Extent of Russell Wilson's Injury Revealed by Concerning Report
Russell Wilson's performance in the Denver Broncos' Week 5 loss to the Indianapolis Colts was so bad, it defied explanation. Based on what we know of Wilson and his storied resume, it was an inexplicable performance.
That was before we knew the extent of the shoulder injury he sustained during the Broncos' Week 4 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. ESPN insider Adam Schefter reported on Saturday that Wilson actually has a torn lat in his throwing shoulder.
Per the report, the injury was suffered during the second quarter vs. the Raiders. The Broncos knew the extent of Wilson's injury in the "days leading up to the Colts game."
Where does that leave the outlook of the Broncos' $245 million quarterback?
Wilson is not expected to need surgery on the shoulder, per sources. He is expected to be ready to play in the Broncos' next game a week from Monday night in Los Angeles against the Chargers, even though he is not expected to be 100%. Doctors believe the injury could linger for multiple weeks, sources said.
Hopefully, these 10 days off between the Colts and Chargers will afford Wilson's shoulder the R and R it needs to improve. Schefter reports that it'll take weeks to fully heal, but that's if it isn't further aggravated.
News flash: throwing a football with one's injured shoulder is a constant aggravation. That means that there's a good chance Wilson won't ever reach 100% in the 2022 season.
What that means for the Broncos' 2022 outlook is obvious. The injury can't explain the full depths of Wilson's apparent regression, but being in pain creates a distraction for anyone. The Broncos can manage it, but Wilson's performance will be affected if the pain gets too out of control.
Wilson has completed 59.4% of his passes through five games for 1,254 yards and four touchdowns with three interceptions. He's sitting on a passer rating of 82.8. If that rating holds, it'll be his career worst.
"It starts with me. It’s not on [Head] Coach [Nathaniel] Hackett," Wilson said following the Broncos' 12-9 loss to the Colts. "It’s not on anybody else. He’s called some really good plays—we have to make the plays. I have to be able to hit it [throws]. We have to be able to get that first down—whatever it is. It’s disappointing tonight, obviously. We felt like we should have won that game. I felt like I let us down tonight. In this locker room, we believe in what we can do. There’s a lot of season left, there’s a lot of opportunity left, [and] there’s a lot of belief. [With] how great the defense is doing, if we can to turn it around on offense—how quickly we can turn it around on offense. That’s the key. We just have to keep battling and keep believing.”
The Broncos sit at 2-3 and will face the Los Angeles Chargers on October 17 in front of a nationally-televised audience on Monday Night Football. Welp!
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