The Denver Broncos will be without linebacker Dre Greenlaw, perhaps the team's biggest signing this offseason. This move was always going to be one that depended on Greenlaw's availability, and many fans are going to be disappointed to learn that he will not play in the season opener against the Tennessee Titans.
Some of those same fans are already going to begin questioning the decision to sign Greenlaw as a free agent this offseason, considering his recent injury history. But there shouldn't be anyone hitting the panic button.
The Broncos are being smart about this. Of course, they want Greenlaw out on the field, but the NFL season is not a sprint; it's a grueling marathon. Keep in mind that the main reason the Broncos targeted Greenlaw in free agency was due to his physicality. At top speed, he will easily be the team's most physical player. But that style of play leads to being banged up, and the Broncos know that.
The team is going to ease Greenlaw into the lineup, giving him the best chance to play for most of the season and maximizing his value to the team. It's never good to see a player with injury concerns sitting out, but if the Broncos really wanted him on the field this Sunday against the Titans, he would be. Instead, the team would like him as close to 100 percent of his abilities as possible before unleashing him in 2025.
Fans should take the Week 1 injury report with a grain of salt and look forward to Greenlaw's debut in blue and orange.
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Justin Strnad is expected to take his place in the starting lineup and the team will call up Levelle Bailey from the practice squad for this game.
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