The Broncos began preparations for the biggest game of their season without their most reliable offensive playmaker.
Running back J.K. Dobbins was not seen during the portion of practice open to reporters on Wednesday. His absence didn’t come as a major surprise after a Thursday night foot injury and a long weekend spent gathering opinions and information, but it is significant nonetheless.
Dobbins, 26, isn’t just Denver’s leading rusher. He’s been the one consistent playmaker on a unit that overall has been up and down through the season’s first 10 games. He enters Week 11 ranked seventh in the NFL in rushing yards per game (77.2) and tied for 12th at 5.0 yards per carry. He’s had 61 or more rushing yards in all but one game so far this season and has gone over 100 yards twice.
Not only that, but Dobbins fronts an otherwise young room. Behind him is rookie RJ Harvey and third-down back Tyler Badie. If Dobbins misses time, the biggest beneficiary in terms of playing time will likely be Jaleel McLaughlin, who could jump from being a game-day inactive nine of the first 10 games to being Denver’s second back behind Harvey. That would allow Badie to retain his normal third-down and two-minute drill role, which he holds in part because he’s the team’s most reliable pass-protector behind Dobbins.
Dobbins was just one of several players who didn’t practice Wednesday.
The others: CB Pat Surtain II (pec), tight end Nate Adkins (knee), inside linebacker Alex Singleton (testicular cancer), outside linebacker Jonah Elliss (hamstring) and wide receiver Trent Sherfield.
Surtain and Adkins have each missed the past two games. Singleton told reporters Monday he’s out at least this weekend and is hoping recovery from surgery allows him to be back on the field soon. Elliss missed time earlier this year with rib and shoulder injuries and dropped out of Thursday’s win over Las Vegas with a hamstring issue.
Denver has several moving pieces on the roster.
The team is signing receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey off of the New York Giants’ practice squad, and he’s expected to practice with the Broncos on Thursday. Inside linebacker Garret Wallow’s 21-day window to return from injured reserve opened Wednesday when he returned to practice.
The Broncos roster at present is full at 53, so a corresponding move will be required when Humphrey joins the team and again when Wallow is activated, whether that’s this week or in the next three.
Denver also signed OLB Garrett Nelson back to the practice squad. The former Nebraska edge rusher has been on and off Denver’s roster since training camp.
Mims returns: Amid the flurry of absences, a welcome sight for the Broncos Wednesday: WR Marvin Mims Jr.’s return to practice. He was estimated as a limited participant two days last week, but missed a second straight game due to a concussion sustained late in a blowout win over Dallas. Mims, then, is on track to return to action and play Sunday vs. Kansas City.
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