Courtland Sutton among the many Broncos who didn’t practice Monday
Aug 14, 2023, 3:00 PM
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Sean Payton doesn’t like discussing injuries. The Broncos’ head coach has never been shy about making that point clear.
But he knows the questions must come. Especially on a day like Monday, when the Broncos returned to training-camp work without a cluster of key players, including edge rusher Nik Bonitto, defensive lineman D.J. Jones and wide receivers Courtland Sutton and Kendall Hinton, all of whom played in the 18-17 preseason-opening loss to Arizona
Jones is in the league-mandated post-concussion protocol.
Also working out on the side rehab field were cornerbacks Pat Surtain II, Riley Moss and K’Waun Williams, safety Justin Simmons, tight end Chris Manhertz, right tackle Mike McGlinchey and wide receiver Brandon Johnson.
Surtain warmed up in Arizona last Friday, but did not play in the game.
“I think you’re going to see him this week,” Payton said. “I think he’s really close.”
The coach also indicated that Sutton would also be among the players making a quick return to work — perhaps before the end of this week.
“We have a handful of those guys, [including] Courtland,” Payton said. “I think we have a group of four or five guys that you’ll be not asking me anything here in a couple days.”
McGlinchey is not expected to be among those players. The timetable for his recovery from a knee sprain remains weeks. The Broncos expect to have him for the regular-season opener against Las Vegas on Sep. 10.
Moss also is on a multi-week timetable following a core-muscle injury and subsequent surgery. Johnson injured his ankle last week in practice.
If all don’t practice Tuesday, they will miss what Payton expects to be a physical day.
“Tomorrow, we will be in pads. We’ll have nine-on-seven, and it will be a physical practice,” he said. “That’s the way we have to practice football, I think.”
Now, it’s only a question of how many first-teamers will take part.
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