Rolovich expected to sign with Broncos

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

ROLOVICH: QB did well at Denver's minicamp

Rolovich competed in the Broncos' minicamp last weekend, and did well enough to merit an invitation to the next camp.

The free-agent contract will be for one year, but it is not guaranteed, and Rolovich does not know if he will receive a signing bonus.

Still, he said: "I'll take whatever I get. All I wanted was a chance."

UH coach June Jones, who has known Broncos coach Mike Shanahan for nearly 25 years, helped arrange for Rolovich to receive a tryout last weekend. When Shanahan was Ohio State's offensive coordinator in the late 1970s, he asked to meet with Jones to learn about the run-and-shoot offense.

Jones spoke with Shanahan yesterday and was told Rolovich was expected to receive a one-year contract.

"I think Rolo can play at that level," Jones said. "The key is to make it somewhere and be somewhere for a year."

Two weeks ago, Rolovich earned a tryout with the Dallas Cowboys. But he received few snaps, and was not invited to the Cowboys' next minicamp.

At the Broncos' camp, Rolovich said: "I felt I was a lot more comfortable with the whole situation. I had a different mindset from the way I went into Dallas' camp. I want to keep going from camp to camp. I have to learn everything I can and make it hard for them to cut me."

Rolovich was able to throw several passes to former UH wide receiver Ashley Lelie, the Broncos' first-round pick in last month's NFL draft.

"For sure, it certainly didn't hurt to have Ashley there," Rolovich said. "I had a great time."

In the locker room before one workout, he was introduced to former UH player Jason Elam, the Broncos' All-Pro kicker.

"He wished me luck, and all of that," Rolovich said, adding Elam invited him to dinner during the next camp. "He's a good guy. He wanted to talk about Hawai'i."

Rolovich said he wore jersey No. 2 during the workout. "I'm all right with that," he said. "You can stick around with a '2.' "