Denver Broncos wide receiver and 2017 third-round pick Carlos Henderson will begin his second NFL training camp on the DNR list…
According to a report from Mike Klis of 9News in Denver, former third-round pick Carlos Henderson will begin his second NFL training camp with the Denver Broncos on the ‘did not report’ list.
Klis’ report, which has direct quotes from Henderson’s agent, indicates that Henderson is dealing with a family/personal matter…
First and foremost, we hope for the best with Henderson and whatever the situation is. It must be very serious to keep him away from camp.
Henderson has not had the best year in terms of his football playing career.
After he was drafted by the Broncos, he struggled to acclimate quickly to the NFL game and was injured in training camp just as he started making some big plays.
He tried playing through the injury, but only made it worse and ended up getting placed on injured reserve.
Insult was added to injury in the offseason as Henderson was arrested in Louisiana and charged with possession of marijuana as a passenger in a vehicle.
The infraction was his first known, so he isn’t facing any discipline from the NFL but it certainly put him in hot water and he participated in Broncos OTAs only to then struggle with a hamstring injury.
Head coach Vance Joseph was clearly displeased with Henderson’s absence, stating he would need to find a way to stay on the field if he wanted to make the team.
That was one of the final words Joseph gave us before the team broke for the offseason, and now Henderson’s roster spot will be vacated as he deals with this family issue.
It’s good to know the Broncos are supportive, but Henderson will be playing catch-up when he returns to action. The Broncos already have four roster spots solidified at receiver, and to be honest, Henderson should be given a fifth.
Next: Predicting the Broncos offensive depth chart
The Broncos don’t want to set a precedent of simply keeping players on the roster based on draft status, but unless there are significant off-field concerns, Henderson needs to continue to be developed even at the cost of a borderline roster player showing up and making plays in camp.
Henderson was one of the best all-purpose players in college football from 2015-16 and has the type of playmaking ability the Broncos desperately lacked before he arrived.
In an ideal world, he will be able to get back on the field and prove his spot on the roster is not simply based on draft status, but talent and football ability.