Bridgewater has new injury, listed as 50-50 for Browns game
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Broncos quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has a quadriceps injury in addition to his sore left foot and is questionable for the game at Cleveland on Thursday night.
On Wednesday, the Browns (3-3) announced their starting QB, Baker Mayfield, would sit out because of a painful left shoulder injury and that backup Case Keenum will start against Denver.
Keenum was the Broncos’ starter in 2018, going 6-10.
The Broncos (3-3) could turn to their backup, Drew Lock, on the short week, but they’ve given no indication they’re considering a move similar to the Browns.
Denver also listed left tackle Garett Bolles (knee) as questionable.
The Broncos didn’t make coach Vic Fangio available on Wednesday but a day earlier he said he expected Bridgewater to start at Cleveland despite the beating he took from the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.
Bridgewater got hit 17 times in Denver’s third consecutive loss Sunday, two weeks after he was knocked out of a game against the Ravens with a concussion.
Bridgewater was sacked five times by the Raiders and said a couple of them were on him for holding onto the ball too long.
What left him limping, however, was right guard Graham Glasgow stepping on his left foot just as he delivered a touchdown throw to Noah Fant in the closing minutes. Glasgow was trying to keep a stunting Maxx Crosby from getting in on a sixth sack of the Broncos’ battered quarterback.
“I just got stepped on, foot, ankle, whatever. It just kind of went numb right after,” Bridgewater said Tuesday after gingerly walking to the podium.
Asked if he had the autonomy to make the call himself about starting or sitting this one out, Bridgewater said, “Honestly, we’ll see how these days go. I’m going to continue to attack this rehab, continue to just lock in on the game plan, and try to make sure I’m ready when Thursday comes.”
Fangio said he thought Bridgewater would be OK to start and added that he wasn’t giving Lock any more snaps than usual in practice just in case Bridgewater couldn’t go.
Tuesday’s indoor walkthrough, which was closed to the media, wasn’t strenuous, so Wednesday’s workout may be a better indicator of Bridgewater’s mobility, Fangio said.
When Fangio announced the results of the close training camp clash between Bridgewater and Lock in late August, he said, “We have two good quarterbacks—quarterbacks we can win with,” and that he wouldn’t hesitate to turn to Lock, who was his starter last season.
Lock didn’t play well when he stepped in for a concussed Bridgewater against the Ravens, but Fangio noted that neither of his quarterbacks played well in the 23-7 loss.
Lock competed 12 of 21 passes for 113 yards with no touchdowns and an interception, which came when he locked in on a covered Courtland Sutton in the corner of the end zone and never saw a wide-open Javonte Williams over the middle in the closing seconds.
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