How the Broncos plan to replace their starting inside linebacking corps with Alexander Johnson out for the season

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos’ starting inside linebackers didn’t just suffer one torn pec. The group suffered two.

On Monday, an MRI revealed that Alexander Johnson tore his pec and is out for the remainder of the season.

In Week 2, Johnson’s fellow starting inside linebacker Josey Jewell’s season ended when he tore his pec as well.

“Josey’s was a contact injury and A.J. fell on his,” Vic Fangio said on Monday, discussing both injuries. “It seems to be a more common injury nowadays around the NFL than it has been in the past.”

The past four weeks, with Josey already sidelined, the Broncos turned to 2020 fifth-round pick Justin Strnad to start alongside Johnson. In his four starts, the 6-foot-3, 238-pound linebacker racked up 15 tackles and become a staple in Denver’s defense as he played in 80 percent of the snaps.

Johnson isn’t the only blow to Denver’s linebacking corps this week either. Against the Raiders, Baron Browning suffered a concussion. Since the Broncos play the Browns on Thursday, Browning won’t be able to make it through the concussion protocol in time to play. On Monday, Vic Fangio ruled him out for Thursday’s game.

Outside of Strnad, Micah Kiser is the only other healthy inside linebacker on the Broncos’ 53-man roster. The 6-foot, 244-pound linebacker filled in for Johnson in the second half against the Raiders, playing 18 defensive snaps.

Kiser was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the fifth round in 2018 out of Virginia. In 2020, Kiser started nine games for then-defensive coordinator Brandon Staley’s defense. In Week 2, he was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week after racking up 16 tackles and forcing a fumble for Los Angeles.

Denver signed Kiser off the Rams’ practice squad days after Jewell tore his pec and was ruled out for the remainder of the season. He will now get another opportunity to start alongside Strnad.

While Strnad took over defensive play calling duties when Johnson left the game on Sunday, there’s a chance Kiser will take over those repsoniblites come Thursday. As of now, Strnad will maintain that responsibility, but Fangio said on Monday, “We’ll see how Kiser can do it also and make a decision by game time.”

Down to just two inside linebackers on the active roster, the Broncos will have to bring one or both of their inside linebackers on the practice squad up to the active roster by Thursday, Fangio stated.

Once brought up to the 53-man roster, rookies Curtis Robinson and Barrington Wade will backup Strnad and Kiser as well as play a role on special teams. Robinson joined the team before training camp and Denver claimed Wade off waivers from the Ravens in the middle of camp. Robinson was on Denver’s game-day roster in Week 4.

“I’m comfortable with them,” Fangio said, when asked about his comfortability level in the two rookies if they’re called upon to play.

In a matter of weeks, the Broncos went from a veteran starting inside linebacker duo of Josey Jewell and Alexander Johnson to a group with less than 16 combined NFL starts with two undrafted rookies backing them up.