With the loss to second-year linebacker Drew Sanders, the Denver Broncos lost an important member of their defense.
On May 20, Mike Klis of 9NEWS Denver reported that Sanders suffered an Achilles tear while participating in the Broncos offseason program. Although the Denver defense was taken aback, there are several intriguing alternatives.
Veteran LB Kwon Alexander was identified by Travis Wakeman of The Sporting News as a guy who “still has something to offer.”
Kwon Alexander has shown himself to be a good fit in Denver on multiple occasions, but the organization has never chosen to go after him. In his May 25 piece, Wakeman stated, “A 2015 fourth-round selection, he has played for five NFL teams, including the Pittsburgh Steelers last season.”
Alexander had an Achilles tear in November of last year, just like Sanders. For that reason alone, he is still available. If he is fully healed from that, he ought to be at the top of the list for teams in need of assistance.
Despite approaching thirty, Alexander has had a successful nine-year NFL career. With 108 solo tackles in 2016, the LSU product led the league and was selected to his only Pro Bowl that year.
Alexander is related to Sean Payton because he was the coach of the New Orleans Saints from 2020 to 21.
There’s a Potential Drew Sanders Comeback in 2024
Even though Sanders is expected to miss the majority of his sophomore campaign, he could return before the regular season is out. Payton presented the concept to journalists during a previous press conference.
“A simple, like all of them, a little bit of a jump,” Payton told reporters in the area on May 23. “The procedure was finished. Luckily, the schedule allowed us to bring him back early enough. It’s fantastic news that the operation was finished—I’m not sure if it was finished in October. It was cleansed. The injury wasn’t complicated at all; it was just something strange.
While an October comeback is a lofty goal, it’s not completely out of the question. Sanders may profit from changes to the NFL’s injured reserve policy made this offseason.
Before the roster is reduced to 53 players in 2024, teams will be able to place two players on injured reserve (IR) with the possibility of adding them to the active roster at a later date. Sanders might be back on the field earlier than anticipated if his health improves by the middle of the season.
Last season, the 2023 third-round pick participated in all 17 games, starting four of them. In all, he recorded 24 tackles and one fumble recovery.
The 2023 Broncos breakout star was named the “Most Underrated Player.”
The defense will be well-managed whether or not Sanders returns from injury for the Broncos. Jonathan Cooper, a linebacker, became a star in 2023, and there’s good reason to think that his career trajectory will continue to rise.
Prior to the 2024 season, Cooper was dubbed Denver’s “most underrated player” by USA Today writer Doug Farrar.
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