Chubb, Barrett figure to play big role for Broncos in Ray’s absence
Jun 6, 2018, 8:21 PM
Reports late Thursday night confirmed more bad news regarding Shane Ray, as the Denver Broncos linebacker will need a fourth operation in less than a year on his left wrist.
First reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the second opinion Ray sought after learning he’d likely need surgery on Tuesday concurred with the original diagnosis.
While the injury won’t end Ray’s 2018 season, a pivotal one for him as he faces free agency, the surgery could keep him out as long as three months and force him to miss the beginning of the regular season.
“… It’s not going to keep him out all year. He’s not going to go on IR. But, what will he look like when he returns?” Brandon Stokley, co-host of “Stokley and Zach,” said Tuesday.
But, perhaps more pressing, what will the Broncos look like in Ray’s absence?
“Shaquil Barrett will become the starter,” Alfred Williams, co-host of “The Drive,” said, adding that rookie top pick Bradley Chubb would probably sub in for the veteran outside linebacker.
William’s co-host, DMac, disagreed, saying he believes it’ll be Chubb — whom the Broncos drafted No. 5 overall in April’s NFL Draft — from the “get-go.”
Stokley said that Chubb’s importance has gone up, but so has Barrett, along with the veteran’s value for Denver.
“If you’re Shaq Barrett right now, you have to realize your value has gone up,” Stokley said, adding that he believes the Broncos will try to sign the linebacker to a multi-year deal.
Barrett, a restricted free agent this offseason, signed a $2.914 million tender in late April that keeps him in Denver only through the 2018 season.
“I think Shaq Barrett’s value has gone up a lot in this process. Shane Ray’s going to be gone after this year. He’s gone,” Stokley said. “The Broncos want to keep Shaq Barrett. That’s obvious. But, if he goes out and produces, a double-digit sack year, now all of a sudden his value has gone up tremendously.”
Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @johnnyhart7.
