Shane Ray’s wrist injury forces him to miss Monday practice

Denver Broncos outside linebacker Shane Ray injured his wrist badly last year and is still not fully recovered. He sat out of practice with a sore wrist…

Denver Broncos outside linebacker Shane Ray missed practice on Monday at week three of OTAs due to a sore wrist.

Head coach Vance Joseph updated Ray’s status after practice, and the team put out an official release on Twitter as well:

Ray’s presence at practice is of little consequence at this point in the year, but the length of time it’s taking for his wrist to recover is of interest.

Of course, Ray missed about half of the 2017 season before returning to the field with a still partially injured (or not fully recovered) wrist. That could be a major contributing factor to the soreness, but it’s probably not atypical of an injury of this magnitude to linger for a while.

Ray said he had to undergo three different procedures to put his wrist back together how it’s supposed to be, and the road to recovery has been arduous.

More from Predominantly Orange

• Broncos chances of landing Sean Payton dwindling, but not gone
• Denver Broncos dream coaching staff for DeMeco Ryans
• Denver Broncos: “Sleeper” David Shaw checks every box
• The Broncos’ coaching search likely has not gone to plan
• Special Chiefs Suck Offer: Bet $5, Win $150 if Joe Burrow Passes for ONE YARD vs KC

Joseph said after practice that the team is just being smart with Ray. He said the same thing in 2017 about players like Jamaal Charles, whom they did not want to get seriously injured in a practice.

Ray’s absence from this session of OTAs could be a glorified day off, but there’s no doubt that the team still has concerns about his wrist injury.

Not only did the Broncos draft Bradley Chubb with the fifth overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, they also declined Ray’s fifth-year team option and have basically said goodbye to him a year in advance.

While Ray will play with the Broncos this season, it’s almost undoubtedly going to be his last with the team.

With that being said, Ray told reporters earlier at OTAs that a lack of a resolved contract situation will not cause him to lose focus over his goals this season. Perhaps he will eventually move on, but for now, he’s a Denver Bronco and the focus is first and foremost on the team and getting himself healthy, physically.

If Ray can enter the 2018 season at or close to 100 percent health, I have no doubts that he will have a significant impact.