Denver Broncos cornerback K’Waun Williams is undergoing ankle surgery in North Carolina on Monday, according to a report from KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis.
The cornerback is expected to be sidelined for 6-8 weeks, according to Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette.
The Broncos are in the midst of roster cuts and Williams’ injury could complicate the team’s cornerback depth chart. If Williams is placed on injured reserve before the initial 53-man roster is set on Tuesday, he will be ruled out for the entire 2023 season.
If Williams makes the initial 53-man roster and is placed on IR after that, he would be eligible to return after four games. The downside to that scenario is that a player would have to be cut and exposed to waivers to have a spot for the injured Williams on the initial 53.
The good news for the Broncos is that, regardless of whether Williams misses several games or the whole season, Essang Bassey performed well in preseason and he appears ready to step into the slot role for however long Williams is sidelined.
Pat Surtain and Damarri Mathis will start on the outside for Denver this season. Williams was set to play in the slot before his injury.
