Information On Broncos Training Camp, Preseason

The lockout is officially over and it's time to get back to football.

"This is a great day for everyone involved with the National Football League—first and foremost our fans. Our coaching staff is comprised of a great group of teachers who are eager to begin working with our players," said Denver Broncos Head Coach John Fox on Monday. "All of us are looking forward to building relationships with our players and making the Broncos a better team. Our preparation has been well thought out, and we are ready for training camp and the 2011 season.”

Players will report to the Broncos training facility in Dove Valley tomorrow morning and the team can then start negotiating with players needing to be re-signed. The team will start training camp on Thursday and will practice throughout the weekend, five practices in all. The sessions will be open to the public. More information can be found at the team's official site: DenverBroncos.com.

Team's will be allowed to begin waiving players on Thursday (expect many cuts from the Broncos to free up cap space), and full free agency will start this Friday at 6p.m. (ET). There will be many transactions over the next few weeks so stay tuned.

You can purchase tickets to the Broncos preseason opener in Dallas against the Cowboys on August 11th through our TiqIQ widget. Tickets to the game are going as low as $3 apiece and many are available from under $15! The average price for a ticket to the game is $72.

The following week, August 20th, the Buffalo Bills will travel to Denver to face the Broncos in their preseason home opener. The average price for a ticket to the game on our TiqIQ widget is $60, with some going as low as $10.

Denver will start the regular season on Monday, September 12th at INVESCO Field @ Mile High against the Oakland Raiders. Tickets are available starting at $86, and more deals are expected to come as the season gets closer. See our TiqIQ page for more ticket prices.

Football is back! Bring on the 2011 NFL season!

Free Agency 2011: Who the Broncos Will Target

I know, like you haven't read a million of these: Here is who I think the Broncos should target when Free Agency begins. Then you read a list of players who not only do the Broncos not need, but they also can't afford.

Reality check guys: The Broncos are cash-strapped. Obviously they will make some moves to cut costs and leave some money open, but getting Barry Cofield, DeAngelo Williams and Nnamdi Asomugha isn't practical, sorry. So without further ado, here is a list of who the Broncos will target when free agency begins:

Who Should You Say Bye-Bye to?

Ryan Harris, RT: Harris is a very talented tackle and I like him quite a bit. The problem is that he is never healthy and will demand a hefty price tag. We simply don't have the money. Sorry.

Correll Buckhalter, RB: Will Buckhalter even be the third string if he sticks around? I've yet to hear of a third string running back worth nearly $2 mil.

I'm not willing to say that Kyle Orton will definitely leave, but he is worth nearly $9 mil dollars in cap space. If he does not earn the starting job, he needs to be traded to free up that room.

Who Will Return?

Wesley Woodyard, OLB: Let's face it, Woodyard was lost in Josh McDaniels' 3-4 defense, but shined brightly in the 4-3. Considering his young age he will definitely be resigned and may have the opportunity to compete for a starting position. At the very least he is good for depth.

Marcus Thomas, DT: Unless he demands a lot of money, Thomas is still pretty youthful and deserves a shot with the new defense.

Matt Prater, K: Matt Prater has shown signs of being a top-tier kicker. I would be surprised if the Broncos didn't retain him.

Who Will Be Targeted on the Cheap?

Thomas Davis, OLB, Panthers: With the injuries that have plagued Davis, some teams may be wary to pay for him. If John Fox can get a deal for him, he could be wearing orange and blue next year.

Ernie Sims, OLB, Eagles: He is still young, and could be a good fit for John Foxs' scheme. I doubt he will be heavily pursued.

Derek Landi, DT, Panthers: This is a former John Fox player that a lot of people forget about. We could certainly use some depth at the DT position, and Landi could bring it, as well as a knowledge of the system.

Zach Strief, OT, Saints: At the very least he is good for depth, and could potentially compete with Orlando Franklin.

Who the Bank Might Break For?

Fabian Washington, CB, Ravens: Acquiring Washington may not actually require a large amount of money, due to injuries. That said, the whole Perrish Cox situation isn't looking good and for a reasonably priced, young player like Washington, the Broncos should definitely look his way.

Brandon Mebane, DT, Seahawks / Barry Cofield, DT, Giants: At this point nobody cares which one we choose. Both are pretty young, similar, Defensive Tackles, and we all know the Broncos need one desperately. If we end up with plenty of cap room we could even get both. (That was a joke. I will eat my hat if we sign both of them.)

DeAngelo Williams, RB, Panthers: Like you haven't heard this one a billion times. It just makes too much sense for the Broncos not to target him.

The lockout is officially over! We'll have more details to come. The Broncos will start Training Camp on Wednesday and teams can begin signing their own free agents and those who played with other teams starting at 6 p.m. (ET) Friday.

Broncos Must Address Several Players Once Lockout is Lifted

All signs point to the lockout being lifted this week, even as soon as Monday. The Broncos brass -- Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway, Team Owner Pat Bowlen, Head Coach John Fox, General Manager Brian Xanders and President Joe Ellis -- are all at the team's facility in Dove Valley today working hard, reports Patrick Smyth, Denver's Executive Director of Media Relations. Such news is a good sign that the team is preparing for a big day tomorrow.

Once the lockout is lifted, the Broncos will begin Training Camp, sign undrafted free agents, sign their nine drafted rookies, re-sign players and sign several free agents. In the midst of all that however, the team will have several other players to deal with. An outline of said players can be seen below:

Name/College: Brian Dawkins, Clemson.
Height/Weight: 6-0, 210 pounds.
Quick Stats/Experience: Dawkins started 11 games last season, recording 66 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and an interception. He is entering his sixteenth season in the league.
Briefly: The Broncos will have to restructure the veteran safety's contract or part ways with the 37-year old warrior. Dawkins has remained a key part of Denver's defense and has displayed incredible leadership. Last April, Denver drafted two safeties, Quinton Carter and Rahim Moore, to eventually replace Dawkins -- sooner rather than later. Despite that, Dawkins organized unofficial team work outs during the lockout and has vowed to mentor the younger defensive backs. However, under Dawkins' current contract, the Broncos owe him $6 million this season, a price the team will not be willing to pay an aging player who may only see a rotational role. Fortunately, Dawkins is willing to take a pay cut. The Broncos know Dawkins still has a little left in the tank, and his high character and leadership are reason enough to retain him, in our opinion.

Name/College: Kyle Orton, Purdue.
Height/Weight: 6-4, 225 pounds.
Quick Stats/Experience: Orton started in 13 games last season, completing 293 of his 498 passes for 3,653 yards and 20 touchdowns against 9 interceptions. Entering his seventh season, Orton is 28 years old.
Briefly: The Broncos have stated that there will be a three-way competition at quarterback in Training Camp for the starting gig. That's probably not entirely true. It'll come down to choosing between the veteran Orton who struggled without a good rushing attack or defense, and second year quarterback Tim Tebow who dazzled at the end of last season. Orton has one year left on his contract and is owed over $7.379 million. If the team decides Tebow is ready to lead the team, trading Orton would be easy, as there are many QB-needy teams out there. Ultimately, the team will have to make a decision quickly on whether they are going to go with Orton or Tebow, so the starter can get as many reps with the starters as possible, working on timing and rhythm.

Name/College: D.J. Williams, Miami (FL).
Height/Weight: 6-1, 242 pounds.
Quick Stats/Experience: Williams started in 15 games last season, recording 119 tackles, 5.5 sacks and 1 forced fumble. The 29 year old is entering his 8th season.
Briefly: Williams has a DUI rap sheet as long Brandon Marshall's list of off-the-field injuries. Last season, McDaniels benched Williams for part of a game against Kansas City and it has long been known that Williams is no Dawkins-like role model of a player. It's hard to say if Denver will be willing to put up with any more of Williams' issues off the field. Williams has three years left on his contract and is owed $4.9 million this season. One more incident that tarnishes the team's image and D.J. could find himself on a plane out of Denver.

Name/College: Perrish Cox, Oklahoma State.
Height/Weight: 5-11, 198 pounds.
Quick Stats/Experience: Cox appeared in 15 games as a rookie (starting in 9), recording 58 tackles, deflected 14 passes, forced 2 fumbles and an interception.
Briefly: Cox has three years left in his contract and is owed $405,000 this season. However, his playing days in Denver may be over, even after just one stellar rookie season. He was arrested last fall on charges of sexual assault. The accusations are so severe that the Broncos may not be satisfied by a likely several game suspension. A zero tolerance for such behavior would mean parting ways with the 24 year old cornerback. Cox is, of course, innocent until proven guilty, but the team's image has already been blemished and Cox already had character concerns coming out of college. Teammates Demaryius Thomas (WR) and Cassius Vaughn (CB) were all present the night of the incident and both could also face some disciplinary actions from both the NFL and Broncos. Cox could be sentenced to two years to life in prison, which would make a decision easier for the Broncos. Denver is currently monitoring the situation and will deal with Cox accordingly after his October trial.

Name/College: Ryan Harris, Notre Dame.
Height/Weight: 6-5, 300 pounds.
Quick Stats/Experience: Harris started in ten games last season, allowing 3.25 sacks. He is entering his fifth season with Denver.
Briefly: Harris was given an "original-round" tender before the lockout, but that was in case he became a restricted free agent, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post. The new CBA would make Harris an unrestricted free agent. Harris will draw a lot of interest from other teams and the Broncos may have a hard time meeting another team's offer. Fellow offensive tackle Ryan Clady will anchor one side of the line and if the Broncos part ways with Harris, rookie offensive lineman Orlando Franklin will probably be responsible for the other. After talking with the teammates of Harris, it appears the other offensive linemen want continuity moving forward. Like the quarterback position, Denver will want to make a decision quickly so the offensive line can begin practicing together and get in sync during camp.

Those are just five of the players Denver will have to make hard decisions on; cutting the roster down from 90 to 53 players will be even harder. First things first however, the lockout has to be lifted before the Broncos can make any transactions.

Broncos May Start Training Camp Next Week

The Denver Broncos are scheduled to begin a two-week mandatory Training Camp starting Thursday, July 28th, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post. If the lockout is lifted before then, Denver fans will get to see the 2011 club practice together for the first time.

Whistle twirling is dead. Bring on Camp Fox.

Reports point to NFL owners and players signing off Thursday on a new collective bargaining agreement.

If true, the Broncos are tentatively scheduled to open Camp Fox — the team's first training camp under the direction of new coach John Fox — on July 28 at their Dove Valley complex in Arapahoe County.

But if all goes well, Broncos training camp is near.

Fox has replaced Josh McDaniels, who constantly twirled his coach's whistle as he instructed, barked and watched during his two training camps [with Denver].

If the Broncos do start next Thursday, they'll have two weeks to prepare for the Dallas Cowboys, who they'll face in Dallas on August 11th to kick off the preseason. Training Camp will again be open to the public this season, giving fans a chance to view most practice sessions from the sidelines.

We'll have more coverage of the CBA talks and news about Denver's offseason schedule in the coming days, stay tuned.