Talib back on practice field as battered Broncos head into bye

The Denver Broncos got a key piece to its defense back, as cornerback Aqib Talib returned to the practice field Tuesday after missing three games with an injured back.

Head coach Gary Kubiak said an injection Talib received two weeks ago has seemingly worked and that “it’s great to have him back, and just great to know he’s feeling well.”

“I know how excited he is about the last six weeks, so it’s good to see him get some work in,” Kubiak said. “We’ll pick it up again next week.”

Talib’s return symbolized somewhat the Broncos attempt to rehabilitate a bit before heading into a tough six-week stretch in which playoff scenarios will develop.

Quarterback Trevor Siemian, battered in Sunday’s game against New Orleans Saints, did not throw in practice Tuesday, resting a shoulder that he received an injection in after the matchup.

“He’s been throwing enough. It’s good just to watch (Paxton Lynch) take over, too. There’s a lot of guys that did not practice today,” Kubiak said. “If you’re repping and have 700, 800 plays under your belt, you probably weren’t doing much today. We practiced the young guys.”

Denver also hopes to get back defensive end Derek Wolfe some time on the other side of the bye, also, to help with a playoff-like atmosphere heading into postseason play.

“Everybody in the league is beat up, and it’s no different on this team. Guys getting off of their feet the next couple of days, being smart and getting recovered will be crucial for us,” said defensive end Jared Crick, who was integral in Sunday’s win in Wolfe’s absence.

“We have six playoff games left, and we’re going to need everybody on board for every one of them so guys need to get healthy and get recuperated.”

And Kubiak said the team needs to stay locked in during the bye but also “get away from football a little bit,” especially since its last break away from football was more than 100 days ago.

“It’s been a long haul here, and we have a big haul coming up,” Kubiak said. “I think when you’re in this business, no one quits watching what is going on or what’s happening. We know whom we’re playing. Guys are getting a head start on that today. We’ve had some good meetings. Now, I want to get their bodies and minds fresh.”

Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @JohnnyHart7.