ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Wes Welker celebrated Labor Day by practicing for the first time since sustaining a concussion on Aug. 23. That meant Peyton Manning had his front-line offence intact as the Denver Broncos began preparations in earnest for their opener against his former team, the Indianapolis Colts, on Sunday night. Welker donned his up-sized helmet and ran short routes during the 20-minute viewing period open to the media at the start of practice, He added a few minutes of extra work with rookie Cody Latimer afterward. With injury reports not required until Wednesday, coach John Fox was coy when asked how much work Welker did in between. "Hes still in the (concussion) protocol. Hes still exercising. I feel good about his progress. Well keep you posted," Fox said. Welker declined to talk with reporters on his way inside team headquarters after practice, saying he had to rush to a team function. His concussion in a preseason game against the Houston Texans was his third since Nov. 17. In a sign that his latest head injury wasnt as serious as last years pair of concussions in a three-week span, Welker ran a few routes in a pregame workout for starters who didnt play in the exhibition finale at Dallas on Thursday night. Welkers return to action leaves the Broncos with just two key players sidelined: linebacker Danny Trevathan (leg) and kicker Matt Prater (suspension). Key backups Ronnie Hillman and Kayvon Webster were limited in the early portion of practice four days after falling ill during the Broncos exhibition finale at Dallas. Welkers return to the lineup would allow the Broncos to keep burner Emmanuel Sanders on the outside and available to stretch the field by going deep along with Demaryius Thomas. Welker caught 73 passes for 778 yards and a career-high 10 TDs last season despite missing most of the final month. He returned for the playoffs and grabbed 18 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown. His latest head injury came when he tried to duck following a catch over the middle and absorbed a helmet hit by D.J. Swearinger that sent his head recoiling off the ground. That drew a 15-yard penalty for Swearinger and the wrath of Manning. The quarterback raced up to say some choice words to the swaggering safety after throwing a long TD pass to Sanders on the next play. The five-time MVP was whistled for the first taunting penalty of his career and was fined $8,268, money Manning called well spent. The NFL, meanwhile, deemed Swearingers hit legal. Mannings feistiness further galvanized the Broncos, who are trying to become an edgier team in their quest to get back to the Super Bowl and win it this time. Several starters who skipped the Super Bowl while rehabbing from injuries are back, including Mannings blindside protector, Ryan Clady, and defenders Von Miller, Chris Harris Jr., Rahim Moore, Derek Wolfe, Quinton Carter and Quanterus Smith. At the top of GM John Elways to-do list following Denvers dud against Seattle was to toughen up his defence -- yes, sort of like the Seahawks. So, he added DeMarcus Ware, T.J. Ward and Aqib Talib in free agency and Bradley Roby in the draft. Only three defenders who started in the Super Bowl are still starters seven months later: tackles Terrance Knighton and Sylvester Williams, and linebacker Nate Irving. Among Elways toughest cuts last weekend were defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson and safety Duke Ihenacho, who was snatched up by Washington. "Its a situation you want to be in, having to make a lot of tough decisions," Elway said. "This is by far the deepest team since Ive been here and the toughest decisions weve had since Ive been here." This should also be the toughest team hes had in Denver. And not just on defence. The offence has a new edge to it, too, as evidenced by Mannings feistiness. "Thats how we are," Talib said. "He was defending his teammate. Thats what hes about -- all of us." NOTES: Five Broncos were voted captains by their peers Monday: Manning, Thomas, Ware, Knighton and David Bruton. ... The Broncos filled out their practice squad by signing DE Zach Thompson, a rookie from Wake Forest who was in training camp with the Jets. Stitched Grizzlies Jerseys . Kelli Stack and Alex Carpenter also scored for the Americans, who avoided a repeat of Finlands upset at the Four Nations Cup in Lake Placid, N.Y., in November. Finnish goalie Noora Raty made 58 saves in that one, but the three-time Olympian could stop just 40 of 43 U. Grizzlies Jerseys 2021 . -- Los Angeles Angels outfielder Josh Hamilton will be sidelined for at least two weeks because of a strained calf muscle, and pitcher C. https://www.cheapgrizzlies.com/454p-o-j-mayo-jersey-grizzlies.html . On Monday night, many fans in this city placed the blame squarely on the captain for his role in the James Neal overtime winner against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Mike Miller Jersey . Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports that the Raptors have traded forward Steve Novak along with a second-round pick to the Utah Jazz in exchange for guard Diante Garrett - who will then be waived. Fake Grizzlies Jerseys . And former Maple Leafs coach Ron Wilson certainly knows his pain. "Its pretty hard to coach there without allowing some of these things to kind of affect you," Wilson told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun in his ESPN. 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