The Broncos were banking on two things when they traded for Javon Walker and gave him a handsome pay day.
They were hoping he would be fully recovered from a knee injury he suffered last September while playing for Green Bay. They also hoped they would be getting the timely playmaker they were lacking.
Check and check.
While starring Sunday night in the Broncos’ 17-7 victory at New England, Walker displayed his health and big-play ability. He scored both Denver touchdowns, on pass plays of 32 and 83 yards delivered by quarterback Jake Plummer.
Walker has stepped up in a timely fashion.
He leads the NFL in third-down receiving with 161 yards on five catches. Both of his touchdowns against New England were third-down plays. All three of his receptions against the Patriots, for 130 yards, came on third down.
Walker’s two touchdown catches in a game marked the first time a Denver receiver achieved the feat since Rod Smith did it in 2001.
“That’s what we were expecting from Javon,” Plummer said. “He’s a playmaker.”
If Walker keeps it up, the Broncos likely would exercise the option bonus they have on Walker next spring.
The bonus was part of a six-year, $40 million contract Walker signed soon after Denver traded for him in April.
The option bonus was written into the deal partly to protect the Broncos in case Walker’s repaired knee didn’t respond well.
Gutting it out
Now that he says he’s 100 percent healed from a dislocated big toe, Denver defensive tackle Gerard Warren admits it was difficult coming back. Warren was injured Aug. 5 and returned to practice Aug. 28. He has played in all three regular- season games.
“I might have pushed it, looking back,” Warren said. “The training staff and the coaches didn’t push me. They said they’d love to have me on the field when I was ready. I told them I was ready. It really hurt during the (St. Louis) game, but I fought through it. I wasn’t going to miss those games because of a toe.”
Footnotes
Steve Atwater attended Sunday’s game and visited with former Broncos teammates in the locker room afterward. … Former Denver tight end and offensive lineman Dwayne Carswell was not signed by Houston after his workout Monday. Carswell, cut by Denver on Sept. 2, will work out for the New York Giants today. Former Denver quarterback Bradlee Van Pelt also is expected to work out for the Giants today. … Denver players will take off Thursday through Sunday during this bye week. … The Broncos head into the bye with a winning record for the fifth straight year and for the eighth time in Mike Shanahan’s 12 years as their coach. Shana- han’s Broncos have a .663 winning percentage after the bye (55-28) and a .634 winning percentage before the bye (59-34).
Bill Williamson can be reached at 303-954-1262 or bwilliamson@denverpost.com.
