Russell Wilson and Denver Broncos suffer blow with cruel preseason injury

31 July 2023 , 19:56

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Tim Patrick was carted off during Denver Broncos practice on Monday (Image: AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

The Denver Broncos fear one of their star players has suffered a serious injury after Tim Patrick was carted off during a practice session on Monday

Patrick was carted off during training camp after suffering what appeared to be a leg injury. It remains to be seen the true severity of the injury.

According to , Broncos head coach Sean Payton told reporters that the team fears that Patrick has suffered an Achilles injury. The wide receiver will undergo further medical assessment before an official diagnosis will be made.

There is increased fear around Patrick’s potential injury after he spent all of the 2022 NFL regular season on the sidelines. The wide receiver sustained an ACL injury during a non-contact drill in August last year.

Now there are fears that Patrick, who was expected to be the No. 1 receiver for the Broncos going into 2023, may have suffered another serious injury. It has been reported that Patrick was taking part in a 7-on-7 drill with full pads for the first time this summer.

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However, Patrick is said to have had his left leg buckle as he pushed off to run a route. The 29-year-old reportedly yelled out in pain after the incident, with Payton, quarterback Russell Wilson and fellow receiver Courtland Sutton among the first people to rush over to his aid.

The Broncos are yet to announce a full diagnosis but there are fears within the organisation that the wide receiver could be set for another lengthy spell for the franchise.

Denver Broncos star Tim Patrick has only recently recovered from an ACL injury (Andy Cross/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

Were Patrick to be sidelined for any length of time, it would be a major blow to the team’s season. The Broncos are heading into the 2023 regular season with Payton in his first year as the organisation’s head coach.

In 2022, the Broncos finished 5-12 at the bottom of the AFC West, and in doing so failed to reach the playoffs. After the appointment of Payton, combined with Russell entering his second season, there was renewed optimism that the team could reach and challenge in the postseason.

Payton still has several other wide receivers at his disposal, but the loss of Patrick would be a significant blow to his preparations. The Broncos also have Jerry Jeudy, Brandon Johnson, Marquez Callaway, Lil’Jordan Humphrey, as well as Sutton on their roster - although, Patrick was expected to be a starter going into the new season.

Mark Wakefield