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A mile-high reunion

By Phil Miller, Star Tribune, 07/27/11, 8:39AM CDT

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Gophers quarterback will join his favorite, Eric Decker, with the Broncos


Eric Decker, left, and Adam Weber were an explosive duo with the U and will be teammates for the Broncos. “Now it’s up to me to get some reps and show the coaching staff I belong on the roster,” Weber said. Marlin Levison, Star Tribune

He's been a Denver Bronco for only a few hours. But Adam Weber already has a favorite target.

Weber, who holds every major career passing record for the Gophers, will be reunited with the receiver who helped him set them. Eric Decker, a second-year pro with the Broncos who caught 200 of Weber's passes in college, was one of several reasons that Weber chose to sign with Denver on Tuesday after the NFL lockout was formally lifted.

"That was definitely one of the selling points. It will make the transition easier," Weber said as he packed for training camp. "It will be nice having a guy I can talk to, who can answer my questions and help me adapt as fast as possible to the NFL."

So far, Weber's NFL career has been nothing but fast. He waited for more than four months for the league and its players to agree to new financial rules, trying to stay sane while killing time by running laps and lifting weights while living with his parents. But undrafted players were finally allowed to sign Tuesday, and Weber signed a contract within a couple of hours.

His agent, Mark Lillibridge, received offers from several NFL teams Tuesday morning, and by 9 a.m., Weber was sorting through the possibilities.

"It's really crazy. I had a few good options, and I had to look at them really quickly and make a decision so I can get to work," Weber said. "Teams have different motivations that you have to figure out – like some are just looking for an extra arm for camp – but it wasn't hard. When I looked at the Broncos, it was kind of a no-brainer."

That's because of the presence of a couple of friends: an old one in Decker, and a new one in Broncos quarterbacks coach Adam Gase. Weber met Gase before the draft, and developed a connection that should help him get comfortable quickly.

"He's a young guy, very energetic, and he's all about football. We really hit it off," Weber said. In addition, new Denver coach John Fox brings an offense with which Weber is comfortable, emphasizing reacting to defenses and making smart decisions.

"The verbiage will be different. But I'm pretty comfortable learning systems quickly," after several changes in the offense during his Gophers career, Weber said.

There could be an opening on the Broncos roster for Weber. Kyle Orton, the team's starter last year, reportedly is on the trading block, leaving Tim Tebow and Brady Quinn to compete for the job. That could leave the No. 3 position for Weber, who said he is encouraged by the staff's willingness to give everyone an opportunity.

"I feel like it's going to be an uphill battle, and we'll all feel like we're a little behind because of the lockout," he said. "But I've got a great opportunity. ... Now it's up to me to get some reps and show the coaching staff I belong on the roster."

More local signings

• Minnesota Duluth running back Isaac Odim, the school's all-time rushing leader with 4,242 yards, signed a free-agent contract with San Diego.

• University of Minnesota fullback Jon Hoese signed with Green Bay.

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Active NFL Players

NAME TEAM EXP. HT. WT. POS. D.O.B. HIGH SCHOOL COLLEGE
Dominique Barber 4 6-0 215 DB 08/02/1986 Wayzata Minnesota
Marion Barber RETIRED FROM BEARS 7 5-11 218 RB 06/10/1983 Wayzata Minnesota
Matt Birk 14 6-4 310 C 07/23/1976 Cretin-Derham Hall Harvard
John Carlson 4 6-5 251 TE 05/12/1984 Litchfield Notre Dame
Craig Dahl 5 6-1 209 DB 06/17/1985 Mankato East North Dakota State
Eric Decker 2 6-3 220 WR 03/15/1987 Rocori Minnesota
Larry Fitzgerald 8 6-3 218 WR 08/31/1983 Holy Angels Pittsburgh
David Gilreath R 5-11 169 WR 12/11/1988 Robbinsdale Armstrong Wisconsin
Adam Goldberg 8 6-7 309 T 08/12/1980 Edina Wyoming
Ryan Harris 5 6-5 300 OT 03/11/1985 Cretin-Derham Hall Notre Dame
Jon Hoese R 6-2 238 FB 07/04/1989 Glencoe-Silver Lake Minnesota
Ramon Humber 3 5-11 232 LB 08/10/1987 Champlin Park North Dakota State
James Laurinaitis 3 6-2 247 LB 12/03/1986 Wayzata Ohio State
Trevor Laws 4 6-1 304 DT 06/14/1985 Apple Valley Notre Dame
Mark LeVoir 5 6-7 310 OT 07/29/1982 Eden Prairie Notre Dame
Marcus Sherels R 5-10 175 DB 09/30/1987 Rochester John Marshall Minnesota
Matt Spaeth 5 6-7 270 TE 11/24/1983 St. Michael-Albertville Minnesota
Nate Triplett WAIVED BY CHARGERS 1 6-3 247 LB 03/15/1987 Delano Minnesota
Adam Weber R 6-3 210 QB 08/03/1987 Mounds View Minnesota

2011 Undrafted Free Agent Signings

NAME TEAM HT. WT. POS. D.O.B. HIGH SCHOOL COLLEGE
Isaac Anderson 5-10 178 WR 11/26/1988 Blake Wisconsin
Kyle Anderson 6-4 275 DL N/A Bloomington Jefferson Georgetown College (Ky.)
Ty Boyle 6-4 286 DT 10/20/1987 International Falls North Dakota
David Gilreath 5-11 169 WR 12/11/1988 Robbinsdale Armstrong Wisconsin
Jon Hoese 6-2 240 FB 07/04/1989 Glencoe-Silver Lake Minnesota
Isaac Odim 5-11 210 RB 11/07/1986 Rochester Century UM-Duluth
Alexander Robinson 5-9 191 RB 05/07/1988 DeLaSalle Iowa State
Blake Sorensen 6-1 231 LB N/A Eden Prairie Wisconsin
Adam Weber 6-3 221 QB 08/03/1987 Mounds View Minnesota