Row, row, row your notes. …
Daniel Graham will catch 55 passes in his first season with the Broncos. There, I said it. And more important, Mike Heimerdinger agreed.
“I don’t think you’re off,” said Heimerdinger, the Broncos’ assistant head coach/offense. “The tight end has always been a big part of this offense. We should be able to get him the ball.”
Graham catching 55 balls? The guy averaged 24 a season in five years with the Patriots. Not only that, no Broncos tight end has caught more than 37 since future Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe retired.
Fifty-five? Well, yeah, now that you mention it.
Know this about Graham: He left New England so he could be a bigger factor in the passing game. It’s not like the Broncos had a glaring need at the position, having used a second-
rounder on a tight end in 2006, but their coaches believe Graham is a big-time receiver waiting to happen.
Let the record show the Broncos feel even more strongly about Graham after seeing him at the team’s offseason camps.
“It was how he was used at New England,” said Heimer-
dinger, explaining Graham’s career high of 38 catches. “He’s done some things even better out here than I thought he could as a route runner. I didn’t know he was that good a route runner.”
Good enough to catch 55 passes?
Said Heimerdinger: “If he keeps doing what he’s doing, I would hope we get him the ball that many times. We need to get him the ball.” …
Heimerdinger, comparing the Jay Cutler of one year ago to the current model: “His feet aren’t as happy as they were. He’s not bouncing around like he used to do. He’s sitting in the pocket, sliding in the pocket. There are some things he learned from last year. When he gets pressure, he’s not panicking and drifting back trying to make a play. He knows where people are.” …
If Dan Hawkins’ next recruiting class at CU isn’t something special, it won’t be because he and his staff aren’t aiming high. To wit: The Buffs are going down to the wire with Ventura (Calif.) St. Bonaventure tailback Darrell Scott, Rivals.com’s second-ranked player in the country. Rivals says Scott is “the most high-profile running back to come out of California since Reggie Bush.” …
I wouldn’t be so fast to hand Nate Webster that starting outside linebacker gig vacated by D.J. Williams. Free-agent signee Eddie Moore was the Dolphins’ second-rounder out of Tennessee in 2003, when Jim Bates was Miami’s D coordinator. And what school does Bates call his alma mater? That would be Tennessee. …
Sure enough, they’re starting – the e-mails wondering how many yards Travis Henry will run for in the Broncos’ tailback-friendly offense. Tell ya what. As soon as Tom Nalen lets me know, I’ll let you know. …
Not that Champ Bailey has definite potential, but his 18 interceptions in 2005 and 2006 are the highest two-year total in the NFL since Dallas’ Everson Walls had 18 in 1981 and 1982. …
Alex Rodriguez is no-commenting after a New York Post report that he was painting Toronto red the other night with a buxom blond on his arm. Not sure what’s up, but I know this: It’s never a good idea to have your name in the same sentence with the words “buxom blond.” …
By now, you’ve seen the quote from Barry Bonds: “I’m not worried about the Hall (of Fame). I take care of me.” Well, and a certain incarcerated personal trainer with a good memory. …
Too bad. If the schedule had broken differently, Bonds would have faced Jamie Moyer this weekend in Philadelphia. The same Jamie Moyer who served up Bonds’ 11th career home run in 1986. …
And finally, happy 64th birthday to Broadway Joe Namath, the greatest throwing panty-
hose model that ever was.
Staff writer Jim Armstrong can be reached at 303-954-1269 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com.
