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Welcome to Keeping Tabs, where Bolts From the Blue aggregates the news from around the division into one convenient post. I'm filling in again this week to allow Marver a chance to sleep off some of his jet lag. As always, my hope is that this post provides you at least a few minutes of entertainment as you count down to the start of the 2013-14 season. Only about 88 days to go, so hang in there!
And once again, give credit to SDNativeinTX for helping me out with this post.
Denver Broncos
The Pick Six
- Although the Brock Osweiler Show will likely be put on hiatus when the regular season starts, it has been somewhat of a summer hit thus far.
- Running back Willis McGahee was notably absent from OTAs, which can only work to the benefit of rookie Montee Ball.
- Special teams standouts David Bruton and Trindon Holliday could have increased roles for the Broncos this season at safety and wide receiver, respectively.
- Tim Lynch at Mile High Report reckons that Demaryius Thomas will mold into a superstar in his second year under Peyton Manning's tutelage.
- The terms of Quentin Jammer's deal with the Broncos were released last week. Hint: He didn't get much.
- Did You Know: Baseball helped bring football to Denver, in a circuitous kind of way.
Under Review
Peyton Manning recently told Michael Silver of Y! Sports about his assimilation to the Broncos after spending the prior 14 years with the Colts. "[I] felt like a rookie in some ways - just from an offensive standpoint, with totally new coaches, new receivers that you're throwing to, trying to get on the same page with 'em," Manning said. "And I signed in, what, late March, and you really can't work out with 'em till April, kinda like when you get drafted as a rookie, you only have a certain amount of time to get on the same page with your receivers before the season starts." If he can overcome 24-point halftime deficits feeling like a rookie, I'll need someone to remind me to cover my eyes when the Broncos play the Chargers this season. Yikes.
Muffed Punt
Although we may not like the same sports teams, we all share a common humanity. On that note, BFTB would like to join Mile High Report in sending our condolences to Broncos RB coach Eric Studesville, who recently experienced a great tragedy. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to Eric, his family and friends throughout this difficult time.
That's what she said:
"You mess up the first time, he'll tell you how he wanted it. The second time, he'll yell at you. Drama! Now I'm at the point where I joke with him from time to time. Not much, though. I know my boundaries."
- Demaryius Thomas, on what it's like to face Peyton Manning after a mistake.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Pick Six
- The U-T San Diego has Chiefs taking Clowney in 2014, which isn't all bad if it means another dismal season for the fans in Kansas City.
- Apparently Andy Reid sees shades of Shady McCoy in Jamal Charles, which probably means opposing defenders can look forward to seeing Charles out in space even more often this season.
- At least one Kansas City sportswriter has concerns about whether the Chiefs have enough playmakers on offense outside of Jamal Charles and Dwayne Bowe.
- The Chiefs signed their third round pick Travis Kelce and fourth round pick Nico Johnson, which leaves only No. 1 overall pick Eric Fisher left unsigned.
- Gil Brandt from the NFL Network wrote that he can see the Chiefs making the playoffs in 2013, but a lot would have to go right.
- Arrowhead Pride interviewed a local writer to get his take on what he's seen from the team during OTAs.
Under Review
Matt Williamson of ESPN recently wrote about how the Chiefs expect to utilize Eric Fisher at right tackle instead of on the left side. "The line between left and right tackle is more blurry than it ever has been," Williamson said. "You don't have to have a big, fat masher on the right side anymore. The league is changing." Perhaps that memo didn't get distributed to every AFC West team before the draft.
Muffed Punt
Chiefs season tickets are yours - that is, if you can handle being the designated driver for a party bus full of twenty-somethings. So, are you in or are you out?
That's what she said:
"We gave the [previous teams] three to four days off over a weekend, and then they come back and they've lost something. That's not the way this crew was. They took it up another notch every time they came in. I appreciate that."
- Andy Reid, on his team's performance during OTAs.
Oakland Raiders
The Pick Six
- Owner Mark Davis recently talked about his decision to fire P.R. Director Zak Gilbert, but it appears to be nothing more than the Raiders still being the Raiders.
- The Raiders Hall of Fame will be built inside the Raiders' new stadium, whether it's in Oakland or Los Angeles.
- Marcus Krause of Silver and Black Pride speculates that the recent criticism of the Raiders - and significant cap space in 2014 - will motivate the team to new heights this upcoming season.
- Head coach Dennis Allen should be commended for not allowing his team to shoot themselves in the foot as much in 2012 as they did in their record-breaking 2011 season.
- Silver and Black Pride called into question ESPN's Matt Williamson's assessment of the Raiders offseason.
- Pro Football Focus makes a case for why cornerback Phillip Adams is a superstar just waiting for his breakout.
Under Review
Former Raiders head coach Hue Jackson recently admitted to Peter King of Sports Illustrated that the team badly wanted Colin Kaepernick before the 49ers traded up to take him. It's debatable whether Kaepernick would be the same player he is today if he ended up on the other side of the Golden Gate, but it's nonetheless a scary what-if for Chargers fans to consider.
Muffed Punt
Terrelle Pryor's 2008 Big Ten Championship ring recently sold on EBay. And in case you don't recall, this was one of the pieces of memorabilia Pryor and other Ohio State players allegedly traded in exchange for cash and tattoos, which put the school and players in serious hot water with the NCAA. Since the seller's name is "finelineinkusa2010", it's probably a safe bet that the ring was traded for some tattoo work. There's a little over 18,000 reasons why I don't think Pryor got his money's worth.
That's what she said:
"No question in my mind we wanted it to happen, and no question I thought it could happen. We wanted the kid in the worst way."
- Hue Jackson, on how badly the Raiders wanted Colin Kaepernick.