If former Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler is thinking it will be awkward when he returns to town later this month with the Chicago Bears for a preseason game, he better think a little longer. It may be downright hostile. Cutler told ESPN Radio in Chicago Wednesday that football fans there are more passionate than fans in Denver. "Denver's on like a 6 and Chicago's on like a 9," Cutler said. Tell that to the 13,400 people who showed up to watch the Broncos practice last night at Invesco Field, the largest crowd ever to watch Denver practice, according to the AP. The atmosphere was lively and generally positive, but it wasn't all peachy. Quarterback Kyle Orton was booed by the crowd when he threw two interceptions and several bad passes during the scrimmage (via the Colorado Springs Gazette).

Broncos safety Brian Dawkins broke his right hand in practice on Tuesday, requiring surgery to repair it, but he should be out for just a couple weeks, writes The Denver Post. Meanwhile, first-round draft pick Knowshon Moreno is expected to be in camp soon, assuming rumors of an imminent contract are true. ESPN's Adam Schefter tweets that Moreno, projected to be the team's starting running back, could ink a deal as soon as today. If you weren't one of the thousands in attendance at Invesco yesterday, check out this YouTube video (hat tip to Westword).