Pat Bryant was back on the practice field for the Broncos on Wednesday, a notable step after the wide receiver missed the last four games with a sprained ankle.
Denver went indoors at the Pat Bowlen Fieldhouse to open its on-field work for Sunday’s matchup with the Carolina Panthers, and Bryant was part of that session after being sidelined since late in the Broncos’ 24-14 Week 4 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. He got hurt at the end of a 30-yard catch-and-run late in the third quarter, then was placed on injured reserve later that week, which guaranteed he would sit out at least four games.
By putting Bryant back on the field Wednesday, the Broncos started his return window. Denver now has 21 days to activate him from injured reserve.
Even with the missed time, Bryant’s start to the season has stood out. He has 133 yards on nine catches through the Broncos’ first four games, and his 14.8 yards per reception leads the team. He also is tied with Jaylen Waddle for the team lead with two catches of 30 yards or more.
Bryant wasn’t the only notable absence when practice opened. Four Broncos were not on the field stretching with the rest of the team at the start of the session: cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine, defensive lineman Enyi Uwazurike, and safeties Talanoa Hufanga and Brandon Jones.
Abrams-Draine is dealing with an ankle injury he picked up in last Sunday’s win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Hufanga has been out since Oct. 11, when he injured his ankle in the third quarter of the victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. Jones showed up on the injury report last week with a hamstring issue, then was limited to 24 snaps in Sunday’s game before being ruled out because of the same problem.
In Other News...
Russell Wilsons Next Football Move Will Catch Broncos Fans Off Guard
Russell Wilsons post-playing career has already taken a few turns, but his latest move points back to the college game in a way that will surprise plenty of Broncos fans. Wilson, who spent part of his college career at NC State before transferring to Wisconsin, has interviewed for the head coaching job at North Carolina State University, a notable pivot for a quarterback who only officially retired from the NFL in June after a 14-year run that included stops with the Seahawks, Broncos, Steelers and Giants.
The timing makes the development even more striking, because Wilson has already settled into life as a CBS analyst since stepping away from football. For a player whose Broncos tenure remains one of the most closely watched chapters of his career, the idea of him moving from the broadcast booth toward a college sideline adds another layer to an already unusual next act, even if the full path from interview to anything more is still playing out. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Trade Deadline Buzz Puts Their Backfield Plan Under A Spotlight
Trade deadline chatter has put Denvers backfield under an unexpected spotlight, with the Broncos linked to Colts running back Jonathan Taylor as rumors swirl around what Indianapolis might do next. Sean Payton brushed off the speculation as internet gossip, but the noise has lingered because Taylor is still viewed as a likely trade candidate and Denvers running game remains one of the more closely watched parts of the roster.
Jonah Colemans recent stretch has only complicated the picture. The rookie has given the Broncos a steadier presence and enough splash plays to make any outside addition feel less urgent, at least for now, even as the deadline approaches and the rumor mill keeps turning. For Denver, the question is no longer just whether Taylor could be available, but whether the current backfield is already doing enough to change the teams thinking. [Read more 🡒]
Sean Payton Just Gave Broncos Fans Another Reason To Believe
Sean Payton keeps adding to a coaching rsum that already had plenty of weight before he ever got to Denver. His career has included a Super Bowl title with the Saints, and now he has reached a milestone that only a small group of NFL coaches can claim, a reminder of how long he has been doing this at a high level.
For Broncos fans, the significance is bigger than a number on a list. Payton has been part of the reason Denver has looked more stable and more competitive lately, and milestones like this tend to reinforce the idea that the franchise has a proven hand steering it. The next challenge is turning that credibility into the kind of sustained success that makes a landmark win feel like just another step. [Read more 🡒]