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Patrick Likely Done For The Season; Hamler Being Waived Due To Illness
Tim Patrick's return has encountered an interruption. The receiver suffered an apparent Achilles injury during practice Monday.
“Hopefully, we get some good news but it appears it’s his left Achilles," head coach Sean Payton said, via Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette.
Patrick went down with a non-contact injury when taking his first steps off the line of scrimmage during a seven-on-seven drill Monday, per NFL Network's James Palmer, and threw his helmet immediately after falling to the ground. Patrick was carted off and used crutches to enter the facility, Palmer added.
As NFL.com notes, Monday's development is not only unfortunate, but also disheartening. Patrick's tale is one of an underdog who worked his way from the practice squad to a significant role in Denver's offense, finding success -- including consecutive 700-plus-yard receiving seasons and 11 total receiving touchdowns between 2020 and 2021 -- even while the Broncos failed to identify a long-term option at quarterback.
Denver rewarded Patrick for his efforts prior late in the 2021 season, signing the former undrafted free agent to a three-year, $34.5 million extension that would begin in 2022. The unforgiving injury bug struck soon thereafter, though, with a torn ACL last Aug. 2 ending Patrick's 2022 season before it began.
He's yet to play a regular-season game under that deal, and Monday's news again throws his immediate future into question, nearly one year to the day he last encountered such a setback.
The affected leg is not the one in which Patrick suffered a season-ending ACL tear a year ago, and it is important to stress that nothing is certain until the Broncos receive the MRI results.
Payton said “it’s always difficult” to see a player get injured like that and it’s doubly true of Patrick as he may be looking at having a second straight season completely wiped out by injury.
Meanwhile, the Broncos plan to waive receiver K.J. Hamler today with a non-football illness designation, sources tell NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, though the transaction is procedural and designed with an eye toward bringing him back.
Hamler released the following statement on his verified Instagram account: "After feeling some chest pains while working out on the break before camp started, I got everything checked out and was diagnosed with mild heart irritation, called pericarditis. I’ve got a great treatment plan with medicine and am taking a quick break to get this all taken care of so I can get back to doing what I love.
"I will be back on the field—better and stronger than ever—as soon as possible this season!"
Hamler is expected to miss weeks, not months.
Meanwhile, rookie Marvin Mims suddenly finds himself in position to get more work than expected this summer. It'll be interesting to see if he can make the most of this opportunity.