Sean Payton lays out how KJ Hamler could return to the Broncos

KJ Hamler isn’t a Denver Broncos player right now, but the team is already talking about how he could return after being waived on Monday.

Hamler took to his Instagram this week to say he’s “taking a quick break” as he battles a heart condition. Minutes later it was reported that the Broncos would waive him.

The heart issue, called pericarditis, is mild heart irritation.

Head coach Sean Payton sees a possibility that Hamler could be back before Week 1.

“His (issue) is unique,” the coach said on Tuesday. “We had a long visit with him and we feel like—we don’t want to put a timeline on it—but possibly a month to get into football shape. So we feel once he’s cleared that leaves us with a lot of options. We spent a lot of time with his agent coming up with the best plan and we feel like we have a good one.”

Payton says the Broncos and Hamler’s agent have a plan. They spent a lot of time together. pic.twitter.com/00u9FEQE99

— Darren McKee (@DMacRadio) August 1, 2023

Hamler was the second Broncos wide receiver to go down on Monday as Tim Patrick was lost for the year.

Hamler 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 battle in his role with the team using a second-round pick on Oklahoma wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr.

The Broncos did restructure Hamler’s contract, making it easier to move on from him if he got hurt. Now injured, Denver moved on for now from Hamler but it appears strongly like the two will be brought back together.

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