Champ Bailey, Orlando Franklin not practicing

Denver Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey (24) before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

Denver Broncos veteran CB Champ Bailey finally made his return to the team in Week 6 against the Jacksonville Jaguars following an injury, but he suffered an injury just a week after his return. Bailey left Sunday’s 39-33 loss to the Indianapolis Colts after injuring his left foot, and it didn’t look good. The Broncos have enough depth to make do without the 35-year-old starter, and his age is also a factor here for a few reasons. It’s harder for older players to recover from injuries, and the Broncos will also be more willing to take it easy with Bailey due to his age; most elite teams do this with key starters.

I expect Bailey to miss a few weeks, and it would be an utter shock for him to play this week against the Washington Redskins. A starting trio of Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Chris Harris Jr., and Tony Carter is more than equipped to hold down passing attacks, and it’s best to rest Bailey up anyway. The Broncos have a well-placed bye in Week 9, and his status for a division tilt in Week 10 against the San Diego Chargers will be interesting.

The USA Today’s Lindsay Jones reports that both Champ Bailey and Orlando Franklin were unsurprisingly only observers at practice today, and Franklin is out indefinitely with both knee and ankle injuries. Veteran offseason signing Louis Vasquez moved from G to T to replace Franklin, and he played well against Indy.

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