Thank you!
Peyton Manning "honored" to wear Frank Tripucka's No. 18
It looked a little odd to see Peyton Manning holding a Broncos orange No. 18 jersey. Manning himself had to take a few glances at his new uniform while posing for pictures Tuesday, as if trying to convince himself that this new gig was real.
Manning wore No. 18 with the Colts. But that number was retired by the Broncos in honor of Frank Tripucka, the franchise's first quarterback.
Before the Broncos signed Manning, Tripucka said he would happily allow Manning to wear No. 18. He told Manning the same thing over the phone Tuesday morning.
"I feel like he really wants me to wear his number," Manning said. "It was a very humbling conversation, and I am honored to wear his number, being another quarterback for the Denver Broncos."
Other retired Broncos jerseys: John Elway's No. 7 and Floyd Little's No. 44.
Welcome back. General manager Brian Xanders said it was important for the team to re-sign Joe Mays and Wesley Wood- yard this week. They were unrestricted free agents.
Mays is the Broncos' incumbent starting middle linebacker. Woodyard is a four-year team captain who plays as the nickel linebacker and as the backup to weakside linebacker D.J. Williams.
"Our linebacker corps, we didn't want to have multiple holes there. And we have the potential suspension with D.J.," Xanders said. "It was important to get Wes and Joe back."
Williams is facing a six-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. Because of the suspension, he has filed a lawsuit against the league in Denver District Court.
"We don't know how that legal process is going to go," Xanders said. "We know they are appealing through the court process. We'll let the lawyers deal with that, and hopefully it'll work out for the Broncos."
One big target. Manning played with plenty of wide receivers in his long career with the Colts, but none looked like 6-foot-3, 229-pound Demaryius Thomas.
"He's big," Manning said. "That will be something new and exciting for me. The guy's got a ton of talent and a ton of potential."
Manning also praised Eric Decker, one of the few Denver players he has met in person. Decker stopped by Dove Valley team headquarters March 9 when Manning was visiting with Broncos officials.
Recruiting season. Credit Champ Bailey and Elvis Dumervil with assists in landing Manning, who said those Denver defensive stars were "blowing up my phone" with text messages since late last week trying to convince Manning to sign with the Broncos.
Manning and Bailey, an 11-time Pro Bowl cornerback, have a competitive rivalry dating to the late 1990s — when Manning played at Tennessee and Bailey played at Georgia.
Ain't it grand to have your own, personal Manning updates...