Just as the Denver Broncos get 2 defensive stars back on the field with cornerback Patrick Surtain II and linebacker Alex Singleton, they may have to deal with another star being out of the lineup.
Which means Surtain and Singleton coming back this week is pretty incredible timing.
Former NFL All-Pro safety Talanoa Hufanga was a surprise addition to the injury list on Sunday, November 30, ahead of a Sunday Night Football Game in Week 13 against the Washington Commanders.
“Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga (Illness) has been added to the injury report,” Mike Klis of Denver 9News wrote on his official X account. “His game status is Questionable.”
Hufanga is second on the team behind Singleton with 76 tackles and second on the team with 9 pass deflections.
“Talanoa Hufanga has been such an awesome addition to the Broncos Defense,” The LTB Podcast’s Carter Dillon wrote on X on November 3. “He’s easily one of the most fun players to watch on that side of the ball.”
Broncos Paid Big Money for Hufanga in Free Agency
It may have seemed like the Broncos paid big money — maybe too much — for Hufanga when they signed the former NFL All-Pro to a 3-year, $39 million contract.
In reality, it might end up being one of the great free agent investments by the franchise in recent memory.
The biggest evidence of that is the fact Hufanga hasn’t missed a game this season after only playing in 17 games the previous 2 seasons combined with the San Francisco 49ers due to injuries.
Hufanga was an NFL All-Pro for the 49ers in 2022 on the way to playing in the Super Bowl but being sidelined the last 2 years drove his price down considerably.
It’s not hard to imagine a world in which, had Hufanga stayed healthy, he would have ended up one of the NFL’s Top 5 highest paid safeties. That’s a difference between making around $20 million per year opposed to the $13 million per year the Broncos are paying Hufanga.
Surtain, Singleton Give Defense Massive Boost
Singleton is back after missing a week 11 win over the Kansas City Chiefs after he underwent surgery to treat testicular cancer.
Surtain, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, has missed the last 3 games after he partially tore his pectoral muscle in a Week 8 win over the Dallas Cowboys.
“Neither Singleton (full) nor Surtain (limited) had practiced for the Broncos since they went out,” Heavy.com’s Josh Buckhalter wrote on Wednesday, November 26. “At least, not until Wednesday, when both players logged at least limited sessions.”
One year after the Broncos went 10-7 in the regular season and made the playoffs for the first time since the 2015 season they’re 9-2, have a 2-game lead over the Los Angeles Chargers in the AFC West and enter Week 13 riding an 8-game winning streak.
If Hufanga really can’t play because he’s too sick, P.J. Locke is listed as his backup on the depth chart. The better move might be to move ultra-versatile nickelback Ja’Quan McMillian to safety against the Commanders and make rookie first round pick Jahdae Barron the featured nickelback.
Broncos Get Bad Injury News Before Facing Commanders