Brandon Marshall halts and concedes a sobering reality for Broncos fans.
“This (Lisfranc foot) injury has a history of slowing guys down for a long time,” Marshall said.
A stout inside linebacker, Marshall represents everything a defense needs. He diagnoses plays. He makes plays. He makes players around him better. When the Broncos entered the playoffs in January, teammates suggested privately that Denver couldn’t reach the Super Bowl without a healthy Marshall, who was injured at the time. Marshall somehow logged 40 snaps in the numbing home playoff loss to Indianapolis, but clearly was not himself.
“It’s kind of a miracle when I think about it now. Something mentally clicked to just allow me to get through it,” Marshall said. “I had it my mind that it was a sprain.”
If only that were the case, one of the primary concerns about the Broncos’ defense — the health of Marshall and Danny Trevathan (knee) — wouldn’t exist. Marshall believes he will be ready when training camp opens in late July.
“I have no reason to believe I won’t,” Marshall said last week.
The Broncos showed faith in him by not drafting a linebacker. And yet, a challenge remains.
Hope turned to concern a month after the 2014 season ended. His right foot, injured Dec. 14 at San Diego when a Chargers offensive lineman fell on it, failed to improve. Marshall underwent a magnetic resonance imaging exam and sought a second opinion from Dr. Robert Anderson, a premier foot specialist in Charlotte, N.C. Anderson performed surgery March 11 to repair ligament damage.
Marshall’s confidence remains palpable, but his return to full health soon remains a leap of faith. The recommended recovery time from Lisfranc surgery is five to six months, suggesting the former Nevada star won’t be 100 percent until mid-August. He recognizes the fraught caused by Lisfranc problems. It ended the career of likely Hall of Fame cornerback Champ Bailey, hindered offensive tackle Ryan Clady’s performance deep into last season and knocked out tailback Ronnie Hillman for six weeks. Former Broncos safety Duke Ihenacho dealt with the injury in college. Marshall valued their advice.
“I have talked to Ronnie, Ryan, Duke. They have told me what to expect. Ryan said his still ached. But they all said it was something I could push through,” said Marshall, his voice rising. “I have persevered my whole life, and ever since I have been in the league. Trust me, there’s nothing too big, there’s nothing on my plate I can’t handle. I will be able to be the player I was.”
The idea of Marshall in coordinator Wade Phillips’ new 3-4 defense remains tantalizing. Marshall profiles well given his lateral quickness — this will be a key test in his return — and ability to shed blockers. He plays “full throttle,” said veteran pass rusher DeMarcus Ware.
Phillips excels at creating pressure. Defensive line coach Bill Kollar schools his players in using different looks to create gaps for a linebacker-friendly defense.
“I really want us to be the No. 1 defense in the NFL,” Marshall said, “and being No. 1 in takeaways will help us reach our goal. I definitely think this is our time. We want to be the difference. We want people to know who we are when they walk onto the field. We want them to fear us and feel our presence.”
The Broncos begin each practice with a defensive pursuit drill, featuring 11 players chasing the ball well down the field. Energy, effort, drive, aggression. The elements required to excel in this scheme mirror Marshall’s strengths.
“Brandon means a lot to our defense. He’s a great player. He’s very vocal,” said defensive end Malik Jackson. “You know what he says is going to be right. There are no mistakes from Brandon.”
Marshall has shown hints of healing ahead of schedule. He has jogged between stations at recent practices, and backpedaled lightly in the trainer’s room. It’s only his foot, he tells himself. He’s been through much worse, crawling up depth charts, silencing doubters.
“I am still hungry,” Marshall said. “I feel like I have a lot to prove. I am not going to sit back and say, ‘I had a good season. Cool.’ That’s not me. I am going to build on that, and do everything possible to get back on the field to help my team.”
Troy E. Renck: trenck@denverpost.com or
