Sunday, July 28, 2002
Sinclair feeling good for first time in two years
Associated Press
GREELEY, Colo. -- Michael Sinclair's face looks worn out as
he wanders from practice. His helmet kind of dangles from his right
arm and his steps are short and slow. At times, he stops to catch
his breath before finishing a sentence.
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Sinclair looks as though he's not even going to make it back to
the Denver Broncos locker room after the third day of training
camp, but it's a contrast to the way he's feeling inside.
After struggling with fatigue and weight loss during a battle
with diabetes the past two seasons, Sinclair is feeling good again.
"So far so good. I feel good,'' Sinclair said Sunday. "When I
come from practice, I don't know if I'm going to make it to another
practice, but I feel good and strong.''
Sinclair signed with the Broncos a day before the start of
training camp with the hopes of reviving a career that was derailed
by a diabetes diagnosis in 1999.
Sinclair, a three-time Pro Bowler, led the NFL with 16½ sacks in
1998, but had seven combined in the past two seasons. After being
diagnosed with diabetes, he lost 30 pounds to 245 and wasn't able
to get the leverage he once could.
Worst of all, Sinclair began losing confidence.
"It was disappointing because I had expectations about myself
and so did the team,'' Sinclair said. "I fell short, but with the
circumstances I did the best I could.''
Sinclair was released by the Seattle Seahawks in February -- a
week before he was due a $1 million roster bonus -- and he went home
to Houston. It was there that Sinclair changed his medication and
diet, which resulted in him gaining all the lost weight back.
The Broncos needed a defensive end after cutting Paul Toviessi,
their second-round pick in 2001 who was plagued by injuries, and
signed Sinclair the same day to a one-year, $750,000 contract. The
contract only counts $450,000 toward Denver's salary cap, meaning
he could be quite a steal for the Broncos should he come close to
playing at the same level he once did.
"I'm very excited about Michael coming in,'' Broncos defensive
coordinator Ray Rhodes said. "He's been a Pro Bowler a couple
times and has had some outstanding seasons. I really feel if this
guy can get his form back, he'll be a solid football player for
us.''
Despite his fatigue in the early part of training camp, the
coaching staff has taken notice of Sinclair, who is competing for
time with Trevor Pryce, Reggie Hayward, Kavika Pittman, Keith
Washington and Bert Berry.
"I think he has fit in well. It is still early, but I think
Michael has been doing a great job,'' Broncos coach Mike Shanahan
said. "It's like anybody going into camp. It's a process of
getting some of the kinks out, getting back into football shape. I
think he has been looking good.''
Perhaps more importantly, he's been feeling good as well.
"I don't feel just dead tired coming from practice like I did
in past years,'' Sinclair said. "I'm confident and I feel good.''
