BARRETT BACK IN DRILLS FOR FIRST TIME SINCE INJURY
After a week of bad injury news, the Broncos welcomed some good news: Shaquil Barrett, their reserve outside linebacker who suffered a hip injury while working out on his own during the offseason, returned to practice Tuesday and was taken off the team’s nonfootball injury (NFI) list.
The fourth-year linebacker participated in individual drills Tuesday, about three months after suffering a hip injury.
“It’s good to have him back,” coach Vance Joseph said. “That group looks different with Shaq out there. It’s his first day back, so he’s actually day to day right now. But he’s looking good and feeling good.”
The Broncos initially expected that Barrett might be lost for the season. But a visit to the Steadman Clinic in Vail quelled such fears. The injury was treated conservatively and did not require surgery.
Barrett missed the entire training camp and will probably miss the full preseason as he works his way back. If he’s not ready for the season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sept. 11, Barrett might be healthy enough for Week 2, in Denver against the Dallas Cowboys.
“He means a lot. It gives us a solid outside linebacker,” linebacker Von Miller said. “If he was on any other team in the National Football League, he would be starting. He’d be the premier rusher on any other team. So to have him back on the field means a lot. It gives us a little bit of security over there. He’s a great pass rusher, great in coverage. He does everything that I do.
“Just looking across and seeing a player you’ve played with for three years and a guy that you’re familiar with, it helps me out too. I’m comfortable with my rushes and comfortable with where I’m at on the other side of the ball. So it’s great.”
The Broncos also welcomed the return of safety T.J. Ward, who missed the last two weeks of practices because of a hamstring injury. Ward participated in individual drills but not team drills.
Footnotes:
Wide receiver Cody Latimer (knee) and outside linebacker DeMarcus Walker (hip), both of whom did not practice or play against the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara, Calif., last week, practiced Tuesday as well. …Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders (shoulder soreness) was back on the practice field. He did not play in the second preseason game. …Still recovering from injuries are starting defensive ends Derek Wolfe (ankle sprain) and Jared Crick (back spasms) and outside linebacker Shane Ray (wrist). Ray recently shed the cast on his surgically repaired left wrist, allowing him to resume conditioning workouts. He is expected to return early in the regular season, around Weeks 2 or 3. … Joseph said rookie tight end Jake Butt will “probably” go on the regularseason physically unable to perform (PUP) list, meaning he would have to sit for the first six weeks of the season before the team could pull him off. When he does come off, he counts against the team’s 53-man roster. He has been recovering from ACL surgery that he underwent while at Michigan. …In preparation for his one and only live preseason audition, Saturday against the Green Bay Packers, veteran running back Jamaal Charles practiced without his knee brace Tuesday. “He looked great today, he looked great last week and he is wanting to play football,” Joseph said, adding Charles will be involved “early” against the Packers, “probably in the first 15 (plays).” …Miller said he is “down for whatever” in the preseason. Miller was held out of the first two preseason games to preserve his health. If he’s asked to suit up Saturday against Green Bay, he’ll happily answer the call. “Whatever V.J. wants me to do, I’m going to be ready to go,” Miller said.