Roster moves aplenty after initial game of preseason
Player attendance
Did not practice: S Su’a Cravens (knee), TE Troy Fumagalli (groin), S Dymonte Thomas (undisclosed), LG Ron Leary (ankle), CB Marcus Rios (shoulder) and WR Philly Brown (concussion) Physically unable to perform: WR Jordan Taylor (hips).
Did-not-report list: WR Carlos Henderson and WR Jimmy Williams.
Returned to practice: TE Jeff Heuerman (knee, had missed nine consecutive practices), ILB Joseph Jones (foot, three), DL Clinton McDonald (shoulder, two) and RG Menelik Watson (pectoral, two). ILB Todd Davis (sternum) returned to team work after missing Saturday’s game.
New injuries
WR Jordan Leslie (finger) returned after being examined in the locker room. G J.J. Dielman (undisclosed) was injured during 11-on-11 red zone work.
DL Paul Boyette (undisclosed) left the field with trainers under his own power.
Top play
QB Chad Kelly lofted a nice pass down the right sideline that WR Courtland Sutton collected against tight coverage from CB C.J. Smith.
Thumbs up
Backup quarterback spot. It should have happened sooner, but coach Vance Joseph knew QB Chad Kelly deserved a chance with the second team and has given him one.
Thumbs down
Tight end drops. Brian Parker dropped QB Paxton Lynch’s second pass, and Jake Butt dropped QB Case Keenum’s first 7-on-7 pass.
End of practice. For the second time in camp, the Broncos ended practice with an interception (this one by CB Brendan Langley of QB Chad Kelly). It’s puzzling why coach Vance Joseph would allow the workout to end on down note.
Odds and ends
• S Jamal Carter, competing for a backup safety/core special-teams role, tore the hamstring off his bone in Saturday’s game and was placed on the season-ending injured reserve list. That meant rookie Trey Marshall took second-team reps.
To take Carter’s spot, the Broncos signed S Shamarko Thomas, a veteran of 60 regular-season games (two starts) for Pittsburgh and Buffalo. Thomas was released by Indianapolis on Saturday, two days after he was ejected from the Colts’ game at Seattle for a helmetto-helmet hit on receiver David Moore.
”We needed a body, but he’s also a core specialteamer — that’s been his history in this league, a guy who is physical and can really run,” coach Vance Joseph said of Thomas.
• To make room for LB A.J. Johnson, the Broncos released Stansly Maponga. • Joseph said LG Ron Leary, who sat out Saturday’s game, will practice Tuesday and S Su’a Cravens will “hopefully” return to practice this week.
• Joseph called the running back competition “still tight and fluid” but said Devontae Booker and Royce Freeman “will be our lead guys (this week).”
• Of starting slow against Minnesota, Joseph said: “We have to get off to a better start and it happens out here. We have to start better every day to start better on game day.”
• LB Josey Jewell has a new jersey number (59) and saw first-team defense snaps alongside LB Brandon Marshall and LB Todd Davis. It was in a personnel package that had Bradley Chubb at defensive end.
• CB Tramaine Brock practiced in team drills and was with the second-team defense; rookie Isaac Yiadom remained the third cornerback.
• The second-team offensive line was juggled. Billy Turner played right tackle, and Elijah Wilkinson moved to right guard.
• In 11-on-11 red-zone work, QB Chad Kelly dropped a shotgun snap, but picked it up, scrambled left and threw a TD pass to TE Brian Parker.
• The Broncos ended with two-minute drill. QB Case Keenum ran seven plays to set up K Brandon McManus’ field goal. Kelly ran five plays before his interception.
Tuesday’s schedule
Practice 9:30 a.m.-noon (open to the public)