Torn pectoral ends Johnson’s season
The Broncos have lost another starting inside linebacker to a season-ending injury.
Alexander Johnson suffered a torn pectoral in Sunday’s loss to the Raiders, according to coach Vic Fangio. It’s the same injury that knocked fellow inside linebacker Josey Jewell out for the season in Week 2. Justin Strnad and Micah Kiser (signed Sept. 22 off the Rams’ practice squad) will see increased action in the wake of injuries to Johnson and Baron Browning, who is out with a concussion sustained Sunday.
Fangio said the Broncos will determine this week if Strnad or Kiser will wear the green dot on their helmet as the defensive play-relayer, a decision that will come by game time Thursday night in Cleveland. The coach added the Broncos will “probably have to bring one or two (practice squad players) up” at the position.
Curtis Robinson and Barrington Wade are currently the only two inside linebackers on the practice squad.
“I’m comfortable with (our depth there),” Fangio said.
Johnson, 29, had 32 tackles, two sacks and a fumble recovery this year before getting hurt in the first half on Sunday. Originally signed as an undrafted free agent, Johnson spent time on the practice squad in 2018 and then earned the starting job in Week 5 of 2019. He led the Broncos with 124 tackles last year.
The Broncos will investigate whether there’s a “why” behind the same seasonending injury to both inside linebackers, Fangio said. Jewell, 26, had eight tackles and a forced fumble before getting hurt while making a tackle in punt coverage against the Jaguars.
“Josey’s was a contact injury, and AJ fell on his, but yes, (the Broncos training staff) will look at (potential causes),” Fangio said.
“It seems to be a more common injury nowadays around the NFL than it has been in the past.”
Johnson and Jewell are both free
agents at the end of 2021, so their seasonending pectoral injuries could signal the start of a new era for the Broncos at inside linebacker. It’s a chance for Strnad, who missed his rookie season with a wrist injury, to assert himself as a fulltime starter after taking over Jewell’s role the past four games.
It’s also a chance for Kiser, a fourthyear pro who started the first nine games of the Rams’ season in 2020 before going down with a season-ending knee injury. He led Los Angeles with 77 tackles at the time and has played in 26 career games.
“This is a great opportunity for me, and it feels good to play for a team that wants you,” Kiser told The Denver Post after his signing in Denver. “This has been a similar defense to what I was running the last year in L.A. — (the first few weeks) have been about learning the right terminology for this defense, which has a lot more calls (than the Rams).”
While the Broncos’ depth gets stretched thin at inside linebacker, the team’s overall resolve is being tested as well. The Broncos’ 3-0 start has been squandered with consecutive defeats to the Ravens, Steelers and Raiders. Now, the Broncos head to Cleveland, which is a 6-point favorite.
Despite all that’s gone wrong since the calendar turned to October, Fangio said the Broncos can — and have to — hang their hat on certain facets of their game as an underdog in front of the “Dawg Pound” at Firstenergy Stadium.
“We’ve got to feel confident that our secondary, which has gone unscathed with the injuries, is going to play really good,” Fangio said. “We’ve got to hang our hat on our O-line, which we believe is a good O-line, and our running backs which are two good running backs, and (Mike) Boone’s in there making it a third. I also believe in (wideouts) Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick; I believe in Teddy (Bridgewater)’s ability to lead the offense.”
Fangio is not listening to calls for his job or a staff shakeup.
“I have a sign in my office that says, ‘It’s not time to worry, it’s time to work.’ That’s my motto,” Fangio said.