The Denver Broncos suffered a significant setback with the injury to second-year linebacker Drew Sanders. Mike Klis of 9NEWS Denver reported on May 20 that Sanders tore his Achilles during the Broncos’ offseason program. Despite this blow, there are promising replacement options available.
Travis Wakeman from The Sporting News suggested veteran linebacker Kwon Alexander as a viable replacement. “Kwon Alexander has made sense as a fit in Denver several times in the past, but the team has never pursued him. A fourth-round pick in 2015, he has played for five NFL teams, including last season with the Pittsburgh Steelers,” Wakeman wrote on May 25. “Like Sanders, Alexander suffered a torn Achilles last November. That is the main reason he is still available. If he has recovered completely from that, he should be on a short list for teams looking for help.”
Although Alexander is approaching 30, he has been productive throughout his nine-year NFL career. The LSU product led the league with 108 solo tackles in 2016, earning his only Pro Bowl appearance that season. Additionally, Alexander has a connection with Sean Payton, having played under him with the New Orleans Saints from 2020-21.
### Potential Return for Drew Sanders in 2024
Sanders is expected to miss most of his sophomore season, but there is a possibility he could return before the regular season ends. Payton suggested this during a recent press conference. “A simple, like they all happen, kind of a jump,” Payton told local media on May 23. “Surgery was done. Fortunately, it was an early enough timeline that we’ll bring him back. I don’t want to say October, but the good news is the surgery was done. It was clean. There wasn’t anything complex about the injury, and it was just something unusual.”
While an October return is ambitious, it is not entirely unrealistic. The NFL’s new injured reserve rules, starting in 2024, allow teams to place two players on IR before roster cutdowns to 53 players, with a chance to activate them later in the season. Assuming Sanders regains his health by midseason, he could return to the field sooner than expected.
The 2023 third-rounder played in all 17 games last season, starting four. He finished with 24 combined tackles and recovered one fumble.
### Jonathon Cooper: Broncos’ Most Underrated Player
Regardless of whether Sanders returns, the Broncos’ defense will be in capable hands. Linebacker Jonathon Cooper emerged as a standout player in 2023, and his trajectory is promising. USA Today writer Doug Farrar named Cooper Denver’s “most underrated player” ahead of the 2024 season.
“It all kicked in last season, as Cooper set career highs in sacks (nine) and total pressures (55) on 421 pass-rushing snaps,” Farrar wrote on May 26. “Eventually, Cooper tends to prove that he should be playing more often than he is, and he does it against the best possible competition.” Farrar highlighted a pass-rushing snap against Detroit Lions All-Pro Penei Sewell in Week 15 to showcase Cooper’s development.
If Cooper continues to elevate his game this upcoming season, the Broncos could be a surprising contender in the AFC West.
