The Broncos are likely going to be without multiple key players this weekend against the Los Angeles Chargers, but overall the injury news around Pat Surtain II, Riley Moss and Pat Bryant continues to trend in the right direction.
When asked Wednesday if he thought an injured reserve stint for either Surtain or Bryant looked likely, Denver head coach Sean Payton said, “I don’t think so.” He followed that up by saying that if he did think so, he would not say it publicly in the middle of the week. The Broncos typically make injured reserve placements on Saturday after the practice week concludes.
Payton’s full thought on the matter: “That’s jumping way ahead. I don’t think so. And if they were, I wouldn’t say so. But I don’t think so.”
The sense from sources early this week has been that Surtain is more likely to avoid injured reserve than Bryant but that there was some hope neither would end up getting that designation. If Payton’s right, that will be a boon for Denver. If Bryant ends up on IR, it would, in all likelihood, not happen until Saturday.
Is Bo Nix definitely the Broncos’ long-term answer at quarterback? | Mailbag
Surtain was in a similar situation last year when he partially tore his pectoral muscle, though Denver had the benefit of a looming bye week then. The Broncos, though, were willing to keep Surtain on the active roster in hopes that he would miss three games and return on the fourth, essentially getting him back one game earlier than if he'd have been placed on IR. That's how it ended up working out and it looked like a savvy move given Surtain's status as one of the game's best players and the central force on Vance Joseph's defense.
Surtain, Bryant and Moss -- who is not considered an injured reserve candidate as he deals with a rib injury — were not on the field for the Broncos' Wednesday practice.
The Broncos' next four opponents are at the Chargers this weekend, home for Thursday Night Football against Seattle, at Arizona on Oct. 25 and then home against Kansas City on Nov. 1.
If Surtain and/or Bryant are not put on injured reserve Saturday, that means the hope for Denver is that they return at some point in that run. Of course, it's easy to look at that list and see the allure of Surtain, in particular, being on the field when the Broncos try to split the season series against the currently 4-0 Chiefs at Empower Field to open November.
This story will be updated
