Broncos tight end Greg Dulcich’s return from injured reserve due to a hamstring injury lasted just 11 snaps.
The second-year player injured his hamstring again in Denver’s 19-8 loss Thursday night. Head coach Sean Payton didn’t provide any update Monday on Dulcich’s status going forward but acknowledged now all they can do is “regroup with him, get him quickly up to speed and recovered.”
“It’s unfortunate because I know he’s frustrated,” Payton said. “It’s been a recurring issue for him, specifically, with the hamstring.”
Dulcich came up limping after he ran a deep crossing route on what turned into a nine-yard Russell Wilson scramble on the final play of the third quarter. Dulcich geared down and immediately called to the sideline to check himself out of the game.
For the 2022 third-round pick out of UCLA, this is at least the fourth time the hamstring issue has come up. He missed the first five games and the last two during his rookie year due to right hamstring injuries, then hurt it again in the Broncos’ season opener against Las Vegas.
Payton, though, said he didn’t think the team or Dulcich were reckless in returning to the field after missing the minimum four games on injured reserve.
“We went through the protocols and, really, we thought we were pretty patient,” Payton said. “You rely on the athlete, you rely on the medical team and the experts. You go through the recovery and the rehab and you spend a lot of time really testing before you ever go out into game conditions.
“It’s easy to look back on that and say, ‘Hey, was it too soon?’ But all the information we had and the information, the feedback (was good) and I think he felt confident.”
“Win-win.” Payton called the decision to release veteran pass-rusher Frank Clark a tough one, but “a win-win” outcome for both sides.
“Frank was frustrated with his snaps, or lack thereof,” Payton said. “We brought him in hoping that we could get more from him. In fairness to Frank, I don’t think he ever felt like he was getting enough in a row to play well. And yet, some of the other younger guys were earning those spots.
“It was difficult. It was a difficult decision, and we just felt it was in the best interest of the club.”
Clark signed a one-year deal that came with $5.45 million in guaranteed money in June but appeared in just two games. He and the Broncos adjusted his deal in what amounted to a $1.7 million pay cut ahead of his release.
Clark played a total of 36 snaps for the Broncos, including 11 in Week 5 against the Jets in his final game.
Denver played a three-man rotation against Kansas City of Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper and Ronnie Perkins and could get Baron Browning (knee) back from the physically unable to perform list as early as this weekend.
Deadline approach. The NFL’s trade deadline is now two weeks away and the Broncos at 1-5 figure to be sellers if teams are interested in their veteran players.
Payton again downplayed the role preparing for the deadline has on his day-to-day and said his focus is on trying to beat Green Bay at home on Sunday.
“Certainly, every year when this time comes, there’s speculation,” Payton said. “People call teams that aren’t playing well or are struggling to see if they’re interested in moving players. It doesn’t require a four-day summit relative to what the plan is. (General manager George Paton) would bring any information to (CEO Greg Penner) and myself.
“Right now, our focus is on playing Green Bay.”
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