Broncos' Jaylen Waddle Aggravated Chest Injury on Reverse; Status for Chiefs Game TBD
Denver's leading receiver re-hurt his chest on the late trick play Sean Payton called 'awful,' and practice will decide whether he plays at Kansas City
Broncos receiver Jaylen Waddle aggravated a previous chest injury on the reverse he ran late in Sunday's win at Arizona, and his status for this week's game against the Chiefs will depend on how he practices, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday.
That's a better outcome than it looked like in the moment. With Denver up 30-16 late in the fourth quarter, Sean Payton called a trick-play pitch to Waddle, who was hit hard by a Cardinals defender and was slow to leave the field. Payton raised the call himself after the game without being asked and didn't hold back.
#Broncos WR Jaylen Waddle, suffered an aggravation of his previous chest injury on the reverse last week and his status for Sunday vs the #Chiefs will be determined at a later time, sources say. Waddle’s availability will be based on how practice goes.View on X →
Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet): #Broncos WR Jaylen Waddle, suffered an aggravation of his previous chest injury on the reverse last week and his status for Sunday vs the #Chiefs will be determined at a later time, sources say. Waddle’s availability will be based on how practice goes.
The worry was that the coach had cost his top receiver real time on a play that wasn't needed with the game in hand. Instead, Waddle has a chance to play, and the team will make a call later in the week.
Waddle matters a lot to this offense. Denver gave up a first-round pick, and more, to get him from the Dolphins in the spring, and through seven games he leads all Broncos pass-catchers with 26 catches and 267 yards. Losing him would take away Bo Nix's most reliable target in a big division game.
Sunday's trip to Kansas City carries weight in the AFC West, so his practice participation over the next two days is the thing to track. If he can't go, Denver will lean more on the rest of a receiver group that hasn't matched his production.