Broncos Release a Good-News Update on WR Jerry Jeudy

Without explosive wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, stretching the field was always going to pose a conundrum to Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton. Going by Payton's Wednesday admission that Jeudy was very close to playing in Week 1, it stands to reason that he will be cleared to play on Sunday vs. the Washington Commanders.

"He was [close]," Payton said of Jeudy's game-time decision last week. "Sometimes you guys—when I say 'gameday,' he was a [true] gameday decision. Hamstrings are tricky, though, with the idea of possibly getting set back two or three more weeks. He was close. We actually had a workout pre-game to go through it. We made our decision off of that."

Jeudy was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice, but something must have improved, as he was a full participant on Thursday. That portends well for his Week 2 availability.

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Losing the home opener to the underdog Las Vegas Raiders has put the Broncos in a tough spot to open the 2023 campaign. Furthermore, some serious questions have been raised about Payton's somewhat puzzling decision to play it safe with a predominately short passing attack during Denver's Week 1 loss.

Despite the perception, Payton admitted this week that he did call some explosive-type plays; they just didn't bear fruit as the Raiders allowed Russell Wilson to take the underneath throws all day, tackling well as a defense.

"I called probably three or four explosive [plays]," Payton said. The intent is an explosive play or a shot play. Sometimes, the coverage dictates that it's not. We ran the ole pump and caught it. We just nicked the sidelines and were out of bounds there. We got pressured on one of them, and Russ had to get rid of it quickly."

Payton has no doubt undergone some constructive self-scouting coming out of Week 1's loss. Upon some careful reflection, calling a more productive game could lead to Denver reacting less to what the opponent does, and instead, dictating to the defense by taking the bull by the horns.

"There's a number of teaching points from that game," Payton said. "When the game unfolds, and now you're in a six-possession game, points are at a premium. There were a number of things we cleaned up. The exactness of what we're doing, both in the running game and in the passing game. Me as a playcaller, I look back, and I'm like, 'Ah.' We have to start looking at ourselves first before anything else. We kind of put that one to bed, and we're focused on this next one."

Having Jeudy back in the Broncos' lineup would provide a real shot in the arm, especially in terms of stretching the field. But when Wilson looks to dump off the ball short, rookie running back Jaleel McLaughlin might be a better option to gain additional yardage after the catch.

"I think it's one of the things we talked about when the game ended," Payton said of McLaughlin. "You always have that closure. We will find those touches for him. I think that will be important."

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