Manny Ramirez

3:16 p.m. EDT July 29, 2013

Despite practicing as a backup center since he was in high school, Manny Ramirez has never snapped the ball in an NFL game.

Now the Denver Broncos are tasking Ramirez with snapping the ball to Peyton Manning for at least the first two months of the season.

Ramirez, who handled all of the snaps for Manning during offseason workouts, returned to the top of the Broncos’ depth chart Monday, a day after Dan Koppen’s season ended with a torn left ACL. Koppen had been signed last month to start after J.D. Walton suffered a setback with his recovery from ankle surgery. Walton is on the physically unable to participate list, and barring another setback, he could return to practice by late October.

“Manny Ramirez is our starting center, and has been all offseason,” Broncos coach John Fox said. “We feel decent where we are. You always hate losing guys for the season, but we march on.”

Ramirez made 11 starts for the Broncos last year, all at guard, when Chris Kuper was out with arm and ankle injuries. He struggled at times early in the season but graded out well enough late in the year that the Broncos felt comfortable having work at center during the offseason.

Ramirez said he’s had to learn some new techniques that come with snapping the ball and then blocking. As a center, he has to communicate more with his linemates and especially Manning, who surely won’t let Ramirez’s inexperience at center slow anything down.

“I’m the type of person that if something is wrong, I need to know about it,” Ramirez said. “I’d rather him point it out right there and then than have to wait and try to figure it out later on. I’d rather get it done now.”

The Broncos will place Koppen on the injured reserve list.

“You never like to see that happen. Danny played really well for us last year,” Fox said. “You get punched in the gut any time any player gets hurt, but we’ll be all right.”

To fill Koppen’s roster spot, the team signed journeyman center Steve Vallos, who spent time in Jacksonville and Philadelphia last season and has nine starts since 2007.

Behind Ramirez on the depth chart is C.J. Davis, who played in seven games for the Broncos last season, mostly on special teams, and Philip Blake, a fourth-round pick in 2012 who missed most of his rookie year with a hand injury.

Walton had a surgical procedure in mid June to replace the hardware in his ankle after doctors discovered an infection. He is wearing a boot and is not yet allowed to put weight on his left leg.

Fox reminded the media Monday that Walton and guard Chris Kuper, who continues to recover from a lingering ankle injury, remain on the roster and could contribute later this season. Free agent guard Louis Vasquez has taken over Kuper’s spot at right guard.

from: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/broncos/2013/07/29/manny-ramirez-denver-broncos/2596739/

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Manny Ramirez was born on February 19th, 1983 according to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manny_Ramirez_(American_football)

February 19th, 1983

February 19th

2 + 19 +2+0+1+3 = 27 = his personal year (from February 19th, 2013 to February 18th, 2014) = Starter. Starting player. Stating lineup.

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