Denver Broncos will get a pass rush boost ahead of crucial Week 7 game
The Denver Broncos are dealing with a bit of injuries, but they will be getting at least one player back off of injured reserve ahead of their Week 7 game. Broncos' EDGE rusher Baron Browning went on injured reserve after the team's Week 2 loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Well, after four weeks on IR, he's back and healthy. He'll be activated for the team's Week 7 game against the New Orleans Saints:
The #Broncos plan to activate and play pass rusher Baron Browning tonight vs. #Saints, per source.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) October 17, 2024
Browning went on Injured Reserve after Week 2 but returned to practice this week, now gives Denver an extra rusher.
Broncos getting a pass rush boost ahead of Week 7
Baron Browning really hasn't been able to stay super healthy across his NFL career. Including this season, he'll have never played more than 14 games in a season and will hit the free agency market in 2025. Frankly, unless Browning does something here the rest of the season, I don't see the Broncos bringing him back.
They did take third-rounder Jonah Elliss in the 2024 NFL Draft, and frankly, Elliss is probably better than Browning, but we've seen he 2021 NFL Draft show some promise here and there. He'll suit up for Denver's Week 7 game. Across the previous two games he played in 2024, he racked up five total tackles and one tackle for loss in 58 defensive snaps.
This did pave the way for guys like Jonah Elliss and Nik Bonitto to get more snaps. Elliss has 1.5 sacks, three tackles for loss, and two QB hits through six games. Bonitto has four sacks, four tackles for loss, and seven QB hits in six games.
With Vance Joseph being a defensive coordinator who loves to bring the blitz, it's expected that Browning may be deployed in some pass-rush situations on third down and second and long. I'd be a bit shocked if Baron Browning started the game or played significant snaps, but I guess you never know.
The Denver Broncos will be without guys like Patrick Surtain II, Josh Reynolds, and Luke Wattenberg for this game, so they aren't quite out of the woods, and the team could end up activating starting right tackle Mike McGlinchey for Week 7 as well.
The Broncos will have 10 days off between Week 7 and Week 8 when they return home to face the Carolina Panthers, so that could be enough time for CB Patrick Surtain II to clear the NFL's concussion protocol.
All in all, Denver really hasn't been decimated by injuries. They are losing players here and there, but are also seeing the return of others.