Javon Walker was just about able to match his fellow Broncos receivers on the practice field Thursday.
In other words, it was an encouraging start for the former Pro Bowl on the first day of minicamp at Dove Valley. After missing most of 2005 with a torn ACL in his right knee, Walker went through a full practice with his new teammates and emerged with a smile on his face.
“Just to get out there and run routes and do everything at the same pace as everybody else, it felt pretty good,” said Walker, who signed a six-year, $40 million contract with Denver this offseason.
About the only thing Walker, the former Green Bay Packer who was third in the NFL in receiving yards (1,382) in 2004, did not do Thursday was run routes against defensive back pressure. That will happen, he believes, right on schedule in his rehabilitation: at the start of training camp, July 27. In fact, Walker said he is ahead of schedule.
“But just to get out there today and run the routes and do what the coaches say, and go through the offense – that means I’m a little bit ahead (of schedule),” Walker said. “It was supposed to be training camp that I’m there running routes, but I’m running routes now. Once training camp comes around, we’ll see from there. But I feel good. The trainers obviously don’t want me to do anything that will give me a setback. But finally, that I’m out there talking trash and get to bring my helmet out there and run routes, that’s a big confidence lifter for me.”
Broncos coach Mike Shanahan liked what he saw of Walker, but cautioned against expecting too much, too soon.
“He’s kind of biting at the bit, but we don’t want to put him in a position where he’s competing against other players right now, because he’ll probably push himself a little too hard at this stage,” Shanahan said. “But we’ve got a few weeks before we get started, and he’s exactly where we hoped he’d be.”
Plummer case rescheduled
A pretrial hearing for quarterback Jake Plummer’s alleged road-rage incident was rescheduled Thursday in Englewood Municipal Court.
The Broncos quarterback was issued a summons in May to face a misdemeanor violation for intent to “injure or destroy property” following a dispute April 20 in which Plummer allegedly kicked a headlight on another driver’s vehicle and then backed his Honda Element into the motorist’s truck.
The quarterback has denied the claim, saying he was in a hurry to get to a charity event and was talking on a cellphone. Plummer said he accidentally cut the driver off and that the motorist bumped into him at a stoplight.
The new pretrial hearing is scheduled for 3 p.m., Aug. 3. Plummer entered a not guilty plea last month.
Droughns case continued
Former Broncos running back Reuben Droughns appeared briefly Thursday in Arapahoe District Court in Littleton in a domestic violence case. The case was continued to Aug. 21 for a pretrial conference.
Kathleen Walsh, director of communications for the 18th Judicial District, said the district attorney could not discuss specific reasons for the case being continued, but that pretrial conferences can include resolving a case by plea bargain.
Droughns, now with the Cleveland Browns, faces one count of third-degree assault, a misdemeanor with a penalty of up to two years in jail, and two counts of harassment, a misdemeanor that carries a penalty of up to 6 months in jail for each count, Walsh said.
The charges stem from a May 12 incident in Centennial. The Associated Press reported that an arrest report said Droughns threw his wife, Kellie, out the door of their suburban home after she said she wanted a divorce. Droughns last month apologized for bringing “negative attention” to the team.
Droughns and his attorney, Adam Tucker, declined comment Thursday.
Footnotes
Shanahan praised the first-day work of rookie quarterback Jay Cutler, saying, “He’s very talented. There’s a learning curve at the quarterback position, but we’ll let the process take care of itself with him.” … Former Colorado State star Cecil Sapp was running with the first team at fullback ahead of Kyle Johnson, last year’s starter.
Denver Post staff writers Robert Sanchez and Annette Espinoza contributed to this story.
Adrian Dater can be reached at 303-820-5454 or adater@denverpost.com.
