Kyle Orton was trying to get through his passing workout without showing off.
Orton, who is the Broncos’ starting quarterback today, but with no guarantee for tomorrow, arrived before the team’s player-supervised workout Thursday, as he did Tuesday, at the South Suburban Sports Dome to throw passes to wide receiver Eric Decker and tight end Dan Gronkowski.
Even though it’s May, and even though Orton was throwing to uncovered receivers, his arm, footwork, release and accuracy appear to be ready for a game.
“He throws a great catchable ball,” said Gronkowski, meaning a pass that has zip but is soft on the hands.
“He understands too that you have to make your throw go over the linemen, so he was really working on his release point in game situations,” Decker said.
Orton threw at the far end of the dome, as far from the attending media contingent as possible. He then left, without comment, before the rest of the Brian Dawkins- organized team workout with trainer Loren Landow began.
White update.
Broncos running back LenDale White was one of 14 players who attended the workout Thursday, although he did his own running separate from the others because he is coming back from Achilles surgery that forced him to miss the entire 2010 season.
White said he’s still about six weeks from participating in football-type drills.
“Tell Tim Tebow we’re looking for him,” White said playfully.
Tebow is out of town working out on his own.
Garland sighting.
For the first time since he left training camp last year to begin his minimum two-year military commitment with the U.S. Air Force, former AFA star Ben Garland joined the workout Thursday.
Garland opted against joining the Air Force pilot training program, which would have required him “to lose about 85 pounds in two months,” he said. The defensive lineman, now a strength and conditioning coach at the Air Force Academy, arranged midday leave with his superiors so he could work out with Dawkins’ group.
Garland recently received a transfer to an Air Force base in another state but is working toward fulfilling his military commitment in time to rejoin the Broncos for their 2012 training camp.
“That’s the hope,” he said.
Footnotes.
Not only is Dawkins footing the bill to rent the South Suburban Sports Dome and pay Landow, who is supervising the workouts, the veteran safety arranged to have a barbecue lunch for each player brought in Thursday. “What he’s doing here is very smart, very professional,” said former Broncos star Rod Smith, who watched the workout Thursday. “I can promise you, you can never work yourself out the way somebody else will.” . . . Dawkins let his teammates know there is no obligation to attend the workouts, especially if they are out of town. During the NFL lockout, the Broncos aren’t paying to fly in players and house them, as they would for organized team activities or minicamps during a normal offseason. Many of the players, especially the new batch of rookies, don’t have housing set up and can’t afford to stay long- term at a hotel.
Mike Klis, The Denver Post
Brian’s Bunch
Broncos players who participated in Thursday’s team workout organized by veteran safety Brian Dawkins:
Lance Ball, RB
Zane Beadles, G
Jeff Byers, C
Chris Clark, OT
Brian Dawkins, S
Eric Decker, WR
Dan Gronkowski, TE
Ben Garland, DL
Joe Mays, LB
Kyle Orton, QB
Cassius Vaughn, DB
Kevin Vickerson, DT
J.D. Walton, C
LenDale White, RB
Mike Klis, The Denver Post
