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SoCalBronco

07-21-2005, 06:00 PM

Thursday, July 21, 2005

Training Camp Preview: Wide Receivers
By Andrew Mason
DenverBroncos.com

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- It's not every year that a team add the all-time leader in the three defining receiving categories.

It's not every year that a team adds that player and then can't assure him a place on the 53-man roster.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Broncos' 2005 training camp, where one of the most compelling stories is bound to be Jerry Rice's quest to extend his record-shattering career into a 21st season. His statistics are stunning; his place in the game's pantheon is so assured, he'd probably be worthy of an edifice of his own.

All that won't help him earn a place on the Broncos' roster. Only what he does over the five-plus weeks from the start of training camp through Labor Day weekend will.

SoCalBronco

07-21-2005, 06:01 PM

"He's going to come here and compete with the rest of the guys," Head Coach Mike Shanahan said. "There's no promises of him being the third receiver, the fourth receiver, the fifth receiver.

"I told Jerry, 'I don't know if you lost a step or two steps, but you're going to come here for one reason -- to compete with our other guys, and if you're one of our top five guys at the end of camp, you'll be on our football team. If you're not, I'd have one of the toughest jobs in the world -- to release a guy that is arguably the best player to ever play the game."

It would be easy to turn the cameras on Rice and leave them there when camp begins. After all, those who come to the practices will be afforded the chance to say they received an up-close look at a player whose accomplishments would be worthy of an entire chapter of the NFL's history book.

But competition lies around Rice for the slots behind last year's starting duo, Rod Smith and Ashley Lelie, with a host of young receivers scratching for playing time.

"I'm sure initially when Jerry came in that it got their attention and their eyes bugged open because of who it was," General Manager Ted Sundquist said. "Knowing those guys, it's now more of, 'Hey, he's our teammate, but he's another guy that I'm competing with, and I'll watch and learn from him, but I'm going to fight just as hard as he will for that spot.' That's what they've got to do."

That scrum starts with second-year receiver Darius Watts, who ranked third among Broncos wideouts in receptions and yardage and was the only player at his position other than Smith or Lelie to score a touchdown last year.

"Darius is as talented a guy as there is out there," Sundquist said. "I went back and looked at his (pre-draft) cut-up tape from a year ago and compared him to some of the guys coming out in the draft this year, and he's right there with the best -- in my opinion -- as far as quickness, separation and speed."

Watts said at the recently completed mini-camp that he'd added "about four" pounds in the weight room to his 188-pound frame. Yet the test of his progress will not be on the scales, but on the field. His rookie year witnessed flashes of brilliance, but also saw moments of frustration -- sometimes within moments of each other.

SoCalBronco

07-21-2005, 06:02 PM

Never was that more true than during the Broncos' 41-28 loss to the Atlanta Falcons last Halloween. In the final quarter, Watts grabbed six passes for 78 yards, including a 7-yard touchdown, as he helped fuel the Broncos' attempt at a furious rally. Yet Watts also dropped a potential touchdown pass, which helped send the Broncos' comeback express careening off track.

"There were times last year you thought, 'This is going to be the guy,' and then there were times when we pulled the trigger his way and he didn't come through for us," Sundquist said. "The mark of a successful receiver in this league is consistency and reliability. He has the tools to do that."

And the confidence, as well.

"I think I'm going up and up," Watts said. "As long as I keep growing, I'm going to be getting better."

Watts arrived in Denver with a second-round pedigree. Triandos Luke did not, but by the end of the year the sixth-round pick had worked his way into the receiving rotation, most notably posting a 5-catch day in the Broncos' otherwise forgettable 45-17 loss at Kansas City on Dec. 19.

"Triandos probably went farther last year than he ever thought he would," Sundquist said. "He's just got to continue to think, 'Hey, I belong here. They can bring in all the receivers they want, and I'm going to sit there and fight and compete.'"

Most of Luke's work came on returns; he averaged 7.1 yards on 19 punt returns and 20.4 yards on 15 kickoff runbacks. Even with the presence of rookie Darrent Williams, Sundquist wants Luke to continue growing into a capable returner.

"He obviously contributed quite a bit on special teams for us last year, and he's got to continue to work on his route-running and his consistency catching the football," Sundquist said. "He was a reliable rookie on special teams for us. He fields punts and kickoffs well back there, and the more you can do as a young player in the position that he's at, the better."

Special teams was also where Charlie Adams made his splash last year. Returning to the Broncos on Dec. 8 after being waived two months and six days earlier, Adams did not post his first career reception last season, but did notch the team's longest punt return of the year with a 39-yard runback against the Indianapolis Colts on Jan. 2. A week later, he returned one kickoff for 25 yards in the wild-card loss to Indianapolis.

For the 25-year-old Adams, this will be his fourth training camp in Denver. B.J. Johnson and Romar Crenshaw are each only in their second, and the two are among the most intriguing prospects in the Broncos' stable heading into camp.

COUNTDOWN TO CAMP
As the quiet summer days before training camp dwindle down to a precious few, we'll count them down by focusing on a different area of the team every weekday between now and the start of camp.
JULY 18: QUARTERBACKS
JULY 19: TIGHT ENDS
JULY 20: RUNNING BACKS
THURSDAY, JULY 21: WIDE RECEIVERS
FRIDAY, JULY 22: OFFENSIVE LINE
MONDAY, JULY 25: SPECIAL TEAMS
TUESDAY, JULY 26: DEFENSIVE LINE
WEDNESDAY, JULY 27: LINEBACKERS
THURSDAY, JULY 28: DEFENSIVE BACKS

SoCalBronco

07-21-2005, 06:03 PM

Johnson spent all of last year on injured reserve after injuring his left ankle during non-contact drills in a training-camp practice. It was a frustrating blow for a pass-catcher who spent his college career in the shadow of current Detroit Lions wide receiver Roy Williams, and played his senior year on what was later revealed to be a broken leg. That injury kept him from being able to work out fully heading into the 2004 draft, and his stock plummeted to where he was available as an undrafted free agent.

A year later, Johnson has a new jersey number (12; he wore 2 in last year's camp) and full health for the first time in nearly two years.

"B.J. has a lot of catching up to do because of being on injured reserve last year, and I think he understands that," Sundquist acknowledged.

Crenshaw's pedigree is different. While Johnson was the No. 2 option at mighty Texas, Crenshaw was amassing obscene numbers at Division II Southeastern Oklahoma State, averaging 25.4 yards a reception and 22.9 yards per punt return as a senior. The flashes he demonstrated in training camp were enough to earn him a place on the Broncos' practice squad, placing him in a spot another former Division II receiver was a decade earlier -- Rod Smith.

That year of day-in, day-out work on the practice squad might be the one of the best things Crenshaw has going for him.

"They're in a fight for that fourth and fifth wide receiver spot," Sundquist said. "They certainly have the tools to do it, but in both their cases, it's a matter of consistency and reliability. You can make an outstanding catch, and you can run by one of the young DBs once, but you've got to do it on a consistent basis, and you've got to do it against the best competition, too. They just need to continue to bear down, hone those skills, be there and be reliable when the ball is thrown to them."

The other receivers in the mix are Grant Mattos and Todd Devoe. Mattos joined the Broncos last Dec. 22 and spent three weeks on the team's practice squad, while Devoe signed a future contract with the Broncos on Dec. 7.

Mattos played six games for the Chargers in 2003, but was waived by San Diego on Aug. 31, 2004. Devoe enters his third training camp in the NFL; he spent the last two summers with the Baltimore Ravens.

And that brings one back full circle to last year's first-team duo -- Smith and Lelie.

With Smith, you know what you'll get. Sharp routes. Diligence in the classroom and on the practice field. Leadership that has made him one of the most beloved players to ever pass through the walls of any of the team's headquarters. Eleven seasons of work -- one on the practice squad, and 10 on the regular roster -- leave his credentials impeccable and his character within the team framework unassailable.

SoCalBronco

07-21-2005, 06:04 PM

Entering his fourth year, Lelie is still in the process of becoming what he will be. While he notched the first 1,000-yard season of his career last year and led the NFL in yards per catch (20.1) and touchdowns of more than 30 yards (seven), he only had one 100-yard game and posted more than four catches in just two games -- during back-to-back late October contests at Cincinnati and against Atlanta.

"You don't want to see a drop-off after the season that he had last year," Sundquist said.

In the general manager's eyes, the crucial part of Lelie's development lies in using the strength he does possess -- 200 pounds on a 6-foot-3 frame -- to be unfazed by contact, to put him in position to not only be able to make the 35-yard touchdown reception, but to make the best of a 9-yard slant on third-and-8.

"It's becoming a physical league -- a league of press coverage -- and that's one of the things he needs to continue to work on, getting off the line of scrimmage against big, strong corners and getting up the field," Sundquist said. "That 20.1-yards-per-catch average was outstanding last year, but you'd also want to see more short passes turned into long gainers. I think he knows that and he'll continue to work on it."

Work -- and the quality thereof -- will determine the fate of Lelie and each of the Broncos' receivers in the weeks ahead.

Billy Clyde Puckett

07-21-2005, 07:46 PM

What happens if Crenshaw turns out to be a better punt returner than Williams?

Bronco9798

07-21-2005, 07:57 PM

I cant wait for Camp and the Pre-season games, I want real news now. It's been a long off-season. I'm tired of reading, speculating, and wondering. We need to get this baby started!!!!!!!!!!!!

epicSocialism4tw

07-21-2005, 08:47 PM

Watts only added 4lbs?

DBroncos4life

07-21-2005, 08:53 PM

Watts only added 4lbs?

You could drink a 6 pack over the weekend and gain more then that.

Bob's your Information Minister

07-21-2005, 08:58 PM

I still like Watts quite a bit. I think he will eventually surpass Lelie.

Bronco9798

07-21-2005, 09:02 PM

I still like Watts quite a bit. I think he will eventually surpass Lelie.

I don't think he will surpass Lelie, but they will make a nice tandem in the future.

Meck77

07-21-2005, 09:02 PM

I cant wait for Camp and the Pre-season games, I want real news now. It's been a long off-season. I'm tired of reading, speculating, and wondering. We need to get this baby started!!!!!!!!!!!!

Same here. We'll be beaming you guys pics and news from camp as fast as we can. With myself, Disco, and BD, and OF1 on scene I have a hunch we can have morning pics and news up within 20 min after the first practice breaks. BD scored a kick ass digital camera recently so that will help.

Or if we can convice BD to sit on board the bus we can broadcast play by play via cell phone to her. lmfao :militia: (don't count on this)

See if you can beat that Andrew Mason. ;)

Hey Taco we need an orangemane press pass dude. What's up! ;D

SoCalBronco

07-21-2005, 09:07 PM

I still like Watts quite a bit. I think he will eventually surpass Lelie.

Homer on.

Bronco9798

07-21-2005, 09:09 PM

Same here. We'll be beaming you guys pics and news from camp as fast as we can. With myself, Disco, and BD, and OF1 on scene I have a hunch we can have morning pics and news up within 20 min after the first practice breaks. BD scored a kick ass digital camera recently so that will help.

Or if we can convice BD to sit on board the bus we can broadcast play by play via cell phone to her. lmfao :militia: (don't count on this)

See if you can beat that Andrew Mason. ;)

Hey Taco we need an orangemane press pass dude. What's up! ;D

Can't wait Meck!!

Bob's your Information Minister

07-21-2005, 09:12 PM

Homer on.

There's no doubt Lelie is better right now. But I don't really believe Lelie will ever be much more than he is now. Watts still has unrealized potential. Can you trade him to KC?

Watts will develop into a faster version of Rod Smith.

DBroncos4life

07-21-2005, 09:13 PM

Watts, Watts, Watts. What am I going to do with you.

Crushaholic

07-21-2005, 09:22 PM

I don't think he will surpass Lelie, but they will make a nice tandem in the future.

Watts as the short-to-medium range threat and Lelie as the homerun threat...makes me psyched thinking about it... :thumbs:

Meck77

07-21-2005, 09:31 PM

Homer on.

I will. Watch out for Watts. Watts is real hard on himself. He plays with alot of emotion compared to Lelie. I think he's going to step it up bigtime.

SoCalBronco

07-21-2005, 09:33 PM

I will. Watch out for Watts. Watts is real hard on himself. He plays with alot of emotion compared to Lelie. I think he's going to step it up bigtime.

I want him to step up just as much as anyone else, but i still dont think he is going to be better than Lelie. Emotion doesnt make you run a route better or read the defense better.

DBroncos4life

07-21-2005, 09:35 PM

I just don't think he will get much better then last year stats wise. I think the TDs will improve but over all I think the numbers won't be higher. I do look for his blocking and route running to get MUCH, MUCH better. Baby steps my young one.

Meck77

07-21-2005, 09:37 PM

I want him to step up just as much as anyone else, but i still dont think he is going to be better than Lelie. Emotion doesnt make you run a route better or read the defense better.

Yeah but Lelie's mistakes don't ever seem to phase him IMO. When Watt's drops a pass you can tell he get's pissed. To me it means the guy wants to improve. Lelie just seems to go thru the motions sometimes. Maybe he'll become a leader someday and take the torch from Rod but honestly I have my money on Watts for the long run.

Lelie can improve but for crying out loud the kid needs to get in the middle of the field and catch some balls. He needs to get fired up and be a leader. I haven't seen it yet. You can lead silently with numbers but they are there yet either.

SoCalBronco

07-21-2005, 09:42 PM

Yeah but Lelie's mistakes don't ever seem to phase him IMO. When Watt's drops a pass you can tell he get's pissed. To me it means the guy wants to improve. Lelie just seems to go thru the motions sometimes. Maybe he'll become a leader someday and take the torch from Rod but honestly I have my money on Watts for the long run.

Lelie can improve but for crying out loud the kid needs to get in the middle of the field and catch some balls. He needs to get fired up and be a leader. I haven't seen it yet. You can lead silently with numbers but they are there yet either.

Well i am certainly glad that Watts gets visibly pissed when he drops balls. Ordinarily i would agree with you if a guy doesnt show any emotion if he dropped a ball its a problem, but i dont think thats the case with Ash. You and Disco reported last year when you went to the Valley he was one of the first guys out there working on the JUGS machine to get his hands better. So its not like he doesnt care, he just doesnt show it. He is naturally introverted. Yeah its nice to be a rah-rah guy but several of our best players are not rah rah guys. See Trevor Pryce, DJ Williams etc.

Bob's your Information Minister

07-21-2005, 09:42 PM

SoCalBronco

07-21-2005, 09:44 PM

You're making me feel like a Broncos fan. STOP IT! :contract:

You know your a closet Broncos fan, Bob. Youve shown it a few times here and there.

FADERPROOF

07-21-2005, 09:45 PM

There's no doubt Lelie is better right now. But I don't really believe Lelie will ever be much more than he is now. Watts still has unrealized potential. Can you trade him to KC?

Watts will develop into a faster version of Rod Smith.

Lelie has been working on short to intermediate routes this entire offseason, an area that he can get a better at.

If he does become a better route runner as an intermediate threat, then you bet your ass he'll be much more than he is now.

labronx

07-22-2005, 11:30 AM

I will. Watch out for Watts. Watts is real hard on himself. He plays with alot of emotion compared to Lelie. I think he's going to step it up bigtime.

Great, Great point Meck.
It does seem as if Watts MAY have more heart.
That is the reason why he would eventually surpass him.
Lelie is at the point where he just to go out and do IT, go out and take IT.
IT is called Heart, LOVE Desire.

You can have all the tools It dont mea schIT if you dont have your HEART in IT!

Meck77

07-22-2005, 11:40 AM

Well i am certainly glad that Watts gets visibly pissed when he drops balls. Ordinarily i would agree with you if a guy doesnt show any emotion if he dropped a ball its a problem, but i dont think thats the case with Ash. You and Disco reported last year when you went to the Valley he was one of the first guys out there working on the JUGS machine to get his hands better. So its not like he doesnt care, he just doesnt show it. He is naturally introverted. Yeah its nice to be a rah-rah guy but several of our best players are not rah rah guys. See Trevor Pryce, DJ Williams etc.

That's true we did. We also thought Watts looked better than everyone else except Rod. Practice is one thing and the games turned out to be another. Hopefully we'll be able to get some more insight as camp rolls on. I personally have a hard time speculating in the offseason unlike idiots like Bob. Last years record speaks for itself and so will this years.

Billy Clyde Puckett

07-22-2005, 11:53 AM

Great, Great point Meck.
It does seem as if Watts MAY have more heart.
That is the reason why he would eventually surpass him.
Lelie is at the point where he just to go out and do IT, go out and take IT.
IT is called Heart, LOVE Desire.

You can have all the tools It dont mea schIT if you dont have your HEART in IT!

Yes, but you can't measure a guys heart by his outward appearances. Remember a guy named Zimmerman, or Gradishar, or Terrell Davis. Other than TD's salute, none of those guys displayed their emotion, but I guarantee they had heart.

labronx

07-22-2005, 12:13 PM

You know your a closet Broncos fan, Bob. Youve shown it a few times here and there.\

LOL he wont admit it but he knows that I know that he has a crush on John Elway.

and he has the hotts for TD
and dreams of Rod Smith and gettig STIFF armed by McCaffrey and dancing with Portis

ha Bob?

Welcome to the club!

SoCalBronco

07-22-2005, 12:18 PM

\

LOL he wont admit it but he knows that I know that he has a crush on John Elway.

Welcome to the club!

It wouldnt surprise me if Bob had a thing for John Elway. He seems to be attracted to QBs. He has openly said before that he has had a crush on every Chiefs QB since Joe Montana.

labronx

07-22-2005, 12:23 PM

It wouldnt surprise me if Bob had a thing for John Elway. He seems to be attracted to QBs. He has openly said before that he has had a crush on every Chiefs QB since Joe Montana.

Look at how he gets a woody over "Big Ben" oh wait thats waffle LOL

sirhcyennek81

07-22-2005, 12:26 PM

how does he feel about harrington's piano hands?

Bob's your Information Minister

07-22-2005, 12:36 PM

**** John Elway. :redpunch:

Drek

07-22-2005, 12:53 PM

I don't see Watts passing Lelie. To me Lelie is just flat out more talented. Take away the fact that he's bigger, more experienced, and faster than Watts, he's just a natural deep threat, like Marvin Harrison. The way he can stretch out for a pass thrown a little long, or react to the ball in flight, Watts won't be able to match up when burning into the deep secondary, and Lelie is only going to get better as he and Jake get a more intuative feel for each other.

Watts should be real good, but I see him more as a Rod Smith type where he's at his best making the catch inside the 15 yd. line then turning downfield for good YAC. He'll be an invaluable #2 WR on this team for a long time, but I don't see him supplanting Lelie as the future #1.

But then, I'm betting that Lelie will mature into the best deep threat in the NFL within three years, so thats a lot for Watts to measure up to.

elsid13

07-22-2005, 12:55 PM

**** John Elway. :redpunch:

IT alright Boob your secret safe with us. By the way how big is the Elways poster over your bed in your mom's basement???

labronx

07-22-2005, 02:21 PM

how does he feel about harrington's piano hands?
LOLOOLOLOLOOL

thats too good!

bilrob

07-22-2005, 08:25 PM

This year the Broncs are going into camp with an abundance of good WR. Positions locked, I believe, barring injuries, are R Smith, A Lelie and Watts. Then, as they say the "Ball is in the Air". It's just my hunch that Rice might not make this squad. It depends on whether Shanny keeps 5 or 6 WRs. With the three Iv'e mentioned, I thinks Shoat has a Red Tag on him because of his versatilaty. Then come Johnson and Crenshaw. Neither of these guys are chopped liver. Granted neither have any playing time, but their pedigrees are unimpeachable. Now after saying all that, I ask can Plummer get then the ball? If Plummer is hot this year, Denver could post some real stats in the air. However, Like we all know, Denver will run the ball mostly, and we are in good shape there I believe. Oh for camp to start!

chanesaw

07-22-2005, 09:10 PM

Don't you mean luke has a red tag?

Jetmeck

07-22-2005, 11:52 PM

Meck77

07-23-2005, 12:01 AM

**** John Elway. :redpunch:

Bob are you going to the Broncos vs KC game? Home or Away?

eddie mac

07-23-2005, 04:49 AM

You know your a closet Broncos fan, Bob. Youve shown it a few times here and there.
I'd actually prefer the closet to the Chiefs

bilrob

07-23-2005, 11:49 AM

Don't you mean luke has a red tag?

YES! YOU ARE RIGHT. LUKE NOT SHOAT. MY BAD. THANKS