ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- When safety Mike Adams first signed in Denver, he said joining the Broncos "just felt right."

Less than two months later, Adams is entrenched in the team's offseason conditioning program, working hard alongside his new teammates as the 2012 season inches closer.

The ninth-year veteran sat down with DenverBroncos.com Wednesday to talk offseason workouts, picking off Peyton Manning and his expectations for the season.

How has the offseason conditioning program been so far?
"It's been great, actually. Different type of workout style than I'm used to, and it's working. I love it. This is a great change at this point in my career."

Have you enjoyed meeting new teammates?
"It's definitely been a fun process. It's my first time meeting Champ (Bailey), and he's a humble guy. It's cool, because he's older, too (laughs). He's been around also, so it's good to have us come together and mentor the young guys."

You've said you wear No. 20 to honor Brian Dawkins, and Dawkins himself said he appreciates that. What does that mean to you?
"That's very cool to me. I wish I had a chance to chat with him or talk to him. He really has set the precedent at safety, and really has had a big influence on me and the way I approach the game. It was cool to hear that."

Do you have an impression of what this defense will be like in 2012?
"I'm still learning. As time goes along, I'll get a better feel. I don't want to say now, because my feet aren't all the way wet. I've still just got my toe in the water -- I'm not all the way in yet."

What stands out to you the most about Head Coach John Fox and Defensive Coordinator Jack Del Rio?
"Their expectations. They expect a lot from us, and we demand a lot from ourselves. That's a great standard to have -- setting the bar high. Especially coming from last year. I wasn't here, but it's definitely a good thing just to keep going in a positive way. Keep striding. Don't miss a beat, don't miss a step and just progress from last year."

Elvis Dumervil said he can't help but be confident about the upcoming season. Are there high expectations throughout the locker room?
"Oh yeah. But at the same time, even though we have pieces in place, we've still got to play the game, stay focused and do what we have to do to make those playoffs, make that Super Bowl, take the next step. We've got to maintain focus, stay humble, continue to play hard and work hard and everything else will take care of itself. Because like Doom said, we've got the people in place."

Are you anxious to start practicing against Peyton Manning?
"Oh yeah, I can't wait to pick him off (laughs). I'm kidding -- he's only going to make us better. We know he's a first-ballot Hall of Famer, and he's going to make us better. Us as a defense, we're looking forward to that. When we face other teams, going against Peyton every day in practice, it helps. It can slow the game down and make things a lot easier."

How are you liking Denver?
"Man, I love it. I've just got to start finding my way around a little better. My phone keeps dying and I'm getting lost (laughs). But other than that I'm good. I went to a basketball game, checked out the Nuggets playoff game [a Game 3 victory]. It's been a lot of fun."