Going camping: Broncos in the NFL, Part I (AFC edition)

NFL training camps kick off next week, and there are a good variety of former Boise State players dotting rosters across the country. Today, we'll take a look at the AFC. Tomorrow, we'll tackle the NFC. Saturday, we'll re-order the rosters in Madden 08 according to our personal biases. We have a lot of work to do.

T Ryan Clady, Denver Broncos
Other Denver Broncos tackles on the roster: Ryan Harris, PJ Alexander, Erik Pears, Tyler Polumbus
Camp starts: 7/24, Englewood CO
Link: Denver Post: contract negotiations could won't be done soon

Outlook: Clady should be a fixture in Denver for years, and he seems to already have the city wrapped around his finger. The only question will be when he signs his contract. Holding out for a bit probably won't cost him a starting spot, but it will be enough to elicit a Woody Paige column or two. "Kids these days have no respect for the game! Bllllaaaarrrrrgggghh!" You tell 'em, Woody!

T Dan Gore, Miami Dolphins
Other Miami Dolphins tackles: Vernon Carey, Jake Long, Daren Heerspink (Portland State rookie), Julius Wilson
Camp starts: 7/26, Davie FL
Link: Sun-Sentinel blog: Gore's versatility could increase his value

Outlook: Gore will be given every opportunity to make the team. Such is life in the post 1-15 era of the Miami Dolphins. If anything was a strength of the team last year, it might have been the offensive line, but that doesn't mean there is no room for Gore. The depth at tackle is rather shallow (Heerspink's a Portland State rookie, Wilson has big arms), so we're picking Gore to stick on the opening week roster.

TE Derek Schouman, Buffalo Bills
Other Buffalo Bills tight ends: Robert Royal, Courtney Anderson, Derek Fine (rookie), Tim Massaquoi
Camp starts: 7/25, Rochester NY
Link: BuffaloBills.com: Schouman and Trent Edwards have chemistry

Outlook: Schoumann played the dreaded H-back role last year, which is usually where tight ends go to die. However, he survived, and the Bills are willing to slide him back to a true tight end this season. He has NFL vets Royal and Anderson to contend with, as well as fourth round pick Fine, but potential injuries and the low ceilings of Royal and Anderson should be enough to keep Schoumann solidly into the #3 TE role.


CB/KR Chris Carr, Tennessee Titans
Other Tennessee Titans cornerbacks: Reynaldo Hill, Cortland Finnegan, Eric King, Nick Harper, Marquice Hill, Cary Williams, Shirdonya Mitchell
Camp starts: 7/25, Nashville TN
Link: Tennessean: Carr will answer kick return question

Outlook: Carr is the new Pac-Man Jones in Tennessee, sans Atari nickname. The kick return duties should be his (sorry, Chris Johnson; actually, no we're not). The real question mark will be where Carr fits in the Titans' secondary. Will he be content being a dime back the rest of his career? Will facing Vince Young in practice be better than facing Andrew Walter?

WR Legedu Naanee, San Diego Chargers
Other San Diego Chargers receivers: Chris Chambers, Eric Parker, Vincent Jackson, Buster Davis, Mark Jones, Kassim Osgood, Malcolm Floyd, Billy Pittman, Gary Banks, Marco Thomas
Camp starts: Sunday (rookies), 7/24 (veterans), San Diego CA
Link: Pro Football Weekly: back to wide receiver for Naanee

Outlook: Naanee received encouraging news this summer when he was switched from a TE/WR hybrid to a full-time wideout. And good for him; he has the ability to be a good pro receiver. However, the Chargers are pretty stacked at the position, so Naanee may be no better than a 3rd or 4th option. Of course, he can play so many positions on the team (WR, TE, QB, Phillip Rivers' wingman) that San Diego can't afford not to keep him around.

WR Drisan James, Oakland Raiders
Other Oakland Raiders receivers: Javon Walker, Ronald Curry, Drew Carter, Todd Watkins, Will Buchanon, Marcel Reece, Jonathan Holland, Johnnie Lee Higgins, Chris McFoy, Chaz Schilens, Arman Shields
Camp starts: 7/24, Napa Valley CA
Link: MVN: Raider WR competition will be fierce

Outlook: James has yet to make much noise in the league, but at least he is getting opportunities. The Raiders, though they signed Walker in the offseason, could always use a hard-working receiver, and James could certainly be that. Yet we get the feeling like he might be better off in the CFL or starting a garage band with Jared Zabransky. We guess there's no reason why he couldn't do both.

Thursday: Links with anonymity

Story of the day:

More reasons to fear Southern Miss [NCAAFootball.com]

In addition to Southern Miss being big, athletic, and playing at home, Boise State will now have to contend with the Eagles being loaded. Conference USA has released its preseason polls and rankings, and Southern Miss is well represented to say the least.

Golden Eagle junior running back Damion Fletcher was chosen as the league’s preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Fletcher carried the ball 29 times for 155 yards in the Papajohns.com Bowl to finish last season with a single-season best 1,586 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Another Golden Eagle, reigning C-USA Defensive Player of the Year Gerald McRath, was picked as the preseason favorite to repeat as the conference’s top defensive player. He led C-USA in tackles with 139 (71 solo, 68 assist) in 2007 and averaged 10.7 per game.

Preseason Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year?  Yikes, indeed. Is there any way we can get Weber State back on the schedule?


Other links:

Is Brian Murphy famous enough to interview? [Kellis Robinett]
Relative to Pocatello people, he is.

Budweiser to support Hawaii athletics [Honolulu Advertiser]
Coca-cola to support head coach Greg McMackin.

BSU's new South African walk-on [Fight Fight BSU]
He plays running back, receiver, and philanthropist.

Oregon to sell single-game tickets tomorrow night [GoDucks]
Fifty-four dollars per seat. Seeing the Broncos win in Autzen? Priceless.