The Denver Broncos could soon be getting reinforcements from injured reserve.
Broncos running back Audric Estime (ankle) and cornerback Damarri Mathis (ankle) both returned to practice on Wednesday, starting their 21-day windows to return to the active roster.
Denver now has a three-week window to activate Estime and Mathis to the 53-man roster. If they are not activated within 21 days, Estime and Mathis will have to spend the rest of the season on IR.
Estime in particular seems likely to be activated this week after the team released running back Salvon Ahmed from the practice squad. Once healthy, Estime will return to RB3 duties behind Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin.
The team’s cornerback depth chart is more complicated because the Broncos already have six CBs on the active roster. Pat Surtain and Riley Moss are the outside starters, Ja’Quan McMillian is the slot cornerback, Tremon Smith is a special teams ace, Levi Wallace is veteran depth and Kris Abrams-Draine has been a healthy scratch.
It will be interesting to see how Denver makes room for Mathis when he’s healthy enough to return to the active roster. The Broncos will likely wait until Saturday before making decisions on potential IR returns for Week 6.
