News & Blogs

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- There were nothing but smiles Tuesday morning as players returned to Dove Valley for the first time since the lockout was lifted to finally begin the new season.

It's been a long time waiting for the players and they were happy to be in a normal football setting again.

"How can you not be excited?" defensive end Robert Ayers said. "I've talked to a lot of guys and worked out with a lot of guys, and we've been itching. I know I have. I don't know who hasn't, and if you love this game, then I'm pretty sure you feel the same way I feel. There is definitely a positive vibe and a new start for a lot of people. I'm looking forward to going to work with a lot of guys."

Players arrived just after 8 a.m., with second-year quarterback Tim Tebow and guard Chris Kuper among the first into the facility just a few minutes later. As players trickled in throughout the morning, they met with the new coaching staff, some worked out and rookies got to know their way around the building.

Von Miller, the second-overall pick in this year's draft, was among those rookies spending their first full day at Dove Valley, and he could barely contain his excitement for the coming week.

"It's all so surreal," Miller said. "Just getting on that plane this morning and coming out here was so surreal. Just seeing the lockout get lifted yesterday was surreal. I'm sure the experience on Thursday will be surreal, seeing the fans and actually being here. It'll be an experience that I'll remember for the rest of my life. Actually being on a pro team, this is all I wanted to do all my life. This is my dream, and to actually be able to live it, I really can't explain it."

Miller got to spend time with Head Coach John Fox the day after the NFL Draft when he spent a few hurried hours at the training facility, but most returning players have not yet had a chance to spend significant time with the coach and new staff.

"It's a learning curve for everybody," defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson said. "If you knew it from last year, you still have to refresh it in your mind. Out of college, coming in as a rookie, you still have to learn the defense, so right now you're still learning all the systems back over and getting everything back to normal. There's more classroom time now anyway with a lot of the two-a-days being eliminated and having a lot of walk-throughs. This learning curve will be cured really fast."

Since the players, other than drafted rookies immediately following the draft, were prohibited from having contact with the coaching staff during the lockout, normal team offseason activities such as Organized Team Activities (OTAs) and minicamps were cancelled. Safety Brian Dawkins organized some group workouts, and many players worked out on their own as they tried to get themselves ready for the season.

Miller said he worked out with a lot of his former teammates at Texas A&M this summer, while Vickerson worked out at nearby Regis Jesuit High School. Punter Britton Colquitt was one of the exceptions, as he spent a lot of days working out with his long snapper Lonie Paxton.

"If you're getting snaps from anybody it's good, but that familiarity is huge," Colquitt said. "When I was with Lonie, it's just 10 times better work. I just felt the timing of it, and that's the biggest thing. I don't necessarily need a rush coming at me because as long as I have that snap, I've got the feel of that timing down. So, it was good to work with him and I'm looking forward to just throwing it in and being with the whole team."

The Broncos will gather a whole team for the first time tomorrow as training camp officially starts with players arriving for physicals. The team will then hit the practice field for the first time Thursday morning in a session open to the public.