ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Injuries to the Broncos roster in the early portion of what is shaping up to be a horrendous 2020 have been indiscriminate.
They have stricken new players or players who have been around a while, players on offense and defense, players with huge salaries or small.
Mostly, the significant injuries have struck the Broncos’ best players.
The most recent devastating setback was to veteran defensive lineman Jurrell Casey, who suffered a season-ending biceps tear during the Broncos' 28-10 loss to Tampa Bay on Sunday, Denver head coach Vic Fangio confirmed during his day-after-game press conference Monday.
Casey had suffered a bruised elbow in the Broncos’ previous game at Pittsburgh, then suffered what was later determined to be a torn biceps injury early in the game Sunday against Tampa Bay. The symptoms apparently didn’t appear until later and Casey was able to play in 48 of 68 defensive snaps, or 71 percent, tops among all defensive linemen. He had played in 78 percent and 70 percent of Denver’s defensive snaps in two previous games.
"I was watching the tape last night, I saw the play where it happened,'' Fangio said Monday. "He reached for his hand and his arm. I believe that was the play. It was some point in the second half, I believe.
"With a lot of injuries it didn't seem as bad as it ended up being. Guys are able to finish. A la, Bradley Chubb last year. He finished the game when he tore his ACL."
Torn biceps often require surgery to repair.
The Broncos acquired Casey from the Tennessee Titans in March in exchange for a 7th-round draft pick. Casey, 30, had earned five consecutive Pro Bowl appearances with the Titans prior to this first, abbreviated season with the Broncos. He is making $11.788 million this season. He has two more years worth $26.1 million left on his contract although because it’s non-guaranteed he is unlikely to see that money.
Casey joins star edge rusher Von Miller, No. 1 receiver Courtland Sutton, quarterback Drew Lock, running back Phillip Lindsay, cornerback A.J. Bouye and defensive linemen Dre’Mont Jones and DeMarcus Walker as Broncos players who have missed multiple games because of injuries.
The Broncos called up veteran DeShawn Williams from their practice squad and activated third-round rookie McTelvin Agim for the first time this season to help with the defensive line rotation against the Bucs. They also signed former Eaglecrest High School and Colorado State-Pueblo product Deyon Sizer to their practice squad.
"Injuries are part of the NFL,'' Fangio said. "We've just got to keep moving on. The next guy up will have have to go in there and play good. The rest of the team will have to play good around everybody else. We'll find the guys who are going to go out there -- I'm confident that they'll play hard and give us every effort they have.''
Casey had 14 tackles but had not yet registered a sack in his three games with the Broncos.
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