Broncos' Javon Walker says he's fine with football

ENGLEWOOD - Seven months to the day cornerback Darrent Williams died in a drive-by shooting, Denver Broncos receiver Javon Walker still wasn’t ready to talk about his fallen teammate or his sorrow this offseason.

Walker, who was with Williams in the early morning hours Jan. 1 when he was shot and killed, met with the media Wednesday morning after a training camp practice. He responded to the first question, about his general well-being, with an answer about being healthy for training camp.

When asked specifically how he was doing off the field, Walker declined to answer.

“I’m just talking about football right now guys,” Walker said.

Walker showed up at the team’s headquarters on the afternoon of Jan. 1 with a large spot of blood on a white T-shirt he was wearing.

After Williams died, Walker went through what Broncos coach Mike Shanahan called a heavy grieving period. Walker was not seen at Williams’ funeral in Fort Worth, Texas, with his teammates Jan. 6.

Cornerback Champ Bailey helped Walker get through the grief by spending time with him and talking about Williams. Walker’s teammates and Shanahan said he appeared to be doing better as the offseason went on.

Early this offseason Shanahan said he thought Walker would always think about Williams, but he would be able to move on.

“Javon will always think about Darrent, always think about Darrent Williams and what he meant to him and what he meant to this football team,” Shanahan said. “But I definitely think he’ll get over it. That’s what you have to do. Life goes on.”

On Wednesday, Walker responded to a specific question about how he was doing off the field with a football-related answer.

“I’m doing good,” Walker said. “Obviously, I’m feeling healthy, so that’s the best part about it, running routes every day and not doing anything that’s limited.”

Walker has not talked to the media about Williams’ death. The closest Walker got Wednesday to speaking about his difficult offseason was saying he had been hesitant to speak publicly about it.

“There’s certain situations, where I just didn’t want myself in the front of the camera,” Walker said. “This is due to people I know and people who are working with me. When the time will come it was going to come, and what better day than today?”

A follow-up question about how difficult it was to discuss Williams was directed back to on-field questions.

“Football, please?” Walker said.

On the field, Walker is having a good camp. He made a few big plays Wednesday. He beat cornerback Dre Bly deep down the sideline for a long catch from quarterback Jay Cutler. Later, he caught another long pass and used some great moves to get in the open field and score.

Last year, Walker was less than a year removed from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. He said he has no lingering effects from the surgery.

“Last year going into camp I was rehabbing and trying to learn on the run,” Walker said. “Going into this season I feel healthy, feel strong, and ready to give it a full go when the season starts.”

Walker started sporting a Mohawk haircut earlier this month. Williams wore his hair in a Mohawk style for a few games last season. Walker said he just wanted to try something new.

“I got tired of getting the same haircut all my life, so I wanted something new and something different, stand out a little bit,” Walker said.