Broncos Place WR Tim Patrick on IR After 'Clean' Achilles Tear

Patrick will miss the 2023 season following Monday's injury.

In a procedural move, the Denver Broncos officially placed wide receiver Tim Patrick on season-ending injured reserve, the team announced Wednesday. 

Cornerback Fabian Moreau was signed in a corresponding transaction.

A projected starter, Patrick suffered a torn Achilles tendon during Monday's training camp practice. Broncos head coach Sean Payton confirmed the injury following an MRI — a "clean" tear that will sideline the veteran wideout for the entire 2023 campaign.

“I spoke to him last night. Of course he’s disappointed," Payton said Tuesday. "My understanding is almost a year ago to the day [he suffered a season-ending knee injury]. I think the hard thing—and I said this yesterday—is for a player to spend most of his offseason rehabbing, and then all of a sudden hit another roadblock. He sounded better last night. He’s tough minded, and he’s a really good leader. The good news is it’s a clean injury and there’s a better than likely 100 percent recovery. It’s pretty clean, relative to the type of surgery he’s going to have. I don’t have a date yet as to when that will take place, but that’s where we are at there.”

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Patrick, who turns 30 in November, was entering the penultimate year of his $34 million deal, counting $11.071 million against the salary cap. He's under contract through 2024 but isn't due any more guaranteed money beyond this season.

The loss of Patrick and the recent release of KJ Hamler has tested Denver's depth at receiver, forcing 2022 undrafted free agent Brandon Johnson into reps with the first-string offense.

“He’s had some big plays," Payton said of Johnson. "He’s getting more work now with the ones. He can run. All of them, especially on offense, are learning new terminology. He’s picking it up, he’s getting it, and he’s flashed. He’s made some plays, but then he’ll line up two yards too wide and we have to get it corrected. We’re at that point where we keep talking about eliminating the repeated mistakes. [When] we make the corrections, let’s make sure we don’t have to go through that again."

Other in-house candidates to replace Patrick — candidates fighting for a roster spot — include Marquez Callaway, Lil'Jordan Humphrey, Jalen Virgil, and Nick Williams.

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