Broncos rule out Dondrea Tillman for Week 4

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Broncos will be two men down at edge rusher on Sunday.

With Jonathon Cooper in his fourth week on the Commissioner’s Exempt List, the Broncos will also have to make do Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers without Dondrea Tillman, who did not practice all week and was ruled out for Week 4.

The absence of Tillman leaves the Broncos with three healthy edge rushers on the 53-player roster. They also have three edges on the practice squad: Johnny Walker Jr., the recently-signed Jahfari Harvey, and international practice-squad player David Aghoa. Of that trio, only Harvey has any regular-season experience, having played the final two games of the 2025 season for the Las Vegas Raiders.

Aside from Tillman, every other player on the Broncos’ primary roster had a full practice workload Friday. That included wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr., who is good to go and has no injury designation for Week 4 after missing the last two games due to a foot injury.

Running back J.K. Dobbins also had a full workload each day this week despite dealing with a hip injury.

BRONCOS MIGHT NOT SEE EVANS, GREENLAW

The news was much different in Santa Clara, Calif., where the 49ers concluded their week of preparation in the shadow of the electric substation near their practice field.

Three defensive linemen were ruled out for Sunday: reserves Mykel Williams and James Thompson Jr. and starting edge Nick Bosa. Bosa and Thompson did not practice at all this week.

Four players are listed as questionable: linebackers Jaden Dugger and Dre Greenlaw, wide receiver Mike Evans and edge rusher Keion White.

Evans did not practice Wednesday and Thursday and saw limited work Friday. He said he would “do my best” to play through the injury to his ribs that he suffered last Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.

“Felt like somebody stabbed me in the chest,” Evans told Bay Area media of the injury.

“It’s my job, and then I take pride in trying to suit up every chance I get,” he added. “If the injury isn’t, like, unbearable and you can’t play through it, then I won’t play. But if there’s something I can play through, Imma be there for my team as best I can.”

Related

Sean Payton preps for one of the hottest Broncos games everReport: Sean Payton will be on ‘ManningCast’ for Saints, Falcons anniversary gameSpelling out what Bo Nix has to fix in order to eliminate the slow startsBroncos pass rush prepares for QB who hasn’t been sacked this seasonBroncos edge rusher Tillman does not participate in practice for second-straight dayDavis Webb says Broncos offense has to come out of the gate a lot faster