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The fog of war has lifted from Mile High following the Denver Broncos unrelenting defeat of the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 12, but Denver did not finish without casualties.
Broncos starting tight end Jeff Heuerman sustained a broken rib, but more horrifically a bruised lung. KUSA's Mike Klis says that Heuerman is out for the season.
Denver outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett is expected to miss two to four weeks with a hip flexor injury. That brings Barrett back somewhere between Weeks 14 (Denver at San Francisco 49ers), Weeks 15 (Broncos at home against the Cleveland Browns) and Week 16 (Denver at Oakland Raiders).
An interesting stretch of games for no reason other than the fact that the Broncos could really use Barrett's run-defense when facing back-to-back games against running backs Matt Breida and rookie Nick Chubb. Both of whom find themselves chasing Denver’s phenomenal rookie running back Phillip Lindsay.
For the season Barrett has played 236 snaps at outside linebacker (31.5%), predominantly in relief of rookie Bradley Chubb.
Barrett will likely have his snaps absorbed by Shane Ray 195 snaps (26.03%), but Denver's head coach Vance Joseph told Orange and Blue 760's Ryan Edwards and Andrew Mason that fans will see last season's second-round draft pick DeMarcus Walker as well.
Walker has only been active for the Broncos this season in Weeks 7-9 when he played defensive end for very limited snaps each week (Week 7: 10 snaps, Week 8: 2 snaps and Week 9: 9 snaps. Walker has lined up outside the tackles on only one snap this season.
Vance Joseph, to @orangeblue760: Shaq Barrett will be out "two weeks minimum and four weeks max." Joseph adds that Shane Ray will get more reps, and DeMarcus Walker will also see more work.
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) November 26, 2018
At tight end fans got a Matt LaCosse appertif on Sunday as quarterback Case Keenum targeted the fourth-year journeyman four times yesterday and LaCosse paid back that generosity with three receptions for 34 yards and a touchdown.
Brian Parker is the other tight end that Denver will lean on. Parker is another fourth-year journeyman with only five targets and one reception on his career. Three of those targets (and not his lone career reception) have come this season courtesy of Keenum.
The Broncos will likely bring tight end Temmarrick Hemingway to the roster from the practice squad. Hemingway was a 6th round draft pick (177th overall) in 2016 by the Los Angeles Rams. He played college football at South Carolina St. Hemingway has not yet recorded a receiving stat in the NFL.