Broncos' CB Bryce Callahan undergoes procedure on foot, will miss 'at least' next 4-6 weeks
Just when fans began to hope against hope that after missing the first three games of the season, cornerback transplant Bryce Callahan would soon be ready to go for the Denver Broncos, a new development has crushed them.
Unfortunately, as we learned on Wednesday, Callahan is nowhere close to a return to the field and as first reported by Mike Klis, he underwent a surgical procedure. It's expected to cost Callahan at least four more weeks.
"He met with the doctors that did the surgery over the weekend and underwent a procedure today and he's going to be out at least 4-6 more weeks," head coach Vic Fangio confirmed from the podium on Wednesday.
The exact nature of Callahan's foot injury is unknown. The Broncos are being very hush-hush about it, except to say that it's the same foot Callahan injured late last season in Chicago that saw him finish the year on IR.
The Broncos thought he was past the foot injury when they gave him a three-year, $21M contract this past March. But it's football. You never know when or how an injury could pop up.
What we do know is that Callahan was fine and in fact was playing like his hair was on fire during OTAs and the initial stage of training camp. But when the Broncos held their scrimmage practice at the stadium in late July, Callahan got his foot stepped on and he's basically been sidelined since then.
"No, he's not dealing with a Lisfranc," Fangio said. "I don't know exactly what he's dealing with but I know it's not Lisfranc. He's still having complications from the injury he had last year and the surgery he had after the injury."
The procedure Callahan underwent on Wednesday, after consulting with doctors over the weekend, is not a full-blown 'operation' but Coach Fangio said the procedure is designed to "promote healing".
Placing Callahan on injured reserve was considered to start the season but the Broncos ultimately chose not to because the team believed he'd only miss a couple of games. He's been practicing the past two weeks as a limited participant. But the foot hasn't improved.
IR remains an option for the Broncos but if the team goes that direction, Callahan will have to miss the ensuing eight weeks. So, all in, at best, Callahan would be available for only five games this year — if everything goes according to plan with his recovery.
I doubt you'll see the Broncos place Callahan on IR because to do so would basically mean writing him off this year and the team can only bring back two players off IR all year. Drew Lock, Tim Patrick, Theo Riddick and Jake Butt are already on IR and at the rate this team is going, if the Broncos don't find a way to get Lock back onto the roster at the mid-way point of the season, it'll be a dereliction of duty.
Meanwhile, the Broncos have battled through these first three games without Callahan with Chris Harris, Jr. leading the way. The team will continue to lean on Isaac Yiadom and De'Vante Bausby in the coming weeks.
Bausby had a big game in Week 3 vs. the Green Bay Packers — his first real action of the year on defense. He broke up two Aaron Rodgers passes on third down and brought a predatory element to the Broncos' passing defense that had been missing.
The Callahan injury has affected the vision Fangio had for this defense, the head coach admitted on Wednesday. Kareem Jackson, whom the team played at strong safety for the entire duration of the offseason and training camp, has suddenly been tasked with playing the nickel cornerback position, instead of Chris Harris, Jr., who was the original plan for that spot.
In the wake of Callahan's absence, the Broncos have moved Harris pretty strictly to outside cornerback, with Jackson in the slot and Isaac Yiadom or De'Vante Bausby at the other cornerback spot. It's less than ideal, especially considering the money Denver paid Callahan but it's giving the two young corners more live-bullet experience, which is crucial for their development.
Regarding the injured Derek Wolfe (ankle) and Josey Jewell (hamstring), Coach Fangio said on Wednesday that both have a chance to play this week at home vs. the 1-2 Jacksonville Jaguars.
Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen and @MileHighHuddle.
