Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton can be coy discussing injuries during the offseason when the league does not mandate injury reports. For whatever reason, the coach decided to not beat around the bush when asked about running back Audric Estime missing Thursday’s practice.
“I’ll just be honest with Audric,” Payton said. “We went ahead and had a PRP [injection]. We did a small scope procedure, just to make sure everything is clean. It is. He’ll be available at the start of training camp.
“So we won’t see him working through the rest of these OTAs, but on the conservative side, he’s going to be just fine. It was all good news. He’ll stay in rehab, but he’ll be full go at the start of training camp.”
It’s a knee injury for the fifth-round rookie, but Payton does not seem to believe it’s a serious situation. If all goes well, Estime will be back on the field when the team begins training camp in late July.
Elsewhere on the injury front, tight end Greg Dulcich (foot) and cornerback Riley Moss (back muscle spasm) worked on a side field Thursday. Meanwhile, tight end Dylan Leonard, linebacker Alec Mock and linebacker Durell Nchami were also sidelined with unknown ailments.
Broncos defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers was excused from practice to host his youth football camp in Texas and wide receiver Courtland Sutton continues to skip OTAs as he seeks a new contract.
Denver has a final round of OTAs next week followed by mandatory minicamp (June 11-13). After that mandatory camp, players will have a summer break until training camp begins.
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Not practicing: RB Audric Estime (knee scope)
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Working on side field: TE Greg Dulcich (foot)
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Working on side field: CB Riley Moss (back muscle spasm)
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Not practicing TE Dylan Leonard (unknown)
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Not practicing: LB Alec Mock (unknown)
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Not practicing: LB Durell Nchami (unknown)
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Not practicing: DL John Franklin-Myers (excused)
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Not practicing: WR Courtland Sutton (contract)
