ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Before he could sink his teeth into an expanded role, Broncos safety David Bruton had to first undergo a root canal.
Eschewing a mouthpiece, the second-year player from Notre Dame chipped his left front tooth while covering a punt last weekend in Baltimore.
That’s a mistake he won’t make again.
“Got two of them now,” Bruton said, his lip still swollen from where he bit down after colliding with teammate Richard Quinn.
The mouth guard may come in quite handy Sunday against the New York Jets. The Broncos are without perennial Pro Bowler Brian Dawkins (knee) and his backup Darcel McBath (ankle), leaving Bruton or Nate Jones to start alongside Renaldo Hill. The Broncos could also call up safety Kyle McCarthy from the practice squad.
“Nobody wishes for (injuries), but we play a violent game,” Bruton said. “Injuries happen—ankle, shoulder, knee, foot, tooth.”
Coach Josh McDaniels refused to tip his hand on which player he might be leaning toward starting at safety. The Broncos also need fill-ins for cornerback Andre’ Goodman (thigh) and pass-rusher Robert Ayers (foot).
“There are going to be a few different things that we do to try and combat the fact that we have lost a few players that make a big impact,” McDaniels said.
Bruton has been making his mark on special teams this season, providing a pivotal play to seal a win over Tennessee two weeks ago courtesy of a jarring hit that popped the ball free on a late kickoff.
However, a jarring blow in the Ravens game landed Bruton in the dentist’s chair. He had a root canal Monday and has to go back in two weeks for a crown to avoid going around “like a hockey player.”
Bruton has started one game since being drafted in the fourth round in 2009. He’s one of the fastest players on the team and prides himself on his communication skills.
“As long as we’re on the same page, we can always play well and play fast,” Bruton said.
He’s eager to demonstrate what he can do on defense.
“There’s always going to be a want-to, show them you’re more than a special teams player,” Bruton said. “If that’s my role right here and right now, I’m not going to complain. I’d like to have more playing time, but I’ve got to earn the coach’s trust and keeping moving forward.”
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WHITE SIGHTING: Broncos running back LenDale White shed the crutches Wednesday, gingerly walking around in a boot as he rehabs from a surgically repaired right Achilles’ tendon.
White tore the tendon in Denver’s preseason finale at Minnesota, putting an end to his season. He said he’s hoping to be healed in time to participate in organized team activities in the spring.
“Maybe seven months at the max I’ll be 100 percent—able to run, cut, jump, everything,” White said.
The 25-year-old White grew up in Denver and is trying to resurrect his career with the Broncos after a fallout in Tennessee and a brief stop in Seattle.
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ON THE MARK: The Jets traded up to draft quarterback Mark Sanchez in 2009 because they admired his moxie, not over speculation the Broncos possibly coveted the USC product as well.
“We really never cared who was interested,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said in a conference call Wednesday. “We just wanted to get him. He’s the guy that we really targeted.”
With Brett Favre leaving New York following the 2008 season, the Jets were in search of a franchise quarterback. The team looked at Tampa Bay’s Josh Freeman, but felt Sanchez had the temperament to handle the scrutiny that comes with being a QB in New York. They moved up to No. 5 in the draft to nab him.
“When I worked out Mark, and not a slight to Josh Freeman, because I think he’s going to be an outstanding quarterback, but this is the guy we felt could be our quarterback,” Ryan said. “He’s got to have broad shoulders, he’s got to have a certain kind of charisma and everything else. We thought Mark had all those things.”
Sanchez has been the spunky leader Ryan envisioned. He’s yet to thrown an interception this season.
The Broncos sent general manager Brian Xanders to work out Sanchez before the 2009 draft.
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ORANGE CRUSH: The Broncos will be donning their alternate orange jerseys for the game against the Jets.
Not that the color choice particularly matters to linebacker Mario Haggan, even if Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper has proclaimed the game “Orange Sunday.”
“If we had pink jerseys on, we’d have to do the same thing—go stop their running game and try to knock some passes down,” said Haggan, who wore an orange no-contact jersey Wednesday due to a sore neck. “It will be nice to have the orange on, for support or whatever that means, but I’m out there to play football.”
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EXTRA POINTS: RBs Andre Brown (illness) and Knowshon Moreno (hamstring), along with rookie WR Demaryius Thomas (concussion) didn’t practice Wednesday. … FB Spencer Larsen (ankle) participated on a limited basis. … WR Brandon Lloyd leads the NFL with 589 yards receiving. … Broncos QB Kyle Orton said the team’s approach won’t change whether Jets DB Darelle Revis (hamstring) plays or not. “We try to throw the ball to the open guy,” Orton said. “If that’s on Revis, that’s on Revis.”
