Baron Browning’s breakout season is temporarily on hold.
The outside linebacker suffered a hip injury in Sunday’s loss to the New York Jets that is going to cause him to miss multiple games, head coach Nathaniel Hackett said Monday.
Browning limped off the field after chasing New York quarterback Zach Wilson on a third-down incompletion during the second half of a 16-9 Broncos loss. A source told The Denver Post that Browning is likely to miss about three weeks, and it’s the latest blow to a Broncos pass-rush that has been without Randy Gregory since his Week 4 injury in Las Vegas.
Browning stepped into the starting lineup when Gregory was placed on short-term injured reserve. Browning has 2.5 sacks and has compiled four tackles for loss, seven quarterback hits and an interception over the past two games alone.
Gregory is eligible to return from injured reserve after Denver’s bye week. In the meantime, the Broncos will rely further on Jonathon Cooper and rookie Nik Bonitto opposite Bradley Chubb, who has 5.5 sacks and two forced fumbles this year.
Wilson’s status. Hackett said the Broncos will evaluate Russell Wilson’s hamstring injury more Wednesday in London, as the quarterback remains day-to-day with the injury heading into Week 8 against the Jaguars. The Week 7 loss to the Jets marked his first missed game with Denver and only the fourth missed start of his 11-year career.
“He’s trending in the right way, and we’ll see where it goes from there,” Hackett said.
Boone to short-term IR. Running back Mike Boone suffered a high-ankle sprain, sources confirmed to The Post. The Broncos announced Monday that they’re placing the running back on short-term injured reserve, meaning he’ll miss a minimum of four weeks. He would be eligible to return Week 12 at Carolina.
Boone carried four times for 23 yards against the Jets before the injury. The Broncos are replacing him by signing Marlon Mack off San Francisco’s practice squad. They will take Latavius Murray, Melvin Gordon, the newly added Mack and practice squad back Devine Ozigbo to London for Sunday’s game against Jacksonville.
Denver is also signing long snapper Mitchell Fraboni from the practice squad to its active roster.
Fleming out with quad issue. Hackett on Monday also confirmed that left Cam Fleming is going to miss a couple of weeks with a quadriceps injury. Fleming was injured in the fourth quarter Sunday. Hackett said Fleming and Boone are among the players who will not travel to London due to their injuries.
Fleming’s injury presents another opportunity for Calvin Anderson to start at left tackle opposite Billy Turner at right tackle. Anderson started Week 6 against the Chargers but got pulled after getting beat numerous times by Khalil Mack.
As the Broncos’ injuries continue to mount — Denver currently has six starters on injured reserve, plus several more important role players hurt — Hackett said his 2-5 team can’t make excuses.
“There’s no excuses for losing any football game — it doesn’t matter who’s out there, we have to play at a high caliber and we have to win,” Hackett said. “We have had a lot of injuries. That is facts and reality, both season-ending and a couple-week injuries here and there… But in the end, that’s part of the game. We still have to find a way to win.”
