2008 Broncos

[Don Wassall]

Niko Koutouvides was afourth round draft pick of the Seahawks in 2004, who was expected to be their starting middle linebacker in his second season with the team but was beaten out by fellow rookie Lofa Tatupu. The Broncos signed Koutovides to substantial money in the offseason to be their starting middle linebacker, but again he has been beaten out, this time by journeyman Nate Webster:
<H1>Webster named Broncos' starting middle linebacker</H1>
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DENVER (AP)â€â€￾Niko Koutouvides proved to be the perfect motivator for Nate Webster.


When the Denver Broncos signed Koutouvides to a three-year, $7.5 million contract in March, Webster knew he was in for some competition at middle linebacker.


"Signing Niko just made me lock in and focus a little more coming into camp," Webster said.


The proof came Monday when coach Mike Shanahan said Webster had won the starting job.


Full article: [url]http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-broncos-webster&amp ;prov=ap&amp;type=lgns[/url]

 

[backrow]

that's f**kin bullsh*t is what it is. Webster is a below average talent whereas Koutovides is both more athletic and a better tackler. here's to hoping Webster messes up as soon as possible.
also, will Jordan Beck get a chance this season?
Broncos already cut J. Mallard, who played very well for them last year, as an undersized DT.

 

[Guest]

Add rookie Spencer Larsen to the team, coming through cuts today, and listed behind both of the aboved named players at MLB.

 

[Don Wassall]

The Broncos are similar year after year, demographically speaking, to the Giants -- lots of white o-linemen, white starting QB, TE and FB, and very black everywhere else, though Denver has only three white starting linemen this season, the first time in many years it wasn't four.


Still going strong in his 15th season is starting center Tom Nalen, who has made 5 Pro Bowls, the most ever of any Denver lineman. He's joined at LG by Ben Hamilton, a former center out of Minnesota. Chris Kuper from North Dakota holds down RG.


Erik Pears, Kory Lichtensteiger, 13th year man Casey Wiegmann, and Tyler Polumbus are backups.


Starting quarterback Jay Cutler, the 2006 first round draft pick out of Vanderbilt, keeps getting better and better. He has a very strong and accurate arm, is fairly mobile and at least early on in the '08 season looks ready to put up huge passing numbers as a breakout star.


Patrick Ramsey, a former first round draft pick of the Redskins, serves as Cutler's backup.


Starting TE Tony Scheffler is big and fast and has great rapport with Cutler, though Brandon Marshall may pout if he's not the constant center of attention in the passing game.


Nate Jackson, a former wide receiver forced to beef up to stay in the NFL as a tight end, is the third stringer at the position, though he is better than over-rated Daniel Graham and his hands of stone and could probably be a starting receiving TE for more than a few teams.


Rookie 6th round draft pick Peyton Hillis out of Arkansas won the starting fullback job. Hillis is an amazing athlete who would unquestionably be a starting power tailback in the NFL if he made like C. Thomas Howell in "Soul Man" and painted his skin the NFL's required color. For more on how Hillis has been stereotyped and slotted solely because of his race, read "Heisman Candidate or Blocking Fullback? The Difference is Apparently Only Skin Deep": [url]http://www.castefootball.us/viewarticle.asp?sportID=3&amp;te amID=0&amp;ID=23304[/url]


Rookie Spencer Larsen, an all-PAC 10 linebacker at Arizona who had 312 tackles for the Wildcats, is currently listed as the backup fullback for Denver.


The Broncos only have two white defensive players. John Engelberger, in his 9th year out of Virginia Tech, starts at left end.


Niko Koutouvides was signed to starters' money in the offseason to leave Seattle and play middle linebacker in Denver, but was surprisingly beaten out by journeyman Nate Webster. Koutouvides was going to start for the Seahawks at middle linebacker several years ago but was beaten out by then-rookie Lofa Tatupu. Looks like it's back to mainly White Special Teams Demon duty again for Niko, a 4th round draft pick out of Purdue in 2004, though it wouldn't be surprising to see him supplant Webster at some point during the '08 campaign.


NUMBER OF WHITE STARTERS: 7


APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF WHITE PLAYERS ON 53 MAN ROSTER: 18


GRADE: D

 

[jared]

Wow. I didn't realize Spencer Larsen was slated to be a fullback for the Broncos. Disappointing.

 

[PhillyBirds]

It appears that John Engleberger has lost his starting DE job to Ebenezer Ekuban.

 

[celticdb15]

Chris Collinswworth credited Peyton after getting hit in the back field on fourth down and still managing to pick up the first down! Even Brandon Marshall stuck by Peyton claiming he went to coach and told him not to get to one dimensional with the pass game.

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

I'm glad to hear some of the black players stood up for Hillis. Maybe they are giddy enough having a black man lead the country that they can have a black man lead once in a while for a white man running the ball!

 

[backrow]

Spencer Larsen made Broncos history by starting on both offense and defense, plus playing special teams!

full article

ATLANTA â€â€￾ Rookie Spencer Larsen made franchise history Sunday when he became the first player in Broncos history to start on both offense and defense.

Larsen started at middle linebacker in place of Nate Webster and also at fullback. Larsen spent all of training camp at linebacker but was moved to fullback before the season opener.

The last player to start on both offense and defense was Baltimore's Orlando Brown, who played both offensive and defensive tackle in a game against the Raiders in 2003. Current Bronco Champ Bailey played both corner and receiver in a game for the Redskins in 2000, and Deion Sanders played both ways for much of the 1996 season for the Cowboys.

Larsen, who also started on special teams, was in for the Broncos' first two offensive plays, and then made his first tackle on the Falcons' second possession in the first quarter.

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

I think Larsen could make a great FB blocking for Hillis! Let's hope this happens for the rest of the season and that Webster might return at LB, so Larsen is more rested to block for Hillis! Go Peyton!

Edited to add: That is pleasent news that Larsen made history for the Broncos though!Edited by: ToughJ.Riggins

 

[backrow]

Larsen was a Rookie of the Week 11!

full article

 

[Don Wassall]

LB Niko Koutivides, DE John Engelberger and TE Nate Jackson were all released yesterday along with three black players.

 

[Freethinker]

wow, Engelberger was one of the few starters who played consistently and remained healthy for that terrible defense. I know somebody needs to take the blame but this one is a bit of a surprise.

 

[PhillyBirds]

Yeah, the Engelberger one surprises me. He strikes me as more of a prototypical 3-4 defensive end, the scheme to which the Denver defense is transferring.

 

[DWFan]

Are the people running the Broncos really THIS retarded? Cutler seems to think it's true.

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_11810112

To even question starting Hillis as a halfback is dumb enough...but to get rid of Cutler?!

 

[DWFan]

OK it's confirmed. They're retards. They are considering getting rid of Tony Scheffler. Shanahan had his faults, but he's like an anti-caste hero relative to the way this regime is shaping up.

http://cbs4denver.com/broncos/broncos.cutler.nfl.2.946829.ht ml

 

[dwid]

I guess the coach isnt familiar with using a talented TE. Getting rid of Cutler? didnt he just start to emerge as a qb?

 

[Don Wassall]

Brandon Marshall was arrested for the fourth time since March of '06 over the weekend on a disorderly conduct charge resulting from a fight, but the charge was dismissed today. Who says the justice systemworks slowlyin this country?

I've read that Marshall's three game suspension to begin the '08 season was reduced to one game with the warning that if he got arrested again he would be facing a lengthy suspension. This guy is another of those bonehead criminal types who clearly shouldn't be allowed to be a "professional" athlete. But he does have a winning, childlike personality when he wants along with a room brightening smile so expect leniency again because we'll be assured po Brandon has finally learned his lesson . . . until his next arrest.

 

[Don Wassall]

Found this on Rotoworld:


With Brandon Marshall out, Brandon Stokley is working as the third receiver when the first-team offense goes three wide. Eddie Royal and Jabar Gaffney are the others lining up as starters. It's very unlikely Stokley would pass Gaffney on the depth chart, but we'll have a better idea once Marshall gets back on the field.
Yes, God forbid that Stokley under any circumstances pass up the great Jabar Gaffney, he of the 3,068 career receiving yards in 7 seasons and famously bad hands.

 

[Jack Lambert]

I hate this so called "whiz kid" Josh McDaniels. He constantly brings in horrible black skill players to try to start over far better players like Stokley and Hillis.

 

[Don Wassall]

If the Broncos struggle, which seems likely, and even if it's mainly on defense again, guess who is already the designated scapegoat? Looks like Kyle Orton is in line forlots ofhate from the DWFs:

Boo-Birds Come Out for Kyle Orton

Arnie Stapleton, from the Associated Press, reports Kyle Orton drew the fans' ire when he was picked off twice by cornerback Andre' Goodman, the second of which was returned for a long touchdown. "I had a good day," Goodman said in a lonely sentiment afterward. Orton also was jeered when he threw behind receiver Chad Jackson, again when he missed a wide-open Jabar Gaffney in the end zone and also when he floated a pass down the middle that Champ Bailey busted up. "Fans can cheer. They can boo," Orton said. "We've got good fans, and they're passionate about their football, that's for sure."

 

[whiteathlete33]

Here is another article on preschool dropout Brandon Marshall. http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-broncos-marshall&prov=ap&type=lgns

It seems the world's greatest affletes put up fits anytime something doesn't go their way. I especially love the part where this article mentions that Marshall was acquitted of domestic violence charges and this gave him leverage to get a new contract.Edited by: whiteathlete33

 

[green fire317]

Jabar Gaffney broke his thumb and is expected to miss several weeks. With Marshall gone as well as Gaffney means that Nate Swift may get a bigger role with the team.Edited by: green fire317

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Great news for Nate, as he needs to get some more opportunities!