turftoad
09-27-2008, 02:16 PM
A secret weapon? Not exactly.
"Just maybe one people don't expect," Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler said.
Somewhat lost in all the numbers the Broncos offense has put up in three games is the fact the guy who just might have been their starting running back is close to returning to practice.
Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said Friday that rookie Ryan Torain is on track to return to practice in the days leading up to the Broncos' Oct. 20 game in New England. If all goes well, Torain could play after the Broncos' Oct. 26 bye. The Broncos will face the Miami Dolphins on Nov. 2 at Invesco Field at Mile High.
"From what we saw in camp, the kid is an explosive runner and in the second half of the season, guys get worn down and we're going to pop this fresh kid in there," Cutler said. "It's going to be exciting to watch."
Torain suffered a fractured left elbow and some ligament damage that required surgery in early August. At the time, he steadily was moving up the team's depth chart, with Shanahan saying, before any preseason games had been played, that Torain was headed toward being the team's starter.
At the time, Shanahan called him "one of the most gifted running backs I've been around, and I've been around for a long time, very similar to Terrell Davis when he came in."
Torain, who still is wearing a brace on his left arm for much of his day around the Broncos' Dove Valley complex, has been doing conditioning work and exercises to regain the range of motion in his arm.
"I'm excited, I'm just going to keep working hard and get back," Torain said. "I started running, and that's when it started to feel like it's getting closer, like I was taking some strides. It's going
"Just maybe one people don't expect," Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler said.
Somewhat lost in all the numbers the Broncos offense has put up in three games is the fact the guy who just might have been their starting running back is close to returning to practice.
Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said Friday that rookie Ryan Torain is on track to return to practice in the days leading up to the Broncos' Oct. 20 game in New England. If all goes well, Torain could play after the Broncos' Oct. 26 bye. The Broncos will face the Miami Dolphins on Nov. 2 at Invesco Field at Mile High.
"From what we saw in camp, the kid is an explosive runner and in the second half of the season, guys get worn down and we're going to pop this fresh kid in there," Cutler said. "It's going to be exciting to watch."
Torain suffered a fractured left elbow and some ligament damage that required surgery in early August. At the time, he steadily was moving up the team's depth chart, with Shanahan saying, before any preseason games had been played, that Torain was headed toward being the team's starter.
At the time, Shanahan called him "one of the most gifted running backs I've been around, and I've been around for a long time, very similar to Terrell Davis when he came in."
Torain, who still is wearing a brace on his left arm for much of his day around the Broncos' Dove Valley complex, has been doing conditioning work and exercises to regain the range of motion in his arm.
"I'm excited, I'm just going to keep working hard and get back," Torain said. "I started running, and that's when it started to feel like it's getting closer, like I was taking some strides. It's going