ENGLEWOOD - Tyler Polumbus has returned home.
A former star at Cherry Creek High School, a former standout for the Colorado Buffaloes and a former starter for the Denver Broncos, Polumbus returned to his roots Thursday by signing with the Broncos on a one-year, prorated $870,000 salary that is the minimum for a player with eight years of service time.
A veteran offensive tackle of nine NFL seasons, Polumbus gives the Broncos much needed reinforcement following the left shoulder injury to starting left tackle Ty Sambrailo.
To make room for Polumbus, the Broncos waived reserve safety Josh Bush.
Polumbus, 30, will attend the Broncos' practice Thursday afternoon. He played the first three games of the regular season for the Atlanta Falcons before he was released Tuesday. Because he's already in game shape and accustomed to the zone-blocking scheme, Polumbus could dress as Denver's backup swing tackle for its game Sunday afternoon against the Minnesota Vikings at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.
"Definitely it was crazy," Polumbus said about the lows of getting released and highs of quickly finding employment back with his hometown team. "You never want to get that phone call. Especially when you get the call from the guy that you know that calls you (when you get released). That's not a good feeling, but there is 24 hours there that I sat at home with the wife and kids and tried to enjoy a little family time and not stress too much. I got the call that Denver was interested and we were on pins and needles waiting to find out if it was going to go through."
It was nice for his family that Polumbus received the veteran double-dip benefit. As a vested vet who made the Falcons' opening-day roster, he gets to keep the $80,000 signing bonus and collect the full $870,000 salary from them, plus his salary with the Broncos.
Sambrailo suffered his shoulder injury while attempting to throw a cut block on a wide running play early in the fourth quarter of the Broncos' 24-12 win at Detroit. He did not practice Wednesday or Thursday and it seems unlikely he will play Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings.
If Sambrailo doesn't play, the Broncos only other two offensive tackles available before signing Polumbus were Ryan Harris and Michael Schofield. Harris and Polumbus followed similar NFL career paths in that both played their early years with the Broncos, then bounced around the league to play with several other teams before returning to Denver.
Harris is the Broncos' starting right tackle. Schofield was a third-round draft pick of the Broncos in 2014 but has yet to play an NFL snap.
Polumbus now gives the Broncos veteran insurance. Undrafted out of CU in 2008, Polumbus has played in 101 career games with 57 starts predominantly in the zone-blocking scheme. He was first signed by the Mike Shanahan-led Broncos in 2008 and started half the season for Josh McDaniels' Broncos in 2009.
Polumbus moved on in 2010 to the Seattle Seahawks where he was reunited with former Broncos' offensive play-caller Jeremy Bates. In 2012 he moved on to the Washington Redskins where he was reunited with head coach Mike Shanahan.
Polumbus played three games this year with the Falcons whose offensive coordinator was Kyle Shanahan, Mike's son.
And now Polumbus is reunited with Rick Dennison, who was the Broncos' offensive coordinator in 2008 and offensive line coach in 2009.
Polumbus was released by the Falcons for two reasons: One, veteran Jake Long has worked himself into shape and is now available to fill the swing tackle role. And two, Atlanta needed to sign tight end Mickey Shuler after starter Jacob Tamme suffered a concussion Sunday at Dallas against the Cowboys. By signing Shuler, the Falcons bypassed promoting tight end Marcel Jensen from their practice squad.
Jensen spent the entire offseason and training camp with the Broncos but was among the final roster cuts. Tamme played the previous three season with the Broncos.
So no matter how long he's been away and how far he travelled, Polumbus always had connections that brought him back to Denver.
"It's always good to have some familiarity," Polumbus said. "I've been very fortunate in all my stops. I've really been around people that I know. I was with the same offensive coaching staff really for five or six of my eight years. Fortunately for me, I got to come back to some more faces that I know, and that helps with the transition."
(© 2015 KUSA)
