SB Nation - Marcus Thigpen

Horse Tracks 8/27/09 - Hillis returns kicks; Thomas reportedly has separated shoulder

Douglas A. Lee — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:51:40 -0000

DB - Broncos sign Martin, waive Thigpen - Chris Gentilviso
Ingle Martin and Russ Hochstein practiced with their new team yesterday.

DB - Opening the Doors - Gray Caldwell
The Broncos are looking forward to playing in front of the home crowd.

DB - Wednesday: McDaniels - Broncos TV
McDaniels talks about Ingle Martin and reacts to Jay Cutler's hatchet burial.

DB - Wednesday: Orton - Broncos TV
Orton talks about facing his old mates; he reminds us that the Broncos won't be passing three times down at the goal line very often during the regular season.

DB - Wednesday: Martin - Broncos TV
No offense to Martin, but I'm not expecting to see many more of these...

DP - Martin signs, gives boost to QB depth - Jeff Legwold
To make room for new QB Ingle Martin, the Broncos released RB Marcus Thigpen.

DP - To shore up kickoff return, Hillis receives plenty of reps - Jeff Legwold
Peyton Hillis practiced returning kicks yesterday, which he had done at Arkansas. Brandon Lloyd practiced and hopes to play Sunday. Marcus Thomas was wearing a brace on what's being reported by KDVR as a separated shoulder yesterday, but left practice and hit the weight room instead.

DP - McJaygate taboo issue among Broncos - Mike Klis
Nobody involved really wants to talk about you-know-what.

ESPN - Source: Palmer out vs. Rams, maybe preseason - James Walker
Walker is hearing that the next time QB Carson Palmer plays could be Week 1 versus the Broncos.

DP - Kiszla: A blame game fit for booing
Kiszla says that although McDaniels and Cutler claim the offseason drama is over, there will be plenty of boos come Sunday night, and that the fans will decide when the feud is done with.

DP - Cutler puts Broncos' trade in rearview mirror - Jeff Legwold

DB - Wednesday: Transcripts - McDaniels and Orton

DP - Sweet smell of success headed for Graham - Anthony Cotton
Former Bronco Tom Graham (and father of TE Daniel) has reached a licensing agreement with the NFL to sell team-logo air fresheners. Pretty good idea, huh?

DB - Bears Conference Call: Cutler - Audio
JC talks to the Denver press; he sounds comfortable with being a Bear now and ready to move on from the offseason drama.

AP - Cutler Has Good Things To Say About McDaniels - Arnie Stapleton

KDVR - Broncos News: Simms, Thomas hurt

CSG - Broncos not changing QB plans despite Simms' injury - Frank Schwab

CSG - Cutler makes nice about Denver return - Frank Schwab

DP - New Broncos QB completes circle - Jeff Legwold
The Titans cut Ingle Martin last year to make room for Chris Simms.

ESPN - Tuesday Morning Quarterback's AFC preview - Gregg Easterbrook
Hmm. Easterbrook thinks the Broncos will really miss Jeremy Bates because he'd done such a great job with Cutler. Not sure if he's ever heard of this guy McDaniels...

ESPN - Don't let Cutler's low-key approach fool you about his return to Denver - Melissa Isaacson

AP - Little had given up on Hall of Fame consideration - Arnie Stapleton

AFC West News

ESPN - Oakland Raiders coach Tom Cable to be questioned by Napa police - Colleen Dominguez

SFC - Heyward-Bey's catch excites Cable - David White
Wow. Kid made one great catch. In practice. It's the small things in Jokeland...

CCT - Raiders' Huff working to turn his career around - Steve Corkran
This is the guy Al took over JC and Matt Leinart. Oops...

ESPN - Raiders ready to make move up - John Clayton
I think he's actually serious...

SDUT - There's more to Chargers at tight end than Gates - Bill Center

SDUT - In the sack is no place for Rivers, even in preseason - Nick Canepa

SDUT - Castillo happy to feel healthy - Kevin Acee

KCS - Chiefs notebook: Haley sees progress at wide receiver - Kent Babb

KCS - Thigpen keeps working despite frustration at quarterback - Adam Teicher

Y! - Haley, Pioli trying to reprogram Chiefs - Charles Robinson

NFL News

ESPN - Source: Minnesota Vikings locker room facing 'schism' over Brett Favre arrival - Adam Schefter

NFL - 'Dreams are coming true': Rookie Sanchez is Jets' starting QB

NFL - Niners starting QB Hill leaves practice with hurt back, should play Saturday

NFL - Boldin likely to miss Cardinals' game vs. Packers with sore hamstring

FOX - Last two draft holdouts far, far away from signing - John Czarnecki

NFL - Bucs RB Williams to see first game action since latest knee injury

NFL - Ravens TE Smith might be out for rest of preseason; DT Gregg also hurt

NFL - Bills RB Jackson should be OK to start season despite sprained wrist

NFL - Carriker back with Rams, but starting DT job isn't guaranteed, coach says

NFL - Bears DT Dvoracek to undergo arthroscopic surgery on right knee

NFL - Court documents show Roethlisberger's accuser offered fake resignation

NFL Opinion

NFP - Diner morning news: picking the right 14 - Mike Lombardi

SI - NFL preseason is poor imitation of real thing - Don Banks

SI - Aaron Brown, Jason Babin are reasons to like NFL preseason - Ross Tucker

NFP - Wednesday whys: No complaints from Rivers - Andrew Brandt

NFP - Expect Sanchez to struggle early - Matt Bowen

PFW - In QB standstill, tie goes to Sanchez

CBS - Cardinals camp tour: Good times to Super hangover? - Mike Freeman

SI - Shaun Hill ready to lead San Francisco 49ers after frustrating '08 - Jim Trotter

NFP - NFL notes: Bucs looking to make a deal? - Matt Bowen

NFP - Tavern talk: final almost blue list - Mike Lombardi

NYT - Assessing Packers’ Defensive Switch - KC Joyner

NYT - Why Dick LeBeau Deserves to Be in the Hall of Fame - Andy Barall

NFP - 2009 NFP scouting series: Maryland - Wes Bunting

Broncos make several roster moves official

John Bena — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 22:54:19 -0000

More photos » AP

4 months ago: This is a May 2009 photo of Le Kevin Smith of the New England Patriots NFL football team. The Denver Broncos needed more muscle and hustle in their defensive line, and they knew right where to go to get it, acquiring versatile end Smith from New England for a draft pick on Monday, Aug. 17, 2009. (AP Photo)

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The Denver Broncos on Monday acquired defensive lineman Le Kevin Smith from the New England Patriots in a trade that included undisclosed draft choices, it was announced.

The club also on Monday signed free-agent running back Marcus Thigpen and waived defensive lineman Rulon Davis along with guard Pat Murray.

Smith (6-foot-3, 308 pounds) is a fourth-year player who spent his first three NFL seasons with the Patriots, who selected him in the sixth round (206th overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft from the University of Nebraska. He has played 31 career games (0 starts), totaling 25 tackles (12 solo) and one fumble recovery.

In 2008, Smith appeared in 15 games for New England and posted a career-best 21 tackles (10 solo) and one fumble recovery.

The defensive lineman played 49 career games (35 starts) at Nebraska, where he registered the seventh-most tackles for a loss (36) in school history. He posted at least 40 tackles in all four seasons with the Cornhuskers.

Honored as Georgia Player of the Year by USA Today at Stratford Academy in Macon, Ga., Smith was born on July 21, 1982.

Thigpen (5-foot-9, 193 pounds) is a rookie running back who joins the Broncos after he was waived by Philadelphia on Aug. 4. He entered the NFL with the Eagles on May 1 as a college free agent from the University of Indiana.

In four seasons with the Hoosiers, Thigpen became the first player in school history with more than 1,000 career rushing yards (1,621), receiving yards (1,028) and kickoff return yards (2,009). His 2,009 career kickoff return yards (81 ret., 24.9 avg., 3 TDs) ranked second in school history and fifth in Big Ten Conference annals.

He finished his career at Indiana with 4,658 all-purpose yards and 21 touchdowns, totals that ranked third and tied for eighth, respectively, in school history. As a rusher, Thigpen averaged 4.8 yards per carry (337-1,621) and had nine rushing scores.

Named a first-team All-American by ESPN.com at Indiana in 2006 after leading the nation in kickoff return average (30.1 yds., 24-723, 3 TDs), Thigpen attended Mumford High School in Detroit. He was born on May 15, 1986.

Philadelphia Eagles Training Camp Preview - Wide Receivers

JasonB — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 07:53:59 -0000

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This is the next installment in our series of 12 positions in 12 days previewing the upcoming Eagles training camp. Rookie and selected vets report to Lehigh July 26th and each day leading up to that date we will bring you a preview of a different position battle.

It's everyones' favorite position! The position the entire Eagles fanbase has obsessed over for the past decade. "If Andy Reid insists on passing all the time why doesn't he go get good WRs?!?"

Well, has he? We take on the WR position after the jump.

The Bodies

Danny Amendola, Jason Avant, Hank Baskett, Reggie Brown, Kevin Curtis, Brandon Gibson, DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Shaheer McBride, Brandon Robinson, Marcus Thigpen.

Presumed Starters

The same pair who ended last year as the starters will likely open this year in the same position, Desean Jackson & Kevin Curtis. Thanks to injuries to 2008 starters Curtis and Reggie Brown, Desean Jackson had an opportunity to play early as a rookie and took full advantage of it posting the best year from an Eagles rookie WR in team history. Jackson caught 62 passes for over 900 yards and a 2 TDs. He also averaged nearly 15 yards per catch and did all this while also working as the teams' primary punt return man. With another year in the offense and simply another year as a pro... Jackson could very well establish himself as the best WR in the NFC East.

Kevin Curtis started out last year on a sour note. Sports hernia surgery kept him out of the first six games of the season. Despite playing with pain when he did come back, he was relatively productive but never reached the form we saw in 2007 when he gained over 1,000 yards. Heading into 2009 healthy, there's good reason to believe Curtis should be a productive part of the offense once again.

New Additions

Jeremy Maclin drafted #19 overall after the Eagles traded up to the spot to get him.

Brandon Gibson drafted in the 6th round.

Brandon Robinson & Marcus Thigpen were both signed as undrafted free agents.

Danny Amendola was signed as a free agent from the Dallas Cowboys.

What to watch for

There's eleven WRs on this roster competing for five or six spots. Last year the Eagles carried ~~five~~ six at the position(I forgot Greg Lewis!). We can pick four guys that are basically guaranteed a spot. Desean Jackson, Kevin Curtis, Jeremy Maclin, & Jason Avant. I really think the development of Avant last year and the job he did on third downs has cemented his spot as an important role player in this offense.

That leaves seven players competing for no more than two spots. If we take the longshot players out of the equation(Robinson, Thigpen, McBride, Amendola) that leaves a serious three man battle for the final WR spots. The combatants are Brandon Gibson, who I only really put a notch above the UDFAs because he was a draft pick. Hank Baskett(a former Na Brown award winner), whose celebrity may be quickly outpacing his actual talent. And finally Reggie Brown, who up until an injury in training camp last year had been starting for this team since midway through his rookie year.

On talent alone, Reggie Brown should clearly win that battle... but the mere fact that Reggie Brown isn't a lock to make this team is a bit of a red flag for him. Would the Eagles be better served with Reggie as bench player for depth or should they be looking to get a draft pick for him from a team that might be in need of a veteran WR who, until last year, had actually put up decent numbers? A major factor in the battle for the final WR spots will be special teams play. Hank Baskett is particularly good special teams player, whereas Reggie Brown has barely ever played special teams.

While the development of Desean Jackson & Jeremy Maclin will no doubt be the biggest and most important story at the WR position in camp... I'm most curious to see what happens with Reggie Brown. If he doesn't show some serious fire, competitive spirit, and of course reliable hands at Lehigh this year the Eagles may very well end up moving on from a guy who, by the end of 06/07, was looking like a potential star. His fall form grace has been quick and it will be fascinating to see if he can resurrect himself.

All that said, I do want to stress that this camp is really about Desean Jackson & Jeremy Maclin. Those two are clearly the most important players to watch not only at the WR position, but maybe in the whole offense.

Previous position previews