Aug 1, 2007 7:42 am US/Mountain
Kircus Focuses On Football, Not Legal Issues
By Arnie Stapleton, AP Sports Writer
Free CBS4 Broncos Insiders text alerts -- text 4broncos to 66247
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) ―
-
-
David Kircus (file)
Andrew Mason, DenverBroncos.com
-
-
Denver Broncos Training Camp 2007
CBS
Wide receiver David Kircus is out to reward Mike Shanahan's faith in him.
The Denver Broncos coach stuck with the fourth-year receiver after Kircus was arrested and charged with assaulting a man at a party in May. Shanahan said Kircus passed a polygraph -- which won't matter in the court of law.
Now, Kircus is trying to reward Shanahan's faith, and he's had plenty of fantastic catches but also a few drops in the first few days of camp.
"David shows flashes," Shanahan said. "He is a little inconsistent. He drops the ball a few too many times. He can come up with the big play and that consistency dictates that you get a chance to play on game day. David does show flashes and hopefully that consistency can improve and if it does improve then he has a chance to be on our football team."
Kircus knows he has the talent to play in the NFL; now he's out to prove he can be consistent enough for Shanahan to trust him.
"I've got to come out here and keep making plays. I have to show I can be consistent. Because where I am going to fit into this team is I have to come in on any play they ask me to and try to make a big play," said Kircus, who had nine catches for 187 yards for the Broncos last season.
He said he's not banking on having made the team last year, however.
"You can't look at it like that. I might have a five-year contract, but I am going to have the same mentality each year. I have to think starting at the bottom and work my way up," he said.
With Rod Smith (hip) and Brandon Marshall (groin) out, Kircus is getting plenty of chances to prove he belongs.
"It is a chance for me to get in there and get more playing time. It's not a positive thing for the team, but it helps me out to get in there and try to make more plays," Kircus said.
He tries not to dwell on his bobbles.
"I can't think about that. If you're going to worry about dropping a pass, you are going to drop a pass. You have to think you'll catch it every time-even if you are covered," he said.
He's also trying not to think about his legal troubles.
Kircus faces a second-degree assault charge that carries a prison term of two to six years for allegedly punching a 26-year-old man in the face this offseason. He is accused of punching the man and telling him "You don't know what I'm capable of" after a party in suburban Denver on May 20. Kircus is free on $6,000 bail.
Kircus, who has said he's guilty only of poor judgment, said he's only focused on football.
"It hasn't affected me at all. I think only football when I on the field. I put everything else aside and worry about the team," he said.
Some of the camp's best matchups so far have been Kircus going against cornerback Dre' Bly, whom he played with in Detroit.
"Bly and I go way back. I used to make fun of him. I made a highlight film of 1-on-1s. I still have it. We are big competitors. He hates to lose. I hate to lose. We play tooth and nail against each other," Kircus said.
Stay Up To Date On The Denver Broncos
- Stay informed with free CBS4 Broncos Insiders text alerts that are sent directly to your cell phone. Your carrier's standard text messaging rates apply. Follow these directions to sign up: Text 4broncos to 66247.
(© 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
