Broncos won’t have Brandon Jones, two other key defensive players in Carolina

The Broncos might have Talanoa Hufanga back for Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers. But they’ll have to play without one of their first-team safeties regardless.

Denver ruled Brandon Jones out for the Week 9 contest due to a hamstring injury that kept him out of practice throughout the week. Jones first landed on the injury report Oct. 29 due to the hamstring problem that left him limited for practice, but he managed to play in the first half of Sunday’s game in Kansas City before being ruled out for the balance of the contest, leaving the safety duties among Taylor Rapp, Devon Key and J.L. Skinner.

The Broncos played that game — along with their two previous contests — without Hufanga, who suffered an ankle injury Oct. 11 against the Los Angeles Chargers. Hufanga returned to practice this week on a limited basis all three days and is questionable for Sunday.

While the Broncos could have Hufanga, they won’t have defensive lineman Enyi Uwazurike or cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine in Charlotte. Neither practiced all week and both were ruled out — Uwazurike with a shoulder injury and Abrams-Draine with a hamstring problem.

BRONCOS RELEASE RAPP, BUT IT’S CONSIDERED A PROCEDURAL MOVE

The Broncos also released Rapp from the 53-player roster on Friday after promoting him from the practice squad last week as the corresponding move with running back RJ Harvey landing on injured reserve.

But this is considered to be a procedural measure. Rapp still has one practice-squad elevation of his three-game season limit remaining, so he could sign to the practice squad Saturday and still be in uniform Sunday. Two of the three previous games he played after Hufanga’s injury came as an elevation.

Rapp’s release is a good indication that wide receiver Pat Bryant could make his return to the 53-player roster Saturday after four weeks on injured reserve. The Broncos designated him for return this week and he practiced all three days, with full participation in each session.

Bryant is officially listed as questionable for Sunday’s game. Also questionable is edge rusher Dondrea Tillman, who has a hip problem that landed him on the injury report Friday. However, Tillman had full practice participation all three days this week.

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