To say the Denver Broncos have been plagued by injuries at the wide receiver position in 2022 would be the understatement of the entire year. The team’s top five overall receivers have been injured at one point or another and then some beyond that, and we’ve obviously seen Russell Wilson and the passing game struggle as a result.
Before we get into the player the Broncos just added at the position — an old friend of Russell Wilson’s from their time in Seattle — let’s just quickly take a gander at the issues the Broncos have faced injury-wise at the wide receiver position this season.
- Courtland Sutton: Hamstring
- Jerry Jeudy: Ankle
- KJ Hamler: Knee/Hamstring
- Tim Patrick: ACL
- Kendall Hinton: Hamstring
- Tyrie Cleveland: Eye
- Brandon Johnson: High-ankle sprain
It’s pretty incredible, actually. And not in a good way.
As a result of all of this, here with just four games left in the season, the Broncos are — for the moment — abandoning the “next man up” mentality at the position and adding someone from the outside. To be more specific, they are poaching Freddie Swain off of the Miami Dolphins practice squad. Swain was a sixth-round pick by the Seattle Seahawks in the 2020 NFL Draft when his teammate — Tyrie Cleveland — was selected in round seven by the Broncos.
Per source, Broncos are signing WR Freddie Swain off Dolphins’ practice squad. Played with Russell Wilson in Seattle previous two years. Had 38 catches, 502 yards, 6 TDs. Sutton and Hinton both have hamstring injuries. #9sports
— Mike Klis (@mikeklis) December 13, 2022
Swain had six touchdowns in his first two NFL seasons, four in the 2021 season with Russell Wilson and the Seahawks. He’s got some really good explosiveness and long speed, but most importantly, he has chemistry with QB1.
Russell Wilson to Freddie Swain for a 68-yard score! #Seahawks
— NFL (@NFL) September 19, 2021
📺: #TENvsSEA on CBS
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/2oEt7cAJty
Although it’s important not to read too much into a move that was made with just four games and four weeks left in the 2022 season, the fact that the Broncos went out and got someone that Russell Wilson has already worked with quite a bit in the last few years could speak to the fact that Wilson will be playing again sooner rather than later.
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Keep in mind, Wilson suffered a concussion and is in the NFL’s concussion protocol this week. It’s probably optimistic to expect him to play against the Cardinals but at the same time, a move like this makes you wonder if he’ll be playing sooner rather than later.