Man, what a weekend, right? Our Hawks dropping a 17-7 decision to the Cowboys stings, no doubt. But while we’re still shaking off that L, there’s some serious buzz coming out of Englewood, Colorado, because the Denver Broncos just saw a whole host of key players return to practice. After pulling off a preseason opening victory against the Atlanta Falcons, the Broncos hit the field again for a non-padded practice. It was closed to the public, thanks to some storm damage to the bleachers, but the news that trickled out? Huge.
The Injury Comeback is Real
Listen, the story of the day wasn’t just good, it was fantastic news on the injury front for Denver. Star wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, starting center Luke Wattenberg, and running back JK Dobbins are all back at practice. But it’s not just them! Alex Forsyth, Alex Palczewski, Jaleel McLaughlin, Nate Adkins, and Dasan McCullough also returned in some capacity. After a tough stretch of six straight practices that left the team a little banged up, it sounds like most of those were minor bumps, and now they’re all getting healthy at the perfect time in the early season. How big is that for a squad?
They even largely escaped their preseason opener mostly healthy, with only edge rusher Drew Sanders and linebacker Levelle Bailey being new additions to the injury report. Bailey’s got a broken leg, which is rough, but outside of that, the big injuries are limited to reserve defensive lineman Matt Henningsen and reserve center Michael Dieter. All three of those guys are expected to miss most, if not all, of the regular season. But head coach Sean Payton is apparently super focused on nipping those minor soft tissue injuries in the bud before they become major issues. You gotta love that foresight. Since Payton took over, the Broncos have gone from being one of the most injured teams in the entire league to one of the healthier ones, and a lot of that credit goes to their strength and conditioning coach, Beau Lowery. Plus, they’ve got a state-of-the-art training facility now. That’s a serious edge, guaranteeing the best treatments possible and hopefully keeping them healthy all season long.
Backfield Buzz and Payton’s Praise
While the health news is pumping everyone up, there’s also some serious buzz around the running back room. Coach Payton is reportedly super impressed with rookie running back Jonah Coleman. We’re talking early season, and a rookie is already turning heads? That’s the kind of unexpected talent that can totally change an offense. And it’s not just the coaches noticing; RJ Harvey, another one of the Broncos’ backs, straight up said their running back room wants to be the “best running back room in the NFL.” With Dobbins back and Coleman impressing, that’s a bold claim, but it tells you everything you need to know about the confidence brewing there. You gotta love that kind of swagger, right?
This early health, coupled with a promising rookie and a confident backfield, means the Broncos could be a very different team than some might expect this season. The grind continues, as they say, and for Denver, getting healthy now means they’re building momentum and a solid foundation. Keep an eye on Coleman and that running back group, because if they live up to the hype, the AFC West is going to have its hands full.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Mile High Report.
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