The Broncos had a big scare at Saturday morning’s practice when starting defensive end Derek Wolfe was carted off the field with an apparent injury.
The team and fans can breathe a sigh of relief as Wolfe has tweeted that he ‘Dodged a bullet’ along with the hashtag #blameitonthecleats. He also thanked his followers for their support.
Appreciate the love. Dodged a bullet.#DEFWU #blameitonthecleats
— Derek Wolfe (@Derek_Wolfe95) August 12, 2017
Wolfe later posted a picture, saying there is “Just a little swelling.”
Just a little swelling 😎 pic.twitter.com/iCz1TL7FhE
— Derek Wolfe (@Derek_Wolfe95) August 12, 2017
Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post later reported that the injury is a sprain and that Wolfe will be ready for the opener on Sept. 11.
Derek Wolfe said he suffered a serious ankle sprain but that he'll be ready for Week 1 of the regular season.
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) August 12, 2017
Following Saturday’s practice Head Coach Vance Joseph said the team was “kind of assuming it’s not that bad, but it’s a lower-ankle injury.”
Adding, “The first look, it wasn’t serious.”
Joseph confirmed that Wolfe would receive an MRI on the ankle, and it sounds like the sixth-year lineman got good news.
As for the cause of the injury, Joseph said, “I did not see what happened. It was a pow between him and [T] Menelik Watson and they both went down. I didn’t see what happened at all.”
Joseph also said Watson was not injured.
The Broncos defensive line was already thinning when second-string nose tackle Billy Winn went down with what turned out to be a season-ending ACL tear during Thursday’s preseason opener against Chicago.
Denver signed rookie NT Nelson Adams on Saturday to add depth behind starter Domata Peko and undrafted rookie Tyrique Jarrett. Winn was placed on injured reserve.