Torain's recovery could take three months

By Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published August 7, 2008 at 10:15 a.m.
Updated August 7, 2008 at 2:21 p.m.

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ENGLEWOOD – Broncos running back Ryan Torain is scheduled to undergo surgery Friday to repair ligament damage in his left elbow.

His recovery time could be as long as three months, which means the Broncos will have to make a decision by the end of training camp on whether to place him on injured reserve, which would make him ineligible to play this season.

If they think his recovery may be slightly quicker and that he may be able to get back on the field by late October, they could use a roster spot when final cuts are made to 53 players, but they would have to release a healthy player to do it.

Torain suffered a fractured bone near his left elbow Wednesday and was taken for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exam as well. That test showed ligament damage that Torain needed repaired Thursday morning.

Broncos coach Mike Shanahan has called Torain "one of the most gifted running backs I’ve been around, and I’ve been around for a long time, very similar to Terrell Davis when he came in.”

Torain was competing for the starting running back spot.

He took a pitch to the right during a 9-on-7 run-game drill in the morning practice Tuesday and suffered the injury when he attempted to brace his fall, and his entire body weight landed on his outstretched arm.

• August 7, 2008

  6:05 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Pigskin writes:

  I agree. This guy has to stick around.
  Unfortunately, he represented our best shot at a full-time, carry-the-load kind of back.
  He's the only physical back on the roster, really. Still, he certainly seems prone to injury.

• August 7, 2008

  8:51 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Dynamicdave writes:

  Yeah, he's had his share of bad luck. But I think Pittman is tough. He is listed as a FB right now, but he could always be moved back to RB. Keep Sapp and Hillis as FB's. Keep Young, Hall, Alridge and Pittman as RB's. The way Shanahan has them listed as "anybody's guess", tells it all. Who knows?

• August 7, 2008

  10:19 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Spider writes:

  This really stinks. I was hoping to see him progress and see if he was going to live up to his potential. Looks like we may have to wait until next year to see real contribution from him.

• August 7, 2008

  10:27 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Dynamicdave writes:

  Spider, yeah, looks like. He may be ready in November, but that's iffy. I know it's full contact in practice but to flip him is crazy. Do that with the other teams we play. It was all rookies who made the pop, I believe? Oh well, such is the life on the field, I suppose. We have a lot of talent still left to run the ball. They will all have to step up their game.

• August 9, 2008

  6:45 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  denfanincali writes:

  What ticks me off is that I knew, KNEW he'd get a ton of playing time this year based on his collegiate abilities, his size and the previous comments from Shanny. Shanny doesn't play games...if he likes he guy he says it. If the jury is still out, he says that too. So, based on what he was saying and everything else, I KNEW he'd be a huge factor this year. I am so incredibly bummed. My fear is that he is sounding more and more like a very injury prone and fragile player. I mean, I have never heard of a player shattering their elbow while bracing themselves...add all his other injuries...and I am going to make sure I am not going to fall in love with this guy any time soon..."sigh"

  I know I am putting the cart before the horse but I have been saying all off season "if we don't have injuries, skies the limit"....but my fears are coming to fruition....granted, we have depth and Powell and Torain were both rookies but I add Nalen's sketchy absence to the list of injuries (and its a bit suspicious how it was just going to be a day or two now its the whole preseason....scares the crap out of me) and Marshall's absence adds to my list of "missing" players.

  Yes, all teams have to deal with injuries. And yes, we are in INCREDIBLE shape compared to last year but man I am starting to panic. For those of you Bronco fans who subscribe to my point of view of "the skies the limit this year" (vs "we'll be lucky to win 6 games" I can't believe I even read that crap on a Broncos board. Not because I am an eternal optimist but study your damn team man. Talent-wise, we are better off than we have been since the Superbowl years...a LOT more talented than our 2005 run. Sheesh) I'm sure you are feeling my pain.

  We have a legitimate shot and making a serious run at the playoffs and going deep. I mean, our run defense is truly our biggest hole to fill but we can only get better. Talent-wise we shouldn't have been as bad as we were last year...and now that we have dedicated, I mean DEDICATED our off season to the run defense, I feel pretty good even about that.

  Something in my gut is telling me that we have so many pieces of the puzzle....so, I hope the injuries come to a screeching halt. Coming out of the gate strong this year against, as you all know, 2 division rivals would be huge. And, no reason why we can't be 2-0, unless we beat ourselves. Go Broncos!

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