Clayton: Injuries are once again becoming a concern for the Broncos
Jun 1, 2021, 3:10 PM
In football, injuries happen. Some years, a team has good luck and stays healthy. In others, the luck is terrible and injuries multiply.
Go back to last year. With players prohibited from being in team headquarters because of COVID-19, the San Francisco 49ers, a team that seems cursed for injuries of late, assembled many of their offensive skilled players in Nashville for workouts. They suffered at least three serious injuries during those drills. The injuries carried over into the regular season and kept the team from going to the playoffs.
I’m starting to think the same thing about the Broncos. They are showing a lot of bad luck.
It started when right tackle Ja’Wuan James tore his Achilles away from the facility. He was released.
Then, DaeSean Hamilton tore his ACL away from the facility. He’s on the non-football-injury list and will most likely be released.
On Tuesday, second-year wide receiver K.J. Hamler tweaked a hamstring. It’s too early to say how long he might miss OTAs, but the Broncos have had a bunch of injuries so far.
On May 24, defensive tackle Mike Purcell didn’t practice because of a foot injury. Two days earlier, linebacker Bradley Chubb underwent ankle surgery. He is expected back for training camp, but he’ll miss the rest of the offseason program. The Broncos just haven’t been able to keep Chubb and Von Miller on the field at the same time.
Wide receiver Courtland Sutton says he’s about 80 percent coming off his ACL surgery. He should be okay for the regular season and maybe for training camp. That’s encouraging.
Tight end Albert Okwuegbunan was limited in OTAs because of a knee injury. On May 7, seventh-round pick Jonathan Cooper, a defensive end, had a non-invasive heart procedure.
The list goes on and on.
With so much time before training game and the start of the season, it’s certain not time to panic. Still, injuries need to be watched. They are a concern.
