Broncos get bad news on young offensive weapon

The recurrence of Greg Dulcich‘s hamstring injury will keep him sidelined for an extended stretch. The Broncos announced on Saturday that the second-year tight end was placed on injured reserve.

Dulcich missed seven games during his rookie campaign, and he reaggravated his hamstring in the same leg during Week 1. As a result, it was learned he would miss multiple games while the team took a cautious approach with his recovery. Saturday’s decision guarantees Dulcich will be shut down for at least the next four weeks.

The UCLA product flashed potential last year, posting a 33-411-2 statline despite missed time and the overall struggles of Denver’s passing attack. The arrival of head coach Sean Payton brought about a new role for Dulcich and high expectations that he would take a step forward in 2023 as an important member of the team’s revamped offense. Instead, he will now once again be forced to turn his attention to recovery while the short-handed Broncos move forward in search of better production through the air.

Those efforts will be boosted by the return of wideout Jerry Jeudy, who was held out of the team’s season-opening loss due to a hamstring injury of his own. The former first-rounder will lead a receiving corps that  is without Tim Patrick and K.J. Hamler, the absences of whom are compounded by the loss of Dulcich as the team’s top pass-catching tight end. The latter’s stint on the sidelines should lead to a greater involvement for Adam Trautman, one of several former Payton-era Saints who found their way to the Broncos this offseason.

Bringing Dulcich back into the fold when he is healthy will require Denver using one of its eight IR activations available during the year. It would come as no surprise if the team elected not to rush the 23-year-old back into action given his role in the offense and history of injury issues so early in his career. Nevertheless, his return will be a welcomed development for a Broncos team looking to rebound from last week’s defeat to begin Payton’s tenure at the helm.