Denver Broncos lose Jerry Judy, Patrick Serten II to shoulder injuries

2022 year Denver Broncos couldn’t have started much worse. After head coach Nathaniel Hackett displayed some of the worst late-game decisions you’ll ever see in a Week 1 loss to the Seattle Seahawks , the Broncos are now without both wide receiver Jerry Judy and cornerback Patrick Certeno II due to a shoulder injury in Week 2.

Broncos’ Jerry Judy, Patrick Certain II out with shoulder injuries

It’s never a great sign when players are quickly thrown out of the game after going down, but that’s what happened to Judy and Surtain. We’ll have to wait for more information before judging whether Judy and Certain will be out for an extended period of time, but it’s fair to say that a long-term injury to either player would have serious implications for the Broncos.

Denver had already lost Tim Patrick to a torn ACL in training camp, making Judy even more important to Russell Wilson. Judy, the Broncos’ leading rusher in Week 1, posted a 4-112-1 line in the loss to Seattle. Judy, a first-round pick in 2020, missed half of the 2021 campaign after spraining his ankle in Week 1.

If Jeudy is out for a while, the Broncos could be struggling at receiver. Courtland Sutton is Denver’s No. 1, but KJ Hamler, who played in Week 1 but is still recovering from a torn ACL, was inactive against Houston. Backups like Tyree Cleveland and Montrell Washington could play bigger roles, and the Broncos could also go 12-man.

Defensively, the potential loss of Surtain could be even more devastating. The ninth overall pick in 2021, Surtain has quickly developed into Denver’s CB1 in his rookie campaign. He had four assists last season and looked like one of the best defenders in the league.

Denver may have less depth in the corner than they do at wide receiver. If Surtain is sidelined for a few weeks, veteran Darius Phillips or rookie Damaris Mathis will likely step into the starting lineup along with Ronald Darby and K’Vaughn Williams.

The Broncos play in the toughest division in the NFL. They have a new head coach and a new quarterback. And, as of this writing, they’re staring at 0-2 with losses to the Seahawks and Texans on their books.

Hackett, Wilson and Co. can’t afford any more early season losses, but theirs the schedule doesn’t get any easier. Denver’s next four games are against the 49ers, Raiders, Colts and Chargers. Unless they have Jeudy and/or Surtain, each of these matchups will be an uphill battle.