Broncos List a Whopping 10 Players as Questionable vs. Niners
Denver Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett was hyper-cautious about playing his starters in the preseason, resting 99%. The impetus was Hackett's fear of the injury bug.
Taking one glance at Denver's final injury report for Week 3's game against the San Francisco 49ers, and it's possible that Hackett's phobia has backfired. Take a gander at the Broncos' laundry-list injury report.
Broncos
Out
- CB Darius Phillips (hamstring)
Questionable
- WR Tyrie Cleveland (hamstring)
- DL Dre'Mont Jones (neck)
- OLB Jonathon Cooper (hamstring)
- WR Jerry Jeudy (rib/shoulder)
- LB Josey Jewell (calf/knee)
- OG Quinn Meinerz (hamstring)
- OT Billy Turner (knee)
- WR KJ Hamler (knee/hip)
- DL Mike Purcell (elbow)
- CB Patrick Surtain (shoulder)
Full Go
- OLB Randy Gregory (knee)
- DT D.J. Jones (ankle)
- OG Dalton Rinser (elbow)
- S Caden Sterns (hip)
- CB K'Waun Williams (wrist)
Analysis: The good news is Jeudy, Jewell, Hamler, Meinerz, Purcell, Surtain, and Turner — all of whom are starters — practiced on Friday. That's a positive harbinger for their game availability, though it's far from a guarantee.
Here's what Coach Hackett said about Jeudy's game status on Friday. It feels like Jeudy is trending in the right direction.
“Again, we're going to go day-by-day," Hackett said. "We have a lot of time now before that next game, so just want to be sure we do the right thing.”
Perhaps more concerning is Dre'Mont Jones, who did not practice Friday. Considering the depth the Broncos have on the defensive line, I shudder to imagine Denver's rushing defense without Jones in the lineup, and that's not exactly his calling card.
Cleveland and Cooper didn't practice Friday either, but both are depth players. A possible Cleveland absence would really only hurt if Hamler ends up being a no-go in Week 3. Stay tuned.
Niners
Out
- OG Daniel Brunskill (hamstring)
- RB Tyrion Davis-Price (ankle)
- TE Tyler Croft (knee)
Questionable
- DE Arik Armstead (foot)
- OT Colton McKivitz (ankle)
Full Go
- TE George Kittle (groin)
- OT Trent Williams (not injury related)
Analysis: Broncos fans hoping for a little luck on the Kittle front will be disappointed to learn that he's going to play, as is Williams. Armstead, however, is up in the air.
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