With all the focus on the quarterbacks and the sparse attendance at day No. 1 of Broncos’ training camp, one storyline flew under the radar.
Emmanuel Sanders, while not a full participant, flew around the field and looked as comfortable as we saw him on tape last week.
An Achilles injury is always brutal (generally a year long recovery), but during post-practice media availability Sanders said that won’t be the case for him.
“I’m always going to believe in myself. I know a lot of people always say the time table on an Achilles for a normal person, but I’ve never looked at myself as a normal person, as humble as I can say that. To be able to bounce back how I have bounced back feels good,” Sanders said.
That has to be music to Broncos’ fans ear. We know you’re not normal, Emmanuel, and in this case that’s a great thing.
Sanders credits his great first day, and ability to feel like himself, well, to himself.
“Moving around, feeling no pain, feeling good and feeling like myself. I know a lot of people didn’t expect that, so it’s just a testament of all the hard work I put in, all the pain that I went through to be standing right here in front of you guys. I feel really good and I’m blessed to say that,” Sanders said.
While head coach Vic Fangio didn’t laud as much praise on Sanders as Sanders did on himself, the NFL lifer was about as positive as one could expect.
“He is doing really good. He’s not on PUP. It’s going to be day-to-day with him on how much we add onto his plate. We’re going to build to it and see how it goes,” Fangio said.
The fact that Sanders is not on PUP is a great sign he will be ready to go Week 1 in Oakland against the Raiders.
Sanders gave no hints on Wednesday that won’t be the case.