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Broncos carry on without suspended Wes Welker

By WTOP Staff

ARNIE STAPLETON
AP Pro Football Writer

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Wes Welker angrily declared he was “as shocked as everyone” when the NFL banned him for the first month of the season for violating the league’s drug-abuse policy.

Peyton Manning wasn’t shocked at all.

Neither was John Elway.

John Fox, maybe just a little.

“Uh, I guess I wasn’t shocked,” Manning said Wednesday during a news conference in which he was asked a half dozen questions about Welker’s suspension and just once about playing his former team, the Indianapolis Colts, in Denver’s opener Sunday night.

“I guess I had an idea that it might be happening,” Manning said. “Somewhat we were prepared for it.”

Eleven miles up the road, Elway, the Broncos general manager, was on his way to the pro-am at the BMW Championship at Cherry Hills when he was asked about Welker’s suspension for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.

“There’s going to be more bumps in the road as we go,” Elway said. “There’s always bumps. It’s a matter of how you handle those bumps, and we’ll handle this one. The next guy in line will step and we’ll be ready to go against the Colts.”

Asked if he were shocked it was Welker, Elway simply repeated, “We’ll be ready to go against the Colts.”

Fox had this to say about the discipline handed down to the 11th-year pro who’s the best slot receiver of this generation: “If you do this long enough, you’re surprised but not totally. We were disappointed, but we’ll move on.”

“I think it’s kind of hard to be surprised in this business,” tight end Julius Thomas said. “Everybody goes through things in life, and we always say we’re family here. You’re not surprised when your family falls on tough times — you’re just there for them and you give them as much support as you can.”

The Broncos will be without Manning’s third-down security blanket for the brutal stretch against Indy, Kansas City, Seattle and Arizona, a foursome that averaged 11.25 wins last year.

The Broncos just haven’t been able to stay out of the commissioner’s cross-hairs of late.

Since 2012, six prominent employees have been suspended by the NFL for violations of the league’s drug policies, and Manning noted that in all three of his seasons in Denver, the Broncos began the season with a star serving a suspension.

“I don’t think that’s something the Broncos want to brag about,” Manning said. “But it’s the reality.”

Linebacker D.J. Williams was suspended nine games in 2012, six for violating the league’s policy on PEDs and three for an alcohol-related arrest. Last year, Von Miller sat out the first six games after attempting to manipulate the NFL drug-testing system, and Elway’s top two lieutenants, Matt Russell and Tom Heckert, were suspended following drunken driving arrests.

And last week, kicker Matt Prater was suspended four games for drinking alcoholic beverages, a no-no ever since his DUI arrest in 2011 landed him in the league’s drug program.

Asked why these kinds of things keep happening in Denver, where the team is nevertheless 28-8 since Manning’s arrival, cornerback Chris Harris Jr. said the Broncos weren’t any different than anyone else.

“It’s every team, man, every team. It’s not just us,” Harris said,. “It’s the NFL.”

Welker is one of 29 players suspended by the league heading into the 2014 season, including 17 for substance abuse and 10 for PED use.

“This is the NFL, and there are a lot of rules,” Harris said. “You’d better just drink some water.”

Welker and Prater combined to score 210 points last season. Prater had a record-breaking 64-yard field goal and Welker caught 10 TD passes among his 73 grabs for 778 yards despite missing most of the final month with a concussion.

The Broncos have plenty of options to replace Welker, although Manning acknowledged it still won’t be easy.

They could move Emmanuel Sanders into the slot and insert rookie Cody Latimer or Bubba Caldwell into the lineup on the outside. Or they could use tight end Jacob Tamme in that role as they did at times last year and maybe rely more on tight end Julius Thomas, too.

They filled Welker’s roster spot by promoting receiver Nathan Palmer from the practice squad.

Elway and Fox both mentioned the time-honored next-man-up mantra, but Manning tweaked that, saying: “I really feel it’s maybe next MEN up, if that makes any sense.”

The Broncos are accustomed to dealing with adversity, their rash of injuries last season a prime example. But Manning suggested a suspension is different.

“Losing Wes is a self-inflicted wound,” Manning said. “… Hopefully last year prepared us for these types of situations.”

Miller was in Welker’s shoes a year ago.

“I’m here for him and I can certainly feel where he’s at right now,” Miller said. “But I’ve got all the confidence in the world that he’s going to come back and he’s going to bring hell with him when he does.”

Notes: KR Isaiah Burse (heat) and RG Louis Vasquez (back) left practice early.

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

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AP Golf Writer Doug Ferguson in Cherry Hills Village, Colorado, contributed.

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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