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All three of the Denver Broncos' biggest free agent signings this spring are joining the team with some level of injury concerns.
New safety Talanoa Hufanga missed 17 games over the last two seasons with ACL and wrist injuries. He will reunite with linebacker Dre Greenlaw, who missed 14 games in 2021 (groin) and 15 games in 2024 (Achilles recovery). On offense, new tight end Evan Engram missed eight games last season while battling hamstring and labrum injuries.
All three players are healthy now, but the Broncos are taking a risk with each signing. Denver coach Sean Payton pointed to Beau Lowery and the team's medical staff as factors that contributed to signing players with injury histories.
“A lot of it had to do with how we handle the offseason and how we handle training camp," Payton said at the NFL's Annual League Meeting on March 31. "Quite honestly, there were a couple of them that maybe we would’ve had a much more difficult time signing had there not been a prior injury.
"We felt with those guys, there is always that risk evaluation that is measured and we felt pretty good about it. We feel like in our program, we will be smart enough to understand their workload and all the things to try to get them healthy to the field. There is always some risk to that.”
Broncos general manager George Paton indicated all three players will be ready for the team's offseason program, which is set to begin on April 21.
“We do extensive physicals on everyone we bring in," Paton said. "They’re no different. They all passed their physicals, so they’ll be 100 percent as we get into the offseason program. We have a great medical team, and we rely on them. We feel good.”
If Hufanga, Greenlaw and Engram stay healthy, Denver will be in great shape. Now it's up to the team's training staff to help the trio stay on the field.
These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans
This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Denver Broncos: Sean Payton comments on plan for oft-injured players
Continue reading...
New safety Talanoa Hufanga missed 17 games over the last two seasons with ACL and wrist injuries. He will reunite with linebacker Dre Greenlaw, who missed 14 games in 2021 (groin) and 15 games in 2024 (Achilles recovery). On offense, new tight end Evan Engram missed eight games last season while battling hamstring and labrum injuries.
All three players are healthy now, but the Broncos are taking a risk with each signing. Denver coach Sean Payton pointed to Beau Lowery and the team's medical staff as factors that contributed to signing players with injury histories.
“A lot of it had to do with how we handle the offseason and how we handle training camp," Payton said at the NFL's Annual League Meeting on March 31. "Quite honestly, there were a couple of them that maybe we would’ve had a much more difficult time signing had there not been a prior injury.
"We felt with those guys, there is always that risk evaluation that is measured and we felt pretty good about it. We feel like in our program, we will be smart enough to understand their workload and all the things to try to get them healthy to the field. There is always some risk to that.”
Broncos general manager George Paton indicated all three players will be ready for the team's offseason program, which is set to begin on April 21.
“We do extensive physicals on everyone we bring in," Paton said. "They’re no different. They all passed their physicals, so they’ll be 100 percent as we get into the offseason program. We have a great medical team, and we rely on them. We feel good.”
If Hufanga, Greenlaw and Engram stay healthy, Denver will be in great shape. Now it's up to the team's training staff to help the trio stay on the field.
These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans
This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Denver Broncos: Sean Payton comments on plan for oft-injured players
Continue reading...
