Prater signs four-year contract

By Ryan Ebert | Ryan@nflen.com

The Broncos and kicker Matt Prater has finally come to an agreement on a contract!  The deal is for four years worth $13 million with a $3 million signing bonus.  The franchise-tagged kicker was unhappy he skipped out on the team's offseason workouts, but is now happy to get back to business and focus on football.

“It feels amazing,” Prater said. “It’s something I’ve worked for since I was a little kid. Throughout the process it was kind of tough especially once practice and everything starts, I wanted to be there. In the end, I knew it was going to get done. The Broncos made it pretty easy and my agent did a great job so it wasn’t too bad of a process. I’m excited to be back. I’m very thankful to (Owner) Mr. Bowlen, (Executive V.P. of Football Operations John) Elway, the entire organization, the fans and everybody involved. It’s awesome to be out here.”

In 2011 Prater put up 87 total points leading the team in his sixth year and was first in the NFL with a 70.1 touchback percentage on kickoffs.  He also joined two other players in league history to have four game-winning field goals in overtime or as time expired.

Prater has improved every season and wants to live up to his new contract.
“I’ve progressed and gotten better,” Prater said. “I was hoping for it to happen and now that it’s happened I’m very thankful and gracious and ready to prove myself and why I got a long-term contract. I need to show everyone that I’m worth it.”

He was sure a deal would get done, but did not like that it was not done before the offseason workouts. For he was always there in previous years.
“It was just tough because in the past, I’ve always been out here for the offseason program,” Prater said. “Seeing on the news all the guys together working out and getting the chemistry, the team chemistry, and building relationships – that was probably the most difficult part. Just the uncertainty of not knowing exactly what’s going to happen was a little difficult too.”

The former UCF kicker joined Denver in 2007 and has gone 90 of 112 (80.1%) field-goal attempts with 12 of 16 (75%) on kicks that are 50 yards or longer.  Along with his four game-winning field-goal makes in the fourth quarter or overtime, Prater also had three game-tying field-goals in 2011.

When Josh McDaniels was head coach is when Prater started to show his value to the team.
"A couple years ago, when (I was) just kicking and seeing the other kickers, I realized I definitely had the talent and I knew I could do it," Prater said. "I just had to prove myself, and the Broncos saw that and rewarded me." 

Prater has not yet met with Denver's new quarterback Peyton Manning, but is excited to see what they will do when training camp starts on July 26.
“I’m really excited just to see the offense and what they’re going to be doing,” Prater said. “I’m excited to meet everyone, which was a big thing too that was tough about not being there for the offseason – all the new faces that were in the facility. Now I’m going to have to meet everybody at camp. I’m really excited to get back to work and meet all those guys and see what I can do.”

He is also hoping Manning and the offense will make his job easier.
“The offense can also make my job easier too,” he laughed. “Maybe I’ll just have to kick a lot of extra points this year, which will be awesome.”

Broncos host Missy Franklin

by Ryan Ebert

With the 2012 Olympic trials less than a month away, the Broncos had over swimming phenom, local hero, and Olympic hopeful Missy Franklin as she watched the team practice at Dove Valley.

Franklin went on a tour of the facility and ate lunch with the players.  She was told by many of the players that they have her back.

"The chance to come out here is such an honor.  It's so incredible.  I had so much fun.  I got to meet some of my biggest heroes and see some of my other friends.  Eric Decker I got a chance to see him again which was awesome.  But it does, it helps me see that you know what, athletes everywhere are so hard right now.  Everyone's in training or doing something.  Just to know that I have their support is the best feeling in the world."

Franklin was in the pool that morning at 5am training herself for the 2012 Olympic team trials.  While she has plenty of medals already, she is looking to make the USA Olympic team.

"John Elway actually said, 'you know if you think that good things are gonna happen they will.  So I'm like coach Todd says that a lot too.  Just you have to believe in yourself and know that what you've been doing is gonna lead you there, and just relax and have fun and enjoy it.  Cause you're ready for that moment.  So just taking that with me and seeing them.  And I've learned so much.  I mean especially about football today like the training schedules and just seeing them and what they are doing.  It's so exciting, and it's been awesome."

It's been four years since Franklin's last Olympic trials, and she says that she feels completely ready this time around.  She just wants to go to Omaha and start swimming, and getting another chance to represent the United States in London.

"Just knowing that it is probably the most high pressure meet I will ever go to, I'm gonna try and keep that pressure off.  I mean I know it'll be really difficult and there is going to be a lot of pressure, but I know that if I just have fun like I do at every single meet then I just need to relax and enjoy it.  Good things will happen, hopefully"

Good luck Missy Franklin!!   Go for the gold!!

Stokley grabs attention of many in OTAs

by Ryan Ebert

Brandon Stokley (35) made a catch in OTA practice Monday that made him look as if he was still 25.

In the past two seasons Stokley was being told by coaches that he was finished.  In 2011 they were almost right.  Stokley wasn't on a team in training camp and the preseason.  He played two games for the Giants before being released.

Peyton Manning lobbed a deep pass down the middle in a two-minute, 11-on-11 drill, and Stokley made a spectacular diving catch to make it first-and-goal from inside the ten.

"This kind of reminds me of my first or second year," said Stokley, who broke into the NFL in 1999 with Baltimore. "Everything is so much more important. All the offseason stuff. I don't take it for granted. For me, every day is so important. Starting now, training camp — preseason games are going to be like regular-season games for me now. I look forward to it."

After the great catch Manning hurried the offense to the line, did a fake spike to stop the clock, and threw the ball to  Decker in the endzone to end the drive and the drill.

When Stokley was finished with the workouts, he sat on the bench and received a fist bump from none other than John Elway.  A great catch that caught the attention of many people including his own boss.

Brian Xanders and the Broncos have parted ways

by Ryan Ebert

John Elway has made another yet surprising move for Denver. This time he has fired GM Brian Xanders. Xanders was named the GM back in 2008 by Mike Shanahan. Xanders never did have control over the roster with Shanahan, McDaniels, or Elway. 

Broncos acquire good talent late in draft

by Ryan Ebert

The Broncos looked to have done well in the Draft bringing in players to give depth and versatility to many positions.  Denver may have also gotten a few steals in this year's Draft.

The first player taken on Saturday in the fourth round 101 overall was Arizona State's Omar Bolden.  A cornerback that stands at 5'10" and 202 lbs.  He brings good speed running a 4.5 40 and has great agility.  He also brings value as a kick returner along with his great coverage skills, he brought two kicks for touchdowns in his career at ASU.  He will most likely be replacing Eddie Royal who left in the offseason to the Chargers.  He was rated as high as the second round, but had an injury to his knee that kept him out of 2011 season which hurt his value.  Many are hoping that he can be the successor to Champ Bailey.  He will rejoin quarterback Brock Osweiler in Denver who was also from Arizona State.

At No. 108 in the fourth round in the Draft Denver selected Baylor's center Philip Blake  Blake brings versatility to the offensive line as before he played center he was a guard when his teammate J.D. Walton was playing center.  He also has a little experience at playing right tackle.  Blake was an All-American selection in 2011 and a first-team All-Big 12 choice.  In 2010 he was an honorable mention All-Big 12 choice.  Blake is 6'3" and weighs in at 311 lbs. and benched 22 times at the NFL Combine.

In the fifth round at No. 137 the Broncos picked up defensive end Malik Jackson from Tennessee.  Jackson , a transfer from USC, posted 104 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 1 pick, 6 deflections, and a fumble recovery in two years with the Volunteers.  He's a player that can play inside and outside on the defensive line, and adds youth to the defensive line.  He stands at 6'5", 270 lbs.  He will join former Volunteers Britton Colquitt and Peyton Manning. In 2010 Jackson earned 2010 AP All-SEC second team honoree, and in 2011 earned All-SEC First-Team by the media and All-SEC Second-Team by the coaches.

The final player drafted by Denver in the sixth round at No. 188 is linebacker Danny Trevathan from Kentucky.  In 2011 Trevathan led the Wildcats in tackles with 143 along with 11.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 4 interceptions, 9 pass deflections, and 5 forced fumbles in his senior season.  He is a 6'1", 232 lbs. linebacker that was an AP First-Team All-SEC player in 2011.  He will bring depth to the linebacker corps of Denver that has D.J. Williams facing a six-game suspension, and doesn't have much talent behind their starters.  Trevathan will join his former teammate Wesley Woodyard that plays the same position as Williams.

Overall, this draft class for the Broncos filled many needs.  They get a cornerback who can take the responsibility of returning kicks.  A versatile offensive lineman who plays all three inside positions well.  They get a defensive lineman who can play either defensive tackle or defensive end, and can bring pressure on the quarterback.  Then last but not least Denver has a linebacker that could play early and often with D.J. Williams facing his suspension.  John Elway, John Fox, and Brian Xanders did a nice job in their second draft together.

Broncos don't get first-round pick

by Ryan Ebert

As the first day of the 2012 NFL Draft finished, Bronco fans may be disappointed in not having selected a player in the first round.  Yet there is a positive side to this.  Denver now owns eight picks instead of seven which can be used to add more pieces to help Manning, or of course strengthen the defensive side of the ball at the many positions Denver needs to gain depth in.

First this evening Denver traded their twenty-fifth pick to New England for the Patriot's thirty-first pick and a fourth-round pick.  Later on, that thirty-first pick along with a fourth-round pick was traded away to Tampa Bay for the thirty-sixth overall pick and a fourth-round selection.  The selections the Broncos now own in the Draft are: 36, 57, 87, 101, 108, 120, 137, and 188.  Six of those selections are between the second and fourth rounds of the Draft.

The players still on Denver's board are: Jerel Worthy, Courtney Upshaw, Stephen Hill, Kendall Reyes, and Janoris Jenkins.  Former Bronco great Terrell Davis will announce the Bronco's selection on Friday.

A few things said by Bronco's Vice President of Football Operations John Elway after the Draft ended:


"Well, we didn't get any better yet, but we will tomorrow,"

"Our board looked the same, and we have the same players at No. 36 than we would have had at No. 31," Denver Broncos Vice President of Football Operations John Elway said following the first round of the draft. "We don't have a new player yet, but we like where we sit. We're excited."

Other players in the second round Denver may pick are Lamar Miller, and Robert Turbin. 

Fear not Bronco fans. John Elway, John Fox, and Brian Xanders know what they are doing.