NFL Journal: Current shutdown reminds Fangio of 2011 lockout - The Denver Post

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The lack of a normal offseason program has reminded Broncos coach Vic Fangio of the 2011 lockout and he hopes that experience will benefit his team when they are allowed to start training camp.

“I’m not too worked up or worried about where we’re at vs. where we could be,” he said. “From a football standpoint, it’s very similar to (2011).”

The coronavirus pandemic shut down the NFL in mid-March and players are still prohibited from entering the team facility. The main difference between 2011 and this year is teams are allowed to have video conference meetings. Nine years ago? Nothing.

The condensed timeline of July 2011 was wild when looking back.

July 25: The new collective bargaining agreement was finalized.

July 26: Facilities opened, rosters increased to 90 players (from 80), teams could begin signing draft picks and college free agents and they could begin negotiating with other team’s free agents.

July 28: The start of unpadded practices.

July 29: Teams could sign unrestricted free agents, but those players couldn’t practice until Aug. 4.

Fangio was the San Francisco 49ers’ new defensive coordinator for new coach Jim Harbaugh.

“We didn’t meet our players until training camp started,” he said. “We did fine that year (13-3). I don’t see it as a big issue.”

In 2011, teams still played a full preseason, which allowed them to trim the roster down with a full body of evidence. That may not happen this year.

Lock leading sessions. Fangio said on Tuesday that quarterback Drew Lock was gathering teammates for throwing sessions away from the Broncos’ facility. Tight end/fullback Andrew Beck said the gatherings have been beneficial.

“Right now, the best we’ve been able to do is see (the plays) on tape and then walking through them and talking through them as a small group,” Beck said on Thursday. “Getting together with Drew and (tight end) Noah (Fant) and (running back) Phillip (Lindsay) has shown up, a small group working through each play to remember it.”

Mirroring Bucs plan? Tampa Bay coach Bruce Arians told reporters his offense is moving toward “12” personnel (1RB/2WR/2TE) as the base personnel package. The Buccaneers have Rob Gronkowski, O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate as their top tight ends.

By trading fullback Andy Janovich in March, the Broncos semi-declared that they will be a one-back team. Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur could get Fant and Nick Vannett on the field at the same time. He could use Vannett as an in-line player next to the offensive tackle and move Fant around to probe favorable match-ups.

Atwater collection. Prior to entering the Pro Football Hall of Fame, inductees provide memorabilia to be displayed in Canton, Ohio. Former Broncos safety Steve Atwater has donated seven items: One game ball (January 1999 AFC title game win over the New York Jets), two helmets (Arkansas and Broncos) and five jerseys (1994 Pro Bowl, orange and blue Broncos and red and white from Arkansas).

Floyd Little fundraiser. A college teammate of former Broncos running back/Pro Football Hall of Famer Floyd Little started a Go Fund Me drive last week after revealing Little is fighting cancer. As of Friday afternoon, 332 donors have donated more than $68,000 toward the goal of $250,000.

Around the NFL

Top receiver sidelined. Clemson’s Justyn Ross was already being projected as a first-round pick in next year’s draft following 112 catches for 1,865 yards and 17 touchdowns in his first two years. But he has been ruled out for the upcoming season because of what coach Dabo Swinney called a “congenital fusion” in his spine that Ross has had since birth. He was scheduled for surgery on Friday.

Kuechly’s new chapter. Retired Carolina linebacker Luke Kuechly has quickly moved to his second career, staying with the Panthers as a pro scout. “I think it will be different in the sense that we’re not necessarily looking for scheme as we are players,” he told the team’s website. “Are the players good? What’s their skill set? What are they good at? Say we’re looking at a guy like (running back) Christian (McCaffrey). It’s like, ‘All right, he’s really explosive, he’s dangerous in the open field, he catches the ball extremely well out of the backfield (and) he’s a match-up problem for linebackers.’ I think it’s going to be more like that.”

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