ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The league-mandated post-concussion protocol ensured that Virgil Green would rest and recuperate during the week after his second-quarter concussion at Seattle on Sept. 21 -- whether he liked it or not.
"I hate resting. I hate sitting," the fourth-year tight end said Wednesday. "Like I told somebody the other day, I was bred to work. My dad was in the military; we were raised just to work, work, work, nothing but work."
But that was necessary in the wake of his injury. Ten days later, he was back to full participation in practice. Green said he passed the league's post-concussion protocol, which includes an examination from an independent neurologist..
"I went full-go today," he said. "I had a full-pad day, good hitting. I feel good right now. It's just a matter of not going too hard in practice, get those nicks and bruises that may re-initiate some things. So I know by Sunday, I'll be 100 percent.
Check out the best photos from Wednesday's practice at Dove Valley.
"I feel good right now, but you never know how good you truly feel until you get that full, live action."
When that comes, Green is expected to resume the multi-faceted role he handled through the first two and a half games. Prior to his concussion, Green participated on 69 of 123 snaps (56.1 percent). He worked as a traditional tight end, but also split out wide and into the slot, at H-back and as a fullback.
"Julius (Thomas) can be split; I can be split," Green said. " I could be in the backfield at running back; I could be in the backfield at fullback. We're smart guys in that tight end room. I think that's what truly helps us. We don't always come out and show the same thing. We're always going to do some different things. And we're smart guys, and we can adjust."
They play the same position, but have different job descriptions. On passes, Green is as likely to stay in and block as he is to run a route, but Thomas is more than three times as likely to go out for the reception. When Green was lost to the concussion, the Broncos were left without their primary blocking tight end.
"Him going out kind of changed some of the things we were looking to do that game, but that's football," said Thomas. "We're really excited to have him back."
