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On Saturday, August 20, the Denver Broncos lost to the Buffalo Bills 15-42. Broncos’ cornerback Michael Ojemudia exited that game with an elbow injury.
According to Mike Klis of 9news, Ojemudia has a dislocated elbow, and he is wearing a brace and sling on his right arm.
On August 13, Broncos’ linebacker Jonas Griffith also suffered a dislocated elbow, and he is expected to miss 4-6 weeks per Klis.
Following the game, head coach Nathaniel Hackett commented on Ojemudia’s injury.
“I know his was an elbow, another dislocated elbow, so we’ll have to see,” Hackett said via the Broncos’ official site. “It’s kind of like the Jonas thing, so we’ll have to get a feel for what happens on that.”
A firm timetable has not been placed on Ojemudia’s recovery, but logically, it should be similar to Griffith’s.
Should the Broncos Sign Another CB?
Before exiting, Ojemudia was not playing at a high level. He was targeted five times and allowed five receptions for 80 yards per PFF.
As a team, the Broncos struggled to contain the Bills’ passing offense; they allowed 26 receptions for 302 yards on 28 targets.
Yes, it is only one preseason performance, but it does raise some questions about the Broncos’ depth at cornerback. Patrick Surtain II, Ronald Darby, and K’Waun Williams are proven cornerbacks, but behind those core three players, their cornerback group lacks clarity. Ojemudia is hurt, and he was having an underwhelming preseason. Essang Bassey did not fare much better, as he had a 46.7 PFF coverage grade on Saturday. Seventh-round rookie Faion Hicks and fourth-year pro Blessuan Austin did not exactly stand out, either.
There is still one preseason game remaining. Ideally, Hicks, Bassey, or Austin will step up and have a breakout performance, but if the secondary continues to struggle, the Broncos could explore adding another cornerback to their roster.
Veteran Jimmy Smith is one potential option. He is still available on the free agent market. Smith was solid in coverage last season, as he allowed a passer rating of 85.2 when targeted. Last season, the NFL average passer rating was 90.8.
Last season, Smith played snaps at wide corner, slot corner, and free safety.
Smith would give the Broncos a versatile, reliable option in the secondary.
Josh Johnson Taking Loss as a Learning Opportunity
Losing by 27 points is never fun, but quarterback Josh Johnson is trying to take some positive lessons from the loss. After the game, Johnson spoke about the loss as a learning opportunity.
“It’s great for us to really learn from as backups,” Johnson said per team reporter Ellie Kinney. “[We] got to go out there versus a team that went to the AFC Championship last year, and we’re going to have some good film to learn from. In games like this, it’s really all the details, so I’m excited to just get back and watch the film as a group and see where we can be more detailed, and hold ourselves to a better standard of finishing our drives like we want to.”
The Broncos will look to bounce back this Saturday against the Minnesota Vikings.
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