The Denver Broncos were back on the practice field on Wednesday in preparation for Sunday’s game against the Tennessee Titans.
Denver Broncos Practice Report from Wednesday
The Broncos returned to the practice field on Wednesday at the UCHealth Training Center as they prepare for Sunday’s clash with the Tennessee Titans. However, several key players popped up on the initial injury report ahead of Sunday including Broncos All-Pro safety Justin Simmons.
According to Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett, Simmons is dealing with a knee strain and is considered day-to-day. He did not participate in Wednesday’s practice and worked on the side field alongside Randy Gregory and Mike Boone.
Simmons’ injury occurred two weeks ago against the Jacksonville Jaguars according to Hackett.
“I’m not sure exactly which one it was,” Hackett said on Wednesday. “That was a long time ago, but I know that’s when it happened. He’ll be day-to-day here moving forward.”
Gregory who has been on injured reserve since suffering a knee injury against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 4 was spotted doing some light work on the side field without a helmet or jersey. The hope is that Gregory is in line to return in the next couple of weeks after having surgery to repair the meniscus injury he suffered against the Raiders.
Broncos speedy wide receiver KJ Hamler popped up on the injury report late with a hamstring injury that appears to have occurred during practice. During the media viewing portion of practice, Hamler was present for team stretch and participated in individual drills.
Joining Hamler on the limited participant list on Wednesday were cornerback Essang Bassey (hamstring), wide receiver Tyrie Cleveland (groin), and safety P.J. Locke who is also dealing with a hamstring.
Hamler’s hamstring will be something to watch as the Broncos are back on the field again on Thursday as practice continues to ramp up.
Broncos name Kareem Jackson as a team captain
The Broncos announced on Wednesday that 13th-year veteran safety Kareem Jackson replaces Bradley Chubb as a season-long captain for the remainder of the year. Chubb was traded to the Miami Dolphins last week at the NFL trade deadline. Jackson’s presence on the field and in the locker room made it an easy decision for Nathaniel Hackett and his staff.
“We’ll still have a rotating captain,” Hackett said on Wednesday. “Every game we will have one person in. [S] Kareem [Jackson] was somebody that was highly voted on earlier in the season. I talked with a couple of the guys, a couple of the coaches, and talked with him. It was something that we felt [was] right and he was honored. I’m very happy for him to be a captain of this football team.”
The Broncos will report back on the field on Thursday as they continue to install their game plan for Sunday’s game against the Titans in Nashville.
Cody Roark is Mile High Sports lead reporter covering the Denver Broncos — Cody covers every practice, every home and away game plus community events related to the organization. He also co-hosts The Afternoon Drive with Aniello Piro on Mile High Sports Radio and is the host of the Locked On Broncos podcast. You can follow Cody on Twitter and Instagram @CodyRoarkNFL.
