Fussball » picked up the option on 11 players

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Peyton Mannings top target is back. Demaryius Thomas returned from bereavement leave Monday. He had missed the first 4 1/2 days of training camp for the AFC champs following the death last week of his paternal grandmother, Gladys Thomas, who helped raise him. "Im good. It was tough yesterday to bury my grandma, but ever since then everythings been better," Thomas said. "Shes in a better place now, so Im fine and Im ready to play football." Thomas flight from Georgia didnt get back in time for him to participate in a spirited morning practice at Dove Valley that featured three scuffles, but he participated in the teams evening walkthrough in shorts. "It was good," Thomas said. "All the guys keep me smiling, thats the main thing, and just being back out here to do what I love, it was great." Gladys Thomas had been battling Alzheimers disease for two years, he said. She died last week, one day before Thomas reported for training camp. The Broncos excused him from camp for as long as he needed to be with his family. "They were great," Thomas said. "They sent flowers and everything. So, I want to want to take my hat off to the Broncos for allowing me to go and also looking out for my family and me." Bubba Caldwell filled in, with Emmanuel Sanders and rookie Cody Latimer also getting more work during the seven workouts Thomas missed. Thomas arrived at the teams headquarters toward the end of Mondays workout. With a day off following an evening walkthrough, he wont get his first true practice until Wednesday at Sports Authority Field. "Were eager to have him back and understand his situation and feel for him and whenever hes ready, hes ready," receiver Wes Welker said. "We know what type of player he is, what type of person he is and were eager to have him out here on this football field with us." Thomas said he was able to watch practice film on his iPad over the weekend. "Im not behind, I know whats going on," Thomas said. "Its just the fact of getting out here and getting in football shape." The Broncos wont turn him loose right away. "Once he gets back he will just jump right in (but) well probably be smart with him, make sure that we dont do anything crazy," offensive co-ordinator Adam Gase said. "Hes not going to come out here and just run all go routes -- none of that on the first day. Well work him back in, well be smart, make sure he gets caught up to speed with his conditioning but then he will slide right in. The mental aspect of the game with him is a non-issue." Thomas caught a team-best 92 passes for 1,430 yards and 14 touchdowns last year. He also set a Super Bowl record with 13 receptions. Hes entering the final year of his rookie contract and his agent and the Broncos have exchanged proposals on a long-term deal. Denvers defence was missing its star on Monday, too. DeMarcus Ware bruised his right leg Sunday during a practice at the Broncos stadium and was replaced in the front-line defence by Quanterus Smith, who had an impressive day that included a sack. Nike Free Discount .J. -- Tom Coughlin doesnt have many options at halfback for the winless New York Giants. Nike Free Sale . That little deal worked out in a big way for the Mavericks. Nowitzki had 21 points Tuesday night to pass Oscar Robertson for 10th on the NBAs career scoring list, leading the Mavs to a 95-83 victory over the Utah Jazz. http://www.nikefreediscount.com/ . The outdoor event will be played on Dec. 31 between alumni of the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers at Citizens Bank Park, the home of the Philadelphia Phillies. Nike Free Clearance .While Rosberg is coming off a strong victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix, Hamilton is dwelling on a mistake that ended his streak of five consecutive wins and kept him from increasing his advantage. Wholesale Nike Free .J. -- The New Jersey Devils are so bad in shootouts, coach Pete DeBoer doesnt mind seeing his team take chances in the five-minute overtime.Toronto FC officially cut ties with striker Danny Koevermans and long-time goalkeeper Stefan Frei in a series of roster moves on Friday. Both players were out of contract. Though his strike rate was high, designated player Koevermans was often injured and appeared in only 30 games over the course of three seasons with TFC, including missing most of the 2012 campaign and appearing just four times in 2013. The 35-year-old Dutchman is expected to pursue opportunities in his homeland. TFCs first-round pick in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft, Frei was displaced as first-choice keeper by the acquisition of Joe Bednik from the Portland Timbers last off-season. When Toronto traded for Chris Konopka to deputize for Bednik in September, the writing was on the wall for Frei that his time in Toronto was nearing its end. Frei made 99 appearances for TFC over the course of his career, but only four in the last two seasons mostly due to injury. Out-of-contract forward Justin Braun will also not be returning to the team. Toronto FC also declined options on Welsh striker Robert Earnshaw and midfielders Bobby Convey, Darrel Russel and Michael Thomas. Thhe team picked up the option on 11 players: goalkeepers Bendik, Konopka and Quillan Roberts; defenders Gale Agbossoumonde, Mark Bloom, Ryan Ricther; midfielders Kyle Bekker, Reggie Lambe, Jeremy Hall; forwards Bright Dike, Emery Welshman, and Andrew Wiedeman.dddddddddddd. The team already had nine players under contract for next season in defenders Jonas Elmer, Ashtone Morgan, Doneil Henry, Richard Eckersley and Steven Caldwell, as well as midfielders Matias Laba, Jonathan Osorio, Manuel Aparicio and Alvaro Rey. "We are writing a new story for TFC, and it begins with our current players," said Toronto FC General Manager Tim Bezbatchenko in a statement. "We have not had a solid core group like this in a long time, and this core is prepared and excited about taking this Club to the next level. We will continue discussing the possibility of returning next season with those players whose options were declined." The team is expected to continue to pursue designated players with the club having been linked to Tottenhams Jermain Defoe, Genoas Alberto Gilardino and Chelseas Samuel Etoo. ' ' '