Denver Broncos hopeful Bryce Callahan can return in 2019

The Denver Broncos don’t know if they’re going to get Bryce Callahan back this year, but they are holding out hope for the big free agent pickup.

The Denver Broncos’ secondary depth is being tested early and often in the 2019 season, and one player whose absence has been especially unfortunate is free agent acquisition Bryce Callahan.

Callahan, the only Chicago Bears defender to follow Vic Fangio and Ed Donatell over to Denver this past offseason, signed a three-year contract with the Broncos about a week into the free agent signing period.

Callahan’s three-year deal with the Broncos included $21 million in total money and just $10 million in guarantees, a relatively modest contract considering his production in Fangio’s defense over the past four seasons.

Although not to the same degree, Callahan had become the Bears’ version of Chris Harris Jr. in the slot and is one of the only guys in the league capable of shutting things down as a nickel even close to the level Harris does it.

He was expected to play outside corner for Fangio’s defense in Denver, something he had done in Chicago a little bit. His absence from the lineup to open the season forced the Broncos to include Isaac Yiadom in the starting lineup and move Kareem Jackson into nickel corner duties.

Yiadom’s inability to play without giving up big plays or penalties forced the Broncos to make a switch to De’Vante Bausby, who recently landed on injured reserve after a scary cervical sprain.

Without Bausby and Callahan, the Broncos have required guys like Duke Dawson, acquired in a trade with the Patriots, to step into new roles rather quickly.

With Bausby injured and out for the 2019 season combined with Yiadom’s struggles on the outside, the Broncos are understandably holding out hope that Callahan can return to action at some point.

He recently (September 25) underwent a procedure to try and get his foot right, but the team still doesn’t know if it’s going to work.

Back in early August, after he had looked fantastic all offseason, Callahan aggravated his broken foot in the team’s practice at what is now known as Empower Field at Mile High. Nobody knew at the time it was going to cause him to miss half the season, including the Broncos, which is why Callahan was not placed on IR at the start of the year.

After Callahan’s procedure in September, it was estimated he could try to return again in 4-6 weeks. As of right now, we’re 2.5 weeks into that time table.

The Broncos obviously can’t afford to rush Callahan back, but they want to get him on the field.

John Elway spoke to the media at the team’s Top 100 celebration and said the Broncos are hopeful Callahan will return this season, but they just don’t know.

"“It’s been frustrating for everybody including him. It’s just one of those things. We’ll see how the last thing goes and see if he’ll be able to get back this year or not…We’re hopeful, but we really don’t know. We’ll have to wait and see.”John Elway (quotes via Broncos PR)"

The procedure Callahan had in September was apparently a non-surgical procedure, and the team obviously has some actual hope he can return this year considering they have not given up and just placed him on IR.

Callahan, meanwhile, is missing out on some per-game roster bonuses, perhaps a bit of foresight from the Broncos considering his injury last year.

Callahan could have made up to $500,000 in roster bonuses this year had he simply been active each week. That has obviously not been the case and he’s missing over $32,000 each game he’s not out there.

That’s likely a huge part of his frustration.

By the time the Broncos play the Chiefs next Thursday night, Callahan will nearly be at the four-week point of his 4-6 week projection. If things go really well, it’s possible this weekend’s game against the Titans and the Thursday night game against Kansas City will be the final two games Callahan misses this season.

That is a bit of wishful thinking, but you never know.

Perhaps more realistically, we could see Callahan make his season debut in 2019 against the Cleveland Browns (11/3) or Minnesota Vikings (11/17) after the Broncos’ bye on November 10.