ENGLEWOOD — The Broncos are in the midst of their longest stretch ever between the end of the preseason and the start of the regular season.

Following their 34-6 win over Minnesota in the preseason finale Friday, it is a whopping 17 days before the Broncos open the regular season Sept. 14 at Kansas City on “Monday Night Football.” If you want to be precise, their wait is 404 hours and 8 minutes from when the game against the Vikings ended at 10:07 p.m. to when the game against the Chiefs starts at 6:15 p.m. Mountain.

In their previous 66 seasons, the longest gap between the Broncos’ preseason finale and the regular-season opener was 16 days in 2022. That excludes 2020, when there were no preseason games due to restrictions involving the pandemic.

Prior to this decade, with the NFL expanding the regular season from 16 to 17 games in 2021, teams usually played their final preseason game on a Thursday and the first Sunday of regular-season games was 10 days later.

That’s the schedule tackle Garett Bolles, Denver’s longest-tenured player, had during his first three seasons from 2017-19. With the wait for the regular season now being a week longer, Bolles doesn’t mind.

“Nothing changes for me,” Bolles said after a practice Tuesday at Broncos Park. “I don’t think anything changes for this team. I think it just gives us extra time to work on our craft, to make sure that we’re dialed in, to get out here (and practice).”

At Tuesday’s practice, the Broncos did some work preparing for the game against the Chiefs. That included plays being run while speakers blared the “tomahawk chop.” That will be heard plenty in the game at Arrowhead Stadium.

The Broncos will practice again Wednesday. They will have several days off during Labor Day weekend before resuming workouts next week.

Only two Denver starters played against the Vikings in center Luke Wattenberg and outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper. Cooper is now on the commissioner’s exempt list while facing a felony charge for domestic violence for an alleged incident in June, and he won’t play against the Chiefs.

For all other Denver starters, it will be at least 24 days between game action. But cornerback Pat Surtain II isn’t worried about any gap between games.

“I think we’re right on track, right on cue for the season to start,” Surtain said. “I think collectively as a team, obviously we’re itching for that Week 1 game, but I just feel like we’re taking the right steps and the right approach to going to K.C. Week 1.”

Surtain was in his second season in 2022 when the Broncos had 16 days between their preseason finale Saturday, Aug. 27, a 23-13 win over Minnesota. They then lost the opener 17-16 at Seattle on “Monday Night Football” on Sept. 12.

McLaughlin to Browns

Jaleel McLaughlin has returned to Ohio.

The running back, waived Sunday after three seasons with the Broncos, joined Cleveland’s practice squad Tuesday.

McLaughlin, a North Carolina native, played at Notre Dame College in South Euclid, Ohio, from 2018-19 and at Youngstown (Ohio) State from 2020-22. After being undrafted in 2023, he signed with the Broncos and had 1,093 yards rushing the past three seasons.

McLaughlin, though, gained just 187 yards last season when his playing time was cut due to the presence of running back Tyler Badie. Badie then beat out McLaughlin to be the fourth running back on Denver’s 53-man roster, which was set Sunday.

Also Tuesday, tackle Foster Sarell joined San Francisco’s practice squad. He was signed by the Broncos last Wednesday to play in their preseason finale before being released Saturday.

Injury report

Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr., who suffered a foot injury against the Vikings, didn’t practice Tuesday for the second straight day. Denver coach Sean Payton, though, has said he simply has a bruise and should be “fine.”

Also Tuesday, outside linebacker Que Robinson did work on a side field for a second straight day with an undisclosed injury. Linebacker Alex Singleton was not at practice due to personal reasons. Tight end Adam Trautman was absent due to an undisclosed reason.

Briefly

Surtain discussed the challenge of going against Denver quarterback Bo Nix in practice. “I think his cerebral approach to the game is off the charts,” said Surtain, adding that Nix is a “tremendous leader” and has “got that dawg attitude to him.” … The Broncos are an early 3-point underdog against the Chiefs. … Surtain said the Broncos must be aggressive when it comes to forcing turnovers. “When you’re going to the ball, you’re intentional about stripping the ball out, about intercepting the ball,” he said.