Broncos report: Denver coveted Atlanta sack master Abraham

By Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published November 14, 2008 at 10:28 p.m.

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The Broncos previously coveted defensive lineman John Abraham.

Photo by Darin McGregor / The Rocky

Michael Pittman had the last 100-yard game for the Broncos.

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If there had been a few more dollars here, another draft pick there, defensive end John Abraham could very well have been in a Broncos uniform this weekend.

Instead, the Broncos will try to keep the Atlanta Falcons sack leader away from their quarterback, Jay Cutler. A quarterback they wouldn't have if things had just gone a little differently during their 2006 pursuit of Abraham.

"We talked to a lot of different people that year," Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said.

"I'm not sure, looking back on what, if anything, could have been worked out, but there was interest there and we certainly tried.

"We communicated with him and talked about draft choices and all kinds of different levels of compensation, salary and all of the things that are going to have to be figured out if you're going to do a deal like that. It was complicated."

After Abraham visited the Redskins, Seahawks and Falcons - and with a visit to Denver scheduled - the Broncos moved in another direction.

They chose to move up in the first round of the 2006 draft by trading their No. 29 pick to the Falcons for Atlanta's No. 15 pick. Denver threw in a third-round pick in '06 and a fourth- round pick in '07 to complete the deal.

Atlanta then shipped that first- round pick they had gotten from the Broncos to the Jets for Abraham.

The No. 15 pick the Broncos obtained was sent to the St. Louis Rams on draft day to move up to the No. 11 spot, which is where Denver selected Cutler.

"You always talk about a lot of things in free agency, the draft," Sha- nahan said. "Obviously, we like the way things turned out."

Abraham, who has 11 of the Falcons' 17 sacks this season, will spend much of the game across from another one of the Broncos' prized draft picks, rookie left tackle Ryan Clady.

Clady, who was the 12th pick in the April draft, has started every game this season and hasn't surrendered a sack.

He has faced the Cowboys' DeMarcus Ware (10 sacks this season) in two days of training camp and a preseason game, and also the Dolphins' Joey Porter (12 sacks).

"(Abraham) is a real good player," Clady said. "He's consistently able to get out on the edge, get off the ball, just an all-around good player. A good pass rusher."

Clady, who consistently has said his biggest adjustment to the NFL was the overall speed of the game, said the veteran rushers are quick to pounce on mistakes.

Abraham left the game against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday after getting kicked in the head, and he also suffered a stinger in his left shoulder. He was limited in practice this week but is expected to play.

"Guys like him, they've been around a while, they get that experience to take advantage of weaknesses they see, any wrong steps you might make," Clady said.

"I'm always looking to get better. I think I've adjusted to the speed of things. Some guys out there are faster than others, but I just try to deal with who is in front of me and stick to the things I'm supposed to do."

Hoping to get back

Linebackers D.J. Williams and Nate Webster, who are recovering from sprained medial collateral ligaments in their knees, are likely at least two weeks away from any significant work on the field.

"I think I'll be back soon," Webster said. "I'm getting there."

Williams suffered his injury in the fourth quarter of the loss to Miami on Nov. 2 and didn't play in Cleveland. Webster was injured in the first half of the win against the Browns four days later.

With Boss Bailey already on injured reserve because of knee surgery, the Broncos will start three backups at linebacker Sunday in Atlanta.

Safety Marlon McCree (left ankle) also will miss the game Sunday. His injury is a high-ankle sprain, and he is likely at least a couple of weeks away from any significant work on the field.

The three are not expected to make the trip to Atlanta.

One is enough

Many teams going from west to east leave a day earlier than usual - Friday instead of Saturday - for a Sunday game, but Shanahan said he prefers to keep the travel schedule the same.

The Broncos will leave today for their game in Atlanta. Kickoff is 1 p.m. EST at the Georgia Dome - 11 a.m. on the Broncos' body clocks, which are set to Mountain time.

"It's worked out fairly well . . . at least better than the current numbers," Shanahan said. "Hopefully, we can change that."

Teams from the Pacific time zone that sometimes leave Friday for games across the country are 0-12 this season in games played in the Eastern time zone.

Etc.

* Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey (groin) took part in practice on a limited basis Friday. The Broncos went inside to the nearby South Suburban sports dome for the workout. Shanahan said Bailey was "feeling better" and would test his injury before the game Sunday.

* Running back Selvin Young (groin), who has missed three games and carried the ball only one time in Cleveland, also is a question mark. He didn't practice this week. Fullback Peyton Hillis likely will start at running back if Young doesn't play.

* On Friday, Falcons kicker Jason Elam (hip) practiced for the first time this week. He was listed as questionable.

* Cutler and wide receiver Eddie Royal won fan voting on NFL.com for player-of-the-week and rookie-of-the-week honors, respectively.

• November 14, 2008

  11:46 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Dynamicdave writes:

  I hope Elams nagging injury causes him to miss his kicks. We will take whatever edge we can. Let him be healthy the week after.
  I'm concerned about them pushing Champ into the lineup when he isn't 100%. He could re-aggravate it. They say Hillis will start? What about Pope? Bell? Haynes? I'm sure they will see "some" time?
  We got the better deal out of the draft. We have our franchise QB.

• November 15, 2008

  12:18 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  OPETH72 writes:

  Defintiely got the better end of the deal landing Cutler. As far as who starts at running back, that is merely all it is. Just a depth chart deal. We surely will see more than just Hillis. However, if he starts quick and gets some big gains early, I imagine they will just bring in other guys for certain situations and to give him a rest. I also don't want them rushing Champ back. He is missed out there, but he will be more valuable healthy later than just going at 60-70% right now and never fully healing up. My early guess (and it is still early, a lot of football left to be played) is that we will have the division winners, Denver, Tennessee, Pitt, and NY with NE and either the Colts, Ravens, or even the Dolphins as the wildcards. Just an early thought on all that. I would love to see a Denver/Miami rematch myself.

• November 15, 2008

  12:20 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Coltgm56 writes:

  Champ needs to take his time and not hurry back too soon. NO ONE questions his toughness and desire to play so don't rush it. A win on Sunday will go a long way in the overall picture, we can get it done if we don't have any turnovers.

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