Bad luck would be better than the luck the Broncos have experienced during the first three weeks of the 2020 season. During the Broncos' Week 3 loss to the Buccaneers, defensive tackle Jurrell Casey, who was acquired via a trade with Tennessee this offseason, suffered a biceps tear that will likely end his 2020 season, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
The Broncos, who are 0-3 entering Thursday night's game against the also winless Jets, have already lost perennial Pro Bowl pass rusher Von Miller and 2019 Pro Bowl receiver Courtland Sutton for the season. Furthermore, cornerback A.J. Bouye, linebacker Mark Barron, defensive end Dre'Mont Jones and rookie linebacker Justin Strnad are all currently on injured reserve. Denver quarterback Drew Lock, who went 4-1 as a starter in 2019, will miss 2-4 more weeks after suffering an injury to his right shoulder in Denver's Week 2 loss to Pittsburgh.
A Pro Bowler each of the past five seasons, Casey recorded 14 tackles and three passes defensed during the first three games of the 2020 season. Casey, the Titans' third-round pick in the 2011 draft, was motivated to show that he was still one of the league's top defensive linemen despite switching teams.
"I haven't had a bad season yet," Casey said last month, via The Denver Post. "I don't plan on having one now."
Broncos coach Vic Fangio was excited to acquire Casey, who tallied 51 sacks and over 500 tackles in nine seasons with the Titans.
"He's been a good anchor vs. the run, yet flashes athletic movement when it comes to those types of plays where you need it," Fangio recently said of Happy. "We were happy to get him. We think he's still got some more left in him, too, to play at a high level."
Unfortunately for Denver, the Broncos will likely have to wait until 2021 to see what Casey can bring to the tackle. In the interim, the Broncos will have to continue to navigate through what has been a disastrous start to the 2020 season.
