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Lepsis, media are on speaking terms

Left tackle breaks silence, returns to field after injury

Lee Rasizer, Rocky Mountain News

Published May 30, 2007 at midnight

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ENGLEWOOD - Butterflies filled the pit of Matt Lepsis' stomach.

"I'm nervous," he said.

It had been what seemed like eons since the Broncos left tackle had been in a similar situation.

Taking the field for the first time in seven months since reconstructive right knee surgery? Piece of cake. He had just completed that task Tuesday and relayed that he felt fine.

No, talking about that comeback and the road to his return was what really had him squirming.

"This is crazy," he added with a laugh.

But it's also reality in league commissioner Roger Goodell's media-friendly universe, where even silent Broncos offensive linemen must wax poetic to assembled tape recorders.

Lepsis purposely had stayed out of the media eye since March 2006, when he signed a four-year, free-agent deal to potentially remain in Denver for the balance of his career.

The tackle's comeback on the interview front evolved like he hopes his return from his season- ending injury in October will: starting slowly but eventually finding a comfort zone.

"We've got a game plan to get him well," coach Mike Shanahan said. "He did football-related activities (Tuesday), obviously drill work. And he looked good. . . . It's a good sign."

There were no eye-opening feats of athleticism or contact from Lepsis as the Broncos opened two weeks of team camp.

Sporting his familiar high socks, taped hands and elbow sleeves, the 11th-year veteran backpedaled in pass protection, pulled a few times and demonstrated change-of-direction skills firing out on a screen pass. But he never operated against defensive players.

It's Lepsis' goal to begin full activities next week, continuing into July's minicamp, building his way to full speed during training camp and working toward a Sept. 9 regular-season start.

"I'm sure I'll have some setbacks and days where it doesn't feel good," he said. "And I haven't played since October, so I'm going to be rusty even without the knee problem. It's going to take time. But I'm sure by opening day I'll be back to 100 percent."

It's the second time Lepsis has attempted such a comeback.

At the 1997 Senior Bowl, he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and had cartilage repaired through a microfracture procedure.

The main difference this time is the method used to repair the ACL included a graft from a cadaver instead of than one comprised of his own patellar tendon and bone from the tibia and patella.

The more recent procedure reduced the stress to his body and reduced his recovery time by more than four months compared with the previous surgery.

How well things are going won't be known "until I get in there and actually . . . block guys who are paid to do something rather than offensive linemen holding a bag," Lepsis said.

But there was no pain Tuesday and Lepsis moved well, a physical trait he'll be monitoring closely.

"If I come in and can't move like I did before, then, obviously, I won't be here long because I'm not the biggest guy in the world and kind of rely on being a little bit quicker than most tackles," Lepsis said.

But he insisted he is unconcerned about that prospect.

"He moved fine," Broncos offensive coordinator Rick Dennison said of Lepsis' first day back on the field. "But we just did individual and we're not going full speed and all that other stuff. But he's doing some good things."

The Broncos missed Lepsis' presence last season. His ability to play one-on-one with many of the league's top defensive ends in pass protection and his savvy in the run game might have been taken for granted somewhat before his lengthy absence.

He heard a pop making a block against Cleveland on Oct. 22 and after staying in one play, he retired to the sideline in pain, sensing something was seriously wrong.

After surgery, Lepsis was on crutches for six weeks. It wasn't until he was able to walk under his own power, about Christmas, he felt some semblance of strength in the leg and progress in rehabilitation was being made. Lepsis was at the practice facility essentially five days a week since the surgery.

The most visible sign of the comeback comes in the form of a protective brace on Lepsis' repaired knee he's wearing and will continue to sport through preseason camp, at a minimum. Otherwise, Lepsis is about where he and the team thought he would be at this juncture.

"He's been through a rehab before and understands it's a continual process," Dennison said. "He knows that. And he knows each next step."

Until Lepsis is ready to reclaim his starting spot alongside left guard Ben Hamilton and center Tom Nalen, Erik Pears - he took Lepsis' place last season - and Adam Meadows are rotating on the left side with the first team.

On the bright side, all that extra down time means more spare moments to think up dazzling quotes for public consumption.

"I love it. It's great," Lepsis said of the more liberal policy of dealing with the media handed down by Goodell. He paused momentarily, then added, "I could be home right now."

The Broncos, for one, are glad he isn't.