Report: Broncos Expected to Activate S Justin Simmons for MNF
Following four weeks on the shelf, Denver Broncos safety Justin Simmons appears ready to return to the starting lineup.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported that Simmons, recovered from a quad injury, is expected to be activated off injured reserve for Monday night's game against the Los Angeles Chargers — news all but confirmed by the Broncos themselves.
“Just getting him back, the communication, the leadership, the playmaking ability, that’s always going to help," defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero said Friday. "We’re excited to have him back, he’s one of our best players and one of our leaders.”
Playing every-down snaps, Simmons was injured in Denver's season-opening loss to Seattle during which he notched nine tackles and recovered a fumble. The two-time second-team All-Pro was officially designated for return from IR last Tuesday and practiced fully in the lead-up to the impending divisional showdown.
“I feel great," Simmons told reporters Thursday. "It’s things like this—it’s almost like a hamstring. Everything feels great, then you get out there and it’s different on game day. I try to replicate as much as I can in practice, like a game day experience, but obviously I’m not hitting and taking guys to the ground. There will be similar movements, but it’s still those quick-twitch movements that will catch you off guard that are really hard to replicate. I feel good and I’m hopeful. I’m hoping I can go Monday. That’s the goal and it would be a good one to come back on—Monday night against the Chargers. [We’re hoping to] get our first AFC West win. That would be special. I’m hoping I can go for that.”
Filling Simmons' shoes, sophomore S Caden Sterns has recorded 19 tackles (13 solo) and four pass deflections over the past four games. Sterns tallied two interceptions amid Denver's Week 5 defeat to Indianapolis, finishing as the league's highest-graded (93.5) player, per Pro Football Focus.
Sterns, however, has been ruled out for the Chargers tilt with a hip issue. Kareem Jackson will start opposite Simmons at SoFi Stadium. Inside linebacker Josey Jewell (knee) was also declared out.
In addition to Simmons, reported Fowler, rookie tight end Greg Dulcich — who went on IR before the regular season due to a hamstring injury — is "optimistic" about making his NFL debut on Monday Night Football, as head coach Nathaniel Hackett alluded.
“It’s going to allow us to do a lot of different things," Hackett said Friday of Dulcich's potential activation. "You have another guy that can stretch the field vertically. A guy—he strains in the run game and in the pass protection. Anytime you can put those guys out there—their skills sets are so unique that it will be fun to have him out there.”
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