SoCalBronco
05-19-2007, 03:18 AM
Rookies catch breath with Broncos
Thomas, Moss, Crowder get taste of NFL at Broncos minicamp
Marc Serota © Getty Images
Marcus Thomas impressed Broncos assistant Jim Bates with his play last season.STORY TOOLS
By Lee Rasizer, Rocky Mountain News
May 18, 2007
Getting yelled at never sounded so sweet to Marcus Thomas.
That's because during the past three days, the Broncos rookie defensive tackle already has matched his entire official on-field workload since October.
"I'm enjoying every bit of it," he said at the conclusion of the passing camp session Friday.
Expelled from the University of Florida for good after a game against the University of Georgia for off-field conduct, he nevertheless managed to play in a bowl game. The little-known Texas vs. the Nation Bowl conducted three practices and a walk-through. But it was a far cry from the buildup to the national championship game he'd miss.
"I got a ring," he said, referring to the spoils earned by the Nation squad's 24-20 victory Feb. 2. "Not the one I wanted. But it's big. It's really nice."
Nicer still is the second chance afforded him by the Broncos, who picked him in the fourth round. And Thomas' rare combination of size, strength and speed gives him a legitimate opportunity to log significant playing time.
But first things first - like learning a proper stance. Oh, and catching his breath, too.
"I already knew I was going to be rusty," he said. "But I feel like I'm coming along from the first day to (Friday). There's a complete difference. I'm just trying to get used to it all again, keep my head up and use my hands more. The coaches are staying on me, trying to get me right and get back into the momentum of playing football again. I'm going to get back to where I was."
The biggest shocker at first was adjusting to the speed of the pro game, particularly after his long layoff.
"I mean, these Broncos linemen are real fast," he said.
Denver hopes Thomas is just as quick a study, because chances are, it will be counting on him soon.
"Hopefully," defensive line coach Bill Johnson said. "He's an impact player."
That was the case when Jim Bates first laid eyes on Thomas.
Bates, Denver's top defensive assistant and a University of Tennessee graduate, attended his alma mater's game against Florida last season, not having any idea who Thomas was.
That knowledge gap quickly became filled.
"After the game I knew who '44' was," said Bates, referring to the defensive tackle's college number. "Because he was all over the field."
Thomas also has been all over the headlines, which is why he slipped so far on draft day and was playing in the Texas-Nation bowl. Two positive tests for marijuana and violation of team rules were at the heart of Thomas' troubles.
But Johnson said that as an organization, the Broncos felt Thomas had paid his price.
As a college player, "he's a guy who affected games," Johnson said. And now that he's with the Broncos, "We're going to work our tails off to build a great relationship with him and bring him through this program."
Right now, it's Thomas and the other two defensive-line draft picks, first-rounder Jarvis Moss and second-rounder Tim Crowder, doing the backbreaking work.
Moss, Thomas' college teammate, struggled with the altitude in his first practice Wednesday.
"I tapped out and didn't make it through the workout. But these past couple of days, I've been getting adjusted to it and it has gotten easier," Moss said.
Yet the toughest part has been learning new terminology when it comes to the playbook.
"I feel like a freshman all over again," he said.
It's no wonder Crowder already was looking forward to a weekend off, but not before engaging some of his new teammates in a game of dominoes. He already was boasting that he was probably the best player on the team in that realm.
And if he loses, having not even been signed his rookie contract, the former University of Texas star already had a plan.
"I'll just have to give them an I.O.U," he said with a smile.
Their on-field performances can be explained in much the same fashion. They're giving the Broncos what they can now, but the best is likely yet to come. The team's banking on it.
"Before you put together a swing set, you have to the directions, pieces and parts out," Johnson said of his early work with the rookies. "That's what we're doing. We're just laying the parts out, as far as concepts are concerned, the effort, knowledge and fundamentals it takes."
But mix in a few veteran leaders along the front four and let the fun and games begin.
Because as Johnson put it, "The one thing I do feel good about is we do have a good swing set."
Rating the rookie linemen
Broncos defensive line coach Bill Johnson offered his views on the three new draft picks along the team's front:
• Jarvis Moss, DE, Florida (first round, 17th overall): "Moss is athletic ability, range and production. If you go back and look at their (the Gators') championship game, he set the tone with a big play on their quarterback early in the game, and as you watched him, he was a productive player. You look at his frame, he had some injuries that kept him back, but he has a chance to get bigger so there's some upside there. And any time you can get a 6-foot-6 guy who can run and keep his hips down, it's a good deal."
• Tim Crowder, DE, Texas (second round, 56th overall): "The thing that stood out to me with him is, he's a fundamentally sound, good athlete. And he came into camp these three days, it's proved that."
• Marcus Thomas, DT, Florida (fourth round, 121st overall): "He had some problems - and those are well-documented - but we felt as an organization he had been punished. He's such a good football player, and if he didn't get a chance here, he'd have a life sentence. And I don't think he's ready for a life sentence."
rasizerl@RockyMountainNews.com
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/nfl/article/0,2777,DRMN_23918_5545234,00.html
Thomas, Moss, Crowder get taste of NFL at Broncos minicamp
Marc Serota © Getty Images
Marcus Thomas impressed Broncos assistant Jim Bates with his play last season.STORY TOOLS
By Lee Rasizer, Rocky Mountain News
May 18, 2007
Getting yelled at never sounded so sweet to Marcus Thomas.
That's because during the past three days, the Broncos rookie defensive tackle already has matched his entire official on-field workload since October.
"I'm enjoying every bit of it," he said at the conclusion of the passing camp session Friday.
Expelled from the University of Florida for good after a game against the University of Georgia for off-field conduct, he nevertheless managed to play in a bowl game. The little-known Texas vs. the Nation Bowl conducted three practices and a walk-through. But it was a far cry from the buildup to the national championship game he'd miss.
"I got a ring," he said, referring to the spoils earned by the Nation squad's 24-20 victory Feb. 2. "Not the one I wanted. But it's big. It's really nice."
Nicer still is the second chance afforded him by the Broncos, who picked him in the fourth round. And Thomas' rare combination of size, strength and speed gives him a legitimate opportunity to log significant playing time.
But first things first - like learning a proper stance. Oh, and catching his breath, too.
"I already knew I was going to be rusty," he said. "But I feel like I'm coming along from the first day to (Friday). There's a complete difference. I'm just trying to get used to it all again, keep my head up and use my hands more. The coaches are staying on me, trying to get me right and get back into the momentum of playing football again. I'm going to get back to where I was."
The biggest shocker at first was adjusting to the speed of the pro game, particularly after his long layoff.
"I mean, these Broncos linemen are real fast," he said.
Denver hopes Thomas is just as quick a study, because chances are, it will be counting on him soon.
"Hopefully," defensive line coach Bill Johnson said. "He's an impact player."
That was the case when Jim Bates first laid eyes on Thomas.
Bates, Denver's top defensive assistant and a University of Tennessee graduate, attended his alma mater's game against Florida last season, not having any idea who Thomas was.
That knowledge gap quickly became filled.
"After the game I knew who '44' was," said Bates, referring to the defensive tackle's college number. "Because he was all over the field."
Thomas also has been all over the headlines, which is why he slipped so far on draft day and was playing in the Texas-Nation bowl. Two positive tests for marijuana and violation of team rules were at the heart of Thomas' troubles.
But Johnson said that as an organization, the Broncos felt Thomas had paid his price.
As a college player, "he's a guy who affected games," Johnson said. And now that he's with the Broncos, "We're going to work our tails off to build a great relationship with him and bring him through this program."
Right now, it's Thomas and the other two defensive-line draft picks, first-rounder Jarvis Moss and second-rounder Tim Crowder, doing the backbreaking work.
Moss, Thomas' college teammate, struggled with the altitude in his first practice Wednesday.
"I tapped out and didn't make it through the workout. But these past couple of days, I've been getting adjusted to it and it has gotten easier," Moss said.
Yet the toughest part has been learning new terminology when it comes to the playbook.
"I feel like a freshman all over again," he said.
It's no wonder Crowder already was looking forward to a weekend off, but not before engaging some of his new teammates in a game of dominoes. He already was boasting that he was probably the best player on the team in that realm.
And if he loses, having not even been signed his rookie contract, the former University of Texas star already had a plan.
"I'll just have to give them an I.O.U," he said with a smile.
Their on-field performances can be explained in much the same fashion. They're giving the Broncos what they can now, but the best is likely yet to come. The team's banking on it.
"Before you put together a swing set, you have to the directions, pieces and parts out," Johnson said of his early work with the rookies. "That's what we're doing. We're just laying the parts out, as far as concepts are concerned, the effort, knowledge and fundamentals it takes."
But mix in a few veteran leaders along the front four and let the fun and games begin.
Because as Johnson put it, "The one thing I do feel good about is we do have a good swing set."
Rating the rookie linemen
Broncos defensive line coach Bill Johnson offered his views on the three new draft picks along the team's front:
• Jarvis Moss, DE, Florida (first round, 17th overall): "Moss is athletic ability, range and production. If you go back and look at their (the Gators') championship game, he set the tone with a big play on their quarterback early in the game, and as you watched him, he was a productive player. You look at his frame, he had some injuries that kept him back, but he has a chance to get bigger so there's some upside there. And any time you can get a 6-foot-6 guy who can run and keep his hips down, it's a good deal."
• Tim Crowder, DE, Texas (second round, 56th overall): "The thing that stood out to me with him is, he's a fundamentally sound, good athlete. And he came into camp these three days, it's proved that."
• Marcus Thomas, DT, Florida (fourth round, 121st overall): "He had some problems - and those are well-documented - but we felt as an organization he had been punished. He's such a good football player, and if he didn't get a chance here, he'd have a life sentence. And I don't think he's ready for a life sentence."
rasizerl@RockyMountainNews.com
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/nfl/article/0,2777,DRMN_23918_5545234,00.html