Dre Greenlaw Misses Season Start with the Broncos
The hope of seeing Dre Greenlaw on the field for the Denver Broncos’ first regular season game vanished on Friday. The linebacker, one of the team’s most important additions during free agency, was officially ruled out for the game against the Tennessee Titans due to a hamstring injury. Greenlaw, who participated in Monday’s practice, was unable to practice for the rest of the week. Coach Sean Payton has not revealed whether the injury is an aggravation of the one suffered in training camp or if it is a new physical problem. Greenlaw did not participate in the offseason program due to a hamstring injury sustained during training. At the time, Payton assured that Greenlaw would not miss time in the regular season. However, the player suffered a new injury to the same hamstring during training camp, which Payton described as “different” from the original, and did not play in the preseason.In addition to Greenlaw, defensive tackle Malcolm Roach, who left Thursday’s practice with a calf injury, has also been ruled out for the season opener. The three-year, $31.5 million contract that Greenlaw signed in March was the second-largest deal the Broncos gave to a free agent from another team this year. Justin Strnad, who started eight games last season, is expected to take Greenlaw’s place in the base defense. Greenlaw has dealt with injuries in recent years, playing only three and two games in the 2021 and 2024 seasons, respectively. The most serious injury was a rupture of the left Achilles tendon in the second quarter of Super Bowl LVIII at the end of the 2023 season. Greenlaw didn’t return to the field until December 12 of last season, when he recorded eight tackles in 30 plays against the Rams. A week later, he suffered a calf injury after four plays in Miami, and San Francisco sidelined him for the rest of the year.He hasn’t played in the preseason, but he’s worked hard. We’re being smart. We’re being conservative in our approach. It’s a long season. So the most important thing is to have him healthy not just at the beginning, but in the long term… With each player, you have to treat them accordingly in relation to injuries, injury history, the position they play. And yes, is there always risk when you line up playing a position like that? Certainly there is, but he’s very much in tune with what we’re doing.
Sean Payton, Broncos Coach
