Broncos, Panthers Injured Players Back For Super Bowl

Denver Broncos safeties T.J. Ward and Darian Stewart were officially limited in practice Wednesday but ran freely on the natural grass inside Stanford Stadium.

Both are rehabbing from injuries leading up to Super Bowl 50 on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. Ward injured his left ankle Nov. 28 and missed three games, then re-injured himself in the fourth quarter of the AFC championship game against the Patriots; Stewart sprained his right knee in the third quarter against the Pats.

Ward looked spry and only slightly favored his ankle. Stewart appeared to be running well and without restriction.

"They're listed as limited today," coach Gary Kubiak said after practice to a pool reporter. "But I think they're right where they need to be, working toward game day. They need to get their confidence as the week goes on. But they took the step they needed to take today."

One other Bronco, guard Louis Vasquez, was also limited with a knee injury. Kubiak said he expects all three to play Sunday.

The Broncos went through a 1-hour, 35-minute practice with GM John Elway looking on from the sideline.

The team worked for about 15 minutes in walk-through fashion, 15 minutes on special teams, then with both the first-team offense and first-team defense working against the scout team. Music was played through big speakers to provide noise.

Players Remain On Track to Play

Carolina Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis and defensive end Jared Allen remain on track to play in Super Bowl 50.

Allen was limited in Wednesday's practice with a broken right foot, according to the practice report released by pool reporter Jarrett Bell of USA Today, the same injury that kept him out of the NFC Championship Game.

But according to coach Ron Rivera, the move was precautionary.

"Jared's was really about rest," Rivera said. "He's been going full blast since we started, and the doctors wanted to just make sure. So he earned the rest."

Davis, who suffered a broken forearm in the NFC title game, was a full participant Wednesday. He wore a protective cast over the injury, which required a metal plate with about a dozen screws.

The Panthers practiced for an hour and 15 minutes on the grass fields adjacent to San Jose State's Spartan Stadium in preparation for Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos.

Rivera said Davis will have his arm examined by doctors again on Friday, but the full practice load was a clear indication he will be ready for Sunday.

"When the doctors say he's 100 percent, I'll go with it," Rivera said.

Rams Discuss Bringing Manning To L.A.

The Rams have had internal discussions about bringing Peyton Manning to Los Angeles should he want to play another season, per a league source.

Manning still is under contract to the Broncos for another year, but most around the league do not expect him to return to Denver next season, if he returns at all.

Manning still must decide whether he wants to play after this season, and the Rams still are formulating their quarterback plans. But they are monitoring the Manning situation, per a source, which is a sign that the Broncos quarterback could have options next season.

It also sets up the possibility -- even if it is remote -- that Manning could finish his career in Southern California, just as former Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas did with the San Diego Chargers in 1973 and former New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath did with the Los Angeles Rams in 1977.

Rams coach Jeff Fisher said at his season-ending news conference that Case Keenum is the team's starter entering the offseason and Nick Foles and Sean Mannion will be around to compete. The Rams traded for Foles last offseason and signed him to an extension, but the former Philadelphia Eagles starter lost the starting job to Keenum during the season.

Super Bowl 50 will be Manning's fourth title game in 18 seasons. Given that he came back from spinal fusion surgery in 2011 to play four seasons for the Broncos, along with the injuries that have dotted his past three seasons, including the left foot injury that forced him to miss seven games this season, there have been signs for weeks that Sunday's game might be Manning's last.