The Broncos did not practice Monday, but the NFL required an estimated injury report ahead of Thursday Night Football.
They estimated cornerback Riley Moss as a limited participant in practice. He did not play Sunday against the Chargers after injuring his ribs in Week 4.
Defensive end Sai’vion Jones (shoulder) was also estimated as limited.
Safety Talanoa Hufanga (ankle) and cornerback Pat Surtain II (ankle) were both listed as non-participants. Hufanga exited Sunday’s game, while Surtain did not play after his injury in Week 4.
Safety Brandon Jones (foot) and guard Ben Powers (biceps) were estimated as full participants.
Broncos Clips
Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba stayed in Sunday’s loss to the 49ers after having his ankle heavily taped during the first half of the game and the issue landed him on the team’s injury report Monday.
The Seahawks did not hold a practice ahead of Thursday’s game against the Broncos, but they estimated Smith-Njigba as a limited participant because of the ankle injury. Smith-Njigba had five catches for 102 yards and a touchdown on Sunday, but he dropped a third down pass when the Seahawks were trying to tie or win the game on their final possession.
Running back Zach Charbonnet (knee), quarterback Drew Lock (right forearm), guard Beau Stephens (shoulder), and defensive tackle Leonard Williams (ankle) were also listed as limited participants.
Linebackers Chazz Surratt (calf) and Drake Thomas (ankle) would have missed practice on Monday. Wide receiver Irv Charles (knee) and running back George Holani (ribs, knee) were listed as full participants.
Broncos head coach Sean Payton’s return to calling the team’s offensive plays didn’t result in a transformation on that side of the ball against the Chargers on Sunday.
The Broncos got a touchdown on their second offensive possession of the game, but their next eight possessions featured six first downs and three points along with a turnover, a missed field goal and four punts. Two Chargers turnovers and a failed fourth down try gave the Broncos short fields that they turned into 13 points that erased a Chargers lead and lifted them to a 23-17 road win.
The Broncos were 1-of-12 on third downs and their 224 yards of offense were their fewest since Week 1, so it’s no surprise that Payton’s main focus after the game was on the final score rather than the overall offensive production.
“It was good enough to win, but there’s still a number of things that we’ve got to improve on,” Payton said.
Payton said there were “small steps” in the right direction, but they’ll need to be clearer and more consistent moving forward for the Broncos to put all concerns about the state of the offense to rest.
The Broncos still have plenty of work to do on the offensive side of the ball, but they’ll get a chance to do it coming off of a win.
Head coach Sean Payton’s decision to take back offensive playcalling responsibilities didn’t lead to a clear improvement over previous weeks, but the unit was able to do enough to take advantage of Chargers mistakes in the fourth quarter to pull out a win. The 23-17 win moves them to 3-2 on the season and it leaves the Chargers to wait at least another week for their first win.
The Chargers scored a pair of touchdowns in the third quarter to jump into a 17-10 lead and they had a chance to pin the Broncos deep in their own territory with a punt with around 10 minutes left to play. Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh opted to go for it on fourth-and-1 from his own 41-yard-line, however, and Justin Herbert was stuffed way short on a sneak.
Bo Nix threw a touchdown pass to Courtland Sutton on the ensuing drive and Broncos defensive lineman D.J. Jones forced a Herbert fumble on the ensuing drive. The Broncos opted to kick a field goal after their drive stalled on the 1-yard-line and then added another after safety Brandon Jones picked Herbert off on the next Chargers possession.
Herbert now has nine turnovers on the season and the Chargers helped set up the first Broncos touchdown of the day with another turnover, so it was another chapter in the nightmare that has been unfolding for the team since Week 1. They’ll be in Kansas City next Sunday to face a well-rested Chiefs team that’s looking to move to 5-0.
The Broncos only had 95 yards of offense in the second half, they went 1-of-12 on third downs and they had no first downs on any of the drives that were not set up by Chargers turnovers, so Payton certainly didn’t correct all that was wrong when Davis Webb was sending in the plays. He’ll have a short week to try to make progress and a tough defense to work against in Seattle on Thursday night.
The Chargers had a choice between punting or trying to convert a fourth down in their own territory with just over 10 minutes to play in Sunday’s game against the Broncos and head coach Jim Harbaugh opted to go for it.
A sneak with quarterback Justin Herbert went nowhere and the Broncos took over at the Chargers’ 41-yard line. Bo Nix hit Courtland Sutton for a first down, picked up seven yards on a run and then hit Jaylen Waddle for another first down while being roughed by Chargers safety Tony Jefferson. Nix hit Sutton for a five-yard score a couple of plays later and it is 17-17 with under nine minutes to play in Los Angeles.
Harbaugh’s choice will be questioned either way, but it will really be in the spotlight if the Chargers fall to 0-5. The Broncos did not have a first down in the second half before the touchdown drive and punting would have forced them to drive much more of the field to draw even.
Now it’ll be up to the Chargers to make that a less pointed decision. It won’t help the Broncos that safety Talanoa Hufanga is out with an ankle injury.
The Chargers have another chance to protect a second half lead for their first win of the 2026 season.
Running back Kimani Vidal rumbled for a 42-yard touchdown one play after the Chargers’ defense forced a turnover. Los Angeles now leads the Broncos 17-10 with less than a minute left to play in the third quarter.
Broncos quarterback Bo Nix scrambled out of the pocket and lost the ball while being tackled by Chargers linebacker Tuli Tuipilotu, Tuipilotu recovered the ball and Vidal broke loose one play later.
The Chargers opened the third quarter with a 10-minute drive that ended with Justin Herbert flipping a seven-yard touchdown pass to tight end Hayden Rucci. After gaining 74 yards in the first half, the Chargers are already up to 140 in the second half.
Sean Payton’s return to calling the offensive plays for the Broncos has not resulted in a major change in fortune for the unit, but they did enough to take a lead into halftime for the first time this season.
Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga stripped Chargers tight end Charlie Kolar of the ball on the first Chargers possession of the afternoon and running back J.K. Dobbins ran for a touchdown a few plays later to stake the Broncos to an early 7-0 lead. The two teams traded field goals from there and it is 10-3 Broncos at the break.
Dobbins had 10 carries for 24 yards and Broncos quarterback Bo Nix is 10-of-16 for 82 yards, but the Broncos are just 1-of-7 on third downs so far on Sunday. That’s kept them from catching fire, but their defense has done the same to the Chargers.
Los Angeles has 74 offensive yards and they’ve gone 1-of-6 on their third down opportunities. Head coach Jim Harbaugh has resisted making the kind of move that Payton made this week with offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, but there’s no sign that things are getting any better for the Chargers.
Wide receiver Ladd McConkey will be available for the Chargers as they try to avoid an 0-5 start to the season on Sunday.
McConkey was listed as questionable to play with a foot injury on Friday’s injury report, but he avoided the inactive list for the home game against the Broncos. McConkey has 12 catches for 183 yards and a touchdown so far this season,
The Chargers ruled wide receiver Quentin Johnston, right tackle Joe Alt, cornerback Donte Jackson, guard Kayode Awosika, wide receiver Brenen Thompson, and safety Derwin James out on Friday. Cornerback Rodney Shelley is the only other inactive player.
Cornerbacks Pat Surtain II and Riley Moss were ruled out after being injured in Week 4. Quarterback Sam Ehlinger, defensive lineman Jordan Jackson, defensive lineman Tyler Onyedim, offensive lineman Kage Casey, and tight end Dallen Bentley are also out.
During the Week 3 win over the Rams, Broncos offensive lineman Quinn Meinerz manhandled L.A. defensive tackle Aaron Donald. Meinerz promptly received a notice of a drug test — and he posted it on social media.
To no surprise, the NFL has responded by disciplining Meinerz.
Via Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post, Meinerz was fined $15,000 for posting the notice of the PED test. Gabriel adds that Meinerz is appealing the punishment.
The current policy is as clear as it can be: "[A]ny recording or photography of any stage of the collection process via any media (audio or visual), including but not limited to screen shots of testing notifications, video of the collectors or the collection of a specimen, and sharing such information via any social media is not permitted. A player found in violation of the rule prohibiting unauthorized recording of the collection process and sharing such information on social media will be subject to a fine of $15,000.”
That’s what Meinerz did. The negotiated terms of the PED policy prohibit it. The situation is as open and shut as it can be.
The Chargers announced a flurry of roster moves ahead of Sunday’s game against the Broncos, including quarterback Trey Lance’s move to injured reserve.
Lance had already been ruled out for this week with a groin injury and he will miss at least four games as a result of Saturday’s move. DJ Uiagalelei will be Justin Herbert’s backup.
The Chargers also placed offensive lineman Trevor Penning on injured reserve. They put left tackle Rashawn Slate on the list Friday, which left them with three open spots on the active roster.
Fullback Scott Matlock and offensive lineman Branson Taylor will fill two of them after being activated from injured reserve. Wide receiver Theo Wease was signed off of the practice squad to fill the remaining slot.
The Chargers elevated offensive lineman Daniel Brunskill and cornerback Isas Waxter from the practice squad to round out the day’s moves. Both players will revert back after the game against Denver.
