Life of Eric Decker and Jessie James chronicled by E! Network

Life of Eric Decker and Jessie James
chronicled by E! Network
Mike Klis
Denver Post
July 21, 2013

There was a time, not that long ago, when Eric Decker was a good-looking kid from
a town of fewer than 3 square miles and 3,000 people and more than 30 granite
quarries. Cold Spring has more people now, but it's still in the middle of nowhere,
or middle of Minnesota, take your pick.

From these humble roots, Decker became a star wide receiver for the home-state
Minnesota Gophers, was featured on the cover of GQ magazine and turned into one
of the top pass-catching targets for Tim Tebow, then Peyton Manning of the
Broncos.

And soon coming to the E! Network, Decker will be the co-star of a reality television
show that chronicles his life in the weeks leading up to his June 22 marriage to
country and pop singing star Jessie James.

That's heady stuff for a kid who grew up around granite. America's small towns are
filled with young dreamers who want to escape to the big-city lights and fortune
and fame. The reality for the minute percentage who get there, however, is that
they often find the spotlight searing and suffocating.

For Decker, fame's intensity figures to magnify exponentially once his reality TV
show airs in late summer.

"The one thing about the spotlight or whatever, there might be certain places we
can't go, but we enjoy the fact that we're in a spot where kids look up to you,"
Decker said. "They want to meet you and get your autograph. That's nice. I don't
really think about what's going to happen. I know a lot comes with it."

Broncos training camp is almost here. John Fox will gather his coaching staff and
players for a team meeting Wednesday night. The first camp practice will be the
next morning.

The camera crew that waited for Decker to come home during the offseason is long
gone. Broncos fans will be interested in Decker enough to watch "Eric & Jessie:
Game On," the working title for the TV show that is scheduled to premiere in late
summer.

But what Broncos fans most want from Decker is another season like the one he
had in 2012, when he made 85 catches for more than 1,000 yards and ranked
second in the NFL with 13 touchdown catches.

"I've worked my entire life to be a football player," Decker said. "That's what I'm
doing. But football is not my entire life. It's not who I am. Some of what we're
doing, it will allow people to see who I am. Outside of wearing those shoulder pads.
I like to have fun. I love Jess, I'm supportive of her. I think you need to have that
balance."

"We're madly in love"

It's June 12, the Broncos' second of three minicamp practices is done, and Decker
is on the massage table outside the players' locker room. Gus Boistus is rubbing
deep into his muscles and tissue.

"We had a lot of input into this project before we agreed to it," said Decker, prone
on his stomach. "It's structured. We didn't want people following us around all day
just waiting for drama. Jess had a lot of say. She's feisty. I love that about her. We
wanted to show that quote unquote celebrity couples can work. We wanted to give
an introduction to what we're about and how it's not going to affect football."

The TV crew of eight to 10 would be waiting for Decker after he was done with
work. Shooting started in early May, during the Broncos' offseason conditioning
program. Decker would get up early and head to the team's Dove Valley
headquarters. He wouldn't return home until about 6 or 7 p.m.

Crew members would be at his house with everything pretty much set. They'd
follow Eric and Jessie around until 9 or 10 p.m. The last day of shooting was June
22, when they were married at St. Francis of Assisi in Castle Rock.

The filming itself was not distracting to Decker's job as an NFL player. He may have
been robbed of some down-home relaxation, but it was never intrusive to football
itself.

That's not the issue. The issue is the E! Network has 88 million subscribers on cable
and satellite. It's bold putting your life out there like that for millions to observe.
Plus the 60 merciless guys in the Denver locker room waiting to deliver their
juvenile barbs.

"This isn't for anything except we're madly in love with each other," Jessie said
during an interview with The Denver Post while the hand-held E! cameras rolled.
"We are so in love. And I don't feel like a lot of people get to be in love like this.
This is like a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing to find love like this. I feel like so many
women or so many guys settle for something that's not special. People are getting
divorced and there's so much going on. And I feel like we're the example of real
love. And we want to share that with people that it's out there. We're normal

people just like everyone else doing down-to-earth stuff, and we wanted to share
that."

In the beginning ...

Drive up to their house in a gated Castle Rock neighborhood and something seems
out of place. Here is this hot, young glitzy couple. You'd expect to find them window
shopping on Rodeo Drive or in lower Manhattan. Yet to drive into their
neighborhood is to slow down. Packs of small children are everywhere on the
sidewalks and streets, moms walking close behind.

"We got a letter from our HOA saying the kids are riding too fast on their bikes, so
people need to be aware of these kids," Decker said. "That's what's cool about this
neighborhood; there's probably 80 houses and I'd say 80 percent have kids.

"I think both of us, we come from good roots. I come from small-town Minnesota.
Didn't have a lot growing up. Had a good upbringing as far as earning what I've
got. Knowing that's what it takes to live your dream and be successful.

"Jessica being a military kid had to move a lot, had to go through a lot of change
and transition. That's something that's always hard on a kid, but I think you mature
from that. I think that keeps us grounded. We keep each other grounded. There's
times in your careers when you're on a high and maybe you had a couple
touchdowns or she had a big gig somewhere and did well. But just being home with
our dogs, knowing people in our neighborhood, saying hi to the neighbors, it's just
normal stuff."

Outtake: Eric and Jessie don't have kids, but they have two golden retrievers, Jake
and Jenny, and a Yorkshire, Lulu Bell.

Suddenly, a distinct odoriferous aroma comes from the general direction of Jenny.

Jessie: "She's got some issues."

Eric: "It usually means we have to let her outside."

Jessie: "Yeah, you like to blame the dog a lot too, though."

Eric: (Smiles).

Scene 2: Eric climbs into the bathtub and scrubs down the dogs. Jessie sits on the
tub's edge. They chat. The cameras point. The sound guy stands with his sound
tray. Eric is low-key calm throughout the filming. Jessie is far more vibrant. Bubbly.

Jessica James is the daughter of an Air Force man, a colonel. By the time she
finished high school, she had called 14 towns home, most of them in the South.

Outtake: Decker is on the massage table at Dove Valley. Boistus is working his
magic.

"We met through a mutual friend," Decker said of Jessie. "I looked her up on
Wikipedia, watched some of her videos. This was April 2011. She was in Nashville. I
was training in Arizona. For about a month we just talked on the phone. Talked for
hours. We were able to really get to know each other that way. Then she was going
to move to L.A. in July 2011 and that's when I made my move. I didn't want her to
move there. So that's when we moved in together."

Great expectations

Decker knows his neighbors well enough to know what they expect of his Broncos
this season. The feeling among fans in Colorado's neighborhoods is that playing in
the Super Bowl is about all that's going to erase last season's bitter ending.

The Broncos finished the 2012 regular season with 11 consecutive victories. They
had the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs. Then one Joe Flacco fling with 31 seconds
remaining in their first playoff game, and the Broncos were heading home for the
offseason.

An offseason like no other for Eric and Jessie. But an offseason that began too
early.

"One thing about Denver is I really think the fans are true to you," Decker said
while sitting on his sofa. "Through good, through bad. Obviously they want, and
expect, the best. They want a Super Bowl. They're used to the Elway era and
winning a lot of ballgames. I think that's something we want to bring back this
year. We had a chance last year. I think we've maximized our expectation and
people's expectations of us. But I think this year our identity is talent, we're a
confident team. We're a very deep team. I think everyone understands what it
takes to get to that level. You've still got to take one week at a time."

The reality TV cameras stopped recording weeks ago. Starting on Thursday
morning, the local TV stations will send their cameras to the Broncos' first training
camp practice.

Instead of hugs and kisses for Eric, it will be sweat and toil for Decker.

"Usually, you dread the arrival of camp," Decker said. "This year I'm very excited.
Because of the team we have and just excited to be with the guys, get back on the
football field and get to work."

Life of Eric Decker

A timeline in the life of Broncos receiver Eric Decker:

BORN

March 15, 1987, in Cold Spring, Minn.

HIGH SCHOOL

Attended Rocori High in Cold Spring. An all-conference player in three sports
(football, basketball, baseball).

COLLEGE

Attended the University of Minnesota. Played baseball and football for the Gophers.
A left-handed hitter and throwing outfielder, he was drafted by the Milwaukee
Brewers (38th round) after his junior year and Minnesota Twins (27th round) after
his senior season. In football, set school record for coach Tim Brewster with 84
catches as a junior.

PRO CAREER

Drafted: Third round, No. 87 by the Broncos.

2010: Decker is placed on the cover of GQ magazine. Decker finishes his rookie
year with six catches.

April 2011: Before his second NFL season, Decker meets country/pop singer Jessie
James through a mutual friend.

2011: Decker is arguably the team's MVP through four games as he teams up with
Kyle Orton to record 20 catches for 270 yards and four touchdowns. Decker slumps
in the second half as the Broncos convert to a run-oriented offense with Tebow. In
a playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Decker suffers a season-ending
knee injury when he's taken out on a low tackle by James Harrison.

2012: The Broncos sign superstar quarterback Peyton Manning and Decker has
breakout season with 85 catches and 13 touchdown receptions.

May 2013: The E! Network begins shooting Decker and his fiancée Jessie James for
a reality TV series.

June 22: Decker and James are married, a wedding recorded by the E! cameras.

Wednesday night: Decker and Bronco players report to Dove Valley for the first
team meeting of training camp.

Thursday morning: Broncos first training camp practice.

Kickin it with Kiz: Salary cap comes in
only one size
By Mark Kiszla
The Denver Post
July 21, 2013

Pay up. Denver linebacker Wesley Woodyard absolutely deserves a contract
extension and raise. The tricky part is the Broncos need to leave enough salary cap
room to extend the "other" linebacker, Von Miller. Not to mention, Denver will need
new deals for wide receivers Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker soon enough. If
the Broncos pay everyone who played well last year, they won't have any money to
pay all of the players who are due raises.

Damon, bleeds orange

Kiz: There is good reason for the Broncos' urgency of their Super Bowl-or-bust
mentality, and it goes beyond quarterback Peyton Manning being 37 years old.
Woodyard and Decker are among Denver stalwarts playing in their final season of a
contract in 2013. Veteran cornerback Champ Bailey will be a $10.5 million cap hit in
2014, the same season that will the final year of Thomas' deal. This is a win-now
sport. Broncos executive John Elway has shown he can still scramble, while deftly
dancing around salary cap issues. But Denver will face some tough personnel
choices in the near future. Top-ranked NFL teams with stars who deserve to get
paid always face sticky salary cap challenges that promote parity in the league.

First things first. While Kiz suggests a trade for the bat of Philadelphia's Chase
Utley, the Rockies don't need a second baseman. They need a first baseman. Or a
trade for an outfielder with some pop, so Colorado can move Michael Cuddyer to
first base. You can't have a banjo- hitting first baseman and be competitive. The
problem with the Kiz line of thinking is good pitching will always shut down good
hitting. Los Angeles, San Francisco and Arizona have better pitching staffs than the
Rockies.

Ken, baseball philosopher

Kiz: Cuddyer projects as Colorado's regular first baseman in 2014. So, if that
"banjo hitter" to whom you refer doesn't retire at the conclusion of this season, it
seems Todd Helton would have to accept a role as a part-time player, defensive
replacement and pinch hitter. After talking to Rockies owner Dick Monfort, my
guess is if Colorado makes a trade for a pitcher, it might actually be for a reliever,
as Monfort fondly remembers how the acquisition of Rafael Betancourt paid
dividends in 2009.

Buffs will be back. As usual, Kiz, you are showing your ignorance. The Pacific 12
Conference is the perfect fit for the Colorado Buffaloes, both athletically and
academically. You seem to forget the Buffs were Big 12 football champions under
Gary Barnett and lived in the top 10 for two decades. The biggest problem that CU
has is president Bruce Benson does not understand the value successful athletics
and the state of Colorado does not financially support its uni- versities.

Roxy, San Clemente, Calif.

Kiz: Hey, the Pacific Ocean is beautiful, but in my humble opinion, the biggest
problem that CU has is too often acting as if the Buffaloes love California money,
students and athletes more than everything their home state has to offer.

Whine country. College football is cyclical, but CU football is just bad. I love all
the crybabies who write to The Denver Post: Kiszla didn't say nice things about the
Buffs. Wah.

Dakar, Lone Tree

Kiz: CU fans can't handle the truth. The truth is: Fresno State 69, Buffs 14. Was
Fresno the best football team in the Mountain West last year? Nope.

Write this way. And today's parting shot proves that we here at Kickin' It
Headquarters can lead an angry reader to a computer keyboard, but we can't make
him learn grammar:

"Why are this stupid paper publishing a gazillion Kiz articles? Clicked on one without
even knowing. I guess that's the only way to get people to read Kiz. Worst writer in
the history of the DP."

Hugh, Denver

Chiefs could cause Broncos some trouble
this season
Woody Paige
Denver Post
July 21, 2013

First-year Chiefs coach Andy Reid is a proven winner in the NFL and has a strong
K.C. staff. (David Eulitt, The Kansas City Star)

The angst among Bronco- maniacs is unwarranted. The appropriate suspensions of
two Broncos executives as a result of their irrational and reckless actions will have
no effect on the team's chances of winning the AFC West or the Super Bowl.

The Kansas City Chiefs will, though.

The Chiefs aren't red-naped sapsuckers any more.

In a casual offseason conversation, I asked John Fox about the unique challenge of
confronting his former offensive and defensive coordinators in four of the Broncos'
16 games.

His response: "Andy Reid is a great coach, and the Chiefs have a lot more talent
than people might realize, and they added (quarterback Alex) Smith."

Fox is quite familiar with Reid and the Chiefs' players.

He coached six of the Chiefs at the Pro Bowl. Fox was matched against Reid in an
NFC championship game; they share the same agent; the two have traveled to
Afghanistan and Germany to visit American troops; and they discussed working
together with the Eagles before the Broncos hired Fox.

Reid and Fox were fired after 4-12 and 2-14 seasons, but returned, and will face off
twice in 2013 ... and probably in years beyond.

The two crusty football lifers (Fox is 58, Reid 55) approach training camp openings
in Colorado and Missouri this week with a combined 25 seasons — 430 games — of
NFL head coaching experience.

Based on their opponents' winning percentage in 2012 (43 percent), the Broncos
supposedly have the league's easiest schedule. However, five teams were in the
playoffs. And the Broncos' schedule wouldn't look so unproblematic if the Chiefs' 2-
14 season wasn't included — twice.

"That wasn't a 2-14 team when we scouted them, then coached them in Hawaii,"
Fox told me.

And the coach always chortles about the "easy schedule" idea. "Teams change so
much every year." The Broncos have won six straight AFC West road games and
were 6-0 against the Chiefs, the Chargers and the Raiders last season. "That hasn't
happened here since the last Super Bowl year (1998)," Fox said. "You certainly can't expect
that."

The Broncos have at least nine extremely difficult games (Fox would claim 16). One is a hat
foreboding ice-storm kind of December Sunday in K.C.

But, you mock, the Broncos went all Orange squash on the Chiefs in the last regular-season
game. Yes, but the score was 17-9 in Kansas City in Week 12.

Look at what the Chiefs got now:

Reid brought nine of his Eagles coaches to the Chiefs, so there won't be coaching
disorganization. The new coach also hired Chris Ault and Brad Childress as consultants. Ault
conceived the Mr. Toad's Wild Ride-type offense — "The Pistol" — at the University of
Nevada. And Childress, a former Vikings coach, has the title of "spread offense analyst."

Reid has informed his players that the new offense "will light up the scoreboard."

It was a dark and stormy scoreboard in 2013. The Chiefs averaged a league-low 13.2
points.

Eric Bieniemy, who landed in Kansas City as the running backs coach, has 1,500-yard
rusher Jamaal Charles, not three redshirt CU tailbacks.

Smith's addition isn't comparable to the Chiefs' one-time acquisition of another 49ers
quarterback — Joe Montana. But he's an improvement over Matt Cassel and the two former
Broncos who masquerade as quarterbacks — Kyle Orton and Brady Quinn.

Smith led the 49ers to the NFC title game two years ago and had a 104.1 QB rating in 2012
when he was injured, and lost his starting job.

The Chiefs also possessed the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, and bypassed the glamour
positions for right tackle Eric Fisher, who will pair with Branden Albert. The left tackle was
franchise-tagged. (Sound familiar?)

The Chiefs cleaned out Arrowhead Stadium and lured in John Dorsey from the Packers as
general manager and Reid. They also signed a half-dozen veteran free agents and re-signed
wide receiver Dwayne Bowe. Their free-agent grade was considered an A, and the
consensus on the team's draft was a B. Four Pro Bowlers are back on defense.

Contemplate the Chiefs' schedule (rated the league's fifth-easiest). They do have the
Broncos twice — and Dennis Allen's Raiders and the Chargers of Mike McCoy.

The schedules of the Broncos and the Chiefs offer two major differences. Each plays Philly
(Reid's old Eagles), Jacksonville, Washington, Indy, Houston, Dallas, the Giants and
Tennessee.

The Broncos also play the 10-6 Ravens (remember them?) and the 12-4 Patriots and
starting tight end Tim Tebow (remember him?).

The Chiefs play the 5-11 Browns and the 6-10 Bills.

The Broncos could win 11 games this season.

So could the Chiefs.

Fox and Reid might meet again in the postseason.

The angst among Bronco- noids is warranted.

Do the math: Super year for Denver
means 11-5
Mike Klis
Denver Post
July 21, 2013

Here goes. The Broncos will finish 11-5 this season.

No doubt, the football fandom of the Front Range is pleased. For 11-5 — a record
that would mean a No. 3 or worse AFC playoff seed, a record that assuredly
wouldn't qualify for a first-round bye — is the mark of Super Bowl champions.

The Broncos can't finish the regular season with an 11-game winning streak, a 13-3
record and No. 1 playoff seed, as they did last year. That is not the way to Super
Bowl XLVIII at the Meadowlands.

I don't know why it doesn't work that way. But overwhelming evidence says that
ever since the New England Patriots stopped winning Super Bowls eight years ago,
regular-season champs usually become postseason chumps.

The past eight Super Bowl winners have averaged 10.9 victories and a 3.9 playoff
seed. The Broncos will go 11-5 in 2013. That will be enough to win the weak AFC
West and wind up with the No. 3 or No. 4 playoff seed.

Perfectly positioned, in other words.

Over the years, Broncos coaches Mike Shanahan, Josh McDaniels and John Fox
have all said it: You want to be playing your best football in December.

No, you don't.

The Ravens went 1-4 last December. The 2011 Giants entered Christmas Eve in a
1-5 skid. Even the 2009 New Orleans Saints, the only recent top seed to prevail,
finished their regular season with a three-game losing streak. The 2008 Steelers, a
No. 2 seed, came within 35 seconds of losing to the 9-7 Arizona Cardinals, who lost
four of their last six.

You don't want to play your best football in December. You want to start
sandbagging in December.

Problem is, it's not going to be easy for the Broncos to lose two more games than
they did last season. They went 13-3 even though quarterback Peyton Manning was
in his first year with the team and was coming back from a full year of neck
surgeries. He's now in his second year with the Broncos and his health no longer is
in question.

The Broncos were the NFL's second-best scoring unit last season and they added
Wes Welker, Louis Vasquez and Montee Ball to the offense this year.

And their schedule is weaker on paper than it was at this time last year.

So how are the Broncos going to lose two more regular-season games this year and
avoid a first-round playoff bye?

They must somehow lose one division game. Maybe at improved Kansas City on
Dec. 1. They can also lose at the Giants and Patriots. That's three. And if they're
lucky, the Broncos will lose another game or two in December.

It's wrong for the Broncos to call this season Super Bowl or bust. To win the Bowl, a
team must survive some bust.

Players under the microscope at Training
Camp
Jeff Legwold
Denver Post
July 21, 2013

LB Von Miller

Miller staked his claim as the Broncos' best defensive player last season and many
believe he might be the team's best player overall. If he takes his game a little
higher from last season's dizzying array of numbers — 18½ sacks, 28 tackles for a
loss, 13 run stuffs and six forced fumbles to go with in interception return for a
touchdown — he's back in the mix for the league's defensive player of the year
award. He is the chess piece Jack Del Rio has to set free this season.

QB Peyton Manning

Talk to most anyone in and around the Broncos and the word most associated with
Manning is "comfort," as in an increased comfort level with the team's offense,
personnel and his surroundings. There are some small questions about his physical
limitations, in terms of the grip in his right hand and the strength in his right triceps
in the wake of the Broncos' stunning playoff loss to the Ravens at frigid Sports
Authority Field at Mile High.

Wide receivers

Wes Welker's arrival will give defenses a troubling choice — double Demaryius
Thomas and allow Welker, above, and Eric Decker to pick away at single coverage
or find gaps in the zone, or double Welker and leave Thomas in single coverage
down the field. Toss in the Broncos' tight ends and they figure to force a steady diet
of nickel and dime defenses and some exotic looks in the pass rush. But these guys
have to be willing to share the ball to make it all work.

RBs Ronnie Hillman and Montee Ball

With defenses likely to deploy those smaller formations to slow the Broncos'
passing game, Hillman, above, and Ball should find some gaps to run through.
Both, however, need to show decisiveness and not leave yardage on the table
because of pitter-patter feet. Hillman will open camp as the starter and Ball, a high-
profile rookie, will get a look as a third-down option and a rotation

Von Miller (Denver Post file)

runner on early downs.

OT Ryan Clady

Nothing in life is free, and with a $52.5 million deal comes great responsibility.
Clady is one of the Broncos' highest-paid players with a five-year ironman streak in
tow. The Broncos need him to dominate on the field and be a leader off it. And
given the uncertainty with guard Chris Kuper and center J.D. Walton because of
their ankle injuries and surgeries, Clady will have to be more than a hardworking
guy content to sit in the background.

2013 Draft Class

DT Sylvester Williams

First round, 28th overall

Height: 6-foot-2

Weight: 315 pounds

College: North Carolina

FYI: The NFL draft's first round is a long way from the assembly line of Modine
Manufacturing, which is the road Williams traveled to the Broncos after two years
as a starter for the Tar Heels and two seasons at Coffeyville (Kan.) Community
College.

Outlook: Should be in the rotation from the start. The Broncos see Williams being
an immediate impact player.

RB Montee Ball

Second round, 58th overall

Height: 5-10

Weight: 215

College: Wisconsin

FYI: Ball finished his career at Wisconsin as the Football Bowl Subdivision leader in
carries

Wes Welker (83) WR of the Denver Broncos stretches during OTAs at Dove Valley.
(John Leyba, The Denver Post)

(924), yards rushing (5,140), rushing touchdowns (77) and total touchdowns (82).

Outlook: While some see those numbers as high mileage, the Broncos see them as
proof that Ball is a proven prospect ready for NFL duty from the get-go.

CB Kayvon Webster

Third round, 90th overall

Height: 5-11

Weight: 198

College: South Florida

FYI: Most personnel folks in the league believe the Broncos reached to grab
Webster in the draft. He has the build that defensive coaches like. And he led South
Florida in tackles last year with 82 — as a cover corner.

Outlook: Webster is looking at special- teams work as well as a potential spot in
the Broncos' special defensive pack- ages. With a good preseason, he could
squeeze his way into the dime defense or into the seven-DB package.

DE Quanterus Smith

Fifth round, 146th overall

Height: 6-5

Weight: 255

College: Western Kentucky

FYI: Smith is coming off a knee injury (torn anterior cruciate ligament) suffered in
the 10th game of the 2012 season, but he participated in the Broncos' offseason
program on a limited basis and has said that he will be ready for the start of
training camp.

Outlook: Smith's three-sack game against Alabama last season was a rare feat
against a powerhouse program. It also was a window into his potential as a pro
pass rusher. He has flashed the ability to work to the inside in the pass rush, a key
for any young player to contribute quickly on an NFL defense.

WR Tavarres King

Fifth round, 161st overall

Height: 6-1

Weight: 191

College: Georgia

FYI: King played in a school-record 56 games for the SEC power and finished his
career ranked third in school history with 21 touchdown receptions. He also ranks
fourth in school history with 2,602 yards on receptions.

Outlook: King is one of those players who can be a sign of a team's draft prowess
— a middle-round pick who contributes a lot in the seasons to come. He played a
lot of games in the nation's best conference and figures to get some snaps on
offense this season.

OT Vinston Painter

Sixth round, 173rd overall

Height: 6-6

Weight: 309

College: Virginia Tech

FYI: Painter was a one-year starter for the Hokies, making 13 starts as a senior.
He also played guard after opening his Tech career at defensive tackle.

Outlook: He is a physically gifted prospect who will continue to smooth out the
rough edges. He could be a practice- squad option if the Broncos avoid injuries up
front in training camp.

QB Zac Dysert

Seventh round, 234th overall

Height: 6-3

Weight: 221

College: Miami (Ohio)

FYI: Dysert finished his career with a school-record 12,678 total yards as a four-
year starter. He broke the school record that was held by now-Steelers star Ben
Roethlisberger.

Outlook: Among the quarterbacks the Broncos looked at as a potential late-round
pick, they clearly liked Dysert the best. He plays with confidence — he was a three-
year captain at Miami — and was a 63.8 percent passer for his career. If the
Broncos keep three QBs, he's No. 3 or on the practice squad.

Spotlight goes back on Denver's
defensive backs
Jeff Legwold
Denver Post
July 21, 2013

Key Position: Secondary

Spotlight goes back on Denver's defensive backs

You already can hear the coast-to-coast chatter about the Denver offense, about its
potential to pile up the yardage and spin the numbers on the Jumbo-Tron.

That's all well and good, but the Broncos scored 35 points against Baltimore in
January and still got bounced from the playoffs. In back-to-back playoff losses, they
have allowed a total of 694 yards passing and nine touchdown passes and have
made only one interception and one sack against Tom Brady to close out the 2011
season and Joe Flacco to close out 2012.

Chucking it around is all well and good too, but whether or not the Broncos put
another trophy in their well-appointed lobby likely depends on what Jack Del Rio's
defensive unit does this time around.

That means a Denver secondary that entered the 2012 season as the unit to watch
— and the unit that ultimately didn't hold up in the stunning playoff loss to the
Ravens — is once again front and center.

A look at the key players:

Champ Bailey

He is 35 years old and entering his 15th season at the most unforgiving position to
age gracefully in the NFL. Bailey, above, doesn't have the speed he had a decade
ago, and it's misguided to expect he would. But he is one of the league's most
intelligent players and still a better athlete than most at his position. Though the
playoff loss to the Ravens was one of the most difficult days of his career, his body
of work through the 2012 season was in the upper tier. The Broncos will give him a
little more help than in the past, but he's still a defensive mainstay who desperately
wants to play in his first Super Bowl.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie

This guy has to be everything the Broncos hope he can be for the defensive game
plan to work. Rodgers-Cromartie, right, is a phenomenal athlete whose attention to
detail and on-field technique has wavered. The Broncos need him to resurrect his

Pro Bowl performance of 2009. "The Broncos were really the first team to say what
was wrong with me and what I could do to fix it," he said. "I'm ready to do that."

The safeties

Given the amount of time the Broncos expect to be in their specialty defenses this
year — with five, six and even seven defensive backs roaming the field — the
safeties have to hold up defending the run in addition to the pass. It's a tall order in
this age of specialization, but the Broncos signed veteran cornerback Quentin
Jammer to be a physical-speed hybrid player in those looks. And they will be
looking for David Bruton to find a niche in there because of his athleticism.

Open practices

Thursday 8:50-11:30 a.m.

Friday 10:25 a.m.-1:05 p.m.

Saturday 8:50-11:30 a.m.

July 28 10:25 a.m.-1:05 p.m.

July 29 8:50-11:30 a.m.

July 31 10:25 a.m.-1:05 p.m.

Aug. 1 8:50-11:30 a.m.

Aug. 2 10:25 a.m.-1:05 p.m.

Aug. 5 10:25 a.m.-1:05 p.m.

Aug. 6 8:50-11:30 a.m.

Aug. 10 8:50-11:30 a.m.

Aug. 12 10:25 a.m.-1:05 p.m.

Aug. 13 8:50-11:30 a.m.

Aug. 14 10:25 a.m.-1:05 p.m.

Aug. 15 8:50-11:30 a.m.

Summer scrimmage

This year's summer scrimmage is at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on Aug. 3.
Gates open at 5 p.m., on-field activities begin at 5:50 p.m. and the scrimmage
starts at 7 p.m. The event is open to the public with free admission. Fans are
encouraged to take public transportation, bike or carpool.

Peyton Manning, Ryan Clady, Champ, top
highest-paid Broncos in 2013
Mike Klis
Denver Post
July 20, 2013

Six players comprise $63.75 million of the Broncos’ estimated $123.9 million payroll
in 2013, or 51.4 percent. Here are the top six paid Broncos, in terms of cash
received, for the 2013 season:

1.   Peyton Manning, QB …………… $20 million
2.   Ryan Clady, LT ………………. $15 million
3.   Champ Bailey, CB …………….. $10.75 million
4.   Louis Vasquez, RG …………….. $7 million
5.   Wes Welker, Slot ……………… $6 million
6.   Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB … $5 million

Six player total ………………… $63.75 million

Colin Kaepernick has top jersey
Darren Rovell
ESPN.com
July 20, 2013

The San Francisco 49ers' run to the Super Bowl was good for quarterback Colin
Kaepernick, whose jersey was the NFL's best seller over the last three months.

Most Popular

Colin Kaepernick of the San Francisco 49ers had the NFL's top-selling jersey from
April 1 to June 30. A look at the top 10.

Player                Team
1. Colin Kaepernick 49ers
2. Russell Wilson     Seahawks
3. Robert Griffin III Redskins
4. Adrian Peterson Vikings
5. Peyton Manning Broncos
6. Ryan Tannehill Dolphins
7. Tom Brady          Patriots
8. Ray Lewis          Ravens
9. Aaron Rodgers Packers
10. Brian Urlacher Bears
Source: NFLShop.com

Quarterbacks finished in four of the top five slots based on sales from April 1-June
30 on NFLShop.com. Seattle Seahawks signal-called Russell Wilson finished second
to Kaepernick, followed by Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III,
Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson and Denver Broncos quarterback
Peyton Manning.

Among just drafted rookies, Manti Te'o's No. 50 San Diego Chargers jersey was the
most popular. Tavon Austin, EJ Manuel, Cordarrelle Patterson and Eddie Lacy
rounded out the top 5. Jets rookie quarterback Geno Smith did not crack the top 5,
perhaps suggesting that fans aren't ready to put their Mark Sanchez jerseys in the
closet just yet.

Retiring didn't seem to hurt the jersey sales of two high-profile linebackers. Ray
Lewis finished eighth in jersey sales over the last three months and Brian Urlacher
took the 10th spot.

Despite losing the Super Bowl, the 49ers are leading the offseason in jersey sales,
followed by the Seahawks, the only team whose jersey was completely changed
last season with the league's new Nike deal. Rounding out the top five were the
Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots.

Jerry Jones: NFL return to L.A. near
Arash Markazi
ESPNLosAngeles.com
July 20, 2013

OXNARD, Calif. -- Los Angeles is nearing 20 years without an NFL team, but Dallas
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones doesn't think the second biggest market in the country
will be without an NFL team for long.

"Closer than ever -- ever being since they left, which has been a long time much to
my surprise and anticipation," said Jones on Saturday, when asked if the NFL was
close to returning to Los Angeles. "There are some viable ways for a team or teams
to be in Los Angeles. We've got some very talented and very qualified people that
want to be a part of it that are not a part of the league right now. We, obviously,
have people within the league that want this very much."

Jones spoke before his Cowboys opened up training camp in Oxnard, Calif., a
coastal city 60 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Since 2001, the Cowboys
have held at least a portion of their training camp in Oxnard eight times. From
1963-1989, they held their training camp in Thousand Oaks, Calif., which is 45
miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles.

Last year, Jones' son, Stephen, who sits on the NFL's stadium committee, said
getting a team in Los Angeles was a top priority for the NFL and Jones said that has
not changed.

"I think we're closer," Jones said. "I say that not just wishing. I say that,
technically, because I'm aware of some things that make sense."

Jones was hesitant to put a timeframe on the NFL's return to Los Angeles but did
think progress was being made for it to happen in the near future.

"How long does it take to build a stadium?" Jones said. "I know how long it took to
build one. The other thing is that there's certainly ways to do it without having a
stadium ready. Those are some moving parts but you have to have the
commitment [from the team], which for the people that make those kinds of
commitments it starts that day for them in a serious way. I wouldn't want to give
you a timeframe on it but I do think that the commitment and the substance with
that commitment is right around the corner."

The Los Angeles Raiders and Los Angeles Rams played their last games in Southern
California on Christmas Eve 1994 before moving to Oakland and St. Louis,
respectively. Almost 20 years later, the Raiders and Rams, along with the San
Diego Chargers, are the most viable teams to move to Los Angeles if they can't get
their current stadium issues resolved. The Raiders and Chargers can get out of their

current leases after the 2013 season while the Rams can get out of their lease after
the 2014 season.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has said the NFL is not considering expanding
from 32 teams and if Los Angeles were to get a team, it would come via relocation.

Last year Goodell sent a memo to all 32 organizations that said no single team has
any "presumptive right" to play in Los Angeles and that only the league can make a
decision on relocation. Any franchise interested in relocating to Los Angeles must
apply between Jan. 1 and Feb. 15 of that year, and prove it has exhausted all
attempts to remain in its current location.

There are currently two proposed stadium sites for a future NFL team in Los
Angeles.

Farmers Field, a proposed stadium in downtown Los Angeles by Anschutz
Entertainment Group, and a competing stadium proposed by real estate magnate
Ed Roski in the City of Industry. Both are "shovel ready" but need a long-term
commitment from a team before construction can begin. If construction does begin,
it could take up to four years to complete.

In the meantime, the NFL team that relocates to Los Angeles would play in either
the L.A. Coliseum or the Rose Bowl.

There had been some speculation that AEG's Farmers Field was doomed after the
company was taken off the sales block earlier this year and former president and
CEO Tim Leiweke, who was the driving force behind the project, left the company.
AEG owner Philip Anschutz, however, said he is still committed to the project and
returning the NFL to L.A. and Jones said he likes the project and Anschutz.

"There are no misgivings at all about it," Jones said of Farmers Field. "It has
outstanding people involved. Phil Anschutz is an outstanding individual and would
be an asset in any way for any group to be involved with and he has quite a sports
background and quite a background in venues so that project. I'm actually involved
in a company that just hired the lead guy that was involved in putting that Farmers
Field project together so all those people have a lot of talent. It's not a negative.
It's a plus."

Jones, born in El Segundo, Calif., a city in Los Angeles County located on the Santa
Monica Bay, spoke about his affinity for Southern California after opening his first
training camp in nearby Thousand Oaks nearly 25 years ago and winning his first
Super Bowl in Pasadena. He understands many in Los Angeles may be skeptical of
the NFL returning to Los Angeles after being away for so long. There is a constant
feeling that Los Angeles is simply being used as a threat for current teams to get
new stadiums. In fact, since the Raiders and Rams left Los Angeles in 1994, 24 new
stadiums have been built for 25 teams. Jones, however, reiterated the league's
commitment to making it happen soon.

"I've never, ever been a part of any meeting or committee ever that didn't want, as
quickly as we could, to get a team in L.A.," Jones said. "I've heard that that could
be a threat to people moving their teams out but that's not right. We've always
preferred to get a team here."

Ten burning NFL storylines for 2013
Ashley Fox
ESPN.com
July 19, 2013

Offseason turmoil finally gives way to QB competitions, new schemes, title talk

On Saturday, the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins will become the first teams to
open training camp. By July 27, every team will be in camp, with 19 of the 32
teams working at their own practice facilities.

What are the top storylines to watch as teams get started? Let's take a look.

The Patriots and life without Aaron Hernandez

There was no bigger story this offseason than the arrest of Hernandez on a murder
charge. The Patriots have done everything they can to distance themselves from
Hernandez and in all likelihood have advised their players not to answer any
questions from the media regarding Hernandez or his absence from the team.

Life is obviously more important than football, but there is an undeniable football
element to the story, as well. The Patriots are going to miss Hernandez on the field.
In three seasons, he caught 175 passes for 1,956 yards and 18 touchdowns and,
with Rob Gronkowski, gave New England the league's most dynamic tandem of
tight ends.

This season, New England completely revamped its receiving corps. Heading into
camp, there are 11 wide receivers on the active roster. Only one, Julian Edelman,
caught a pass for the Patriots last season, and he has been dealing with a foot
injury.

Hernandez would have given Tom Brady a reliable, productive option while he
breaks in free-agent pickup Danny Amendola as well as Aaron Dobson and Josh
Boyce, rookies New England selected in the second and fourth rounds, respectively.

The Broncos and life without Matt Russell and Tom Heckert

The Broncos suspended Russell, their director of player personnel, indefinitely and
Heckert, their director of pro personnel, for a month after each man was arrested
and charged with driving under the influence.

Russell is John Elway's right-hand man. They watch practice together. They
evaluate players together. Elway so values Russell that when San Diego asked to
interview Russell for its vacant general manager job earlier in the offseason, the
Broncos declined. Elway, Denver's executive vice president of football operations,

hired Heckert in May in part because Heckert is a respected talent evaluator who
has been in the business for more than 20 years and has been a general manager
twice.

Now Elway is going to have to determine the Broncos' roster without them. He's
going to have to decide who gets cut and who makes the team. Heckert will be
back after Denver's first preseason game, but Russell likely is gone until the
beginning of the regular season at the earliest.

It is a rocky way to start a season for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.

The quarterback competition in Philadelphia

Welcome to the circus, Chip Kelly. First year. First quarterback competition, which
undoubtedly will devolve into a controversy.

Kelly wants to see repetitive accuracy and decision-making from Michael Vick and
Nick Foles. He also wants to see them in pads and in game action, which means
Kelly likely won't name a starter until after the Eagles' second preseason game at
the earliest.

Vick tired of the constant questions about his status during organized team
activities and the Eagles' minicamp. They will only continue every day until the
situation is resolved.

The bet here is that Vick, despite his inconsistencies, will win the starting job. But
how long he will hold on to it likely will be an ongoing story.

The Jets' quarterback competition

Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith might not be as neck and neck in their pursuit of the
New York Jets' starting job as Vick and Foles appear to be, but there likewise will be
a legitimate competition in training camp. It is, however, Sanchez's job to lose.

One thing in Sanchez's favor is that new offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg
has a wealth of experience tutoring quarterbacks. In his career, Mornhinweg has
coached, among others, Jeff Garcia, Brett Favre, Donovan McNabb and Vick, and
his West Coast system is predicated on short and intermediate throws.

To supplant Sanchez, Smith will have to grasp a new system quickly, show he can
weather adversity and display leadership.

The dreaded sophomore slump

It's bound to happen, right? One of the rookie quarterbacks from last year likely will
take a step back. Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III and Russell Wilson can't all have
the success they did last year, when each led his team to the postseason.

Griffin has the toughest challenge, coming off multiple knee ligament tears suffered
in Washington's first-round playoff loss to Seattle in January. He missed OTAs and
minicamp as a result, and, although Griffin has vowed to be ready once training
camp opens, it's possible coach Mike Shanahan could limit Griffin in practice and in
preseason games.

Griffin needs to learn how to protect himself better, how to take fewer risks and
how to get rid of the ball sooner. He needs to progress as a passer and learn to find
open receivers so he can avoid unnecessary hits. Because he missed the offseason,
Griffin also must play catch-up. Shanahan is going to have to find the delicate
balance between getting Griffin enough work and giving him too much work.

The defensive switch in Dallas

Defensive guru Monte Kiffin is back in the NFL, at age 73, and, in implementing his
4-3 defense, he will try to get the Cowboys to do something they could not last
season: create turnovers.

Dallas was tied with Kansas City last season for the fewest interceptions -- seven --
in the NFL. (In contrast, Chicago led the league with 24.) The Cowboys forced 15
fumbles and recovered nine, and their turnover differential was minus-13, tied with
Buffalo for fifth-worst in the league.

Kiffin will be asking DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer to hold up as defensive
ends when neither has played the position since college. He will try to get a
secondary that has struggled to find the football -- Brandon Carr led the team with
three interceptions last season -- to generate turnovers. And he will have to work
fast because, given Jason Garrett's precarious hold on his job, this might be the
only season in Dallas that Kiffin has.

The return of Sean Payton

Last season was an unmitigated disaster for the New Orleans Saints, as Payton
served an unprecedented one-year suspension for his alleged role in the Saints'
bounty scandal. In his absence, things understandably slipped.

How many wins is Payton worth beyond the seven the team secured last season
under Aaron Kromer and Joe Vitt? Two? Maybe four?

The Saints are built to outscore opponents, but they will have to shore up a defense
that last season gave up an NFL-record 7,042 yards and more points (28.4 per
game) than all but one other team, the Tennessee Titans. New defensive
coordinator Rob Ryan is transitioning New Orleans to a 3-4 defense. That takes
time. And better personnel than the Saints have.

A four-game uptick over last season would put New Orleans at 11-5, which likely
would be good enough to qualify for the postseason. But, like every other team in
the NFC South not based in Atlanta, the Saints are looking up at the Falcons, who
clinched the division in Week 13 last season and won it by a whopping six games.

The Falcons' pursuit of a ring

I talked to Matt Ryan in June, and he admitted it was a relief not to have to answer
a question about whether he and the Falcons can win a playoff game. They can.
They did.

Under Ryan, coach Mike Smith and general manager Thomas Dimitroff, Atlanta has
a stellar 56-24 regular-season record. Last season, with home-field advantage and
a first-round bye, the Falcons finally got their first postseason win under the current
regime before wasting a 17-point lead in their loss to San Francisco in the NFC
Championship Game.

The goals in Atlanta are high. Winning in the regular season is great, but it's what
Smith calls "the second season" that matters. This is about the Falcons getting to
the Super Bowl. They upgraded their secondary, added running back Steven
Jackson, convinced tight end Tony Gonzalez to stave off retirement for one more
year and added defensive end Osi Umenyiora in hopes of upgrading their pass rush.
The Falcons must replace two starters on the offensive line but otherwise will enter
the season as a front-runner to get to the Super Bowl.

The Ravens' title defense

The champs took plenty of roster hits in the offseason because of retirement,
trades or free agency. Yes, they lost eight starters. That's more than any other
Super Bowl winner ever.

But know this about general manager Ozzie Newsome: He's an outstanding talent
evaluator, and the Ravens certainly aren't panicking. It will be fascinating to see
this team come together.

How will defensive end Elvis Dumervil and middle linebacker Jameel McClain fit in?
How quickly will strong safety Matt Elam, the Ravens' first-round draft pick and Ed
Reed's replacement, adjust to the NFL? Will Gino Gradkowski be an adequate

replacement or even an upgrade at center over retired Matt Birk? Has cashing in on
winning a Super Bowl changed Joe Flacco?

There's more

• The ongoing rivalry between the 49ers and Seahawks, teams that will spend the
next six weeks preparing for Week 1 with an eye toward Week 2, when they meet
in Seattle.

• Andy Reid's rebirth in Kansas City. I'm not sure who needed whom more, Reid or
the Chiefs, but it's a marriage that should benefit both.

• Can new San Diego coach Mike McCoy fix Philip Rivers? Can Carson Palmer
effectively execute Bruce Arians' offense in Arizona and maximize one of the best
playmakers in football in Larry Fitzgerald? How will quarterbacks Jay Cutler and
Josh Freeman perform in the final years of their contracts? Will J.J. Watt return to
earth after last season's amazing performance?

Camps are here. Finally.

Redskins ask judge to dismiss lawsuit
stemming from Bountygate
Josh Katzowitz
CBSSports.com
July 20, 2013

You might have thought the far-reaching Bountygate story that never seemed to
die last offseason finally had met its demise. Except earlier this month, former NFL
linebacker Barrett Green sued the Redskins, Gregg Williams and former Washington
tight end Robert Royal over an injury suffered by Green in a 2004 Washington-New
York Giants game.

Williams, one of the main architects of the Bountygate program with the Saints,
was the Redskins' defensive coordinator at the time, and Green alleged, “Redskins
coaches directed their players to disregard criminal and civil laws, as well as NFL
rules, to intentionally injure opponents” and that Royal “intentionally lowered his
helmet and dove into” Green's knees “at full speed” and ended Green's career.

The Redskins have since responded, asking a judge to dismiss the lawsuit, saying
Green's claims are “utterly baseless.”

The Redskins lawyers also wrote the lawsuit would be preempted by the NFL's
former CBA because it was filed after the statute of limitations for Green's claims
had expired. In the previous CBA, the team says he had three years to file a claim.
The Redskins also say the CBA would have required him to go through a number of
procedures before filing the claim, which he did not do.

A hearing for the case has been set for Sept. 24.

Documents in lawsuit vs. NCAA reveal
high number of concussions
Mike Freeman
CBSSports.com
July 20, 2013

Of the many accusations springing from what is emerging as a historic legal case
against the NCAA, the biggest claims negligence in how the governing body of
college athletics monitored and handled concussions for its athletes.
The issues are complicated, but what I mainly wanted to do was examine a
number: 29,225.

That, according to the NCAA's own injury-tracking data, was the total number of
concussions from all NCAA sports from 2004-2009.

"In addition," the court documents examined by CBSSports.com say, "the statistics
show approximately 16,277 of these occurred in football, which is more than all
other Fall sports combined."

The documents also state: "The NCAA released its injury surveillance data for the
2005-2006 football season, and it continued to show high rates of concussions and
head injuries. Specifically, head injuries accounted for 11 percent of practice and 5
percent of game injuries. Concussions ranked third highest in both practice and
competition. ... In addition, a team averaging 60 game participants could expect
one concussion every five games. Seven percent of all practice and game injuries
involved concussions."

These numbers are disturbing to say the least. What this means is that many
college players likely enter the NFL with an already large number of concussions.

Eastern Illinois defensive back Adrian Arrington, who claimed the NCAA didn't do
enough to protect athletes from concussions, originally filed the lawsuit against the
NCAA in 2011. Lawyers representing Arrington have asked a federal judge to allow
his suit to become a class-action case.

We knew players got concussions in college. However, what the NCAA's own
accounting, crystallized in these documents, shows is that the number of
concussions suffered by college football players is greater than commonly known.

That's the biggest takeaway from these documents. While the NCAA is accused of
numerous things by the plaintiffs (the NCAA's own internal emails are the most
damaging part of the documents) the sheer numbers are what stand out the most.

A legion of NFL players -- now and in decades past -- may have entered the NFL
with head trauma. More than we could have imagined.

What scientists now say is that CTE -- chronic traumatic encephalopathy -- is a
degenerative brain disease caused by repeat head injury like concussions. The
NCAA's own numbers show college players suffer from numerous head injuries even
before getting to the pros.

NCAA players also suffer from the same pressures to play as the pros. The lawsuit
states in one part: "... on August 27, 1996, Dr. Kenneth Viste, Jr., President of the
American Academy of Neurology, Dr. George Zitany, president and CEO of the Brain
Injury Association, and Dr. Jay Charles Rich, President, American Association of
Neurological Surgeons, wrote a letter to Cedric Dempsey, the Executive Director of
the NCAA articulating many of the concerns that still exist surrounding the issue of
head injuries in athletics and putting the NCAA on notice regarding the NCAA's
deficiencies. Because of the pressure to win, the letter warned, 'coaches, owners,
fans, and family expect and sometimes demand that an injured player 'tough it out'
and play through the pain ...'"

In the court documents, Arrington describes his college playing life, and what he
says was the devastating aftermath of having so many concussions.

Arrington, in the documents, states he "didn't know that I would have a seizure
every day, I would have seizures so much. I didn't know that I couldn't be alone
with my kids [because of the seizures]. ... I didn't know I couldn't drive a car to
take my daughter to the store and go provide for my kids. ... I didn't know I
couldn't use that degree I went to go to school for.

"What was my point of going to college?"

The documents quote Arrington as saying he continues to experience seizures, but
testified he "never knew about seizures happening after concussions until I
experienced those."

He added: "I didn't know that I would have a seizure every day, I would have
seizures so much." Initially, he explained "I didn't think there was anything serious
about the situation because I didn't think -- because I have never heard anything
because of seizures or long term issues because of concussions or anything like
that."

Arrington added that he "also reports memory loss." Arrington noted that by 2010,
"I found out that I was having a memory problem. I found out that these medicines
weren't working. I found out that people were killing theyself [sic] about these

seizures and concussion. I found out that there's really no answers to what's going
on with my head."

Arrington didn't play in the NFL but there are many thousands who in recent years
went from college to the pros and in doing so may have taken a lengthy concussion
history with them.