Speedy Parker hopes to fit in with Broncos

Ex-Chiefs receiver thinks he can help stretch the field

By Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published August 13, 2008 at 6:24 p.m.

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Photo by Barry Gutierrez © The Rocky

Samie Parker, right, lines up against two Dallas Cowboys during the teams' practice together at Dove Valley on Wednesday.

Video: Former Broncos wide receiver talks about the development of current Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall. Watch »

Video: Broncos coach Mike Shanahan and Cowboys coach Wade Philips discuss their teams' practice. Watch »

In the practice-makes-perfect world of the games people play, Samie Parker never practiced to be fast.

He just was, just is. Fast enough to have competed against and beaten some who have spent parts of their summers in the past two Olympics. Fast enough to have turned in a wind-aided, 10.18-second effort in the 100 meters with little training, and to be a three-time track All-American at the University of Oregon.

"But I'm a football guy, I've always considered myself a football guy, always will consider myself a football guy," Parker said. "Football is where my heart is. I ran track, but I never practiced. I just happen to be one of those lucky guys blessed with some speed."

And in a crowded position group that features plenty of offseason acquisitions like himself, Parker now will learn if he's fast enough for a Broncos roster spot.

At the top of the depth chart are Brandon Marshall and rookie Eddie Royal, who have been running with the starting offense on the outside now that Darrell Jackson is serving as Marshall's backup as a stopgap for Marshall's impending two- or three-game suspension to start the regular season. There's also Brandon Stokley, whom Broncos coach Mike Shanahan has called the "best slot receiver in the National Football League," and Keary Colbert, who got a $2.5 million signing bonus when the Broncos landed him early in free agency.

And that leaves Parker, whom the Broncos also actively pursued, scrapping for an opportunity at a position where the team routinely keeps only five or six players.

"It's a great problem to have, but obviously, at the end, when you have to cut your roster down, it's not as fun," Broncos wide receivers coach Jedd Fisch said. "Obviously, in the end, it's tough to make the call."

Said Parker: "It doesn't feel crowded in there - I enjoy learning things maybe they learned other places. Guys like Darrell, Keary and Brandon Stokley, they've all picked up things in other offenses that I can put in my bag of tricks."

Parker spent four years in the Kansas City Chiefs' offense. He never caught more than 41 passes in any of those seasons, but he averaged at least 13.7 yards per catch in three of the four. Last season, he averaged a career-low 12.4 yards a catch, but the Chiefs were 31st in the league in points per game and 27th in passing yards per play.

Feeling somewhat claustrophobic in that offense, Parker said he looked forward to checking out his options via free agency before signing in Denver.

"(Chiefs coach) Herm (Edwards) was getting his own guys in there, but I just didn't feel like that was the place for me any more," Parker said. "Running the ball is fine, and I'll block, go over the middle - I'll do whatever it takes to win. But I was also looking for the opportunity to have a chance to compete for more in the passing game."

But the Broncos' version of the West Coast offense - for the most part, their scheme emphasizes shorter patterns that give receivers an opportunity to make catch-and-run plays - is like nothing Parker experienced with the Chiefs.

It also is complicated, precise and demanding.

"The learning curve is steep," Fisch said. "It was my first year in it, too, when I got here, so it was steep for me as well. And he's been in a totally different offense for four years, not like some of the other guys we brought in here, who have some experience with it, like Darrell Jackson.

"But Samie continues to learn, and as he continues to get better, the opportunities will present themselves for him more and more. You see the leap that guys made between January and July, and what Samie has, in the three preseason games left, is an opportunity to make another leap."

For his part, Parker believes he can be a downfield option in the Broncos offense, especially if opposing secondaries, as expected, load up to stop Marshall. Broncos coaches already are trying to prepare Marshall for the kind of attention he's going to get from defensive backs this season, so that likely will leave room for other receivers to snare passes.

The Broncos have yet to flash much in the way of downfield looks in the preseason - no Denver wide receiver caught a pass longer than 14 yards against Houston last weekend - but Parker believes it's on the way.

"We're going to get to the deep ball," he said. "We're installing things right now. As far as myself, I'm new to the system, working with the new terminology, slowly working it all in.

"I would think, basically, they brought me in to stretch the field a little bit, to be somebody to help complement (Marshall). They haven't had that type of threat for a while, the last few years since they had Ashley (Lelie) here. He made a lot of plays down the field. I want to do that, too."

Pedal to the metal

Broncos wide receiver Samie Parker says he's "a football guy," but his speed has opened some eyes on and off the field. Among Parker's achievements:

* Averaged 13.9 yards per catch in his four seasons with the Chiefs.

* First 12 touchdowns at the University of Oregon averaged 36.2 yards, and three went for more than 70 yards.

* Once ran the 100-meter dash in a wind-aided 10.18 seconds, the second fastest in school history.

* Was a three-time All-American in track.

• August 13, 2008

  8:34 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Broncody writes:

  Speed kills. Catch a defense in the wrong package with this guy and Royal on the field and somebody is getting beat deep. He wants to be here and compete so I respect that, I'm not so high on Colbert, but if we can keep all of them we can specialize packages to take advantage of different defensive schemes and help Jay out substantially. I want to see Marshall getting double-teamed with Royal and Parker on the field. Touchdown Broncos, agreed?

• August 13, 2008

  10:42 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  R8R_H8R writes:

  according to a former Denver Bronco, now a member of the media who covers sports, Mike Shanahan does NOT run a "WEST COAST OFFENSE" any longer, and has repeatedly explained this to slow-thinking writers and t.v. reporters.

• August 13, 2008

  10:47 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  R8R_H8R writes:

  Darrell Jackson, who has a phenominal t.d. catch ratio, $3 million-dollar-signing-bonus K.Colbert, and Olympic caliber speedster Sammie Parker. And NONE of these guys can beat out ROOKIE Eddie Royal who is Severely Undersized and will get bLown-up if he is the every down receiver?
  Dear Mike.....................FAIL!
  Much Like bringing in Niko kutovudobuddah-doodah, 4 yr. back-up linebacker who is not playing to the level of Denvers last-year-back-up Nate Webster. (who should've gotten the job TO BEGIN WITH!)

• August 14, 2008

  11:20 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  JCut6JElway7 writes:

  I agree that Eddie Royal is going to be a very pleasant suprise this year. IF Parker can make some catches along with his speed and Darrell Jackson plays like he once did... it will make for a very nice 2 or 3 games until Brandon comes back. Then when he does it will be EXPLOSIVE!!! The speed will definitely help Jay because he's got a quick release and speedy receivers get open quick setting up both big plays down field and the running game... BUT again... if these receivers don't make catches then it won't matter. We know Marshall can catch and make plays... Eddie Royal looked STUPENDOUS on Saturday night both at WR and Returning Kicks... Colbert??? I don't know what we're going to get out of him... This WR situation is either going to be very good or very not so good... until Brandon comes back.

• August 14, 2008

  9:35 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Dynamicdave writes:

  R8R_H8R, I think they brought Niko in, more for the special teams because that is what he excelled in, in Seattle. However, they agreed to give him a shot at MLB. If he doesn't earn a spot there, then they have him as a powerhouse and potential leader of the spcial teams. Plus, if Nate goes down, then he can step in and fill the gap. At least, it sounds good on paper.

• August 14, 2008

  9:48 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Brain writes:

  If we keep 6 WR's Sammy is in, if we don't he is probably out. I haven't heard anything about Colbert??

• August 15, 2008

  7:06 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Jamaro writes:

  Isn't it a good thing when you have such a young guy playing so well R8R? Just because the vets are not tearing it up at the moment does not mean fail. As for Parker I would asume it would come down to him and possibly Martinez for that last WR spot. BMarsh, DJack, Stoke, Royal, Colbert, and Parker you have speed, experiance, and possesion type receivers, upside there and its no doubt Cutler can get the ball to them will come down to if the offense can get the run game going to complement the potential of the pass game.

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