Broncos Sign ILB Austin Ajiake Following Griffith Injury

Griffith was placed on injured reserve with a torn ACL.

Forced to reshuffle the deck within their inside linebacker corps, the Denver Broncos signed undrafted rookie Austin Ajiake, the team announced Thursday.

The Broncos placed ILB Jonas Griffith on season-ending injured reserve in a corresponding roster move. Griffith sustained a torn ACL during Tuesday's training camp practice, head coach Sean Payton confirmed.

"It’s unfortunate because he was one of those guys who was rehabbing, too," Payton said Thursday. "I saw him a lot and we’re trying to keep his spirits up."

What happens next for the Broncos? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second and sign up for our free newsletter and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

A converted running back, Ajiake (6-2, 220) appeared in 38 games for UNLV from 2018-2022. He registered 231 combined tackles (116 solo), 12 tackles for loss, four sacks, and two interceptions across his Rebels career, earning first-team All-Mountain West Conference honors last year.

"Ajiake lacks ideal size but he’s fast, explosive and agile," NFL.com's Lance Zierlein noted in his pre-draft scouting profile. "He’s often too passive in attacking the play, but when he’s proactive, good things often happen. He’s never going to be great at taking on blocks, so learning to flow downhill and slip blockers will be critical. He’s better suited in a chase-and-hit role as an outside linebacker in a 4-3 defense, but his pathway to a pro roster could be centered on his athletic profile and history as a productive special teams contributor."

Ajiake figures to assume Griffith's defensive role — that is, a backup behind starters Alex Singleton and Josey Jewell — while also pulling double duty on special teams.

“We liked him," Payton said of Ajiake. "We felt like he had good athletic traits. We felt like he could help us in the kicking game. We brought him back for a workout with the other guys, and we thought he did pretty well."

---

Follow Zack on Twitter @KelbermanNFL

Follow Mile High Huddle on Twitter and Facebook.

Subscribe to Mile High Huddle on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!