Under new rules, here's who can and can't play this week for the Denver Broncos after COVID-19 hits multiple players

Note: On Wednesday afternoon, shortly after this article was published, the Broncos activated Lloyd Cushenberry off the COVID-19 list.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Despite taking extra precautions, COVID-19 hit the Denver Broncos hard on Wednesday.

Before the team’s first practice of the week, the Broncos placed Tim Patrick, Caden Sterns and Calvin Anderson on the COVID-19/reserve list.

The three players join Lloyd Cushenberry, Mike Purcell and Andre Mintze on the list. Denver now has five players on the active roster, including three starters, who are not at the team facility due to COVID. Mintze is still on injured reserve, and thus not on the active roster.

Practice-squad receiver Tyrie Cleveland was also added to the COVID-19 list on Wednesday.

However, with the ever-changing COVID-19 protocols set by the NFL and NFLPA, the Broncos will have an opportunity to get some of those players back before Sunday’s game against the Chargers.

Under the new guidelines, most recently updated on Tuesday, players who test positive now only have to isolate away from the team facility for five days, instead of 10.

Cushenberry, who missed the Raiders game after being placed on the COVID list on Dec. 23, will be eligible to return. Under the previous rules, Cushenberry wouldn’t have been guaranteed to return by Sunday’s game.

Denver can benefit greatly under the new rules with the potential return of Purcell and Mintze. After being placed on the reserve list on Monday, the two would have missed Sunday’s game against the Chargers under the old rules. However, with the isolation time cut in half, both will be eligible to return before Sunday without missing a single game.

In order for all three players to return, they can’t have a fever for 24 hours before they are back, they must see their symptoms improve and be cleared by the team physician.

For Purcell and Mintze, if they clear those steps, they would be allowed back in the team facility on Saturday, just in time to travel with the team to Los Angeles.

Mintze is on the injured reserve, but was designated to return, and began practicing, on Dec. 22.

For Patrick, Sterns, Anderson and Cleveland, however, the earliest they could clear the protocol is Monday. Unfortunately, those four players will all be out for Sunday’s game. They will all be eligible to return for Denver’s season finale against the Chiefs in Week 18.

“Mike can make it back,” Fangio confirmed on Wednesday. “And, yes, too late for the guys that tested today, is my understanding.”

Additionally, Teddy Bridgewater (concussion), Kenny Young (concussion) and Ronald Darby did not practice on Wednesday. With Bridgewater sidelined for a fourth-straight practice, Drew Lock is in line to start for a second-straight week, Fangio announced on Wednesday.

After three different position groups were hit by COVID-19 on Wednesday, there’s potential more players are added to the list as the week goes on.