ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler doesn't have the hairline fracture in his left leg he feared.
An MRI exam Monday was negative, but coach Mike Shanahan said he didn't know if Cutler would practice much this week or be under center Sunday at Kansas City.
"He doesn't have a stress fracture, which is a positive," Shanahan said. "The X-rays were negative, the MRI was negative. So, we'll see how sore he is. Right now he's quite sore. And we'll get a chance to see how he feels on Wednesday."
Cutler took a helmet to his lower leg, which was badly bruised, in the first half of the Broncos' 44-7 loss at Detroit on Sunday. He was carted off the field and although immediate X-rays were negative, Cutler said he feared his leg was broken.
"You never know for sure until you get an MRI if there's a stress fracture," Shanahan said. "There's no stress fracture. There is a bruise. It's badly bruised. We'll see what the recovery time is."
Defensive end Cory Redding dived at Cutler helmet-first at the end of the play in which Shaun Rogers sacked the second-year quarterback. Shanahan said he didn't see the hit, but "if he did do something illegal, obviously, he'll get fined for it."
Cutler was the 11th pick in last year's draft out of Vanderbilt, the last of the "Big Three" quarterbacks chosen behind Arizona's Matt Leinart and Tennessee's Vince Young. He took over the starter's job from Jake Plummer with five weeks left in the season and became the first rookie in league history to throw for multiple touchdowns in each of his first four games.
Patrick Ramsey replaced Cutler and would start against the Chiefs if Cutler can't go. The Broncos would have to sign another quarterback in that case, and one possibility is practice squad player Darrell Hackney.
Also, X-rays were negative on wide receiver Glenn Martinez (ribs), who has gotten plenty of playing time with No. 1 receiver Javon Walker recovering from knee surgery.
The Broncos (3-5) have been hit by a spate of injuries. Last week they placed their career receptions leader Rod Smith (hip) and top draft pick Jarvis Moss (leg), a defensive end, on injured reserve, where they joined end Ebenezer Ekuban, center Tom Nalen, guard Ben Hamilton, linebacker Warrick Holdman and tight ends Stephen Alexander and Nate Jackson.
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