If history has a way of repeating itself, then Broncos’ Country is in for a real treat.

From 1995 to 2007, the Broncos had one mainstay on their offensive line: Tom Nalen. While we can’t quantify Nalen’s contribution based on personal stats, Mike Klis of the Denver Post puts his presence into perspective.

Davis once rushed for 2,008 yards in a season, but the first time he went down, some guy named Olandis Gary went for 1,159.

Then Gary suffered an injury and a 27 year-old rookie named Mike Anderson went from former Marine to 1,487-yard rusher with 15 touchdowns in 2000.

Clinton Portis was drafted, and through his first two years he looked like the NFL’s next great running back, rushing for an astounding 3,099 yards on 5.5 yards per carry, and 29 touchdowns. Then Portis went to Washington and while he still was good, he was far from great at 4.1 yards per carry over his next seven seasons.

A journeyman named Reuben Droughns and future cellphone salesman named Tatum Bell also enjoyed 1,000-yard seasons while running behind a Nalen-based offensive line.

More proof of Nalen’s value? When he suffered a season-ending torn biceps injury five games into 2007, the 1,000-yard Broncos rusher disappeared that season. In 2008, when Nalen didn’t play at all because of a bum knee, no Broncos running back gained so many as 400 yards. – Mike Klis (Denver Post) 

Nalen played 14 seasons for the Broncos. He played in the third-most regular season games (194) in team history, and his 188 starts are second only to John Elway.

Nalen will be inducted into the Broncos’ Ring of Fame on September 29 at halftime when the Broncos host the Philadelphia Eagles.

Nalen spoke to the media on Thursday where he was rather candid with his statements.

“I’m pretty sure—I’m hoping—that there won’t be 76,000 fans there,” Nalen said of whether he’s looking forward to being in front of all the fans at halftime. “Hopefully they’ll be getting a beer when I’m speaking for 12 seconds or so. I’m not looking forward to that at all, no. I think I’ll put my helmet on and feel much more comfortable.”

Public speaking fears aside, Nalen provided more gems from his presser.

On whether he thought his Ring of Fame induction would happen

I didn’t. I think some teammates at the end of my career felt like it would because they all said that they can’t wait to hear my speech. I made lots of promises. I said, ‘You can introduce me.’ I said that to a lot of guys.

On how he played for the Broncos for so long

I was fortunate enough my rookie year, Wade Phillips was the coach and after he got fired, Mike Shanahan got hired. Between Mike and Alex Gibbs, two guys—Mike stayed here the remainder of my career. And Alex Gibbs was here and didn’t mind the fact that I was 280 pounds. I know a lot of teams—you look at Dallas at that time—I wouldn’t have been able to play for that team. I fit the ideology of the coaching staff.

On having most of his success early in his career

We’d end up losing every season after that. And it [stinks]. And I didn’t realize that when I was young—how good I had it. I think it was my fourth and fifth year, we won the Super Bowl. And I spent the next 10 years chasing that. It [stunk]. Two-thousand-and-five was just as painful as 1996 losing, because I had that taste of winning, and we were so close, and just picked a bad day for the whole team to have a bad day.

On the most he every weighed while playing

During the season? [It was] 285. I was 296 pounds at one point in my life. I tried to get to 300. Couldn’t do it.

On the difference between being dirty and being tough

Probably penalties. If you get called for it, right? No, I played clean football. I wasn’t a cut blocker. I wasn’t like those other four guys next to me. Those were the dirty ones.

His opinion of Denver as a sports town now that he’s a radio host rather than a player

It’s the same. It’s a Bronco town, and you cannot talk enough Broncos. Despite not much to talk about, you’ll take any morsel of information and create a half-hour segment out of it. It’s crazy. It’s Broncos, Broncos, Broncos, and a little Nuggets, a little bit of Rockies and just a scooch of Avs talk.

On his relationship with Elway as a player

I was intimidated by John—and not in any part on his part, but kind of the way I’m wired, he was intimidating to me. Even his last year in ‘98 was my fifth year, and I still couldn’t get the strength to go up and ask the guy for an autograph. I was that intimidated. And it wasn’t an autograph for me, I wouldn’t do that, although I should have, because I could have sold that stuff. He was just an intimidating guy. On the field, it wasn’t like that, it was just another guy.

On NFL coaching opportunities

You know, I talked to John [Elway] a couple years ago and he said he was going to put me on a list, but I guess that list must be pretty long. But, I would like to coach football. It is in my blood, it is what I like to do and it is where I am most comfortable.

On how long it took him to get used to not being a player anymore

It was immediate. My last year, 2008, I tried, ‘Greek’ (Head Athletic Trainer Steve Antonopulos) and I tried to do everything we could to get me back on the field  throughout training camp. Three weeks into the season they finally put me on IR. Once I went on IR, I was a free agent after the year. The doctors had told me my knee’s not going to get better. So I started losing weight. I was still rehabbing. I was doing cannonballs in the pool in there. By November, Greek’s like, ‘Dude, you don’t even need to come anymore.’ And I was like, ‘Sweet!’ I was done. I was old. I was 37 years old. [LB] D.J. Williams was 22 years old. He was closer in age to my daughter than he was to me, which is scary. But I was ready to retire. I was done.

On the Broncos’ current offensive line

I really don’t have a relationship with the team, but I’ve been out with players. I like the guys they have. They remind me of the lines that we had when we were successful. Kind of a blend of guys, a hodgepodge of different-type draft picks.

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Members of the Kansas City Chiefs sit on the bench during the fourth quarter against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field. The Broncos defeated the Chiefs 38-3. (Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)

We’ve had some spies infiltrate PO this week.

The folks over at Fansided’s Kansas City Chiefs’ site, Arrowhead Addict, have been touring the rest of the AFC West in disguise to see what’s going on.

Arrowhead Addict believes that collectively, as fans, we may be over confident. They also say that the Broncos’ real area of concern when the Chiefs play them should be the secondary.

The secondary is our first target: Of the Broncos’ few holes, perhaps the biggest was their defensive secondary…

Barring injuries, the Broncos are going to be a great team once again. But the weak link in the chain remains their secondary. Rodgers-Cromartie was part of the trade that gave the Philadelphia Eagles the “Dream Team” misnomer two years ago. He has struggled with inconsistency. When the Chiefs play the Broncos, Champ Bailey will be on Dwayne Bowe. Can Rodgers-Cromartie keep up with either Donnie Avery or Jon Baldwin?

If the Chiefs are to beat the Broncos, this matchup may be the decisive factor in winning one against Denver this year. Addicts, what do you think?! Can the Chiefs split the series with the Broncos this year?! – Arrowhead Addict

Let’s dissect this little argument right now.

The first point about Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie’s consistency is unfair. Of course entering a new system, any player will struggle. In DRC’s first year with the Philadelphia Eagles, he had 28 tackles and no interceptions, but he was part of a 10th ranked defense in points allowed, not to mention a 10th ranked pass defense. I would take that over what he did in 2012 when he had 51 tackles and three picks, but played for a team that gave up 27.8 points per game, which was 30th in the league.

Defense is a team effort and when the unit doesn’t function well as a whole, players are exposed or don’t perform up to what they’re capable of. In DRC’s three seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, he had at least 42 tackles and three interceptions in each season. With pressure coming up front from Von Miller, Shaun Phillips, and Derek Wolfe, expect DRC to excel in his new role opposite Bailey.

Can DRC keep up with Donnie Avery or Jon Baldwin? Is this the same Avery that had 60 catches for 781 yards and three touchdowns last year? Is this the same Baldwin that had 20 catches for 325 yards and a touchdown in 2012? Please.

If Chiefs fans believe that they can outscore a Peyton Manning-led offense that now houses Wes Welker by attacking the secondary, then they really must be living somewhere over Dwayne Bowe.

Case closed.

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Louis Vasquez speaks to the media following his free agent signing at the teams training facility. (Ron Chenoy-US PRESSWIRE)

The Denver Broncos absolutely had to beef up their offensive line in the off season. With J.D Walton, Chris Kuper, Orlando Franklin, and Ryan Clady all having surgery on varying body parts over the last year, the line had to be addressed in free agency.

That’s why the team signed former San Diego Chargers guard Louis Vasquez to a four-year deal.

“Personality-wise, I think he fits in great with our offense,” offensive coordinator Adam Gase said. “I really like ‘Lou.’ He’s a big dude. He gets his hands on you and can slow you down real quick. I think he’s picking up the offense as quickly as he can and we’re seeing a big improvement from that group.”

During OTA’s, Manny Rameriez has played center with the first team at certain times, and Chris Clark has filled in for Clady at left tackle. Vasquez has been in at right guard. Once Kuper is ready to go, the Broncos will look to move him to left guard so that Vasquez can remain next to Franklin.

“Getting to work alongside Orlando [Franklin] and as of now, Manny [Ramirez], a former college teammate, it’s been real good and comforting as far as having played next to him before and having that previous chemistry,” Vasquez said.

Vasquez has that chemistry with Franklin because he lived with the tackle for a couple of weeks when he first moved to Denver.

“I called him because I knew Manny [Ramirez] was married and he has two kids now, so I didn’t want to just [infringe] on that and with Orlando being a young guy still, I called him and I asked him, ‘Hey, do you have any room and if so, do you mind me staying with you?’ That way I can learn my way around Denver and because I’ll be playing next to him predominantly, so it’s always good to get to know who you’re playing next to.”

Vasquez went on to say that building chemistry off the field is just as important as constructing it on the field.

“They both go hand-in-hand. Once you get both of those down, it’s kind of like you give each other a look and you know what each other is thinking. It’s just one of those deals where you can’t build it overnight.”

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