For Riley Moss, the first few days after core muscle surgery were brutal. The Broncos rookie cornerback struggled to get out of bed and said he moved around the house like his dad after hip replacement surgery.
Moss spent his time taking pain medication, sleeping and reviewing the playbook.
Five weeks after an aggressive rehab process, Moss returned to practice on Monday. The former Iowa standout is not at 100%, leaving his status for Week 1’s matchup against the Raiders in question, but he is happy to be back practicing.
“I’m taking it day by day,” Moss said. “I’m keeping my expectations at ease and coming in every day, doing whatever (the team) tells me to do and make the most of it.”
Before surgery, Moss said he felt soreness but thought he was fine and kept playing through the pain. During the fourth practice of camp, Moss felt a tear. He said doctors in Denver didn’t see anything wrong from the MRI but sent it to a specialist in Philadelphia who detected a problem.
Moss relaxed for two days before returning to the facility to start the rehab process, which consisted of soft tissue and laser treatment. The goal was to prevent the scar tissue from tightening up “because it’s going to be a lot harder to get back on the field,” Moss said.
Moss said the rehab process was fluid. Two weeks ago, Moss began running and jogging. The trainers would have him run and walk simultaneously before incorporating a change of direction and core strengthening exercises. Moss participated in individual drills during the media viewing portion of Monday’s practice.
“Just take it a day at a time,” cornerback Fabian Moreau said. “He’s talented, so he’s going to catch up. My advice to any rookie is to soak up everything that you can.”
This season, Moss is expected to have a contributing role in Denver’s secondary. He was drafted in the third round after the Broncos made a trade to select him with the No. 83 pick. He was a full participant in rookie minicamp, OTAs and mandatory minicamp before suffering the injury hiccup in late July.
Moss said the injury was a blessing in disguise. He could watch his teammates from a different perspective, study film and understand the defense. Moss had a good grasp of Denver’s defense before the injury, but watching from afar allowed him to see things he wouldn’t notice when playing.
“There’s so much more you can take out of it,” Moss said. “You are able to see the safeties doing this, so that’s where the help is actually at. It’s cool to sit back and see the moving parts come into play.”
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