Broncos place four players on PUP and NFI — but Williams and Patrick aren’t among them
Jul 23, 2023, 3:34 PM
The Broncos announced which players would start camp on the non-football injury and physically-unable-to-perform lists Sunday. And one player was notable by his absence: Javonte Williams.
The third-year running back suffered multiple torn ligaments in his knee last October at Las Vegas. But after ramping up during OTAs and minicamp, he is expected to be ready when the Broncos open training camp Friday.
The same is true for wide receiver Tim Patrick. He missed all of 2022 with a torn ACL suffered in training camp last August.
The same cannot be said for edge rusher Baron Browning, NT Mike Purcell and WRs Kendall Hinton and KJ Hamler. Browning and Hinton will open on the PUP list, while Hinton and Purcell will start on the NFI list.
The difference between the two destinations rests in how injuries took place. Generally speaking, a player on NFI suffered their injury out away from practice, games, team-organized workouts or individual sessions at team facilities.
Browning underwent knee surgery earlier this offseason after suffering an injury prior to the Broncos’ first offense-vs.-defense OTA. Broncos coach Sean Payton ruled out Browning for the start of the season last month. The team subsequently signed former Chiefs edge rusher Frank Clark to help fill the void.
Purcell’s absence will likely give an opportunity to younger players along the defensive line. Second-year players Matt Henningsen and Enyi Uwazurike appear best-positioned to benefit. Henningsen flashed last year and saw plenty of work during OTAs and minicamp.
Players can stay on the PUP or NFI lists throughout training camp and the preseason until they practice once. At that point, they must join the active roster.
If they remain on PUP or NFI until the Aug. 29 roster deadline, they can remain there into the regular season. However, they would be ineligible for activation until after four regular-season weeks. Players on the PUP list must receive their full salary. But that is not the case for players on NFI, which is relevant for Hamler, who restructured his deal last month.
Hamler and Hinton face further challenges due to the volume and quality of receivers on the roster. Denver signed Marquez Callaway and Lil’Jordan Humphrey in March. Both played for Sean Payton in New Orleans and could factor on special teams. The Broncos drafted Marvin Mims Jr. with their first choice in April. Emerging second-year receiver Brandon Johnson, a 2022 camp star, picked up where he left off during OTAs. And deep threat Jalen Virgil and speedy Montrell Washington also remain in a crowded room.
And now, Hinton and Hamler will have to watch, at least when camp begins. So will Browning and Purcell.
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