P.J. Locke returns to practice, Broncos getting healthy to face Browns

The Broncos are getting healthier as the week progresses and a critical AFC matchup draws closer.

Denver had every active player participate in practice Thursday, including safety P.J. Locke. Locke dropped out of a Week 10 win over Buffalo with an ankle injury and did not play Sunday night against Minnesota.

After not practicing Wednesday, Locke went through stretching and individual work during the portion of Thursday’s practice that was open to reporters and was listed afterward as a limited participant.

“I felt pretty good,” Locke told reporters after practice. “I felt like I made some strides, especially from last week and from yesterday. It’s a work in progress.”

It’s been a frustrating season so far for Locke, who missed the first four games of the year due to a toe injury, then played a limited role behind Justin Simmons and Kareem Jackson until Jackson was suspended for two games last month.

Locke started each of the games Jackson missed, but was injured during the Buffalo game when he got hit at an awkward angle by Simmons.

“We both were going for the tackle and Justin had a different angle than I did and we both hit the running back at the same time,” Locke said.

Now, though, his workload is slowly ramping up and he has a chance to play in what figures to be a defensive slugfest against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

“I just need to make sure I’m comfortable moving around,” he said. “I don’t want to go in for four plays and be hurting or anything like that. I’ve already been taking the mental preparations through the week, so I’m making sure I’m on top of the game plan and what (Cleveland’s) offense is trying to do to us.

“Other than that, physically I just need to make sure I’m comfortable and I can do all the movements out there.”

Locke wasn’t the only Denver player to see his practice workload tick up on Thanksgiving.

Running back Samaje Perine looked to be favoring his knee Wednesday and was listed as a limited participant, but practiced fully Thursday. So, too, did inside linebacker Josey Jewell (back) and defensive lineman D.J. Jones (knee) after limited days Wednesday. Long snapper Mitchell Fraboni (back) was added to the injury report Thursday, but practiced fully, as did outside linebackers Nik Bonitto (shoulder) and Baron Browning (wrist) and defensive lineman Mike Purcell (elbow).

Short day. The Broncos wrapped up practice about a half hour earlier than normal on Thanksgiving afternoon. With post-practice meetings canceled, Denver players were on the way home to celebrate the holiday.

They are slated to have a long work day Friday to make up for some of the time not in meetings Thursday. They had a normal style of practice Thursday, though, in shoulder pads and helmets, and worked through the normal Thursday work: Third downs.

Browns injury report. A couple of key injuries to watch for the Browns: Starting cornerback Denzel Ward (shoulder) did not practice for the second straight day, while safety Grant Delpit (thigh) upgraded to limited participation. Cleveland has a whopping 16 players on its injury report, though 12 of them practiced in some capacity Thursday.