Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II and safety Talanoa Hufanga are ruled out for Thursday night’s Week 6 game against the Seattle Seahawks with ankle injuries.
Surtain missed Denver’s Week 5 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. Hufanga suffered his ankle injury in that same game, going down with 2 minutes, 50 seconds left in the third quarter when he tackled Chargers running back Omarion Hampton with defensive tackle D.J. Jones for a 2-yard loss, per ESPN. He did not return and did not participate in practice.
Injury Designations And Timelines
Both players are ruled out for Thursday. Surtain’s absence extends only to this week, with no further timeline disclosed.
Hufanga’s case is more serious. ESPN reported the safety is expected to miss multiple weeks, with one source estimating a two-to-three-week absence depending on his recovery. That window could push his return into Denver’s Week 10 bye, according to ESPN.
Who Steps In At Safety
With Hufanga sidelined, Devon Key is expected to start at safety alongside Brandon Jones on Thursday, according to ESPN. Key earned first-team All-Pro recognition as a special-teamer last season, but Thursday’s assignment would mark a shift into a starting defensive role.
The dual absences limit Denver’s ability to deploy its dime (six defensive backs) package, per ESPN.
Hufanga’s Season Numbers
Hufanga has recorded 23 tackles, two interceptions, an interception return for a touchdown and a sack this season. In Denver’s win over the Los Angeles Rams to close out September, he became the fifth safety in NFL history to record two interceptions, an interception return for a touchdown and a sack in the same game, per ESPN.
In the first quarter of Sunday’s game, Hufanga forced and recovered a fumble from Chargers tight end Charlie Kolar, a turnover that led to a Broncos touchdown four plays later.
Broncos coach Sean Payton emphasized the value of that turnover. “[Turnovers] are purposeful,” Payton said Tuesday, per ESPN. “It happened with [Hufanga] early in the game. … Those are huge, huge swings of momentum.”
What’s Next
Denver hosts Seattle on Thursday night without both starters. Hufanga is expected to miss two to three weeks, per ESPN, which could extend through the Broncos’ Week 10 bye. Surtain has no timeline reported beyond this week.
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