ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Cornerback Bryce Callahan is expected to "miss some time" after suffering a foot injury during Sunday's game against the Saints, Head Coach Vic Fangio announced Monday.
Callahan played 37 defensive snaps and four on special teams before exiting the game.
Fangio said Callahan's injury was to the same foot that forced him to miss the entire 2019 season, but it is an unrelated injury.
Fangio said "it's too early to say" whether Callahan will miss the final five weeks of the season.
Callahan had been arguably playing at a Pro Bowl level, as he was among Pro Football Focus' top cover cornerbacks. Callahan had recorded two interceptions and five pass breakups in 10 games.
Running back Phillip Lindsay, meanwhile, suffered a "minor" knee injury and could be available to play against the Chiefs on "Sunday Night Football."
Lindsay played 14 snaps and carried the ball nine times for 20 yards.
REPS FOR WILKINSON
As the Broncos continued to run the ball on Sunday, tackle Elijah Wilkinson entered the game at right tackle for the first time since Week 3.
"Obviously it was a heavy run game for us with the limitations we had," Fangio said. "Elijah's a little better run blocker and we wanted to get Elijah some action."
Wilkinson, who played 21 snaps on Sunday, started the first three games of the season for the team before suffering an injury and was activated off IR ahead of Week 11.
RETURNING TO THE FACILITY
Fangio said quarterbacks Drew Lock, Brett Rypien and Blake Bortles would be eligible to return to the facility this week if they continue to test negative during their daily COVID-19 testing. All NFL facilities are closed on Monday and Tuesday, but the three players would be eligible to return Wednesday.
"They were negative today," Fangio said. "If they're negative again tomorrow, then they're allowed to rejoin as normal. They'll continue to be tested every day just like everybody else."
Fangio said the team has not yet discussed whether Bortles would be isolated to prevent the team from having to play another game without a true quarterback.
"As you know, we're all working remotely today," Fangio said. "But that's something that we will discuss. I think if we just follow the protocols, we'll be fine."
Fangio said any potential discipline for the players will depend in part on the league's actions.
'THE TRUE A.J.'
The Saints threw just 16 passes on Sunday, but cornerback A.J. Bouye recorded a pair of pass breakups. His third-quarter deflection allowed Essang Bassey to snag an interception and set up Denver's lone score of the game.
Bouye's Sunday performance set a season-high for him in passes defensed in a year that has been shortened by injury.
Bouye played just one full game through the season's first nine weeks as he battled a shoulder injury that landed him on IR and later a concussion.
"I thought he played better yesterday," Fangio said. "He caused the interception that we did get [by] breaking up that pass and Essang caught the tip. Hopefully he's getting his playing legs under him and we can see definitely the true A.J. He's had a tough year as it relates to injuries. … He's now played a couple games back to back, so hopefully we're seeing the true player now."
