Defense turns up the pressure
Player attendance
Did not practice. TE Jeff Heuerman (knee, seventh missed practice), CB Tramaine Brock (hamstring, sixth), S Su’a Cravens (knee, fifth), TE Troy Fumagalli (groin, first) and inside linebacker Joseph Jones (foot, first). Physically unable to perform. WR Jordan Taylor (hips).
Did-not-report list. WR Carlos Henderson and WR Jimmy Williams.
Returned to practice. WR Philly Brown (concussion) worked for the first time since July 28 (seven consecutive missed practices). LG Ron Leary (ankle), DE Adam Gotsis (ankle) CB Marcus Rios (hip) returned after missing Saturday’s practice.
New injuries
DL Clinton McDonald (shoulder) was not present at the afternoon walkthrough.
Top play
On a Case Keenum throw to the right sideline, WR Demaryius Thomas made a full extension in the air to make the catch and get his feet inbound.
Thumbs up
S Jamal Carter. On a pass intended for TE Brian Parker in the right flat, Carter arrived at the same time as the football to break up the play.
The first-team defense. A strong pass rush plus tight coverage equaled several incompletions by Keenum.
Thumbs down
The second-team offense. A sample of one of its 11-on-11 periods with QB Paxton Lynch: Rush, dropped pass by WR Tim Patrick, incompletion into nowhere, aborted play, rush and incompletion.
Odds and ends
• The Broncos were down to four tight ends because of injuries to Jeff Heuerman (knee) and Troy Fumagalli (groin). Coach Vance Joseph said Heuerman is “hopefully back this week. He’s progressing.” Of Fumagalli, Joseph said: “He’s got a slight groin strain. He had the sports hernia surgery in the spring. He was really sore the last couple of days, so we gave him a day to get better.” • Joseph, on CB Tramaine Brock (hamstring): “He’s getting better fast. Probably won’t go Saturday (against Minnesota).”
• Joseph said the starters will play “max two
series” against the Vikings on Saturday night. “After that, we have to figure out what’s best for our football team.” He did not say how play time would be divided between QB Paxton Lynch and QB Chad Kelly. Lynch took all of the second-team snaps.
• Joseph sounds like a coach who is fed up with the backup quarterback talk in general and the Lynch talk in particular. “We have a starter (in Case Keenum), obviously, and we have two guys behind him that are competing their butts off to be the No. 2,” Joseph said. “It’s early, and obviously when you’re playing with a QB that’s not your starter, you’re doing things differently on offense. You’re playing a different game plan.”
• Asked if Lynch and Kelly need to be more consistent, Joseph said: “We need more from those guys as far as being consistent. I’m assuming every team in the league with their backup needs more consistency except the Eagles probably, right? But come on, we have a starter, and that’s Case Keenum. We’re pushing Paxton and we’re pushing Chad to be better quarterbacks. But Case is the starter. He should be the story.”
• The Broncos’ defense turned up the heat in practice, calling several five-man pressures. “We want our offense to have the ability to block without (using) max protection,” Joseph said. “We want four guys out (on routes).”
Wednesday’s schedule
9:30 a.m. practice (open to the public).