Paymah Ready to Fill in for Champ

[lawdog93]

Paymah ready to fill in for Champ
By Lindsay H. Jones
The Denver Post
Article Last Updated: 10/31/2008 01:17:22 AM MDT

Say this for Karl Paymah: He's not going to back down from a challenge.

Not from the prospect of filling in for star cornerback Champ Bailey, and certainly not from a rookie challenging him to a footrace.

The latter happened during summer conditioning, when rookie running back Anthony Alridge insinuated that he was faster than Paymah, a high school track star who was clocked at 4.36 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine in 2005.

Alridge ran a 4.36 at the combine last spring.

"He called me out, and obviously I had to teach him his lesson. I beat him," Paymah said. "There's a lot of fast guys on this team. I'm not going to say I'm the fastest. Just don't call me out."

But outsprinting a rookie is nothing like the quest Paymah will face Sunday against Miami when he is expected to make his first start of the season in place of Bailey, an eight-time Pro Bowler who is out for at least three more weeks with a partially torn groin. Paymah started three games as the nickel corner in 2007.

"Just a chance to be in there, starting, with all the fellas, just flying around having fun, is something I haven't done this year," Paymah said.

"It's exciting, and that's what keeps me going."

That it was Paymah, 25, who was tapped to start at corner opposite Dre Bly, initially was surprising considering rookie Jack Williams had supplanted Paymah as the nickel corner after three games, relegating Paymah's role primarily to special teams. It was Williams who initially replaced Bailey after the stalwart was injured in the first half against New England on Oct. 20.

Paymah ready to fill in for Champ - The Denver Post

God help us.