Nate Jackson is headed for Injured Reserve.......again.

The Denver Broncos on Thursday signed free-agent tight end Chad Mustard to take Jackson's place.

Jackson was placed on the reserve/injured list with a right hamstring injury suffered in practice on Wednesday. Jackson, a sixth-year player, appeared in all 10 games (3 starts) for the Broncos this season and caught 11 passes for 84 yards (7.6 avg.) with one touchdown while posting four tackles on special teams.

Mustard (6-foot-6, 277 pounds) is in his fifth NFL season and third year with the Broncos, who waived him on Nov. 4. He saw time in three games (vs. Jac. 10/12, at N.E. 10/20 and vs. Mia. 11/2) for Denver this season after signing with the club on Oct. 6, and he also competed in its 2008 training camp.

In 44 career games (6 starts) with Denver (2006-08) and Cleveland (2002-04), Mustard has totaled 12 receptions for 123 yards (10.3 avg.). He entered the NFL with the Browns as a practice-squad signee in 2002 following a stint with the Omaha Beef of the National Indoor Football League.

Mustard played two seasons of football at the University of North Dakota after competing on its basketball team for two years. He finished his collegiate basketball career ranked eighth all-time in UND annals with 1,568 points scored.

Born on Oct. 8, 1977, Mustard attended Scotus Central Catholic High School in Columbus, Neb.

I have noticed a pattern with the Broncos, one that has seemed to hold 99.3% of the time.  There may have been once, when Jake Plummer was quarterback, or John Elway, that the rule wasn't followed.  With any other position it is able as ironclad as can be,

Of course, I am talking about the Guru Injury Report Rule, GIRR for short.  The concept behind GIRR is pretty simple.  Look at the injruy report for the week, specifically on Friday.  If a player is listed as a 'Limited Participant' in Friday's practice they aren't going to play on Sunday.  Take a look, it has been 100% accurate this year.  It has been that way in the past as well.  Shanny is a huge believer that a player needs to fully participate in Friday's workout in order to be effective on Sunday.

I bring this up now becuase as much as I enjoy being right I want nothing more than to be wrong.  Six Broncos are listed as 'Questionable' on Friday's final injury report.  That means they are 50/50 to play.  Look deeper, however.  4 of those listed didn't fully participate in Friday's workout -- Andre Hall, Brandon Stokley, Tony Scheffler and Selvin Young.  The other two - Ryan Torain and Michael Pittman - participated fully on Friday.  Take a guess on who you think will be active and who won't be.

Being without any of the 4 that are likely to be out could be problematic.  To be without all of them could be down-right unrecoverable.  The Broncos offense has been running in place since Scheffler and Stokley went down, and while Hall got beat down for the fumbles in New England he has been the Broncos primary kick-off returner and has doen a decent job to say the least.  Selvin Young gives the Broncos some lighning at running back and the offense is definintely missing his speed.

Even if Pittman and Torain do play, and I believe they both will dress, what can the honest expectation be of both players.  Shanny said as much this week, saying he would rather hold Torain out of the gaem to 'give him more time' rehabbing his injured elbow.

The offense needs to give the defense as much help as possible, and alot of that has to come from the running game.  Without Young or Hall, and with Torain and Pittman at less than 100%, where is the production going to come from?

Some of that could be assited with a healthy Brandon Stokley and Tony Scheffler to take the pressure off of Brandon Marshall, but that looks less and less likely.  One thing is for sure, a few of those listed above will be wearing street clothes.  Who, and how many, will likely determine if the Broncos take control of the AFC West, or continue their mid-season free-fall.  I sure hope GIRR is off the mark!

Denver Broncos wide receiver Clifford Russell, who suffered a sprained neck during Sunday's game at Kansas City, was released from the hospital following examination and accompanied the team on its charter flight back to Denver.

From CBS4 Denver, here is the latest on the injuries to DE Elvis Dumervil and S Marquand Manuel --

Defensemen Elvis Dumervil and safety Marquand Manuel suffered hand injuries during the Broncos 27-24 preseason loss to the Packers Friday night.

Dumervil told CBS4 Broncos Insider Gary Miller he will have surgery on Saturday. He told Miller in the locker room after the game there's "no way he's going to miss the opener."

Safety Marquand Manuel has a fractured thumb and will also have surgery Saturday, according to Steve Antonopulos, the Broncos head athletic trainer. Antonopulos said Manuel and Dumervil should both be ready for the Broncos regular season opener in Oakland.

With two weeks to heal and prepare, both should be ready for Oakland in 16 days.  SIXTEEN!  That's all there is.  I, for one, cannot wait!

The Broncos suffered their most significant injury of Training Camp when rookie RB Ryan Torain broke a bone in his elbow this morning during 9-on-7 work, Head Coach Mike Shanhan announced after practice.

Torain was running with the football when he was knocked off-balance.  Using his left arm in an attempt to steady himself, he was hit by LB's Nate Webster and Jamie Winborn.  Torain immediately grabbed his left arm before crumbling to the turf.  He was attended to by the Broncos' Training staff before being carted off the field.

The 6-8 weeks is an optimistic assessment, with a real time line to be determined by the amount, if any, of ligament damge has been done to the elbow.  Shanahan expressed his disappointment in the loss, saying that Torain was in the competition for the starting HB job and his loss was a big one despite the fact that Torain was a rookie.

via extras.mnginteractive.com

With Torain out, the weight of the running game falls square on the shoulder of Selvin Young, Andre Hall and undrafted free-agent Anthony Alridge.  Alrdige has been impressive this summer in his own right and will surely get a close look during the pre-season.

I was completely impressed by Torain during the practice sessions I watched and felt he had a huge opportunity to get some major playing time.  Now, Selvin Young has to, and I mean HAS TO, be the real deal atrunning back.