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Denver Broncos

Champ Bailey says he doesn't anticipate a move to safety. "I'm a realist, though, if I see myself on tape and I think it's time to make a move, I'll know it's time to make a move, I'll be the first to see it, I'll be the first to know it," Bailey said, smiling. "In my mind, though, I might not say it right away, I might wait for somebody to ask."

Veteran defensive tackle Justin Bannan tells Lindsay Jones that he "tries not to" think too much about what effect playing football might have on his body down the road.

Kansas City Chiefs

Starting safeties Eric Berry and Kendrick Lewis aren't on the field for this week's practices, but are seemingly on course to be back for training camp, the Kansas City Star reports.

The Chiefs signed free-agent wide receiver Aaron Weaver, who played collegiately at Syracuse in 2010 but missed 2011 with a knee injury.

Oakland Raiders

In a (very) brief statement following the Raiders' organized team activities Tuesday, linebacker Rolando McClain apologized for "the bad publicity that's been put out there" following his legal troubles, CSN Bay Area reports. McClain's teammates have said the linebacker seems unfazed by the recent events.

The new defensive scheme is getting good reviews from players so far, according to the Raiders' official site.

Tight end David Ausberry has added 15 pounds this offseason and is up to 265 as he focuses on claiming a starting role, CBSSports.com reports.

San Diego Chargers

A rules change that will require all players to wear knee and thigh pads beginning in 2013 is "dumb," cornerback Quentin Jammer told U-T San Diego.

Philip Rivers lost pal and backup Billy Volek in a salary-cap move over the offseason, but a reunion with Charlie Whitehurst has the Chargers' starting quarterback feeling pretty comfortable, Kevin Acee writes.

The Denver Broncos have won their first AFC West battle of 2012.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Denver has signed cornerback Drayton Florence to a two-year deal. Florence, who has started 45 games in the past three seasons, was cut by Buffalo last week.

Florence was highly coveted after being released by the Bills. He visited Tennessee on Wednesday. San Diego, where he spent his first five NFL seasons, was also trying to sign Florence. Schefter reports Denver will pay Florence fairly well.

San Diego wanted Florence, 31, as a nickel cornerback, and that is likely the role he will have in Denver. He adds depth to a talented cornerback crew that includes starters Champ Bailey and Tracy Porter.

I could see some situations where Bailey plays nickel in some instances. He played some nickel last season. The Broncos also have Chris Harris, an undrafted player in 2011 who played well, and 2012 fourth-round pick Omar Bolden. He missed last season with a torn ACL, but the Arizona State product was considered a second-round talent before his injury.

Thus, Denver has a deep and talented cornerback group, and the Florence addition strengthens it. Last month, Denver tried to trade for Asante Samuel, but it couldn’t come to an accord with Samuel.

There is an AFC West battle for Drayton Florence.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting the popular recently released cornerback will visit the Broncos this week. San Diego is also highly interested in Florence. He spent his first five NFL season in San Diego.

Florence was cut by Buffalo last week. Schefter also reports that Florence will visit Tennessee this week. Florence would likely be the nickel cornerback in both San Diego and in Denver.

The Broncos have been looking for a veteran cornerback to pair with starters Champ Bailey and Tracy Porter. Denver pursued trading for Asante Samuel before he was sent from Philadelphia to Atlanta last month.

When a high-profile player becomes available, I get flooded with questions if he is a good fit for the AFC West.

Philadelphia cornerback Asante Samuel is no different. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the Eagles have talked to several teams about trading for Samuel and he could be sent packing by next week’s draft.

I don’t see any easy fits in the AFC West for Samuel, but let’s take a closer look:

Denver: The Broncos have an aging Champ Bailey and have Tracy Porter signed for one year. I think they may be looking for a cornerback, but perhaps in the draft rather than via a trade for a veteran.

Kansas City: The Chiefs are set at cornerback with Brandon Flowers and Stanford Routt. I see no room for Samuel, even though he has history with Romeo Crennel and Scott Pioli in New England.

Oakland: The Raiders could use Samuel more than any team in the division, but I don’t think they have the trade means to get him. But if the price is right, perhaps Oakland could get in play.

San Diego: They could be the favorite in the division to land Samuel, but I don’t know if they would be in the race. Samuel would give San Diego some flexibility in the backfield, but I’m not sure the team would think pursuing Samuel would be worthwhile.

Barring a setback from the neck injury that cost him the entire 2011 season, Peyton Manning has the Denver Broncos’ offense covered. That side of the ball will be fine and will be in playoff form.

But what about the defense?

That side of the ball will be a key to Denver's season. If the 2012 Denver defense can make the strides it did in 2011, the Broncos have a chance to be a serious contender.

Bill Polian, who knows Manning well, has said he thinks the potential of the Broncos' defense is one of the reasons Manning chose to play in Denver. Polian, the Colts’ former general manager who brought Manning to Indianapolis and who is now an ESPN analyst, said last week he thinks the Denver defense could be a spark for the Manning-led offense.

“John Fox is going to coach up that defense and it has a chance to play great defense,” Polian said. “That will only help Peyton.”

However, I believe the Broncos have work to do before they can start playing great defense.

This unit is a work in progress. It went from No. 32 in 2010 prior to Fox’s arrival to No. 20 in 2011 under the guidance of Fox and coordinator Dennis Allen, who is now the head coach in Oakland. The 2011 Denver Broncos will be remembered for the wild days of Tim Tebow, but it was the defense that rose up and solidified the team. With Manning running the offense and former Jacksonville head coach Jack Del Rio running the defense, the team has a chance to go to the next level.

The defense in Denver starts with pass-rushers Elvis Dumervil and Von Miller. The pair combined for 21 sacks last season and they should be one of the most dynamic pass-rush duos in the NFL for years to come. Polian called the pair special and an anchor for the defense.

Denver upgraded at cornerback by signing Tracy Porter of New Orleans. He is a solid No. 2 cornerback and will make a strong pairing with the aging, but still dominant Champ Bailey. Porter, who has had challenges staying healthy, is an upgrade from Andre Goodman. Underrated safety Mike Adams was signed from Cleveland. He will pair with second-year player Quinton Carter, who made strides as the season went on. The team will give 2011 No. 2 pick Rahim Moore a chance to rebound from a rookie season in which he regressed. But Adams and Carter should be a serviceable pairing.

There are some problems, though. Outside linebacker D.J. Williams, one of the better defenders on the team, is facing a six-game NFL suspension for using a banned substance. He is fighting it in the form of a lawsuit. Defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley signed with New Orleans. Bunkley was a tone-setter, and even though he played only 43 percent of the snaps, he will be missed.

Denver has a major void at defensive tackle and it probably will take advantage of a strong draft class at the position and use the No. 25 pick on a player such as Mississippi State’s Fletcher Cox, Penn State’s Devon Still or LSU’s Michael Brockers. They also want to re-sign Marcus Thomas and hope 2011 free-agent signee Ty Warren is healthy after missing the past two seasons.

There is no doubt this is still a building project and that concerns Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc.

“I was very worried about this defense, but now I feel a little better about it after it signed Porter, who is a very solid No. 2 behind Bailey,” Williamson said. “But I still have my worries about the defense up the middle. Losing Bunkley hurts quite a bit, but maybe Ty Warren can help out this year. The safety position worries me. But they can sure rush the passer. The question is will be they be able to handle a physical offense.”

After being the bright spot of a surprise team in 2011, the Denver defense must take the next step in a year when, suddenly, much is expected from this team.

The Denver Broncos’ decision to bring in former New Orleans cornerback Tracy Porter in for one year for $4 million means a few things:

Andre' Goodman is probably out of the picture. The Broncos were looking for an upgrade at right cornerback. Porter, 25, is considered a decent No. 2 cornerback and should be a good complement to Champ Bailey.

It likely means the Broncos will not continue to pursue Pittsburgh cornerback William Gay. It was probably an either/or situation and Porter is considered the better player.

Even though Porter is signed for just one year and Bailey will turn 34 in June, the Broncos will probably draft a defensive tackle or a cornerback in the first round. Why? It’s more of an immediate need. I could still see cornerback being addressed early in the draft and maybe Denver will look for some more depth in free agency.

Oakland wanted Porter, but he was a bit too pricey. Porter played for new Raiders coach Dennis Allen in New Orleans.

I caught up with Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. to get this view on the Porter signing. Williamson thinks Porter is the best of three starting cornerbacks who have joined the AFC West in free agency. Oakland has brought in Ronald Bartell and Shawntae Spencer.

Here are Williamson’s thoughts on the Porter signing: “He’s a real good addition. He’s a strong No. 2 cornerback opposite Champ. Porter isn’t overly strong or physical, but he can play man coverage and he is a playmaker on the ball. I am shocked he lasted so long. I would put him ahead of a fully healthy Bartell and certainly over Spencer.”

The man who ruined Peyton Manning’s most recent Super Bowl appearance will join him in a quest for another championship.

According to an NFL source, Denver has signed New Orleans cornerback Tracy Porter to a one-year, $4 million deal.

Porter is best known for intercepting a Manning pass and returning for a touchdown to seal the Saints’ victory over the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV in 2010. Manning signed with Denver on Tuesday.

Porter will start opposite Champ Bailey in Denver. I’ll be back with more thoughts on this story later.

While there has been talk the Denver Broncos may bring in some former Indianapolis Colts teammates to make Peyton Manning comfortable, they also may bring in the man who delivered Manning his greatest professional blow.

The Broncos are set to visit with New Orleans cornerback Tracy Porter on Wednesday, according to an NFL source. He is visiting with the Titans on Tuesday.

Porter is best known for returning an interception for a touchdown against Manning in the Super Bowl in 201o. It sealed an upset win for the Saints over the Colts.

In Denver, Porter would likely replace Andre Goodman at right cornerback and play opposite Champ Bailey. Putting Porter on his side would likely be fine with Manning.

Oakland also had interest in Porter -- Oakland coach Dennis Allen coached Porter in New Orleans -- but those talks have stalled after the Raiders signed Ronald Bartell and Shawntae Spencer.

Will the AFC West cornerback domino continue to fall?

With the Kansas City Chiefs signing cornerback Stanford Routt on Monday, it all but guarantees that Brandon Carr will walk as a free agent. Routt -- who the the Raiders released earlier this month -- signed a three-year, $19.6 million deal with the Chiefs on Monday. Last season the Chiefs signed No. 1 cornerback Brandon Flowers to a five-year, $52 million deal. There is little chance the Chiefs will give Carr, who will likely command $7-9 million a year, a big deal.

With Routt staying in the AFC West, will Carr follow suit? Let’s see if he fits elsewhere in the division.

Denver Broncos: I thought Denver would be the favorite in the division to land Routt, but the Broncos reportedly never had any interest. Carr could pair nicely with the aging Champ Bailey for the short term. The Broncos could then have Carr take over as the No.1 cornerback if Bailey is eventually moved to safety. The Broncos have cap room and I could see them looking at Carr.

Oakland Raiders: Could this situation end with Routt in Kansas City and Carr in Oakland? Sure, but it may be difficult for the Raiders, who still need to get under the salary cap, to win a bidding war. There will be no doubt that Carr will be on the Raiders’ wish list as the cornerback position is Oakland's greatest need. There are several other cornerbacks available though. I could see the Raiders ending up with someone like New Orleans’ Tracy Porter, who played for new Oakland coach Dennis Allen with the Saints, more than Carr.

San Diego Chargers: I think this is the least likely scenario in the division. The Chargers like Antoine Cason and he could get an extension at some point. The Chargers simply have bigger needs to spend big money on this season.

In our first post on the Raiders’ surprising decision to cut cornerback Stanford Routt, we wrote that the free agent could interest the three other teams in the AFC West.

Here's why:

Denver: I think this is the best fit in the AFC West for Routt. Denver will be looking for a cornerback either in free agency or early in the draft. Signing a player of Routt's skills now would allow the Broncos to concentrate on other areas. Routt was better as Oakland’s No. 2 cornerback playing with Nnamdi Asomugha, so he’d benefit from playing with Champ Bailey. I don’t think Denver would break the bank for Routt, but I could see interest.

Kansas City: This likely would only be a fit if the Chiefs don’t plan to re-sign cornerback Brandon Carr. It could come down to the Chiefs deciding who is better. So I’m not sure if they'll really be in the mix.

San Diego: The Chargers have to get better in a lot of areas; cornerback could be one of those. If the Chargers thought Routt is a better option than No. 2 cornerback Antoine Cason, they could pursue him. Still, with the other issues San Diego needs to address, I’m not sure it’s a major priority.

UPDATE: Routt has visits planned already with Buffalo and Tennessee.

Tom from San Antonio wants to know if I think Oakland free-agent quarterback Jason Campbell could sign with the Broncos and compete with Tim Tebow.

Bill Williamson: I think Campbell could have been a possibility for Denver had the Broncos decided to replace Tebow. He’d be a good answer for the next couple of years. But the Broncos want Tebow to be the starter this year. I don’t think Campbell would enter that situation. He wants to be a clear starter and he deserves to be a starter.

Clint Wood from San Jose wants to know if I like the Raiders’ hire of coach Dennis Allen.

BW: I really do like it. I think it could be a big score for Oakland. I could see Allen being there for the long term. Now, there are risks involved and there is no guaranteed that Allen will be a successful head coach. At 39, perhaps he’s not ready. But I think it was a worthwhile risk. He is a football man through and through and he is good at the things that makes people good head coaches. He's tough, organized, detailed and he’s a people person. Again, we don’t know for sure Allen will be a coaching star, but he has a real chance to be.

Christopher from Toronto wants to know if I think the Broncos could move cornerback Champ Bailey to safety.

BW: I could see Denver’s coaching staff considering it and I see Bailey, who turns 34 in June, moving to safety at some point. But if I had to guess I think he will stay at cornerback this season. Sure, he is slowing down some, but he is still a very above average cornerback and he is probably best suited to help Denver at safety.

There have been several changes to the AFC Pro Bowl team since the team was announced originally last month. Here is an updated list of AFC West players who will be playing in the game Sunday in Honolulu:

DENVER

CB Champ Bailey

LT Ryan Clady

S Brian Dawkins

LB Elvis Dumervil

RB Willis McGahee

LB Von Miller

KANSAS CITY

LB Tamba Hali

LB Derrick Johnson

OAKLAND

LS Jon Condo

K Sebastian Janikowski

P Shane Lechler

DL Richard Seymour

SAN DIEGO

TE Antonio Gates

WR Vincent Jackson

RB Ryan Mathews

QB Philip Rivers

S Eric Weddle

It is fitting that Brian Dawkins’ final game could be played in Hawaii.


The Denver safety was named to the Pro Bowl on Thursday, replacing Pittsburgh’s Troy Polamalu because of an injury. It is Dawkins’ ninth Pro Bowl — tied with John Lynch for the second-most career Pro Bowl berths by a safety.

Expect Dawkins, 38, to try to play. He missed all but a quarter of Denver’s final five games because of a neck injury, but the injury has been improving steadily in the past few days. Dawkins, a potential Hall of Famer, wouldn’t have accepted the invitation if he wasn’t going to be cleared to play.

Dawkins told a Denver television station last weekend that he will consider retirement. He played the past three seasons with Denver and has been the team’s undisputed leader. Dawkins played well in 2011 when healthy, recording 51 tackles and three sacks.

Dawkins joins a strong Denver contingent — the team's most at the Pro Bowl since 2001 — for the Jan. 29 game in Honolulu. Running back Willis McGahee and tackle Ryan Clady were named to the team as injury replacements. Cornerback Champ Bailey, defensive end Elvis Dumervil and linebacker Von Miller are also representing the AFC West champions.

When the Pro Bowl team was announced, I listed Denver Broncos running back Willis McGahee as the player in the division that had the biggest beef for not being picked to play in Hawaii later this month.

Well, that problem has been solved.

The Broncos announced McGahee, who was a first alternate, will replace an injured Arian Foster on the AFC Pro Bowl team. Denver left tackle Ryan Clady, replacing the Miami Dolphins' Jake Long, will also join him.

Denver now has five players in the Pro Bowl. McGahee and Clady join Champ Bailey, Elvis Dumervil and Von Miller.

McGahee’s selection to the Pro Bowl team puts a bow on a great season for the 30-year-old tailback who was one of the best free-agent signings in the NFL last summer. McGahee had 1,199 yards rushing and he was a key to the No. 1 ranked rushing offense in the NFL. The Broncos set a franchise record for rushing yards in a season with 2,532 yards on the ground.

McGahee was tied with Foster for the NFL lead with seven 100-yard rushing games in 2011. This is McGahee’s second Pro Bowl selection.

According to the Broncos, Clady is the fifth offensive lineman in NFL history to start every game and make at least two Pro Bowls in his first four NFL seasons.

It is going to be extremely cold in Foxborough, Mass., during the Denver Broncos-New England Patriots AFC divisional playoff game Saturday night.

The forecast calls for nearly single-digit temperatures during the game, which kicks off at 8 p.m. ET. The low temperature for Saturday is currently expected to be nine degrees. However, it is supposed to be a clear night.

“It’s cold, but that’s part of the game,” Denver cornerback Champ Bailey said. “You let the elements be what they are, and you just go out and play, try to stay warm as much as possible.”

Added New England coach Bill Belichick: “We’re ready for whatever we get, yeah. [We] had over 100 practices this year, they’ve all been in all different types of conditions, so whatever we get, and I hope we’ll be ready to play in.”

The game will be, by far, the coldest game Denver second-year quarterback Tim Tebow has ever play in. He played in a couple of games in 30-degree weather, but this will be another level of cold for the Florida product to deal with.