Jerry Jeudy‘s return from a high ankle sprain will not happen in Week 6, but the second-year wide receiver is on the verge of coming back. The Broncos are designating him for return from IR, Mike Klis of 9News tweets. The team now has 21 days to activate Jeudy.
While Jeudy’s recovery process will now involve practice work, the Broncos plan to promote recently signed wide receiver John Brown to their active roster, Klis adds (on Twitter). A free agent since requesting his release from the Raiders in late August, Brown caught on with Denver’s practice squad earlier this week.
Brown would be in line to begin his Broncos career against the Raiders, though Klis adds it is not a certainty the Broncos dress the veteran Sunday. With the eighth-year veteran being called up from the taxi squad, Denver will have that option. The Broncos are also elevating wide receiver Tyrie Cleveland from their P-squad.
Down since his Week 1 injury, Jeudy has a chance to return Thursday against the Browns but would have a better chance of being activated ahead of Denver’s Week 8 game against Washington. The Broncos have been down Jeudy and 2020 second-round pick K.J. Hamler since Week 3, when Hamler suffered a season-ending ACL tear. They have lost each of their games without both of them in the lineup, though Denver did win in Week 2 and Week 3 — over the Jaguars and Jets — when Jeudy sat and Hamler played.
The Broncos’ offense has struggled for much of the past two games, and while Jeudy would represent a likely boost, Brown will step in for the time being. A two-time 1,000-yard receiver, Brown aided Josh Allen‘s development by serving as Buffalo’s No. 1 wideout in 2019. After a productive ’19 season, however, Brown battled injuries in 2020. The Bills released Brown this offseason, signing ex-Bronco Emmanuel Sanders to replace him. Brown, 31, did not make a great impression as a Raider and was cut after the preseason. The speed merchant will have a chance to reignite his career soon.