The Denver Broncos open the 2022 regular season on Monday Night Football at the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 12 at Lumen Field.
Injury questions loom as the Broncos look to trim their roster. Tackle Billy Turner (knee) started training camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. He practiced sparingly after he was moved off the list but then was held out of practices again.
Wide receiver Tim Patrick suffered a season-ending right knee injury; tackle Tom Compton went to the PUP list with back troubles; guard Netane Muti had arthroscopic knee surgery; linebacker Jonas Griffith and cornerback Michael Ojemudia each suffered a dislocated elbow; and wide receiver Tyrie Cleveland missed almost all of training camp and the preseason with a throat injury.
Those injuries, and the estimations about when those players can return, will impact the choices made as the Broncos' initial 53-man roster could include players who might be moved aside later to accommodate those who could open the season on injured reserve.
The roster will be cut to 53 players by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Here is a projection:
QUARTERBACK (2): Russell Wilson, Josh Johnson
Brett Rypien did more than enough to make the No. 2 spot a difficult decision for the Broncos. So if Rypien isn't the surprise pick to be the No. 2, he should be on the Broncos' practice squad. The issue is that, with durable Wilson set to take virtually all of the snaps in practices during the regular season, Johnson might be better equipped to prepare each week with almost no work with the starting offense.
