Denver keeps pads off before two days of practice with Bears
Player attendance
Did not practice: S Su’a Cravens (knee), TE Troy Fumagalli (groin), S Dymonte Thomas (hamstring), G J.J. Dielman (knee), CB Marcus Rios (hip), WR Philly Brown (concussion), LB Joseph Jones (foot), DE Paul Boyette (elbow) and CB Michael Hunter (migraines). Physically unable to perform: WR Jordan Taylor (hips).
Did-not-report list: WR Carlos Henderson and WR Jimmy Williams.
Returned to practice: LG Ron Leary (ankle).
New injuries
C Sam Jones (back spasms) was injured during team work and was carted back to the locker room.
Top play
Working against CB Bradley Roby, WR Courtland Sutton ran down the right sideline and caught QB Chad Kelly’s deep pass.
Thumbs up
Work rate. The Broncos didn’t practice in pads Tuesday but did run 57 plays of 11-on-11.
Thumbs down
Offside penalties. During 11on-11, linebackers Jerrol Garcia-Williams, Jeff Holland and Von Miller were called for penalties. Garcia-Williams and Holland were immediately replaced by Antonio Simmons.
Odds and ends
• Offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave, on his advice for Paxton Lynch, now a thirdstring quarterback: “Keep working. No matter when you get into the practice and get into the game, put your best foot forward and continue to strive as a young player to get better every day.”
• Coach Vance Joseph expanded on Lynch’s reaction to being demoted. “He is upset, and he didn’t like it,” Joseph said. “He wants to know why. He’s got to play better. It’s as simple as that. It’s a competition. It’s the league.”
• At halftime of the Minnesota game, Broncos LB Von Miller said it was decided “upstairs” that he would not play in the game after taking warm-ups. Defensive coordinator Joe Woods was asked after practice Tuesday why Miller didn’t play and said: “That’s above my pay grade. You know who made that call.” Of Miller’s status for the Chicago game, Woods said, “I think he’s going to play.”
• Joseph said G J.J. Dielman suffered a sprained knee during Monday’s practice. “Nothing serious,” Joseph said. “It looked serious early on.”
• Su’a Cravens ran on the field before practice but has not worked since July 31. “The swelling in the knee is down,” Joseph said. “Hopefully he can (return) in the next couple of days.” • The first segment of 11-on11 (three quarterbacks got four plays apiece) was choppy. QB Case Keenum completed two passes to tailbacks, Kelly had an aborted play because of pressure and Lynch’s first pass was dropped by WR Mark Chapman.
• The Broncos emphasized third down during a 7-on-7 period. Keenum completed all four of his passes. Kelly had one pass broken up by CB Isaac Yiadom and one dropped by WR River Cracraft. And Lynch threw a nice pass down the left sideline to WR Bryce Bobo, who took advantage of his matchup against LB Bo Bower.
• Joseph later said it was a mix-up by the coaches — “It was by accident. Honestly, it was.” — but for one segment of 11-on11, it was first offense vs. second defense and second offense vs. first defense. Keenum ran seven plays (only two pass attempts). Kelly struggled against the starting defense — S Darian Stewart pass breakup, DE Derek Wolfe pass bat-down and aborted play (and an injury to C Sam Jones) to start. Kelly’s last throw was to Sutton. • Practice wrapped with a four-minute situation. Starting from their 30-yard line, the Broncos ran two run plays to force the defense to call timeout, and then Keenum connected down the right sideline to WR DaeSean Hamilton (CB Bradley Roby in coverage). Kelly’s drive was a three-and-out.
• Per the NFL transaction wire, the Broncos claimed WR DeAndrew White off waivers from Houston and waived injured WR Philly Brown. White has played in six career games (four with San Francisco in 2015 and two for Houston last year). Brown suffered a concussion in a weight room accident on July 29 and had not practiced since. Practice 9:30 a.m.-noon with the Chicago Bears (open to the public)