Broncos Unveil Final Week 15 Injury Report vs. Bills: 4 Questionable

The Broncos are as banged up as it gets while the Bills are at relative full strength.

The Denver Broncos sit at 5-8 on the season while the Buffalo Bills are 10-3. A big reason for the discrepancy between these two AFC clubs is the injury bug. 

Heading into Broncos-Bills in Week 15, Denver is the veritable walking wounded while Buffalo is at relative full health. Sometimes, that's the way the cookie crumbles but even allowing for the vagaries of the injury bug, there's no doubt that the Broncos have been inordinately plagued by it. 

These two squads will square off on Saturday at Empower Field at Mile High. A cursory glance at the final injury report for both clubs reveals the glaring discrepancy in the health department. 

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Takeaways

Once again, the Broncos exited their game last week in Carolina with two new season-ending injuries — cornerbacks Duke Dawson and Kevin Toliver. This defense is dangerously thin at corner. That's the bad news. 

The good news is that three of the key starters Denver played without last week are expected back in the lineup on Saturday. Left tackle Garett Bolles and tight end Noah Fant overcame the same 24-hour virus they had last weekend that cost them playing time, while right guard Graham Glasgow seems to have inched closer to being available for this week. 

There's a chance Glasgow doesn't go, as he is listed as questionable. If that's the case, the Broncos will roll with rookie Netane Muti again at right guard. 

Both of Denver's top running backs are banged up but Melvin Gordon and Phillip Lindsay are expected to play despite being listed as questionable. That leaves safety Trey Marshall as the last questionable player, which is an upgrade over being ruled out several weeks in a row, followed by a doubtful outlook this week. 

With the losses at corner, the Broncos need every able-bodied defensive back they can get vs. the Bills. This injury report, of course, doesn't mention the litany of key players and Pro Bowlers currently on injured reserve, like Von Miller, Courtland Sutton, Jurrell Casey, Mike Purcell, Bryce Callahan, Essang Bassey, Albert Okwuegbunam, and even Justin Strnad, nor does it highlight the absence of top corner A.J. Bouye, who began serving his six-game PED suspension last week. 

The sheer number of salary cap dollars not on the field for the Broncos is catastrophic, whether due to injuries, suspension, or opting out of the season entirely (Ja'Wuan James, though his cap number doesn't count in 2020). It's been that type of year for Denver, which makes what modest success this team has achieved all the more respectable and reveals a very tough, gritty squad. 

This type of adversity-laden season could have a galvanizing effect on this young Broncos squad, preparing them for something greater in 2021 and beyond. 

Bills

Meanwhile, the Bills are loaded for bear on this hunt. Safety Jaquan Johnson has been ruled out while tight end Lee Smith is questionable. 

The Broncos are going to get Buffalo's best shot, in more ways than one. Hopefully, Vic Fangio's squad is ready to deliver an effective counterpunch. 

Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen and @MileHighHuddle.