Broncos placed C Dan Koppen on injured reserve with a torn left ACL, ending his season. G/C Manny Ramirez is getting the first crack at snapping the ball to Peyton Manning in Koppen's absence. Going on 34, Koppen sat on the open market until June 20. He graded out in the bottom half of Pro Football Focus' center ratings last season. Koppen will have to decide if he wants to rehab with retirement or another season in mind.

A Sunday MRI confirmed Broncos C Dan Koppen has a torn left ACL and will miss the 2013 season. Koppen turns 34 in September and was only signed out of desperation in June by the Broncos. The ACL tear could end his ten-year career. Denver may have to get creative at center after losing both Koppen and J.D. Walton (ankle surgeries). Old Peyton Manning pal Jeff Saturday was awful in Green Bay last year and has retired. Uninspiring in-house options include Manny Ramirez, Philip Blake, and Quentin Saulsberry. Saulsberry was arrested for DUI in May.

FOX Sports' Jay Glazer reports the Broncos fear C Dan Koppen tore his left ACL during Sunday's training camp practice. He's undergoing a Sunday afternoon MRI to confirm the injury's extent. Koppen was carted off the field in team drills. Re-signed in June after penciled-in starter J.D. Walton underwent a significant ankle surgery, Koppen was essentially Denver's fallback plan. They may now have to turn to a No. 3 center. The top free agent Cs available are Jeff Faine, Eugene Amano, and Jason Brown.

Broncos re-signed C Dan Koppen.

The Denver Post expects the Broncos to "take a look" at free agent C Dan Koppen with C J.D. Walton (ankle surgeries) likely out for the season. Koppen was Walton's fill-in last season, grading out as the No. 22 center in Pro Football Focus' ratings as he made 12 starts. Koppen is the market's top-remaining center - which isn't saying much - but turns 34 in September. The Broncos don't have any compelling in-house options.

Broncos agreed to terms with C Dan Koppen, formerly of the Patriots. 33-year-old Koppen is a veteran in the no-huddle/shotgun offense, and Broncos C J.D. Walton had problems with calling out protections in those sets Sunday night against the Steelers. Koppen could replace Walton as a starter quickly.

Patriots released C Dan Koppen. Koppen, who appeared in just one game last year due to a broken ankle, lost his starting gig to Dan Connolly. It ends Koppen's nine-year, 120-start run with the Patriots.

Patriots C Dan Koppen has reiterated he's 100 percent recovered from the broken ankle that limited him to one game last season. "I'm good," Koppen said Sunday. "I don't even feel it anymore." Koppen will compete with Dan Connolly for the Patriots' starting center job. The Boston Globe has characterized the competition as "Connolly's to lose."

Updating a previous item, Patriots C Dan Koppen's two-year deal has a base value of just $3.05 million. For a nearly 33-year-old center coming off a lost season, it's a much more realistic figure than the originally reported $6 million. Koppen can earn $2.7 million based on play-time incentives, but $400K of the deal consists of per-game roster bonuses and ultimately the contract hinges on Koppen making starts. He'll have to beat out Dan Connolly for the starting job in camp.

Recently re-signed Patriots C Dan Koppen says he's completely healed from the broken leg that limited him to one game in 2011. "It's been good for a long time," Koppen said. "No worries there." As long as that's true, Koppen should enter camp the heavy favorite to take back the starting job he's held since 2003 from Dan Connolly. Koppen also said he's hopeful of finishing his career in New England, but that he doesn't necessarily believe the two-year deal he signed Friday will be his final contract.