues.

Ramirez is trying to get the hang of things quickly, because this season could very

well hinge on his hikes as he steps for Dan Koppen, who suffered a season-ending

knee injury over the weekend.

For a player who's never snapped a ball in an NFL game, Ramirez appeared awfully

calm. Then again, he does have Manning standing behind him and telling him

precisely what to do.

Not that Ramirez receives any special treatment just because he's a relative

newcomer to snapping the ball. Newcomer or not, Manning expects the best, which

Ramirez appreciates.

"I'm the type of person that if something is wrong, I need to know about it," said

Ramirez, who was rushed by reporters as he returned from the weight room to chat

about his new role.

"I'd rather him point it out right there and then, than have to wait and try to figure

it out later on. I'd rather get it done now."

The Broncos were dealt quite a blow on Sunday when Koppen, who started 12

games under center last season, tore his left ACL in 9-on-7 drills. Koppen was

brought in just last month to fill in for J.D. Walton, who's had a setback in his

return from ankle surgery.

Next up, Ramirez.

The team also brought in Steve Vallos, a six-year veteran who has played in

Seattle, Cleveland, Philadelphia and Jacksonville with nine career starts.

Vallos spent most of the morning session standing next to offensive consultant Alex

Gibbs, someone Vallos got to know from their time with the Seahawks.

"A lot of new words, new terminology, new people," Vallos said in describing his

first day in Broncos camp. "It just takes time and we just have to make the most of

what we have."

And what the Broncos have is a banged-up offensive line. All-Pro left tackle Ryan

Clady has been limited at training camp due to a right shoulder. He spent most of

the morning session watching in sweat pants.

Tackle Orlando Franklin (toe, shoulder) and guard Chris Kuper (ankle) are also

coming off surgeries. Franklin is back on the field, while Kuper is still mending.

Asked if he might consider moving Kuper to center once he returns, coach John Fox

said he's open for just about anything.

"Right now we are trying to get him healthy," Fox said. "We will pretty much cross

that bridge when we get there. He definitely is an option, same as J.D. Walton.

Right now they are not out there, so it is all a consideration."

Although Koppen was the starting center most of last season, the team intended to

use Ramirez heading into 2013. The seventh-year pro took all the snaps in

offseason practices, trying to build a rapport with Manning.

The veteran QB constantly offers subtle — and not-so-subtle — pointers.

"He loves to communicate a lot," Ramirez said. "I think we have a pretty good

understanding (of one another)."

Ramirez has a familiar face on the line next to him in right guard Louis Vasquez, his

teammate at Texas Tech.

"We're like brothers. We have that comfort level," said Ramirez, who started 11

games at right guard last season. "I look at it as a blessing to be able to play at this

level with your brother right next to you. So, we're looking forward to it."

Ramirez really didn't have any major blunders Monday, besides that botched

exchange. He said his biggest adjustment will be shotgun situations — something

he could find himself in quite a bit given the Broncos' hurry-up offense.

"It's just something (where) you have to continue to work at it," Ramirez said. "I'm

just out there trying to do my job and trying to step in and all that. I'm going to do

whatever it takes.

"I'm just going to try to keep pushing forward."

As for his injury-riddled line, Fox doesn't seem too concerned at the moment.

"We feel decent where we are," he said. "We always hate losing people for the

season, but we will march on."

Ramirez Embracing Starting Role

By Gray Caldwell

DenverBroncos.com

July 29, 2013

Starting center Manny Ramirez said he's going to do 'anything (he) can to help out

the team.'

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Monday after practice, Head Coach John Fox confirmed what

many already knew -- Dan Koppen is out for the season, and Manny Ramirez is the

team's starting center.

“Manny played a lot of football for us a year ago with the loss of Chris Kuper as well

as J.D. Walton, who are two people that are still on our football team that we are

still nursing back to health," Fox said. "We always hate losing people for the

season, but we will march on.”

Fox said the Broncos "feel good about who we have lined up," as Ramirez started

11 games for the club last season and played in a career-high 15 contests. In that

span, he was penalized just three times.

Last season, Ramirez was pushed into the starting lineup due to an injury to right

guard Chris Kuper. He said it's a circumstance no player ever hopes for.

"You all know Coach Fox’s philosophy: ‘Next man up,' and that’s the case again,"

Ramirez said. "I’m just going to do anything I can to help out the team. I continue

to pray for Koppen and his injury. Never wish anything like that for anybody, but

things happen in the game. Just keep your prayers with him.”

Ramirez said he'll do "whatever it takes" to get the job done, and he's already hard

at work to make sure he perfects his timing with quarterback Peyton Manning.

Playing beside Koppen last year was helpful, as well.

"I think we have a pretty good understanding (of one another)," Ramirez said of

Manning. "We communicate; as you all know, he loves to communicate a lot. So

having open ears and just being willing to listen and absorb it—his knowledge. And

playing with Koppen the past two years, the experience that he has has really

helped that a lot. Sitting behind him and watching him has helped me a lot."

One added benefit for the seventh-year pro -- he'll get to play alongside his former

college roommate, Louis Vasquez.

"Louis, we’re like brothers -- we have that comfort level," Ramirez said. "I look at it

as a blessing to be able to play at this level with your brother right next to you. So

we’re looking forward to it.”