In their second scary situation of training camp, the Broncos turned from a nervous bunch to a relieved group in a matter of hours Monday. What first looked like a potential season- ending left knee injury for rookie defensive end Jarvis Moss during the morning practice turned out to be a minor injury.
In fact, the Broncos’ first- round draft pick said Monday night he thinks he will be back on the practice field today.
“It was scary, but I’m good,” Moss said. “At first, I thought it was bad, but we got pretty lucky.”
Moss was taken off the field grimacing, on a cart, during the morning workout.
Coach Mike Shanahan isn’t so sure he will put Moss back on the field today but was relieved the injury wasn’t serious.
“He should be fine,” Shanahan said. “But it’s too early to say when he’ll practice.”
Shanahan indicated Moss, a pass rusher from Florida picked No. 17 in the first round, is day to day. Moss, who watched Monday afternoon’s practice, said he planned to rehabilitate for several hours with the Broncos’ training staff Monday night.
The team got lucky on Thursday after strongside linebacker Warrick Holdman was carted off the field on a stretcher after losing feeling in his body for 30 to 40 seconds. Holdman, a potential starter, was kept overnight at a hospital in nearby Lone Tree for observation because of a spinal cord concussion. He hasn’t practiced since the injury but has said he is ready to go back to work. Shanahan said he wasn’t sure when Holdman would return.
Team trainers initially thought Moss simply twisted his knee. An MRI confirmed their diagnosis, meaning there are no structural tears.
“I started walking around and felt pretty good,” Moss said.
Moss went down during a pass-rushing drill. He put a spin move on offensive lineman Jacob Rogers, then planted his feet, stopped and fell to the ground. He writhed in pain and put his hands on his helmet before being helped up.
When he was put on the cart, Moss had an anguished look on his face and put his hand on his injured knee.
“You hate to see something like that,” said Broncos teammate Tim Crowder, another rookie defensive end. “But we all know Jarvis is a tough guy and he’ll bounce back.”
The Broncos are counting on Moss, who signed a five-year contract with $8 million in guaranteed money, to improve their pass rush. The team has been pleased with Moss through one week of training camp. He has shown good quickness and has caught onto the defensive scheme. He is working with the No. 1 defense on passing downs.
“Jarvis has done a good job,” Shanahan said. “He’s met the challenge, and he gets better every day. There’s a big learning curve, and I think Jarvis will be able to handle it.”
It appears Moss will get the chance sooner than everyone thought Monday morning.
Staff writer Bill Williamson can be reached at 303-954-1262 or bwilliamson@denverpost.com.
