ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Something changed between the Denver Broncos inserting veteran inside linebacker Joe Schobert with the first-team defense hours after he signed last Monday and outright releasing him eight days later.
One factor was the Broncos seem confident Jonas Griffith, a starting inside linebacker who suffered a dislocated elbow in the preseason opener Aug. 13, is expected to return four weeks after the injury, not six.
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“We’re definitely hoping for Jonas to be back week one,’’ Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett said Wednesday. “That’s our aiming point. Very much dodged a bullet on that one.’’
Griffith has been on the practice field observing this week while wearing a cumbersome brace up and down his left elbow. The Broncos play at Seattle week one and the plan is for Griffith to join Josey Jewell as the Broncos’ starting two inside linebackers.
Hamler may play
For the first time since suffering a torn ACL and hip injury in Game 3 last year, slot/speed receiver KJ Hamler is on pace to play in a game this Saturday in the Broncos’ preseason finale against the Minnesota Vikings.
“As we continually talk to him, if he feels he needs some reps to get out there, we’ll definitely give those to him if he’s cleared and everything’s good,’’ Hackett said. “So I’d say he’s on track and I’m hoping we see him out there a little bit.”
Said Hamler: “I don’t mind playing just to go out there and get a feel for it again. I’m doing team reps out here (in practice this week) as well so that would be my first game since my injury happened so whatever the coach wants me to do, I’ll do. I’ll be excited if I get to play a little bit. I don’t know how long he wants me to play or even if he wants me to play but if he does, it’s fine.”
With Hamler a limited participant during training camp, the Broncos have got a good look at other receivers like Kendall Hinton, Brandon Johnson, Montrell Washington, Seth Williams and Jalen Virgil. Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy are the Broncos’ top two receivers with Hamler expected to be No. 3.
Tough watch
After Broncos backups got trounced by the Bills, 42-15, during the preseason game Saturday in Buffalo, there may be a pronounced divide in talent between the starters and No. 2 and 3 units. But outside linebacker Bradley Chubb is among the starters not allowing for any separation in the locker room brotherhood.
“It’s hard because you never want to see your brothers go down and have one of those performances that’s not up to our standard,’’ Chubb said. “As a team we have to talk about it. We knew that wasn’t us and we’ve been on this practice field every day this week trying to make sure we get those corrections and make sure we don’t do the same thing against Minnesota.
Friend but also the boss
Hackett was asked about his friendship with defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero -- they were college roommates at UC-Davis -- after the performance in Buffalo when the Denver D allowed six touchdowns off the Bills' first six possessions. The Bills went 4 of 4 with TD drives in the first half and then 2 of 2 to start the third quarter with their third-string offense.
“We are close, but it is a business, and we made that clear when we kind of brought this marriage together,'' Hackett said. "It’s one of those things that it is my job is to make sure I hold him accountable. The same thing for him. I want everybody to hold everybody accountable.
"So, we sat down, we watched it, we talked through it, and he was able to explain what should have happened. We just kind of went through all that. I think that’s part of the game is to be able to communicate and to have somebody like him in this building that I know I communicate with at all times and be able to fix those things is the most important thing to be successful throughout the season.”
Gregory impresses
Chubb was asked what he thought of his fellow edge rusher Randy Gregory now that the latter has returned to the practice field.
“Violent man,’’ Chubb said. “You see those long arms scratching his knees standing straight up. He uses those to his advantage. He does a lot of great things with his length. His first step is amazing.’’
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