The Denver Broncos have tried to find answers at the inside linebacker position for quite some time, dating back much further than this offseason, but it seems a major blow is landed any time they start to turn that position around.
The latest blow came on Monday when it was announced that Alex Singleton — the team's leading tackler — had undergone surgery for testicular cancer. The plan is for him to return to the field, but a current timetable for that has not been announced.
On Tuesday, it was announced that another inside linebacker, Karene Reid, was placed on injured reserve after suffering a hamstring injury in Thursday night's win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Drew Sanders is still on injured reserve and is in jeopardy of missing another full season.
That leaves Dre Greenlaw and Justin Strnad as the only inside linebackers on the 53-man roster, meaning that either Levelle Bailey or Jordan Turner will likely be elevated from the practice squad for this Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
For a team with a weakness of being attacked over the middle of the field, the Chiefs may not be a team that the Broncos want to see right now. Patrick Mahomes will look to use Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice to take advantage of the Broncos' weakness in that area, and that could shift the game.
The trade deadline has passed, so the Broncos won't be able to make a move for another inside linebacker that way. The team's only options will be to hope the players they have can hold down the fort until Singleton gets back, or they look at street free agents to see if there might be a player worth bringing in.
Kyzir White and Ja'whaun Bentley are two of the more recognizable names available, but former Broncos linebacker Josey Jewell is also out there. It remains unclear how soon he is looking to continue his playing career after lingering concussion symptoms forced him to step away from the game at the beginning of the season, but he could be an interesting stopgap option for the team if it gets desperate.
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