Broncos to place Pat Bryant on injured reserve with ankle sprain

The Denver Broncos are placing wide receiver Pat Bryant on short-term injured reserve with the ankle injury he suffered in Sunday’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Friday.

The move means Bryant will miss at least the next four games. He would be eligible to return as soon as Denver’s Nov. 8 game against the Carolina Panthers, coming just before the Broncos bye week.

Bryant was hurt in the third quarter of last Sunday’s game at Levi’s Stadium. He stayed down after a 30-yard catch-and-run and was carted to the locker room. He had three receptions for 47 yards before leaving the game.

Initial tests showed Bryant had avoided a serious injury, and he was expected to miss a few weeks with a sprained ankle. He is expected to return this season.

Bryant, a second-year receiver out of Illinois, had become a growing part of Denver’s passing game. He has 40 catches for 511 yards and two touchdowns in his 19 games as a pro.

The Broncos are expected to bring back Lil’Jordan Humphrey to fill the spot — he’s bounced back and forth from the practice squad to the main roster with Denver for the last four seasons.

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