Hackett Teases Week 10 Debut of Broncos Rookie WR Jalen Virgil
Healthy-scratched in each of the first eight games, Denver Broncos rookie wide receiver Jalen Virgil is likely to be active for Sunday's tilt at Tennessee.
This, according to head coach Nathaniel Hackett, who affirmed that Virgil could make his NFL debut against the Titans with slot WR KJ Hamler (hamstring) sidelined.
"Just like any time somebody gets injured, it's the next man up," Hackett said Thursday. "I think that he's done a good job up to this point, working hard, studying, working hard on the practice field for our scout team looks, and jumping in with us when the ones are going. For him, it might be time and he has to get out there and show us all the things that he's got.”
Virgil, 24, joined the Broncos as an undrafted free agent out of Appalachian State where he tallied 98 receptions for 1,436 yards and 11 touchdowns, adding 1,142 yards and three scores on 38 kick returns — an average of 30.1 yards per return. He clocked a 4.37-second forty time at his Pro Day last March, blazing speed that catalyzed his big-play ability.
Virgil participated in Broncos spring practices, training camp, and preseason, totaling 180 receiving yards on nine grabs across three exhibition appearances. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound pass-catcher then survived final cuts to become the only 2022 undrafted rookie to crack the 53-man squad.
“He showed throughout the preseason that when the ball was thrown his way, he was going to make an electric catch, and he was going to make a play," Hackett said on Aug. 31. "In the end, he continually did that. It wasn't just one game, it was all three games, and he has a lot of speed. It's always hard to find speed, especially a big strong guy like that.”
Assuming he's up at Nissan Stadium, Virgil should see a few snaps in Hamler's stead, behind locked-in starters Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy. The stable (including Kendall Hinton and Montrell Washington) will look to exploit the Titans' 30th-ranked pass defense, which ceded 446 air yards to Kansas City in Week 9.
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