ENGLEWOOD, Colo — Backup Denver Broncos running back Samaje Perine missed practice Friday because of a knee injury and is questionable to play Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Perine has become the Broncos’ two-minute running back because of his three-pronged ability to catch, run and block. He seemed to tweak his knee last week in the game at Houston. He was on the injury report with a knee this week but was able to practice in full Wednesday and Thursday.
As the team practiced indoors Friday, Perine was held out. He did walk from the trainer’s room through the locker room during the open media period Friday.
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The game on Sunday will be played on the SoFi Stadium artificial turf. If Perine is sidelined or limited Sunday, it’s possible change-of-pace back Jaleel McLaughlin will get a little more action behind starter Javonte Williams. McLaughlin has averaged six touches combined rushing (4.25) and receiving (1.75) a game this year.
The Broncos also have running back Tyrie Badie on their practice squad.
Sanders shift
With Alex Singleton and Josey Jewell playing so well at inside linebacker, the Broncos had to come up with a way to get their third-round rookie Drew Sanders some playing. The answer was to move him to outside linebacker, where for the previous three weeks, he was fourth man in behind Jonathon Cooper, Baron Browning and Nik Bonitto.
“A position they moved me to to get a little bit more playing time there,’’ Sanders said in his quiet manner Friday. “Rotating a little bit more.”
He didn’t get any defensive snaps in his first game at his new position against the Vikings, but he got 21 snaps at outside backer against Cleveland and 15 more last week at Houston. He doesn’t have a sack yet, but with his size and athleticism, it should be a matter of time.
“I’m enjoying it so far, yeah,’’ Sanders said. “Little bit different. A lot less to look at. At inside backer you’re the general of the defense, organizing everything outside.”
Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has said he still looks at Sanders as an inside linebacker who is getting a package of plays on the outside.
“I’m a football player, they’re the coaches, my job is to do whatever they tell me and be a good soldier for them,’’ Sanders said.
Writing the script
The Broncos woes on their first series of the second half has head coach Sean Payton considering coming up with a pre-written script of plays for the third quarter, as he does to start the game.
Neither script was written as of Friday afternoon.
“Here’s what I normally do: I normally script the first 15 Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon— obviously before the meetings,’’ Payton said at his Friday press conference. “Then we go through it in the meetings. I’m not going to script the second half before the game starts, though. I’ll put five or six plays together at halftime and then have my banana and go (to the bathroom).”
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