LONDON — The Broncos could soon regain a critical defender.

Denver designated defensive tackle Malcolm Roach for return from injured reserve, the team announced Wednesday.

Roach returned to practice and participated in the media-viewing portion of Wednesday's session ahead of a Week 6 game against the Jets.

"He had good work today," Head Coach Sean Payton said Wednesday.

The Broncos can activate Roach to the 53-man roster at any point in the next 21 days, and he is eligible to play as soon as this week at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

If Roach is not activated within the next 21 days, he will revert to injured reserve for the remainder of the season.

Roach, who played 17 games for the Broncos last season, suffered a calf injury ahead of Week 1 and was placed on IR. He was eligible to return as early as Week 5, but the Broncos have now officially started his 21-day window.

Each team may designate as many eight players to return from IR during the regular season, and Roach is the first player from IR who has officially returned to practice. When the team made its initial 53-man roster moves, Denver also designated linebacker Drew Sanders as a player who would be eligible to return, but he has not yet returned to practice.

A sixth-year player, Roach recorded 43 tackles, 2.5 sacks, five tackles for loss, eight quarterback hits, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and two passes defensed last year.