Denver Broncos star safety Justin Simmons has been placed on injured reserve after incurring a thigh injury while playing defensive snap in his team’s narrow 16-17 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on the opening weekend of the new NFL season.
The Broncos iron man is expected to be out of action for a month, with his soonest possible return date being October 18, when the Broncos face the Los Angeles Chargers.
Simmons’ absence will leave a large gap in the Chargers roster, considering his starting role in the team’s last 66 games. During this run, he played in 3,211 consecutive snaps.
Denver is looking toward 24-year-old cornerback Essang Bassey to fill Simmons’ spot on the roster, promoting him from the reserves. The team also signed former Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles safety Anthony Harris to the practice squad.
Commenting on Simmons’ absence through injury, safety Kareem Jackson said, “It’s hard to replace a guy like Justin Simmons. What he does in our defense, what he does in our locker room with his leadership. It’s tough.”
While Bassey is available for selection, Caden Sterns, the Broncos’ fifth-round pick in the 2021 Draft, is widely viewed as Simmons’ most likely replacement.
