Denver

The Denver Broncos have not stopped kicking the tires on established veterans to improve the team. Free agent safety Charles Woodson visited the Broncos in free agency. This is everything we know. We've been keeping you up to date here at Mile High Report with who the best veteran players are that are still available on the market and today, one of those posts became even more relevant. In a move that many fans expected to be made at least a month or two ago, free agent safety Charles Woodson is scheduled to visit the Denver Broncos. Got a great scoop today. Broncos continue to make aggressive moves toward a Super Bowl, kicking the tires on Charles Woodson tomorrow. — Vic Lombardi (@VicLombardi) May 14, 2013 Woodson, who had his first interception as a professional a week after playing John Elway's Broncos in 1998, has gone on to post career numbers of 55 interceptions, 11 touchdowns, 17 sacks, and 765 solo tackles. He played eight seasons with the Oakland Raiders before joining the Green Bay Packers in 2006 for the last seven seasons. In Elway's post draft press conference he left the door open on signing a veteran at safety, although he did express strong belief that Rahim Moore was the starter. With veteran Mike Adams still on the roster, Quinton Carter cleared on charges stemming from his offseason arrest and David Bruton re-signed the Broncos could use at least one more body in for camp. When Kayvon Webster was drafted Denver was quick to point out the Webster was a safety playing corner. Well, Woodson is a corner playing safety and there happens to be a lot of speculation that the Broncos currently employ another corner who will eventually switch to safety. Woodson also has professional experience as a kick returner and a punt returner. UPDATE 5/14/2013 4:45 PM (MTN): Told a deal with Charles Woodson likely won't happen until at earliest late tom. or Thursday. #Broncos appear to be favorites for Woodson. — Chris Bianchi (@chrisdbianchi) May 14, 2013 It looks more likely that Woodson at least wants to sign with the Broncos.

We've written ad nauseum since the dawn of Denver Stiffs about the two basic "have to's" to win an NBA Championship in the modern NBA. First, you "have to" have at least two - if not three - Hall of Fame players on your roster. And, secondly, you "have to" be located in one of the NBA's top-10 markets based on metropolitan area, because that's where the modern NBA players want to be. If you have both things going for you - as virtually every NBA Champion has had since 1980, such as the Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls, Boston (right on the cusp as the 10th biggest metropolitan area in the United States) Celtics and Miami Heat - an NBA title is well within one's grasp. If you have just one of those things going for you - such as the San Antonio Spurs from 1999-2007 and the Detroit Pistons from 1989-90, each of whom won with Hall of Fame talent despite being from a non-top-10 market - you can still win it all but it's less likely. And yet, with just four teams remaining in the 2013 NBA Playoffs, only one fits the mold of the first two "have to's": the 2012-13 Miami Heat who feature two Hall of Fame players plus one perennial All-Star and the NBA's eighth biggest market. And only one fits the mold of the second "have to": the 2012-13 San Antonio Spurs who feature three Hall of Famers playing at the tail end of one of the NBA's all-time great runs for a single franchise. The remaining two conference finals participants are, of course, the Indiana Pacers and Memphis Grizzlies, representing the NBA's sixth and fourth smallest markets by size, respectively (Denver, in case you're curious, ranks as the 13th smallest NBA market). Not only are Indianapolis and Memphis tiny (combined, the two metropolitan areas are smaller than Minneapolis), but neither team features the requisite two Hall of Famers necessary to compete for an NBA Championship ... in fact, there may not be one Hall of Famer on either team combined. Now granted, Indiana and Memphis may be conference finals participants due more to good fortune than prudent professional basketball team-building, but this is why you make the playoffs in the first place whenever possible: anything can happen. Memphis, for example, appears to be the direct beneficiary of the Oklahoma City Thunder (another small market team like San Antonio that featured perhaps three Hall of Fame players on the roster before this season began) losing James Harden via trade and Russell Westbrook via injury. But before besting the Thunder in Round 2, the Grizzlies were able to take out the giant-market Los Angeles Clippers who feature a Hall of Fame point guard in Chris Paul, a potential Hall of Famer in power forward Blake Griffin and a deep bench that only a big market team can buy. Meanwhile, the Pacers have the privilege of playing in the Leastern Conference. A conference so bad that Carmelo Anthony, J.R. Smith and Kenyon Martin can get out of the first round despite losing Game 5 at home and virtually collapsing in a closeout Game 6 on the road. (Sorry, had to.) But while watching the Grizzlies take on the Spurs now and the Pacers about to take on the Heat this Wednesday, Nuggets fans everywhere can't help but have an "it could've been us" feeling. In fact, it feels worse than that. It would be one thing if every conference finals participant were laden with Hall of Fame talent - as we saw last season when the Final Four consisted of Miami, Boston, San Antonio and Oklahoma City. But instead, we have two participants in Indiana and Memphis doing what Denver was supposed to do. Remember, it was our Nuggets after all that were supposed to be the small market, no-Hall-of-Famers team that marched through the NBA playoffs and turned NBA tradition on its head. Conversely, our Nuggets showed so much respect for the regular season that they forgot to respect the post-season. So maybe next season, the Nuggets should concern themselves more with competing in the playoffs than racking up regular season wi

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Wes Welker (83) after organized team activities at the Broncos training facility. (Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports) The Denver Broncos did their part this off season to sign some key veteran players that could make an immediate impact. The most notable signings were wide receiver Wes Welker and linebacker Shaun Phillips. There’s a certain amount of pressure on both players to perform. For Welker, he’s expected to have as productive as a season as he had last year when he had 118 receptions for 1,354 yards and six touchdowns. That’s because he’s got another first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback throwing to him. “It’s good,” Welker said of catching passes from Peyton Manning versus Tom Brady. “I don’t want to do any comparisons or anything like that, but obviously Peyton’s a great quarterback and has been for a long, long time. I’m just fortunate to be a part of it.” For Phillips, he’s expected to fill in for Elvis Dumervil. Phillips had 50 tackles, 9.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles in 2012. Can he do the same after making the switch to the 4-3? “It’s a little tough that they’ve got me covering tight ends a little bit more and not just rushing the passer, but it’s the first day,” Phillips said. “I’m learning. It’s a learning curve to it and I’m learning and picking it up. Football, at the end of the day, is always simple—see the ball, go tackle the guy with the ball.” For both Welker and Phillips, this week is important for getting them used to their new surroundings. “Getting comfortable with everybody—the strength staff, getting to know people’s names, learning my teammates’ names and everything like that,” Welker said. “It’s all coming together slowly but surely.” The great thing about Welker and Phillips coming to the Broncos is that while the pressure is on them to perform, they don’t have to be the sole contributors at their respective positions. Welker has the Demaryius Thomas/Eric Decker safety net. “They’re great players,” Welker said. “Not only that, they’re good guys and they work hard. That’s all you can really ask for as far as being a receiver. Going into my 10th year, having some guys like them that appreciate it and are working hard and want to do a good job out there.” Phillips has the Von Miller safety net. “Another good thing is having a guy like Von on your team, because of the fact that the last few years in San Diego, I was that guy,” Phillips said. “The offense was always turning the line my way. Now it’s going to help me get back to getting some one-on-ones, and I look forward to those and I can make the most out of those.” Both Welker and Phillips will be making the most of this opportunity as their careers wind down. Make sure to follow Predominantly Orange on Facebook and on Twitter.

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Defensive back Rahim Moore (26) speaks to the media following organized team activities at the Broncos training facility. (Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports) The Denver Broncos were back at for the first time since mid-January. This week consists of voluntary off season training activities (OTA’s). The next time the Broncos will meet as a group will be for non-volunatary OTA’s from June 11-13. It’s a good sign when guys like Peyton Manning, Wes Welker, Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker, Champ Bailey, and Shaun Phillips show up for the voluntary workout. In fact, the only non-injured veteran that didn’t show was running back Willis McGahee. “I thought excellent,” John Fox said of how he thought the first day went. “It was the first time we’ve gotten to go against each other, offense and defense. We had a great team meeting today, kind of defining how Phase Three is supposed to operate. I thought it was very crisp. Guys’ attitudes were great, their work ethic was great and it was a good first day all-in-all.” This was the first time that the veterans and the rookies mixed as well. Starting safety Rahim Moore was pulled as one of the players that had to address the media on day one. It was time to answer some questions regarding the playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens. “That night, I couldn’t sleep for nothing,” Moore said. “That’s just how the game is, you know what I mean? But I was right back on the plane and right back to work, I felt good, I was healthy. My mind wasn’t probably healthy. But I’m fine now, I’m good.” Moore said that his teammates have been especially supportive of him. “A lot of my teammates, Peyton [Manning] ,Champ [Bailey]…So, I’ve been blessed with the supporting cast that I’ve had,” Moore said of who reached out to him. There’s no doubt that Moore improved from his rookie year to his second year. He had 60 tackles in 2012 compared to 31 tackles in 2011. Moore was asked if he thinks he can have the same kind of growth in his third year. “Absolutely. I’m going to make a better leap. It’s Year Three, it’s time to get it going and be that player that they drafted me to be. I love this game, I love my teammates, I love this organization. I mean, I even love our grass. I love our owner, I love the things we do here. I couldn’t imagine being nowhere else. So, I mean, why not come out here and put out my blood, sweat and tears for this organization. Why not?” Make sure to follow Predominantly Orange on Facebook and on Twitter.

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