GREELEY, Colo. -- Just two months ago, Steve Beuerlein was
throwing pain-free spirals that appeared to signify an era of
rejuvenation.
The passes have since lost their sizzle, and the veteran
quarterback faces another round of rehabilitation on a troublesome
elbow that could force him to sit out his first season with the
Denver Broncos.
|
Montgomery gets scare
|
|
GREELEY, Colo. -- A bump turned into a bruise Friday when Broncos wide receiver
Scottie Montgomery injured his right shoulder during a collision
with safety Eric Brown during Denver's final practice of its
three-week camp.
X-rays were negative and Montgomery was diagnosed with a bruised
shoulder. He hoped to play Monday night in a preseason game against
the Green Bay Packers.
"Taking a shot without pads sometimes is a little tougher than
people realize," Montgomery said. "We hit the ground hard, and we
hit each other pretty hard right there."
Montgomery, one of six receivers fighting for a maximum of three
reserve roster spots, and Brown collided when they both jumped for
a long pass thrown by Jarious Jackson.
Brown's helmet caught Montgomery in the shoulder and both
players fell to the ground. Brown got up quickly but Montgomery
stayed down for several minutes as he was examined by team
trainers.
Montgomery, who went undrafted in 2000, began last season the
practice squad before being signed to the active roster on Oct. 21.
He played mostly on special teams in four games and had one
reception for 10 yards.
-- The Associated Press
|
Beuerlein will miss at least the first eight weeks of the
regular season after magnetic resonance imaging tests revealed a
partially torn tendon in his right elbow.
Beuerlein, who had surgery to repair a ligament in the elbow in
February, could be placed on injured reserve -- meaning he would be
out for the year -- if the pain does not subside. In that case,
surgery would be an option.
"Obviously decisions have to be made," Beuerlein said
Thursday. "Whatever's going to come out of it remains to be seen,
but it's not an ideal situation for me, for sure."
The 36-year-old Beuerlein, a Pro Bowl selection in 1999, will
not throw a football for the next two to three weeks. After that,
coach Mike Shanahan will consult with Beuerlein and team doctors.
If Beuerlein is healthy, the Broncos would have four
quarterbacks on their roster for at least eight games. Placing
Beuerlein on injured reserve would open a roster spot and still
leave Denver well-stocked at quarterback with starter Brian Griese
and backups Gus Frerotte and Jarious Jackson.
"It's never an easy decision," Shanahan said. "You've got to
go with your gut feeling."
When Beuerlein signed a four-year contract with the Broncos in
May, he was considered an immediate threat to take Frerotte's place
as Griese's No. 1 backup.
Showing no effects of his elbow surgery, Beuerlein had an
encouraging spring before running into problems during training
camp. He needed shots last week to alleviate inflammation, and the
Broncos ordered MRIs after the pain continued Tuesday.
The tests revealed the torn tendon but showed no problems with
the ligament that required surgery six months ago.
"There's relief, but there's also uncertainty as far as how I'm
going to fit into this whole thing, and obviously a lot of
disappointment because I really figured that my elbow problems were
behind me," Beuerlein said. "Now to deal with this for another
several weeks, it's not what I had in mind.
"It could have been worse. I'm glad the ligament is still
strong and in tact. Now we can just focus on trying to get this
thing better."
Beuerlein apparently had a torn tendon at the time of his elbow
surgery in February but believed the problem was fixed along with
the ligament. He was pain-free during the team's June mini-camp and
was unsure what caused the latest tear.
"We could sit here and pound my head against the wall and try
to figure out when it happened and why it happened," he said.
"The bottom line is it's done."
Beuerlein's ailing elbow leaves Frerotte the victor in a
competition that never materialized and should quash any talk of a
trade involving Frerotte, who spent much of the offseason searching
for a job as a starter.
"It kind of eases my mind from more or less a family
standpoint," Frerotte said. "Knowing I will be here all year in
Denver makes it pretty nice."
Beuerlein started 44 straight games for the Carolina Panthers in
1998-2000 but was released in March after operations on his elbow,
left shoulder and left knee.
His departure from Carolina was more about money than
durability, and Beuerlein said retirement is not a consideration as
he begins his 15th NFL season.
"It would be hard mentally to take a year off at this point,
but people do it," he said. "If nothing else, I know if they do
put me on IR, I'll come back next year healthy."
Because Frerotte is expected to go job hunting again after 2001,
the Broncos could use a healthy Beuerlein, who threw for a
league-high 4,436 yards and 36 touchdowns two years ago.
| |
|
