The Denver Broncos have only held a handful of training camp practices and it seems like the team is having a player going down in each one of them. And when they have gone down, it hasn't been for something minor.
For a team that has already lost Tim Patrick for the season, Eyioma Uwazurike to an indefinite suspension and third-round pick Riley Moss for at least a month, the Broncos added linebacker Jonas Griffith to that group on Thursday.
Griffith will miss the entire season after tearing his ACL, leaving a big opening at an inside linebacker group that was already a bit thin.
Griffith was entering his third year with the Broncos after being acquired via trade just ahead of the 2021 season. He dealt with injuries that cut his season short last year and now he will miss this season. The immediate question becomes, who is going to step up?
The first player that comes to mind is going to be third-round pick Drew Sanders. The linebacker out of Arkansas is likely a future starter for this defense, but he may get put on a faster track as a rookie.
Sanders offers the kind of upside as a pass-rusher that starters Alex Singleton and Josey Jewell don't have, but the team may not be able to ease him onto the field behind a guy such as Griffith as initial plans may have called for.
Justin Strnad, Seth Benson have a chance to step up
Taking a look back at my pre-training camp 53-man roster, both Seth Benson and Justin Strnad were not on the team. But now without Griffin, both have a solid chance to end up on the roster as a backup linebacker and key special teams contributor.
Strnad has been a disappointment for the Broncos since being drafted in the fifth round in 2020. He has dealt with injuries himself and has just 41 career tackles.
Benson is a player I think has a great chance to make this team now due to his ability to chip in on special teams. Undrafted out of Iowa, he has the kind of motor and leadership skills that could fit this team perfectly.
He is the player I would really be watching following this unfortunate injury to Griffith.
The Broncos can ill-afford anymore injuries as the team has yet to even play a preseason game. To replace Griffith's spot on the roster, the Broncos have signed linebacker Austin Ajiake.
Ajiake went undrafted after playing at UNLV in college. He agreed to terms with the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent following this year's draft, but never signed with the team. He was then selected by the Houston Roughnecks in the most recent XFL draft, but will first try to catch on with the Broncos.