The Denver Broncos will have to wait at least one more week before they finally get to see their $31.5 million investment in linebacker Dre Greenlaw, who joins his fellow offseason addition, tight end Evan Engram, as no-gos for Sunday’s tilt against the Los Angeles Chargers.
At 1-1 and searching for some consistency, the Broncos need all hands on deck.
Unfortunately, the high-priced Broncos duo is trending in different directions heading into a critical Week 3 contest.
Broncos Get Encouraging Update About Dre Greenlaw
GettyDre Greenlaw #57 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after a stop against the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship Game.
The Broncos listed Greenlaw among those ruled out for Sunday’s game on the Friday injury report. The decision was to be expected, given the former San Francisco 49ers star has not practiced since August. Greenlaw is navigating his second quad injury since joining Denver.
Greenlaw’s status exact timeline for return remains unclear, but there is some reason for hope.
Per The Denver Post’s Luca Evans, “a source described Greenlaw as ‘day-to-day.’”
The Broncos were able to sign Greenlaw on a relatively cheap contract due to his injury history, which looms large now. Greenlaw has missed multiple games in all but one of his six previous NFL seasons. Broncos head coach Sean Payton expressed little concern about this issue.
They decided to roll the dice at that price.
But don’t call Greenlaw a slow heeler. #BroncosCountry
“We felt like he’s kind of on our schedule,” Payton told reporters on September 17 when asked why the Broncos decided against placing Greenlaw on one of the reserve lists. “We spent time on it, because it’s a little nebulous relative to the injury, and that’s all I’ll say.”
Payton has decided to remain mum on injuries, over which concerns extend beyond Greenlaw heading into the Chargers tilt.
Evan Engram Continues Troubling Trend
GettyEvan Engram #1 of the Denver Broncos runs after a catch against the Arizona Cardinals.
Like Greenlaw, Engram signed with the Broncos amid an extensive injury history, which also looks less flattering in light of his two-year, $23 million deal. Also like Greenlaw, Evans failed to log so much as a limited practice session during the week.
Billed as a potentially game-altering dynamic addition for Bo Nix and the Broncos’ passing game, Engram was limited by his usage before injuries quickly began to mount.
Engram entered Week 2 with a calf injury but played against the Indianapolis Colts.
He entered Week 3 with a back injury, which is a noteworthy new injury for the two-time Pro Bowler. However, Payton said Engram’s injuries have not impacted his playing time when active.
“I think it’s probably too early to tell [how Engram has played],” Payton told reporters on September 19. “Certainly, he’s gonna play a big role for us.
“Two games in, it’s [too early to tell].”
Broncos Clear All-Pro Duo
GettyTalanoa Hufanga #9 of the Denver Broncos warm up before a game against the San Francisco 49ers.
There was no shortage of good news for the Broncos, despite the tremendously unfortunate developments with Engram and Greenlaw.
The team cleared five players, four of whom will start against the Chargers.
Linebacker Justin Strnad upgraded to a full practice on Friday after a foot injury limited him earlier in the week. He joins Alex Singleton, who was a full participant all week, as Greenlaw’s replacement.
🗣️ “He’s playing great.”
The Broncos also cleared outside linebacker Nik Bonitto and fellow former All-Pro, safety Talanoa Hufanaga.
They will have tight end and part-time fullback Nate Adkins, too.
That is all encouraging as the Broncos look to bounce back against a formidable foe, but Engram and Greenlaw were brought in for a reason. Their absences loom large for the Broncos at a critical early juncture of the season.
Broncos Make Final Decision on Pro Bowler Amid Dre Greenlaw Update