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Elway, AFC champs continue roster makeover

By WTOP Staff

ARNIE STAPLETON
AP Pro Football Writer

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — John Elway returned from that five-touchdown loss to Seattle in the Super Bowl and decided the Denver Broncos, as much as anything, needed an attitude adjustment.

So, he went about beefing up his offensive line and injecting some nastiness into his defense.

He turned to veterans and youngsters alike.

The Broncos boss started his makeover in free agency and continued right through the three-day NFL draft that concluded Saturday with the selections of LSU middle linebacker Lamin Barrow, Boise State center Matt Paradis and Oklahoma outside linebacker Corey Nelson.

On defense, Elway added thumpers DeMarcus Ware, Aqib Talib and T.J. Ward in free agency and selected Ohio State’s edgy cornerback Bradley Roby in the first round of the draft, Barrow in the fifth and Nelson in the seventh.

He shuffled an O-line that was manhandled by the swarming Seahawks, adding centers Will Montgomery in free agency and Paradis in the sixth round. The Broncos also moved Orlando Franklin from right tackle to left guard and spent a third-round pick on Michigan’s Michael Schofield, who declared his intent Saturday to win the starting job at right tackle.

However it all shakes out, Peyton Manning should have a lot more muscle in front of him this season as the Broncos try to give him more room to operate and add balance to their pass-heavy offense with a better ground game.

What should also help in that regard is the addition of second-round pick Cody Latimer of Indiana, whom Elway called the best-blocking wide receiver in this year’s draft.

Coach John Fox lauded the speed Denver added to its roster with these half-dozen picks, but just as important was the pluck the new guys bring to the Broncos, Elway said.

“Defensively, you throw Bradley in there, you throw Barrow in there with Corey, they understand that mentality and that switch,” Elway said. “And then you know the other thing is Cody brings that on the offensive side and that was one thing that we’re really excited about is the way he blocks and the physicality he plays with in the game as a wide receiver, which you don’t see a whole lot of.

“So, if there’s anything that we got out of that draft it is the physical mentality, and, as John said, a lot of speed.”

Elway picked up a fifth-round draft pick next year — when he expects to also have as many as four compensatory picks — by trading his fourth-rounder to Chicago on Saturday. Yet, he and Fox grew restless when there was a run on linebackers with Barrow in his sights late in the fifth round.

Fox “made about 18 laps around the room,” Elway said. “That was the most nervous time of the draft.”

Barrow mostly played weakside linebacker in college but his versatility will allow him to compete with Nate Irving for the starting middle linebacker job in Denver, where free agents Paris Lenon and Wesley Woodyard weren’t retained after sharing snaps at that position in 2013.

Nelson missed the last half of his senior season with a partially torn chest muscle but said that won’t be an issue: “My (pectoral) is 100 percent, it’s good to go,” he said. “It was supposed to be a six-month injury, but it only took me 3½ months.”

Paradis was raised in the tiny mountain town of Council, Idaho, walked on at Boise State as a defensive lineman in 2009 and finished as a two-time All-Mountain West center. He called his winding journey from eight-man high school football to NFL draft pick “pretty surreal.”

Among the 15 undrafted free agents the Broncos signed following the draft was Fresno State receiver/returner Isaiah Burse, who could fill Trindon Holliday’s vacated role.

Two intriguing college free agents are from up the road at Colorado State: running back Kapri Bibbs, who led the NCAA with 31 touchdowns last season in his only season at Fort Collins, and star Rams outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett.

An undrafted player has made the Broncos’ opening day roster for 10 straight seasons.

“We’re going to keep the best players,” Fox said. “It doesn’t really matter what their draft status is or where they came from, just how they perform.”

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Online:

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

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Follow AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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