Broncos Notebook: How the team plans to deal with numerous injuries

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The injury bug has stung the Broncos less than three weeks until the start of the regular season.

It began on the very first day of training camp when Todd Davis suffered a partially torn calf and has continued to bite the Broncos through Monday night’s game.

The most notable injury from Monday night being, of course, Drew Lock’s right thumb sprain. Initially, the injury was believed to be minor. In fact, after Monday night’s game, he told BSN Denver he not only expected to play in Saturday night’s fourth preseason game, but that he expected to be on the practice field Wednesday.

Well, he was on the practice field on Wednesday, but with no shot of actually practicing after it was revealed the sprain on his throwing thumb was significant.

“It’s going to be a little bit of time,” Vic Fangio told the media on Wednesday, discussing the severity of Lock’s injury. “He sprained his thumb and obviously with the quarterback your right thumb is pretty critical. It will be some time.”

Although Lock’s exact timetable to return is still “up in the air,” the injury is expected to keep Denver’s second-round pick sidelined for the rest of the preseason and will carry over into the regular season.

Before the injury, Lock was making significant strides on the field and the depth chart. On Monday, he was Denver’s backup quarterback for the first time in the preseason. From the way he had played, and the recent praise he had received from Fangio, it didn’t appear that was going to change come the regular season.

But the injury derailed that.

Fangio said the Broncos aren’t going to bring in another quarterback to compete for the backup spot “right now.” However, the backup role to Joe Flacco won’t just be handed to Kevin Hogan. In fact, undrafted rookie Brett Rypien will have a shot to earn the backup duties by Week 1, according to Fangio.

Through the first three weeks of the preseason, Hogan has gone 13-for-30 for 104 passing yards and an interception. Rypien went 5-for-10 for 41 yards and a touchdown in the Hall of Fame game, his only appearance during the preseason.

They are both certain to see a significant amount of playing time in the final two preseason games.

OTHER NOTES

• Todd Davis is “a little bit behind” where the team hoped he would be in his recovery from a partially torn calf he suffered at the beginning of camp. Denver’s starting inside linebacker won’t practice this week, and his timetable is “still up in the air,” according to Fangio.
  • When asked if he’s concerned if Davis will be able to play Week 1, Fangio said, “Too early to say that, but it’s definitely a possibility.”
• Ron Leary’s availability for the regular season—both Week 1 and the duration of the year—is becoming a concern.
  • “Well it’s a concern, but I think Ron’s doing a good job, for the most part, managing it,” Fangio stated. “I think our trainers and Mike are doing a good job of managing it. We’re trying to get him ready for the regular season and see where it goes.”
• Bryce Callahan’s foot injury hasn’t become worse, but it has “gotten sore on him a little bit,” according to Fangio.
  • Callahan could have played on Monday night, but the team is being prudent with it. He won’t practice or play this week, “Just to make sure he’s ready.”
• Jake Butt practiced on Wednesday, another positive step in his recovery from his third ACL surgery last year. When asked what Butt needs to show in the next two weeks before cut day, Fangio stated, “Just to see him play.”
  • “Hopefully partaking in a game,” the head coach added. “That’s progress in itself. I think the rest of that will come after that.”
• “It’s up in the air” if the Broncos’ starters will play on Saturday against the Rams.
  • While the Los Angeles Rams won’t play their starters against Denver, Fangio said that’s not the reason he would hold his players back. Instead, the fact it’s Denver’s fourth preseason game, not their third like much of the rest of the league, is what would keep the starters on the bench.
• Alexander Johnson was “up and down” in Monday night’s game, according to the linebacking expert Fangio.
  • “Some good, some not so good. Was hoping for more,” Fangio stated. “He’s got to keep ascending and not flatten out. I thought he had a good camp early on. Right now, he’s kind of flattening out. He’s got to step it up.”
• If the Broncos’ special teams don’t improve, Fangio will use starters from offense and defense on special teams, which Fangio said many teams have done. Chris Harris Jr. said special teams is more about “want to.”
  • “I think we need a little more dog in us in special teams. Just want to,” the veteran cornerback said. “Who wants it more. That’s what special teams is—who wants it, who’s going to make the play, who’s going to put that high effort in. I think we have great effort, we just got to have that dog in us to go finish the play.”