Broncos running back Devontae Booker was sore Monday after taking a hard hit on his shoulder in the Broncos’ victory over the Chargers at Sports Authority Field on Sunday. Booker was injured on a tackle by cornerback Brandon Flowers during the first drive of the game.
Booker headed to the locker room to get examined and missed the Broncos’ subsequent series, but returned and played the rest of the game. He finished with 54 yards on 19 carries with one touchdown and one fumble.
“Everything sounds good. He’s sore,” coach Gary Kubiak said. “We’ll see where we’re at, but the fact that he was able to come back and play through it, I think thatap a good sign.”
Kubiak said he believed Booker was expected to undergo further testing Monday.
“I think he has,” Kubiak said. “I just talked to Greek (head athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos) briefly. Bottom line is he’s sore today, but we’re not going to do much. He’ll be day-to-day.”
Derby debut? The Broncos acquired tight end A.J. Derby in a trade with the New England Patriots last week. Kubiak and general manager John Elway both pegged him as a player who can contribute immediately, but he had only a few days to get acclimated before the Broncos played host to the Chargers. The turnaround was too short for him to be active last Sunday, but Kubiak hopes he’ll be ready — enough — to be available at Oakland.
“He was ready physically,” Kubiak said. “I don’t think mentally he could have went out and run our game plan. We just got him last Tuesday. (Tight ends coach) Brian (Pariani) spent all night with him Tuesday. We made up some ground, but my expectations are to get him prepared to play this week.”
Game balls. Receivers Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, both of whom turned in highlight-reel catches against the Chargers on Sunday, were given offensive game balls Monday. Safety T.J. Ward, cornerback Bradley Roby and defensive end Jared Crick were given defensive game balls. And punter Riley Dixon was awarded a special-teams game ball.
Dixon kicked a 68-yard punt to San Diego’s 29-yard line in the final minutes of the fourth quarter.
“He has the ability to hit the big ball,” Kubiak said. “We’re trying to get him more consistent, but he’s done a good job. But there was no bigger play than that, kicking the ball out of our end zone. … We needed the best punt of the year from him and we got it.”
