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Broncos trade for kicker Brandon McManus

By WTOP Staff

ARNIE STAPLETON
AP Pro Football Writer

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — When word of Matt Prater’s pending four-game suspension came down, Denver rookie kicker Mitch Ewald said, “There’s an opening there. Is it for me? Who knows? It might be, it might be for somebody else.”

The rookie from Indiana saw Tuesday that he wasn’t in the Broncos’ plans.

They released him after acquiring first-year kicker Brandon McManus from the New York Giants for a conditional seventh-round pick in 2015.

Ewald was unimpressive at Broncos camp, never quite finding a rhythm at altitude despite working alongside Prater, whom he studied while in college.

Ewald was wide left on a 36-yard field goal try with 4:36 left that would have given Denver a 10-point lead over Houston on Saturday night. That miss opened the door for the Texans’ TD drive and 2-point conversion that won it 18-17 in the final minute.

“I just rushed myself,” said Ewald, who was hoping to get all the work in Denver’s preseason finale at Dallas on Thursday night.

Instead, those duties will go to McManus, who connected on both of his field goal attempts, from 46 and 47 yards, and recorded touchbacks on 10 of 11 kickoffs for the Giants this preseason. His 10 touchbacks rank second in the NFL this preseason.

Despite that, he was unable to unseat incumbent Josh Brown.

Brown had high praise for McManus, who scored a school-record 338 points at Temple and was in the Colts training camp last season.

“He’s one of those guys that’s going to be a lifer,” Brown said. “He’s going to be a 10-year guy, easily. He’s got that kind of talent and he’s got that kind of head on his shoulders.”

For now, the Broncos plan to use McManus only until Prater returns in early October. Because the Broncos have their bye in Week 4, Prater won’t be allowed to practice with the team until Oct. 6 in advance of their game against the Jets.

The Broncos decided to go with a youngster rather than an experienced kicker such as Jay Feely, who was released by the Cardinals this week. A vested veteran would put the Broncos on the hook for his entire 2014 salary even if he’s only around for the first four games.

Prater, the league’s top kicker, has been in the NFL’s drug program, which includes alcohol, since a DUI arrest on Aug. 12, 2011. The suspension will cost him $705,882 in base salary.

Coach John Fox has indicated that any Plan B would be temporary, suggesting Prater hadn’t worn out his welcome in Denver: “He’s part of our family. He’s one of ours and we’re going to support him through this.”

A contrite and emotional Prater, supported by Fox, punter Britton Colquitt and long snapper Aaron Brewer while reading an apology in front of reporters on Monday, pledged to stay out of clubs to avoid the temptation to drink again, which could result in a yearlong suspension.

Prater led the league last year by making 25 of 26 field goals (96.2 percent), including a record-breaking 64-yarder in December against Tennessee. He also led the NFL with 81 kickoff touchbacks and earned his first Pro Bowl honor.

Notes: CB Kayvon Webster (ankle) returned to practice this week for the first time since turning an ankle during a walkthrough on Aug. 16 and figures to get extended playing time vs. the Cowboys. … WR Demaryius Thomas said his agent hasn’t shut off negotiations with the Broncos on a long-term deal that GM John Elway had hoped to get done by now. Thomas said the talks aren’t a distraction and he sees no need to cut them off to focus on the 2014 season. … Fox said WR Wes Welker, who’s sitting out with his third concussion in 10 months, “is doing fantastic,” and had “another positive day today.”

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

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AP Sports Writer Tom Canavan contributed. 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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