Denver Broncos

Broncos bringing first-round pick Ray along slowly after injuries

Published Jun. 12, 2015 3:16 p.m. ET

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DeMarcus Ware called Denver's linebacker group a "Fearsome Threesome."

To be mentioned alongside Ware and Von Miller, rookie Shane Ray knows he'll have to pull his own weight as a pass-rusher.

"Von and DeMarcus are two of my idols," Ray told 9News Denver. "People that I see things in and see their success as Pro Bowlers -- that's where I want to be. To be able to go out and compete against them every day and learn from them as well, to have them take me under their wings means a lot to me."

The Broncos are still wearing kid's gloves as they handle Ray. That means having Ware and Miller tutor him on the field. It also means easing Ray back into the lineup as he recovers from a college toe injury and a newly-injured quad.

Head coach Gary Kubiak sat Ray again when he tweaked that quad. Ray says it's merely precautionary and claims this is the best he's felt since Missouri.

"Just kind of pushing a little, just a little tweak, nothing serious at all," he said. "Coming back from my foot injury, they want to make sure there's nothing else that slows me down. It's nothing serious."

There's no rush to give the No. 23 overall pick starter's snaps. Kubiak said that even a healthy Ray would be a rotational player at first for the Broncos.

(h/t 9News Denver)