The Denver Broncos will be without a few key players in their game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday Night Football, but one of those absences was one the team was hoping to avoid.
Pat Surtain II will miss the game, but that was expected as he continues to deal with a pec injury. But wide receiver and return man Marvin Mims Jr. Will also be out of the lineup as he is still unable to clear concussion protocol. The Broncos were looking into the possibility of adding another wide receiver before the trade deadline, but chose not to make a move.
Without Mims, the wide receiver corps is a bit thin for this game against the Raiders, with Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin, Pat Bryant and Trent Sherfield manning the top four slots. Last week, Michael Bandy was elevated from the practice squad to take Mims' spot and he was the man in charge of returning punts. The team could bring him up for this game as well, but he did muff a punt, leading to a turnover against the Texans, so the team may want to reconsider that idea.
#Broncos WR Marvin Mims Jr. Suffered a concussion late in the fourth quarter vs. Dallas on Oct. 26. He will miss his second straight game Thursday night. That puts WR Michael Bandy likely back in line to be elevated from the practice squad to return punts against the Raiders.
— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) November 5, 2025
Mims should be able to return for the team's Week 11 game against Kansas City, given the fact that there will be a 10-day break between games.
The Broncos have also ruled out Nate Adkins, who will miss another game with a knee injury. Last week, the Broncos elevated the newly-signed Marcedes Lewis from the practice squad and that is likely to be the case again. Lewis, at 41 years old, became the oldest tight end to play in a game in NFL history.
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With just one reception, he would pass Tom Brady as the second-oldest player to ever catch a pass in NFL history, behind only Jerry Rice.
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