The Broncos had to wait to get prized rookie running back Knowshon Moreno on the practice field in training camp, and now they will have to wait a bit more to see him in another preseason game.
Moreno suffered a sprained left knee Friday night in the Broncos’ 17-16 loss to the 49ers in San Francisco and is expected to miss one to two weeks. That would put his return near the Broncos’ third preseason game — Aug. 30 at home against the Chicago Bears — if things go well, but he may see significant action again only in the preseason finale Sept. 3 at home against the Arizona Cardinals.
Moreno is said to have injured the medial collateral ligament in his left knee. He came up limping after the second of his three carries Friday — he carried the ball on three consecutive plays during the Broncos’ first drive of the second quarter — but tried to stay in the game.
He briefly tried to loosen up the knee by walking back and forth in the Broncos’ bench area, but was taken to the locker room well before halftime and did not return.
“I know he said he was dinged, but he said he was fine,” Broncos coach Josh McDaniels said after the game. “We checked him out and kept going with him.”
Moreno, who was not available for comment in the locker room after the game, had an MRI on Saturday.
The first-round draft pick missed eight days of training camp in a contract impasse. He signed his deal and practiced for the first time last Sunday, and the Broncos had hoped to steadily give him more work through their four preseason games.
