Denver Broncos: Mike Boone injury a good thing for other running backs on team
Denver Broncos running back Mike Boone will miss several weeks after suffering a quad injury during one of the team’s joint practice against the Minnesota Vikings. Boone will reportedly miss 4-6 weeks.
This timeline indicates that Boone could either return between Week 1 against the New York Giants and Week 3 against the New York Jets.
Boone was projected by many to make the 53-man roster in place of Royce Freeman, who some expected to get traded. Boone, signed in free agency after playing for the Minnesota Vikings, had impressed in training camp. Head coach Vic Fangio even said during a press conference that Boone is “not a guy to sleep on.”
The injury opens the door for Freeman to try and impress coaches even more. Even if the Denver Broncos decided to move on from Freeman upon Boone’s return, this will buy him some time to put some good quality performances on film so that the Broncos could possibly get the most for the former third-round pick as they can.
The Broncos released their initial depth chart on Tuesday. They currently have Melvin Gordon as their starting running back and rookie Javonte Williams as the second-string. Boone was third on the depth chart with Freeman as the fourth, Damarea Crockett fifth, and LeVante Bellamy sixth.
The NFL has brought last year’s practice squad and injured reserve rules into effect for the 2021 season:
- Expansion of practice squads to 16 players, including up to six who have more than two accrued seasons.
- The ability to protect up to four practice squad players per week from being signed by other teams.
- Elevation of up to two practice squad players to the active roster, without removing any current players, before 4 p.m. ET the day before a game.
- Elevation of an additional practice squad player within 90 minutes before kickoff in the event of a late COVID-19 positive test result.
- Players placed on injured reserve can return after three weeks, rather than six as in normal seasons.
- Removal of the limit for how many players can be activated from injured reserve.
Depending on what their plans are for Boone, we may see the team take advantage of these rules early on.
As for Freeman, the team has until 4 pm ET on November 2nd to decide whether or not to trade him.
Boone has 71 carries for 379 yards and four touchdowns in his career, which began in 2018 as an undrafted free agent of the Vikings out of Cincinnati.