Jeff LegwoldESPN Senior Writer September 15, 2023, 5:33pm ET2 minutes read
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – For a Denver Broncos offense reeling from injuries to pass catchers, wide receiver Jerry Jeudy’s return to the lineup on Sunday will be a welcome addition.
Jeudy, who suffered a right hamstring strain during a joint practice session with the Los Angeles Rams on Aug. 24 and missed the Broncos’ opening loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, practiced throughout the week and will play Sunday against the Washington Commanders .
Asked if Jeudy would count any type of pitch for snaps in the game, Broncos coach Sean Payton said after practice Friday: “No, he’s healthy, he’s good.”
Jeudy’s return should help an offense that struggled to make explosive plays and scoring opportunities against the Raiders. The Broncos’ longest pass play of the game was a 21-yard catch-and-run by wide receiver Brandon Johnson. Quarterback Russell Wilson averaged 6.6 yards per completion.
The 17-16 loss to the Raiders marked the 12th time in the team’s last 18 games since the start of last season that the Broncos have scored 16 or fewer points. The Broncos are 4-8 in those games.
“Jerry is such an explosive player,” Wilson said. “…We are definitely not gun shy, [we] “are not afraid to attack on the field.”
The Broncos haven’t had much luck with injuries among their wide receivers and tight ends either. The team’s top receiving tight end, Greg Dulcich, will not play on Sunday and is expected to be out for several weeks after suffering a hamstring injury late in the first half against the Raiders.
Wide receiver KJ Hamler, one of the fastest players on the team, is not on the current roster due to a heart condition that is being treated with medication, and wide receiver Tim Patrick suffered an Achilles tendon injury in the first week of training camp.
“[Jeudy] is a great route runner,” Broncos offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said. “You feel really good when he’s paired man-to-man. So when you realize that, [he is] Someone you hope to be a quarterback early on. [He’s] a guy who can constantly achieve a breakup. The more receivers you have who can win these one-on-one battles, the easier it is. “It will definitely be good to have him back.”
Jeudy led the Broncos, who were last in the league in offense in 2022, with six touchdowns last season. In the final six games of last season, he had 37 receptions for 523 yards and three touchdowns.