FanHouse Spencer Larsen

Every Play Counts is Michael David Smith's weekly look at one specific player or one aspect of a team on every single play of the previous game.

The quirkiest story from Sunday's NFL action was the news that Spencer Larsen of the Denver Broncos turned back the clock and started the game on both offense and defense. I'm one of those old-fashioned types who can't get enough NFL Films footage of Chuck Bednarik, so I was curious to see just what kind of player Larsen is.

So I reviewed the tape of each and every one of Larsen's plays -- at fullback, middle linebacker and on special teams -- for this week's installment of Every Play Counts. Short answer: He's certainly not Chuck Bednarik, but he is a talented player who has a relentless approach on special teams and real potential as a linebacker. At fullback? Not so much.

The Broncos have seen injuries wreck their backfield, while ineptness has ripped apart the Broncos' defense and forced the team to keep trying different combinations to try to find something that will work.

But all of that chaos has helped Spencer Larsen become a rare-breed: the rookie started at both fullback and linebacker against the Broncos. Because of injuries to the team's top three tailbacks, the Broncos had to start fullback Peyton Hills at tailback, which meant Larsen--the team's backup fullback, got his first NFL start.

Larsen was drafted out of Arizona in the sixth-round last spring as a linebacker/special teams standout. But in training camp he split time between linebacker and fullback before the team eventually moved him over to fullback full-time.

That only lasted a couple of weeks though, as injuries at linebacker, where Boss Bailey is on IR and Nate Webster and D.J. Williams were out on Sunday, forced the team to give Larsen a start at his old inside linebacker position as well.

Larsen became the first player to start both ways since Baltimore's Orlando Brown pulled off the two-fer in 2003. If Larsen wanted any tips on how to do it, he could have asked teammate Champ Bailey, who played both ways at Georgia in college and briefly during his NFL career.

Yesterday we noted that former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry, who made $2.5 million in three years, is now totally broke at the age of 25.

So today let's talk about a player who sounds like he's got the complete opposite approach to money: Broncos rookie linebacker Spencer Larsen, a sixth-round draft pick who got a $97,500 signing bonus. Larsen was asked how he planned to spend that money: A car? Jewelry? A party in Vegas? Nope:

"We don't have any big needs, so we'll just save it," Larsen said. "It's more money than we've ever been around."

Larsen, who is married and has a kid and sounds like he's got a level head, would make a good speaker at next year's Rookie Symposium.

Denver Broncos 2008 Draft Picks:

Round 1 (12): Ryan Clady, OT, Boise State
Round 2 (42): Eddie Royal, WR, Virginia Tech
Round 4 (108): Kory Lichtensteiger, C, Bowling Green
Round 4 (119): Jack Williams, CB, Kent
Round 5 (139): Ryan Torain, RB, Arizona State
Round 5(148): Carlton Powell, DT, Virginia Tech
Round 6 (183): Spencer Larsen, LB, Arizona
Round 7 (220): Joshua Barrett, S, Arizona State
Round 7 (227): Peyton Hills, FB, Arkansas

The Good: Clady was a no-brainer when he slipped to them at 12. He'll be a starter from day one and, given the Broncos system, may be the most productive left tackle among the many selected in the first round. Clady, Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall should spend a lot of time together as the foundations of the Bronco offense. I also think the two Arizona State players, if they're healthy, could be big contributors. Injuries dropped their stock but both Torain and Barrett will get plenty of chances to help this team if they can go.

The Bad: I don't get the Royal choice at all. If you wanted to help Cutler and Marshall in the passing game, why pass on Limas Sweed? Or, if you wanted speed and return ability, why pass on DeSean Jackson? The rest of the draft doesn't do much for me either. Lichtensteiger has the last name of a mauler but the short arms and lack of athleticism of a career backup. Williams has great speed but, at 5'9", will struggle to cover in more than a nickel role.