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Broncos Place CB Bryce Callahan on Injured Reserve, Activate Tim Patrick
If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. That's the approach the Denver Broncos took with cornerback Bryce Callahan earlier this summer. Denver has had to admit defeat, though, announcing on Saturday that Callahan has been placed on injured reserve.
On the heels of signing the fifth-year veteran to a three-year, $21 million contract, the injury bug struck. Callahan had passed his physical with the Broncos, giving the team the greenlight to sign him.
But a freak incident during a training camp scrimmage altered what was shaping up to be a sure-fire free-agent pickup. The surgically repaired left foot that ended Callahan's 2018 season three games prematurely was stepped on by a teammate in late July, throwing a wet blanket on the Broncos' defensive plans and halting the momentum the corner had built up through OTAs and the early stages of camp.
Instead of placing Callahan on IR to open the season, the Broncos kept him on the 53-man roster, holding out hope that he'd be good to go toward the end of the first quarter of the season. Unfortunately, his foot failed to progress, prompting a last-ditch effort to have him undergo a procedure that the team hoped would "promote healing".
It didn't work and after practicing for the first time this past Tuesday, the Broncos are pulling the plug on Callahan's 2019 season, as head coach Vic Fangio revealed on Friday.
"We’ll put Callahan down on I.R.," Fangio said.
Fangio shed some light on what went sideways in Callahan's recovery and why the procedure he underwent didn't take.
“Part of his operation, which is routine, they put a screw in there to promote healing and the screw got bent," Fangio said. "It caused him a lot of discomfort and pain. Some guys have been able play through with that based upon the level of discomfort and pain. His level was too high for him to play through that. Basically, the screw got bent. I don’t know what having a screw bent in your foot feels like it.”
I can't imagine it feels good. In fact, it's probably excruciating, especially if Callahan goes out and tries to run and cut on it.
The Broncos thought they had the cornerback position figured out in 2019, with Callahan lining up opposite of Chris Harris, Jr. and Isaac Yiadom expected to take a quantum leap forward in year two. The injury bug compromised Callahan's season, while Yiadom's lack of fit in Fangio's scheme officially put the kybosh on Denver's vision for the secondary.
Fortunately, two young players have emerged to carve out significant roles on defense, and in a big way, bail out the Broncos. Davontae Harris and Duke Dawson, Jr. have been football godsends and credit should go to Fangio, defensive coordinator Ed Donatell and DBs Coach Renaldo Hill for their emergence.
This coaching staff has thus far shown that it knows how to develop young talent. Harris and Dawson were claimed off waivers on the doorstep of the regular-season opener and have become starters in the wake of the injury bug's devastation.
For Callahan, the best thing at this stage is to shut it all down and completely focus on recovery. If that screw in his foot is bent, it'll likely require another procedure to correct.
Hopefully, by the time the Broncos reconvene for OTAs next spring, Callahan will be recovered and able to contribute the way the team hoped. Whether or not he'll be able to play opposite of his undrafted hero, Chris Harris, Jr., remains to be seen.
Taking Callahan's place on the 53-man roster is wideout Tim Patrick, who's spent the last eight games on IR after breaking his hand in the season-opener.
Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen and @MileHighHuddle.
