Mike McGlinchey set to make Thursday night return

NEW ORLEANS — Mike McGlinchey is good to go.

The Denver Broncos right tackle will be activated from injured reserve in time to return to the lineup when the Broncos face the New Orleans Saints on Thursday Night Football. NFL Network first reported the move.

The news comes on the heels of word that edge rusher Baron Browning would also return to the lineup after a four-week stint on injured reserve.

Mike McGlinchey missed four games due to a sprained medial collateral ligament suffered during the Broncos’ Week 2 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Second-year veteran Alex Palczewski relieved him and then made three-straight starts, performing well before he suffered a high-ankle sprain in Denver’s Week 5 win over Las Vegas.

Palczewski credited McGlinchey with helping him be ready for his fill-in stint.

“Mike McGlinchey has helped me tenfold since I’ve gotten here to improve,” Palczewski said last month. “He’s helping me figure out that stuff and just getting to pick his brain and how he thinks and how he goes about his process. It’s been an awesome chance to have.”

Last Sunday, Matt Peart started with McGlinchey still on injured reserve and Palczewski shelved because of his sprained ankle. Palczewski was ruled out for TNF because of the injury.

The return of McGlinchey — along with center Luke Wattenberg being on injured reserve — means the Broncos will have their fourth different starting offensive-line combination so far this season. Denver had just two starting O-line quintets last year, as McGlinchey was the only member of the starting unit to miss a game to injury, sitting out the Week 18 finale at Las Vegas.

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