Elvis in the house: Dumervil participates in Broncos’ workouts for 1st time since 2009

Dumervil participates in Broncos’ workouts

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Elvis Dumervil put his coveted signature down on a piece of paper. Not a contract extension that will pay him like a Powerball winner. Not his tender worth $3.168 million.

Instead, he signed a waiver allowing him to participate in the Denver Broncos’ passing camp this week.

“I didn’t have to, but at the end of the day I’m going to be a Bronco in 2010 and I wanted to come out and support the organization and teammates and get acclimated with the new guys,” Dumervil said following the two-hour workout Monday.

“We have a couple tweaks terminology-wise as far as defense so I don’t want to fall behind mentally.”

The Broncos’ star pass rusher led the NFL with 17 sacks in 2009 after switching over from a 4-3 defensive end to an outside linebacker in the 3-4, but he hadn’t worked out with them this season.

As a restricted free agent, he skipped the team’s offseason conditioning program while working out on his own in Miami and keeping in touch with the Broncos’ new defensive coordinator, Don “Wink” Martindale.

Dumervil said he has faith that his agent, Gary Wichard, and the Broncos will agree on a long-term deal.

“I think both parties want to get something done,” Dumervil said.

Coach Josh McDaniels shared that sentiment.

“Yes. We are working with Gary right now. Nothing imminent, but we’re working together on the thing to try to make sure he’s a Bronco for a long time, and he deserves it,” McDaniels said.

Wichard told The Associated Press that he is confident the sides will work out a long-term deal.

“Teams don’t let great players leave. You don’t see a 26-year-old who led the league in sacks go to another team,” Wichard said. “At the end of the day I think it will all get handled.”

Dumervil is coming off his first Pro Bowl appearance and has 43 sacks since joining the league as a fourth-round draft pick in 2006 out of Louisville. Only two players have more sacks in that time — Dallas’ DeMarcus Ware (56½) and Minnesota’s Jared Allen (52). Both of them have cashed in with big contracts that contain large guarantees, $40 million for Ware and $31 million for Allen.

Dumervil said he wasn’t overly concerned that he hadn’t signed a new deal yet as veterans and rookies took the field together Monday for the first time.

“I’ve always played this game without the big contracts or the long-term extensions,” he said. “So, I’ll continue to do so.”

Just not for long, he hopes.

Among those skipping this camp are offensive linemen Ryan Clady, Ryan Harris and Russ Hochstein, all of whom are coming off surgeries. Also, veteran journeyman guard Matt McChesney is mulling retirement after suffering an ankle injury in a freak golf cart accident last month.

Monday marked the first time all four Broncos quarterbacks were on the field together.

Incumbent Kyle Orton was followed by newcomer Brady Quinn, first-round draft pick Tim Tebow and second-year pro Tom Brandstater in taking snaps, although McDaniels cautioned not to read too much into that order.

While the others were taking their reps, Tebow, who is trying to modify his footwork and throwing mechanics, stood about 25 yards away, mimicking their dropbacks and throws.

“Well, I’m just trying to every time a play’s called get a rep in my head and even if I can’t fully do it with the team, I’m still trying to learn and get better even on the side,” Tebow said.

Tebow has drawn enormous attention since McDaniels made him a first-round pick last month. Already, he has the top-selling jersey in the NFL and he’s under the media microscope much like John Elway was as a rookie in 1983.

Only now, Tebow’s every move isn’t just chronicled by reporters and photographers but also videographers, bloggers and Tweeters.

Tebow said he exchanged some texts with Elway, who didn’t offer any advice on dealing with the attention.

“He just was very complimentary and wanted to welcome me and very supportive and that meant a lot,” Tebow said.

As for his performance Monday, Tebow said: “I think I went out there and played hard and I think I’ve got a long way to go and I’m just going to try to get better every day.”

This was also the first day with the full squad for Quinn, who was acquired in a trade with the Cleveland Browns two months ago.

“I think it went pretty well,” said Quinn, who overthrew his receivers on several long passes. “Obviously, we can always do better.”

Orton has a big head start, having been here a year.

“It’s night and day from the first day I stepped on the field in OTAs last year,” Orton said. “I feel great. And it’s just nice to go through ‘Day 1 install’ and you really have no questions about it.”