Comment on Renck: You don’t have to be convinced, but you should be impressed. This Bo Nix-Sean Payton pairing can work.

The Broncos are preparing as if they will not be facing their old starting quarterback Sunday. Russell Wilson (calf) was a limited participant in practice Wednesday for Pittsburgh, but head coach Mike Tomlin on Monday indicated the Steelers were proceeding as if Justin Fields would get his second start of the young season with Wilson still recovering. Denver head coach Sean Payton on Wednesday said the Broncos would start their prep with Fields. “You look at Fields last week and then you prepare for both,” Payton said.

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare is returning to the Colorado Avalanche on a tryout contract, the club announced Wednesday. Related Articles Colorado Avalanche | Avalanche Journal: Calum Ritchie, Mikhail Gulyayev lead deeper prospect pool Colorado Avalanche | Avalanche captain Gabe Landeskog confident he’s made progress with knee injury, will return this season Colorado Avalanche | Avalanche coach Jared Bednar expects captain Gabe Landeskog to miss start of the season Colorado Avalanche | Avalanche adds NHL veteran employee Andrew Wilson as assistant general manager Colorado Avalanche | Avalanche Journal: If I was NHL commissioner for a day, here’s what I’d change Bellemare, 39, played for Colorado during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons, scoring nine goals each season as a depth forward.

Denver rookie running back Audric Estime’s debut hit a speed bump after three snaps. The fifth-round draft pick carried twice for 14 yards Sunday against Seattle but played sparingly. Then Wednesday the Broncos placed him on injured reserve with an ankle injury. Estime is not expected to have surgery, a source said, but the IR placement means he’ll miss a minimum of four games.

Former U. S. Men’s National Team players keep finding refuge with the Colorado Rapids. Free agent defender Reggie Cannon signed with the Rapids on Tuesday, according to league sources, marking a club record fourth U. S. international to join the team this season after the club signed Zack Steffen, Djordje Mihailovic and Sam Vines in January. Cannon’s contract will run through 2027 with a club option for the 2028 season, a source said. Cannon most recently played with EFL Championship side Queens Park Rangers in England’s second division, but left the club right before its season began.

Denver Post Broncos writer Parker Gabriel posts his Broncos Mailbag weekly during the season and periodically during the offseason. Click here to submit a question. What letter grade do you give Bo Nix for his NFL debut? — Ed Helinski, Auburn, N. Y. Hey Ed, thanks for the question and for getting us going this week.

Littleton High School’s former head football coach was cited on suspicion of reckless endangerment Tuesday as part of a police investigation into hazing and assault on the football team, according to school district officials. Lance Vieira was cited on suspicion of reckless endangerment during the Littleton Police Department’s investigation into “alleged hazing” on the high school’s football team, Principal Thomas Velazquez wrote in an email to the school community Tuesday. Viera’s citation was a result of the investigation but not related to the original assault allegation, Velazquez wrote. Related Articles Crime and Public Safety | U.