Jeff Legwold, ESPN Senior Writer 9y

Antonio Smith 'confident' he will be with Broncos for regular season

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Saying that he has "faith in the process", Denver Broncos defensive end Antonio Smith said Friday he remains "confident" he will be with the team when the regular season begins.

Smith did not attend most of the team's offseason program after a criminal allegation came to light in May that a Fort Bend County (Texas) sheriff had publicly described as "sexual in nature." Smith was not arrested and has not been charged to this point.

Smith told Broncos officials before training camp opened that the matter is still being reviewed by prosecutors in Texas. A complaint was made against Smith in November, and coach Gary Kubiak said the Broncos were not aware of the complaint when they signed Smith in March to a one-year, $2 million deal.

Asked Friday about the investigation or if he knows when he will be told if charges are pending as a result of the complaint, Smith said:

"I really can't speak much on it, but I have faith in the process. I have faith that in the end, it's going to be all right. I haven't heard a word. I don't have a timetable. I don't know how I should feel about a timetable, [I've] never been in a situation before, so I just have to trust the system. ... To be perfectly honest, I haven't heard a word."

The Broncos' decision-makers elected to allow Smith to report to camp with the team's other veteran players Thursday after several discussions with the NFL about the best course of action from a football perspective. Kubiak said earlier in the week it was "appropriate" for Smith to report Thursday with the rest of the team's veteran players.

"A lot of people reached out," Smith said. "Everybody supported and everybody was just there for me. More than I ever experienced ... I'm not really allowed to say anything. I'm leaving it all up to God."

Smith played for the Houston Texans for three seasons when Kubiak was the team's head coach. Kubiak said during the Broncos' offseason workouts the team's "understanding" was originally that a decision on whether Smith would be charged would be made by June.

District attorney John Healey released a statement in May that an investigation was "ongoing", and that the "complaint is at this point an allegation only." Healy has recently said Smith's case was still under review.

Fort Bend County sheriff Troy Nehls has said a complaint was made against Smith in November, when he was still with the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders released him in March, shortly before he was signed by the Broncos. After its investigation, the sheriff's office forwarded its findings to the county district attorney's office in February.

The 33-year-old Smith was signed because of his relationship with Kubiak, defensive coordinator Wade Phillips and defensive line coach Bill Kollar -- all were Texans assistants during Smith's time with the team. Smith knows the team's new 3-4 scheme and was projected to be a rotational player at defensive end.

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