For a look at the game from the Raiders view, check out SilverandBlackPride

Denver Broncos

Oakland Raiders

CHANGES IN BOLD

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The Denver Broncos on Thursday waived tight end Brett Pierce and released fullback Cecil Sapp after reaching injury settlements with the players, Head Coach Mike Shanahan announced.

Pierce, a third-year player, was designated waived/injured (left ankle) by Denver on Saturday. He joined the Broncos as a future-contract signee on Dec. 31.

Sapp, a sixth-year player, was placed on injured reserve (left hip flexor) by the Broncos on Saturday. In 49 career games (9 starts) with the Broncos, he posted 49 rushes for 223 yards (4.6 avg.) with two touchdowns, 24 receptions for 102 yards (4.3 avg.) with one score and nine kickoff returns for 187 yards (20.8 avg.).

Sapp joined the Broncos as a college free agent from Colorado State University on May 8, 2003.

The NFL Season officially gets underway tonight when the Giants host the Redskins.  That means plenty of NFL Previews all over the web, including the Denver Media and their in-depth evaluations of the Broncos.  Let's take a look --

   The RMN has plenty to offer, including a new Broncos Trivia game, in it's NFL Preview.
  The Broncos know they need to stop the Raiders' ground game to get a win.
  It's now been 10 years since the Broncos have been to the Super Bowl, something us fans know all too well.
  The Raiders are loaded with Broncos influence
  The Raiders are still bitter about "blocked trade", look to Russell to be their Elway.
  In a League dominated by Quarterbacks, Jay Cutler is primed to become an elite one in 2008.
  Shanahan's disdain for Al Davis runs deep....15 years deep.
  Two former Broncos are motivated to play against their old teammates
  Boss Bailey definitely feels at home with the Broncos

For a look at the game from the Raiders view, check out SilverandBlackPride

Denver Broncos

Oakland Raiders

For a look at the game from the Raiders view, check out SilverandBlackPride

HEAD COACH MIKE SHANAHAN

On the first week of the regular season --
"It's enjoyable. You look forward to it ever year. We have been working throughout the offseason-obviously the OTAs, summer camp. We have gotten a chance to see our team in live situations. We have a lot of young players playing on Monday night, and I'm looking forward to it."

On whether playing without WR Brandon Marshall will change the game plan against the Raiders --
"I don't think Brandon will dictate the (complexity) of our game plan. We have some young players, so it might not be as deep as it normally is, but we have enough to show up and play."

On Raiders QB JaMarcus Russell --
"He hasn't played a lot, so we haven't seen a lot of him. We have watched a lot (of him) on film. He has played in one game as a starter and played in four other games. Like all other young quarterbacks, it's a growing process. You know how talented he is, being the first pick in the draft. Everybody knows his size, his arm strength and him being a No. 1 pick. So he has a big, big upside and he has a good supporting cast around him.

"He was practicing the whole season, so that is sometimes better than playing-you get some good reps in practice and a chance to grow with an offensive system. He played enough to feel, I would think, somewhat confident in the offensive system, and he played extremely well in his one start against San Diego. Hopefully he doesn't play that well Monday night."

On Raiders RB Darren McFadden --
"He is averaging over five yards a carry, I think 5.4. He has had a good preseason. The have given him a lot of reps and he is a weapon. He has great speed and everybody knows what he did in college. He is going to try to do that at the pro level. They are very coordinated in their offensive line. They went from 29th in the NFL in 2006 to sixth in 2007 (in rushing). That's a big, big jump. There is no other team that made that type of jump. They are running the zone blocking scheme very, very well. They have a lot of confidence in it and they are very well-coordinated, so he is going to a system that gives him a chance."

On why the media is not predicting big things from the Broncos --
"We understand why they are. When you take a look at where we were at last year, both offensively, defensively and special teams-wise, why would they pick us? We have to go out there and prove ourselves each week. We are a young football team and we just have to go out and get it done. If you win games then you get the attention you deserve."

On whether there is extra motivation playing the first game on Monday night --
"The first game of the season is always big, especially in the AFC West on the road on Monday night. It's a big first game for us. We get a chance to showcase our team on national television... It's something that we look forward to."

On Broncos TEs Nate Jackson and Tony Scheffler --
They are both football players. You have guys who are very competitive. We have three tight ends (Jackson, Scheffler and TE Daniel Graham) who can play, and it's a good weapon to have. You can go into a game plan with a three-tight end set or a two-tight end set and not skip a beat. Not very many teams have the luxury to have three tight ends like we do. All three will dress and all three will play."

On how Scheffler has improved in his blocking --
"Tony has done a good job. He has improved every year. He is not at the level of Daniel Graham, but he has improved drastically from when he first started."

Continue reading this post »

DT Alvin McKinley Released To Make Room

The Denver Broncos on Tuesday signed guard Dylan Gandy and defensive tackle Josh Shaw, Head Coach Mike Shanahan announced.

The club also on Tuesday released defensive tackle Alvin McKinley.

Gandy (6-foot-3, 290 pounds) is a fourth-year player who rejoins the Broncos after he was released by the club on Saturday. Gandy, who originally joined the Broncos as a free agent on May 16, spent his first three professional seasons (2005-07) with Indianapolis after the Colts selected him in the fourth round (129th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft from Texas Tech University.

He has played 42 career games (14 starts) in the regular season along with six career playoff games (1 start), including the Colts' victory in Super Bowl XLI during the 2006 season.

In 2007, Gandy saw time in 10 games for Indianapolis and recorded one start at right guard. He appeared in all 16 regular-season games, starting a career-high 11 contests at left guard, for the Colts' Super Bowl XLI-champion team in 2006 that allowed an NFL-low 15 sacks.

At Texas Tech, Gandy started 20 games during his four-year career and was an honorable mention All-Big 12 Conference choice as a senior. He attended Pflugerville High School in Pflugerville , Texas, and was born on March 8, 1982.

Shaw (6-foot-3, 305 pounds) is a sixth -year player who joins the Broncos after spending the 2007 season with Oakland, which released him on Saturday. He also has played for Miami (2004-06), New Orleans (2003) and San Francisco (2002-04), which selected him in the fifth round (172nd overall) of the 2002 NFL Draft from Michigan State University.

In nine career regular-season games (0 starts), Shaw has totaled nine tackles (7 solo) and one sack (5 yds.).

Last season with Oakland, Shaw posted two tackles in his only game action (vs. Hou., 11/4) after beginning the year on its practice squad. He appeared in a career-high five games with the Dolphins in 2005, recording four tackles, and saw time in three games with the 49ers in 2003.

A three-year starter at Michigan State, Shaw was a first-team All-Big Ten Conference choice as a senior for the Spartans. He attended Dillard High School in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and was born on Sept. 7, 1979.

Here's a link --

Foxworth Traded To Falcons

The Falcons gave up a 7th Round pick for Foxworth, which would become a 6th rounder if he resigns with the team.  Foxworth had seen his value with the Broncos plummet this training camp and was likely to be the 4th or 5th DB in Denver defense.  He wants to be a starter.  It will be interesting to see if he gets that wish in Atlanta and what he does with it....

Broncos Receive 7th Round Pick, Could Become 6th Rounder

It's being reported on several news outlets that the Broncos have traded Domonique Foxworth to the Atlanta Falcons for a 7th Round draft pick.  Since Foxy is in the last year of his contract, the Broncos would receive a 6th Round pick should the Falcons resign him.

I know there is going to be a lot of disdain for this trade. My initial reaction was quite the same.  I then took a few minutes to think about it.  I looked at the stats, and I took a close look at Domonique Foxworth the player, and what I saw during the Pre-Season.  What I found was a player that may not get much better than he already is.

First, let's do ourselves a favor and give Foxy the respect he deserves for what he has done off the football field.  Foxworth is an awesome human being, first and foremost.  His work to get the Darrent Williams Teen Center off the ground was selfless as has his increasing role in the NFLPA.  Domonique Foxworth is the type of man anyone of us would be proud to have our kids idolize and is a wonderful member of the community.  I bring this up right off the top because it is the most important, in the real world.  Guys like Foxy are good for society and that is never a bad thing.  That said, I wanted to get it out of the way, becuase I want this breakdown of the trade, and my feelings toward it to focus solely on football.

Continue reading this post »

This time it is the ultimate waste of a first round draft pick - Ashley Lelie.  What's funny to me is that Lelie, and new teammate Javon Walker, were picked back-to-back in the 2002 draft.  Now, they'll play together, two diva receivers that think of only themselves and how many balls they each get.  Things are going to get very interesting in Oakland, that's for sure....

The Oakland Raiders agreed to terms on a one-year contract with discarded receiver Ashley Lelie on Monday in hopes that the former first-round pick can regain his form and help bolster an inexperienced position group.

Before adding Lelie, they were extremely thin at receiver behind starters Javon Walker and Ronald Curry. With Drew Carter sidelined by a season-ending knee injury, Johnnie Lee Higgins was the only one of Oakland’s three backup receivers who had even played in an NFL game, catching six passes as a rookie.

Lelie, who has 206 receptions in six NFL seasons, could give JaMarcus Russell a deep-play option if he proves he is healthy. He had been cut by the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday after being slowed all preseason by a calf injury.

The deal was first reported by MediaNews.

The Raiders do not need to make a corresponding roster move to make room for Lelie until Wednesday, spokesman John Herrera said.

Lelie signed a two-year, $4.3 million deal with San Francisco last year, including a $2 million signing bonus, but he made little impact on his third NFL team. Lelie had just 10 receptions for 115 yards last season while struggling with injuries including a strained quadriceps, and the former first-round pick never emerged as the deep threat San Francisco needed.

Lelie then missed most of the 49ers’ training camp this season with a strained calf, watching from the sideline as Jason Hill and rookie Josh Morgan moved past him on the depth chart. Lelie played in the 49ers’ exhibition finale against San Diego on Friday night, but didn’t catch a pass in his only preseason action.

He was released on Saturday because of what 49ers coach Mike Nolan called a “durability issue.” Lelie caught 54 passes for 1,084 yards and seven touchdowns during his best NFL season with Denver in 2004, but hasn’t come close to replicating those numbers since then with the Broncos, the Atlanta Falcons or San Francisco. He has just 80 catches for 1,315 yards and two touchdowns the past three seasons.