Numbers game

1/9/05 is the date of cornerback Jeff Shoate's last appearance in game action for the Broncos. The cornerback, a 2004 fifth-round draft choice, missed the entire '05 season because of a left knee injury and was a member of the team's practice squad last season while his recovery came full circle. This is the former San Diego State standout's fourth summer with the Broncos . He nearly intercepted consecutive passes at the end of practice Friday.

"This is the first year I've been in training camp and been fully healthy. For me, it's really big," Shoate said.

He said it

"Defensive tackle-wise, I'm the linebacker's best friend, so he'll be buying me plenty of gifts this year."

Sam Adams, on how his addition will benefit middle linebacker D.J. Williams.

Cutler, Nalen get timing down

The exchange from center is supposed to be one of the most basic aspects of playing quarterback.

But in Jay Cutler's five-game run as starter last season, it wasn't second nature.

The early chemistry between Tom Nalen and the rookie quarterback was rough. Five times, the ball went on the ground, with Denver losing it once, in Cutler's debut, Dec. 3 against Seattle.

That issue hasn't cropped up in the least at training camp through eight full practices. Cutler pulled out early once on the snap and lost the ball. But that has been it, unlike the timing issues that were the root of the problem last year.

"Tommy's just a different snapper," Cutler said Friday. "He anticipates the count really well. He's been doing it for a long time. So a lot of times he kind of surprised me of how quick he got the ball up. It's just working with him and just being ready."

Assistant head coach/offense Mike Heimerdinger said the first time backup quarterback Patrick Ramsey worked with Nalen this offseason, Nalen's quick trigger also led to a bobble.

"They all tell each other, but until you do it, you don't realize how good Tommy is and how well he anticipates the snap count and gets us off the ball," Heimerdinger said.

On the mend

Linebacker Warrick Holdman was released from Sky Ridge Medical Center on Friday afternoon after being held overnight for observation.

Holdman suffered a spinal cord concussion when he awkwardly struck running back Mike Bell during a team drill Thursday. He was strapped to a backboard and taken away by ambulance.

Coach Mike Shanahan said Holdman "did have some numbness" on Friday morning but "not a lot."

Nate Webster took the first-team snaps at strongside linebacker for the full-squad workout Friday. Holdman, along with D.D. Lewis, also had rotated with the first team before Holdman's injury.

Eddie Moore previously had been in the competition but needed knee surgery. The team reached an injury settlement with Moore on Friday and waived him off the reserve/injured list.

Three men and a baby boom

It was a, um, productive offseason for the Broncos' safeties.

Three of them became fathers within a five-month span.

"I don't have the slightest idea what was in the water," said Nick Ferguson, who became a first-time dad, to a son, July 9, four days before Hamza Abdullah's wife delivered Layla. "But whatever it was, we were oblivious it was in there."

John Lynch, whose wife got the ball rolling in March when daughter Leah arrived, joked of the baby bunch, "Usually, it can be traced back to vacation."

Lynch added that while he sweats through two-a-days, his significant other probably has it the hardest, with four young ones to oversee.

"I tell you what, four's been a jump," Lynch said. "Everybody told me that two to three is a jump but three to four isn't a big jump. But it's been a big jump for us."

It wasn't long ago the tight ends were the ones having children. Stephen Alexander, Mike Leach and Tony Scheffler all became fathers in rapid-fire fashion last year. All are tight ends. So perhaps the safety position's turn was just up.

"The conversations have changed a little bit," Abdullah said. "We talk about babies now."

Seems like old times

David Kircus keeps teasing Dré Bly that he has a highlight reel of catches he has made against him.

"But I've never seen it," Bly said.

More likely, the two players both have had their share of moments on tape practicing each other on a daily basis for two years with the Detroit Lions (2003-04) and again now that the pair has been reunited with the Broncos.

Their two seasons together in Detroit coincided with Bly's two trips to the Pro Bowl at cornerback.

"So I was the first guy he wanted to call out," Bly said. "He always wanted to go against me."

Kircus replied he still tries to cut to the front of the line of receivers to face Bly (and Champ Bailey, too).

"I want to be against the best. Dré knows that. And we fight it out in practice. We're pretty competitive," he said. "Sometimes it gets pretty heated, but we know when to draw the line. . . . To some people who don't know what's going on, they might think we're the worst enemies out there, but him and I know the truth."

Daily highlights

• Defensive tackle Marcus Thomas was a late addition to practice despite a right calf strain. Wide receiver Brandon Stokley (left thigh), tight end Teyo Johnson (left calf) and fullback Paul Smith (groin) joined the out-of-pads list. Left guard Ben Hamilton (head) and wide receiver Javon Walker (leg) were limited participants.

• Before leaving, Walker managed the catch of the day when he fielded a deflection off Champ Bailey.

• Jay Cutler was sharp during the one-on-one red-zone period. He showed good touch to both corners on high throws that gave only the receiver an opportunity to make the catch.

• Kicker Jason Elam, for the second time in camp during live field-goal drills, had two field-goal attempts hit the uprights.

• Wide receiver Quincy Morgan and tight end Nate Jackson excited the crowd with diving catches.

If you go

The Broncos will conduct two full-squad practices today, one at 8:30 a.m. and the other at 3:50 p.m. Gates open an hour before the workouts. The team will get Sunday off before resuming work Monday with two more full practices, at 8:30 a.m. and 3:50 p.m.

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