Another battered and bruised day over at Dove Valley for the Broncos. Shanny and Tony Scheffler took questions after the morning work --
Head Coach Mike Shanahan --
On the execution at Tuesday's practice --
"I would say we were below average today. We have all of our installation in and we have put them in some situations that they haven't done a lot of such as throwing the football with different personnel groups and the two-minute drill at the end. It is something that you like to do when the players are tired because it is very realistic of what happens on game day. You have to have 11 guys coordinate it, and we lost a few guys out there today and the guys that are backing up have to step up and get the job done."
On the Broncos' intensity at practice --
"The intensity is there. Guys are tired, but they have to work through it. That's what football is and that is what training camp is all about."
On LB Nate Webster's intensity --
"You can't lose perspective here. We have guys that are just as intense but maybe not as boisterous. Nate is a hard worker and he communicates extremely well and he is one of those guys who is yelling all of the time. Some guys are like that, but you can be that way and be a little bit quiet. You love guys that are intense and that come to practice ready to work and obviously Nate is one of those guys."
On the health status of T Matt Lepsis --
"(He has) a little bit of a groin pull. I am not sure how serious it is right now, but it was enough to keep him out."
On Denver's secondary --
"It is probably the best secondary that I have been with since I began coaching. Top to bottom, depth, looking at all positions, corners and safeties. Now we have to go and get it done together."
On TE Tony Scheffler --
"Tony just worked out a little bit in individual work. We tried to work him through a 30-minute period and to just get him to run some routes. He is still a ways away, but it is a first step."
On DE Jarvis Moss --
"He will get treatment, and we will play it day-by-day and see how he is feeling. Obviously there is no structural damage and that is a big positive. It shouldn't be too long."
On the chances of LB Warrick Holdman returning to practice soon --
"I am hoping. He is feeling better and he wants to get out there, but until all the symptoms are positive, we are not going to let him out on the field. The doctors feel he is close but when that day will be, I am not really sure but it will be when he is 100 percent free of any negatives."
On WR Brandon Marshall --
"Same thing with Brandon. He is getting in good shape, but he is still not ready to practice. He is doing two-a-days working in the weight room. Hopefully it is not too long, but I can't give you a time frame."
On DT Sam Adams --
"He is in there (weight room) working. We are going to have him practicing one day and in the weight room two days. We feel like with his knee surgery, it is the best way to get him ready for our first game and hopefully it will be."
Tight End Tony Scheffler --
On participating briefly in Tuesday's practice --
"It was good to just get back out there and to put the pads on. Each day I'm sure I'll do more and more; Today was a good start. I ran a few routes, and did a few things out there, not much though. I'm just trying to get the soreness out right now. That's really what I'm working on."
On how long until he gets back to a full practice --
"Probably about a week or so. I'm just kind of easing into it. Each day I'll probably be doing more and more. I feel pretty good right now and coach obviously had enough confidence to put me back out there, so I'll just go day-to-day and see what happens."
On if he is falling behind because of missing practice --
"No. I was talking with the guys and it's one thing to look at the playbook, but it's another thing to be out there every day, so as far as that goes it'll probably take a couple days to get back into the swing of things. I think I'm stronger than I have ever been. I've been working my lower body, trying to get back in shape. (I've) been doing cardio every day, so I'm not really concerned about that aspect."
On if being out of practice is frustrating --
"Yeah, it's frustrating. Any athlete who sees his teammates out there working hard every day on the grind, when you leave them before every practice to go over to the weight room, it's kind of tough."
On being bigger and stronger than last year --
"I'm about 255 right now and definitely a lot stronger in my upper body. I've been lifting on my lower body the last couple of weeks pretty hard since my foot has been healed, so I think I'm right there ready to go."
On agreeing with Head Coach Shanahan on the team having a below-average practice Tuesday --
"I actually went straight from the field to the weight room and came out for like the last 10 minutes, so I really didn't get to see much of practice today. I can't really comment on that. All I can say is we're getting pretty deep into camp and a lot of the guys are losing their legs, so you really have to focus hard and try to get though it."
On feeling if he could have done more today at practice --
"Yeah, I think I could have done more, but obviously they are being a little careful with it and I respect that and appreciate that as a player. Hopefully within the next week and can go full speed. I'm sure I'm shooting for Dallas at this point, if not, then Cleveland."