By the end of today, the Broncos will head for their summer vacation, a six-week break from football before training camp begins July 25.
But for defensive tackle Ty Warren, the work is only beginning.
After missing all of the 2010 and 2011 seasons with hip and triceps injuries and sitting out the Broncos’ organized team workouts this spring while he negotiated a new contract, Warren is determined to make up for lost time during the team’s break.
“As long as I’m healthy, I’ll be good to go. I plan on being healthy and in shape because I plan on putting my body in a place where I’m ready to take on everything,” Warren said Wednesday. “The football part will take care of itself. That’s the easy part. When you’re in shape, when your wind is right and when you understand what they’re trying to do playbookwise, you’re able to move fast and be effective.”
Warren, one of the big pieces in the Broncos’ free-agent class last year, returned to the team last week after agreeing on a new one-year contract. The deal involved taking a significant pay cut — from a scheduled $4 million salary to $1.25 million, with a $250,000 signing bonus — but Warren believed it was a fair compromise considering he earned $4 million last year while being on the injured reserve list. Warren suffered the torn triceps 12 days after he signed his free-agent deal.
“It was a definitely a blow,” Warren said.
Warren admits he was “big” when he arrived in Denver last August — close to 340 pounds, well over his desired playing weight. He’s down to 310 pounds now and expects that during training camp he’ll shed a few more to get to his optimal regular-season weight of 300 to 305.
“I’m glad he’s healthy, glad he’s back. It looks like he’s moving around well out there,” defensive end Jason Hunter said. “He’s a big, strong man, and we definitely need that for our middle.”
Warren is practicing with the second team at defensive tackle, behind veteran Justin Bannan and 2011 practice-squad veteran Sealver Siligia. Late in Wednesday’s workout, Warren blew up a running play in a two-minute drill and drew loud praise from defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio.
“There you go, Ty. There you go,” shouted Del Rio as he gave Warren a high-five.
It has been encouraging progress for Warren, who said he has felt himself improve on the field each day since he returned to the Broncos last week. And it was only a week ago that Warren received his new playbook.
“I have a bunch of catching up playbookwise,” Warren said.
And he also plans to spend time in July with other Broncos defensive linemen. After so much time away from the field, Warren is looking forward to doing position-specific exercises to prepare himself for training camp.
“That’s what it’s going to boil down to, my confidence level with the playbook and my conditioning,” Warren said.
Lindsay H. Jones: 303-954-1262 or ljones@denverpost.com
Wanted: The real Ty Warren
Defensive tackle Warren had less than two weeks with the Broncos last year before his season was over because of a torn triceps muscle. He’s back on the field and hoping to bolster the Broncos’ defensive line. Which Warren will the Broncos get come September?
2003: He was the New England Patriots’ first-round pick (No. 13 overall) from Texas A&M. He played in every game, with four starts, for the Super Bowl champions.
2004-09: He started 88-of-89 regular-season games for the Patriots and was a key part of two more Super Bowl teams.
2010: He missed the season in New England with a hip injury suffered in the preseason.
2011: He signed a two-year contract worth $8 million with the Broncos, but tore his triceps Aug. 16.
2012: He agreed to a pay cut last week and rejoined the Broncos in time for this week’s mandatory minicamp.
Lindsay H. Jones, The Denver Post
