Broncos lose second WR in a day; heart condition forces out Hamler
Jul 31, 2023, 1:28 PM
On the day the Denver Broncos lost Tim Patrick for the season again, they also lost KJ Hamler.
On Monday it was reported that the Broncos will waive Hamler after the wide receiver revealed on his Instagram that he’s “taking a quick break” as he battles a heart condition.
Called pericarditis, Hamler’s issue is mild heart irritation. It is expected to keep him out weeks rather than months, hence him writing, “This is not a farewell, this is not a goodbye, this is a see you soon as I take a break for my health.”
View this post on Instagram
Hamler suffered missed offseason team work due to a torn pectoral muscle suffered earlier this offseason while working out. That followed a season in which a hamstring injury landed him on injured reserve to end the season. He began the year completing his rehab from a torn ACL and a dislocated hip suffered three games into the 2021 season.
Hamler has played in just 10 of a possible 34 games in the past two seasons and 23 of 50 for his career. Further, he faced a tight situation at wide receiver in the wake of the team using a second-round pick on Oklahoma wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr., along with the return of Tim Patrick from injured reserve and the addition of some potential special-teams contributors on the back end of the depth chart, particularly ex-Saints WR Marquez Callaway.
The Broncos did restructure his contract, making it easier to move on from him if he got hurt. Now injured, Denver is moving on for now from Hamler but may bring him back in the future.
In a few hours, Russell Wilson’s Broncos arguably lost their third and fourth wide receivers. It appears that all the chips are on Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy heading into 2023.
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