ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Broncos could be without one of the NFL’s best safeties on Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers.
On Wednesday morning, it was reveled Kareem Jackson led all strong safeties in Pro Bowl voting. Hours later, Vic Fangio announced the Pro Bowl front runner will not practice with a “neck/shoulder issue.”
Jackson sustained the injury against the Philadelphia Eagles and missed six plays in the game. Despite being able to play through it against Philadelphia, Fangio stated this injury could impact his playing status on Sunday, when the Broncos host the Chargers.
If Jackson can’t play, or is limited, on Sunday, the Broncos will turn to one of the most efficient players on the team—and potentially even in the entire league—to fill in.
Hello, Caden Sterns.
Since being drafted in the fifth round in May, Denver’s rookie safety has done nothing but shine in very limited opportunities. Efficiency might as well be his middle name.
The 6-foot-1, 207-pound safety’s two interceptions is the second-most on the team, only behind the second-highest paid safety in the NFL, Justin Simmons.
Sterns’ four passes defended is tied for third-most on the team, only trailing fellow rookie Pat Surtain and Simmons.
His two quarterback hits are tied for the sixth-most on the team, while his two tackles for a loss give him the eighth-most on the team.
Additionally, Sterns’ two sacks ties him for the most on the team from a player who doesn’t line up on the line of scrimmage every play.
The rookie is doing all of this without a single start under his belt too.
In fact, the most Sterns has ever played in a game was in Week 5, when he had 19 snaps against the Pittsburgh Steelers. To put that into perspective, Justin Simmons averages nearly 63 snaps per game and Kareem Jackson averages over 60 snaps per game.
Sterns, on the other hand, averages slightly over 12 snaps per game.
In fact, Sterns has the 19th-most defensive snaps on the Broncos, yet his production is ahead of many, many starters.
Because of this production, albeit in a limited role, Simmons isn’t concerned if Jackson has to miss Sunday’s game.
“I know with Caden, he’s more than capable. If he ends up being the starter, I know he’s more than capable of going in and plugging in,” the All-Pro safety stated on Wednesday. “It’s been great getting to work with him from OTAs all the way up until now. He’s been in the mix in some of our different packages and he’s played a good bit. I don’t think it’s going to be too much for him at all. I think he’ll do well if he has the opportunity to play on Sunday.”
Simmons added he won’t feel the need to coach Sterns up during the week as the rookie has a grip on his responsibilities.
If Jackson is out, and Sterns plays an entire game in his place at the level he’s played at this season, he would have one interception, one sack, one tackle for a loss, one quarterback hit and two passes defended. In one game.
That would be quite the game for his first start in the NFL.
If Kareem Jackson isn’t able to play on Sunday, the Broncos will turn to one of the most efficient players on the team and see what Caden Sterns can do as a starter.
