The Broncos' defensive tackle corps was a potential weak spot even if the group was healthy. But now the Broncos are stretched to the limit after Ty Warren re-tore his triceps muscle Sunday, which will almost certainly end his season -- and potentially his career.
Warren suffered the injury early in the second quarter, dealing the Broncos a crippling blow in their attempts to increase interior production by liberally rotating their tackles. With no big-ticket offseason pickups at defensive tackle, the Broncos gambled that rotating Warren, Justin Bannan, Kevin Vickerson and Mitch Unrein -- while also moving DE Derek Wolfe inside on pass-rush downs -- would allow them to compensate by keeping the players fresh and wearing out opponents.
Broncos coach John Fox learned of Warren's injury two minutes before his press conference, so he said he hadn't had a chance to formulate a follow-up plan -- and to decide whether he could be designated to return from injured reserve. But considering that a torn triceps necessitates a three-to-five month recovery -- which was the case for Warren's first tear last year -- his return appears highly unlikely.
Denver promoted practice-squad DT Sealver Siliga to the 53-man roster on Saturday, but left him inactive for Sunday's game. Siliga worked with the first team during voluntary offseason practices when Warren was absent because of a contract impasse, but dropped to the third team in training camp.
Siliga will likely provide depth, but Warren's immediate replacements will be Kevin Vickerson in the base package and Mitch Unrein when the Broncos go into nickel and dime formations. Unrein saw the most extensive action of his career Sunday, partially because of Warren's injury, but also because he was scheduled to rotate in on pass-rush downs anyway.
"One of the things that has helped is we've been able to add some more depth to that position," Fox said. "We'll adjust. Next man up."
The injury could end Warren's career. Sunday's work was his first in a game that counted since January 2010, when he played in a New England wild-card loss to the Ravens. Warren missed the 2010 season with a hip injury, signed with Denver as a free agent the following year and tore his triceps in the 2011 preseason opener.
The player to take Warren's spot on the 53-man roster could be backup quarterback Caleb Hanie, who was waived Saturday. Fox said the Broncos would re-sign Hanie, and that the move was "procedural, so we could have some flexibility moving forward," Fox said. Hanie, a vested veteran, would have been guaranteed his full 2012 salary had he been on the roster Sunday.
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