Tag: Michael Ojemudia

Broncos players might start returning from IR this week

Good news for the Broncos: DB Justin Simmons, TE Greg Dulcich and CB Michael Ojemudia can all return from IR this week.

The Denver Broncos have been hit extremely hard by injuries this season, but some relief could be on the way.

Broncos rookie cornerback Greg Dulcich (hamstring) and cornerback Michael Ojemudia (elbow) were both eligible to return from injured reserve last week but the team decided to be cautious and give them one more week.

After an extra week of recovery, Dulcich and Ojemudia both seem likely to return to the 53-man roster this week. Denver will be able to create spots for them on the active roster after placing left tackle Garett Bolles (broken leg), cornerback Ronald Darby (torn ACL) and long snapper Jacob Bobenmoyer (wrist/hand) on IR this week.

Broncos offensive lineman Tom Compton (back) is also eligible to return from the reserve/physically unable to perform list this week, but there’s been no update on his recovery timeline.

Broncos safety Justin Simmons (quad) is also eligible to return from IR this week, and outside linebacker Randy Gregory (knee) will be eligible in Week 10.

Denver’s injuries have been devastating, but some help is on the way.

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Broncos ‘feel good’ about cornerback depth chart

“I feel good,” Broncos GM George Paton said of the team’s CB depth chart. “We have a good mix of veteran and younger players.”

The Denver Broncos have impressive talent at the top of their cornerback depth chart, but the depth is a little shallow behind the top three options.

Pat Surtain and Ronald Darby are the locked-in starters on the outside with experienced vet K’Waun Williams playing on the inside.

Behind them, the Broncos have promising — but unproven — rookie Damarri Mathis and newly-signed veteran Darius Phillips.

“We have five corners, that’s typically what teams [keep], five or six,” general manager George Paton said last week. “I feel good. We have a good mix of veteran and younger players. ‘Darb’ and K’Waun are kind of the veteran [leaders] and really Pat is really a vet, he’s a second-year vet. Then you have this young, really talented kid in Damarri Mathis, and I think he’s ready to go if he has to play.”

The Broncos also have Essang Bassey available on the practice squad, along with rookies Faion Hicks and Ja’Quan McMillian.

“[Bassey] can do everything,” Paton said. “He can play inside; he can play outside, and he’s played a little safety.”

Additionally, Denver also has cornerback Michael Ojemudia (elbow) on injured reserve, and he’ll be eligible to return in Week 5.

Broncos fans will hope the team’s depth at cornerback won’t be tested this year, but if injuries do pop up, Paton seems to be confident in the team’s depth at the position.

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Broncos are being extra cautious with rookie TE Greg Dulcich

“We want to protect him,” Broncos GM George Paton said of TE Greg Dulcich.

The Denver Broncos aren’t taking any chances with rookie tight end Greg Dulcich, who’s been nursing a hamstring injury since the start of training camp.

One day after the 53-man roster was set, the Broncos placed Dulcich on injured reserve, ruling him out for the first four games of the season. Denver couldn’t put Dulcich on IR before the roster was set because that would have ruled him out for the entire year.

The Broncos’ medical staff doesn’t think Dulcich needs all of the four weeks to completely recover, but the team wants to be extremely cautious with the third-round draft pick.

“Hamstrings are strange,” general manager George Paton said Tuesday. “He was really close to coming back then he tweaked it. I wouldn’t call it a setback, but he just can’t get over that hump. He thinks he can probably be ready maybe in a week or two, but we don’t — and I’ve said this a number of times — we want to protect him from himself, so we’re going to do that.

“We’re going to take the conservative route, which we like to do with these types of injuries. He’s going to help us win a lot of football games this year. He’ll be ready after those four games are up. In the meantime, he’ll be training, and you guys see him working. We look forward to getting him back.”

After placing Dulcich on IR, the Broncos re-signed TE Eric Tomlinson to fill the extra spot on the 53-man roster. Denver also placed cornerback Michael Ojemudia (elbow) on IR and re-signed nose tackle Mike Purcell. Just like with Dulcich, the Broncos expect Ojemudia to be completely healed in time for a Week 5 return.

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Broncos make 2 changes to 53-man roster

The Broncos officially brought back DL Mike Purcell and TE Eric Tomlinson on Wednesday. The 53-man roster appears to be set for Week 1.

After setting an initial 53-man roster on Tuesday, the Denver Broncos were not awarded any players off the waiver wire on Wednesday morning. The Broncos also didn’t have any of their cut players claimed off the wire by other teams.

So far, the Broncos have brought back 13 cut players on their practice squad.

Denver also made a few expected tweaks to the 53-man roster on Wednesday. First, the Broncos placed tight Greg Dulcich (hamstring) and cornerback Michael Ojemudia (elbow) on injured reserve. Then the Broncos re-signed nose tackle Mike Purcell and tight end Eric Tomlinson, who were cut Tuesday to reach the 53-man roster limit.

Dulcich and Ojemudia will be eligible to return to the active roster after four games. Purcell and Tomlinson didn’t have to clear waivers because they’re both veterans, so it was easy for Denver to bring them back.

Following those changes on Wednesday, here’s how the Broncos’ 53-man roster stands as the team prepares for Week 1 of the regular season.

Offense

QB: Russell Wilson, Brett Rypien

RB: Javonte Williams, Melvin Gordon, Mike Boone

FB: Andrew Beck

TE: Albert Okwuegbunam, Eric Tomlinson, Eric Saubert

WR: Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler, Montrell Washington, Jalen Virgil, Tyrie Cleveland

OT: Garett Bolles, Billy Turner, Calvin Anderson, Cam Fleming

G: Dalton Risner, Quinn Meinerz, Graham Glasgow

C: Lloyd Cushenberry, Luke Wattenberg

Defense

DE: Dre’Mont Jones, DeShawn Williams, Eyioma Uwazurike

NT: D.J. Jones, Mike Purcell, Matt Henningsen

OLB: Bradley Chubb, Randy Gregory, Baron Browning, Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper, Aaron Patrick

ILB: Josey Jewell, Jonas Griffith, Alex Singleton, Justin Strnad

CB: Pat Surtain, Ronald Darby, K’Waun Williams, Damarri Mathis, Essang Bassey

S: Justin Simmons, Kareem Jackson, Caden Sterns, P.J. Locke, Delarrin Turner-Yell

Special Teams

K: Brandon McManus

P: Corliss Waitman

LS: Jacob Bobenmoyer

Denver also still has room for three more players on the practice squad.

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Broncos to re-sign a pair of cut players on Wednesday

Broncos plan to re-sign DL Mike Purcell and TE Eric Tomlinson after they place TE Greg Dulcich and CB Michael Ojemudia on IR today.

NFL teams get creative during roster cuts.

Players who go on injured reserve before the initial 53-man roster is set are not eligible to return during the season. But players who do make the initial roster are eligible to return from IR after sitting out four games.

So teams often carry an injured player on the initial roster and then move him to IR the next day. Denver Broncos general manager George Paton said Tuesday that the team plans to use that strategy with two players this year: tight end Greg Dulcich (hamstring) and Michael Ojemudia (elbow).

To be able to carry Dulcich and Ojemudia on the initial 53-man roster, though, the Broncos had to cut two players who would be able to return the next day.

Denver chose tight end Eric Tomlinson and nose tackle Mike Purcell as the cuts making room for Dulcich and Ojemudia on the initial roster. Because they are both veterans, Tomlinson and Purcell are not subject to the NFL’s waiver wire — they simply became free agents right away.

As soon as Dulcich and Ojemudia are placed on IR on Wednesday, the Broncos plan to re-sign Tomlinson and Purcell to the 53-man roster.

Creative? Complicated? Maybe a combination of both. Whatever the case may be, Tomlinson and Purcell should be back on the active roster soon.

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Broncos injuries: Great news for LB Jonas Griffith

The Broncos ‘dodged a bullet’ with Jonas Griffith (elbow), who is expected to play in Week 1.

When Denver Broncos inside linebacker Jonas Griffith dislocated his elbow in mid-August, the best-case (but seemingly unlikely) scenario was a four-week recovery timeline that would give him a chance to return in time to face the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1.

Fortunately for Griffith and the Broncos, it sounds like that best-case scenario has come true.

“We are definitely hoping for Jonas to be [ready] Week 1,” coach Nathaniel Hackett said Wednesday. “That’s kind of our aiming point. We very much dodged a bullet on that one.”

Elsewhere on the injury front, cornerback Michael Ojemudia (elbow) has the same injury as Griffith, so he is facing a multiple-week recovery. Meanwhile, guard Netane Muti (knee) is also expected to be sidelined for a few weeks after undergoing surgery. Ojemudia and Muti might be candidates to begin the season on one of the team’s injury lists.

Broncos punter Sam Martin (ankle) is expected to play in the team’s preseason finale on Saturday, so his injury clearly isn’t serious.

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Broncos OL Tom Compton to start season on PUP list

#Broncos OL Tom Compton (back) is expected to start the season on the PUP list, ruling him out for at least four games.

Denver Broncos offensive lineman Tom Compton (back) won’t be on the team’s initial 53-man roster as the team plans to leave him on the physically unable to perform list to begin the regular season.

“He’s going to start on the PUP,” coach Nathaniel Hackett said Monday. “He’s continually working through his back. It’s another guy that we’re so lucky that we’re going to be able to have him later on in the season. He brings so much veteran presence and he’s great in the meeting rooms with all those guys, so we just have to be sure we get him back the right way.”

Compton will transition from the active/PUP list to the reserve/PUP list once the regular season begins. He will be required to sit out at least the first four games of the season. After that, Compton will have a five-week window to return to practice. Once he returns to practice, Denver will have a 21-day window to active him to the 53-man roster.

If Compton is not activated within three weeks after returning to practice, he will spend the entire 2022 season on reserve. It sounds like the Broncos expect him to return, though, and he’ll provide valuable depth at both tackle and guard this season.

Elsewhere on the injury front, Hackett said cornerback Michael Ojemudia (elbow) will not need surgery. Ojemudia is still expected to be sidelined for several weeks, though, giving him an uncertain status for Week 1.

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Broncos injuries: 3 players injured vs. Bills

Broncos cornerback Michael Ojemudia (elbow) might be sidelined for a few weeks.

The Denver Broncos were stomped by the Buffalo Bills 42-15 in Saturday’s preseason game, and making matters worse, three players left with injuries.

Broncos punter Sam Martin suffered an ankle injury before the game even started.

“I heard about that right before the game, that he was going to be down because of something that happened in warmups,” coach Nathaniel Hackett said after the game. “So I just have to find out more about that and evaluate it.”

If Martin has a serious injury, Corliss Waitman is the next man up to replace him at punter.

On defense, Denver cornerback Michael Ojemudia injured his elbow.

“I know his was an elbow — another dislocated elbow, so we’ll have to see,” Hackett said. “It’s kind of like the Jonas [Griffith] thing, so we’ll have to get a feel for what happens on that.”

Griffith is expected to be sidelined for 4-6 weeks with a dislocated elbow. Ojemudia might have a similar recovery timeline.

Finally, outside linebacker Malik Reed left the game after being poked in the eye. He said after the game that he’ll be fine.

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Broncos offseason roster: No. 13, CB Michael Ojemudia

Broncos CB Michael Ojemudia will aim to have a bounce-back season in 2022.

Broncos Wire’s 90-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at third-year defensive back Michael Ojemudia, No. 13.

Before the Broncos: Ojemudia (6-1, 200 pounds) earned his stripes at the University of Iowa, where he became a three-year starter and garnered Second-team all-Big Ten his final season there (2019). 

Ojemudia had the right size for the Broncos to take a chance on him in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft. He also showed top-tier speed at the NFL combine by running a 4.45 in the 40-yard dash. 

Broncos tenure: Ojemudia enjoyed a productive rookie season, playing in all 16 games while totaling 62 tackles and six pass deflections. 

By his second season in 2021, Ojemudia was surpassed on the depth chart and injured for a majority of the season. He was activated from injured reserve in December and played in two games to close the season as he worked his way back from injury, totaling 11 tackles and two pass deflections.

Chances to make 53-man roster: We currently have Ojemudia projected to make the team as a backup to Pat Surtain, who had a standout rookie season in 2021. Because he’s an outside cornerback behind Surtain and Ronald Darby on the depth chart, Ojemudia may not see the field much unless there is an injury, but he’ll be aiming for a bounce-back year in 2022.

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Broncos made several roster moves ahead of Week 14

The Broncos activated CB Bryce Callahan, LB Micah Kiser and CB Michael Ojemudia from IR and placed OLB Malik Reed on Reserve/COVID-19 ahead of today’s game against the Lions.

The Denver Broncos made four roster moves ahead of their Week 14 showdown with the Detroit Lions. Here’s a quick look at the team’s transactions.