Right Tackle Billy Turner returned to practice and has had no setbacks

Head Coach Nathaniel Hackett met with the media after yesterday’s practice and gave us a status update on offensive lineman Billy Turner. There was some talk that he may have suffered a setback after missing a few days last week, but Hackett told reporters that “he did not suffer a setback, but he will practice today.” which is good news.

It is unclear what extra treatment Turner had on his knee, but if he is back and practicing this week, I hope it helped. Last week when this came up, Hackett told reporters that Turner is doing everything he needs to get everything right and come back at full speed. So, again, hopefully, this extra treatment was beneficial for Turner and he can go full speed this week.

“He’s just getting extra treatment. We are making sure that he’s working through his knee and getting everything right so that he can get back here and be [at] full speed.”

After Turner was activated off the PUP, he met with the media and was asked if there is anything mentally he needs to do in order to be ready to play. He told reporters that he is fine mentally, but that physical and timing aspects of the game are two things he needs to get used to as he “gets back into the groove of football”.

“Mentally, no. I know what it takes to go and play a game for 60 minutes against any team in this league. It’s not a mental aspect as much as it is the physical and the timing part—getting back into the groove of football. These other guys out here have had a two-and-a-half to three-week head start on me. It’s time to pick up and recover that ground as I go on as quick as possible.”

Now, it is presumed that Turner will be the Broncos starting right tackle come week one when they travel to Seattle to take on the Seahawks on Monday Night Football. However, Hackett cautioned that they just want to see if Turner is healthy or not and where he is at and then proceed from there.

“I think right now, we have to first answer that question and see if he’s healthy. So, I don’t want to say anything until then. Again, just want to see where he’s at. It’s all about where he’s at. We want to be sure we have people that can play multiple positions.”

Right now, Calvin Anderson is the Broncos' starting right tackle while Billy Turner is coming back from a knee injury and veteran Tom Compton is on the PUP. If Turner cannot get healthy in time and start, Anderson will be the guy at right tackle.

Hopefully, with three weeks until the Broncos head to Seattle, and Turner back practicing, he can get in a good spot and be ready for week one. Also, suffering no setbacks and feeling confident with his knee would be ideal as well.

The Broncos have Russell Wilson under center and they need to protect him as much as possible. Turner is supposed to be part of that answer so we need him to get healthy and play at a high-level this upcoming season.