DENVER — Just two weeks after he was carried off the field, first by two medical staffers, and then by a cart with what appeared to be a serious hamstring injury, Broncos receiver Jerry Jeudy was running routes at full speed, cutting, catching and – for the first time – running all the routes during the media-viewing portion of practice Thursday.
He practiced for the first time Wednesday, but after running routes early, he sat out the rest of practice and observed, at least during media viewing. He was limited again in practice Thursday although he ran all the routes, at least until the media was dismissed.
Here’s the quandary: If the Broncos’ season-opener Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders was the only game on the schedule this year, Jeudy could play. And there is little doubt he would play. The concern is there are 16 regular-season games after the season opener. And with hamstrings, as much as any injury, having a tendency to become aggravated, the question for Broncos bosses becomes not whether Jeudy can play but should he play?
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“I’m being 100% smart about it,’’ Jeudy told reporters at his locker following practice Thursday. “I’ve got to listen to my body. If I feel good, I’m good. If I don’t, then I don’t. It all depends on how I feel.”
Given the pain Jeudy was in as he pulled up lame following an end-around run in a joint practice two weeks ago against the Los Angeles Rams, it’s remarkable that playing Sunday is even a possibility.
“When you first saw it happen we all certainly had a sinking feeling,’’ said Broncos offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi. (Head coach Sean Payton does not address the media on “coordinator day.”) “And then when we got the initial reports it maybe didn’t sound as bad as we thought it was going to be.
“Didn’t know – still don’t know – when he’s going to be back but I think sooner rather than later compared to what we thought when we first saw the injury.”
Jeudy said of the moment he was injured: “All I knew is it was hurting me, I couldn’t walk. Let me get on this cart to make it easier and faster. I wasn’t thinking too much of it. Once I got the MRI it made me feel a little bit better.”
It appears Jeudy’s playing status will be made a couple hours prior to the 2:25 p.m. Sunday kickoff.
“I feel it’s all about mental right now, to be honest,’’ he said.
After battling inconsistency and an ankle injury last season, Jeudy finished strong and wound up with career-bests of 67 catches for 972 yards and six touchdowns, numbers that persuaded Broncos management to pick up his 2024 option for a guaranteed $12.987 million. He is making $2.68 million this year.
Whether or not Jeudy plays, the Broncos may call up receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey from the practice squad to add receiver depth to a game-day roster that will also include Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr. and Brandon Johnson.
“I just (want it to where) it’s not hindering me,’’ Jeudy said. “I want to feel that confidence, the explosiveness, the cuts. If I feel good and just feeling more comfortable, that’s what I’m focusing on right now.”
Usually, the decision on whether an injured player should play is made by the medical staff, head coach and general manager in consultation with the player.
“I mean it’s my body, it’s how I feel, so I feel like it’s my decision,’’ Jeudy said.
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