As they gear up for Saturday's crucial matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Denver Broncos' injury situation is overwhelmingly positive.
After logging three full practices this week, starting cornerback Riley Moss is expected to return to the lineup after missing Denver's last three games with an MCL injury. Moss will give the Broncos' secondary a big boost, and it's just in time as it faces the Bengals' No. 1 ranked passing offense.
Also expected to return is running back Jaleel McLaughlin, who suffered a quadriceps injury against the Indianapolis Colts two weeks ago. He provides Denver's offense with some needed speed, and is averaging a stellar 4.5 yards per carry this season. McLaughlin could be joined by a potentially returning Tyler Badie in the Broncos' backfield.
After missing the previous 12 games on injured reserve with a scary back injury that he suffered against the New York Jets in Week 4, Badie's 21-day practice window was opened on Tuesday. He practiced in full from Tuesday-Thursday, but is listed as questionable. If Denver's brass feels as though Badie is up to speed and can absorb hits, he should be able to play.
As you can see below, Badie is the only Broncos with an injury designation heading into Cincinnati.
| Playaer | Injury | Game Designation |
|---|---|---|
|
RB Tyler Badie |
Back |
Questionable |
|
RB Jaleel McLaughlin |
Quad |
|
|
CB Riley Moss |
Knee |
|
|
WR Troy Franklin |
Ankle |
If Denver can beat the Bengals in Week 17, it will clinch it's first playoff berth since 2015. The No. 7 seed Broncos could jump as high as the No. 5 seed by season's end, but need to finish with a better record than both the Los Angeles Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers since the two own tiebreakers over Denver.
