Woody Paige: Patrick injury reminds Broncos of stakes involved

By By Woody Paige August 5, 2022 | updated 3 years ago

12_12_21 den det02568.jpg — Denver Broncos wide receiver Tim Patrick (81) and the rest of the Denver team wear former wide receiver Demaryius Thomas’ number 88 on their helmet during the second half Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021, at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver. Thomas died Thursday. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock)
Christian Murdock/The Gazette

Tim Patrick didn’t deserve his misfortune, especially when his wife is about to have a baby.

And the Broncos certainly can’t suffer more injury adversity, particularly at a critical position such as wide receiver, if they are to be relevant in the NFL this season.

Patrick, who suffered a knee injury earlier this week, has been hurt before. In college at Utah, he missed 17 games, including an entire season, because of injuries. After emerging in 2018 as an occasional receiver with the Broncos, he broke his hand in the opening game of ’19 and was placed on injured reserve. He was out for eight games. Since then, Tim has started 31 of 32 regular-season games and established himself as a quality receiver in the league.

In 2020-21, Patrick caught 104 passes for 1,476 yards and 11 touchdowns. George Paton was impressed enough that he signed Patrick in-season (November) to a three-year, $34.5 million contract. He had made $50,000 in 2017.

Broncos training camp observations: Russell Wilson leads successful two-minute drill

On Tuesday at Broncos training camp, several observers discussed who would be the team’s best wide receiver this season. In addition to Patrick, the Broncos have Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy and K.J. Hamler, plus rookie draft choice Montrell Washington, former picks Seth Williams and Tyrie Cleveland and a batch of undrafted free agents who had shuffled around the NFL. Then, there is the famous Kendall Hinton, who played quarterback for the Broncos in one game.

Hinton, who converted from QB to wide receiver at Wake Forest, was able to propel his one-game performance into an opportunity with the Broncos to stick around as a receiver and returner. Quarterback Russell Wilson sort of adopted Hinton in the summer practices. Now, Kendall is in the mix to become a fifth or sixth receiver or a member of the 16-player practice squad.

Patrick definitely would be one of two or three starters, depending on the offensive scheme (with a slot receiver). He has been compared to former Broncos receiver Emmanuel Sanders (waiting for a team to call), because both rarely mishandle passes in games and workouts, and they run exceptionally precise routes. Another similarity was Hall of Fame candidate Rod Smith, an undrafted free agent who spent 12 seasons with the Broncos and had a sterling career.

Patrick is every bit of 6-foot-4, and he and Sutton are body doubles.

Broncos’ Baron Browning developing as pass rusher after move to outside linebacker

But, at the moment Patrick was being a topic of conversation, he came running down the field, leaped to make a difficult catch, ran a couple of yards, fell, and grabbed his right knee.

Sign Up For Free: Mile High 5

Your daily report on everything sports in Colorado – covering the Denver Broncos, Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, and columns from Woody Paige and Paul Klee.

View all of our newsletters.

Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.

View all of our newsletters.

function subscribeSuccess() {
var nsltrform = document.querySelector(“#nsltr”);
var nsltrSuccess = document.querySelector(“#successnsltr”);

nsltrform.classList.add(“hideblock”);
nsltrSuccess.classList.remove(“hideblock”);
}

function validateEmailAddress() {
const result = document.querySelector(“#result”);
const email = document.querySelector(“#email”).value;

result.innerText = “”;

if(validateEmail(email)) {
newsletterSubscribe(email);
} else {
result.innerText = ‘The email entered: ‘ + email + ‘ is not valid :(‘;
result.style.color = “red”;
}
return false;
}

function newsletterSubscribe(email) {
fetch(“https://services.gazette.com/mg2-newsletters.php?action=subscribe&site=denvergazette.com&emailPreferenceId=59&email=” + email, {
method: “POST”
}).then(res => {
console.log(“SUCCESSFUL POST”);
subscribeSuccess();
});

}

#nsltr {
min-width: 100%;
margin: 10px 0;
padding: 10px 20px;
background-color: #2076b3;

background-image: url(https://static.gazette.com/emails/circ/Audience%20Images/pp5%20signup%203.png);
background-size: cover;

}

#nsltr-header {
color: #fff4f4;
}
#nsltr-body {
text-align: center;
color: #ffffff;
}
#nsltr-button {
margin-top: 5px;
}
#successnsltr {
min-width: 100%;
margin: 10px 0;
padding: 10px 20px;
background-color: green;
text-align: center;
color: white;
}

#successnsltr a {
color: white;
}

.hideblock {
display:none;
}

h6 a {
color: black;
text-decoration: none;
padding: 5px;
background-color: #bbccdd;
font-weight: 600;
}

@media only screen and (min-width: 768px) {
#nsltr {
background-image: url(https://static.gazette.com/emails/circ/Audience%20Images/pp5%20signup%203.png);
background-size: cover;
}
}

Immediately, Tim seemed in pain, and the injury appeared to be serious. Practically every player on the field gathered around Patrick, and a cart was brought out. In his post-practice conference, coach National Hackett showed deep concern for the Broncos’ first major camp injuries.

Soon, the Broncos announced that Patrick had torn his right knee’s ACL and would be out for the entire season. In the same session, running back and special-teams specialist Damarea Crockett also sustained a torn ACL.

The Broncos were down one in both areas. They’ve signed wide receiver Darrius Shepherd, who played under Hackett with the Packers, and the pride of Pomona High School, running back Max Borghi, who hadn’t been drafted this year and only survived four days in the Colts’ camp.

Throughout their history, the Broncos, like all other NFL teams, have been decimated and struggled in seasons when injuries surged. Last year, the Broncos constantly lost inside linebackers. In other lean seasons, outside linebackers and cornerbacks went down and out.

Sutton played in only one game in 2020 after ripping his ACL.

In the third game last season, Hamler landed awkwardly on a reception and tore his left ACL and dislocated his hip. He was just taken off the Physically Unable to Perform list the past week.

Pomona product Max Borghi plans to make most of second shot with Denver Broncos

Although the Broncos have a dozen wide receivers available, they can’t lose any more major contributors. A spot is available. Washington has been imposing. A pair of small-college free agents, Kaden Davis of Northwest Missouri State and Jalen Virgil of Appalachian State, have chances to earn their way onto the practice unit.

Shepherd has been with five previous NFL teams and planned to play in the USFL next spring. Maybe he won’t have to.

The Broncos and Patrick are hopeful he’ll be back and better, and bring his kid to camp next year.

be9431d4-803b-531c-89f3-056c606edcf7

View Original Article | Split View

By Woody Paige

Reporter

Woody Paige: Patrick injury reminds Broncos of stakes involved

Sign Up For Free: Mile High 5

Your daily report on everything sports in Colorado – covering the Denver Broncos, Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, and columns from Woody Paige and Paul Klee.

Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.

Featured Local Savings

Woody Paige: Hackett makes a memorable first-timer impression

Woody Paige: Wilson works out all receivers at rousing Broncos practice — even a surprise visitor