ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—The Denver Broncos sorely needed a tight end and they were fortunate to find one who already knows the playbook and the coaching staff.
Fifth-year pro Dante Rosario re-signed with the Broncos on Thursday, 48 hours after being waived by the Miami Dolphins, who had scooped him up when Denver cut him earlier this month.
“I’ve been here in training camp and I know the playbook, and I should be able to jump back in pretty easily,” Rosario said.
Rosario was in Detroit on Wednesday night for a tryout when the Broncos called his agent “and said that they wanted me to play this weekend,” Rosario said.
Rosario was a casualty of Denver’s final roster reduction Sept. 3.
“He did a nice job in camp here,” offensive coordinator Mike McCoy said. “And we had a bunch of tight ends in camp, so his opportunities were limited throughout training camp, but having worked with him before in Carolina, both myself and John (Fox) … we know what type of player he is, so it was easy once he was out there. With our current situation, it was easy to grab him.”
The Broncos needed another tight end after losing rookie Julius Thomas to a high ankle sprain in Sunday’s win over Cincinnati. Thomas hasn’t practiced all week and could be out a while.
To make room for Rosario, the Broncos waived rookie linebacker Mike Mohamed.
Rosario has played in 64 games in his career with 82 catches for 894 yards and four touchdowns. He spent his first four seasons in Carolina but has moved three times since August.
“I feel like I’m traveling more than anybody else in the United States right now,” Rosario said. “I lived out of the hotel in Miami and I’ll probably do the same thing here. It’s difficult, I’m not going to lie.”
Rosario said he knows he might very well be checking out of that hotel soon and catching a flight to yet another city.
“I’m OK with that. For me, it’s just about playing; it’s getting the opportunity. If I end up here, that would be great; Denver’s where I wanted to be from the beginning,” Rosario said.
Thomas is one of four players who hasn’t practiced this week and isn’t expected to play Sunday at Tennessee.
Receiver Brandon Lloyd (groin) participated in Thursday’s workout and defensive end Elvis Dumervil (shoulder), tailback Knowshon Moreno (hamstring) and linebacker D.J. Williams (elbow) were limited, although their availability is unknown.
Cornerback Champ Bailey (hamstring) sat out again Thursday and didn’t seem too optimistic about his chances of playing against the Titans.
“It’s one of those things if I’m not going full speed a couple days before then I’m probably not going to go full speed two days later,” Bailey said. “I’ve got to be smart about it, for one. I don’t want it to linger throughout the season and make it hard for me to play every week.”
Moreno has dealt with hamstring issues the last two seasons and he isn’t pushing it yet, either.
“It’s just like any injury. You’ve got to ease your way back into things,” Moreno said. “It’s tough to go out there and go full speed because you don’t want to go out there and re-aggravate it.”
Willis McGahee ran for 101 yards on 28 carries in Moreno’s place last week.
———
Connect with AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Melendrez Stapleton at
