ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Broncos have added five more players from their active roster to the Reserve/COVID-19 list, the team announced on Friday.
Starting OLB Bradley Chubb, WR Jerry Jeudy and ILB Baron Browning and reserve DL McTelvin Agim and OLB Jonathon Cooper will be unavailable for Sunday's game against the Chargers as they go through the league's recently shortened five-day quarantine.
They join a growing group on the list that includes T Calvin Anderson, CB Bryce Callahan, CB Bryce Callahan, CB Mike Ford, T Bobby Massie, OLB Andre Mintze, WR Tim Patrick, DL Mike Purcell, S Caden Sterns and OLB Stephen Weatherly.
Head Coach Vic Fangio acknowledged Friday that the sheer number of players sidelined on the list will force the team to tweak its game plan to some extent.
"Yeah, obviously it does, but it's not like we're recreating the wheel here," Fangio said. "We've just got to adjust some of the plays offensively to fit our personnel, both from a talent standpoint and a knowledge standpoint. And the same thing will happen defensively."
While those added to the list since Tuesday will miss the game, as Fangio noted previously, Denver could get Purcell and Mintze back before the game, as they were placed on the list on Monday. Fangio said Mintze would be a possible option to shore up the outside linebacker position with Chubb and Weatherly unavailable.
"Obviously Andre's been out for a while, but he would be a possibility," Fangio said. "And [another option would be] possibly moving one of the ILBs out there too."
Down Jeudy and Patrick, the Broncos will look to their depth at receiver as well. Fangio said that he still expects to have four receivers active on the game-day roster, noting that reserves like Diontae Spencer and practice squad receiver Seth Williams will receive additional opportunities on Sunday.
"I'm very confident and bullish on the guys that are going to be playing for us," Fangio said. "We've got some great opportunities for some guys that have been showing good on the practice field, like Seth Williams, [who] obviously will play in there more. Just like [ILB] Jonas Griffith was playing good on the practice field and when he got his opportunity, he didn't disappoint and played well and took advantage of it. There's going to be some more of those available on Sunday for guys that are going to get their chances to play, and I'm confident in them."
In corresponding moves, the team activated Williams, RB Damarea Crockett, WR Travis Fulgham and OLB Pita Taumoepenu from the practice squad as COVID-19 Replacements.
Additionally, the Broncos restored T Drew Himmelman and ILB Barrington Wade to the practice squad from the Practice Squad/COVID-19 list and signed CB Rojesterman Farris and DE Carlo Kemp to the practice squad.
Fangio also said Friday that Defensive Line Coach Bill Kollar will enter the team's COVID-19 protocols and miss Sunday's game. Assistant Defensive Line Coach/Assistant to the Head Coach Mike Hiestand will fill in for Kollar on game day, Fangio added.
"He's in there in all the meetings with the D-line and on the practice field, and he'll fulfill Bill's duties on Sunday," Fangio said. "Mike is very, very capable. Great young coach with a great future."
