Broncos report: Wiegmann doesn't expect Pro Bowl spot

By Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published December 17, 2008 at 10:55 p.m.

Text size  

• 1 Comment
• Email
• Print

Photo by Chris Schneider / The Rocky

Broncos center Casey Wiegmann, celebrating with quarterback Jay Cutler, had been chosen as a Pro Bowl alternate several times before.

Broncos center Casey Wiegmann was oh, so close to being named to the AFC's Pro Bowl team earlier this week, but having been selected as a first alternate, he won't get to go unless one of the two centers named to the team - the Titans' Kevin Mawae or the Jets' Nick Mangold - can't play because of injury.

"It's like the fourth or fifth time I've been first alternate, so I don't expect to go," Wiegmann said. "But if you play this game, you definitely want to go. First and foremost, though, is the Super Bowl. I told a bunch of people, as long as I've got the respect of the people who brought me in here and my teammates, that's enough for me, that's all that matters."

Wiegmann and cornerback Champ Bailey were the only Broncos players chosen as first alternates, while quarterback Jay Cutler and receiver Brandon Marshall were selected to play in the Feb. 8 game.

But being the Broncos are tied with New Orleans for the second-fewest sacks allowed in the league this season at 11 behind Tennessee's eight, have the league's No. 2 offense and Cutler leads the AFC in passing (3,851 yards), there was some hope rookie left tackle Ryan Clady as well as Wiegmann would be recognized for the annual All-Star game.

"I just know Ryan Clady has had a heck of a year," Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said.

"I think Casey deserved to go," guard Ben Hamilton said. "I think Casey really deserved it of anybody in the line. He's had a really good year."

Wiegmann, in his 13th season and who has missed only one game in the past 11 seasons, never has been voted to a Pro Bowl.

He was a late signing for the Broncos in free agency and has started every game this season because Tom Nalen was placed on injured reserve before the start of the season.

"It would have been nice to see some guys get some recognition," guard Chris Kuper said. "Especially Casey, the way he's played."

"One thing I know over the years is, it's really about the playoffs, it's about trying to get to the Super Bowl," Wiegmann said. "If you don't make the playoffs, it's all for nothing, so I think that's where our energy is right now."

The Broncos also have some other issues to think about along the offensive front.

After starting the same five players in the line in the first 14 games, even as the Broncos lost player after player at several other positions, two starters sat out practice Wednesday.

Kuper suffered a fractured bone in his left hand in the loss to the Panthers and Clady suffered a sprained ankle on the last play of the game.

The Broncos are hoping Kuper can play with a cast on his hand and Shanahan said he was hopeful the two could practice in the coming days.

"We'll find out in the next couple days," Shanahan said. "(Kuper's) a little sore right now; Clady's a little sore right now."

Wait and see

The Broncos defense might see a new face behind center for the Bills this weekend.

Quarterback Trent Edwards, who has missed the past two games because of a groin injury, took part in Wednesday's practice and said he is approaching it as if he is going to play.

"I got a full practice in, no limitations," Edwards said. "As far as I'm concerned, the way practice is going this week, I'm hoping to (start)."

But Bills coach Dick Jauron also made no secret he would like to take a look at Gibran Hamdan at quarterback as well, with the team out of the playoff race. Hamdan has played in only one game since being a seventh-round pick by the Redskins in 2003.

He since has played three seasons in the now-defunct NFL Europa, also having spent time with the Seahawks, Dolphins, 49ers and Redskins before spending two weeks on the Bills practice squad last season to go with 11 weeks on the team's roster.

"We like Gibran . . . we'd like to give him some exposure so we've got a good idea of what he can do," Jauron said. "I have a lot of confidence in him. We'll see him under those circumstances."

J.P. Losman, a 2004 first-round pick by the Bills and whose contract is up at the end of the season, appears to be the odd man out for the team. Losman started the two games Edwards missed and has played in five games.

Losman was sacked 15 times in those five games and fumbled eight times, losing four, including one late Sunday against the Jets that allowed New York to rally for a victory.

Long memory

The last time the Broncos played a home game with a playoff spot on the line was in the 2006 regular-season finale. They lost to the 49ers 26-23 in overtime, but when asked to recall the game, Shanahan almost immediately remembered a disputed fumble.

It was one of four turnovers the Broncos had.

"Yeah, four turnovers and a fumble that shouldn't have been a fumble, that was a mistake by the officials," Shanahan said.

On the play, the ball had been knocked free from Tatum Bell after a 15-yard reception and was pinned under Bell's leg. Then 49ers cornerback Walt Harris appeared to recover the fumble as players were getting off the pile and umpire Undrey Wash was reaching for the ball.

But the ball was awarded to the 49ers. Shanahan said league officials later told him it should not have been ruled a fumble.

"They had that as one of the lead-ins to the coaches' first meeting (at the league meetings in the spring), that was one of those plays that was described as a fumble, but it wasn't called the right way," Shanahan said. "There was about a 3-second, 5-second delay, should have been our possession. But those things you don't forget."

Etc.

* Besides Kuper and Clady, safety Vernon Fox (concussion) and receiver Brandon Stokley (heel) were held out of practice. Among the Bills held out of their practice was running back Marshawn Lynch, who has a sore shoulder.

* With the temperature expected to dip well into the single digits at kickoff Sunday, Shanahan said the best plan was for the Broncos not to worry about the weather and just play through it.

"It's the elements, it's part of the game," Shanahan said. "If you say you hate the cold and you don't want to be out there, then it's miserable. If you say I'm going to handle it better than the opposing team, then you're going to handle it better."

* Asked what other Broncos players should have been considered for the Pro Bowl, Shanahan mentioned rookie receiver Eddie Royal.

• December 18, 2008

  5:17 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  jr_mcmillin writes:

  I understand alot of players get voted in for what they did the previous year, but the Broncs had an easy 4 players that should have made the squad. Can I chaulk it up to east coast bias? Maybe so..... Oh well, win Sunday, make the playoffs and show the country what your made of Broncs.

Featured

• DNC in Denver

  

  Complete coverage of the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

• The Crevasse

  

  A five-part series that examines one tragic day on Mount Rainier.

• Deadly denial

  

  Sick nuclear workers applied for government compensation but most haven't seen a dime.

• Final Salute

  

  The Rocky followed Maj. Steve Beck as he took on the most difficult duty of his career.

• 'Colorado's burning'

  

  Coverage of the state's worst wildfires.

• Columbine shootings

  

  Coverage of the April 20, 1999, shootings at Littleton's Columbine High School.

• The Crossing

  

  Colorado's deadliest traffic accident killed 20 children on Dec. 14, 1961.

• Osveli's journey

  

  Osveli Sales left Guatemala for a better life. Two months later, he came home in a box.

• Wake for an Indian warrior

  

  Oglala Sioux bestow a tribute to the first tribal fatality in Iraq.