Another week, another dislocated elbow for a Broncos defender. Per Mike Klis of 9News.com, Denver cornerback Michael Ojemudia dislocated his elbow during the team’s preseason loss to the Bills on Saturday.
The Broncos lost linebacker Jonas Griffith to the same injury last week. While Kilis did not provide a recovery timeline for Ojemudia, it seems safe to assume that Griffith’s expected absence of four to six weeks would apply to Ojemudia as well.
It may also be fair to expect a corresponding roster move. Denver’s CB starters appear to be set, with Patrick Surtain II and Ronald Darby penciled in as the primary boundary corners and K’Waun Williams in the slot, but the depth behind that trio was questionable even before Ojemudia’s injury. Ojemudia and fourth-round rookie Damarri Mathis had been battling for the CB4 role, and while earlier reports suggested that Ojemudia was faring well in that competition, the 2020 third-rounder played poorly during his time in the Buffalo game.
Mathis and players like Bless Austin and Essang Bassey could see an uptick in playing time, though GM George Paton could also look for reinforcements on the open market, just as he did when signing Joe Schobert in the wake of Griffith’s injury. There are a few notable corners still available, including Trae Waynes, Joe Haden and Jimmy Smith.
Ojemudia appeared in all 16 games (11 starts) in his rookie campaign in 2020, tallying six passes defensed and four forced fumbles while surrendering a 103.2 QB rating. He finished with a poor 48.7 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, and he slipped down the depth chart last summer. He was placed on IR at the start of the 2021 season and was not activated until December 11. He ultimately appeared in just two contests, though he did earn a start in the final game of the season, recording 11 tackles and two passes defensed.
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