Broncos Lose Emerging WR Pat Bryant to Short-Term IR After Ankle Injury

The Denver Broncos are officially placing emerging wide receiver Pat Bryant on short-term injured reserve after he wrecked his ankle against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

Losing a promising pass-catcher is bad enough, but losing one when your offense just managed a measly 14 points in a double-digit loss is the kind of roster math that keeps offensive coordinators awake at night. Bryant is now locked out of the facility on game days for the next four weeks.

"Ian Rapoport reported Bryant will miss the next four games and can return as soon as Nov. 8."

This leaves Denver scrambling for answers on the perimeter right as they pack their bags for a divisional clash against the Los Angeles Chargers this weekend. If you are looking at the betting totals for that AFC West showdown, Bryant’s absence is just another reason to expect an absolute rock fight.

The short-term IR designation is a massive momentum killer for a young receiver who was just starting to carve out a legitimate target share. You finally get the coaching staff to trust you, and then your ankle decides to take a month off.

The earliest Bryant can legally step back onto the field is November 8, when the Broncos are scheduled to face the Carolina Panthers. Until then, Denver has to figure out how to move the chains without one of their few bright spots, or this season is going to get very long, very fast.