Broncos lose “tremendous teammate” Quinn Bailey to fractured right ankle in first major injury blow of training camp

The Broncos sustained their first major injury loss of training camp Wednesday when offensive lineman Quinn Bailey fractured his right ankle during a 9-on-7 drill.

Head coach Sean Payton confirmed the fracture, though it was clear immediately that Bailey had sustained a major injury. Players reacted by looking away after the pile cleared and training staff immediately put an air cast over his lower right leg, moved Bailey onto a cart and took him to a waiting ambulance.

“(The fracture) was definitely apparent,” Payton said. “I’m not sure of the timeline relative to surgery, but that’s always tough to see and to be a part of when you’re at practice. It’s one of the sometimes bitter realities of our game. He was having a real good camp.”

Indeed, Bailey had cemented himself a place on the 53-man roster, Payton said. The fifth-year lineman played in all 17 games last year, mostly on special teams and as the offense’s jumbo tight end.

“He’s a tremendous teammate,” Payton said. “A guy that all he does is work his tail off. The progress he made a year ago and all of a sudden, we were just discussing the roster the other day and he was easily for us lineman six. Someone who was going to be involved in the gameplan, jumbo (tight end).”

Instead, Bailey faces an extended absence.

Practice stopped for about five minutes after the injury. The offensive line, in particular, gathered up together for several minutes.

“He’ll have the support of everyone here,” Payton said.

Added tight end Greg Dulcich, “It’s devastating and you can only pray for him. The kind of guy he is, he’s going to attack the rehab and make sure he’s doing everything.”

Jones not worried about contract: D.J. Jones is among a handful of Broncos players entering a contract year this fall.

The 29-year-old interior defensive lineman is entering the eighth year of his NFL career and his third season with the Broncos. It’s the final year of a $30 million deal he signed with Denver in 2022. He can make up to $10 million in base salary ($9.49 million) and roster bonuses ($510,000), but none of the money is guaranteed at this juncture.

“I’m in Year 8, man, I’m just playing football at this point,” Jones said Wednesday. “I want to dominate every day and get better every day. I’m not even thinking about that. I’ve done that before and it’s backfired on me. So I learned my lesson. I won’t be thinking about contracts.”

Preseason work for starters: Payton confirmed Wednesday that starters will once again play in preseason games this year for Denver.

That’s the way he operated last year and he said he thinks it’s an important part of preparing for the 17-game regular season.

“We’re going to play our starters in the preseason,” he said. “I think it’s important to build callous. I think it’s important. Obviously, you weigh the reps. So Week 1 it’ll be a certain amount of snaps. Week 2 the same and then we’ll see where we’re at Week 3.”

Denver’s first preseason game is Aug. 11 at Indianapolis and then the team hosts Green Bay (Aug. 18) and Arizona (Aug. 25).

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