Broncos sign C - Dan Koppen

[pr_capone]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/broncos...1397--nfl.html

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) -- Former Pro Bowl center Dan Koppen, who spent nine season snapping the ball to Tom Brady in New England, will now have the chance to work with Peyton Manning.

Koppen signed with the Denver Broncos on Tuesday, two weeks after his release from the New England Patriots, where he played from 2003-11.

Koppen, who turns 33 on Wednesday, adds experience and depth to the interior line and might push starting center J.D. Walton for playing time.

Manning was sacked twice in his Denver debut, once when it appeared the wrong line call shifted everyone to the right and led to left tackle Ryan Clady having no one to block. Running back Knowshon Moreno was left to block two men, and Pittsburgh linebacker Jason Worilds dropped Manning for an 8-yard loss.

The offensive linemen weren't in the locker room during the media access period Tuesday.

The Broncos also waived backup center C.J. Davis and re-signed backup quarterback Caleb Hanie, who was released in a procedural move Saturday to provide the Broncos with some financial flexibility. His $1 million base salary is no longer guaranteed.

As expected, the Broncos also placed defensive tackle Ty Warren on injured reserve after he re-tore his right triceps in the opener, his first game since 2009.

''It affects us a lot, actually,'' said second-year defensive tackle Mitch Unrein, who played a career-high 40 snaps after Warren got hurt. ''He's a great leader. but as Coach (John) Fox always says, next guy up, so that kind of opens the door for guys like me.''

Warren, 31, re-injured himself early in the Broncos' 31-19 win over the Steelers. He missed all last season after tearing the same muscle during training camp, and he missed the 2010 season, his last in New England, with a hip injury.

Warren's return lasted two plays into the second quarter when he came up injured after shaking off a blocker and trying to tackle running back Jonathan Dwyer.

''That's a pretty sad reminder of how brutal this game can be and how quickly it can all be over,'' Unrein said. ''This injury thing is tough, especially for how great he's played in the NFL for so many years and to go out that way, that's kind of a bummer.''

Warren was the 13th overall pick by the Patriots in 2003 and he helped New England win two Super Bowls before signing a two-year deal in Denver in 2011. Although he restructured his contract over the summer, Warren will end up collecting more than $5 million for his five snaps with the Broncos.

[Quesadilla Joe]

Denver's OL all graded out positively against Pittsburgh. And early on in the game Pitt tried blitzing the A gap quite a few times and they didn't get anything done.

[listopencil]

Originally Posted by Cassel>Manning

Denver's OL all graded out positively against Pittsburgh. And early on in the game Pitt tried blitzing the A gap quite a few times and they didn't get anything done.

They've been working on it. Our interior is young so it's certainly possible that they will improve. It's a work in progress.

[listopencil]

This is, by the way, one of the reasons I am so down on Moreno. We can't afford to keep a third down back that can't pass protect.

[Quesadilla Joe]

Originally Posted by listopencil

This is, by the way, one of the reasons I am so down on Moreno. We can't afford to keep a third down back that can't pass protect.

Moreno was coming back from a torn ACL and didn't have too many reps with the 1's in camp. He is a more than willing blocker, and is a tough SOB. He just is behind mentally right now.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Cassel>Manning

Moreno was coming back from a torn ACL and didn't have too many reps with the 1's in camp. He is a more than willing blocker, and is a tough SOB. He just is behind mentally right now.

[Black Bob]

Originally Posted by listopencil

Bleacher Report is a piece of shit website, but they are correct that the interior of our O-Line is weak. When the Broncos brought Harris in I thought maybe they'd put him in at RT and move Franklin inside to help out. That didn't happen, and I don't care for a "work in progress" Offensive Line, but it is what it is. Peyton Manning absolutely does help with this. The thing is, if Manning can read the blitz he's going to burn D's for trying to take advantage of it.

Thanks for the input.

That's why I said ...

"(I know it's Bleacher Report but, it is a reasonable gauge in this instance. They are alright in these rankings imo.) "

As for Pittsburgh, their interior front isn't what it used to be. Hampton is old, Farrior is gone, and it's just noth same. Atlanta isn't good in this area either as they have a back MLB and schotty DTs. Jerry is playing a little better but he's not that good.

Signing Koppen now is smart. He will have some time to learn the offense before you start facing teams with a good inside rush.

[listopencil]

Originally Posted by Cassel>Manning

Moreno was coming back from a torn ACL and didn't have too many reps with the 1's in camp. He is a more than willing blocker, and is a tough SOB. He just is behind mentally right now.

In his first game of the season he looked exactly like he has for his entire career with the Denver Broncos. The same indecision in the backfield, the same mediocre blocking skills, the same lack of vision. He's being kept because he's shown an ability to catch the ball in the past. That's a big part of being a competent third down back. So is pass pro. If he can't do it they need to get rid of him.

[listopencil]

Originally Posted by BlackBob

Thanks for the input.

That's why I said ...

"(I know it's Bleacher Report but, it is a reasonable gauge in this instance. They are alright in these rankings imo.) "

As for Pittsburgh, their interior front isn't what it used to be. Hampton is old, Farrior is gone, and it's just noth same. Atlanta isn't good in this area either as they have a back MLB and schotty DTs. Jerry is playing a little better but he's not that good.

Signing Koppen now is smart. He will have some time to learn the offense before you start facing teams with a good inside rush.

Yeah, that is exactly what I was thinking. Can't hurt to throw a vet into a group of struggling players, we'll see how much he's got left.

[rtmike]

good signing...

[ct]

that is a very good signing

good thing we're savin our bankroll for cassel's new contract...

[FlaChief58]

At least Warren gets a nice 5 million dollar parting gift. Sucks to go out that way though

[Sorter]

Originally Posted by BlackBob

Thanks for the input.

That's why I said ...

"(I know it's Bleacher Report but, it is a reasonable gauge in this instance. They are alright in these rankings imo.) "

In all honesty, I did completely miss that part. My apologies. I've had to see too many stupid ****ing Bleacher Report articles posted about MMA on my other board. Posting them there is now bannable IIR. Lol.

No apologies for the other thread though.

[Mile High Mania]

I'm just not a Moreno fan ... use him as a change of pace for McGahee, but nothing more. Moreno should have some good moments, but I don't care to see him as an integral piece of the plan.

Regarding the OL, they do have some work to do to improve... hopefully, guys like Koppen can help shorten the learning curve for the young guys. In the PIT game, Manning had some nice protection ... helps greatly that he is very cerebral and can see things early and adjust. The WRs/RBs/TEs need to be steady with their blocking assignments and picking up the blitz.

[Amnorix]

Koppen looked to be completely done early in training camp but then got somewhat better as things went along. Ultimately, Wendell and Connolly did better than him, and he has no position flexibility whatsoever. He's a Center and only a Center. As a third string center with no position flexibility, there was no room on the roster for him, unfortunately.

I think at this point he's a slightly below average center who is trending downward, not upward. If you have serious problems at that position, he can probably help out, but don't think for a second he's going to represent any kind of significant upgrade or anything unless your current center is truly bad.

[Quesadilla Joe]

Koppen is strictly a depth signing. Our backup center was so bad, he cleared waivers and is now on our practice squad.