Broncos kicker Brandon McManus is likely to miss Saturday’s game against the Bills, coach Vic Fangio said Thursday.

McManus tweeted Monday that he was being added to the Reserve/COVID-19 list for being in close contact with a family member who had contracted the virus. According to league rules, McManus has to test negative five days in a row before being allowed to return to play. 

“As we sit here today, no,’’ Fangio said Thursday when asked about McManus’ status for Saturday’s game. “There’s still some question with him and the league when his counting of days should have started. But unless they change, he won’t play. If it would have been a Sunday game, he would’ve played.”

This means Taylor Russolino, the Broncos’ practice squad kicker, will likely be Denver’s guy come Saturday. 

Russolino most recently played in the XFL and was signed by the Broncos following their Week 12 matchup with the Saints, when they played without a quarterback. Russolino is what special teams coach Tom McMahon calls the Broncos’ “COVID kicker” to help avoid a similar situation. 

McMahon discovered Russolino when former Colts punter Pat McAfee — now a commentator for ESPN — informed him of Russolino. 

“Last year, Pat McAfee did a game in the XFL and he called me and said, ‘Hey, there’s a guy that fits your criteria,’ — some of the traits I look for,’’ McMahon said. “That’s when I started following Taylor and when this thing came up that we wanted to bring in a COVID kicker in case we needed him, he was the first recommendation I gave to Matt (Russell, director of player personnel) and A.J. (Durso director of pro personnel).”

McMahon also said his confidence level in Russolino is high heading into Saturday, going as far to say he’d feel comfortable with him kicking a 50-plus-yard field goal if needed. 

Fangio added that Russolino has had a good week of practice. 

“We all got our first look at him yesterday because since he’s been here he’s been working and practicing while guys were in meetings,’’ Fangio said. “So none of us had really seen him other than Tom. He kicked very well yesterday in practice. I was very encouraged by what he did in practice yesterday. If he kicks as good as he did yesterday in practice, we’ll be fine.”