The Denver Broncos have seemingly reached yet another fork in the road with 2023 3rd-round pick Drew Sanders, and there's only one path to take.
Sanders was on the field for the first two days of the team's acclimation period at training camp, but has since had two unexplained absences in a row. The former All-American out of Arkansas was not spotted at practices over the weekend, and Broncos head coach Sean Payton does not offer daily injury updates during training camp, because the league doesn't mandate that he do so.
With that said, players who are injured and working their way back into the fold typically will do work on the side field next to where practice is taking place, and Sanders is one of a couple of players who hasn't even been spotted on the side field.
With his history of injuries and missed time, the Broncos might have to finally make the decision to move on from Sanders and let him start fresh somewhere else.
Drew Sanders mysteriously missing from Denver Broncos training camp
With the way things go at training camp, Sanders could pop back out onto the field for the Broncos' next practice and be back like nothing ever happened. With the team ramping up to work in pads this week, players like Sanders really can't afford to miss much time at all.
The Broncos used a high 3rd-round pick on Sanders back in 2023, believing that he could be a pressure player from the off-ball linebacker position like he was at Arkansas in 2022. That vision has not come to fruition, and Sanders has instead been more of a "positionless" player without a home in Vance Joseph's defense, and an unfortunate streak of really awful injury luck.
A player without a true position missing so much time in his first three NFL seasons is detrimental to development.
The Broncos started Sanders off as an inside linebacker, then moved him to the edge rusher position, then back to inside linebacker, then back to the edge again. He's been effective in limited snaps when he's actually gotten on the field, but if Sanders is dealing with another significant injury, the Broncos simply need to wave the white flag.
Sometimes, things just don't work out in the NFL.
Right now, the option of keeping Sanders around is rather inconsequential. He can compete on the 90-man roster, but you want -- need -- to see him do exactly that: Compete.
The Broncos have one of the best groups of edge rushers in the NFL right now. Sanders is already starting camp on the outside of the 53-man roster looking in. A tremendous training camp as well as a strong preseason would go a long way toward making the Broncos' decision on Sanders a lot tougher, but he's got to be on the field.
Although he was once a 3rd-round pick, the Broncos want guys on the field competing during camp, and even with a 90-player roster right now, they can't afford to have one guy taking up a spot without adding to the on-field competition.
If Sanders can't get back on the field soon, the Broncos may need to move forward without him.
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