dragondawg
08-02-2007, 03:32 AM
Broncos receivers in a world of hurt early on at camp
ENGLEWOOD - The hip - Rod Smith's - is connected to the thigh - Brandon Marshall's - and the sore shoulder (Domenik Hixon), the sore hamstring (Marquay McDaniel) and, yes, another sore thigh (Glenn Martinez).
It's all connected to the collective aches, pains and limps the Broncos have at receiver five days into training camp. And it has made for some questions about who eventually will line up alongside Javon Walker in the starting offense.
"Sure, we've got some guys nicked up there," said Brandon Stokley, who has looked smooth in his return from a ruptured right Achilles' tendon he suffered in December. "But we've got a talented group when everyone comes back. I think everybody still feels good about that."
"A receiver is only as good as the guy on the opposite side of him, so we'll see how that goes," Walker said.
Smith, who long has needed surgery to repair his left hip and had it during the offseason, is not expected to play in the preseason. Smith and Broncos coach Mike Shanahan have said there is no reason to rush Smith back to the lineup before he is completely healthy.
Shanahan went as far as to say Wednesday "it may take all through the preseason or even into the middle of the regular season."
Marshall has spent most of the offseason hoping he would be the other starter, but he has not practiced yet in training camp because of a left thigh injury he suffered in the team's June minicamp and it flared up again in early July at a two-day minicamp.
Marshall has started running on a treadmill, but Shanahan has made it clear Marshall will have to be consistently on the field before he can make the climb into the starting lineup.
"He is not out there, and we need guys that can stay healthy," Shanahan said. "He has a lot of ability and he has a great upside. We will have to wait . . . to see what he can do and if he can stay healthy."
The injuries to Smith and Marshall have pushed others up the depth chart at the moment. During the morning practice Wednesday, the Broncos went to a three-wide look with Walker, Stokley and Martinez in with the starting offense.
Earlier this week, it was Walker, Stokley and David Kircus in the same formation.
Hixon said the competition at the moment is fierce enough that he felt compelled to get back on the field Wednesday after suffering a Grade I (the least serious of the three grades doctors use) right shoulder separation during a practice Tuesday.
"It's training camp and you're competing," Hixon said. "You can't compete if you're not out there, so I was hoping I could get back out there. Just good work by the training staff, half a day later, I'm back.
"When guys get hurt, it really hurts their chances of making the team," Shanahan said. "For a guy like Domenik to come in after a first-degree shoulder separation is pretty impressive. He worked through it, and that is what you are hoping a guy is going to do."
Kircus, Quincy Morgan and David Terrell also have tried to make the most of their chances as the Broncos cope with injuries. Kircus has made several big plays in drills, but Shanahan also has said he wants to see more consistency from him.
The group has a little more than a week to sort itself out before the Broncos play their first preseason game in San Francisco, then move on to combined workouts with the Dallas Cowboys.
"Now we've just got to go out there and perform on the field," Stokley said. "People on the outside may be a little worried about the injuries we've had, but we feel good about our potential as a group. But I think we all know you can do all the talking you want, but you've got to go out there and perform on the field, so there's no use talking about it right now."
Misery grabs hold
Receivers are having their share of aches and pains at Broncos camp. Players who have missed at least some practice time the past five days.
Player Injury
Rod Smith Left hip
Brandon Marshall Left thigh
Domenik Hixon Right shoulder
Glenn Martinez Right thigh
Marquay McDaniel Left hamstring
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/nfl/article/0,2777,DRMN_23918_5655467,00.html
ENGLEWOOD - The hip - Rod Smith's - is connected to the thigh - Brandon Marshall's - and the sore shoulder (Domenik Hixon), the sore hamstring (Marquay McDaniel) and, yes, another sore thigh (Glenn Martinez).
It's all connected to the collective aches, pains and limps the Broncos have at receiver five days into training camp. And it has made for some questions about who eventually will line up alongside Javon Walker in the starting offense.
"Sure, we've got some guys nicked up there," said Brandon Stokley, who has looked smooth in his return from a ruptured right Achilles' tendon he suffered in December. "But we've got a talented group when everyone comes back. I think everybody still feels good about that."
"A receiver is only as good as the guy on the opposite side of him, so we'll see how that goes," Walker said.
Smith, who long has needed surgery to repair his left hip and had it during the offseason, is not expected to play in the preseason. Smith and Broncos coach Mike Shanahan have said there is no reason to rush Smith back to the lineup before he is completely healthy.
Shanahan went as far as to say Wednesday "it may take all through the preseason or even into the middle of the regular season."
Marshall has spent most of the offseason hoping he would be the other starter, but he has not practiced yet in training camp because of a left thigh injury he suffered in the team's June minicamp and it flared up again in early July at a two-day minicamp.
Marshall has started running on a treadmill, but Shanahan has made it clear Marshall will have to be consistently on the field before he can make the climb into the starting lineup.
"He is not out there, and we need guys that can stay healthy," Shanahan said. "He has a lot of ability and he has a great upside. We will have to wait . . . to see what he can do and if he can stay healthy."
The injuries to Smith and Marshall have pushed others up the depth chart at the moment. During the morning practice Wednesday, the Broncos went to a three-wide look with Walker, Stokley and Martinez in with the starting offense.
Earlier this week, it was Walker, Stokley and David Kircus in the same formation.
Hixon said the competition at the moment is fierce enough that he felt compelled to get back on the field Wednesday after suffering a Grade I (the least serious of the three grades doctors use) right shoulder separation during a practice Tuesday.
"It's training camp and you're competing," Hixon said. "You can't compete if you're not out there, so I was hoping I could get back out there. Just good work by the training staff, half a day later, I'm back.
"When guys get hurt, it really hurts their chances of making the team," Shanahan said. "For a guy like Domenik to come in after a first-degree shoulder separation is pretty impressive. He worked through it, and that is what you are hoping a guy is going to do."
Kircus, Quincy Morgan and David Terrell also have tried to make the most of their chances as the Broncos cope with injuries. Kircus has made several big plays in drills, but Shanahan also has said he wants to see more consistency from him.
The group has a little more than a week to sort itself out before the Broncos play their first preseason game in San Francisco, then move on to combined workouts with the Dallas Cowboys.
"Now we've just got to go out there and perform on the field," Stokley said. "People on the outside may be a little worried about the injuries we've had, but we feel good about our potential as a group. But I think we all know you can do all the talking you want, but you've got to go out there and perform on the field, so there's no use talking about it right now."
Misery grabs hold
Receivers are having their share of aches and pains at Broncos camp. Players who have missed at least some practice time the past five days.
Player Injury
Rod Smith Left hip
Brandon Marshall Left thigh
Domenik Hixon Right shoulder
Glenn Martinez Right thigh
Marquay McDaniel Left hamstring
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/nfl/article/0,2777,DRMN_23918_5655467,00.html