Tom Brady and Peyton Manning have had some memorable battles over the years and Dan Koppen has had a front row seat for most of them as a center for the Patriots.
If there are any future Brady-Manning duels, Koppen will have another good view. He’ll just be wearing a different uniform while it goes down. Mike Klis of the Denver Post reports that the Broncos have agreed to terms on a contract with Koppen, who was cut by the Patriots when rosters were cut down to 53 players.
Koppen missed all of last season after breaking his ankle in the opener and wound up re-signing with the Patriots after a lengthy spell as a free agent this offseason. Dan Connolly couldn’t be moved off the center spot, however, and that led Koppen to Denver. Klis suggests the team’s interest in Koppen could be his experience in a no huddle offense with the Patriots, something that current starter J.D. Walton doesn’t have. That makes sense, especially after the Broncos were in the mix for Jeff Saturday, Manning’s longtime center with the Colts, before Saturday went to Green Bay.
Koppen started 120 games for the Patriots and moved into the lineup shortly after they made him a fifth-round pick in the 2003 draft. He made one Pro Bowl, won two Super Bowl rings and often earned high marks on his ability to recognize defenses from Bill Belichick.