TOP POSTS

DMac Broncos training camp blog: ‘Champ Camp’ Day 12

Aug 9, 2016, 5:00 PM | Updated: 5:01 pm

Mark Sanchez had his best practice of camp on Tuesday. Of course, the players weren’t wearing pads and were going about half speed or so, but still Sanchez looked good. He threw a deep TD to DT and avoided the dumb mistakes of the past couple of days.

Monday was miserable for Sanchez, as he threw his third pick six of camp and then, in a walk through session, stupidly took a knee with no timeouts inside the five instead of simply grounding the ball. The defense hopped up and down as they won a period that wasn’t even competitive. This was the butt fumbleness of Sanchez that has chased him his entire career.

However, he was the bigger investment in the offseason, and, without a ton of support from his coaches, he was given the grudging first team reps on Tuesday.

Head coach Gary Kubiak had promised the dogged press corps that he would announce the starter after the Tuesday practice, but instead said that he and the coaches would have to talk about it upstairs.  This was again another slight to Sanchez, who despite being given everything on a silver platter is unable to have anybody truly believe in him.

Trevor Siemian is hardly perfect. He threw a deflected pass for a pick six during practice on Tuesday, but he has also been the better quarterback for the past week. He hasn’t made the dumb mistakes that Sanchez has made. While Siemian doesn’t look spectacular, he has more than enough good moments to take this thing right down to the wire.

Kubiak said that each QB will get a quarter Thursday and Paxton “the Pirate” Lynch will get the second half in Chicago. The fact that Kubiak and the coaches needed to see one more practice out of Sanchez to come to their final verdict proves how unsure they are about a guy who should’ve been able to earn the starting gig before camp even started.

We will truly go into the first preseason game of the year with as much intrigue as humanly possible for a completely meaningless game.

We will also see a punting competition between Riley Dixon and Britton Colquitt.  For many reasons the Broncos are rooting for their draft pick punter over the vet. Also, wide receiver Kalif Raymond will get many chances to prove why he should be kept rather than Jordan Norwood. Also, you will watch an offensive lineman named Darrion Weems get a ton of time while Tyler Sambraillo contemplates whether he will ever be healthy to play in the NFL. Juwan Thompson has almost no shot to make this team, but he will give it his best efforts.

Anytime local guys like Eddie Yarborough (who may have a shot on practice squad) or John Tidwell get to wear their hometown colors in any form of an NFL game is a good deal. Tidwell will need to do something spectacular, but it’s all still a dream come true.

Aqib Talib told me he couldn’t say if he shot himself. I had folks on social media scream to me about the Fifth Amendment and claim I shouldn’t ask that question because I’m not a lawyer. I’m sorry. This is a pretty simple situation –– did you shoot yourself or not?

I’m guessing if you can’t say you didn’t shoot yourself, well then you probably shot yourself. There are so many things I can firmly say I haven’t done. Let’s see –– I haven’t shot myself. I haven’t made love to anybody from Eastern Europe. I haven’t raised chickens. I haven’t benched pressed 300 pounds. I haven’t robbed a grocery store. I haven’t stolen a car. I know for a fact if anybody accused me of any of those things, I wouldn’t have to wait for a trial.

I also know that when I did get in trouble years ago for a radio stunt that went dreadfully wrong, I couldn’t say I didn’t promote an event that tore up private land. Now, to be clear, I didn’t do it intentionally because I trusted a complete idiot that this event was OK to do, but I know if somebody asked me that question, I would’ve had to say, “I can’t answer your question because it is under investigation.”

A plea deal and 20 hours of community service later, I can answer any darn question you have about that event. You see, ignorance of the law doesn’t make breaking the law OK. I was guilty enough. There were a ton of lies swirling around about this event that I was part of. Trust me, when I heard things that were completely untrue, it ticked me off. However, it was my own stupid fault for being involved in something that I should’ve stayed far away from.

No matter what the result if of Talib’s incident and no matter what his involvement actually was, it’s his own dumb fault for putting himself in a situation where this comes up at all. He’s not some sort of hero; he’s actually massively dumb. He endangered himself, others around him and broke the trust of his employer. He’s a good dude that everybody likes talking to, but his irresponsible behavior is embarrassing.

If you truly can’t flat out deny that you did something wrong, then you most likely did something wrong.  Again, we aren’t talking about poor people that can’t afford good lawyers; we are talking about a professional athlete worth millions of dollars who has had multiple run-ins with the law.

However, he’s a really good cornerback, so he’s given the longest rope possible, and I have no doubts he will be cheered by fans upon his return. Meanwhile, Kenny Annunike, who has been desperately trying to rehab for two years, was let go, and Ryan Murphy, who was sent home by the Broncos during Super Bowl week after being questioned –– but not charged –– regarding a prostitution sting in San Jose before the game, was asked to return to the team.

He was needed for depth because Shiloh Keo may face suspension for a DUI that he received over the summer. Kenny is a Duke man and about as nice as a guy as you can find. However, he couldn’t get healthy in time, so he’s gone.

Sam Brenner looked like he was killed on the practice field last week. His concussion was so severe he couldn’t move from a face down position for several minutes. He had to be carted off the field and was so woozy that days later I’m not sure if he could even understand that he wasn’t allowed the time to heal to come back to the team. Riverside! We are moving on. This is why you need to know the name Darrion Weems, because he’s gonna get a shot –– for now.

NFL

Not For Long.

However, this isn’t to castigate or belittle the Broncos. This is simply to describel the NFL. I bet you anything that I could go into any NFL training camp and find stories like this. I bet you anything there are good guys who don’t get a fair shot and bad guys that get every break in the book. I bet you anything on every team there are players that are let go because they are costing the team too much money because a superstar on that team needs the most money possible. Wouldn’t it be something if Von Miller said he would take $6 million less guaranteed so that Britton Colquit could keep his job?

Unlikely.

In the wild world of long snappers, Casey Kreiter looks like a keeper, and hopefully we never have to mention his name again. He is replacing Aaron Brewer, who didn’t have a bad snap in three years. The Broncos cut him in March.

The Bears signed Aaron Brewer a week later.

Aaron Brewer replaced Lonie Paxton, who made too much money.

I suppose we are all replaceable for younger, cheaper models, but most of us, despite how good we may be at our jobs, still have to maintain some sort of moral code. In the NFL, that line is shaky at best.  Guns, drugs, booze and abuse –– whatever. If you can play, you can play. And if you can play for less than the other guy ––– well, that’s even better.

The Broncos go into their Thursday night preseason game with many questions to answer with several players that shouldn’t be trusted to lead a Boy Scout meeting. But, hey, that Fourth of July sausage probably tasted great; don’t go digging to deeply into how it was made.

Top Posts

SANTA CLARA, CA - SEPTEMBER 21: Logan Paulsen #82, George Kittle #85, Tight Ends/Assistant Head Coa...

Nick Ferguson

The Extra Mile: Broncos must not walk but run to hire Jon Embree

There's a hire the Broncos "desperately need to make" as they fill out their staff, and it's a name Denver fans should be familiar with

2 years ago

DENVER, CO - JANUARY 8: Former Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Stokley (L) appears on The Spor...

Johnny Hart

Les Shapiro had unyielding conviction … and a solid appetite

A (hopefully) fitting tribute from a former college to one of Denver’s most highly regarded sports broadcasters

2 years ago

(Photo via Getty Images)...

Kendall Valenzuela

Nuggets start free agency by keeping the band together

The Denver Nuggets reportedly re-signed unrestricted free agents Will Barton and JaMychal Green to two-year contracts

3 years ago

Teddy Bridgewater...

Kendall Valenzuela

Bridgewater’s “survivor” mentality has readied him for QB battle

Teddy Bridgewater has bounced around the league with many teams, but the veteran quarterback believes that has only made him stronger

3 years ago

DENVER, CO - DECEMBER 22: Linebacker Von Miller #58 of the Denver Broncos warms up before a game ag...

Kendall Valenzuela

Von Miller hopes to play ‘five to seven more years’ in NFL

Von Miller believes he still has many years left in the NFL, but the idea could topple his hopes of being a "Bronco for life"

3 years ago

Broncos roster...

Kendall Valenzuela

Denver Broncos sign DB Tedric Thompson

The Denver Broncos have added more depth to their secondary by signing safety Tedric Thompson, per Tom Pelissero

3 years ago

DMac Broncos training camp blog: ‘Champ Camp’ Day 12