WR Pat Bryant Returns From IR

On Wednesday, the Denver Broncos opened the window for wide receiver Pat Bryant to return from short-term injured reserve and the second-year pro climbed right through it.

Though the Broncos technically have 21 days to decide when and if they will activate Bryant from IR, it appears that they needed just 21 seconds to determine that he was ready to return to action as he was listed as a full participant during Wednesday's practice session.

Bryant had been placed on short-term IR after he picked up an ankle injury that actually saw him carted off the field following a catch-and-run play in the Broncos' Week 4 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Oct. 4.

In the three-plus games he had played prior to the injury, Bryant was well on his way to establishing himself as a solid No. 3 receiver for the Broncos behind Jaylen Waddle and Courtland Sutton.

In those contests he accumulated nine catches on 12 targets for 133 yards, an average of 14.8 yards per catch, with one touchdown and one two-point conversion catch. He had also been on the field for 58% of Denver's offensive snaps.

He was also the protagonist on the critical - and somewhat controversial - pass-interference play late in Denver's 30-26 defeat of the Los Angeles Rams that negated an interception and prolonged the Broncos' game-winning drive.

The Broncos will hope that Bryant's return brings more juice to a passing game that has operated in fits and starts through the first eight weeks of the season. That wasn't expected to be the case after they added expected field-spreader Waddle in an offseason trade to team with crafty veteran Sutton.

To date, though, that pair has combined for just 49 catches and 536 receiving yards for an average of 67 yards per game and 10.9 per reception with just three touchdown grabs.

That is a large part of the reason why, after eight contests, Denver's passing game ranks in the bottom-third in the league in yards (1,443, 24th), touchdown passes (9, 24th), completion percentage (59.6%, 30th), yards per attempt (6.0, 27th), yards per catch (10.0, 26th) and yards per game (180.4, 25th).

Despite the passing-game shortcomings, the Broncos have been able to put together a four-game winning streak and 6-2 record that has them in sole possession of first place in the AFC West.

The catalysts have been a defense, especially against the pass, that has been able to get big stops when needed most and the continued late-game magic of quarterback Bo Nix, who has led Denver on game-winning drives in the fourth quarter in five of their six victories.

Bryant's return will hopefully help make those late-game heroics less necessary in the coming weeks.