Broncos Head Back To Practice Without DT: 'It's Weird'
By Romi Bean
DENVER (CBS4) - Just one day after the Denver Broncos traded 9-year-veteran Demaryius Thomas, it's business as usual at team headquarters. The Broncos spent their Wednesday as they usually do, practicing and game planning for their next opponent: the Houston Texans.
The Texans just so happens to be D.T.'s new team.
The good thing is we get to see him in a couple days, so that's how I'm looking at it!" Will Parks said after Wednesday's practice.
"It's going to be different. Trading him to a team that we're playing on Sunday, that's obviously different. But it's a football game for us. It's a hot team that's coming in here. They've won five in a row and we lost last week. For us, it's a big game," said Broncos Head Coach Vance Joseph.
During practice and meetings, Broncos players are focused on Sunday's game, and they're adjusting quickly to an offense without Thomas.
"D.T. is a special guy. We have a lot of love for him. It just is what it is," offensive captain Matt Paradis said. "We're focused on Houston. Everyone understands the business. We are here to play the game on Sunday."
It's one thing to create a game plan without D.T., but a locker room without him -- that will take some getting used to.
"It's weird. It's been a rough 24-48 hours for me. It's hard to see him go. It was even tougher to go out to practice. It was tough to go to work this morning because he was right next to me," said Emmanuel Sanders. "We used to have small conversations and good conversations. He was my best friend on the team. It's tough to see him leave, but at the same time I have a job to do. I have to lead these guys, and that's what I'm going to do."
It's going to be weird to see Thomas in a Houston Texans uniform on Sunday. Even more strange, he won't be wearing number 88. Thomas will wear 87, because 88 is taken by Jordan Akins.
Akins cannot give up his number to Thomas during the season because of league rules.
Romi Bean is a sports anchor and reporter at CBS4. Connect with Romi on Twitter @Romi_Bean.