I know this probably means absolutely nothing, but I think it's a nice sign nevertheless.  The folks at EA Sports released the second roster update since the release of Madden 10 today and here are some details of the update...  On the ratings front it seems a lot of Broncos were included:

Ratings Adjustments
Chris Simms – 70 OVR (was 68)….+2
Kyle Orton – 73 OVR (was 74)….-1
David Harris – 79 OVR (was 74)….+5
Aaron Brown – 67 OVR (was 64)…+3
Haloti Ngata – 92 OVR (was 90)…+2
Kelly Gregg – 83 OVR (was 77)…+6…(Gregg recently named Top 10 Overall DT in NFL according to Scouts Inc. – #8 overall.)
Darren Sproles – 83 OVR (was 85)….-2
Leon Washington – 80 OVR (was 79)….+1
Ryan Harris – 85 OVR (was 74)…+11…severely underrated OL, Denver actually ranked as #3 and #1 against the run and pass.
Ben Hamilton – 85 OVR (was 81)…+4…also a big part of that #3 overall Denver OL in 2008
Ryan Clady – 91 OVR (was 90)…+1…see above…some already call him #1 LT in NFL

Looks like some of the boys are starting to get some respect...or maybe the madden team just realized the small mistake they may have made with the Denver O-Line.  Again, although video game ratings are meaningless, I was pleasantly surprised to see a Bronco-heavy change this early on (the fact that rating changes are done in preseason also tells you something about how "meaningful" these updates really are :-/).  I wonder if anyone who has the game has checked out the team as of yet...I'm definitely pleased with how the new defense plays.  It's much improved on the game and the "switch to the 3-4" has been fun.

It’s no secret that the Denver Broncos have become a "drama-queen" in terms of media coverage this NFL offseason.  Shanahan’s departure, Cutler’s bitter exit and now the Brandon Marshall trade speculation continue to provide writers with more fuel for more headlines.

While some have directly attributed reactions of Cutler and Marshall to the rocky transition at the top of Rocky Mountain High, the brunt of blame rests on the players.  How they’ve carried themselves throughout the whole escapade doesn’t exactly scream the words " team leader."  Personally, I wouldn’t want to root for a team represented by that kind of behavior anyway.

If those players don’t wish to be leaders after all, where does that leave the Broncos?  A team in transition needs more than just Pro Bowl performances from a leader.  It needs steadfastness, commitment and a mature demeanor.  With the upheaval caused (or seemingly caused) by the recent coaching change in Denver, where can the Broncos - a team already in need of a "leader" prior to this offseason – look to for leadership? 

It’s easy to get swept up in the drama, but all you have to do is step back for a second and you’ll find what you’re looking for right under your very nose.

The Broncos did something this offseason that’s not getting the press this time of year.  Pat Bowlen and company brought in a 13-year NFL veteran loaded with experience and, most importantly, with pure class: Brian Dawkins.

Dawkins recently addressed former teammate Donovan McNabb’s new contract in a Fox News interview.  Did Weapon-X have second thoughts about Philadelphia forking money Donovan’s way instead of his way?  Mr. Dawkins answered that inquiry with one simple sentence. 

"I cheer just as hard when someone gets a blessing as when I get mine," the former Eagles’ safety said.

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Free Agency.  It’s not the only way to improve a team, but if done correctly, the addition of free agents can spark a championship run.  In the case of the Denver Broncos, the team would be happy just to ignite a playoff run and free agents could eventually help do just that.  Here at MHR, members have posted their own thoughts concerning possible free agent acquisitions.  As a sample, I’ve taken seven free agent “primer” and “wish list” posts since January and compiled them into an MHR wish list of sorts.  This list is not meant to be the “be all end all” in terms of possible free agents to the Broncos and may not even include everyone out there.  Also, a seven-post sampling certainly does not represent the opinions of a vast community such as this.  Take for granted that some of the posters may have left out names because they thought they were going to either be snatched up by another organization or franchised by their current team (like Julius Peppers).  Some of the free agent lists included in this compilation also focused specifically on defense. Free agent running backs were discussed in only a few of the seven posts and quarterback back-up plans for Cutler were only mentioned in two. Players have been franchised, names have been eliminated, and now all we can do is wait till 12:01 am EST on Friday, February 27 for the NFL free agency period to officially begin.

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The 2009 off-season could prove a potentially kind one for teams in need of linebackers.  Karlos Dansby, Jonathan Vilma, Mike Peterson and Eric Barton are just a few high-profile names who might don new uniforms next season.

With the Denver Broncos’ defensive system currently a mystery, each of these players presents intriguing characteristics tailored to a style of play ‘Orange Crush V2’ may adopt.  The crop of backers potentially on the market makes for an exciting off-season indeed.

One team that the Broncos may want to give a look happens to be a team currently in the AFC Championship, with its sights set on Super Bowl glory.  This team has two versatile players in particular who have the capability to play in both the 3-4 and 4-3 systems.  Exactly which of the two will be on the market remains a question mark, but nevertheless, the Baltimore Ravens could very well be a source the Broncos draw from this off-season.

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The BCS National Championship.  While unfortunately not something us Penn State fans have a major stake in, some government members are perfectly willing to forego their elected duties in order to enjoy themselves:

Thursday's championship football game between No. 2 Florida and No. 1 Oklahoma is obviously a big game, but big enough to shut down Congress?

Rep. Cliff Stearns hopes so. Stearns, a Republican from Ocala, wrote to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday asking her to move votes scheduled for Thursday evening and Friday so House members from Florida and Oklahoma can go to the Bowl Championship Series national title game.

Stearns wrote, "As you may be aware, on Thursday January 8, theUniversity of Florida and the University of Oklahoma will play for the national football championship. Members of the Florida and Oklahoma delegations have expressed interest in attending the game as the congressional schedule allows. However, votes are currently scheduled to continue into Thursday night and Friday afternoon. We ask that you move these votes to either Wednesday and/or Thursday morning to allow Members to attend this historic game."

Sorry, Cliff...you actually have to do your job like the millions of other Americans for whom you help draft legislature.  I guess the representative didn't think the certification of an Electoral College vote was that big of a deal.

Pelosi's office said she would not agree to the request. Among the votes to be considered Thursday afternoon is certification of the Electoral College vote that gives Barack Obama the presidency.

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Welcome back for another edition of Virtual Broncos.  This time the ball carriers of the league stand front and center.  Sportsgamer recently released the running back ratings for the 2009 edition of Madden.  Guess what?  The Denver Broncos recently released Travis Henry!

While Henry is currently on the list under the Bronco name, that will all change come release day.  This list does not leave Bronco fans depressed, however, as the back-ups do make an appearance.  Madden fans can get their first look at Selvin Young as the starter before...well, before he's even the starter.

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Alright, so I obviously didn’t have much to do on Sunday, because I was watching the NFL Replay of the Broncos/Bears game.  Yes, that game.  I wrote up a short little game summary with my thoughts on today’s team in relation to that team in bold.  If you don’t want to read it, you don’t have to, but some Broncos fighting for spots this off-season showed some things in that game – guys like Hamza Abdullah and Andre Hall included.

The Bears had lost three straight at home and the Broncos had won two straight after dropping four of five.  This particular game was crucial for the Broncos even if they wanted to keep up with the Chargers.  Lovie Smith even likened it to a playoff game.

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Fans might need to try and do more to help get these Broncos in the Hall.  Unfortunately, even those efforts might not be enough.  I recently read a great article from 2006 about Floyd Little and the lack of Broncos in the Hall of Fame.

Little is very humble about it, just the way we as fans pride ourselves in our team.  Check out these Floyd Little quotes…they’re even somewhat sad.  I’m not going into the debate on who should or shouldn’t be in the Hall here, I’m simply talking about the lack of Broncos in the Hall: something all of us at MHR have thought about.

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