DENVER — There was a mass exodus from the Broncos’ trainer’s room Wednesday with several key defensive players returning to the practice field.
Hail to head trainer Vince Garcia and conditioning coach Dan Dalrymple for getting the following players back practicing after they missed a game or so because of injuries: Inside linebacker Josey Jewell, safety Justin Simmons, nose tackle Mike Purcell, edge rusher Frank Clark, outside linebacker Baron Browning and backup safety P.J. Locke.
All those injuries at least partly explain why the Denver defense ranks No. 32, or last, in total yards (461.5 per game) and points allowed (37.5) through four games.
Browning and Locke were activated from injured lists to start practicing.
Browning started 17 of 28 games his previous two seasons with the Broncos and was projected as a starting outside linebacker this season until he suffered a torn meniscus during Phase 2 of the Broncos’ offseason program in May and underwent surgery. Browning’s injury led the Broncos to sign the free agent Clark.
Browning, a third-round pick in the 2021 draft, has been on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list since training camp and while he returned to practice Wednesday, it’s unlikely he will play Sunday against the New York Jets. Maybe next Thursday at Kansas City, although Oct. 22 against the Green Bay Packers may be a more logical expectation.
Locke suffered a toe injury in training camp and began the season on short-term injured reserve. For now, he, too, has only been cleared for practice. However, Locke was already listed as a full participant in Wednesday’s practice so perhaps he can play Sunday against the Jets.
“I think P.J. is a little further along than Baron,’’ said Broncos head coach Sean Payton during his press conference Wednesday. “With Baron, he’s got a 21-day window, and we just want to be smart. These guys have missed a lot of football reps, training camp, et cetera. We’ll go day-by-day. We have some goals, but I’d rather not get into those.”
Simmons, in his seventh year as a starter, was on track to play last week at Chicago, but his groin/hip issue didn’t come around as hoped last Thursday and it was decided to wait another week.
“Yeah, it was real close,’’ Simmons said. “The biggest thing is just being smart. The worst thing you want to do is go back out there and play and reaggravate something and it lingers on. Definitively hopeful (to play this week).”
He missed the last two games. With Simmons, Locke and Caden Sterns down with injuries, the Broncos started second-year player Delarrin Turner-Yell the past two weeks at safety along with Kareem Jackson.
Jewell missed last week’s game at Chicago because of a groin injury and was replaced by rookie Drew Sanders. Clark missed three games as the No. 3 edge rusher with a grade 2 groin and hip abductor muscle strain.
Purcell didn’t play last week because of a rib injury.
Javonte doesn’t practice
Running back Javonte Williams (hip) didn’t practice Wednesday, although he did rehab on the side injury field. The Broncos’ starting running back the first four games this season, Williams went down with a hip injury during his second carry early in the second quarter at Chicago’s Soldier Field.
In Williams’ absence, rookie Jaleel McLaughlin sprinted, stopped, cut and sprinted again for 73 yards off seven carries and added an 18-yard touchdown off a screen reception.
Roster moves
Essang Bassey, demoted behind Ja’Quan McMillian as the Broncos’ nickelback Sunday in Chicago and waived Tuesday, was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Chargers on Wednesday. It wasn’t a huge surprise as the Broncos and Chargers played waiver-claim tag several times during the 2021 season as he was still recovering from ACL surgery. …
As expected, the Broncos promoted running back Dwayne Washington from their practice squad to 53-man roster. Washington had used up the max three practice squad elevations to the game-day roster the previous three weeks so he had to be on the big roster in order to be used from now on. …
With Washington’s practice squad spot cleared, the Broncos re-signed slot receiver Michael Bandy to the practice squad one day after he was cut in a roster gymnastics move.
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