LONDON — Malcolm Roach is a long way from home and he’s come a long way in his recovery from a calf injury.

The Broncos defensive tackle, placed on injured reserve Sept. 6, the day before the opener against Tennessee, was designated to return Wednesday. He then was a limited participant in Denver’s first overseas practice in preparation for Sunday’s game against the New York Jets at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

“He had good work,’’ Broncos coach Sean Payton said after the practice at Tottenham Training Ground in suburban Enfield.

The move gives the Broncos a 21-day window in which to activate Roach or he must remain on injured reserve for the rest of the season. Barring a setback, though, Roach looks close to returning.

If Roach is activated by Saturday for Sunday’s game, he could take the spot on the 53-man roster for when starting left guard Ben Powers is placed on injured reserve after being hurt in Sunday’s 21-17 win at Philadelphia. Powers had surgery Monday to repair a torn biceps muscle. A source has said Powers will go on injured reserve and the Broncos hope to have him back in early to mid-December.

“With a starting player, it’s never any good and yet the next guy’s up and we’ll get ready to play him,” Payton said.

Matt Peart has been Denver’s top reserve offensive lineman on the left side. Asked if Peart will replace Powers, Payton said, “We’ll see.”

Not practicing for the Broncos on Wednesday was outside linebacker Jonah Elliss due to ribs and shoulder injuries. Also listed as limited were defensive tackle D.J. Jones (chest) and running back Tyler Badie (shoulder).

Backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham, who did not travel with the Broncos to London after the Philadelphia game due to personal reasons, took part in Wednesday’s workout.

Bonitto player of week

After having the second game in his career with 2.5 sacks, outside linebacker Nik Bonitto won Wednesday his first career award for AFC defensive player of the week.

Bonitto, in his fourth season, was honored for coming up big against the defending Super Bowl champions. The only other game in which he has had that many sacks was 2.5 in Week 4 of 2023 at Chicago.

Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II would welcome seeing Bonitto, who leads the NFL with seven sacks, end up with a much bigger honor. Surtain, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, sees him as the leading candidate to succeed him with that award.

“He’s my favorite,’’ Surtain said. “I can’t lie. Even last year he was up for it. I think this year he’s setting himself apart. … As long as he stays consistent and stays healthy, for sure (he’s the favorite).”

Bonitto had 13.5 sacks in his breakout season of 2024, but Surtain said he has continued to improve greatly.

“This year is even scarier because now you can tell he’s growing into himself a little bit more,’’ Surtain said. “He’s even more confident going off the edge.”

The Broncos are trying to become the fourth NFL team to have different players win Defensive Player of the Year in consecutive seasons. Pittsburgh did it with Joe Greene, Jack Lambert and Mel Blount from 1973-75. Buffalo had Bryce Paup in 1995 and Bruce Smith in 1996. Baltimore did it with Ray Lewis in 2003 and Ed Reed in 2004. 

Bonitto on Wednesday night got his first look at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. He attended a game in which his alma mater, St. Thomas Aquinas High School of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., defeated NFL Academy 41-38. The Raiders continue to be coached by Roger Harriott, who had Bonitto when he played for them prior to his 2018 graduation.

Nix dislikes ‘trap game’ reference

Following their big win at Philadelphia, Broncos quarterback Bo Nix bristled when it was suggested 3-2 Denver could be facing a trap game against the 0-5 Jets.

“I think in the league, quite honestly, it’s a little disrespectful to consider anybody a trap team,’’ Nix said. “They’re an NFL team, and they’re going to have some really good players on their defense, and it’s not really a trap game. I think any game you can walk in and slip up and lose, that’s just the league. If you’re not careful in a way, all of them could be because they’re that good of an opponent. … This is not a team to just toss around like they’re winless, but I think we will be ready to go.”

Against the Eagles, Nix completed just 10 of 21 passes in the first half for 79 yards. But he finished 24 of 39 for 242 yards and a touchdown as the Broncos overcame a 17-3 deficit early in the fourth quarter to win.

“I played a lot of football, been in a lot of situations where things start well, things don’t start well, seen about it all at this point, and our defense just continued to make a stop,’’ Nix said. “We just kind of had some hope, had some life there at the end of the game, and we just kept chipping away.”

Briefly

The Broncos will play Sunday on Field Turf. Payton made it clear Wednesday he prefers grass fields. “Every player in our league would love to be playing on grass,’’ he said. “The grass surface is by far the nicest and the preferred surface for any player. All the injury information and the wear-and-tear, it’s much easier.” … Payton will face Jets first-year coach Aaron Glenn, who when Payton was New Orleans’ coach was a Saints defensive back in 2008 and an assistant from 2016-20. “He’s a tremendous coach,’’ Payton said. “He was a huge asset to us in New Orleans.” … Broncos receiver Courtland Sutton doesn’t deny playing overseas with a 7-hour time difference makes it hard for him to stay in his routine. “You kind of got to find a way to make things work and adapt and adjust, midstream adjust, as one of my coaches used to say (at SMU),’’ he said.