Barron ready to help at inside linebacker
Mark Barron’s wait ended Monday around 9: 15 a. m.
In the Denver area since late last week, Barron needed to pass three COVID- 19 tests before agreeing to terms with the Broncos and participating in his first practice.
“For the rest of the day ( after each test), I was doing nothing — sitting around is not pleasant, but it was necessary,” Barron said.
Barron’s experience and skills could be necessary when the Broncos open the season Sept. 14 against Tennessee.
Starting inside linebacker Todd Davis continues to be out with a calf injury and has been replaced by Josey Jewell. Rookie Justin Strnad, being groomed for a coverage role, is out for the year following wrist surgery.
“( General manager) John ( Elway) wanted to be proactive with ( Barron),” coach Vic Fangio said after practice. “He’s obviously been a good player in the league and we’ll see how he can fit in. He obviously has a lot to learn in a short period of time.”
Barron was on the market since March 16 when the Pittsburgh Steelers cut him with one year remaining on his contract ($ 8.125 million salary). The Steelers are committed to Devin Bush and Vince Williams at inside linebacker.
“They’re both good players and somebody had to go and they had to save money somewhere and it ended up being me,” Barron said. “It was communicated to me that it wasn’t that my play wasn’t good enough.”
Barron had 82 tackles and three sacks for Pittsburgh. He began his NFL career as a first- round safety with Tampa Bay and was converted to linebacker by the Rams.
“I have a lot of experience playing the coverage role and covering tight ends and linebackers,” he said. “If that’s what they need me to do, I definitely think I can get that job done.”
Injury updates. The Broncos practiced Monday in shells and not participating were Davis, Strnad, outside linebacker Bradley Chubb ( knee), right guard Graham Glasgow ( ankle), safety Alijah Holder ( soft tissue), cornerback Michael Ojemudia ( quad), receivers KJ Hamler ( hamstring) and Juwann Winfree ( groin), and tight ends Troy Fumagalli ( abdomen) and Austin Fort ( knee).
Glasgow sprained his ankle during Saturday’s practice.
“He’s going to be out the next few days at least and then we’ll see after that,” Fangio said. “We don’t think it’s a long(- term) injury at all.”
Chubb missed his second full practice of camp — he was given
the day off Aug. 19 — after being pulled from Saturday’s workout.
“We’re going to be conservative with him this week and get him some days of rest,” Fangio said.
The Broncos remain confident Chubb will be available against Tennessee.
“I think he’s where we kind of thought he’d be,” Fangio said. “We never said ( he’s) 100% yet — at least I never did. I think what he’s going through is a natural progression in recovering from his ( ACL) injury and I’m still optimistic he’ll be out there the first week and playing good — probably not playing like he was pre- injury, but pretty ( darn) close. It’s going to be a work in progress.”
Reading between Fangio’s words, one possibility in Week 1 ( and maybe the first month) is Chubb having his playing time managed. As a rookie, Chubb played 78.4% of the defensive snaps.
Fangio said Fumagalli, who missed his second consecutive practice, was getting evaluated, but said: “I don’t think it’s too serious.”