’TIS THE SEASON FOR MILLER’S GENEROSITY
Von Miller always comes through during the holidays. In 2015, he gifted his teammates whiskey and underwear “because it increases blood flow to the area” and because “everybody can use some underwear for Christmas.” In 2016, he gave every player in the AFC West a custom bottle of wine, with a thank you message that read: “It is an honor and a privilege to take the field and compete with you twice a year.”
This year, Santa Miller bought his teammates comfort: “ChiliPads,” dual-temperature mattress toppers.
“I just like doing stuff for my teammates. It just makes me feel good. Selfishly, I just feel good when I do stuff for other people, so I wanted to do something for my guys. It’s like a mattress chill pad. I’ve been using it all year and I love it. I thought some of my guys, especially the offensive linemen that really conduct a lot of body heat in the bed (could use it). Looking out for my guys.”
Roby report.
When the Broncos needed him the most, third-year cornerback Bradley Roby played his best. Filling in for the suspended Aqib Talib last Sunday at Miami, Roby had his best showing of the season. He was targeted nine times in coverage and allowed three receptions for 53 yards, according to Pro Football Focus. He also had three pass breakups, a forced fumble and fumble recovery.
“He did some impressive things. We still want him to be more consistent — there were a couple of plays here or there — but overall I felt like he stepped up and did a good job filling in for Talib,” defensive coordinator Joe Woods said.
“He’s not a big talker, but you could see it in his eyes. He made a couple of plays and just kind of said, ‘Hey, I can do this.’ And that’s what we need from him.”
Injury updates.
Three Denver players didn’t practice Thursday because of injury: guard Ron Leary (back), nose tackle Domata Peko (knee) and quarterback Paxton Lynch (ankle). Defensive end Zach Kerr didn’t practice because of a personal matter, coach Vance Joseph said.
“If (Leary) was healthy enough to play, he would play,” Joseph said. “He’s getting better slowly.”
Practice squad addition.
The Broncos signed defensive end Jhaustin Thomas to their practice squad Thursday. The 6foot-5, 282-pound rookie played two years at Iowa State and was named secondteam all-Big 12 in 2016. He originally signed with the Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2017 but was waived during roster cuts. Thomas briefly played on the practice squads of the Browns and the Raiders before signing with Denver.