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ENGLEWOOD Peyton Manning Jersey , Colo. (AP) — Shane Ray spots motivation.Denver selecting another pass rusher in Bradley Chubb with the No. 5 overall pick? Fuel.Not having his fifth-year option picked up by the team? More incentive.Being bashed on social media following an injury-riddled 2017 season? Added drive.Not that long ago, Ray was all the rage — a first-round pick out of Missouri to play alongside Von Miller. But another pass-rusher has suddenly soared in popularity in Chubb, whose selection on draft night had Miller hooting and hollering .Ray gets it. He takes it all in stride. He’s trying to, anyway.“For somebody to come and just try to shove me to the side, I’m not that type of player,” Ray said after a team workout Tuesday. “I’m going to come out here and continue to be what my coaches know that I can be, my teammates, and I’m not going to let the outside people try to characterize who I am and what’s going to happen for this team.“I’ve got to focus on being me. I’ve got to focus on coming out here and having a great season, and helping my team and securing my future, wherever it is.”Ray insisted he understands why Broncos boss John Elway and the team balked at picking up his option. Last season wasn’t what he envisioned, either. He broke his left wrist in July, underwent three surgeries that caused him to miss the opening six games. He had one sack over the next eight contests before going back on injury reserve.His fifth-year option — $9.23 million — would have been worth more than the four-year, $9,118,894 rookie contract he signed after the Broncos selected him with the 23rd overall pick in 2015. Ray, who recently turned 25, has started just 15 games in three NFL seasons, collecting 13 sacks and recovering two fumbles.“Do you invest $9 million in a guy who had three wrist surgeries the year prior? You know, maybe not?” Ray said. “I can’t blame John for that, and I can’t focus on that. That’s not something I’m going to allow to mess up my focus or my commitment to the team.”On draft night, Ray said he, too, cheered the selection of Chubb Drew Lock Denver Broncos Jersey , even if it was direct competition. Ray also vowed to teach Chubb the tricks of the pass-rushing trade. After all, that’s what DeMarcus Ware did for him.So far, Ray’s been impressed by Chubb.“He’s taking notes from me, Von, Shaq (Barrett), the coaches,” Ray said. “He’s going to develop into a great player because of that.”One thing: Ray will be standing in his way of a starting role.“It’s going to be hell of a fight,” Ray said, “for somebody to come and take what I’ve worked so hard for my whole life.”While Ray’s wrist continues to heal — he’s not allowed to do push-ups or bench press yet — Ray spent the offseason increasing his leg strength. He’s beefed up from 219 pounds to around 247.“I haven’t been this big in three years,” Ray said. “It’s a nice additional weight I felt I needed … playing the run, just getting into the backfield and moving guys around.”Broncos coach Vance Joseph can almost sense a hungry Ray, who’s trying to hold off Chubb and prove he’s worth a lucrative new deal.“You’re going to have to go out and earn your keep in this league,” Joseph said. “If you earn it, you keep it. He understands that. So, Shane has been in a great mood. … I’ve been proud of how Shane’s handled those things because obviously he reads the papers and what you guys write about that stuff.”He’s not reading this: What’s being said on social media. He’s tuned it out after a series of exchanges with his Twitter followers during the draft weekend.“It’s stressful, when you’ve got all these other things to worry about in life and have other people that are trying to bash you every moment they get,” Ray explained. “I don’t have time for it.”Ray had a solid rookie season that included a pair of tackles and a forced fumble in the Broncos’ win over Carolina in Super Bowl 50. In 2016, he posted eight sacks.“Last year, I wasn’t the same me due to injury,” Ray said. “For people holding that against me, hey, it is what it is. I don’t care. … Focus on you and eliminate the outside noise and life will be a lot easier.”——AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Stapleton contributed.—— ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Former University of Tennessee star linebacker A.J. Johnson is getting a shot in the NFL with the Denver Broncos less than a month after he was acquitted along with a college teammate of aggravated rape charges.After his first practice as a pro Monday Drew Lock Denver Broncos Jersey , Johnson said, “It’s a blessing to be a part of a team, I’m excited to get out here, start working out and start working my tail off.”He said he never doubted he’d see this day .“No, never a time. I had faith. I trusted in God,” he said. “I kept working and being determined and kept pushing. I knew it was going to come.”Johnson said the Broncos reached out to him Saturday.Coach Vance Joseph said he wasn’t sure what to expect from Johnson following such a long layoff from football.“Well, we’ll see. It’s been three years since he’s actually played football. At that time, three years ago, he was a serious prospect,” Joseph said. “He’s got great size, he can run, he’s a very, very intelligent player. So, we’ll see.”Johnson and Michael Williams were acquitted of all counts July 27. They were indicted in February 2015 after a woman said both men raped her during a party at Johnson’s apartment in the early morning hours of Nov. 16, 2014. Johnson and Williams were suspended from the team less than 48 hours after the party and never played for Tennessee again.While Williams was a part-time starter in the secondary, Johnson was a four-year starter and a pro prospect whose invitation to the 2015 NFL combine was rescinded after charges were filed.“A.J. hasn’t had the opportunity to play football for the last three years while resolving a serious legal matter,” general manager John Elway said in a statement Monday. “We’ve had several conversations with him since he’s been cleared and have become very familiar with his background and character. Our organization is confident A.J. is ready to move forward and resume his playing career.”Joseph said the Broncos did their due diligence before signing Johnson.“We talked to all of his coaches. My cousin actually coached him at Tennessee. Zach (Azzanni, Denver’s new wide receivers coach) had him at Tennessee. Everyone spoke highly about the guy, so we’ll see. Again, he wants to play football, he’s been training for two years to play football. He’s been here for four hours, so we’ll see how he fits in.”To make room for Johnson, the Broncos released linebacker Stansly Maponga.They also signed safety Shamarko Thomas after losing safety Jamal Carter (torn hamstring) for the season Saturday night in their preseason opener. Joseph said Carter needs surgery and will go on IR.Thomas was released by the Colts on Saturday Drew Lock Jersey 2019 , less than 48 hours after he was ejected from a preseason game against Seattle for an illegal helmet hit.Thomas said Colts coach Frank Reich told him his release wasn’t over that hit, however.“It’s all in God’s plan. The ejection, I leaned with my helmet, that’s what they say. I’m just happy to be here and be a Bronco,” Thomas said.Now a 26-year-old rookie, Johnson was a three-time All-SEC selection at Tennessee from 2011-14. He was a four-year starter in Knoxville whose 425 tackles ran second among any Volunteer since the school started keeping track of the statistic in 1970.In 46 career games at Tennessee, he had 30½ tackles for loss, three sacks, an interception, 11 pass breakups, three forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries. He posted double digits in tackles 23 times.Prosecutors painted Johnson and Williams as entitled athletes who weren’t used to being told no. Defense attorneys argued that the woman had sex with both men at the same time and then lied, claiming she had been raped.After a jury of seven women and five men found Johnson and Williams not guilty, Johnson said, “I just knew God was going to take care of it.”The Broncos listed the 6-foot-2 Johnson at 243 pounds, but he said at his trial last month that he weighs 255 as he sought to revive his dream of playing in the NFL.Johnson said he wasn’t bitter over his long-delayed debut.“No, I’m not a bitter guy. I wake up happy every day. I’m blessed, I’m glad to be out here,” he said. “I haven’t had this many cameras in my face in a long time. But no, I have no bitterness about me.”