Denver Broncos outside linebacker Drew Sanders practiced for the first time with his teammates on Wednesday.

The Broncos placed Sanders on the physically-unable-to-perform list when they convened for training camp in July. Sanders tore an Achilles tendon during Denver’s offseason workouts.

Sanders’ practice appearance opens a 21-day window during which the Broncos can restore the linebacker to the 53-player active roster. If Denver does not put Sanders on its active roster during that period, he will stay on the PUP list for the remainder of the 2024 season.

Sanders played at Alabama in the 2020 and 2021 seasons before transferring to Arkansas for 2022 and joining the Broncos in 2023 as the 67th selection in the NFL Draft.

As a rookie, Sanders played in all 17 of Denver’s games, with four starts. He was on the field for 258 defensive snaps (23 percent of the Broncos’ total) and 297 special-teams plays. Sanders made 24 tackles, recorded one tackle for loss and recovered one fumble.

Sanders began practice on the heels of the Broncos’ trade of outside linebacker Baron Browning to the Arizona Cardinals on Monday. Browning had started two games for Denver this season.

Two other players with Alabama football roots returned to NFL rosters on Wednesday.

Defensive tackle Travis Bell (Jeff Davis, now known as J.A.G.) joined the Minnesota Vikings’ practice squad. The first player drafted from Kennesaw State when he joined the Chicago Bears in the seventh round in 2023, Bell played in two games for the Atlanta Falcons last season. After going through the offseason, training camp and preseason with the Cincinnati Bengals, Bell was on the Bears’ practice squad until being released on Oct. 15.

Outside linebacker Jamie Sheriff (South Alabama) returned to the Seattle Seahawks’ practice squad. Sheriff made his NFL debut as an undrafted rookie in the Carolina Panthers’ season-opening game. Carolina had claimed Sheriff off waivers after he’d been let go by the Seahawks at the end of the preseason. When the Panthers waived Sheriff on Sept. 10, Seattle picked him up for its practice squad. He played in one game as a practice-squad elevation but was released on Oct. 30.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) – Shomari Figures claimed victory Tuesday night, in the race for Alabama’s newly drawn second congressional district.

Figures wins Alabama’s redrawn 2nd Congressional District

Figures, who went up against Republican Caroleene Dobson, earned 54% of the vote, with the majority coming out of Mobile.

“It’s about us” Shomari Figures claims victory in Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District

Figures claimed the democratic ticket in April after a crowded race that started with twelve other candidates.

Anitra Henderson, with the Figures campaign, says he’s spending Wednesday heading up through the counties to thank voters.

Henderson says he’s already making calls to congressional leaders.

After beating out his opponent he says he’s ready to represent his district in Washington.

Shomari Figures speaks at final night of DNC

“First thing first, and that’s building a bipartisan, multi-faceted team here in the state of Alabama to help, or here in District Two to help with the transition process that’s pulling together voices and resources from the business community, the economic community, the education community, the labor community, the church community, law enforcement community, all of those relevant stakeholders,” Figures said.

Figures brings with him years of experience in the federal government.

It includes working under both Obama and Biden presidencies and Attorney General Merrick Garland.

He’s also the son of current State Senator Vivian Davis-Figures and the late State Senator Michael Figures.

A Mobile native, he says regardless of anyone’s political stance, he’s fit for the job.

Former US attorney general says House candidate Shomari Figures in Alabama will fight for equality

“At the end of the day, we got in this race because we love this place that we call home, and home is not blue. Home is not red. Home is a collective of people and places and communities that are strong, that have led this nation through its toughest times and darker, darkest days,” Figures said. “And we can, we can do it. We know that we have a bright future ahead of us. And look, we got to go up there, we work on both sides of the aisle and we get the job done.

Figures has centered his campaign around the healthcare crisis in Alabama.

‘On life support’: Hospital officials warn dozens of rural Alabama hospitals are at risk of closing their doors

He also touched on the recent hospital closings in his district.

During several debates over the last few months, he expressed fear for those who needed healthcare access, if they had nowhere to go.

“You know, once we’re sworn in, I think we have to look to immediately resolving the health care crisis that we have across this district,” Figures said. “I mean, we have four hospitals that have closed in this district just since we’ve been in this race. We have several other facilities that are on the verge of closing in this district, and we have to make sure that we can stand up for them.

Figures will take office on January 1.

Copyright 2024 WALA. All rights reserved.

Tonya Chestnut Tuesday was leading in the polls as the District 5 representative on the State Board of Education.

As of around 11:30 p.m., Chestnut, a retired educator and Democrat who has served on the board since 2021, had 141,374 votes (54.97%) in unofficial returns, according to the Alabama Secretary of State’s website. Republican challenger David Perry had 115,417 votes (44.87%).

There were 414 write-ins, or 0.16%.

The Associated Press had not called the race as of 11:30 p.m.

Chestnut wrote in a text Tuesday evening that the counties in her district had reported 100%, which gave her the victory.

“A special thanks to District 5 for choosing Chestnut Again!” she wrote. “I count it an honor to continue to serve and represent District 5.”

Perry wrote in a text Tuesday evening that he had no immediate comment and would respond when his camp gets the final numbers.

District 5 includes much of the Black Belt and most of Montgomery County.

Chestnut said saw school safety as a priority. She also highlighted her work seeking funding to help struggling readers beyond third grade. The Alabama State Department of Education has included funding for that program in its fiscal year 2025 Education Trust Fund request.

Chestnut also said that she has been looking into weighted student funding formulas in other states, which has been a topic of discussion for legislative leaders.

In March, Allen Long, District 7, and Kelly Mooney, District 3, won Republican primaries in races without Democratic candidates.