Denver Broncos at New York Jets Wednesday injury report

[JesseH]

The Denver Broncos will rely on a running-back-by-committee approach against the New York Jets in Week 6, Denver Broncos coach John Fox said Wednesday.

"We'll lean on all three of them," Fox said, referring to the remaining healthy backs Ronnie Hillman, C.J. Anderson, and Juwan Thompson.

Not all three of them are 100% healthy. though.

Thompson, who rushed for a fourth quarter touchdown against the Cardinals Sunday, missed practice Wednesday with a knee injury he suffered earlier in the game. He was seen jogging during the portion of practice open to the media, according to reports; based on that information and Fox's comments, he appears likely to contribute Sunday.

Rookie offensive tackle Michael Schofield was excused from practice due to a death in the family, Fox said.

On the other side of the field, former Broncos receiver Eric Decker, now a member of the New York Jets, was limited in practice with a hamstring injury he described as "day to day." Decker sat out the Jets' shutout loss to the San Diego Chargers in Week 5.

Your complete Wednesday practice report below.

http://www.milehighreport.com/2014/10/8/6948921/denver-broncos-at-new-york-jets-wednesday-injury-report

[JesseH]

That being said.

Broncos sign RB Jeremy Stewart to practice squad

With Montee Ball out a month, the Denver Broncos have added to their running back depth - at least on the practice squad.

The Broncos on Wednesday signed running back Jeremy Stewart to their practice squad, the team announced.

Stewart (5-11, 215 pounds) is a third-year player who appeared in 17 games (0 starts) during his first two NFL seasons with the Oakland Raiders. He's tallied 27 rushes for 103 yards (3.8 avg.) with one touchdown and 10 receptions for 68 yards (6.8 avg.) in his career.

He also has kick return experience, hauling in eight kickoffs for 138 yards (17.3 avg.) in addition to five career special teams tackles, according to the Broncos.

In college, Stewart rushed for 920 yards and 14 touchdowns on 209 carries (4.4 avg.) for the Stanford Cardinals (thank you John Elway). He was an undrafted free agent pickup for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2012.

A la Knowshon Moreno, Stewart will wear jersey No. 27.

The Broncos confirmed that offensive tackle Colorado local Ryan Miller, of Columbine High School and Colorado Buffaloes fame, was released from the practice squad to make room for Stewart.

http://www.milehighreport.com/2014/10/8/6946439/broncos-sign-rb-jeremy-stewart-to-practice-squad

[JesseH]

Sorry, I'll just put this here too because it's all about our running back situation.

Broncos stick with homegrown flavor at RB

When it comes to the Denver Broncos' depth chart, executive vice president of football operations/general manager John Elway has always said the team would sign any player it feels is "better than the ones we have," but he also believes finding -- and developing -- enough homegrown players would keep the Broncos from reeling in free agents every time they faced a problem.

And when it comes to their current running back situation, the Broncos have, at least for the moment, chosen to go with their homegrown group as Montee Ball recovers from a right groin injury he suffered Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. He is expected to miss three weeks.

Because of the Broncos' compressed schedule (starting with Sunday's game against the New York Jets), they will play three games in a 12-day span.

Ball would not estimate when he thought he would return, offering "I'm not sure how it will go, but like I said, I think there will still be a lot of season left when I get back."

The Broncos did mull over a list of available backs on Monday and Tuesday as they brought in Mikel Leshoure, a second-round pick by the Detroit Lions in 2011, and LaRod Stephens-Howling for workouts. They signed neither, however, and likely would have to have been blown away by either back to offer a contract.

Stephens-Howling, who has been an impact kickoff returner in his career as well, is just over a year out from tearing his ACL in September 2013.

So, in Week 6, the Broncos will rely on three young players who have not played in any other offense but Denver's: Ronnie Hillman (third-round pick in 2012), Juwan Thompson (undrafted 2014) and C.J. Anderson (undrafted 2013).

Hillman gained 64 yards in the Broncos' win over the Cardinals, with 14 of his 15 carries coming after Ball left the game. Thompson scored his first career touchdown on an 8-yard run in the fourth quarter. Anderson was a game day inactive against the Cardinals as the Broncos chose to keep an extra defensive back (Tony Carter) in uniform.

"They did a lot of great things [Sunday]," Ball said of the team's other backs. "They showed they're capable of stepping up and taking the reps when needed. And I told them, all of them on Day 1, I said ‘We're going to need every single one of you guys.' And that's proven."

Part of the issue in bringing in a running back who is currently unsigned is the Broncos' offense is a difficult one to learn quickly. It's audible-heavy and requires a great deal of flexibility as a runner, receiver and in pass protection.

Most personnel executives believe the risk of injury to a veteran back who hasn't been in a team's strength and conditioning program in recent weeks may be higher as well.

It's why the Broncos would be more inclined to see if their current backs are up to the challenge; in particular, Hillman, who was awarded the starting job in the summer of '13 only to lose it before that season started.

He has battled some maturity issues at times and has frustrated the Broncos, given they believe he has the physical abilities to be a big-play runner/receiver.

"I want to show them I'm up for this," Hillman said. "I'm more experienced with what needs to be done."

The Broncos have sputtered plenty in the run game in the early going. They have had 24 carries already this season that have gone for either no gain or negative yardage: 13 for negative yardage, 11 for no gain.

That's a double-take-worthy 24.2 percent of their runs. The Broncos have had just nine run plays go for at least 10 yards this season, and Ball, the team's carries leader by a wide margin, has just three of them.

Anderson has three and Hillman had two this past Sunday against the Cardinals.

"I feel like I'm ready to work in the offense, just more comfortable with what I'm doing than last year," Hillman said. "We have to hit the holes quick and make some plays."

http://espn.go.com/blog/denver-broncos/post/_/id/9159/broncos-stick-with-homegrown-flavor-at-rb