Broncos injury update: Illness strikes Denver’s locker room

So as to add one other log to the fireplace of the Broncos’ woes, now we should discuss sickness.

Three gamers on the 53-player roster didn’t observe Friday resulting from what Nathaniel Hackett described as an “sickness”: edge rusher Nik Bonitto, broad receiver Kendall Hinton and cornerback Darius Phillips. All three are thought-about questionable for Sunday’s sport in Nashville.

“It’s simply an sickness,” Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett stated.

When requested whether or not it was non-COVID-19-related, Hackett replied, “Sickness.” A second later, after being requested if the sick gamers have been isolating, Hackett stated, “They’ve simply received an sickness.”

It doesn’t matter what the illness is, Hinton and Bonitto play positions already compromised by accidents, so their potential absences could possibly be expensive. The Broncos dominated out starter Baron Browning because of the hip damage he suffered Oct. 23 in opposition to the New York Jets.

If Bonitto and Browning can’t go, the Broncos can be left with Jonathon Cooper, Nov. 1 commerce acquisition Jacob Martin and practice-squad participant Zach McCloud at edge rusher. Jonathan Kongbo, a practice-squad participant who was activated for the sport in London, didn’t observe Friday.

“Whoever we’ve received, we’ve received to place on the market and go on the market and compete,” Hackett stated.

If Hinton can’t play, the Broncos can be with out him and KJ Hamler. Hamler suffered a non-contact damage in observe Wednesday and sat out every of the final two days.

ALSO RULED OUT was TE Andrew Beck, who succumbed to a hamstring damage Thursday in observe.

The damage Beck suffered Thursday was “non-contact,” Hackett famous.

“Simply operating, and it occurred,” he stated.

Beck and Hamler will develop into the eighth and ninth gamers to overlook at the least one sport for the Broncos this season resulting from hamstring issues. As of Sunday, these 9 gamers can have missed a mixed 25 video games this season.

“We consider the whole lot,” Hackett stated. “We’ve received actually good individuals right here, and all people’s doing the whole lot we are able to to get these guys out in observe, within the video games and be capable of play at a excessive degree.

“These issues, they occur. It’s part of the sport. Some are early in observe, some are in the course of observe, and also you by no means know when that’s going to occur. Some guys are extra prone than others. I imply, there are such a lot of various things that go into that. It’s not only one factor. We’re going to do the whole lot we are able to to stop that.”

PRACTICE MOVED INSIDE

The accidents weren’t a purpose why Hackett moved observe contained in the Pat Bowlen Fieldhouse on a sunny day with temperatures within the mid-30s.

“We simply wished to vary it up. Simply change it up and get a pleasant, crisp, observe,” Hackett stated.

When requested how going inside made observe crisper, Hackett famous that the work was “just a bit tighter. It’s only a changeup.”

FLEMING, SIMMONS QUESTIONABLE

Each OT Cam Fleming and security Justin Simmons practiced Thursday and Friday after sitting out Wednesday with a quadriceps damage and a knee sprain, respectively.

With reference to Fleming, Hackett famous that analysis would proceed to find out whether or not he can play Sunday.

“It’s a communication with our medical employees and him to seek out out if he’s in a position to compete if he can go,” Hackett stated. “We don’t need to get too many reps for him, however we need to be certain he’s in a position to check it and do what’s proper, so, we’ll frequently consider that.”

MEANWHILE, IN NASHVILLE …

Titans coach Mike Vrabel dominated out 5 defensive gamers, together with 4 starters: DL Jeffery Simmons (ankle), edge rusher Bud Dupree (hip), ILB Zach Cunningham (elbow) and security Amani Hooker (shoulder). The Titans additionally dominated out reserve DB and special-teams contributor Josh Thompson (knee).

In the meantime, QB Ryan Tannehill stays questionable. After having a full observe workload Thursday, Tannehill was restricted on Friday.

“We’ll see the way it goes right here the following couple of days,” Vrabel instructed Nashville-area media on Friday. “I feel he’s making progress and feeling higher.”

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