Walker will have knee surgery

Receiver to miss at least one month

Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News

Published October 19, 2007 at midnight

Text size

More Denver Broncos

ENGLEWOOD - In the span of 24 hours, Broncos receiver Javon Walker went from publicly demanding the ball more in the team's offense to facing knee surgery that will keep him out at least a month.

Walker went to Houston on Thursday and will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right knee today. Dr. Tom Clanton, one of the Houston Texans' orthopedists, was expected to perform the surgery.

Walker had surgery to repair the anterior cruciate ligament on the same knee in 2005 but steadfastly has said the pain and swelling in the knee that have kept him out of the past two games were located behind the joint and not where the previous surgery had been done.

Two weeks ago, Walker said he wouldn't need surgery to repair the knee.

"Javon is not feeling very good, he'll get operated on (Friday) over in Houston," Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said. "So he'll be out for a few weeks. How quickly he comes back I'm not really sure.

"It's more of a clean-out of the same knee he had the operation on. Doctors don't think it's very serious, but it's serious enough to go in there and clean it out because he's been off of it for a few weeks and it hasn't gotten much better."

When asked if it was possible Walker could miss the remainder of the season if the knee doesn't respond over the next month, Shanahan said, "I have no idea."

It does remove another playmaker from the Broncos offense already struggling to score points with the team set to face the Pittsburgh Steelers and league's No. 1 defense Sunday night at Invesco Field at Mile High.

Walker was not available for comment, having already left for Houston, but Wednesday, the sixth-year veteran had been vocal about wanting the ball more in the offense.

When addressing the team's struggle to finish drives with touchdowns, he said, "You want points, I'll give you points."

He then expanded on that, saying, "The whole game of football is playmakers, then it's the scheme," Walker said. "Sometimes the scheme will work, but it's your players who run it. If it was the case where it's always the scheme, you could just get anybody to go out there and do it.

"You can have a perfect route, a perfect pass, but you've still got to have somebody catch the ball. You can have the fastest guy in the world, but if he can't catch a football. it won't be worth a damn for him to be open. You win matchups, you score touchdowns; that's just the way it is."

Walker practiced Monday - the Broncos' first practice as they returned from four days off from their bye week - and Shanahan called Walker's effort that day "full speed."

But Walker then labored through Wednesday's practice, limping noticeably as he went in and out of his cuts on pass routes.

"Monday, he practiced full speed, looked like he was going to come back ready to go," Shanahan said. "And (Wednesday) he was limited and you guys know the rest. . . . (But) guys go down, got to see guys that step up.

"Obviously, it hurts when you lose a guy of Javon's ability. . . . But we expect them to step up and get the job done."

Walker is second on the team in receptions (19) and yards (230) but does not have a touchdown. Brandon Stokley is expected to again start in Walker's spot, opposite Brandon Marshall.

Stokley, who has started the past two games in Walker's absence, has 12 catches for 178 yards to go with a touchdown.

"Like coach said, guys are going to go down, that's just part of the business," Stokley said. "Other guys have to be mentally ready to step up and fill those shoes. Last couple weeks, he hasn't been there and I tried to go in and make some plays. That's it, try to go in there and make some plays, fill his shoes."

It leaves the Broncos with only four receivers on their 53-player roster.

But they do have two additional receivers - Marquay McDaniel and Carlton Brewster - on their practice squad who could be signed to the active roster if the Broncos decide to make a roster move.

It also could push other players such as tight end Tony Scheffler or running back Selvin Young to line up wide in some formations to try to disperse the defense.

Receiver Rod Smith, still on the physically unable to perform list after offseason left hip surgery, also is eligible by league rules to practice with the team the next three weeks.

Shanahan said Smith could practice with the team next week or in the week after the Oct. 29 game against the Green Bay Packers.

At the end of three weeks, the Broncos have to add Smith to the roster or place him on injured reserve, which would end his season.

"The people we have are just going to have to get it done," Shanahan said.

Tough run

The Broncos' injury list continues to grow:

Player Injury (games missed) Prognosis

DE Ebenezer Ekuban Torn Achilles (five) Out for season

LB Warrick Holdman Spine (five) Out for season

G Ben Hamilton Concussion (five) Out for season

C Tom Nalen Torn right biceps (None) Out for season

TE Nate Jackson Groin (None) Out for season

TE Stephen Alexander Lower left leg (four) Out for season