Denver Broncos

Denver Broncos quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has been ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's contest against the Baltimore Ravens because of a concussion.

Bridgewater was 7-of-16 yards for 65 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions in the first half, adding two rushing yards on one carry. He was replaced by Drew Lock to start the second half.

The 28-year-old is in his first season with the Broncos after stints in Minnesota (2014-17), New Orleans (2018-19) and Carolina (2020). He threw for 3,733 yards, 15 touchdowns and 11 interceptions for the Panthers last season, completing 69.1 percent of his passes. They went just 4-11 in his starts, though. 

The Broncos, unconvinced by Lock (a 2019 second-rounder), traded a sixth-round pick for Bridgewater ahead of the 2021 season. And he quickly justified the acquisition, winning the starting job. 

"He's one of the guys, (like) all the great quarterbacks, (who) have that aura about them," star pass-rusher Von Miller said of Bridgewater in early September, per Nick Kosmider of The Athletic. "It's just been a joy to have him on our team."

"You'd hate to see if a quarterback made a mistake, and you see it on his face, and he's flustered," running back Melvin Gordon added. "You don't want to see that from your quarterback. His calmness brings calmness to the whole group. It kind of calms everybody down, and we're going to need that."

Entering Week 4, Bridgewater had thrown for 827 yards, four touchdowns and zero interceptions while leading Denver to a 3-0 start. 

While he's out injured, Lock will get another chance to prove himself under center.

Denver Broncos wide receiver KJ Hamler has reportedly been diagnosed with a torn ACL and will miss the remainder of the season, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Hamler left in the first half of Sunday's game with the New York Jets when he went down awkwardly on his left leg, and the injury was bad enough for the broadcast not to show a replay. He had one catch on Sunday, a 28-yard reception in the first quarter that converted a third down and eventually led to a Denver touchdown.

A second-round pick out of Penn State in 2020, Hamler had hoped to step up after the Broncos lost receiver Jerry Jeudy to an ankle injury in Week 1. He has seen an increase in playing time, but his production has left much to be desired. Including his game against the Jets, Hamler has five catches for 74 yards this season.

A hamstring injury limited Hamler's production in his rookie season. He finished with 30 receptions for 381 yards and three touchdowns in 13 games.

Denver has been dealing with various injuries at key positions. In addition to losing Jeudy until likely Week 6 at the likeliest, the Broncos also placed linebackers Bradley Chubb and Josey Jewell on injured reserve this past week.

Chubb underwent successful ankle surgery, and his expected recovery time is six-to-eight weeks. Jewell will miss the rest of the season with a torn pectoral.

Without Hamler, the Broncos and quarterback Teddy Bridgewater will lean on receivers Cortland Sutton and Tim Patrick, along with tight end Noah Fant to produce in the passing game.     

Denver Broncos linebacker Bradley Chubb is reportedly expected to miss the next six to eight weeks after undergoing ankle surgery.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported the procedure was a "best-case scenario." The Pro Bowler went down in the first half of Sunday's win over the Jacksonville Jaguars with a bone spur.

Chubb initially injured himself in the preseason but attempted to play through it with pain management.

"I did everything I could to manage it and to try to come back and play," Chubb said. "I took the New York week … trying to calm it down just a little bit, and then this Jacksonville week I tried to do everything to get back on the field, and unfortunately, all those things weren't working in my favor. The thing [to do] is now just to go in, clean it up and be right back."

Chubb is coming off a stellar 2020 campaign that saw him record 42 tackles and 7.5 sacks on his way to earning Pro Bowl honors. He said he's frustrated to be injured with the Broncos sitting at 2-0, potentially on the verge of the first winning season of his career.

Veteran Von Miller will take on a lion's share of the responsibility as a pass rusher with Chubb out of the lineup. His timetable for return could have him back as soon as Week 9 against the Dallas Cowboys. 

Two weeks into the 2021 NFL season, there's more uncertainty about the Denver Broncos than perhaps any other undefeated team.

So far, the Broncos are firing on all cylinders. New quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has completed 77.1 percent of his passes for 592 yards, four touchdowns and zero interceptions. He's been taking a number of deep shots per game as well, with 13 of his 70 attempts traveling 15 or more air yards, according to numberFire's JJ Zachariason. 

Meanwhile, the Broncos are averaging 4.5 yards per carry thanks to the tandem of Melvin Gordon III and rookie Javonte Williams. Although wideout Jerry Jeudy suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 1, Courtland Sutton appears on pace for another 1,000-yard season following his ACL tear last year. And the defense is allowing only 67.5 rushing yards per game (fourth leaguewide) and 13.0 points (fifth).

That's a whole lot of good, but it's worth asking how much of it is sustainable. 

Quality of competition undoubtedly helped the Broncos get off to a hot start. However, there's a difference between beating up on the 0-2 New York Giants and Jacksonville Jaguars and competing in the stacked AFC West.

The Giants are still trying to rebuild around quarterback Daniel Jones, who led the team in rushing in Week 1 because Saquon Barkley was working his way back from an ACL tear. The Jaguars are being led by a rookie quarterback in Trevor Lawrence who has already thrown five interceptions this year.

"I haven't felt that in a while - since 18 was here man."

Von Miller showed some love to Teddy Bridgewater on the sideline 🧡

(via broncos/TT) https://t.co/PrVeLUm6YF

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) September 14, 2021

In other words, the Broncos had no excuse if they didn't start 2-0. And while teams deserve credit for taking care of business in winnable games, the Giants and Jaguars are hardly representative of what they will face moving forward.

The Broncos still have six games remaining against the AFC West, against whom they went 1-5 last season. The Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders all seem as good as they were last season, if not better.

Denver's non-divisional slate isn't much better. Three of its next five games come against the AFC South, and it also must face the rest of the NFC East in Weeks 8-10.

Once the competition stiffens, Bridgewater might regress toward his previous career mean. He completed 66.5 percent of his passes and averaged 7.3 yards per attempt prior to this year, whereas he's completing 77.1 percent of his passes and averaging yards per attempt 8.5 this season. He threw only 15 touchdowns and 11 interceptions during 15 starts last year with the Carolina Panthers.

Defenses will adjust now that they have more film on the new-look Broncos. They went only 2-of-11 on third down against Jacksonville in Week 2, which doesn't bode well for their future outlook.

Injuries only increase the likelihood of regression. Cornerback Ronald Darby, the Broncos' big free-agent prize, is on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. Linebacker Josey Jewell suffered a torn pec on Sunday and is now out for the season. Edge-rusher Bradley Chubb also left Sunday's game early after aggravating the ankle injury that kept him out of the Week 1 win over the Giants.

To their credit, the Broncos do have a lot going for them. Even if Bridgewater regresses, he's still an incredibly efficient passer. He has a stable of talented backs and skill-position players around him, and the pass rush can be nasty.

But it's one thing for Bridgewater to shine early when opponents have no tape of him in Denver and he's lining up across from the likes of Jones and Lawrence. Winning likely shootouts with Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Derek Carr will be far more difficult.

The other teams off to a 2-0 start—the Raiders, Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals—mostly have high-upside passers who can carry them when needed. Bridgewater doesn't fit that mold. 

Regardless, the Broncos should be able to continue their hot start to the season. In Week 3, they'll go against a 0-2 New York Jets team with rookie Zach Wilson under center. But after that, they face seven straight games against quality opponents before their Week 11 bye.

Even if the Broncos do beat the Jets and move to 3-0, pump the brakes before hyping them up as a legitimate challenger in the AFC West. Far more difficult tests await beginning in Week 4, which will tell us more about how seriously to take them this season.

The Denver Broncos announced Tuesday that pass-rusher Bradley Chubb will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his ankle Wednesday.

OLB Bradley Chubb will undergo an arthroscopic procedure on his ankle Wednesday.

“I’m going to push everything I can to get back to these games and hopefully it’s sooner rather than later. My mindset is just going to be attack it 100 percent every day.” - @astronaut pic.twitter.com/fs1kplH1Yr

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) September 21, 2021

The Broncos have yet to place him on injured reserve. However, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported Chubb would likely miss 6-8 weeks and that a stint on injured reserve was likely.

Leading up to Denver's 23-13 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2, Chubb was battling a minor ankle injury that left his availability in doubt. Although he was deemed healthy enough to play, he was forced to exit after aggravating the injury.

After a torn ACL limited him to four games in 2019, Chubb earned his first Pro Bowl nod in 2020, finishing with 7.5 sacks and nine tackles for loss in 14 appearances.

That production came despite Von Miller being out for the entire year, which allowed opposing offenses to focus more of their attention on shutting down Chubb off the edge.

Expectations weren't especially high for the Broncos after four straight losing seasons. The arrival of Teddy Bridgewater has raised the team's ceiling, though, and created some optimism in the Mile High City.

To that end, losing Chubb for any length of time is a clear blow to the team. Denver will have to ask a lot more of rookie linebacker Jonathon Cooper.

Denver Broncos edge-rusher Bradley Chubb was ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's game vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars with an ankle injury, per James Palmer of the NFL Network. 

An ankle injury kept Chubb out of the team's Week 1 win over the New York Giants.  

The 25-year-old had a monster rookie season for the Broncos in 2018 after being the No. 5 overall pick, registering 60 tackles (14 for loss), 12 sacks, 21 quarterback hits, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. 

But injuries cost him 12 games in 2019, and last year he missed the last two with an ankle injury. He was solid when healthy, registering 42 tackles and 7.5 sacks, though he didn't replicate his impact from his rookie year. 

Chubb then had offseason surgery on the ankle. Head coach Vic Fangio spoke about that procedure in May during a press conference:

"It was something that we thought would heal in time. Through his workouts, he would have days where he would feel it, and some days where he wouldn't. They went in there and checked it out and had a very good procedure. I think he had some bone spurs that were aggravating the injury and aggravating him some days. We were able to get that taken care of and it was good news. They thought the operation would have kept him out until the middle of August, but it was so much of a success and they didn't find that much damage in there. I think he'll be ready by the start of camp now."

But Chubb's injury history is becoming a concern at this point in his career. When healthy, he gives the Broncos a dangerous pass rush alongside Von Miller.

Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning has reportedly spoken to two potential buyers of the Denver Broncos regarding a possible management position and a minority stake in the franchise.

Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reported Manning is "closely watching" the Broncos' ownership situation. The franchise is widely expected to be up for sale ahead of the 2022 season, though the current ownership situation is currently in flux.

Pat Bowlen's death in 2019 led to infighting in the Bowlen family as a trust attempts to sort out the franchise's ownership. Broncos CEO Joe Ellis said a transition of ownership will happen before the 2022 season.

"Our goal is a timely, responsible and orderly determination of ownership," Ellis said in July. "What that will entail for us — there's some things that we still need to work through — but our goal is to be able to lay out, when the season is over — and [Head Coach] Vic [Fangio] has promised that will be in the middle of February — that we lay out for everybody a timeline to a transition of ownership that will take place next year prior to the start of the season. That's important. It's important to the organization. It's important to the beneficiaries — Pat [Bowlen]'s children — to get it resolved and we're moving forward on that."

Manning played for the Broncos from 2012 to 2015, leading the franchise to a Super Bowl 50 victory over the Carolina Panthers. He told Bob Costas that he would like to be involved in an ownership group but doesn't have the billions of dollars necessary to be a majority owner. 

A.J. Perez of Front Office Sports reported Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and rapper/entrepreneur Jay-Z are among the parties interested once the team goes up for sale.

It's expected that the Broncos could fetch up to $4 billion, which would be the largest purchase price of a sports franchise in history.

The Denver Broncos placed cornerback Ronald Darby on injured reserve due to a hamstring problem. 

Because of the designation, Darby will miss a minimum of three games. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported he'll be considered week-to-week once he's eligible to return to the field.

The Denver Post's Ryan O'Halloran followed to report the 27-year-old is "expected back shortly" once the three-week IR term ends.

Darby signed a three-year, $30 million contract this offseason, signaling what kind of role the franchise expected him to occupy. He made a positive impact in his Broncos debut, finishing with a team-high six tackles and one pass breakup as Denver beat the New York Giants 27-13.

His injury now opens the door for Patrick Surtain II, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. 

The former Alabama star was largely anonymous in the opener but made waves in the preseason thanks to his pick-six against the Minnesota Vikings.

PATRICK SURTAIN II PICK-6! @PatSurtainll

📺: #DENvsMIN on @NFLNetwork (or check local listings)
📱: https://t.co/3NquKzXV50 pic.twitter.com/YWIJDXFwOZ

— NFL (@NFL) August 14, 2021

"He played well, obviously," head coach Vic Fangio told reporters after the game. "I expect a lot out of him. We only played him at corner today. We didn't play him inside at all. I wanted him to just play one position today."

Fangio and his staff will have to lean on Surtain a little earlier than expected, but that shouldn't be a problem considering the organization valued him highly enough to select him in the top 10.

Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio told reporters that guard Graham Glasgow left Sunday's 27-13 win over the New York Giants with an irregular heartbeat.

Glasgow left in an ambulance and is expected to return to Denver on Tuesday after he remained in New York and underwent some tests in the hospital.

"He told me this morning that it started bothering him the second or third series and he just kept trying to play through it," Fangio said, noting, "everything's so far, so good."

Glasgow echoed those sentiments in a message to the fans.

"Hey everyone, I appreciate all the well wishes," he tweeted. "Looking forward to a quick recovery and getting back out there. It was a great team win, and excited to see where myself and the team go from here. Thanks."

Glasgow played the first four seasons of his career on the Detroit Lions and joined the Broncos prior to the 2020 campaign. He started 13 games for Denver last season.

The Broncos are scheduled to face the Jacksonville Jaguars on the road in Week 2, and Fangio said Netane Muti will fill in for Glasgow if the starter remains sidelined.

Denver is looking to improve to 2-0 after quarterback Teddy Bridgewater threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns and the defense kept the Giants in relative check throughout the game. Star running back Saquon Barkley had just 26 yards on 10 carries in the loss.

Denver Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy will miss 4-6 weeks because of a high ankle sprain, head coach Vic Fangio said Monday, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. 

The second-year Alabama product seemed primed for a breakout before suffering the injury in the Week 1 win over the New York Giants. He had six receptions for 72 yards by early in the third quarter before awkwardly turning his ankle and being carted off the field.

Jeudy had showcased plenty of upside during his first season despite inconsistent quarterback play from Drew Lock, Jeff Driskel and Brett Rypien. The first-round pick appeared in all 16 games and finished with 52 catches for 856 yards and three touchdowns.

A good rapport with new starting quarterback Teddy Bridgewater led to a strong start to the season, as he tallied seven targets Sunday. The team will now have to look further down the depth chart for answers at receiver.

Courtland Sutton and KJ Hamler will be called upon to take on a bigger role with Jeudy out of the lineup.