ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- For weeks now, members of the Denver Broncos' defense have ahead on the calendar. They’ve looked with one part hope, two parts anticipation, to when “we get everybody back."

When the Broncos return from their bye to prepare for the Nov. 27 game against the Kansas City Chiefs, it might finally happen. The Broncos might, for the first time since their Week 2 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, have all of their defensive starters available to play.

“We’ve shown what we can do with some of our young guys and other guys coming in," cornerback Chris Harris Jr. said. “And I think we played some good football in there. But we want to be at our best for these games coming up and get into that playoff mode."

Since outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware fractured his right forearm just before halftime of that win over the Colts, the Broncos have been forced into some roster juggling they didn’t really have to deal with in 2015, when the group finished at, or near, the top of every major defensive category on the way to a dominant postseason run.

But this time around, Ware missed five games after his injury, Pro Bowl cornerback Aqib Talib has missed the past three games with a back injury and defensive end Derek Wolfe has missed a game with a fracture near his right elbow. Linebacker Brandon Marshall has started nine of Denver's 10 games, but he has been slowed at times with a hamstring injury.

“We have had guys come in and do the job," said linebacker Shane Ray, who started the five games Ware missed. “But I think everybody knows what we can do with everybody back."

Talib practiced Tuesday for the first time since Oct. 28 and has said he will be ready to play next week. Broncos coach Gary Kubiak said Wolfe likely would be back at practice by the Wednesday after they return from the bye, and that if expectations hold, he could be ready for at least some duty in the defensive-line rotation.

And while Ware has played in the Broncos' past three games -- going 26, 28 and 30 plays, respectively -- Kubiak said this week he believes Ware is ready for “50 plays a game" when the Broncos return to the practice field.

“I think so -- I feel really good,’’ Ware said. “Ready to go for this run we want to be on."

Despite those injuries and some lapses in run defense, the Broncos did arrive at the bye week fifth in total defense, tied for eighth in scoring defense, tied for second in sacks and No. 1 in pass defense. That’s a quality résumé for a team that was missing Talib (who was playing at an All-Pro level before the injury) and was without Ware and Wolfe, all three key figures in the team’s scheme.

The Broncos did it with depth, with Harris having done plenty of heavy lifting in coverage and, of course, with Von Miller. Miller might benefit the most from the return of those other three players given how much attention Miller gets from opposing blockers on every snap.

Miller still has battled his way to 9.5 sacks, third best in the league. But he had four of those sacks in the two games both Ware and Talib played in this season and has just two in the past four games against protection schemes built to shift blockers his way and against quarterbacks looking to get the ball out quickly.

“I think I should get sacks all the time," Miller said. “I need to make more game-changing plays -- that’s my job, that’s what I’m supposed to do. But with DeMarcus back, Wolfe, Talib, offenses have to play us different. And if they want to keep double-teaming me, or whatever, those other guys are going to get there."

The Broncos will find themselves in a similar situation to last season when they return to work. Much as they were at this point in 2015, they’re trying to find solutions in the offensive line and in their run game.

So a fully stocked defense could provide a boost in the tightest of division races, as three AFC West teams, the Broncos included, have at least seven wins. The Broncos have three division games among their final six, and all of those games are against AFC teams -- which matters in the playoff tiebreakers -- including a Dec. 18 visit by the New England Patriots.

“I’m proud of the team," Kubiak said. “I’m proud of how hard we worked to get in the position that we’re in. We all know we’re hard on ourselves and know we can get better. We’re getting some guys back. It’s going to be a tough stretch, but it’s going to be a fun stretch. That’s why you coach. That’s why you play.”

Said Ray: “I think everybody’s locked in. We’ll take the break and the rest that we need and we’ll be ready to go when we come back.”