**

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. —** After resting through the bye week, the Broncos are poised to see a few of their injured young players return to practice, Head Coach Vance Joseph said Monday.

Paxton Lynch, who has been sidelined with a shoulder injury since a collision in the Broncos' third preseason game, is scheduled to begin throwing again toward the end of the week.

"Paxton is also feeling better," Joseph said. "Hopefully Paxton can have a brief throwing session Thursday or Friday. That's the plan for Paxton."

Shane Ray and Jake Butt are also expected to resume practicing in a week, Joseph added. Ray suffered a torn ligament in his left wrist during training camp and was placed on injured reserve just after the team's initial roster cuts. Butt tore his ACL during the 2016 Orange Bowl and has been rehabbing with the Broncos on the non-football injury list for the past few months.

"Jake Butt is doing great," Joseph said. "He's going to practice Monday [Oct. 16] along with Shane Ray. We're excited about those two guys coming back on Monday to practice."

Ray's been counting down the days until his return, eager to get back on the field and to leave his recovery behind him.

"It's been hell," Ray said. "To prepare how I did this offseason and come in and perform at the level that I was, to get hurt the second or third day of training camp, it's been tough. Watching so much film and studying every day, but unable to actually go out there and perform and execute the things that I'm doing mentally in my head, it's very difficult. I can't tell you how much hungrier it's made me to get out on the field and actually start making plays."

Joseph also provided an update on Cody Latimer, who was not at Monday's practice as he recovers from a knee injury that kept him out of Week 4's matchup with the Raiders. Joseph said the wide receiver and special teams dynamo is progressing.

"Cody is feeling better," Joseph said. "After the four [or] five days off, he's definitely feeling better."