The Broncos are finally biting the bullet with Dre Greenlaw.
After a lengthy rehab from a quad tear this offseason and subsequent flare-up in training camp, the organization place Greenlaw on short-term injured reserve Saturday afternoon. The designation means the inside linebacker will miss a minimum of four games.
The Broncos signed Greenlaw to a three-year, $31.5 million deal this offseason with $11.5 million fully guaranteed, a bet on his return to health after he played just two games in 2024. Thus far, though, Denver’s come up empty on its investment, with Greenlaw now guaranteed to miss the team’s first six games of the season, at minimum.
After entering free agency fully healthy coming off an Achilles tear in February’s Super Bowl, Greenlaw tore his quad in the offseason — setting in motion an arduous recovery that’ll continue with his stint on injured reserve. After making his debut in pads in July, Greenlaw had a flare-up of his quad on a linebacker coverage drill. He’s taken precious few reps since, and hasn’t completed a full practice with the Broncos since training camp.
Optimism peaked after Greenlaw was a limited participant in the Broncos’ Friday practice two days before a Week 2 matchup with the Colts. Payton even said, “You’re going to see him sooner than later” that week.
But Greenlaw was again relegated to the side field for three straight days in this week’s ramp-up to an AFC West matchup with the Chargers.
“We felt like, he’s kinda on our schedule,” Payton said Wednesday. “And look — we spent time on it, because it’s a little nebulous, relative to the injury. And that’s all I’ll say.”
The Broncos’ decision to not place Greenlaw on injured reserve at the start of the year indicated a belief that the inside linebacker would be available by the Broncos’ Week 4 contest with the Cincinnati Bengals. But a source with knowledge of the situation told The Denver Post that Greenlaw had a “small” setback in his recovery this week.
The organization has taken a long-term approach to Greenlaw’s recovery, preferring him healthy for the season’s stretch run rather than its opening weeks. His next chance to make his debut is now Week 7 against the New York Giants.
Starting inside linebackers Justin Strnad and Alex Singleton struggled heavily in coverage in Week 2 against the Indianapolis Colts, the exact skill Greenlaw was brought in to provide. Denver’s other primary options at linebacker are rookie Karene Reid and second-year practice-squad member Levelle Bailey, with no easy answers to personnel issues.
Practice-squad elevations: With Greenlaw’s continued absence, the Broncos are bringing up inside linebacker Garret Wallow from the practice squad for the second straight week. Denver’s also calling up fullback Adam Prentice again for Sunday’s game against the Chargers, despite the potential return of tight end/fullback Nate Adkins.
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