Help could be coming soon for the 4-2 Denver Broncos, and the list of possible reinforcements has some familiar names on it.
As Denver moves into a friendlier stretch of the schedule, several players are now eligible to come off injured reserve. That does not guarantee anything, of course. Being eligible is one thing; being healthy enough to play, and being worth the roster move, is another.
The most anticipated name is easily Jaleel McLaughlin. He went down with an ankle injury in Week 2, though he still finished that game and played a major role in the Broncos’ win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. A few days later, Denver put him on IR, and he has now cleared the four-game minimum required for a return.
Getting McLaughlin back would be an easy call, but the timing may depend on Tyler Badie. Badie hurt his thumb last week against the Seattle Seahawks, and if that recovery stretches beyond a couple of weeks, he could wind up on IR himself.
That matters because the Broncos started the year with four running backs on the 53-man roster, even though only three dress on game day, along with fullback Adam Prentice. McLaughlin’s return would get Denver back to four backs, but roster decisions around Badie could affect when the team actually makes the move. That’s part of why a decision might not surface until later in the week.
The rookie out of Washington has the kind of burst and vision this offense could use in a hurry. Denver’s run game has been searching for those traits, especially with J.K. Dobbins sitting at a career-low 3.3 yards per carry this season.
Then there’s Alex Palzcewski. He tore up his knee in the preseason and is now eligible to return if he’s healthy enough, though there’s no clear sign that he is. Sean Payton doesn’t exactly volunteer much on that front, either.
The bigger question with Palzcewski is whether Denver even needs him. The answer looks like no, unless something happens to Mike McGlinchey.
In that case, Palzcewski would slide in at right tackle, and the Broncos could have a use for him. He’s a super smart, athletic freak, but this does not sound like a player headed back onto the field any time soon.
A different case altogether is Justin Lohner. After turning heads at rookie minicamp, he disappeared from view once he had a “routine” clean-up procedure right before OTAs. The surgery was not supposed to affect his training camp status, but it did, and Denver placed him on IR designated to return.
Still, with the Broncos already carrying a tight end they have not needed yet in rookie Dallen Bentley, who has not dressed for a game, there does not seem to be any urgency to activate Lohner. Then again, Payton seems to love Lohner, so that could alter the way the Broncos view the situation. Probably not, but it’s there.
Finally, there’s Montrell Johnson. He suffered an ankle injury in Week 4, which means he still needs two more games before he qualifies to return. The earliest he could be back is Week 9 at Carolina, assuming he’s healthy.
It’s a disappointing setback for a player who had started to build momentum and had clearly developed chemistry with Bo Nix. The injury bug doesn’t pick favorites, and Johnson has already felt that in his first two NFL seasons. Hopefully that trend doesn’t keep following him.
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