SEATTLE — The trick to making it to the season opener was to have two surgeries.
Randy Gregory had offseason surgeries to his shoulder and knee. The outside linebacker started for the Broncos in their season-opener here Monday night against the Seattle Seahawks. KJ Hamler is coming off surgeries to his knee and hip. The speedy third-year receiver also made it back in time to play in the opener.
Billy Turner wasn’t as fortunate. The right tackle is coming off knee surgery – albeit after playing in the postseason five weeks after damaging the knee last season – and seemed to be on pace to play in the opener until last week, when it was decided to give him more time. Veteran Cam Fleming started at right tackle for the Broncos while Calvin Anderson, who ran with the No. 1 offense at right tackle throughout training camp, was the top backup to both Garett Bolles at left tackle and Fleming at right.
Inside linebacker Josey Jewell, who underwent season-ending surgery to repair a torn pec last year, also missed the opener because of a strained calf. Alex Singleton, a veteran who has bounced around but was a starter the previous two seasons in Philadelphia, replaced Jewell in the starting lineup.
Gregory was the Broncos’ top free-agent signing this offseason as the former Dallas Cowboy signed for five years and $70 million in March with the first two years and $28 million guaranteed.
Inactives
The Broncos didn’t dress five players – Jewell and Turner, plus rookie receiver Jalen Virgil, safety Delarrin Turner-Yell and defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike.
The Broncos dressed eight offensive linemen, including veteran Graham Glasgow and rookie Luke Wattenberg who were backups to starting guards Dalton Risner and Quinn Meinerz and center Lloyd Cushenberry III.
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