TWO TIGHT ENDS TO MISS SUNDAY’S GAME

The Broncos ruled out tight ends A.J. Derby (shoulder) and Jeff Heuerman (knee), and listed offensive lineman Donald Stephenson (calf ) and wide receiver Cody Latimer (Achilles) as questionable to play in Sunday’s game against the Bengals.

The losses of Derby and Heuerman leave Denver with only one healthy tight end in Virgil Green. The team could promote Austin Traylor from the practice squad, but it would have to make a corresponding move to clear a spot on the active roster. Another option is to go “jumbo” and have a tackle — Stephenson — serve as the second tight end.

“We’ll see,” coach Vance Joseph said. “It’s tough to just do that without having a spot. So we got to find a spot if that’s the way we’re going to go. We’re going to explore every option there and see where we’re at.”

QB decisions.

Joseph said Friday that he has not decided who will back up Brock Osweiler at quarterback, but he has decided that only two quarterbacks will be active Sunday. Paxton Lynch took secondteam reps in practice this week to gauge the progress of his shoulder. Should Joseph deem him ready, he and Osweiler will dress out and Trevor Siemian will be inactive. If Lynch is not ready, Siemian will again serve as Osweiler’s backup.

“Determining factors would be how well we thought Paxton practiced this week,” Joseph said. “That’s pretty much it.”

Practice change.

Fridays for the Broncos this season have usually been walkthroughs, to review the game plan and preserve players’ health. But Joseph changed it up this week and had a full practice Friday to include more work in the red zone. The Broncos rank among the NFL’s worst teams inside opponents’ 20-yard line, with a 43.3 scoring percentage in the red zone.

“It was planned that way, but it helps to get us more work in the red zone on Fridays and to get more (Saturday),” Joseph said. “Just add more work.”

Said offensive coordinator Mike McCoy: “There is a precision that you have to have in the red area. … If you take last week (against the Patriots), we took two shots on second down and it was incomplete. Now you’re in third-and-long. Is it a missed throw? Is it a breakdown in protection? Some things are covered. That’s also part of it at times. There are a number of different things. … We’ve had some penalties that have been costly throughout the year down there. Then we’ve missed plenty of opportunities, too. I could have put them in better situations also. It’s everybody.”

Footnotes.

Allen Barbre will start at right offensive tackle Sunday. … Isaiah McKenzie will be inactive after losing his starting punt-returning job to Jordan Taylor.