Broncos Top Corner Returns To Practice As A Full Participant

The Denver Broncos have been operating with a banged-up secondary for the last few weeks, but they’ll get some help on the back end with the news that Pat Surtain II was back as a full participant at practice on Wednesday, per a report from Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk. 

Surtain hurt his ankle during the Broncos’ Week 4 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, and he’s been working his way back ever since. The Wednesday practice was his first since Oct. 2. 

There are other important names on the injured list, however, most notably safety Talanoa Hufanga (ankle), defensive lineman Zach Allen (hamstring) and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (chest), all of whom missed Wednesday’s practice. 

Hufanga also sustained an ankle injury, with his occurring in Denver’s Week 5 win over the Los Angeles Charger. He has now missesd two games, while Allen and Waddle were both injured late in last week’s Denver win over the Arizona Cardinals. 

Offensive tackle Garett Bolles (hip) and wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. (ankle) were limited in Wednesday’s practice, while defensive tackle Malcolm Roach (neck) and inside linebacker Karene Reid (elbow) were full participants.

Allen said he’d be fine after limping off the field with his hamstring problem, and he appeared fairly mobile. Waddle’s injury will be much more closely watched as it occurred when he was flattened on an ill-advised reverse late in the game with Denver leading, and coach Sean Payton later referred to the play as an “awful” call that he regrets making. 

Payton has also talked a lot about geting Mims more opportunities, so it will be interesting to see if that happens in Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Waddle has been the shiny new attraction for the Broncos after the big trade to get him, and Mims has largely been the odd man out, although he did make a play on a deep crossing route against Arizona. 

The Broncos have now run their early schedule gauntlet, and they have to like their position right now given that they’re just a half-game out in the AFC West despite their considerable offensive struggles. 

The Chiefs, meanwhile have come back to the pack a little with a tough loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night, so it will be interesting if this game represents a turning point in the  division standings. Kansas City is also banged up on the offensive line, with Josh Simmons having been placed on IR after being thrown out of a meeting for insubordinate behavior.