Broncos dodge bullet with Garett Bolles diagnosis

The Broncos’ first-round draft pick left Sunday’s blowout win over the Cowboys on a cart in the third quarter. Luckily, the injury is not as serious as once thought.

Left tackle Garett Bolles suffered a bone bruise to his lower left leg, head coach Vance Joseph announced Monday. Bolles underwent X-rays Sunday night and an MRI Monday morning.

Trainers brought the cart out for Bolles after Jamaal Charles landed on his left leg with 8;05 left in the third quarter.Reports circulated that the team was initially feared that Bolles had broken his ankle and later feared that the injury was to Achilles tendon. Luckily for the team, it was neither.

Bolles was initially replaced Sunday by Donald Stephenson before Allen Barbre finished the game out at left tackle.

Denver selected Bolles, who was first-team All-Pac-12 at Utah, with the 20th pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. The Broncos saw him as an athletic freak with a mean attitude, who they could groom into a mainstay in Denver for the next decade.

Pro Football Focus ranked Bolles as the Broncos’ second-highest performing offensive lineman so far this season, behind right guard Ronald Leary. The 25-year-old rookie has been great when run blocking but has made mistakes in pass protection.