After being injured for over two years, Broncos WR Tim Patrick is back and feeling incredibly excited.

Indianapolis - Tim Patrick made his triumphant return to the field on Sunday, marking a major milestone in his recovery from two consecutive season-ending injuries. The Broncos veteran wide receiver, who had missed the entirety of the 2022 and 2023 seasons with a torn ACL and Achilles tendon, respectively, was back in action and ready to make an impact.

And make an impact he did, wasting no time to get his first catch of the game on a 14-yard pass from quarterback Jarrett Stidham. But in the heat of the moment, Patrick couldn't contain his excitement and ended up taunting the Colts cornerback, resulting in a penalty flag. It may have stalled the offense's opening drive, but Patrick's longtime teammate Courtland Sutton wasn't bothered one bit.

"When he made that catch, we were all just so excited for him. We were like, 'Do whatever you want, man. You can even do a backflip if you want,'" Sutton said. "It was just great to see him back out there doing what he loves. He's been working so hard and it was amazing to see him get that first catch in a game. I have a feeling he's going to have a great year."

But despite the excitement of Patrick's return, there were also some concerns for the Broncos. They ended up with six penalties, including four in the first two possessions under Stidham. Head coach Payton was not pleased with this, especially considering five of the penalties were on the offense.

"I didn't like the penalties," Payton said flatly after the game. "Especially the ones on the offense."

Injuries were also a concern for the Broncos, as tight end Lucas Krull had to leave the game due to a toe injury. However, Payton didn't seem too worried, quipping that "it's just a toe." Unfortunately, second-year cornerback Art Green wasn't as lucky and ended up with a concussion after a hit on Colts tight end Jelani Woods.

In terms of personnel, there were a few notable changes for the Broncos. Luke Wattenberg started at center, with Alex Forsyth taking over after him. All-Pro corner Pat Surtain II didn't play, giving Damarri Mathis and Riley Moss the chance to start at corner and get some valuable playing time. At inside linebacker, Cody Barton got the first reps alongside Alex Singleton, while Devon Key and P.J. Locke started at safety.

With the defensive line dealing with some absences, D.J. Jones started the game with Angelo Blackson and Jordan Jackson rotating in. In total, nine players were not available for the Broncos, but none of them were major surprises. And for more Broncos news and analysis, be sure to sign up for our Broncos Insider newsletter.

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