ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—A precautionary MRI turned up nothing wrong with the sore left knee of Denver Broncos center Tom Nalen, the team said Friday.
The 14-year veteran still didn’t take part in practice on Friday.
“When he feels like he’s ready to go, he’ll go,” coach Mike Shanahan said. “When that will be, I really don’t know.”
Nalen huddled with members of the offensive line between plays. He kept notes and appeared to provide advice to the younger members of the team.
“There is a difference between being injured and being hurt,” Shanahan said. “Tom knows the difference. So when he can play he’ll be back in the lineup.”
Nalen had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on June 6. The MRI was done Thursday.
Shanahan said that trainer Steve Antonopulos thought the irritation was in the bursa sac beneath the knee.
Nalen has played in 194 games, including 188 starts. Only two Broncos have played in more: kicker Jason Elam, now with the Falcons, who played in 236 games, and retired quarterback John Elway, who played in 234.
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HALL OF FAME ENTOURAGE:@ The Denver Broncos will be well represented at the Hall of Fame induction of offensive tackle Gary Zimmerman.
“We will be down there (in Canton, Ohio) with about nine or 10 coaches that were with Gary,” Shanahan said. “We are looking forward to it.”
Zimmerman played five seasons with the Broncos. He was a member of the Denver team that defeated Green Bay in Super Bowl XXXII.
“He’s a guy we never had to worry about making a play,” Shanahan said. “I gave an illustration of this one where his shoulders popped and he refused to come out until John (Elway) did. That gives you an idea of how tough he was as well.”
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OUT OF ACTION:@ The Broncos practiced without linebacker Boss Bailey.
“Bailey’s knee was a little inflamed today,” Shanahan said. “So we kept him off.”
Safety Hamza Abdullah made it through all but the last two periods of the morning workout.
“His groin was a little sore and we kept him off the last two periods,” Shanahan said. “He practiced everything except the last two.”
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BACK AT IT:@ Defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban, recovering from a torn Achilles’ tendon, practices Friday after missing Thursday.
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FIRST DOWNS:@ Wide receiver Brandon Marshall made several dazzling catches on Friday. The best was a fingertip grab of a ball thrown by Jay Cutler in the back of the end zone where he barely got both feet in bounds. … Marshall, who has been arrested three times in the past year and faces trial in September on a drunken driving arrest, is limiting his topics of discussion to the start of the regular season. “I will talk about the opening of the season and the opening of the season,” he said. … Two of the teams defensive ends, Elvis Dumervil and Jarvis Moss are exchanging notes on how they are being blocked.
