Already battling lat and shoulder issues while proceeding through a rocky navigation in Nathaniel Hackett‘s offense, Russell Wilson sustained a hamstring injury Monday night. The injury occurred during a fourth-quarter scramble, Wilson said. The Broncos are calling their quarterback day-to-day. But there is some concern about Wilson’s Week 7 availability, with Tom Pelissero of NFL.com adding this may be a “fairly significant” injury (Twitter link).
Wilson has only missed three games in 10-plus seasons; each came because of his finger injury last year. He has experienced a worse-than-expected acclimation process in Hackett’s offense, which has generated more than 20 points just once this season. Playing through multiple injuries likely will not help matters, but given Wilson’s career path, that should be the expectation. Here is the latest from the AFC West:
- The Chiefs held less than $1MM in cap space at this time last week. They are now close to $4MM. Kansas City got there by restructuring Travis Kelce‘s contract for the second time this year. The move created $3.46MM in space, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The Chiefs made the move last week, per CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson, who notes the team did so to have some additional room for practice squad promotions (Twitter link). Kelce remains signed through 2025.
- Dustin Hopkins became the hero in another low-scoring Broncos primetime game Monday, making four field goals despite hurting his hamstring early in the contest. Brandon Staley said his kicker suffered a hamstring strain and is expected to miss two to four weeks. Taylor Bertolet, the Chargers‘ practice squad kicking option, will step in for the veteran leg. Hopkins, whom the Chargers added after Washington surprisingly cut him during the 2021 season, also missed Week 5 due to a quadriceps injury.
- Bolts backup running back Joshua Kelley will miss time as well. Staley said Kelley sustained an MCL sprain during Monday’s game. The Chargers have used Kelley as an Austin Ekeler backup since drafting him in the 2020 fourth round. Sony Michel will have the team’s RB2 gig to himself for the time being, as it would not surprise to see Kelley land on IR.
- The Broncos extended their Week 1 right tackle revolving door to 10 seasons, opening the campaign with Cameron Fleming in that spot. The two players the team signed to vie for the gig — Billy Turner and Tom Compton — began the season injured. Turner has returned and moved into the lineup during Monday’s game, sending Fleming to left tackle and Calvin Anderson (Garett Bolles‘ initial replacement) to the bench. But Compton remains on Denver’s PUP list. The veteran lineman is unlikely to debut for the Broncos until after their Week 9 bye, Troy Renck of Denver7 tweets. Compton, 33, signed a one-year, $2.25MM deal. He worked as the 49ers’ starting right tackle for much of last season, replacing the injured Mike McGlinchey.
- Monday’s game also produced yet another Broncos ACL tear. An awkward collision with a media member on the sideline led to backup linebacker Aaron Patrick suffering that severe knee injury. The Broncos announced Patrick’s setback. Tim Patrick, Javonte Williams, Ronald Darby and running back Damarea Crockett have also suffered ACL tears since training camp. Primarily a special-teamer, Aaron Patrick is in his second season with the team. He arrived as a UDFA out of Eastern Kentucky.
I’m going to be honest, and I do not really like saying this, but I would fire Hackett. The Broncos were handed that game on a silver platter, and the team seems way too disorganized to take advantage of anything on offense. The defense is playing lights out, especially Surtain and Browning. Hackett hasn’t shown any improvement in the main area that he was hired to coach, and it’s all in their procedures, not even the actual scheme.
Staley I do not believe is doing much better, because he should have lost that game by making the exact same mistakes that he did last year. He just got out-banded by Hackett, so props to him, I guess.
The Wilson injury may save Hackett. If QB2 or 3 plays and well, we will all know it’s just a Russ issue.
It’s not just Wilson. The whole offense is a mess. It’s not fluid, there’s no seamless transition from passing to rushing. Hackett’s play calling has a lot to do with it, it’s awful and predictable.
As for Wilson, his arm/shoulder is clearly not Ok. This is abundantly clear on his deep passes. Or we’re just use to him throwing it in the sky and DK/Lockett running to the ball instead of the ball traveling to them? Either way Jeudy and Sutton can’t figure out how to get themselves in a position to help (not blaming them).
Then there’s the line. We all saw the Chargers exposing it. That being said the Waltons will ride this out for another few games before acting.
The worst part is this defense reminds me of the one that dragged Peyton’s Noodle arm to the Superbowl. Imagine if they had a functioning offense.
The entire starting offense not playing with Wilson during the preseason in an entirely new setting may have something to do with that. Of course, Hackett is the impetus of that decision as well.
I know I’ve said it before, but it is up to the coach to reign in the offense when it is disorganized, dysfunctional, and has a QB taking too many chances on the field. Hackett has not or can not do that, which is why he needs to go.
Hackett should let Russ cook! If I were him, I would start complaining about my line and demand a trade out of Denver.
A full scale house cleaning almost always appears in the wake of new ownership and I don’t imagine it will be any different in Denver.
I just hope they keep playing like this. The worse they play the better the pick we get. Come on Russ Let’s Ride.