Enough, already, with this repetitive next-man-up slogan at Dove Valley.
No sense overanalyzing this. The Broncos are a much better team with Wes Welker in the slot than with the next man up replacing him. No disrespect, of course, to the next man up.
“He adds another dimension to this offense,” said Emmanuel Sanders, another Broncos starting receiver. “I know he’s excited about being back. I know (offensive coordinator) Adam Gase is excited. When you think about our three-receiver personnel with one of the greatest slot receivers to ever play the game, it makes the offense even more dangerous.”
Welker was reinstated to the Broncos on Wednesday after revisions in the NFL’s drug policy cut his suspension from four games to two. Welker was one of three NFL players who had their suspensions reduced by the new policy that otherwise features first-ever testing for human growth hormone. Welker had hopes of returning last week for the Broncos’ game against Kansas City, but he is back in time for the Broncos’ Super Bowl rematch game Sunday against at Seattle.
“It seemed like every other day I was going back and forth on whether I was coming back or not,” Welker said. “Everybody worked really hard to get myself and some other guys back out there on the field, and it’s a good thing to see.”
By all accounts, the Broncos eased Welker back into practice Wednesday. Before serving his two-week suspension, Welker had been sidelined another two weeks because of a concussion suffered in a preseason game Aug. 23.
But even if Welker doesn’t get his usual playing time at Seattle, the 11-year veteran can quickly become a Peyton Manning ally on third down and in the red zone.
“Wes has played in a lot of big games, on the road, and he’s seen about every defense you can possibly see, so his presence helps our entire football team,” said Manning, the Broncos’ quarterback. “He helps the receivers — Demaryius (Thomas), Emmanuel — who are still young receivers, in my opinion, and Wes can help those guys during the week and out there on the field. Julius (Thomas) as well. So there’s more than just his catching a pass or route running that Wes Welker provides.”
Welker, 33, entered this season with 841 regular-season catches in his previous nine seasons, or an astounding 93.4 per year. Welker learned Sept. 2 he had been suspended four games by the league after he tested positive for an amphetamine. Several NFL sources said the amphetamine was Adderall.
Welker vehemently disagreed with the league’s finding in a statement and interview with The Denver Post, and he reiterated his position Wednesday.
“I said it was flawed and we got it fixed,” Welker said of the drug policy.
Under the revised drug policy, positive tests for amphetamines during the offseason are moved from the performance-enhancement drug (PED) program to the substance-abuse program. First-time offenders of the PED policy are slapped with four-game suspensions, while first-time violators of the substance-abuse policy are placed on probation, but are not suspended until a second infraction.
As Welker fought for his reinstatement the past two weeks, he became familiar with the terms of the revised drug policy.
“Having a neutral arbitrator, I think is a great thing,” Welker said. “I think the amphetamine deal during the offseason is obviously a good thing. I think there are multiple things in there … where guys are able to go out there and not be looked at as cheaters or anything like that, and I think those are good things.”
Mike Klis: mklis@denverpost.com or twitter.com/mikeklis
