The Broncos will flash more youth Sunday in Miami — out of necessity. With Aqib Talib suspended for a week, rookie cornerback Brendan Langley will get more reps as the Broncos’ third cornerback, alongside and .
And depending on the health of the defensive line — Domata Peko (knee) and (neck) — rookie DeMarcus Walker and second-year player Kyle Peko could see more time. Walker, who has spent most of his rookie season with the outside linebackers, has practiced this week with the defensive line.
Although the Broncos are 3-8, coach said getting a win remains the priority over evaluating younger players. He and general manager enter the final stretch of the season with no mandate to insert young players to gauge their future potential.
“I don’t. I should say we don’t,” Joseph said. “We want to win a game, guys. We’ve got five ball games left and obviously it’s been a tough, tough year so far. We want to win a football game. So we’re playing the guys that can help us win.
“It’s more important than having a future look at a guy. We watch them every day here, so that’s part of the evaluation, also.”
Injury concerns. The Broncos had five players absent from practice Thursday because of injury or illness, including three starters on the offensive and defensive lines. Domata Peko continues to nurse a knee sprain, and Wolfe is still being evaluated with his neck injury.
“We’ll see. Again, when it’s a neck, it’s serious to his life,” Joseph said of Wolfe. “So we want to be smart there with his injury.”
And guard Ron Leary has missed practice this week with a back injury.
“He was DNP two days now, so obviously it’s an injury could hold him out of the game,” Joseph said.
If Leary is unable to go, the Broncos could turn to , or even shift Allen Barbre to guard and use at right tackle.
Fined. Broncos safety was fined $24,309 by the NFL for his hit on Raiders receiver last Sunday. Stewart was flagged for unnecessary roughness on the play, which landed Cooper into the concussion protocol.
Stewart plans to appeal the fine.
“Stew was trying to avoid the guy. Stew hurt himself avoiding hitting the kid in the neck and the head area,” Joseph said Monday. “The ball was thrown way inside of the hash and it was thrown high. Stew went to make a play on the ball and the receiver ducked, in my opinion. Stew pulled his head out to not make helmet-to-helmet contact and lowered his shoulder. Cooper’s head is under Darian’s elbow. To me, it was a good football play. So it was not a dirty play, in my opinion.”
