Brandon Jones has been big-time for Broncos, but is questionable for Sunday
Nov 15, 2024, 8:46 PM
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Brandon Jones has made himself indispensable for the Denver Broncos this season — which is why seeing his name listed as questionable on the team’s status report after seeing three days of limited work is cause for concern.
The veteran safety landed on the injury report due to an injury to his abdomen.
“We were patient today, and hopefully [he’ll] be ready,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said.
Jones has allowed opposing quarterbacks to post a mere 65.8 rating when targeting him, per the data compiled by Pro Football Focus. That figure ranks eighth-best among 59 safeties who have been targeted at least 15 times this season.
Brandon Jones fit the bill in free agency because the Broncos were looking for something specific at safety, Payton explained Friday.
“Sometimes you look for certain traits and how do they fit to what you’re doing and … what the vision is,” Payton said. “And he’s one that we felt a good football I.Q. in, especially in the system we’re playing where the safeties at times gotta cover slot receivers.”
Payton mentioned Saints linebacker Demario Davis when discussing Brandon Jones, but added that he didn’t want to make the comparison. Davis played under Payton from 2018 through 2021.
The Broncos also ruled wide receiver Josh Reynolds, edge rusher Drew Sanders and safety Delarrin Turner-Yell out for Sunday. Reynolds began his 21-day window for activation from injured reserve Wednesday. Sanders and Turner-Yell are 17 and 10 days, respectively, into their ramp-up window to potentially be activated from the physically-unable-to-perform list.
View on Threads
Meanwhile, the injury-addled Atlanta Falcons designated eight players as out for Sunday’s game:
- CB Dee Alford
- ILB Troy Andersen
- ILB JD Bertrand
- CB Antonio Hamilton
- CB Mike Hughes
- DL James Smith-Williams
- TE Charlie Woerner
- DL Ta’Quon Graham
Five of those injured Falcons are starters: Alford, Andersen, Hughes, Smith-Williams and Woerner. Hamilton is Hughes’ backup at nickel corner.