The Denver Broncos received some negative news on the injury front on Sunday evening, as they learned they will be without one of their emerging defensive talents for an extended period of time.
Third-year linebacker Drew Sanders, who was carted off the field during Saturday's practice session, is expected to miss the start of the 2025 season after MRI testing confirmed he had suffered a tendon injury in his foot, according to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport. Sanders will undergo further testing to determine the severity of the injury and whether he will need surgery.
ESPN's Jeff Legwold reported that Sanders finished a play around 90 minutes into practice on Saturday and attempted to keep his weight off his right leg. After the Broncos' medical team checked his right ankle and foot, he was taken to the locker room in a cart.
Head coach Sean Payton did not offer much information about Sanders' injury after practice, but he did confirm Sanders was not experiencing trouble with his Achilles tendon.
Sanders' most recent injury continues a trend that has emerged over the past two seasons, where he has spent significant portions of the year on the shelf. He only played in just four games in 2024, recording eight tackles and one quarterback hit in those contests, after tearing his Achilles tendon during an organized offseason workout in April.
The Broncos originally acquired Sanders via the 2023 NFL Draft, where he was a third-round (No. 67 overall) selection. He appeared in all 17 of the Broncos' regular-season games during his debut campaign, starting in four of them. Sanders collected 24 tackles (including one tackle for loss) and recovered one fumble that year.
Prior to joining the Broncos, Sanders played two years of college football at Alabama (where he won a national championship in 2020) and another at Arkansas, picking up First-Team All-American and All-SEC honors during his junior season.
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