Denver Broncos impacts of Dulcich, Ojemudia heading to IR
By Brett Chaves
As Broncos fans have heard by now, rookie tight end Greg Dulcich and cornerback Michael Ojemudia will begin the season on the injured reserve. It was expected that both were going to be placed on the reserve prior to the beginning of the season. Dulcich had been dealing with hamstring issues for the majority of camp, an injury that is difficult to fully mend while in action.
Ojemudia is also coming off of a 2021 season where he was only featured in two games.
Even though neither of them earned first-team spots to begin, what impact could this have on the early depth chart?
Dulcich: It is nothing to worry about; if anything it makes sense
Even if Greg Dulcich were to start the season healthy, his action was going to be limited. The Broncos already have their starting tight end in Albert Okwuegbunam, plus a solid run-blocker in Eric Tomlinson.
The biggest upside in this situation is the ability to give Dulcich time. This offense is expected to be an air-raid, not to mention that Russell Wilson regularly relies on tight ends for quick yards.
In the four weeks that Dulcich is on IR, he has time to better understand the playbook and prepare for a larger workload when he returns. Dulcich’s absence is also going to provide a larger workload to the tight ends previously mentioned. Therefore, the Broncos coaching staff is going to truly see how Okwuegbunam can hold in a starting tight end role.
Michael Ojemudia: Take the time to heal and let the Denver Broncos rookies shine
Since his rookie season, Michael Ojemudia has been one of the core depth pieces in the Broncos secondary.
However, with his absence for the first four weeks of the season, the other pieces around Ojemudia are going to have to step in and fill the void.
To begin, rookie corner Damarri Mathis is going to be getting an increased share of snaps. Head coach Nathaniel Hackett said he expects Mathis to be ready by the start of the season. He has been exceeding many’s expectations ever since being drafted in the fourth round. It appears that Mathis is going to be in a bigger role than previously thought.
The Broncos have signed veteran cornerback Darius Phillips for additional depth at the position while Ojemudia recovers.
When Ojemudia is ready to return to action, he will have his spot ready for him. For now, it’s time for the rookies and journeymen to get their chances.