The Denver Broncos were back on the practice field on Wednesday in preparation for Sunday’s AFC West showdown with Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. Denver will be short-handed on offense at the skill player position which could call for the Broncos offense to get creative with personnel.
Courtland Sutton expected to miss Sunday’s game for Denver Broncos
The wide receiver position for the Broncos has been tested this season due to injuries and fluctuations amongst their personnel. The loss of Tim Patrick during training camp has loomed large this season with Denver struggling to score touchdowns. KJ Hamler is on injured reserve, and Jerry Jeudy is slowly working his way back to being 100% after suffering an ankle injury in Week 10. Now, the Broncos will likely face the Chiefs without Courtland Sutton on Sunday.
Sutton injured his hamstring in the first half of Sunday’s loss against the Baltimore Ravens and did not return. According to Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett, Sutton is considered day-to-day, but the team is preparing for Kansas City under the premise Sutton will miss Sunday’s game.
“Hamstrings, they’re so finicky for each individual guy,” Hackett said on Sutton’s injury on Wednesday. “I would expect for us to be safe with that one because we don’t want to have something setback or anything like that. It’s not looking good for this week for him.”
Without Sutton in the lineup on Sunday, the Broncos wide receiving corp would feature Kendall Hinton as the top option, Brandon Johnson, Jalen Virgil with the hope that Jerry Jeudy will be fully ready to go. Jeudy was spotted during Wednesday’s practice at the UCHealth Training Center participating in position-specific drills on a limited basis. The third-year wide receiver was on a pitch count in Sunday’s game against the Ravens, but when Russell Wilson targeted him, great things happened. Jeudy finished the game to the tune of 4 catches for 65 yards despite playing only 38% of the team’s offensive snaps.
If Jeudy is healthy and able to go on Sunday without limitation, he will be Wilson’s top target alongside rookie tight end Greg Dulcich. On the other hand, could the Broncos use Albert Okwuegbunam as a wide receiver against the Chiefs.
“You even saw last week we utilized [Greg] Dulcich in some of those wide receiver roles,” Hackett said regarding whether or not Albert Okwuegbunam could play a role this week. “I think that getting Albert up is going to potentially help us. It’s all hands on deck. We’ve got to get everybody out there to see what they can do and find the matchups that we can and get that rhythm however we can.”
Broncos injury report
Some other injury news and updates from Wednesday’s practice feature a multitude of players missing due to injury.
Did Not Participate
Linebacker Dakota Allen (hamstring)
Fullback/Tight End Andrew Beck (hamstring)
Offensive lineman Tom Compton (illness)
Kicker Brandon McManus (quad)
Offensive guard Dalton Risner (shoulder/back)
Wide receiver Courtland Sutton (hamstring)
Limited
Longsnapper Jacob Bobenmoyer (wrist)
Outside linebacker Baron Browning (elbow)
Defensive lineman Jonathan Harris (knee)
Safety Kareem Jackson (not injury related)
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (ankle)
Cornerback K’Waun Williams (wrist/elbow/knee)
