While his playing status for Sunday at San Diego won’t be known until later this week, the news couldn’t have been better concerning star middle linebacker Al Wilson on Monday.
An MRI on his neck was negative, and Wilson was walking around the Broncos’ facility. Coach Mike Shanahan said if tingling in Wilson’s shoulder and triceps subsides, he will practice Wednesday. Wilson was carried off the field Sunday night on a stretcher and taken to an area hospital as a precaution. He was released late Sunday night. He suffered a sprained neck in a collision with teammate Gerard Warren during the Seattle game.
While Wilson may return to the field soon, fullback Cecil Sapp’s season is over. Sapp was put on injured reserve after he suffered a broken leg on a kickoff return Sunday. The Colorado State product will need four to six weeks to recover.
Denver may sign a replacement for Sapp as soon as today, but likely will look at options at several positions. The Broncos have worked out one fullback this season, former Tennessee Titans player Troy Fleming.
Jason Elam will be evaluated during the week. The kicker suffered a strained hamstring in his nonkicking leg on a fake field- goal attempt Sunday. Shanahan said the team expects Elam to be able to play at San Diego. Tight end Stephen Alexander and defensive tackle Demetrin Veal suffered sprained ankles.
Foxworth at safety
Nickel cornerback Domonique Foxworth will continue to get significant playing time at strong safety, Shanahan said.
Foxworth played there against Seattle. Curome Cox, who replaced injured Nick Ferguson at Kansas City on Nov. 23, also will play there. Cox played in nickel situations against Seattle.
Ferguson was lost for the season with a knee injury suffered Nov. 19 against San Diego.
Foxworth is getting the call in an attempt to get Denver’s best players on the field. Foxworth has played extensively since being drafted in the third round in 2005.
“He did a great job, not playing the position before,” Shanahan said. “I think he’ll get better and better at the position the more comfortable he feels, being able to adjust to the ball in a different area of the field which he’s not used to. He’s got great ball skills, extremely bright. Even though he’s not very big, he still makes tackles and can cover great one-on-one. So I thought it was a good move, not to take anything away from Curome Cox, because he played extremely well.”
Walker cools down
Sunday night, for the second time this season, Broncos wide receiver Javon Walker suggested he wants the ball more. He made two catches for 17 yards against Seattle. But he backed off the comments Monday.
“It was just frustration,” Walker said. “It was in the heat of the moment.”
Walker said he wants the opportunity to produce, like everyone else on the team. He also took responsibility for not doing more himself. He predicted that once the Jay Cutler era gets into full swing, the Denver offense will be difficult to handle.
“I don’t think there will be too many teams that will be able to stop us,” Walker said.
Footnotes
Broncos tight ends coach Tim Brewster has been mentioned as a possible replacement at Stanford for Walt Harris, fired Monday. … The Broncos’ grievance against wideout Ashley Lelie has been postponed until Dec. 18. The grievance is over a signing bonus and money he was fined during his training camp holdout before his trade to Atlanta in August.
Bill Williamson can be reached at 303-954-1262 or bwilliamson@denverpost.com.
CHALK TALK
Give Cutler at least three games to evaluate rookie
Broncos reporter Mike Klis breaks down a strategic element from the Broncos’ 23-20 loss Sunday night to Seattle.
QUESTION OF THE DAY: Should the Broncos have replaced veteran quarterback Jake Plummer with rookie Jay Cutler?
POINT, COUNTERPOINT: Funny how merely by watching a game from the sideline, Plummer is a better quarterback today than he was a week ago. As for Cutler, no fair judgment should be passed until after his third game. Even that may not be enough time, but he will have no choice but to win the game Dec. 17 at Arizona. By then, Cutler should have convinced everyone the passing game is markedly improved with him at quarterback. However, it also will remain clear Plummer is vastly superior in the intangible areas of dealing with a pass rush and reading defenses. These are lessons only experience can teach.
FUTURE PROSPECTS: Broncos coach Mike Shanahan might be in a no-win situation. Plummer had the majority of Broncoland screaming for a switch, and then Cutler’s raw play Sunday quickly transformed emotion into the reality that no quarterback immediately masters the NFL. Veteran players won’t want to hear this, but it appears season-ending injuries and shortcomings in special teams and offense leave the Broncos less than Super Bowl-caliber regardless of who is barking signals. If it can’t be the Super Bowl, shouldn’t it be Cutler?
