Broncos' tackle Harris out for Steelers with toe injury

ENGLEWOOD – Not only are the Denver Broncos coming off their first loss, they lost one of their key players for at least another week.

Right tackle Ryan Harris is out for Denver’s game against Pittsburgh next Monday with a toe injury, Broncos coach Josh McDaniels said this morning.

“I don’t know the whole entire prognosis, I’m going to meet with (Broncos trainer Steve Antonopulos) as soon as this is over, but he will not play this week,” McDaniels said.

Tyler Polumbus is the likely replacement, but the Broncos also have veteran Brandon Gorin available. Gorin has been inactive all season because unlike Polumbus, he doesn’t play special teams. Polumbus, who made the Broncos as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Colorado in 2008, doesn’t have a NFL start in his career. He played most of the game Sunday after Harris left with his injury.  

“Tyler went in and did a decent job playing in there,” McDaniels said. “They’ve got some really good pass rushers off the edge. He was matched up against (Ravens linebacker Terrell) Suggs on more than a few plays, and handled the bull rush and some speed rushers and those kinds of things.

“Tyler’s been in the system as long as anybody else has this year so he is familiar with what we’re doing. We always give him plenty of reps in practice. He handled himself well in the preseason. We expect him to go in there and play well.”

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