Perine was diagnosed with a bruised thumb after his early exit from practice Wednesday, Troy Renck of Denver 7 News reports.
Even a relatively severe thumb injury wouldn't be too worrisome at this time of the year with nearly three months to recover before Week 1. The real concern in the Denver backfield is Javonte Williams' ongoing rehab from ACL and LCL tears, though coach Sean Payton reiterated Thursday that he's "optimistic" about the 23-year-old's progress. Perine signed a two-year, $7.5 million contract in March and is the only RB on the roster besides Williams with 100 or more NFL touches. Behind those two, the Broncos have Tony Jones, Tyler Badie and undrafted rookie Jaleel McLaughlin.