ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — And on the final day of his fourth season, Quinn Bailey will get his first NFL start.
Not every story is negative as the Broncos wrap up a terrible season.
Getting the chance to replace the injured Dalton Risner at left guard, Bailey has been a testament to resilience. Undrafted out of Arizona State in 2019, Bailey has spent most of his four years developing slowly but surely on the Broncos’ practice squad. He has been up for 7 games this year and has come off the bench to play left tackle and left guard.
He filled in for Risner, who hyperextended his left elbow in the third quarter last week at Kansas City, and played well enough to earn the start in the Broncos’ final game Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers at Empower Field at Mile High.
“Not a lot of guys are on practice squads for four years before they get their first start,’’ Bailey said at his locker Thursday. “But it’s been good. I’ve gotten a chance to play quite a bit this year compared to other years and it’s been good to get that experience.”
Bailey went into the Chiefs’ game last game knowing he was the first backup at both tackle and both guard sports. First one down at any of those four sports and he was in. It happened to be Risner. On Bailey’s first play in the third quarter, Latavius Murray ran over the hole the new left guard created for a 19-yard gain. Two plays later, Russell Wilson threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to tight end Albert Okwuegbunam.
“Yeah, it’s good to get in there and the first play break a big run,’’ Bailey said. “I mean, the anticipation is more stressful than actually playing. Once you’re out there, it’s just ball.”
Bailey has been the quietest and most low-key Bronco player of the past four years. So his answer wasn’t a surprise to the question of whether he’d have to keep his feelings in check heading into his first NFL start.
“No, feel pretty normal honestly,’’ he said. “Just take on what you know you have to do and go out there and do it and you’ll be fine.”
From underdog to favorite
The Broncos moved from a 3-point home underdog against the Chargers to a 2.5-point favorite Thursday. The swing occurred after Chargers’ coach Brandon Staley indicated Wednesday many of his starters wouldn’t play against the Broncos in the mid-afternoon Sunday game if the Baltimore Ravens lost to the Bengals in the early game Sunday, which would thereby clinch the No. 5 AFC playoff seed for the Chargers.
“We are expecting Sonny Liston out there,’’ said Broncos’ interim head coach Jerry Rosburg. “If Joe Palooka shows up, then so be it.”
Injuries
Five Broncos players have yet to practice this week: Left tackle Calvin Anderson (ankle), receiver Kendall Hinton (chest/foot), defensive tackle D.J. Jones (knee), TE Eric Tomlinson (ankle) and TE Eric Saubert (knee).
Outside linebacker Baron Browning, who missed last week’s game against the Chiefs with back spasms, has returned to a full participant in practice and is expected to play against the Chargers.
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