[Quesadilla Joe]

Vance Joseph doesn't blow smoke like other coaches. So if he says Charles is looking great, he's telling the truth.

"I'm not sure what we're going to see on Saturday, but Charles looked great [Tuesday]," Joseph said. "He looked great last week. He is wanting to play football, so hopefully for him it goes well."

In a perfect world, the Broncos would be able to use Charles as a change-of-pace back who is a threat as a runner or receiver for 10-12 plays a game. But to do that they have to be convinced his knees will hold up.

They held him out of team drills throughout the offseason and slowly ramped up his workload as the preseason has gone along. He did not play in the first two preseason games, but the Broncos were pleased with what he was able to do in joint practices against the San Francisco 49ers last week.

"I've been trusting my knees," Charles said after Tuesday's practice. "I was just excited to be in San Francisco and playing against that defense. I saw some of my talent playing against them and everybody else saw what I was doing out there, too. I'm excited to just play football again, basically."

"I feel like I'm back to my normal me. I'm back to my normal weight," Charles said. "Last year, I was 195. This year, I'm 204, 205. I'm back to my normal weight, I'm back to [that weight] and whatever I have to do, whatever they want me to do."

http://www.espn.com/blog/denver-bron...do-for-broncos