Broncos linebacker will miss 'extended period' after suffering foot injury

USA Today

5 hours ago

Denver Broncos inside linebacker Drew Sanders has been hit by the injury bug once again.
Sanders, who was carted off the practice field on Saturday, is set to miss an "extended period" of time after suffering a tendon injury in his foot, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport first reported Sunday. He is not expected to return before the Broncos kick off the regular season against the Tennessee Titans on Sept. 7.
In a follow-up report, the Denver Post's Parker Gabriel noted that the Broncos and Sanders will decide on potential surgery in the coming days. Whether or not Sanders undergoes surgery will play a role in his exact recovery time.
Denver coach Sean Payton said he was waiting for the results of an MRI when asked about Sanders following Saturday's practice. Rapoport later broke the news of the tendon injury following the MRI results on Sunday.
Sanders (6-5, 233 pounds) was picked by the Broncos in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft after a breakout season at Arkansas. He dressed for all 17 games as a rookie, including four fill-in starts, and recorded 24 tackles. Sanders then injured his Achilles tendon during the 2024 offseason, an injury that sidelined him for most of last season.
Sanders returned late last fall and dressed for four games, totaling eight tackles and one sack on 18 snaps. He has shown flashes of potential when healthy, but his latest injury is yet another setback after a discouraging 2024 campaign.
This story will be updated.