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Any offseason in the NFL is tough, but to overcome an ACL injury and still be NFL-ready come training camp is even tougher. The Broncos have two key playmakers on defense assigned this daunting task, and both are saying all the right things to help me believe they'll be ready from the start of 2014 training camp.
Von Miller is conducting a charity event Monday night in Denver at Sports Authority Field at Mile High, where he'll be personally distributing prescription eyewear to 104 underprivileged kids he previously screened. The event, called Von's Vision, is an about-face to Miller's 2013 offseason, where he was arrested and suspended. Clearly Miller is trying to turn over a new leaf in the forum of public opinion; good for him.
"I'm feeling good, I had a schedule that's all I can ask for,'' Miller told ESPN's Keyshawn Johnson. "I'm not going to rush it, I've got good training guys with the Broncos, they're going to have me back in time ready to go.
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"With today's medicine and what's going on now like ACL, it's really not as serious as it used to be,'' Miller continued. "I'm a 100 percent positive I'll be able to come back not only be the same Von, (but) I got to be better. You come back and be the same guy it's like you go ‘it's the same Von again' and I got to be better.'' .
Meanwhile, we know from our interview with him last month that Chris Harris Jr. isn't letting his ACL injury slow him down. Harris told DenverBroncos.com that he sees Champ Bailey's departure as an opportunity for him to step up in a leadership role.
"Yeah, I feel like last year, I definitely took a step up in the leadership role and was involved with a lot of the film work and gameplanning and stuff like that," Harris said. "I feel like it’s my secondary and that I’m definitely one of the leaders on the defense."
Harris is practicing his leadership spiel; he recently joined with Aqib Talib to rally KU football before their spring football game.
Broncos 'Tracks
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April 15: Sterling, Holyoke, Wray
April 16: La Junta, Trinidad, Walsenburg
April 17: Alamosa, Monte Vista, Pagosa Springs, Durango
April 18: Fruita, Parachute, Buena Vista
April 19: Canon City, Colorado Springs, Monument, Castle Rock
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