Mile High Salute to Continue Despite New Rules

By Ryan Ebert | Ryan@nflen.com

     A photo released just yesterday revealed that players can't celebrate after a sack or a touchdown.  Take a closer look at the rules and it's not what we think.  It actually states that the actions can not be performed towards an opponent.

The photo that got every football fan upset:

     Only if the players do these actions at the opponent will they be penalized as stated in NFL Rules, Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1, Note 3 (emphasis added):

Violations of (b) will be penalized if any of the acts are committed directly at an opponent. These acts include but are not limited to: sack dances; home run swing; incredible hulk; spiking the ball; spinning the ball; throwing or shoving the ball; pointing; pointing the ball; verbal taunting; military salute; standing over an opponent (prolonged and with provocation); or dancing.
 

     So no worry Bronco fans, Demaryius Thomas can still salute you after a touchdown, Von Miller can still salute to you, the fan, after a sack.  As Bronco great RB Terrell Davis said, "Atlanta had the ‘Dirty Bird,’ Green Bay had the ‘Lambeau Leap.’ We had the ‘Mile High Salute,’".  

Demaryius Thomas "never really ran routes much"

By Ryan Ebert | Ryan@nflen.com

Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas is the most talented receiver on the roster.  While it he had success with Tebow and ran all over the field, this time with Manning he will need to learn his routes more and be precise with them.

Thomas said this to 790 The Zone in Atlanta:

"To get to play with a future Hall of Famer, I knew I had to step my game up and get in my book more, run routes more, because I never really ran routes much.  So I thought it was gonna be a challenge, and it has been so far.  But it's been good, too."

"You're gonna have to run the whole route tree now.  The comebacks, the slants, the posts, the ins.  And I didn't have to do that much when I was my first couple of years in the league."

This can leave questions as to how well will he be running routes and being in the right spot where Manning would want him to be.  I'm sure the two will hold up well, especially with how much attention to detail and how hard Manning works to be the best he can be.  Through the summer and training camp Thomas will have plenty of time to get his routes down.

Stokley working as hard as ever for a spot

by Ryan Ebert

Broncos wide receiver Brandon Stokley is thirty-five years old and has a familiar relationship with quarterback Peyton Manning, but he is still going out onto the field as if he has everything to lose.

"I feel like I'm fighting for a job every day. So I just go out there and try to prove to myself that I can still make plays, every day. That's been my mentality since I was a rookie," Stokley told Lindsey ones of The Denver Post on Sunday. "I'm enjoying it, having fun. I know I don't have another five years, 10 years left in me, so I'm enjoying this experience and this opportunity that I have."

The top three receivers are projected to be Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker, and Andre Caldwell.  Stokley only had one catch for seven yards in the Giants first two games of the season, but he can produce if healthy and be productive out of the slot.

In February Stokley was about "ninety-five percent retired"when he was still recovering from a quadriceps injury he suffered with his short time with the Giants.  Stokley went on to workout with Manning in North Carolina (pain free), and made the decision to play one more year signing a one-year contract and reunite with Manning whom he played with from 2003 to 2006.

Stokley had 31 receptions for 354 yards in 11 games for Seattle in 2010 which was his last productive season.  This was after an injured groin got him released by Denver.

His experience with Manning gives him advantage over his teammates for a spot on the team, and head coach John Fox has liked what he has seen.

"It's the Brandon Stokley I've seen on tape. He's healthy, and he's got a good skill set to play in this league, and he's proven that a lot of different places," Fox said.

Manning and Decker smooth out rough patches

by Ryan Ebert

After practice Wednesday Broncos QB Peyton Manning and WR Eric Decker stayed around and went over a few things after experiencing some lapses in communication during practice.

"I think it was evident, particularly offensively, that we were coming off a 4½-day hiatus," Broncos coach John Fox said. "But that's what happens. We gave them a little break, and I think they enjoyed their Memorial Day weekend. We've just got to get back to business."

Teams struggling in OTAs should only be taken lightly since there have only been a number of practices that have gone and much more to go. Receivers are still getting familiar with their quarterbacks more exclusively. Broncos tight end Joel Dreessen is thankful for OTAs and the workouts he gets with Manning.