Lucky for the Broncos, no games were scheduled for Aug. 3.
The dings, twists, strains and bruises started to become at least a minor concern Thursday as the Broncos continued two-a-day workouts at training camp.
Four starters sat out the morning session – wide receivers Rod Smith and Javon Walker, guard Ben Hamilton and defensive end Courtney Brown.
Of the four, Brown is in need of the most treatment since his left knee acted up Tuesday.
“It’s inflamed a little bit more than I thought it would,” said Brown, who has fought injuries throughout his career. “I’m just basically listening to the trainers. It was no one thing that happened. It just started up in practice.”
Smith was out with a mild hamstring strain. It appears he has a decent chance of returning by Monday. Hamilton was given some time to help mend a sore left knee.
“He could have practiced today but we wanted to give some of these younger guys a chance,” Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said.
Walker also was given the day off as a precaution to his recovery from reconstructive knee surgery.
“Coach Shanahan told me after I signed he was going to give me a day off here and there,” said Walker, who is not expected to play in the Broncos’ preseason opener next Friday at Detroit’s Ford Field, where he suffered the injury last year while with Green Bay. “My knee feels great.”
Plummer’s trial set
A trial date for Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer was set Thursday in Englewood Municipal Court.
Plummer has been accused of “road rage” in an April incident in which he allegedly kicked a man’s truck then backed into the same vehicle before driving off.
Plummer, who faces the misdemeanor charge of intent to injure or destroy property, did not appear in court Thursday.
His trial date has been set for Sept. 29, during the Broncos’ bye week.
Woods flunks physical
Where have you gone, Rashaun Woods?
He is the Bronco who never was. After he was claimed off waivers Wednesday by the Broncos, Woods, a former first-round receiver from Oklahoma State, flunked his physical Thursday.
Woods has a hamstring injury, which is why he was cut by San Diego earlier in the week.
The Broncos signed former Missouri running back Damien Nash, who showed quickness in the afternoon practice.
Nash was cut earlier in the week by the Tennessee Titans.
Trevor talking
In a recent visit with the Baltimore media, former Broncos defensive end Trevor Pryce said he’s having fun playing football again for the first time in years now that he’s with the Ravens.
As he first stated late last season, Pryce complained that the Broncos’ heavy blitz schemes restricted the defensive linemen’s role to holding up, rather than beating, blockers.
“They’re actually putting me in positions where you can try to make a play instead of the blocking dummies that the D-line became last year for Denver,” Pryce said.
There would be another not- so-veiled swipe at Shanahan.
“I came from something that could get pretty hairy at times, even with all the winning,” said Pryce, who added that any misstep would tend to draw the wrath of the Denver coach. “You took a wrong step, forget missing a tackle …”
Responded Shanahan: “That was a compliment to me. I get on him for taking a wrong step? I take that as a compliment.”
Hey, get a new song
Derek Thomas, a key cog in the Broncos’ marketing machine, said the team has yet to decide on a new touchdown song after complying with the NFL’s wishes to dump Gary Glitter’s “Rock & Roll – Part II,” also known as the “Hey” song. The league wants to distance itself from Glitter after he was hit with child molestation charges this year in Vietnam.
Lelie update
There are reports Atlanta and Baltimore could have interest in Broncos wide receiver Ashley Lelie, who is holding out in hopes of forcing a trade. Seattle also may have interest in a deal.
Footnotes
Todd Devoe, who needs a strong preseason to make the Broncos’ roster as a backup wide receiver, returned from his shoulder injury Thursday. …
Linebacker T.J. Hollowell, a third-year pro out of Nebraska, was carted off the field during the afternoon workout after suffering what appeared to be a serious left calf strain. …
Backup defensive tackle Antwon Burton missed practice time Thursday because of an ankle injury.
Staff writer Kieran Nicholson contributed to this report.
