ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Danny Trevathan, one of just two returning starters at linebacker for the Denver Broncos, was carted off the field during a training camp practice Tuesday, and is expected to miss between 6-8 weeks, according to the team.
Trevathan suffered the injury during a morning practice Tuesday, when a teammate rolled up on the back of his knee. The team later confirmed the linebacker suffered a left medial tibial compression fracture.
The injury is expected to keep Trevathan out at least through the first three games of the regular season. He could return during the team’s bye in Week 4.
Brandon Marshall, the linebacker who seems primed to step in for Trevathan on the weak side, described watching the injury.
“Initially, I was like, ‘OK, he’ll be alright,’” Marshall said. “But then the way he was kind of scrambling on the ground, I was like, ‘Man, I hope he’s OK.’”
The injury was part of a physical day at Broncos training camp, which included several fights between offensive and defensive players.
Though the team has been pushing for more physicality in the wake on an embarrassing Super Bowl loss that saw them come up on the wrong side of a physical battle, one key Bronco was disappointed to see how many skirmishes ended in fisticuffs Tuesday.
“I don’t like them,” Peyton Mannign said when asked about the fights. “You don’t do it in the game. And if you do, it usually costs you something important. I’m into treating practice like a game, so I’m not a fan of (the fights).”
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Losing Trevathan for a significant period of time will be a tough pill for the Broncos to swallow, considering the 24-year-old came into his own during his third year in the league. He was the among the league’s top coverage linebackers in his first year as a starter and also led the team with 129 tackles.
Marshall, also a third-year player, has a lot less game experience than Trevathan.
Though he has looked solid at times during training camp, and has worked alongside Trevathan in the team’s nickel packages this training camp, Marshall is yet to take an official snap with the Broncos. He was on the team’s practice squad in 2013 before being signed to the official roster in late December.
Marshall, a University of Nevada product, also spent time on the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad in 2012.
But his lack of NFL experience did little to deter Marshall’s confidence when asked if he’d be ready to step in for Trevathan. And lest Broncos fans forget, Trevathan had a similar lack of experience before his rise to prominence a year ago.
“I’m very confident,” Marshall said. “Confidence is a big part of this game, and I know I have the skill set. It’s just a matter of opportunity. If I get the opportunity, I will get it done.”
In addition to Trevathan, Von Miller is also recovering from a knee injury — a torn ACL he suffered in December of last season. He began taking part in full-team drills last week, and is expected to be slowly worked back into the mix at the other outside linebacker spot when the regular season begins.