Broncos injury update: Simmons to injured reserve; Gregory gets “precautionary” rest day
Sep 14, 2022, 3:17 PM | Updated: Sep 15, 2022, 7:32 pm
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — For a team already down one of its top offensive players for the season in wide receiver Tim Patrick, Justin Simmons’ quadriceps injury was among the last things it needed.
Simmons landed on injured reserve Wednesday after suffering the injury Monday night. He will miss at least four game, a stint that will include the Broncos’ first divisional game of the season at Las Vegas in Week 4.
“He’s a competitor. He’s one of those guys — he played the whole game with it,” Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett said.
Second-year safety Caden Sterns, who started two games last year, is expected to replace Simmons in the starting lineup. He played five snaps Monday night as the team’s dime ‘backer.
Replacing Simmons on the 53-man roster will be cornerback Essang Bassey, a practice-squad promotion. The Broncos signed veteran safety Anthony Harris to replace Bassey on the practice squad.
Among the other Broncos not practicing for Wednesday’s “jog-through” session were:
- RG Quinn Meinerz, who injured his hamstring in the first half Monday;
- ILB Josey Jewell, who injured his calf in practice Sept. 8;
- WR KJ Hamler, who made his regular-season return Monday after recovering from a torn ACL and a dislocated hip;
- Edge rusher Randy Gregory, who had a forced fumble Monday in his Denver debut after missing the offseason following rotator-cuff surgery.
DL DeShawn Williams, who was not listed by Hackett before practice, was not on the field when the session began.
Hackett described Gregory’s absence as “precautionary.”
“I thought he got a really good load,” Hackett said. “I thought he did some really good things. He came out really well. We just want to be sure we’re smart with him.”
Jewell started practice working on the rehab field at the north end of UCHealth Training Center with TE Greg Dulcich and CB Michael Ojemudia, both of whom are on injured reserve.
Cornerback K’Waun Williams worked on a limited basis. A wrist problem landed him on the injury report.
The news was better for right tackle Billy Turner, who was scheduled to have a full practice workload. The Broncos scratched Turner on Monday as he continues to work his way back from a knee injury.
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