“I’m back, baby”: Good news abundant as Broncos return from bye

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Just two weeks ago, the health of the Denver Broncos looked bleak. In their last game against the New Orleans Saints, the defense was without two of their stars, Derek Wolfe and Aqib Talib, and played with an injured center and fullback.

After the game, both Wolfe and Talib’s statuses remained very much in question. Head coach Gary Kubiak was “hopeful” that Talib’s back injection would help him get back on the field and it seemed like a stretch to expect Wolfe back just two weeks after fracturing his elbow.

Oh, what a bye week can do.

On Monday, in the team’s first practice back from the week off, the injury report couldn’t have been more encouraging.

“Anytime you play 10 weeks in a row you are going to be beat up,” Kubiak said before bringing the good news. “We’re at full strength at practice today for the first time in… probably in 10 weeks.”

As for the two stars, they had no limitations at practice.

“[Wolfe] and Aqib practiced full. Both looked good moving around,” he said. “Great to have those guys back, as expected. They both had a good week [last week], while the other guys were getting a break, so they made up some ground.”

After practice on Monday, Talib couldn’t be more confident in his status for Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs, as well as for the rest of the season.”

“I feel great, like I’m going to finish [the season] great, even better,” Talib said in a locker room that was buzzing with good vibes. “I got a three-week break, so my legs feel extra fresh, I just feel super fresh right now… I’m back, baby.”

Other players that have been battling injuries improved significantly over the bye as well, including quarterback Trevor Siemian’s often forgotten shoulder injury.

“He’s good. The break did him some good,” Kubiak said. “Threw the ball really well today, took all of his reps. I think it was good for everybody, but, obviously, he was a little beat up and got an injection before we took the break, so he looked like himself today.”

Fullback Andy Janovich was at practice without a club on his right hand for the first time in weeks. Even though Janovich caught a pass with the club on against the Saints, it now allows him to be a true receiving threat out of the backfield.

While the team was at full strength regarding their health, they were without wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders and center Matt Paradis. However, both were for non-injury reasons. Sanders was excused as he and his wife are expecting the birth of their baby and Paradis was given a rest day by Kubiak, which he will get every week.

Being healthy is, of course, an advantage for game day, but Kubiak said there is another advantage to having all of the players available during the week.

“We were competitive; we weren’t trying to rest 10 guys and get through a Wednesday or Thursday practice,” he said. “We were back in a competitive situation. So hopefully we can stay healthy and stay that way the last six weeks.”

As of now, the Broncos are sitting in a very rare position: healthy through Week 11 of the season. A key for the last six weeks of the regular season will be keeping the injury report as clean as possible.