dragondawg
08-21-2007, 09:44 PM
By Lee Rasizer, Rocky Mountain News
ENGLEWOOD – He still has his good and bad days.
Tuesday was one of the better ones during Rod Smith's recovery from major hip surgery in February.
The wide receiver woke up and felt markedly improved not only from the previous day, but scads ahead of previous weeks. And when he arrived to Broncos team headquarters for his daily rehabilitation regimen, he executed a couple of drills he hadn't completed over the last six months.
"That's progress to me," he said. "That's the way I judge it and that's the only way I can. And you slowly go from doing things here to doing things on the football field. You go from here to there, and then from there to here. That's where I'm headed."
That's about as specific a timetable as Smith will allow himself right now.
Coach Mike Shanahan was slightly more definitive. He indicated after Tuesday's practice that given the type of shape necessary to play in a regular-season game, a "realistic assessment" for Smith would be a return in the window between the sixth and eighth game of the regular season.
Under that scenario, Smith could remain on the physically unable to perform list and work out for the season's first six weeks, and once activated, the team would have three weeks to practice before a decision would have to be made as to add him to the 53-man roster or place him on injured reserve.
But Smith, in typical worker's fashion, isn't ruling out a comeback by the season opener.
While it may be construed as a negative he hasn't begun much of his position-related work, the team's all-time leader in several pass-catching categories countered he still hasn't attempted to do so.
"It could happen any day, honestly," he said.
At the same time he's also not naïve enough to know that PUP might be in his near future since he knows the Broncos can't hold a roster spot while he's in wait-and-see mode. And he knows that even when he comes back, he'll have to assimilate himself back to game speed.
"I'll do whatever I've got to do," he said about the possibility of possibly being forced to sit out the start of the season. "But if I'm not able to play, it would be stupid to think that it's not an option. The thing is whether you jeopardize the team and what we're trying to do as a group. You don't do that for one person."
Smith was a visible presence during two weeks of two-a-day practices to begin training camp. He could be seen between the workouts jogging across the field and high stepping with a visible limp that was somewhat painful to watch given his past accomplishments.
A week has passed since his teammates hit the road for San Francisco and Dallas for two preseason games, though, and the improvement in his form has been substantial.
Head athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos said Smith's coming along well, while currently "running and doing some pass routes."
"I'm progressing," Smith maintained. "I can see it and I can feel it. And some of the things now, if you saw me doing some of the same exact things it would look totally different."
One of the reasons Smith may be feeling particularly spry this week was the time off from his rehabilitation he took last week. Smith's daughter, Vanessa, needed surgery. And he was given a break to tend to her in the hospital. Now that she's fine, he's able to resume his own recovery unfettered from worry. And he came back rejuvenated physically, having not put so much stress on the hip.
Running back Andre Hall, who worked side-by-side in the trainer's room with Smith on Tuesday and at various points over the last couple weeks, observed that Smith has a light limp now, if any.
"He's been looking better," Hall said. "Rod always goes hard but right now he's not as tired as he was. He'd do drills and get done and go, 'Uggghh,' and groan. But right now he jumps up and he's ready for more. I think Rod's getting ready. His core is unbelievable. I'd be dead tired by the time I got to the third set. He'll be on his sixth set and he's still pushing, going for more."
Smith continues to have few doubts he'll eventually come back strong. But he still has to cross the threshold from where can get his body in motion and stop or cut seamlessly at full speed.
It helps the 14th-year veteran player remain upbeat having watched Kansas City Chiefs running back Priest Holmes rebound from hip surgery in the spring of 2003, then go on to a 1,420-yard season with a then-league record 27 touchdowns.
Still, with time ticking toward the season, Smith also knows his previously stated goal of immediately returning to a Pro Bowl level might have to altered.
"With some of the personnel moves they've made and personnel we have, those options might not be available as far as taking all those snaps. And I'm OK with that," he said. "My thing is being able to contribute. You can take 30 snaps and be one of the best football players on the team. You don't have to take 70 to be the best. And to me, that's the only goal I have is getting back out there and contributing to the football team and wining games in some way shape or form."
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/nfl/article/0,2777,DRMN_23918_5678962,00.html
ENGLEWOOD – He still has his good and bad days.
Tuesday was one of the better ones during Rod Smith's recovery from major hip surgery in February.
The wide receiver woke up and felt markedly improved not only from the previous day, but scads ahead of previous weeks. And when he arrived to Broncos team headquarters for his daily rehabilitation regimen, he executed a couple of drills he hadn't completed over the last six months.
"That's progress to me," he said. "That's the way I judge it and that's the only way I can. And you slowly go from doing things here to doing things on the football field. You go from here to there, and then from there to here. That's where I'm headed."
That's about as specific a timetable as Smith will allow himself right now.
Coach Mike Shanahan was slightly more definitive. He indicated after Tuesday's practice that given the type of shape necessary to play in a regular-season game, a "realistic assessment" for Smith would be a return in the window between the sixth and eighth game of the regular season.
Under that scenario, Smith could remain on the physically unable to perform list and work out for the season's first six weeks, and once activated, the team would have three weeks to practice before a decision would have to be made as to add him to the 53-man roster or place him on injured reserve.
But Smith, in typical worker's fashion, isn't ruling out a comeback by the season opener.
While it may be construed as a negative he hasn't begun much of his position-related work, the team's all-time leader in several pass-catching categories countered he still hasn't attempted to do so.
"It could happen any day, honestly," he said.
At the same time he's also not naïve enough to know that PUP might be in his near future since he knows the Broncos can't hold a roster spot while he's in wait-and-see mode. And he knows that even when he comes back, he'll have to assimilate himself back to game speed.
"I'll do whatever I've got to do," he said about the possibility of possibly being forced to sit out the start of the season. "But if I'm not able to play, it would be stupid to think that it's not an option. The thing is whether you jeopardize the team and what we're trying to do as a group. You don't do that for one person."
Smith was a visible presence during two weeks of two-a-day practices to begin training camp. He could be seen between the workouts jogging across the field and high stepping with a visible limp that was somewhat painful to watch given his past accomplishments.
A week has passed since his teammates hit the road for San Francisco and Dallas for two preseason games, though, and the improvement in his form has been substantial.
Head athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos said Smith's coming along well, while currently "running and doing some pass routes."
"I'm progressing," Smith maintained. "I can see it and I can feel it. And some of the things now, if you saw me doing some of the same exact things it would look totally different."
One of the reasons Smith may be feeling particularly spry this week was the time off from his rehabilitation he took last week. Smith's daughter, Vanessa, needed surgery. And he was given a break to tend to her in the hospital. Now that she's fine, he's able to resume his own recovery unfettered from worry. And he came back rejuvenated physically, having not put so much stress on the hip.
Running back Andre Hall, who worked side-by-side in the trainer's room with Smith on Tuesday and at various points over the last couple weeks, observed that Smith has a light limp now, if any.
"He's been looking better," Hall said. "Rod always goes hard but right now he's not as tired as he was. He'd do drills and get done and go, 'Uggghh,' and groan. But right now he jumps up and he's ready for more. I think Rod's getting ready. His core is unbelievable. I'd be dead tired by the time I got to the third set. He'll be on his sixth set and he's still pushing, going for more."
Smith continues to have few doubts he'll eventually come back strong. But he still has to cross the threshold from where can get his body in motion and stop or cut seamlessly at full speed.
It helps the 14th-year veteran player remain upbeat having watched Kansas City Chiefs running back Priest Holmes rebound from hip surgery in the spring of 2003, then go on to a 1,420-yard season with a then-league record 27 touchdowns.
Still, with time ticking toward the season, Smith also knows his previously stated goal of immediately returning to a Pro Bowl level might have to altered.
"With some of the personnel moves they've made and personnel we have, those options might not be available as far as taking all those snaps. And I'm OK with that," he said. "My thing is being able to contribute. You can take 30 snaps and be one of the best football players on the team. You don't have to take 70 to be the best. And to me, that's the only goal I have is getting back out there and contributing to the football team and wining games in some way shape or form."
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/nfl/article/0,2777,DRMN_23918_5678962,00.html