ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Ryan Harris made 45 consecutive starts at Notre Dame.
He started a different kind of streak to begin his NFL career—missing three straight games.
“This isn’t how I wanted to start,” the Broncos rookie offensive lineman said Wednesday when he practiced for the first time since his back operation in mid-August.
“I’m real excited to be a complete member of this team again,” Harris said. “My back is feeling great.”
The pain began in a minicamp last summer. Every time he went to pass block, he felt a shooting bolt of pain down his left leg, followed by numbness in his left foot.
“It was the kind of pain that I wouldn’t even wish on my worst enemy,” Harris said. “It was debilitating. It was a paralyzing pain.”
Harris tried to gut it out through the start of training camp, even taking cortisone shots in an attempt to stave off surgery.
But in the middle of August, with the pain too intense, Harris elected to have the surgery. Doctors removed portions of the lumbar discs to give the nerves more space. He was told he’d be out six weeks, and is returning almost to the day of that prognosis.
“I’m feeling good,” Harris said.
After practice Wednesday, he said his back held up just fine.
“I’m happy,” said Harris, who’s listed as the backup to Matt Lepsis at left tackle. “I feel better than … than … I don’t even know. I’m just happy to be back.
“I finished practice without any pain. I was going at game speed and I did fine. I think I would’ve been disappointed if I wasn’t going as fast as the other guys. But that wasn’t the case. I felt good.”
The return of Harris was encouraging news to coach Mike Shanahan. The Broncos are a little thin at offensive line with Ben Hamilton out indefinitely with a concussion.
“To have Ryan back, obviously, takes a lot of pressure off of us as an offensive unit,” Shanahan said.
These days, the only pain Harris is experiencing has to do with his alma mater Notre Dame and its 0-4 start. He talks to his Fighting Irish brethren all the time—but not about football. He doesn’t want his former teammates to feel like he’s piling on.
“I call and crack some jokes,” Harris said. “I know they’re doing everything they can to win. No one wanted to go 0-4. I know coach (Charlie) Weis is working harder than anybody could imagine to make sure they win. I’m sure he’s there day and night, probably can’t sleep.”
Harris is sleeping a lot easier now that his back is on the mend. He protected the blindside of Brady Quinn, now with Cleveland, for his final three seasons, never once succumbing to injury.
So watching from the sideline is a strange view.
“It’s been rough—just knowing that I’m not able to go in if they need me to,” Harris said. “But now I feel 100 percent. I feel confident. I feel ready to go.”
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STOKLEY FAN@: Peyton Manning figured Brandon Stokley would turn into Jay Cutler’s go-to receiver on third downs.
Nothing surprises Manning when it comes to Stokley.
“I know how hard of a worker he is and how he takes a challenge,” Manning said. “I am very happy for him.”
Stokley and Manning teamed up for four seasons in Indianapolis before the Colts elected to sever ties with Stokley, who was coming off a ruptured Achilles’ tendon in the offseason, and signed as a free agent with Denver.
“I certainly wish he was playing with us,” Manning said. “We had a great time here, roommates during training camp and good friends, golfing buddies. I really miss him being around and miss him as a teammate.”
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NO PLACE LIKE DOME@: Cutler has fond memories of playing in the Colts’ RCA Dome.
The last time he played there he led Heritage Hills High School to a 27-24 overtime win in the Indiana Class 3A state championship game in November 2000.
Cutler caught a 12-yard touchdown pass on a throwback play for the winning score. He can still vividly recall the play.
“We split four guys out to the right, we faked a quick screen and he threw it all the way back to me for the score,” Cutler said. “It was in overtime, so it was fun.”
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INJURY UPDATE@: Javon Walker skipped practice Wednesday with swelling in his surgically repaired right knee, a potentially ominous sign for the Broncos and their star receiver.
“Javon just had a little swelling in there. He’s had it for the last couple weeks,” Shanahan said. “Thought we’d give him a day’s rest. Hopefully it gets better.”
An MRI on Walker’s knee showed “nothing serious, some inflammation,” Shanahan said. “Hopefully, it gets better.”
Shanahan said he expects Walker to play Sunday at Indianapolis.
Cutler (ankle) participated in the entire practice, but safety John Lynch (groin) sat out and likely won’t test it until Friday, Shanahan said.
Cutler plans on playing Sunday.
“We still have some time,” he said. “A lot of rehab left. I’m confident I’ll be ready.”
Fullback Mike Bell (head) also skipped practice and tight end Stephen Alexander (calf) was limited.
Special teams ace Paul Smith (neck) participated in practice but said the team planned to keep him out of contact all week in hopes he could play against the Colts.
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QUICK HITS@: The Broncos have defeated the defending Super Bowl champion in each of the last two seasons. … K Jason Elam needs six points to become the fastest player in NFL history to reach 1,700 career points. … Cutler has thrown TD passes in all eight of his career starts, three shy of Mark Rypien’s record for touchdowns to begin a career. … Denver has held Colts DE Dwight Freeney to a total of 1 1/2 sacks in six games.
