As concerns about Bo Nix’s start to his third season emerge, the young quarterback will have some help soon. The Broncos designated rookie running back Jonah Coleman for return from IR on Wednesday, the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson tweets.
On IR since suffering a high ankle sprain in Week 2, Coleman has 21 days to be moved back onto the team’s 53-man roster (or be placed on season-ending IR). The fourth-round pick, who made notable contributions to the Broncos’ Week 2 win over the Jaguars before it was known he would miss time, will be set to team with J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey in Denver’s backfield.
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The Broncos also look close to having two defensive starters back as well. Patrick Surtain and Jonathon Cooper were present at their Wednesday practice, Tomasson adds. Surtain has missed the past two games, while Cooper was recently removed from the commissioner’s exempt list.
Cooper, who has operated as the Broncos’ Nik Bonitto outside linebacker counterpart in recent years, is eligible to play after the NFL moved him off the exempt list. Sean Payton said a pitch count may come into play against the Cardinals, per Tomasson, as it will depend on his acclimation after an extended period out of practice.
While Cooper appears poised to reclaim his role opposite Bonitto soon, the Broncos’ top replacement option at the position — Jonah Elliss — appears set to miss time. Elliss suffered a leg injury against the Seahawks, leaving the game. Payton said it is not expected to end the third-year pass rusher’s season, but Tomasson points to an IR move happening soon.
Surtain is dealing with a high ankle sprain, according to 9News’ Mike Klis. This represented a relief for the Broncos, as the former Defensive Player of the Year left their 49ers matchup after a noncontact injury. Surtain missing a third game would not surprise, as high ankle sprains can be tricky to surmount, but the Broncos having him in Week 8 — in a pivotal Chiefs rematch — looks likely based on this practice return.
Although the Broncos will obviously welcome Surtain back, they have gotten by decently without he and fellow starter Riley Moss. The latter played sparingly in Week 6, suffering a rib injury in Week 4, as the Broncos gave the bulk of the boundary CB work to backups Jahdae Barron and Kris Abrams-Draine. Denver, which received trade interest in its deep CB room this offseason, will have an interesting decision to make once Moss returns to full strength. Surtain’s starting spot, of course, is not in question.
The Broncos’ defense powered the team to a Week 6 win over the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks, with Abrams-Draine and slot corner Ja’Quan McMillian intercepting Sam Darnold late in the contest. Denver’s pass rush also excelled against Seattle, registering five sacks. Elliss and backup OLB Que Robinson registered sacks Thursday night, but Cooper combined for 27 over the past three seasons. He did not miss a game in that span, but two summer arrests put his Broncos future in jeopardy.
Cooper and his then-girlfriend were arrested on simple assault charges in early June, leading to the beginning of criminal proceedings and a league investigation. The sixth-year veteran faces additional charges stemming from the violation of a protection order against the woman in question; Cooper entered a plea of not guilty on all five counts. Both Cooper and Packers running back Josh Jacobs came off the exempt list last week; Jacobs is expected to play in Week 7.
With the Broncos down Harvey and Dobbins late in the Jaguars matchup last month, Coleman came through with a strong finish to help Denver salt away that win. The Washington product may well return to his third-string role, but the Broncos have struggled in just about every offensive facet thus far. Coleman’s return stands to provide at least a modest boost to the 4-2 team’s cause.
