| There's no reason for Broncos CB Champ Bailey to move to safety yet. (Andrew Mason) |
Rod Woodson did it, and burnished his Hall of Fame credentials. Ronde Barber did it, and kept his spot in the starting lineup and cemented his status as a Tampa Bay Buccaneers legend.
But Broncos CB Champ Bailey would rather not move from cornerback to safety, even though as a 14-year veteran, it would seem such a shift would be necessary to extend his career.
Bailey was adamant about not ruling it out, but added, I don't plan on doing that."
As long as Bailey remains healthy, such a move isn't imminent. The NFL's all-time leader among Pro Bowl appearances by cornerbacks has remained at that level this year, and has been assigned to cover the opponent's top receiver regularly since the middle of the Week 3 loss to Houston.
Staying at cornerback a few years from now presents its own issue -- namely eventually having to accept a downsized role, as Bailey's ex-Redskins teammate, Hall of Famer Darrell Green, did during the last three seasons of a 20-year career that ended after the 2002 season.
"I've always said if it comes to the point where I have to come off the bench, I don't know if I could deal with that. And he did it for three years," Bailey said. "I don't know if I'm made that way. We'll see."
BAILEY BEHIND THE 'DOGS: Bailey's alma mater, Georgia, faces Alabama on Saturday in the SEC Championship Game, and he wants to reach out to his old school, considering that a national-title shot is on the line.
"I'm actually kind of prepping myself to call and give them a pep talk because we can't let this one slide," Bailey said. "This is one of those once-in-a-lifetime opportunities because I'm tired of people talking about Herschel Walker. That was 30-something years ago."
Bailey claims he has support in the locker room from S David Bruton, a Notre Dame graduate, "because he thinks Notre Dame could beat Georgia in the BCS championship," he said.
"The guy has no idea."
Bruton claims it's only because he wants some new blood in the title game, which Alabama won last year.
"It's going to be a tough task regardless of who plays," Bruton said. "It's just personal preference to see Georgia. We saw Alabama last year. Let's get two new teams to go at it."
NOTES: DE/LB Von Miller was named the AFC's Defensive Player of the Month, making him the first Bronco so honored since Bailey in 2006 … G/C Manny Ramirez (back) and WR Brandon Stokley (wrist and hip) were limited in practice.
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