The Denver Broncos are prepared to slap the franchise tag on Ryan Clady unless a long-term deal can be hammered out by March 4. Whatever method they use to lock down their starting left tackle, Clady isn't about to take the field. The lineman told ESPN's Josina Anderson on Monday that his rehab from surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff "will be about a five-to-a-six-month process." "There's no way I'm going to be in minicamps this year because I won't be ready shoulder-wise (even) if I do get a deal done by then," Clady said. "In other words, I'm planning for (shoulder rehab), so I'm not going to be there, regardless if I don't get a deal done still. Even if I get a deal done, my chances are I probably wouldn't do much in training camp. About that time, I should be just about 100 percent around July or August -- in that area." The long road back won't diminish what Clady means to Peyton Manning and the offense, but VP of football operations John Elway told The Denver Post this week that "things have changed a little bit because he's coming off a shoulder surgery." Clady also ruptured his patella tendon back in 2010. Source: NFL.com
