According to Mike Klis of 9NEWS Denver, the Denver Broncos hope that both cornerback Pat Surtain II and wide receiver Pat Bryant have avoided season-ending injuries. He added that both still need to undergo MRIs, but the belief is that both players will return to the team at some point this season.
The positive update about Surtain II dropped earlier this evening, but Klis gave a late positive update about Bryant. Unlike Surtain II, who was able to get off the field, albeit cautiously, Bryant was sent off, and it didn’t look good. It seems the Broncos are in danger of losing both Surtain and Bryant for the season, which would obviously be a huge blow to their lofty Super Bowl goals. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case, and both are expected to return at some point this season.
Bryant will undergo an MRI tomorrow to determine the severity of his injury, but it appears he will miss time regardless. This would be a huge blow to an underperforming Denver Broncos offense. He has been one of their more reliable pass catchers this season while also helping out as a run blocker. The Broncos will need Troy Franklin, Marvin Mims, and likely Lil’Jordan Humphrey to step up in his absence.
It also puts more pressure on Jaylen Waddle, Courtland Sutton, Evan Engram, and the Broncos’ running game to step up their game. Waddle has had a surprisingly slow start to his Broncos career, Sutton and Engram have barely contributed, and the run game has been virtually non-existent this season. Bryant has been one of the few bright spots, but now he will likely be out for at least a few games.
As with Surtain II, the Broncos are fortunate that this does not appear to be a season-ending injury for Bryant. Replays are poor and any time a playmaker is taken off the field, you fear the worst. Hopefully, Bryant doesn’t miss much time and gets back on the field sooner rather than later for the Denver Broncos.