Denver Broncos right tackle Alex Palczewski is believed to have suffered a high ankle sprain during Sunday’s 34-18 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, according to a report from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Palczewski (6-6, 314 pounds) will undergo more testing on Monday. If it is indeed a high ankle sprain, Palczewski could miss multiple weeks. That would be a big blow to Denver’s offensive line as ‘Palco’ has done an excellent job filling in for Mike McGlinchey, who is still on injured reserve.
“Very impressed,” Broncos offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said when asked about Palczewski on Friday. “We talked about it last week. This guy started and I think he set a record for most games played in college. He just knows how to play the game. I think we kind of anticipated that he’d be able to hang in there and be productive.
“You don’t know for sure until you really see the live bullets and he’s kind of lived up to those expectations. It’s fun to watch when you have a guy that’s [a] late draft pick or a free agent who are able to come in and compete at that level and compete well. It’s very exciting.”
If the Broncos place Palczewski on IR, he would have to sit out at least four games. McGlinchey, meanwhile, will be eligible to return in Week 7 against the New Orleans Saints.
In the meantime, Matt Peart is presumably the next man up against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 6, assuming Palczewski won’t be available.
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