ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — COVID-19 is ravaging through the Broncos' roster in advance of the team's game Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Broncos placed five more players on the COVID-19 list Friday, including starting receiver Jerry Jeudy, outside linebacker Bradley Chubb and inside linebacker Baron Browning. Backup outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper and defensive lineman McTelvin Agim also tested positive.
Head coach Vic Fangio said Courtland Sutton, another starting receiver, could be added to the COVID list. Sutton's testing results had not yet been confirmed Friday. He was held out of the team's walkthrough practice Friday as a precaution.
Defensive line coach Bill Kollar was also placed in the league's health and safety protocols and will not make the team's trip Saturday to Los Angeles.
In the past three days, the Broncos have placed 13 players on the COVID list. Starting receiver Tim Patrick, backup safety Caden Sterns, practice squad receiver Tyrie Cleveland and backup offensive tackle Calvin Anderson, who is on injured reserve, were placed in protocols Wednesday.
Starting right tackle Bobby Massie, slot corner Bryce Callahan, backup outside linebacker Stephen Weatherly and special teamer Mike Ford tested positive for the spreading virus on Thursday.
Then there was Jeudy, Chubb, Browning, Cooper and Agim on Friday.
None of those 13 players will travel Saturday to Los Angeles for the game against the Chargers. Only tight end Jared Cook is certain to be out for the Chargers for COVID-19-related reasons.
On Monday, defensive linemen Mike Purcell and Jonathan Harris, who is on the practice squad, and injured outside linebacker Andre Mintze tested positive. However, because the NFL trimmed its isolation period from 10 days to five earlier this week, those players would be eligible to return Saturday for the trip to Los Angeles.
The Broncos play the Chargers on Sunday at SoFi Stadium with kickoff at 1:05 p.m. MST.
"I'm very confident and bullish on the guys that our going to be playing for us,'' said Fangio because what else could he say? "We've got some great opportunities for some guys that have been showing good on the practice field like Seth Williams who will play in there (Sunday). Just like (inside lienbacker) Jonas Griffith was playing good on the practice field and then when he got his opportunity he didn't disappoint. He played well and took advantage of it.
"There's going to be some more of those available on Sunday for guys who are going to get their chances to play. And I'm confident in them."
The 7-8 Broncos need to win their final two games against the 8-7 Chargers and 11-4 Kansas City Chiefs and have seven other games fall their way in order to avoid missing the playoffs for a sixth consecutive season.
The Broncos will likely have to overcome a Lawrence Welk at their receiver position Sunday against the Chargersd as a One (Sutton), and a Two (Jeudy) and a Three (Patrick) are expected to miss the game. Sutton's status won't be known until Saturday.
The Broncos will also be without three of their top four edge rushers in Chubb, Cooper and Weatherly.
At receiver, expect more playing time for Kendall Hinton, returner Diontae Spencer, rookie Seth Williams, who will be called up from the practice squad, and one other practice-squad receiver, either Rico Gafford or Travis Fulgham . At outside linebacker, starter Malik Reed is fine after returning from COVID last week. Aaron Patrick, practice squader Pita Taumoepenu and possibly Mintze will get playing time at the other spot.
The Broncos have had 32 players, not including Sutton, and two coaches (Kollar and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur) go on the COVID-19 list since Oct. 24.
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