Broncos Football

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Mike Bell had a successful rookie season at tailback for the Denver Broncos. Then he was moved to fullback and things went downhill from there until he was eventually released last week.

Now Bell has been signed by the Texans and he’s hoping the return to tailback will help him stay on in Houston.

“I came in here with a good attitude just like I did coming in as a rookie in Denver,” he said. “Just grind from the bottom and I think I have a good chance because I know the offense just coming from Denver. So I think I have a good chance to come out there and compete.”

Making the final cut probably will be difficult for Bell. He was signed to fill in at practice for Chris Brown, who has missed the last few days with back problems. Houston also has Ahman Green, Darius Walker and rookie Steve Slaton.

However his familiarity with the offense of coach Gary Kubiak, a longtime former Denver offensive coordinator, should be helpful.

“It’s an easy call for us because he understands what we’re doing and he knows the system so he can walk out here and go,” Kubiak said. “He’s got some talent. There is an opportunity for him as we get Chris (Brown) healthy. We’ll just see how it goes.”

Bell had 677 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie but rarely played last season and finished with just three yards rushing.

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DEVELOPING DILES:@ Zac Diles didn’t start any games as a rookie last season. Kubiak believes that was a mistake.

“You go through the season and as a coach you feel like you have a pretty good young player and you get upset with yourself cause you don’t quite pull the trigger and get them in there,” Kubiak said.

He won’t make the same mistake this season. Diles, a seventh-round draft pick, has earned the starting spot at strong side linebacker. Pro Bowl middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans has become a mentor for the second-year player and Diles hopes to improve this season after soaking up tips and pointers from Ryans.

Kubiak said Diles has already made great strides since joining the team and thinks he’ll only get better as he works with the first team.

“I don’t see anything physically that he can’t do,” Kubiak said. “Toughness is his biggest attribute. What I see that is going to be the difference in him being a great player to me is the game — just understand the game. Understanding what offenses are trying to do to him. If he reaches that point I think he’ll be a great player.”

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KIDS THESE DAYS:@ Entering his 16th season, tackle Jeff Zgonina isn’t exactly in touch with what the younger players on the team are doing off the field.

“You got guys with their cell phones, their Sidekicks, YouTube, whatever the heck that stuff is,” he said. “Shoot, when I got in the league we used to have calling cards. We didn’t have cell phones. You met somebody out for dinner you hope they were there (or) you better go find a pay phone.”

Zgonina has been in the league so long that second-year tackle Amobi Okoye was 6 years old when he was a rookie in 1993. At 38, he’s the same age as Texans general manager Rick Smith and the two played together at Purdue.

Even Zgonina is surprised that his career has lasted as long as it has.

“My goal was 10. I was way out there,” he said. “I thought I could do it and I’ve had a little rough patch. I could almost get cut every year. I just got lucky enough and stuck.”

He appeared in each game with one start last season in his first year in Houston and had 17 tackles. He’s also played for Pittsburgh, Carolina, Atlanta, St. Louis, Indianapolis and Miami.

He said the older he gets the more he worries about making the team.

“You just never know. It’s a lot of luck,” he said. “I’m nervous, it’s my livelihood. I don’t want to give it up yet so you got to worry about it. It’s got to be in the back of your head. I’m going to give you my best every day in practice and preseason games and hopefully it’s good enough to help this team.”

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BLACK AND BLUE BRISIEL:@ Right guard Mike Brisiel has a black eye this week after breaking his nose from an elbow to the face on the first day of training camp.

The Texans couldn’t get him to take any time off to let his nose heal. So when the rest of the team practices without helmets, Brisiel stands out because he has to wear his, which has drawn sympathy from players and coaches.

But Brisiel has been standing out at practice for more than having to always wear his helmet.

“Mike Brisiel is something right now,” Kubiak said. “You talk about a guy who is having a heck of a camp. We’re starting to play him a little bit at center too just because we haven’t prepared for suiting seven guys on game day. He’s a player who got an opportunity, did a (heck) of a job when he got the opportunity. Can’t get him off the field.”

 



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