Broncos' Insider Offers Ray of Hope for Injured NT D.J. Jones

D.J. Jones has yet to participate in practice this week, due to an injury. However, one Denver Broncos insider created some optimism on X.

Sep 7, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos defensive tackle D.J. Jones (93) hits Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward (1) in the second half at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos practiced again on Thursday in preparation for their Week 14 road game vs. the Las Vegas Raiders. We've been monitoring the practice report since Wednesday, especially because starting nose tackle D.J. Jones did not participate with an ankle injury suffered last Sunday night vs. the Washington Commanders.

Fast forward to Thursday, and once again, Jones was a DNP. That places a cloud over his Week 14 outlook, although there is one more day of practice this week.

However, 9NEWS' Mike Klis injected a bit of optimism into the Jones equation on Thursday afternoon, by posting on X that he "wouldn’t count him out though." As the longest-tenured Broncos insider, Klis may know something we don't, or he could simply be making an educated guess.

#Broncos nose tackle D.J. Jones (ankle) missed another practice Thursday. Wouldn’t count him out though.

— MikeKlis9NEWS (@mikeklis9news) December 4, 2025

Reasons for Optimism

Jones is a feisty team-first player, and he'll always strive to be there for his guys. And let's not forget, it's Raider Week. Set to turn 31 in January, Jones has been a Bronco since 2022, when he signed as a free agent after spending his first five seasons with the San Francisco 49ers.

The Broncos re-signed Jones this past March, inking him to a three-year deal worth $36 million. The deal keeps him in the Mile High City through 2027, if he plays out the full contract.

Jones has been a core leader and a reliable starter up front for the Broncos. As the team's starting nose tackle, he's great against the run, and he's no slouch when it comes to rushing the passer from the inside.

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2025 Impact

Oct 5, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Denver Broncos defensive end Zach Allen (99) and defensive tackle D.J. Jones (93) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Jones has two sacks this season, to go along with 23 tackles (14 solo). He's started 10 of Denver's 12 games thus far.

Last week against the Commanders, Jones exited the game for a time with an ankle injury, finishing with 19 snaps, despite the game going to overtime. For context, he played 26 snaps in the Broncos' previous game, a Week 11 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Denver.

As a DNP for the first two days of practice, it typically wouldn't bode well for Jones' Week 14 outlook. But Friday is the final practice of the week, and an injured player's last chance to show progress on the health front. Fridays are usually a glorified walkthrough, so the team's final designation for a player is based on projection.

The best hope is for Jones to progress to limited participation on Friday, with an official designation of questionable for the game. That gives him almost two more days to heal up and get ready for the action at Allegiant Stadium.

Even if Jones doesn't play his full snap share in Vegas, having him on the field in base defense would be a huge boon to the Broncos' stopping Ashton Jeanty and the Raiders' rushing attack. Expect a slightly healthier dose of Malcolm Roach and a few more bites at the apple for Eyioma Uwazurike.

Other Injury Updates

In other injury news, two Broncos popped up on the practice report on Thursday out of the blue. Defensive lineman Zach Allen was a DNP with a calf injury, while rookie wideout Pat Bryant was limited with a hamstring.

It's a concerning when players hit the practice report in the middle of the week because it implies that something befell them during practice or workouts. Hopefully, in Allen's case, the Broncos are just being cautious if he tweaked his calf.

If Bryant is hobbled at all by that hamstring, it could open the door for the Broncos to elevate new practice squad receiver Elijah Moore. The former second-rounder has only been with the Broncos for a few days, though.

Tight end Nate Adkins was also a DNP for the second straight day. After missing all the action since suffering a knee injury in Week 8, don't expect to see him progress on Friday's practice report.

Adkins will likely miss one more game. Here's to hoping he's back for Week 15's home stand vs. the Green Bay Packers.

Rush linebacker Jonah Elliss and cornerback Reese Taylor were once again full participants in practice. They're locked for Sunday's action in Sin City.