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Bronco notes: Meinerz 'on my way' to feeling himself again following heart scare

Dulcich returns to practice. Bonitto to avoid IR. Credit scout Rob Paton for bringing McMillian to Denver.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Strong and aggressive as Broncos right guard Quinn Meinerz is on the football field, make no mistake he was a bit concerned.

“Obviously, when your heart’s not working right it’s a little nerve-wracking,’’ Meinerz said Wednesday at his locker following his full participation in practice for the Broncos’ game Sunday night in Detroit.

Meinerz, who is the Broncos’ highest-graded offensive lineman by Pro Football Focus, experienced a rapid heart rate while playing in the first half of the Broncos’ 24-7 win Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers. He notified the team’s medical staff of his discomfort following the team’s field goal drive and was ushered into the locker room with five seconds remaining in the half. EKG tests showed enough concern for Meinerz to be taken by ambulance to Harbor UCLA Medical Center.

VIDEO ABOVE: Broncos fight back into AFC West contention; Quinn Meinerz returns home after heartbeat scare

“They treated me as if It was a serious situation,” he said.

He was kept overnight for observation and flew back by a team-arranged private plane on Monday.

“I had anticipation, was pretty aware of what may or may not happen,’’ Meinerz said.

How close is he to feeling like his normal self?

“On my way,’’ he said.

The Broncos are planning for Meinerz to play against the Lions.

Dulcich returns to practice

Broncos tight end Greg Dulcich had his 21-day practice window activated from injured reserve Wednesday. He’s only played one half of two games this season because of a recurring hamstring injury.

Given Dulcich has been on IR four times because of the hamstring in his young career, it would seem unlikely he plays in the game Saturday at Detroit on Ford Field’s artificial surface. Dulcich could get a second week of practice before possibly returning to game action Christmas Eve night against New England on Empower Field at Mile High’s grass surface.

A third-round draft pick of UCLA last year, Dulcich missed seven games as a rookie with the hamstring. In the 10 games he played, he flashed big-time receiving ability with 33 catches for 411 yards and two touchdowns.

He caught two passes for 22 yards in the first half of the season opener against Las Vegas, but pulled up clutching his hammy just before halftime. He went on IR for four games then returned to catch a 3-yard pass in an Oct. 12 game at Kansas City but left the game early in the second half and has been out ever since. He has missed the Broncos’ entire run of six wins in seven games.

The Broncos have another receiving-type tight end in Lucas Krull who made his first NFL catch for 35 yards against the Chargers. Krull has been elevated from the practice squad for three games this year but he is now at his limit. For Krull to play Saturday in Detroit, the Broncos will have to promote him to the 53-man roster.

Three Broncos held out of practice

Not practicing Wednesday were outside linebacker Nik Bonitto (knee), safety P.J. Locke (neck) and running back Samaje Perine (knee). Bonitto was carted off the SoFi Stadium field Sunday, so it’s difficult to believe he will play on a short week game Saturday. However, Broncos head coach Sean Payton said Wednesday Bonitto was not an IR candidate, meaning it’s less than a four-week injury.

Scouting credit

It was national scout Rob Paton who is most responsible for undrafted find Ja’Quan McMillian winding up with the Broncos.

So said Bill Kollar, the longtime Broncos defensive line coach who spent his final NFL season last year as the team’s defensive special projects consultant. Kollar was on the podcast last week of former Broncos defensive lineman Derek Wolfe when he gave praise to Rob Paton, nephew of Broncos general manager George Paton, for unearthing McMillian, a defensive back from East Carolina. Apparently, the 5-10, 183-pound McMillian was considered a tad small, or didn’t light up the time clock enough to get drafted.

But Rob Paton was on him and got McMillian to sign with the Broncos as an undrafted college free agent.

“He’s the guy who scouted me,’’ McMillian said. “He stood on the table for me.”

McMillian spent the first 17 weeks of his 18-week rookie season in 2022 on the Broncos’ practice squad, then started and played every snap of the Broncos’ regular-season finale against the Chargers.

He made the Broncos’ season-opening, 53-man roster this year but was inactive for the first game and barely played in the next two games. With the team 0-3 and coming off a 70-20 humiliation at Miami, the Broncos cut nickelback Essang Bassey and gave his job to McMillian.

The rest is history.

McMillian in essentially 10 games on defense has 2.0 sacks, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and 42 tackles while sparking the Denver defense into the league’s No. 1 takeaway unit with 24.

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