Broncos report: Royal test for rookie receiver

By Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published September 5, 2008 at 10:26 p.m.

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Chris Schneider © The Rocky

Broncos rookie receiver Eddie Royal will have his hands full when he starts against the Raiders on Monday night, the first rookie to start at that position for Denver in 24 seasons. "I feel like I'm ready," Royal said.

CLICK TO ENLARGE: A look at least season's leading rookie receivers in the NFL.

There's being open as a college wide receiver.

And then there's open to an NFL receiver. Broncos rookie Eddie Royal now knows there's a difference as he prepares for the team's season opener Monday night, his first regular-season game as a pro.

"These cornerbacks are so good, you've got to be able to make the tough catch, or what in college would be called the tough catch, now it's a routine catch," Royal said. "What was a big-time catch is now just the catch you're supposed to make.

"In college, you turn, there's nobody close to you, the quarterback gets you the ball. Here, you come out of your break, maybe get a half-step and the quarterback already threw the ball before you made your break and it's in your stomach when you come around and the DB is right there. So, yeah, it definitely changes things."

There are few positions on the field, perhaps only quarterback, where history has shown the learning curve for rookies to be as difficult as it is for receivers. And Royal already has cleared the first hurdle, in that he climbed the depth chart far enough to be a starter as the Broncos exited the preseason.

And with Brandon Marshall serving a one-game suspension, it's no stretch to say Royal just might be the No. 1 receiver in the offense Monday night.

No receiver was selected in the first round of the April draft, and Royal, selected by the Broncos at No. 42, was the fifth wide receiver taken in the second round.

"He's explosive, very explosive," said Broncos receiver Brandon Stokley, now in his 10th season. "But he'll see there are different approaches from these corners than college corners. In this league, they're in your face a lot more.

"And there's just a fine line of being open in this league; if you have a step on a guy, you're open. In college, that wasn't the case. In college, if you ran by a guy and had 5 yards on him, then you were open."

In the Raiders, Royal will see a set of veteran, physical cornerbacks in DeAngelo Hall and Nnamdi Asomugha, as both weigh at least 200 pounds and are among the fastest players in the league. And Royal likely will have to battle his way off the line of scrimmage to get past either.

It is the physical nature of the NFL, coupled with players who are as fast or faster than the receivers, that tends to require one of the biggest adjustments, as well as the attention to detail route-running requires to get open.

"It's just hard to have that mind-set, whether it's a good game or a bad game, being able to kind of put it behind you and move on to the next game," Stokley said. "When you're young, maybe you don't move on, take each week on its own like you should.

"Also for a receiver, it's so much more complicated than in college. You have to read coverages; your route depth, it has to be a lot more precise than in college, all the little things. It's hard for young guys to pick up on it and stay disciplined on it. But Eddie's been great; I wish I had been as good as he is when I was a rookie."

Royal will start, with Darrell Jackson starting on the other side, against the Raiders.

"I feel like I'm ready," Royal said. "I'm excited."Captains' hats

The Broncos players elected the team's captains for the season Friday morning.

On defense, cornerback Champ Bailey, who has been voted to eight Pro Bowls in his nine previous seasons, and linebacker D.J. Williams, now in his fifth year as a starter, got the nod.

"It's good . . . your teammates see you in that light," Williams said.

On offense, quarterback Jay Cutler and tight end Daniel Graham were voted as the captains.

Cutler is entering his second season as a starter and his second season as an offensive captain. Graham is in his second year with the team.

Special-teams captains are selected week to week during the season, but for the opener Monday, long snapper Mike Leach got the votes from his teammates.

"You always want to have the respect of your teammates," Leach said. "You stick around long enough, you can't help but garner respect from a couple people."

Leach is in his ninth season, his seventh with the Broncos.

Fundraising event

Bailey, as well as former Broncos John Lynch and Domonique Foxworth, are chairmen for a fundraiser to benefit the Broncos Boys & Girls Club and the Darrent Williams Memorial Teen Center.

The benefit will be Sept. 15 at Morton's Steakhouse in the Denver Tech Center and is open to the public.

Foxworth, who was traded to the Atlanta Falcons this week, and Lynch are scheduled to attend. Darrent Williams' mother, Rosalind, also is scheduled to attend.

For more information about tickets and sponsorships, go to prolinksports.net.

Etc.

* Linebacker Boss Bailey, who hasn't played since suffering a severely sprained ankle in the preseason opener in Houston, said he's on track to play Monday night in Oakland. "I felt really good all week, I think I'll be playing," Bailey said.

* Safety Marquand Manuel and defensive end Elvis Dumervil, who both had hand surgery in the preseason, will play Monday with casts on their injured hands.

* The Broncos are planning for center Tom Nalen to return to practice on at least a limited basis next week. Nalen missed all four preseason games and most of training camp because of pain in his left knee. He had surgery on the knee in July.

"That's the hope. He said he feels like he can get back in there next week," Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said.

* The Broncos have used Leach, a former punter at William & Mary, to simulate Raiders punter Shane Lechler in some field-position situations for the Broncos returners this week.

• September 6, 2008

  9:08 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Brain writes:

  I hope Royal turns out to be better than the last starting WR as a rookie; Vance was good but not great, lets hope Royal is better especially against the raiders!
  Nothing said about whether Eddie will return kicks?

• September 6, 2008

  9:42 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Dynamicdave writes:

  Brain, yes, I believe I read an article which stated he would. They will also have Hall help on kickoff returns.

• September 6, 2008

  11:53 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Max_Inman writes:

  Well if Mr Royal has great hands and can run fast he should do just fine because he sounds like a bright young man.

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