Marshall eager but not ready

Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall continues to languish on the PUP list due to a sore left thigh, and he's trying not to get too down. "Right now, I know the toughest thing is to stay in it mentally, keeping up in the playbook," Marshall tells the Rocky Mountain News. "I'm definitely frustrated. It can take a toll on you physically and mentally." He suffered the injury in the mid-June minicamp and aggravated it in an early-July workout. Marshall says his quad still feels "weak" at times, especially when he cuts. A recent MRI showed that the ailment is healing, but he is working without a timetable. If healthy, Marshall would the starter right now because Rod Smith is out following left hip surgery. We were excited about Brandon's upside, but this injury is severely squashing those feelings.