The Denver Broncos are getting their shutdown corner back.
Aqib Talib practiced Monday for the first time since he suffered a gunshot wound to the leg during the offseason.
Reports that Talib would practice followed a KUSA-TV report that Talib worked out for coaches in private over the weekend and the results were encouraging enough for coach Gary Kubiak to say he hoped Talib would be practicing this week.
After practice Monday, Kubiak said Talib is on a similar camp schedule as Von Miller and Russell Okung were, and didn't rule out the possibility of Talib playing in preseason action.
Speaking to reporters for the first time since suffering the gunshot wound that forced him to miss the opening two weeks of training camp, Talib said he "feels great" and that it was "a blessing" to be back at practice.
Talib started camp on the non-football injury list after he sustained a gunshot wound at a Dallas-area nightclub in June, according to police. NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported the NFL is investigating the shooting and Talib could face potential discipline for violating the league's personal conduct policy.
Until that murky situation is cleared up, Denver will focus on tangible progress. Talib was a cornerstone of the team's Super Bowl run and allows blitz-happy defensive coordinator Wade Phillips to unleash one of the game's best pass-rushing tandems play-in and play-out. With linebacker Von Miller drying the ink on one of the richest contracts in NFL history, Kubiak is hoping to see the whole gang back together soon.
