Yet another injury will force Broncos to make a tough decision
Has any team in the league been hit harder by the injury bug so far in 2023 than the Denver Broncos? The team can't seem to buy a break in that department.
The team will be without another key player, at least for the first portion of the season, as it was reported on Monday that defensive back K'Waun Williams is going to have surgery on his ankle
This is a key loss for the Broncos as Williams is the team's top slot corner. The estimation is that he will be sidelined for around 6-8 weeks, which complicates matters as the team is in the process of putting together its 53-man roster.
So the team is going to be left with a difficult decision.
The Broncos will have to decide if they want to have Williams on the 53-man roster, then move him to injured reserve, where he would have to sit out at least the first four games of the season. However, rookie cornerback Riley Moss, who missed the entire preseason as he recovers from sports hernia surgery, is in the same boat.
The Broncos could also decide to put Williams (or Moss) on injured reserve now, meaning that they would not count against the 53-man roster but would be shut down for the entire season. That is a difficult decision, particularly when you consider the depth at the position.
Essang Bassey is the first name to come up as he is coming off of a red-hot preseason in which he had an interception in all three games. Ja'Quan McMillian is another player who has stepped up this offseason and is close to a lock to make the team. Both of those players were undrafted, but they are guys the Broncos are going to have to rely on.
Six-year veteran Fabian Moreau is also on the roster and will be a player the team considers keeping, particularly if either Williams or Moss is placed on season-ending injured reserve.
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With all of that being said, the Broncos will also likely scour the waiver wire when forming their roster for cornerbacks that could be a good fit. One name that is interesting and is already available after being cut by the Houston Texans is Desmond King.
The Broncos will head into Week 1 against the Las Vegas Raiders without Jerry Jeudy, Tim Patrick, Baron Browning and K'Waun Williams. All four of those players are starters for the team.