INDIANAPOLIS — All signs Wednesday pointed toward Peyton Manning returning for his fourth season and fitting in Gary Kubiak’s system.
The Broncos continue to work through a “process” with Manning, but hurdles have been cleared with his health and his comfort level with the new regime.
“No doubt I want him to be (the Broncos quarterback). All indications are from everything he’s said and his conversations with (general manager) John (Elway) that he feels good. He had his self-assessment and feels good about moving forward,” Kubiak said at the NFL scouting combine.
Manning received positive feedback from trainers in New Orleans and Florida, Kubiak said. Manning’s improved health — he was compromised over the the final three games because of a strained right quadriceps — and positive outlook have left the Broncos moving forward as if he will be back.
Kubiak revealed a telling sign Wednesday, saying that he’s integrating the Broncos’ past offensive verbiage used by Manning with his system.
“We are in the process of that right now. What we have done is taken what they’ve done and taken what I’ve done, and there’s a lot of cross over already, and we are meshing the two things together. That’s a great challenge. I know (offensive coordinator) Rick (Dennison) and (quarterbacks coach Greg) Knapp are enjoying being a part of it,” Kubiak said. “I am enjoying being a part of it. It kind of gets the juices flowing.”
Since Kubiak took over for John Fox last month, he has heard how his offense won’t work for Manning. Kubiak refuted that idea on Wednesday. He stressed flexibility, that the Broncos will do what they and Manning do well, including capitalizing on Manning’s ability to audible and using a mobile pocket to create different “launch points.”
“I think he can do anything he wants to do. You do what your players do best. It’s interesting to me. I’ve been asked over the course of the last month since I’ve been in Denver about the bootleg and those types of things. We had (quarterback) Joe (Flacco) in Baltimore last year and I think we booted maybe 25 times in the season,” Kubiak said, before adding later. “Obviously at the line of scrimmage, Peyton’s as good as there has ever been in this game. You don’t ever take that away from your players. It’s something I really look forward to talking with him about, his mind-set, his philosophy.”
Kubiak addressed several topics on Wednesday. Notable highlights included:
• Kubiak wants a fullback on the roster, and is looking at all options.
“It’s something we have discussed and we will have to find. I have done that with backs and smaller tight ends. So that’s why we are here. Hopefully we can sniff one out. It’s a challenge right now. We’d like to have one on our team.”
• The Broncos’ switch to the 3-4 defense fits well with Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware. Kubiak also said the team will be flexible with its nose guard position, which could be affected by Terrance Knighton’s free agency.
“Well, (defensive coordinator) Wade (Phillips) has played with both. He has had the big, huge guy like Ted Washington if I go back that far. And he played with Earl Mitchell in Houston where he was able to shade and do a lot of stunting. Depends on who you have and what happens with Terrance.”
• The Broncos will undergo a makeover on the offensive line. They could have as many as three new starters, depending what happens with free-agent guard Orlando Franklin and center Will Montgomery. Kubiak believes the line will adapt to his zone blocking scheme.
“They’ll definitely fit. That’s not an issue. There’s a lot of movement. The biggest thing I can see, there was a lot of movement because of some injuries to guys having to move outside, those types of things. And there are some good young players in the building that I know that John and his staff think very highly of.”
Troy E. Renck: trenck@denverpost.com or
