DENVER — Greg Dulcich is going to dedicate the season-opening game Sunday as well as the 2023 season to his grandfather, Anthony Artukovich.
“Yeah, from here on out I want to make sure he’s smiling down and I can make him proud,’’ Dulcich, the Broncos’ top receiving tight end said at his locker Thursday following practice.
Greg Dulcich was one of 25 grandchildren who were part of Artukovich’s family, a proud Croatian/Herzegovinian who was married 69 years to his beloved Lucy before passing away 10 days after his 91st birthday on Aug. 30. A Catholic rosary and funeral mass were held Wednesday in L.A. and Dulcich was given permission by Broncos’ head coach Sean Payton to attend. Dulcich left Tuesday and returned Wednesday evening.
“We were very close,’’ Dulcich said of his grandfather. “He got to see me play [last year as a rookie] and it meant a lot that he got to. It was nice that I got the chance to go. I got back up to speed on everything and I’ll be ready to go [Sunday against the Raiders].”
Frank Clark on Singleton
It’s difficult to believe given their contrary professional journeys, but Frank Clark and Alex Singleton broke into the NFL together in 2015 with Seattle. Clark was a first-round draft pick who has had a stellar eight-year career with two double-digit sack seasons and earned more than $86 million— including $5.45 million with the Broncos this year.
Singleton was cut by three teams, then played three seasons in the Canadian Football League before he broke in as a backup linebacker with the Eagles in 2019. He is now a starting linebacker for the Broncos making $6 million a year.
“We stayed in touch all that time,’’ said Clark.
Clark was talking about all the great players the Broncos have going into the 2023 season— Russell Wilson at quarterback, Pat Surtain II as the NFL’s best cornerback, Justin Simmons as the league’s best safety.
“And we have great linebackers,’’ Clark said. “Anytime Alex Singleton’s hair grows a little bit longer you know you’re playing some great football.’’
It was offered up that Singleton not only is a 20-tackle-a-game tackler, as he was in two games last year— he gets up smiling after every tackle.
“He’s not smiling,’’ Clark said. “That’s how his face is made. One time we were talking and he was angry about something and he was still smiling while he was angry.”
Joseph on stopping Jacobs, Adams
Raiders running back Josh Jacobs has dominated the Broncos over seven career games. Raiders’ receiver Davante Adams had two great games against the Broncos last year.
“You have a plan. You have a plan to get those guys stopped,’’ said Vance Joseph, the Broncos' defensive coordinator. “If you don’t stop their best people, you won’t win the game. “That’s always first on our docket when we game plan versus teams. We’ll see how it works on Sunday, but we will have a plan to stop their best people.”
Mims, a rare rookie, ready to return
Occasionally, a Devin Hester comes along who wows the NFL immediately, but most rookie returners struggle. The increased height of the ball on punts and kickoffs compared to college can lead to bad decisions.
Yet, the Broncos have been going forward with rookie receiver Marvin Mims Jr. as a returner on both punts and kickoffs.
“That struggle, I haven’t seen,'' said special teams coordinator Ben Kotwica. "Hopefully that continues on, not only in the punt return game but in the kickoff return game as well."
"Marvin has a great maturity about him and a great work ethic, so that mitigates any of the concerns that you might have. Sometimes you don’t know, but I don’t have any indication that he’s going to struggle in that area of the game. He’s done a great job of catching the football, and obviously, he has enough talent to be a big-play asset for us.”
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