ochocinco-chadThe Denver Broncos have finally come to terms with first-round pick Robert Ayers, a pass-rushing specialist the team will desperately need this season if they are to have any hope of climbing out of the NFL defense-rankings basement.

Ayers signed a five-year deal that includes $9.7 million guaranteed, reports The Denver Post, which is not a bad haul for a guy who has yet to see any action in an actual NFL game.

The Associated Press notes (via NFL.com) that Ayers’ signing leaves the Broncos’ first pick in the 2009 draft, running back Knowshon Moreno, as the team’s only unsigned player from its 10-pick loot in April.

Former Broncos players were all over the Internet yesterday, including former offensive lineman Mark Schlereth, who has apparently engaged Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco (pictured) in a smack-talking challenge via Twitter, reports ProFootballTalk.com.

Schlereth, now an ESPN analyst, took issue with Ochocinco’s support for former New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress, who was recently indicted for charges connected to shooting himself in the leg with a handgun in a New York City nightclub. Seriously.

If it were up to the NFL, players would be banned from using Twitter, according to The New York Times, which writes that coaches are paranoid about players tweeting game plans or injury reports. Meanwhile, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen weighed in on both Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall with 104.3 The Fan.