Reinforcements are inbound for the Broncos.
Coming off the bye week, Denver had reigning defensive player of the year Pat Surtain II (pectoral) back on the field in a limited capacity Wednesday along with OLB Jonah Elliss (hamstring, limited) and Alex Singleton (testicular cancer, full participant).
Payton all but confirmed Surtain and Singleton will be back on the field Sunday night when Denver takes on Washington.
“We felt confident with (Singleton) and (Surtain) and a few of these guys we’ve been without that this was kind of a target game,” the coach said.
Surtain missed three-plus games since injuring his pec against Dallas in Week 8 and Singleton missed just one game — Nov. 16 against Kansas City — after having surgery Nov. 8 to remove a cancerous tumor from a testicle.
Those returns will mark major additions for the Broncos, but they aren’t even the most interesting injury update Payton provided Wednesday.
The veteran head coach, typically loath to discuss injuries in any manner during the season, volunteered that the Broncos could get running back J.K. Dobbins (foot) back at some point later in the season.
Dobbins had surgery to repair a Lisfranc injury earlier this month and a source told The Denver Post at the time he may only be able to get back on the field if the Broncos make the Super Bowl, which is Feb. 8.
Payton had a somewhat different tone Wednesday.
“It wouldn’t be soon, but that has a chance to happen,” Payton said of a potential Dobbins return, without specifying whether it could be in the regular season or the playoffs.
Dobbins told people in the Broncos building recently that he’s hoping to be back for the playoffs. It remains to be seen if that’s a realistic return timetable after what is typically a tricky injury to repair and recover from, but Payton opened the door to a potential return unprompted Wednesday.
The Broncos, meanwhile, held up remarkably well defensively without Surtain, a multiple-time All-Pro, at cornerback. Surtain didn’t speak with reporters Wednesday and only practiced in a limited capacity, but Payton didn’t have much doubt about his status.
“Certainly it’s great to get somebody like him back in the lineup and ready to go,” Payton said.
Getting healthy
In addition to Singleton and Surtain, the Broncos also had OLB Jonah Elliss (hamstring) back to practice in a limited capacity Wednesday. Elliss was injured Nov. 7 against Las Vegas and didn’t play against the Chiefs.
The second-year pass-rusher has had a tough year on the injury front. Earlier in the season, he missed time due to cracked ribs and a shoulder injury.
OLB Jonathon Cooper (thumb) and WR Pat Bryant (shoulder) were full participants in practice. The only player on the 53-man roster who didn’t participate Wednesday was TE Nate Adkins (knee). Adkins has missed the past three games since injuring the knee diving for a near-touchdown grab against Dallas last month.
Sanders tracking toward return
The Broncos are still planning on seeing third-year inside linebacker Drew Sanders at some point late in the season.
Sanders sustained a foot injury before the season that required surgery and has not returned to practice so far this year.
“It’s going to be later, but yes,” Payton said. “We monitor the progress. (VP of player performance Beau Lowery) goes through the report. I don’t have the game (he’ll return).”
Sanders did conditioning work on Denver’s side field Wednesday, as did left guard Ben Powers. Powers has been out since tearing his bicep Week 5 at Philadelphia. He’s also in play for a potential December return.
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