Quinn Bailey was placed on season-ending injured reserve, the Broncos announced Thursday, after dislocating his ankle and fracturing his fibula during Wednesday’s practice.
Head coach Sean Payton said Bailey is expected to have ankle surgery next week while there’s a chance the fibula could heal naturally.
Wednesday’s practice stopped momentarily when Bailey injured his right ankle during a 9-on-7 drill, causing players to look away before the training staff put an air cast on his right leg and transported him to an ambulance.
Payton said he expected Bailey to make the 53-man roster.
“When I spoke with him, he was at home. He sounded a little groggy but upbeat,” Payton said. “Very quickly, he’ll be in the building, rehabbing. I think that’ll be good when he’s around his teammates.”
With Bailey sidelined for the entire year, Denver signed former Colorado State offensive lineman Oliver Jervis, a tryout player at Broncos rookie minicamp in May after starting 12 games for the Rams last fall.
Uwazurike expected to return soon
Payton expects third-year defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike to return soon from an indefinite suspension the NFL handed down last year over a violation of the league’s gambling policy.
A criminal complaint filed in Iowa alleged Uwazurike made dozens of bets on five Broncos games over the 2022 season in addition to bets on games he participated in while a college student at Iowa State.
The Arapahoe County District Attorney’s office notified Uwazurike’s attorney that no charges will be filed against the 26-year-old, according to 9News. In March, Uwazurike’s gambling charges in Iowa were dismissed.
Uwazurike was eligible to apply for reinstatement last week. Payton said Uwazurike had a conference call with the league, fueling optimism for a potential return.
“We fully anticipate him joining us as soon as possible,” Payton said. “We are waiting on the league, but he’s in great shape. …That’ll be an additional player for us, and we’ll be glad to have him back.”
While Uwazurike was away from the team, Payton said he maintained contact with Ray Jackson, Denver’s vice president of player development, and took it upon himself to stay in shape. Uwazurike, a fourth-round selection, played in eight games and had 17 tackles as a rookie in 2022.
“I know he’s champing at the bit to get back, and it sounds like it’s gonna happen very soon,” Payton said.
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Originally Published: August 1, 2024 at 2:44 p.m.
