Most of the attention Wednesday was on quarterback Peyton Manning’s return to Broncos’ practice for the first time in a month, but Denver’s injury problems go beyond the quarterback.
The Broncos fielded a season-high 22 players on their injury report last week with a variety of ailments, some of which have lingered into Week 15.
Coach Gary Kubiak said he was not willing to use that as an excuse for the loss.
Running back C.J. Anderson and safety T.J. Ward both did not practice Wednesday as they continue to battle ankle injuries that kept them out of Sunday’s game against Oakland.
Kubiak said Anderson only didn’t practice because the team was inside for workouts Wednesday.
“My expectation are for him to be back on (Sunday),” Kubiak said of Anderson.
Ward looked hasn’t practiced since his injury Nov. 29 against New England, but Kubiak said “he did a lot more today.”
Guard Evan Mathis was strictly a spectator during the Broncos’ open period. Kubiak said Monday that he is still being bothered by an ankle injury that limited his snaps against the Raiders.
Denver did get some positive news when safeties David Bruton (knee) and Omar Bolden (hamstring) and linebacker Danny Trevathan (concussion) returned to practice.
Bruton, Bolden and Trevathan all missed Sunday’s game.
Trevathan hasn’t been fully cleared from the concussion protocol, but was far enough along to practice Wednesday.
Linebackers Todd Davis and Lerentee McCray, and tight end Owen Daniels both appeared not to be practicing during the team’s open period.
Cameron Wolfe: cwolfe@denverpost.com or
