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Denver Broncos Week 15 Practice Report: Beat up backers

December 17, 2016

The Denver Broncos will play host to the New England Patriots for the first time since the AFC title game in hopes of righting the ship in what feels like a must-win Sunday at 2:25 p.m. MST.

Linebacker Brandon Marshall will miss his second consecutive game after injuring his hamstring in the win against Jacksonville. Marshall has been sidelined at practice since the injury occurred on Dec. 4 and there is not timetable for his return as of yet. No. 54 also missed a game earlier in the season due to the same injury, but Kubiak is calling this one “more serious.”

Joining Marshall on the injury list for linebackers is Todd Davis, who suffered a rib injury against Tennessee last week and has been limited in practice. Davis, who has started every for the Orange & Blue this season, is officially listed as questionable but is trending in the right direction to see the field Sunday.

“I was encouraged by what I saw. I just got through talking to him walking off the field. We’ll see how he comes out of it in the morning and move him around again tomorrow,” Kubiak said Friday. “I think it’s kind of going exactly like we thought it was going to go leading up to game time. It was encouraging today.”

Denver officially played long snapper Casey Kreiter on injured reserve Friday afternoon, ending his season and naming Thomas Gafford the starter for the remainder of the 2016 campaign. Kreiter suffered the injury Nov. 23rd in practice and has not been able to recover.

With Kreiter being placed on IR, Denver officially promoted outside linebacker Vontarrius Dora to the 53-man roster in hopes of helping out a depleted linebacker core while Marshall and Davis recover.

Broncos

Name	Position	Injury	Practice Status	Game Status
Matt Paradis	C	—	Did Not Participate In Practice	—
Todd Davis	LB	Rib Cage	Did Not Participate In Practice	Questionable
Corey Nelson	LB	—	Full Participation in Practice	—
Brandon Marshall	LB	Hamstring	Did Not Participate In Practice	Out
Russell Okung	T	—	Full Participation in Practice	—
Aqib Talib	CB	—	Full Participation in Practice	—
A.J. Derby	TE	—	Full Participation in Practice	—
Casey Kreiter	LS	Calf	Did Not Participate In Practice	Out

Patriots

Name	Position	Injury	Practice Status	Game Status
Malcolm Butler	CB	Hip	Limited Participation in Practice	Questionable
Jordan Richards	S	Knee	Limited Participation in Practice	Questionable
Elandon Roberts	LB	Hamstring	Limited Participation in Practice	Questionable
Danny Amendola	WR	Ankle	Did Not Participate In Practice	Out
Martellus Bennett	TE	Ankle	Limited Participation in Practice	Questionable
Matt Slater	WR	Foot	Limited Participation in Practice	Questionable
Eric Rowe	CB	Hamstring	Limited Participation in Practice	Questionable
Dont’a Hightower	LB	Knee	Limited Participation in Practice	Questionable