Drew Sanders – Syndication Server

Broncos could get reinforcements from injured reserve this week

The Broncos have several players eligible to return from injured reserve and the physically unable to perform list this week.

Reinforcements could be on the way for the Denver Broncos this week.

Broncos wide receiver Josh Reynolds (finger) and running back Tyler Badie (back) are both eligible to return from IR, and safety Delarrin Turner-Yell (ACL) and linebacker Drew Sanders (Achilles) are eligible to return from the physically unable to perform list.

This afternoon is the deadline for Turner-Yell to be activated to the 53-man roster. If he is not activated, DTY will spend the rest of the season on reserve. Sanders has one more week remaining on his 21-day window to return.

Here’s a look at the team’s IR/PUP players going into Week 12.

Broncos eligible to return from IR/PUP

LB Drew Sanders: Eligible to return since Week 5
DB Delarrin Turner-Yell: Eligible to return since Week 5
RB Tyler Badie: Eligible to return since Week 9
WR Josh Reynolds: Eligible to return since Week 10

The Broncos also have two players — linebacker Alex Singleton (ACL) and offensive lineman Quinn Bailey (ankle) — who are on season-ending IR.

Broncos on season-ending injured reserve

LB Alex Singleton: Out for season
OL Quinn Bailey: Out for season

Denver linebacker Kwon Alexander and fullback Michael Burton are also out of practice squad elevations, and they seem likely to end up back on the 53-man roster at some point this season. The Broncos will have to make some tough decisions to make room for returning players in the coming weeks.

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Broncos release Friday injury report: Starting safety questionable for Sunday

Broncos safety Brandon Jones (abdomen) is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Falcons.

Denver Broncos safety Brandon Jones (abdomen) is questionable for Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons after being limited in all three days of practice this week.

Broncos coach Sean Payton said “hopefully he’s ready” when asked about Jones after Friday’s practice.

Elsewhere on the injury front, wide receiver Josh Reynolds (finger), safety Delarrin Turner-Yell (ACL) and linebacker Drew Sanders (Achilles) all fully participated in practice this week but they have been ruled out for Sunday.

Reynolds is eligible to return from injured reserve and Turner-Yell and Sanders are eligible to return from the physically unable to perform list. The Broncos will need to open up roster spots when those three players are activated, but it won’t happen this week.

Meanwhile, the Falcons have a long injury report with eight players ruled out this week.

The Broncos’ complete Friday injury report can be seen below.

Player	Wed	Thur	Fri	Game Status
DB P.J. Locke (thumb)	Full	Full	Full
WR Josh Reynolds (hand)	Full	Full	Full	Out
LB Drew Sanders (Achilles)	Full	Full	Full	Out
DB Delarrin Turner-Yell (knee)	Full	Full	Full	Out
DE Zach Allen (elbow/NIR – rest)	Limited	Full	Full
DB Brandon Jones (abdomen)	Limited	Limited	Limited	Questionable

Sunday’s game will be regionally televised on Fox (view the TV map). Playing at home, the Broncos are considered slight favorites in Week 11.

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Broncos release Thursday injury report: Good news for returning WR

Broncos WR Josh Reynolds (finger) fully participated in practice on Wednesday and Thursday. He has a 21-day window to return from IR.

The Denver Broncos are in pretty good health going into Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons.

Broncos wide receiver Josh Reynolds (finger), safety Delarrin Turner-Yell (ACL) and linebacker Drew Sanders (Achilles) are all fully practicing and eligible to return to the 53-man roster.

Turner-Yell has one more week on his return window, Sanders has two more weeks and Reynolds has three weeks. Once a player who is on injured reserve or the physically unable to perform list returns to practice, they have 21 days to be activated to the 53-man roster (or they remain on reserve for the season).

“Yeah so his clock — they all have a clock,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said of Reynolds on Wednesday. “We began his today and it’s just getting back into the football mindset. It’s good having him back on the field.”

Reynolds probably won’t be activated this week, but it’s good to see him back on the field. Expect the receiver to be activated within the three-week window.

The Broncos’ complete Thursday injury report can be seen below.

Player	Wed	Thur	Fri	Game Status
DB P.J. Locke (thumb)	Full	Full
WR Josh Reynolds (hand)	Full	Full
LB Drew Sanders (Achilles)	Full	Full
DB Delarrin Turner-Yell (knee)	Full	Full
DE Zach Allen (elbow/NIR – rest)	Limited	Full
DB Brandon Jones (abdomen)	Limited	Limited

Denver will practice again on Friday before releasing a final injury report with game statuses ahead of Sunday’s showdown with the Falcons.

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Broncos could get reinforcements from injured reserve this week

The Broncos have two players eligible to return from injured reserve and two players eligible to return from the PUP list.

Denver Broncos center Luke Wattenberg (ankle) returned from injured reserve last week and immediately returned to the team’s starting lineup. More reinforcements could be on the way this week.

Turner-Yell returned to practice two weeks ago and Sanders returned to practice last week. Once an IR or PUP player returns to practice, they have a 21-day window to be activated to the 53-man roster.

We’ll see if Denver activates anyone ahead of Week 11.

Broncos eligible to return from IR/PUP

LB Drew Sanders: Eligible to return since Week 5
DB Delarrin Turner-Yell: Eligible to return since Week 5
RB Tyler Badie: Eligible to return since Week 9
WR Josh Reynolds: Eligible to return since Week 10

The Broncos also have two players — linebacker Alex Singleton (ACL) and offensive lineman Quinn Bailey (ankle) — who are on season-ending IR.

Broncos on season-ending injured reserve

LB Alex Singleton: Out for season
OL Quinn Bailey: Out for season

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Broncos release Friday injury report: Safety returns with cast

Broncos safety P.J. Locke (thumb) is poised to return to the starting lineup this week, but he will be wearing a cast.

Denver Broncos safety P.J. Locke practiced all three days this week and he appears set to play against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday after missing the team’s last two games.

Broncos coach Sean Payton said after Friday’s practice that Locke will wear a small cast on his hand to protect his thumb for several weeks.

Elsewhere on the injury front, center Luke Wattenberg (ankle) was a full participant on Thursday and Friday, but he is officially listed as questionable for Sunda’s game. Once Wattenberg returns from injured reserve, Denver will have to make room for him on the active roster.

Safety Delarrin Turner-Yell (knee) and linebacker Drew Sanders (Achilles) have been ruled out, so they’ll have to wait at least one more week before being activated from the physically unable to perform list.

View the team’s final injury report below.

Player	Wed	Thur	Fri	Game Status
DE Zach Allen (NIR – rest)	Limited	Full	Full
DL D.J. Jones (knee)	Full	Full	Full
DB P.J. Locke (thumb)	Full	Full	Full
OT Mike McGlinchey (knee)	Limited	Full	Full
DB Delarrin Turner-Yell (knee)	Full	Full	Full	Out
C Luke Wattenberg (ankle)	Limited	Full	Full	Questionable
LB Drew Sanders (Achilles)	Limited	Limited	Limited	Out

Sunday’s game will be regionally televised on CBS (view the TV map). Playing at home, KC is considered a heavy favorite against the Broncos.

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Broncos release Thursday injury report: WR still sidelined

Broncos OL Luke Wattenberg (IR) and LB Drew Sanders (PUP) have returned to practice, but WR Josh Reynolds (IR) remains sidelined.

The Denver Broncos opened the windows for center Luke Wattenberg (ankle) and linebacker Drew Sanders (Achilles) to return from injury lists this week. Broncos wide receiver Josh Reynolds (finger) is also eligible to return, but the team has not yet opened his 21-day window.

Reynolds remains on injured reserve and the team has not designated him to return. Once he eventually returns to practice, Reynolds will have a three-week window to be activated to the 53-man roster.

Reynolds was shot twice after leaving a club on Oct. 18. The team described his wounds as minor, so that does not seem to be impacting his IR status.

Denver has a backlog of players returning to the active roster soon, and the Broncos probably aren’t rushing Reynolds.

Elsewhere on the injury front, safety P.J. Locke (thumb) fully participated again on Thursday, seemingly putting him on track to play against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

View the Broncos’ complete Thursday injury report below.

Player	Wed	Thur	Fri	Game Status
DL D.J. Jones (knee)	Full	Full
DB P.J. Locke (thumb)	Full	Full
DB Delarrin Turner-Yell (knee)	Full	Full
DE Zach Allen (NIR – rest)	Limited	Full
OT Mike McGlinchey (knee)	Limited	Full
LB Drew Sanders (Achilles)	Limited	Limited
C Luke Wattenberg (ankle)	Limited	Full

The Broncos will practice again on Friday before releasing a final injury report with game statuses for Sunday’s matchup in Kansas City.

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Drew Sanders’ returns will complicate Broncos’ roster decisions

Drew Sanders is one of seven players who could soon return to the Broncos’ 53-man roster, and Denver will have to make room on the squad.

The Denver Broncos are going to have some tough roster decisions to make in the coming days.

Broncos linebacker Drew Sanders (Achilles) returned to practice on Wednesday, starting his 21-day window to return from the physically unable to perform list. There’s no guarantee Sanders will be activated to the 53-man roster in time for Sunday’s game, but he will likely return to the active roster within the next three weeks.

Sanders is one of seven players who could soon return to the 53-man roster, which will create some tough decisions for Denver’s staff. Not everyone will return at the same time — and other players could go on IR in the coming weeks — but the roster juggling will start soon for the Broncos.

“l am [excited],” coach Sean Payton said of getting players back from injuries. “All of these guys… Reentry for a veteran player, it just depends on the injury, the player and the position, but absolutely [excited about] having these guys get healthy because it’s week-to-week.

“This upcoming Monday after the game, they’ll be a curve ball, there always is [with injuries]. Being healthier, having more depth can help you, but it’s good to have those guys back out there.”

Payton later noted creating spots for players returning from injuries is “always a challenge” and “a little bit of a puzzle.”

The puzzle pieces will likely begin falling into place this weekend. Denver linebacker Kwon Alexander is out of practice squad elevations, so he will likely be promoted to the 53-man roster. Broncos center Luke Wattenberg is eligible to return from injured reserve this week, too.

Denver has one open spot on the active roster after trading pass rusher Baron Browning to the Arizona Cardinals. The Broncos will probably have to create at least one more roster spot this week. Stay tuned.

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Predicting 14 roster moves Broncos could make in second half of season

The Broncos have seven players who could be returning to the 53-man roster soon. Here’s how they could make room for them.

The Denver Broncos could be getting a flurry of reinforcements in the coming weeks.

Broncos wide receiver Josh Reynolds (hand) and center Luke Wattenberg (ankle) are now eligible to return from injured reserve, safety Delarrin Turner-Yell (ACL) returned to practice last week and linebacker Drew Sanders (Achilles) is “close to returning.” His timeline is uncertain, but running back Tyler Badie (back) is also eligible to return from IR.

Meanwhile, linebacker Kwon Alexander is out of practice squad elevations and coach Sean Payton hinted last week that Alexander will eventually end up on the 53-man roster. Denver also bumped fullback Michael Burton down to the practice squad last week. Burton can be elevated one more time. After that, he will likely be a candidate to return to the active roster as well.

Reynolds, Alexander and Wattenberg are presumably candidates to all return to the 53-man roster this week. Sanders, Burton, Turner-Yell and Badie might also return at some point in the future.

The Broncos don’t have to make room for all of them right away — new injuries could open spots in the coming weeks — but the team will have to make some roster decisions, soon.

Denver opened up one spot by trading outside linebacker Baron Browning to the Arizona Cardinals on Monday. The Broncos could open another spot by bumping offensive lineman Calvin Throckmorton down to the practice squad.

Denver could open three more spots if they traded tight end Greg Dulcich, cornerback Damarri Mathis and quarterback Zach Wilson ahead of Tuesday’s deadline. If they aren’t traded, Dulcich and Mathis might be candidates to attempt to get down to the practice squad. And given Payton’s recent frustrations with the team’s receivers, even Lil’Jordan Humphrey could be in danger of losing his spot on the active roster.

So with as many as seven players potentially returning to the active roster in the second half of the season, here are predictions on how the Broncos could make room for them. Keep in mind that these are projections — this is not a report of what the team will do. Rather, it’s a projection of what the team could do.

WR Josh Reynolds activated from IR
OLB Baron Browning traded (confirmed)
C Luke Wattenberg activated from IR
OL Calvin Throckmorton cut from 53
LB Kwon Alexander promoted to 53
TE Greg Dulcich traded or cut
LB Drew Sanders activated from PUP
CB Damarri Mathis traded or cut
FB Michael Burton activated to 53
QB Zach Wilson traded
DB Delarrin Turner-Yell activated from IR
WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey demoted to PS
RB Tyler Badie activated from IR
Future player placed on IR

Denver seems likely to make at least a few moves this week. Stay tuned.

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Broncos could get more depth at OLB soon

Broncos OLB Drew Sanders is “close to returning” from his Achilles injury, according to 9News.

Even after trading outside linebacker Baron Browning to the Arizona Cardinals, the Denver Broncos still have a deep pass rush depth chart.

And it might get even deeper.

Broncos outside linebacker Drew Sanders (Achilles) is “close to returning” from the physically unable to perform list, according to a report from KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. Sanders tore his Achilles in April and coach Sean Payton said this spring that the team was hopeful he would return in the fall.

“Fortunately, it was an early enough timeline — we’ll bring him back,” Payton said in May. “I don’t want to say October, but the good news is the surgery was done, it was clean. There wasn’t anything complex about the injury.”

Once he returns, Sanders will join an outside linebacker room that features Jonathon Cooper and Nik Bonitto. Denver also has Jonah Ellis and Dondrea Tillman providing rotational depth at the position.

Sanders, 23, was picked by the Broncos in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft out of Arkansas. He started four games as a rookie.

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Broncos’ updated OLB depth chart after Baron Browning trade

The Broncos still have plenty of depth at outside linebacker even after trading Baron Browning.

After agreeing to trade pass rusher Baron Browning to the Arizona Cardinals on Monday, the Denver Broncos still have impressive depth at outside linebacker.

The team’s top pass rusher remains Jonathon Cooper, who just signed a four-year, $60 million contract extension. Next up is former second-round draft pick Nik Bonitto, who leads the team with six sacks this season. Cooper (5.5 sacks) and Bonitto will remain Denver’s top edge defenders.

Providing rotational depth behind Cooper and Bonitto are Jonah Ellis, a third-round pick in April, and Dondrea Tillman, a gem from the UFL.

The depth doesn’t stop there. The Broncos also have Andrew Farmer on the practice squad and the team is hopeful that Drew Sanders (Achilles) will be able to return from the physically unable to perform list this season.

Broncos OLB depth chart

OLB1: Jonathon Cooper
OLB2: Nik Bonitto
OLB3: Jonah Ellis
OLB4: Dondrea Tillman
OLB5: Andrew Farmer
PUP: Drew Sanders

Denver’s still in good shape at the position after parting ways with Browning. The NFL’s trade deadline is 2:00 p.m. MT on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

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