Broncos' OLB Dondrea Tillman Limited in Practice, Will Undergo 'Exams'

Following practice, 9NEWS' Mike Klis reported that Tillman is "undergoing exams" on his injured hamstring.

"Broncos backup OLB Dondrea Tillman is undergoing exams on hamstring, per source. Showed up on injury report today as did backup DL Malcolm Roach with calf," Klis posted on X.

Tillman is listed as Nik Bonitto's primary backup at weakside linebacker on the Broncos' unofficial Week 1 depth chart. Behind Tillman is Broncos' rookie Que Robinson.

What About Greenlaw?

If Tillman's injury turns out to be more severe and it causes him to miss time, at least Robinson is there to keep the rotation folowing. Robinson is also a four-core special teams contributor, so the Broncos were likely planning on dressing him regardless.

The Broncos may not feel much urgency to throw Greenlaw out there these first couple of weeks of the season. The team wants him for the long haul, as head coach Sean Payton said on Monday, and with an experienced player like Justin Strnad waiting in the wings, that could remove the compulsion to play Greenlaw, even if he's not quite 100%.

“He hadn’t played in the preseason, but he’s gotten a lot of work. We are being smart," Payton said of Greenlaw. "We’re being conservative relative to the approach. It’s a long season. So most importantly, having him not only healthy early on, but for the long haul is the goal.”

It would be disappointing to Broncos fans if Greenlaw isn't out there on Sunday, but the team is taking the long view. Greenlaw is a starter, while Tillman and Roach are backups, although both will see the field in every game, when healthy. They're key players.

The Takeaway

As for Tillman, he's coming off an impressive rookie season, notching five sacks, seven quarterback hits, and 23 tackles. That was done in relief of Bonitto and fellow starter Jonathon Cooper.

Fellow 2024 rookie Jonah Elliss also posted five sacks last season. There's a reason the Broncos led the NFL in sacks in 2024, with Bonitto, Cooper, Elliss, and Tillman combining for 34 sacks as a rush linebacker corps.

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The Broncos hope to be as healthy and available at that position as possible by Sunday, with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, Cam Ward, leading the Titans into battle at Empower Field at Mile High.