The Broncos saw a bunch of key players return to practice in some capacity today.
Today the Broncos received some good news all around when it came to the injury front. First, we received the news that edge rusher Randy Gregory and offensive lineman Billy Turner were activated off the PUP list. Both players have missed a significant portion of the offseason and all of Training Camp, so it’s exciting to get both of them back before the start of the regular season.
That was a good start.
Then, as players started rolling out for today’s practice, we saw veterans like cornerback Ronald Darby and Melvin Gordon return to practice. Darby was dealing with a chest contusion while Gordon was dealing with a foot contusion. Neither were significant injuries, but it’s nice seeing two veterans who will have significant roles with the team this year back on the practice field.
Melvin Gordon III is at practice and wearing pads.
— Aric DiLalla (@AricDiLalla) August 15, 2022
It doesn’t sound like Darby was fully back today and was working on the side, but Gordon was in full pads and taking part in team drills. Still, some good news here.
Meanwhile, veteran slot corner K’Waun Williams who returned to practice last week but did not take part in team drills is slowly working back into them according to Head Coach Nathaniel Hackett. He had a minor knee injury but appears to be all good heading into the regular season. He’s the Broncos starting slot corner, so they need him healthy.
Greg Dulcich out here today. Broncos in shorts and shells.
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) August 15, 2022
Rookie tight end Greg Dulcich was back out at practice today with pads on, which is an encouraging sign. He suffered a setback with his hamstring injury last week but appears to be on the right track once again. He didn’t participate in team drills and worked on the side, but still a positive step in the right direction. Hamstrings are tricky so I am hoping they can get him to 100% before week one of the regular season.
Meanwhile, receiver K.J. Hamler continued to work on the side today and was not wearing pads. This appears to be part of the conservative plan Head Coach Nathaniel Hackett and the Broncos staff have planned for Hamler. He has insisted with the media that Hamler has suffered no setbacks and is on track for week one. So, I would not sound the alarm here and understand that Hackett takes a conservative approach when it comes to injuries and the overall health and management of the player’s bodies.