Broncos new safety Cravens clears the air on 2017 absence from NFL

In his first press conference as a member of the Broncos, safety Su’a Cravens cleared one thing up: That video, posted to his Twitter account upon the news he’d been traded from Washington to Denver, was a genuine expression of happiness.

“I’m telling you it was this organic. I went to iTunes and downloaded ‘A Whole New World’ just so I could play it,” Cravens said of the social media post, which features him looking hopefully into the distance with the “Aladdin” song playing in the background.

“I felt like it was perfect.”

It was excitement, Cravens said, because he felt as if the Broncos “really wanted” him, that trading for him was not just a “strategic move” to block him from going to a rival club.

“When it came to the Broncos it felt like, ‘Nah, we want him. We want him here, and he has a role here that he can come in and play,’” Cravens said. “That’s all I’ve been looking for — a place where they want me.”

Cravens also set out to clear the air about what he considers to be a “false narrative” surrounding his 2017 season, one in which he did not play a down for the Redskins, leading some to say he quit on his team.

“One day I’ll be able to speak a little further on that, but I’m not a quitter,” Cravens said. “I’m not a guy who lacks love for the game. … I’m here to play for the Broncos and do whatever I can to help this team win games.”

According to an ESPN.com report, Cravens told some within the Washington organization that he planned on retiring before the 2017, though coaches and executives were able to change his mind.

On Thursday, Cravens addressed the absence, saying he was going through a “continuous process” with concussion specialist Mickey Collins to work back onto the field.

“I didn’t really know what was going on until I went to see Dr. Collins and he made me fully aware of the situation I was going in,” Cravens said.

That being said, Cravens said Thursday that he knows what he’s signing up for in his bid to reach the field again, and he’s “aware of the dangers of the game and have experienced it first-hand.”

“I’m still willing to go out there and put everything I have on the line,” Cravens said.

After the NFL cleared him from the exempt/left squad list in February, his former teammate DeAngelo Hall told 106.7 The Fan in Washington there was “room for Su’a” on the Redskins roster, but his leaving the team would be “a tough thing for a lot of guys in this locker room to just look past.”

And when reports of trade talks between Washington and Denver surfaces in late February, “Stokley and Zach” co-host Brandon Stokley questioned where Cravens “heart” lies.

“A lot of his teammates questioned that last year. And, I think it’s safe to say a lot of his teammates thought he quit on them last year,” Stokley said. “DeAngelo Hall has come out and said he has to gain the locker room’s trust back.

“So, I look at a guy like that, and I’m not willing to give up a fifth-round pick.”

But on Monday, Cravens said he wants a “fresh start” after the way things went down in Washington.

“I never thought that at 22 years old I’d be at the house watching football instead of playing football,” Cravens said. “So, the fact that the Broncos gave me this fresh start, this chance to basically create a new image of myself, I just can’t wait. I’m thankful for the opportunity.”

Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @johnnyhart7.