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Reinforcements are coming for a battered Broncos team in desperate need of a divisional road win on Monday Night Football this week.
How many reinforcements — and whether they’ll be healthy enough to play impactful snaps vs. the Chargers — remains to be seen.
Safety Justin Simmons, cornerback Michael Ojemudia and rookie tight end Greg Dulcich were all designated for return from injured reserve Tuesday at Dove Valley. The players participated in practice and can be activated to the 53-man roster anytime in the next 21 days.
The return of Simmons, who suffered a quad injury in Week 1 in Seattle, will be a boost to a Denver defense that’s been largely dominant through the first five weeks. While Simmons has talked all along about returning in time for the upcoming primetime matchup at SoFi Stadium, head coach Nathaniel Hackett indicated Dulcich’s NFL debut would be less immediate.
“(Dulcich) did some really great things for us in OTAs and as we got a little into training camp (before his hamstring injury), so he’s just another weapon for us and we’re excited to get him back out there,” Hackett said. “But he hasn’t played a lot of football lately, so it’s going to be a slow process, and we want to make sure we work him in the right way.”
Meanwhile, Ojemudia’s return from a preseason elbow injury comes at a good time for the Denver secondary, which lost cornerback Ronald Darby to a season-ending ACL tear in last week’s overtime loss to Indianapolis. Ojemudia will provide depth behind No. 1 corner Pat Surtain II and rookie Damarri Mathis, who is sliding into Darby’s starting spot.
Also, outside linebackers Baron Browning (wrist), Jonathon Cooper (hamstring) and Aaron Patrick (concussion) returned to practice Tuesday, as did special teamer/backup safety P.J. Locke (concussion). Mathis, tight end Eric Saubert, inside linebacker Josey Jewell, nose tackle Mike Purcell and running back Mike Boone all did not practice and worked on the side field.
Kongbo waived: The Broncos on Tuesday waived outside linebacker Jonathan Kongbo from the active roster. Kongbo was promoted from the practice squad prior to Thursday’s game against Indianapolis. Denver now has 50 players and three openings, which could set up the trio returning from injured reserve to be activated for Monday night’s game in Los Angeles.
Broncos sign long snapper: Starting long snapper Jacob Bobenmoyer sustained a wrist injury against the Colts, one Hackett said “was something that came out of left field after the game.”
The Broncos worked out a handful of long snappers on Monday and Tuesday at the UCHealth Training Center, and ultimately signed Mitchell Fraboni to the practice squad.
Fraboni, who played collegiately at Arizona State, is a first-year pro who spent the 2021 training camp with the Texans and also played in the United States Football League.
Denver can elevate Fraboni the practice squad for up to three games and not have it count against the gameday roster maximum.
The Broncos released receivers Darrius Shepherd and Vyncint Smith from the practice squad, leaving two openings on the 16-man group.
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