Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton breaks thumb at practice, won’t miss extended time

A couple of days after inside linebacker Drew Sanders was carted off at Saturday’s practice, Broncos head coach Sean Payton revealed a bit of self-described good news: Sanders had torn a ligament in his foot. Not a tendon. A much easier recovery.

“It just changes the short-term,” Payton said, asked how Sanders’ injury affected his thoughts on Denver’s ILB room. “And I’m saying, four to six, seven to eight weeks. And so, we’ll look at that position closely and understand the reps how we have to approach it.”

They’ll have to look even closer, this week.

Presumptive starting inside linebacker Alex Singleton broke his thumb at Denver’s practice Monday, a source confirmed to The Denver Post. It’ll be a quick recovery, as Singleton’s set to undergo a procedure Tuesday and is slated to be back in pads next week.

Still, it’ll put a heap of reps on the plates of youngsters in the room across the next week. Sanders, who would’ve been one of the first in line for more time with any injury to Singleton, will be out “north” of four to six weeks, according to Payton.

Justin Strnad, who Denver brought back on a one-year deal after filling in as a starter for a long stretch of 2024, will likely receive heavy time with the 1s and 2s across the next week in Singleton’s absence. Undrafted rookies JB Brown, Jordan Turner and Karene Reid will also get long looks. The biggest potential beneficiary of increased reps, though, is second-year reserve Levelle Bailey, who’s already turned Payton’s head as a ballhawk in camp.

“A couple days ago, he had a real good practice,” Payton said. “He’s doing well.”

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