Broncos

DENVER (AP) ― Receiver Eddie Royal's goals were twofold entering the Denver Broncos' training camp: Stand out, but not for being a rookie.

He's 2-for-2.

The 42nd overall pick in the NFL draft was projected to make his mark this season as a returner, not a receiver, but he's already surpassed veteran free agent newcomers Darrell Jackson, Keary Colbert and Samie Parker to earn a starting spot opposite Brandon Marshall.

"The kid's amazing," Marshall said. "Honestly, when they first drafted him I was like, 'Who is this guy? Why'd we get him?' And now I see. The guy's a playmaker. I'm glad I've got him on the other side."

Patience is not one of Royal's virtues -- he earned his bachelor's degree from Virginia Tech in 3 1/2 years -- and so it's not surprising that he wanted nothing to do with waiting his turn in the NFL.

"That was my mind-set before the draft even. I wanted to come in and contribute early for a team," Royal said. "And when I came here, my goals didn't change."

The last thing he wanted was for anyone to size him up as a rookie. Not teammates, not coaches, not fans.

"Normally, you associate a rookie with being lost and kind of playing a little bit slower than all the other guys. And you can normally point a rookie out and notice his mistakes. And I didn't want to be that guy," Royal said. "I wanted my teammates and my coaches to be able to count on me, knowing that I know my responsibilities and I will come through in the clutch."

Royal has done that, catching four passes for 80 yards in the preseason.

Against Dallas on Monday night, he had a 35-yard reception that highlighted Denver's opening touchdown drive, then he outjumped two defenders to haul in a 32-yarder that led to the Broncos' second TD.

Wide receivers usually lag behind players in other positions in adjusting from college to the NFL, but Royal is living up to his pledge not to look, act or play like a rookie.

He's played the slot, flanker and split end positions and hasn't seemed the least bit overwhelmed.

"Since Day One, I was impressed with him," quarterback Jay Cutler said. "I didn't know he had those type of receiving skills, I thought we drafted him a little bit more as a returner. I didn't really realize he could be our starting Z (flanker).

Royal hit the play book right after draft day because the thing he feared the most was lining up in the wrong spot and hearing a coach or even someone in the crowd at training camp mention it.

He's the talk of camp, all right, making plays that even veteran receivers and defensive backs have to admire.

"You don't want to stand out for the wrong reasons," Royal said.

Coach Mike Shanahan is the one person at Dove Valley who professes not to be surprised by Royal's rise.

"We had him as the best wide receiver in the draft," Shanahan told The Associated Press. "We had him No. 1. So, we felt very fortunate to get him there in the second round."

Royal, the fifth receiver chosen in the draft, isn't letting his overnight success go to his head, either, and special teams coach Scott O'Brien has to appreciate that.

While Royal has been flashing his skills on routes, he has yet to do so on returns, averaging 24 yards on two kickoff runbacks and returning his one and only punt for just 4 yards.

This is the one area Royal promises to practice patience, however.

"You can never press. You never know when it's going to happen. You've just got to stay patient and continue to have faith," he said.

EXTRA POINTS: C Tom Nalen practiced for the first time since July, when his surgically repaired left knee started acting up. He participated in drills but didn't have any contact. ... CB Champ Bailey, who had been out since Aug. 4 with a sore hamstring, returned to practice and participated in all the defensive drills. ... Among those sitting out were WR Darrell Jackson (ankle), TE Daniel Graham (hamstring) and S Hamza Abdullah returned to practice Thursday and played Saturday night against Dallas.

Stay Up To Date On The Denver Broncos

• Text: To sign up for CBS4 Broncos Insiders text alerts, text 4broncos to 66247 (More Info)
• E-mail: Sign up for CBS4 Broncos Insiders e-mail updates.

(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

---