Choosing Dallas instead of Denver

Had money been a driving force in his thought process, Tony Romo might have been on the practice field Wednesday in a different uniform.

Broncos coach Mike Shanahan admitted after practice he tried to sign the Dallas Cowboys' current starting quarterback in 2003, when Romo's eligibility at Eastern Illinois expired.

Shanahan is an alumnus of the school. But it was Romo's talents that drew him, not school pride. He offered Romo a $20,000 signing bonus, but the quarterback took half that from Dallas and then-passing game coordinator Sean Payton.

"I offered twice the amount of money, so that really disappointed me at the time," Shanahan said. "I asked Tony not long ago. I said, 'Tell me, how could you go to Dallas?' And at least he said the right thing. He said, 'Coach, I thought I had a much better chance of making the team there than I did at your place.' So he's a politician as well."

The Broncos signed Jake Plummer in March 2003 to a rich free-agent contract. The Cowboys' trio at quarterback at the time was Quincy Carter, Chad Hutchinson and Drew Henson. Only Henson remains in the NFL, as a backup for the Minnesota Vikings.

"It really came down to Denver and Dallas," Romo said. "I think I made the right choice right now. But you never know, I guess."

Romo added he doesn't second- guess his decision now that he has emerged as the Cowboys starter, but there were moments he might have had doubts while watching from the bench, seemingly forever, without logging a regular-season snap.

"I know there are times I thought in the four years before I started playing that had I decided to go someplace else, then maybe I could have gotten on the field sooner," said Romo, who started the first eight games of his career last season. "But I think everything happens for a reason."

Star wars

The Broncos cornerback tandem of Dré Bly and Champ Bailey received the T.O. stamp of approval.

"Individually, I've played against those guys on different teams and they've been able to hold their own," Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens said. "To be able to get those guys together, it's going to be a staple of their defense."

Owens had one of the day's highlights when he made an acrobatic grab on a ball that went through Domonique Foxworth's hands during the morning team period. He also got Bailey to bite on a slant and go.

Owens said he considers both starting Broncos cornerbacks as friends and welcomed the challenge of facing them.

After the first practice, Owens was reminded of his catch-and-run of 90 yards for the Philadelphia Eagles, with Bailey covering, on Oct. 30, 2005, that remains Owens' career long.

"Well, 91 to be exact," he countered.

He listed Bailey among the best cornerbacks he has faced, citing his technique, feet and hands.

"Everyone knows his name for a reason," Owens said.

Injury report

Left tackle Matt Lepsis took limited snaps but was moving around gingerly. He said the groin strain that kept him out of the preseason opener in San Francisco lingered, but he planned to practice in Irving.

"I'm going to push through it," he said before taking the second practice off, part of his regular post-knee surgery routine.

The Broncos already are thin on the offensive line with tackles Ryan Harris (back), guard Ben Hamilton (concussion) and Jacob Rogers (left knee) not making the trip.

Receiver David Kircus (tight hamstring) returned to practice after being held out of the 49ers game as a precaution. Wideout Brandon Stokley (thigh) was held out of both practices and instead jogged around the field and did other conditioning work with strength coach Rich Tuten.

Defensive tackle Alvin McKinley didn't make the trip because his wife was close to giving birth.

Not sweating it

Kicker Jason Elam's nearly can't-miss accuracy in past training camps has been such that a few clangs off the uprights merit notice.

Couple that handful of misfires with a 44-yard field-goal attempt that sailed right Monday night, and there's at least probable cause to discover what might be happening.

"I've got a little list that I've had, really, for 15 years that I keep in my locker, and when I'm not going right, it lists about six things, and I just address them. And it's always been able to work itself out," he said.

While there's an adjustment period this summer - Elam changed holders from Jake Plummer last season to punter Todd Sauerbrun - the primary reason for his recent troubles boils down to mechanics and the timing he has firing his hips on his swing.

"The one positive thing is that I feel like I'm hitting it better than I have in four or five years. I know the stats don't show that. But I'm way ahead of where I was at this time last year," he said before making all eight field-goal attempts in the afternoon session. "I had a calf strain last year, which was frustrating, but my stats were good."

Elam hit a career-best 93.1 percent of his field goals in 2006.

Making a move

The lack of depth at tackle prompted tight end Chad Mustard to fill a at right tackle with the reserves. He even had changed his uniform number from 85 to 71 by the second practice.

"I just do what they tell me, man. I want to make the team. But I woke up (Wednesday) morning a tight end and I'm going to bed a tackle," he said.

Mustard hasn't played a full season on the offensive line since his senior year in high school. He played tackle briefly last season.

During the first practice, his teammates at tight end mockingly called out to him, "We want Chad," as Mustard worked on combination blocks with the other offensive linemen before jumping right in with the second and third units.

"It's tough any time you go against someone you don't know, No. 1. So at a new position, it's going to be difficult," he said. "I'm just going to study my butt off and learn as fast as I can."

Special visitor

Rosalind Williams, the mother of Darrent Williams, a Broncos cornerback killed on New Year's Day, will visit with the team today. Williams was from Fort Worth, not far from where the team is practicing.

"It's difficult to see them, difficult knowing they're in town," she told The Associated Press on Wednesday night. "But I feel good they're near and they're close."

New radio member

KOA-AM (850) radio has added Colorado native and six-time Olympic gold medal swimmer Amy Van Dyken to its Broncos broadcast team.

Van Dyken, who attended Cherry Creek High School and Colorado State University, will be involved with pregame features and will interview coaches, former players and NFL analysts. She began her broadcasting career with KOA in 2000 and was a sideline reporter for the NFL on Fox from 2002 to 2004.

Daily highlights

In another sign his health is improving after missing nearly two weeks with a quadriceps injury, receiver Brandon Marshall returned punts for the first time.

He joined Domenik Hixon and David Kircus in that role, and he made a nice grab along the sideline, keeping both feet inbounds. And he looked sharp catching passes.

"My routes are getting better. It's all mental now," he said.

Broncos tight end Tony Scheffler, working his way back fully after suffering a pre-camp foot injury, made a leaping grab between two Cowboys defenders.

Broncos safety Hamza Abdullah played the passing angle well in batting away a sideline attempt to Terrell Owens.

Patrick Ramsey threw a deep strike to Quincy Morgan, who beat cornerback Aaron Glenn.

Domonique Foxworth and Abdullah ran with the starting defense at safety with Nick Ferguson and John Lynch getting the afternoon off.

Nate Webster went both practices as the first-team strong-side linebacker.

He said it

"Oh, my God. I feel like I'm back at Florida. Where are the IVs?"

Brandon Marshall, Broncos receiver who played for the University of Central Florida, on the temperature, which sent the heat index to 112 degrees in Irving, Texas, for the second half of two-a-day workouts.

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