Broncos' Champ Bailey ready for third comeback try this season

Lindsay H. Jones | USA TODAY Sports

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — For the first time in his football-playing life, Champ Bailey's confidence was shaken.

He stood on the sideline during an unseasonably warm afternoon in Kansas City earlier this month, his arms crossed, a jacket draped over his shoulder pads and jersey, and he watched — just as he had done the previous nine games, and just like he would do for two more.

This was not the version of Bailey that teammates, coaches and Broncos fans knew. It certainly wasn't a version of himself that Bailey recognized, either.

"I've never felt like that before, because I've never been out this long. It's a unique situation," Bailey told USA TODAY Sports admitting that poor play is often the result when the body can't be trusted.

But before Bailey's season can officially be classified as lost, he's planning to return to the field Sunday against the Houston Texans. It will be his third attempt to come back from the severe foot injury he suffered in an August preseason game — and this time, he believes he's finally ready to help the Broncos, both in the final two weeks of the regular season as well as the playoffs.

"I feel good about what I can do," Bailey said. "I think now it's just being smart about how I go about doing it, and making sure I don't have any setbacks, and I don't wear myself down or anything like that. The good thing is I'm fresh, and I'm ready to go."

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With rookie Kayvon Webster, who had been Denver's No. 3 corner behind Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Chris Harris, expected to be out this week while recovering from surgery to repair a broken thumb, Bailey's return could provide a boost for a defense that is allowing 27 points per game.

"We need him to help us," defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio said. "We think he can, and it looks like he's a lot closer to being in a role where he can do that for us."

This has easily been the most trying season of Bailey's career. After earning a Pro Bowl spot last year, he played perhaps the worst game of his life in a playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens when he was beaten twice for deep touchdowns by Torrey Smith.

For the first time, Bailey played his age. He was 34 on that January day and now, six months after turning 35, he hasn't had the opportunity to prove that his poor performance against the Ravens was merely a bad day and not something more.

He hasn't been himself in the eight quarters he's played this season (a full game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Oct. 13, and one half apiece against the Indianapolis Colts on Oct. 20 and the Chiefs on Dec. 1).

Broncos coach John Fox said the team never considered placing Bailey on injured reserve, a testament both to the team's confidence that the 12-time Pro Bowler would eventually get healthy and his importance to the defense even when he's been on the sideline.

"He's taken his leadership role very seriously. He's still taking notes like he's getting ready to play. He (hasn't) shown any wavering in his confidence or that he's disheartened from not playing," said safety David Bruton, Bailey's teammate since 2009 and a fellow captain.

"He's still giving advice, still being the Champ I've always known."

More important, though, is for Bailey to believe he's still the same player. He said that he's rebuilt his confidence over the past couple weeks by proving to himself he could practice at full speed and without pain. He said he's prepared to play "as many snaps as possible," and believes he's in a better position to make this comeback stick than he was at the beginning of the month.

"Just make sure I'm ready — physically, mentally, emotionally, everything," Bailey said. "It's just not a physical game, but the mental part is a big part of it. I just have to make sure I'm completely ready."

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Follow Lindsay H. Jones on Twitter @bylindsayhjones