NOTE: I’ll have the morning report and photos up in a little while … much to discuss, per usual, plus some thoughts from Mike Bell on where he stands in the race for playing time at tailback.
For the first time since the end of the regular season, Javon Walker held a press conference on Wednesday morning. But he wanted to keep the question-and-answer session on matters on the field, and did not want to discuss the details of a difficult offseason that began by witnessing the Jan. 1 death of teammate and friend Darrent Williams.
“I’m just talking about football right now, guys,” Walker said when being asked whether this was the toughest offseason with which he has ever dealt. “So any football-related questions …”
Aside from the cataclysmic events that he experienced in the offseason, the other storyline regarding Walker is his return to full speed nearly 23 months after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament while playing for the Green Bay Packers at Detroit in the 2005 season opener. Walker led the Broncos in receiving last year, but was still conscious of the knee in his first year back.
Nowadays, he doesn’t think about the injury at all.
“That’s what made this training camp exciting — going into practice and being ready to play and not rehabbing anything,” Walker said.
Here’s what else he had to say at his post-practice press briefing:
HOW ARE YOU FEELING:
Football-wise, I feel pretty good. Last year, going into camp, I was rehabbing slowly and trying to learn on the run, so going into this season, I feel healthy and strong and ready to give it a full go when the season starts.
TOUGHEST OFFSEASON YOU’VE EVER HAD TO DEAL WITH?
I’m just talking about football right now, guys. So any football-related questions …
BUT HOW ARE YOU DOING PERSONALLY, JUST OFF THE FIELD:
Oh, I’m doing good. I’m feeling healthy, so that’s the best part about it, running out routes every day and not doing anything that’s limiting. I’m getting ready to go out each and every practice and I’m not worried about having to be limited from anything.
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE — WHERE DO YOU GUYS THINK YOU’RE AT?
We feel pretty good. Obviously when you’re going against a defense like ours every day, they tend to pick up things that we’ve been doing every day, and that’s why it’s a good challenge for us when we get ready to go down to Dallas and practice against another team and also when we go get ready to play San Francisco. You’re working on new things every day, but you’re going against the same guys. A lot of times, you win some and you lose some, but we feel good about where we’re headed.
HAVE YOU BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO TRAINING CAMP?
Yeah, I’ve been looking forward to training camp just because I knew I was healthy and feeling strong and had an offseason where there wasn’t any rehabilitation.
WERE YOU DREADING COMING UP HERE AND TALKING?
Well, because there’s certain situations where I just didn’t want myself in front of the camera right now. So this is due to people I know and people who are working with me right now. The time was going to come, and what better day than a day like today?
IS IT STILL TOUGH TO TALK ABOUT TO TALK ABOUT THAT KIND OF STUFF — OFF-FIELD, WHAT HAPPENED TO DARRENT–
Football, please.
YOU HAD A COUPLE OF BIG CATCHES TODAY — HOW DID YOU GET THAT OPEN?
You know what, that’s just a certain part of the package that we install every day. We know that’s going to be a big part of our game this year, and to get it going in practice here will just transfer over to the games. I know that’s a big part of my game, so it felt real good to try to get that timing down.
DO YOU FEEL YOUR KNEE AT ALL?
No. That’s what made this training camp exciting — going into practice and being ready to play and not rehabbing anything.
WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP LIKE WITH JAY CUTLER?
It’s good. We’ve had a whole offseason together. Obviously, he started the last five games last year, and right now it feels like we’ve played 16 games already, so the timing is there. We’ve just got to stay consistent with it, get a lot of the other guys on the same page and go from there.
WHAT IS THE REASON BEHIND THE MOHAWK?
Nothing, just something different. I got tired of getting the same haircut all my life, so I wanted something new and different to stand out a little bit.
HOW LONG WILL YOU HAVE IT? WILL IT BE LIKE JAKE PLUMMER’S BEARD, STAYING THE WHOLE SEASON?
I’m not really sure. I’m thinking there’s probably going to be a point in time where I get tired of it and try to come back with something new.
TALK ABOUT THE OTHER RECEIVERS BESIDES ROD SMITH AND HOW THEY’RE PROGRESSING:
Well, the good thing is that we still have our same receiving corps as last year, and with the addition of (Brandon) Stokley, I mean, you can’t look at Stokley as being a rookie. Stokley’s got two Super Bowl rings, was with a Super Bowl team last year and played with a future Hall of Fame quarterback, so he’s just getting right into the mix of things. We do have somewhat of a veteran group of receivers, to where nobody’s really learning right now. We have one rookie (Marquay McDaniel), but he’s also on the same page. I think it gives the other quarterbacks — every time they get a chance to get their reps, they have guys who know what they’re doing.
DOESN’T HURT THAT BRANDON STOKLEY IS FROM LAFAYETTE, LA.:
Exactly right. Me and Brandon played against each other in high school. We’ve got a lot of mutual friends. I feel at home when he’s here.
DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’VE ESTABLISHED YOURSELF AS THE GO-TO GUY NOW?
Well, I hope so. Obviously, plays that were made last year (were) plays that were made even before I got here, so it’s all about how to use everybody’s talents. Obviously the coaches can see what I can do, and there’ll come a point in time where there’ll be certain games where different players will have to step up, and a receiver is only as good as the opposite side of him, so we’ll see how that goes, and continue trying to make plays.
SEEMS LIKE CUTLER FITS YOUR TALENTS BETTER THAN PLUMMER:
Well, you know, he does have a strong arm. It depends on how the coaches let him utilize that, and I think they will. With the receivers we have out there — big, strong and fast — (he’s) got to get his opportunities to show what he can do.
Tags: Javon Walker, Training Camp
I credit the media for asking the questions they had to ask, but at the same time respecting Javon’s request to keep it on the field and not press him on the matter.
A big shout out to Walker, who has shown alot of strength and to the Broncos for really come together to assist a teammate in need.
TSG
http://www.milehighreport.com
I’m really glad that Javon has been able to work through things and get back out on the field. I do think that were will be a time that he has to sit down and talk about what happened that night and what it was like for him.
It feels good to know that his knee is feeling good and he can preform at his best this year. I just don’t think he is all there from what he went through. How could you be seeing what he saw?
I’ve heard rumors that his ‘fro-hawk’ is somehow connected to D-will’s (i.e. in his honor). Has Walker mentioned anything like that himself, or is this just wild speculation?
Thanks,
Jonathan Douglas
http://www.mydenverobsession.com
It’s just speculation … he hasn’t mentioned publicly any connection, and just said today that the hairdo was “something different.”
Do the Broncos listen to music on the field to get pumped up and if yes, what do they listen to?
Shame on me for actually saying it was in tribute. I’m reading between the lines and going with it and I think it is a solid way to keep DW at the forefront of his mind….
A big hurdle to get over to say the least.
TSG
http://www.milehighreport.com
http://www.nowlive.com/mhrradio
javon you are the man love your hair and i think you guys are going to dominant your division and probbaly the nfl, with your new defensive coach and your loaded up defence and offence
I dont think Javon wants to come out and say the mohawk is in memory of D-Will. I don’t think he wants it to be a big media story to draw attention to him. It is probably just a quiet personal shout out to his friend in his memory.
That’s so great that he has been able to come back from his knee injury. He’s gonna be a huge part of the offense this year. I’m so sorry he had to go through the devestating events January 1st, but I’m glad he’s able to get out there and play football. Maybe this will keep his mind in a good place, a place where Darrent enjoyed himself and a place where he will hopefully enjoy himself for years to come.
You know it was a tough year for javon and the rest of the Bronco family and i hope they rebound with the lost of two players. It’s not going to be the same of course, but it seems to me that Javon has become a top of his game and he will try not let off seson struggles slow him down.
Sports Illustrated
I couldn’t understand some parts of this article, but it sounds interesting
using live and in-person training can boost employee communication skills
Communication is a vital skill needed by every employee in your organization. Management seminars teach effective communication to employees in several key areas. Be it giving presentations or other manner of offering ideas, having excellent communicat…