Ten years into his NFL career, achieved a first Wednesday when he was selected by his teammates as one of five captains for 2017.
“It means a lot to me,” he said. “Your teammates voted for you, so it’s good to see that they look at me as a leader and good to see that I’ve been doing my job in OTAs and training camp. I’m honored.”
Talib statistically sits in a class of Hall of Famers, with nine career pick-sixes and 33 interceptions, and his voice in the locker room has long been the loudest. But never before was he voted captain.
“I think maybe my off-the-field stuff kind of prevented me from being a captain a lot of the time, but I think I always been captain material,” he said. “I’ve always been a good guy at practice, I’ve always been a great teammate and I’ve always been a leader.”
Injury update
The Broncos will enter the season relatively healthy after sustaining a number of injuries throughout the offseason and preseason. Defensive end Zach Kerr (knee bruise) and quarterback (shoulder sprain) were the only absentees from practice Thursday as they recover from their respective injuries. Running back and Talib were both given veteran days off but observed practice. As did running back , who missed the entire preseason because of a wrist injury. He could be cleared to return by week’s end.
Defensive ends (ankle), (back) and (shoulder), and nose tackle Kyle Peko (foot) were all limited Thursday.
Receiver Demaryius Thomas, who was dealing with a thigh bruise, practiced in full.
Bracing for Irma
As the Broncos prepare for their season-opener against the Chargers on Monday, many players have concerns beyond football. Isaiah McKenzie, a Miami native, and others including quarterbacks and Paxton Lynch, and safety , grew up in Florida and still have family in the area, all of whom are bracing for Hurricane Irma.
“We’ve got a couple guys that are flying family here, actually. Isaiah (McKenzie),” coach said. “Obviously the hurricane season is on. I’m a New Orleans guy and I grew up with hurricanes and it’s horrific, the winds and the water. Watching Houston, now watching Florida — it hasn’t hit yet, but it’s coming. It’s a huge hurricane, so we pray for those people down there and hopefully they can get out before it hits.”
Joseph said his family lost their home in Hurricane Katrina, when he was in San Francisco as the 49ers assistant defensive backs coach.
“Every high school football season we had hurricanes and we would just jump in the car as a family and drive north and stay three or four days and drive back home,” he said. “… But we didn’t stay. We always evacuated as a family.”
Footnotes. Joseph said he has yet to decide on which left guard — or Allen Barbre — will start in Monday’s game. … Joseph said the team will have a season-long plan for Charles to both monitor his knees and keep him fresh for the full 16 games. … Running back said he has lofty goals for the season, which include rushing for more than 1,000 yards. His biggest goal, however, is to have an impact in all 16 games.
