Jaylen Waddle is back on the field for the Denver Broncos, and that alone is reason for relief. After leaving training camp on August 5 because of “muscle tightness,” Waddle has returned to practice, giving the Broncos a much-needed positive update at a time when soft tissue injuries have been a recurring issue.
But the team knows this can’t turn into another Dre Greenlaw situation.
That’s the real warning sign here. The Broncos brought in Waddle with the same kind of thinking they had when they added Greenlaw: the hope that he would be the missing piece.
Greenlaw was supposed to help the defense last year. Waddle is supposed to boost the offense now.
The difference is that Greenlaw never fully got the chance to become that player in Denver.
His season never really settled in. Greenlaw was limited to 10 total games, including eight in the regular season and two in the playoffs, before the Broncos moved on after the year. That’s the nightmare scenario the team has to keep from repeating with Waddle.
Sean Payton has already been sounding the alarm on the injury front. He recently said the Broncos need to get a grip on the soft tissue problems showing up in camp.
“We have to get a handle on some of the soft tissues. We’ve had a couple either strains, hamstring or groins. We continue to fight through that.”
- Sean Payton (via Broncos PR on August 10)
That came on the same day JK Dobbins left practice injured, and it was also a day when the Broncos stretched both before and after practice. Payton said the extra post-practice stretching was a direct response to the soft tissue injuries piling up, which tells you the staff is taking the issue seriously.
The Broncos have generally done well keeping players available, at least compared with the rest of the league, but injuries have still shaped the story of this team. Dobbins was lost last season and the running game fell apart.
Bo Nix was injured at the end of the AFC Divisional Round win. And Greenlaw’s situation was rough from the beginning.
Greenlaw injured his quad while working out in the offseason, then came back during training camp and aggravated it, which cost him time at the start of the season. Even when he did get back, the impact wasn’t smooth.
He was still splitting time with Justin Strnad, and that had less to do with his body than with his grasp of the defense. At his exit interview after the season, Greenlaw even said learning the scheme was like seeing Spanish.
That’s why missed practice time matters so much. It doesn’t just affect conditioning.
It can slow down a player’s comfort, timing, and understanding of the system. With Waddle back only 12 days after leaving because of injury, the Broncos have a good sign in front of them - but they also know how quickly that can go sideways if he misses more time early in the regular season.
And that early stretch is no joke. Denver opens with a six-game gauntlet, which makes every rep between now and Week 1 count even more.
Waddle’s return also sets up an interesting week ahead. The big question now is whether he’ll play in Friday’s preseason game against the Packers.
If he practices fully all week, there’s at least a chance. If that happens, Waddle’s debut could line up with Bo Nix’s preseason debut too.
In Other News...
Broncos Linebacker Battle Is Starting To Reveal A Clear New Pecking Order
The Broncos have already settled the top of their linebacker depth chart by bringing back Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad, but the rest of the room is still sorting itself out. With the starters in place, training camp has turned into a battle for the final roster spots, and that has given the younger linebackers a real chance to make their case as the team continues to evaluate depth behind the veterans.
Injuries have only sharpened the competition, with the group taking a hit that opened the door a little wider for the remaining contenders. Karene Reid and Red Murdock helped themselves in the preseason opener and now appear to be gaining ground over other challengers such as Nate Turner and Taurean York, making the next few evaluations especially important for a position still looking for its last answers. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos First Preseason Look Raised A Big Saivion Jones Question
The Broncos first preseason game offered an early look at how they plan to sort through the defensive line after John Franklin-Myers departure, and it was not as simple as handing the job to the rookie who seemed to fit best on paper. Saivion Jones, drafted with the idea that he could eventually grow into that role, worked 24 snaps and logged one pressure on 14 pass-rush snaps, but the initial rotation suggested Denver is still mixing and matching up front.
Vance Joseph appears to be adjusting the pieces rather than treating Jones as the automatic answer, which leaves the rookie with a clear opportunity but no guarantee of a fast track. The Broncos leaned on a broader group to absorb Franklin-Myers workload, and where Jones settles in that pecking order will be one of the quieter but more important camp questions to watch as the preseason unfolds. [Read more 🡒]