ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Tony Scheffler is on the comeback trail
for the Denver Broncos.
The second-year tight end saw his first action in pads Tuesday
since breaking his foot during team passing drills in May.
Scheffler, who emerged as one of Jay Cutler's favorite targets
down the stretch last season, underwent surgery and had a screw
inserted into his left foot on May 21. Ten weeks later, he took
part in limited drills.
Scheffler passed his physical in the afternoon and was taken off
the training camp "physically unable to perform list."
The team won't push it, however. Coach Mike Shanahan said
Scheffler won't participate in any contact drills for a while.
"He's still a ways away," Shanahan said. "He hasn't gotten
any football reps yet, but it's a first step."
Scheffler is eager to get back into the full swing of things.
"I think I could have done more today," he said. "Obviously,
they're being a little bit careful with it. I respect that and
appreciate that as a player. Each day I'll be doing more and more
and hopefully within the next week I'll be at full-speed."
Scheffler said he's aiming to return to action by the second
exhibition game, in Dallas on Aug. 18.
After his training camp debut, Scheffler retreated to the indoor
facility to continue his rehabilitation along with wide receivers
Rod Smith (hip) and Brandon Marshall (knee), neither of whom has
practiced yet.
"We kind of lean on each other in there," Scheffler said.
"It's funny, all of us have a left foot, left leg injury, so it's
kind of unique. We're putting in some hard work over there. I mean,
we're over there for a couple of hours, almost the whole practice
with (strength and conditioning coach Rich) Tuten and running and
catching balls off the Jugs machine."
Scheffler endured some good-natured ribbing from his teammates
Tuesday after his nearly three-month hiatus. They joked that
Scheffler may not remember how to put his shoulder pads on.
The jokes he can take. But watching from the sidelines, knowing
he can't participate, has been the hardest part of the tight end's
recovery.
"I missed being out there with the guys," Scheffler said.
"It's hard walking by the practice field every day and they're out
there practicing and I'm heading to the weight room."
He said he has no worries about his mended foot and will focus
on "getting those muscles back into shape and getting the soreness
out."
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^STOKING THE FIRE:@ Wide receiver Brandon Stokley isn't exactly
celebrating his status as a starter on the depth chart. The free
agent who is coming back from a torn Achilles' tendon has been
bothered by a sore left quadriceps that has limited his practice
time.
"Everything else is feeling good, just trying to fight through
it. This is frustrating," Stokley said.
He wasn't sure how long he'd be limited.
"I tried to go a little bit on it (Monday) afternoon and it
feels good and then it seems like if I try to go too hard, it kind
of just tightens up on me, so just kind of wait and see and try to
get it healthy."
Stokley said he's particularly frustrated "because we're short
on receivers as it is."
Rod Smith (hip) and Brandon Marshall (knee) have yet to practice
this camp and Glenn Martinez (thigh) and Marquay McDaniel
(hamstring) are also ailing.
"You want to be out there with the guys, so it's definitely
frustrating," he said.
Stokley isn't sure if he'll be able to play Monday night in the
preseason opener at San Francisco.
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^A SAUER TASTE:@ Todd Sauerbrun's teammates are glad he's back
on their side.
Sauerbrun was waived last year after serving his four-game
suspension for using the banned dietary aid ephedra. He ended up in
New England but won his release from his contract with the Patriots
this spring and hightailed back to Denver.
Fullback Kyle Johnson called Sauerbrun the strongest punter in
the NFL.
"He's pretty physical, too. You've seen him make some plays,
force some fumbles and make some tackles. I like that about him,"
Johnson said.
Sauerbrun isn't your typical scrawny punter, packing 215 pounds
on his 5-foot-10 frame.
"He is a football player," Johnson said. "I think that's the
difference and what separates him from lot of other punters. A lot
of other punters are punters. He is a football player that punts
the ball."
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^EXTRA POINTS:@ QB Patrick Ramsey threw four touchdown passes
during morning drills Tuesday. Two of the catches were spectacular
plays, as WR Javon Walker hauled in a high pass one-handed and WR
Quincy Morgan corralled a tipped ball in the back of the end zone.
... DE Kenard Lang had two sacks and stopped another running play
in the backfield. ... OT Matt Lepsis left practice early Tuesday
with what coach Mike Shanahan called a groin pull. Shanahan said he
wasn't sure of the severity of the injury. ... Shanahan said he was
going to alternate DT Sam Adams on a schedule of one practice,
followed by two days in the weight room to help recover from
offseason arthroscopic knee surgery.
^------=
AP Sports Writer Arnie Stapleton contributed to this report.