You thought we forgot about Dre?
Everything Dre Greenlaw brings to a team, we have not yet seen. His leadership, controlled violence and sticky coverage. That was the hype. Eight months later, it is time to examine Greenlaw’s reality in Denver.
Hmm. Absent or incomplete? Which one fits best?
First, his body let him down, a quadriceps injury costing him the first six games. Then he let his team down, yelling at official Brad Allen after the walk-off win over the Giants, resulting in a one-game suspension.
This must change Sunday at Houston. A Broncos upset could hinge on his performance.
Greenlaw has made an impact behind the scenes, setting an example with his work ethic and daily intensity. But it has not translated to the field, where his season consists of six tackles on 21 snaps against the Giants. Greenlaw showed accountability on Thursday, admitting he should not have put the Broncos in position to play without him because of his outburst. This was an important step.
Now, the Broncos need the best of Greenlaw moving forward. They are a contender. Whether or not they can win the AFC West or host a playoff matchup hinges on games like Sunday. The Texans are scrambling for a wild-card berth. The Broncos can move 3.5 games ahead of them with a win. After demolishing the hapless Raiders, the Broncos would then host the Chiefs on Nov. 16 in the franchise’s biggest game since Super Bowl 50.
This will not happen without Greenlaw returning to his 2023 form, without the former star filling the vacuum left by Pat Surtain II’s absence. There is evidence that Greenlaw’s ability remains; that he can instill fear for roughly 45 snaps on Sunday.
But he cannot talk about it. He has to be about it.
Will the real Dre Greenlaw please stand up?
Return of Naz: Lost in the Avs agreeing to an eight-year, $92 million extension with Martin Necas, rumors continue to percolate about Colorado pursuing Nazem Kadri in a trade. It is way too early to get excited about the prospect. But it cannot be dismissed out of hand. The Flames are going nowhere, and Kadri’s history in Colorado was real and spectacular. He played himself into a huge contract after helping the Avs win the Stanley Cup in 2022. Making his $7 million salary fit would be messy. But when has GM Chris MacFarland ever shied away from a challenge? If Kadri is willing to return, the Avs have to look into it.
Lost season for Hunter: This brings no joy to write. Travis Hunter’s rookie season is a bust. The Jaguars spent two months showing they had no idea how to use him. Now, he might not play again after landing on the injured reserve with a non-contact knee injury. Hunter boasts 28 catches for 298 yards and one touchdown, and 15 tackles. This is not the return the Jaguars expected when they shipped the No. 5 overall pick, a second-round pick (No. 36), a fourth-round pick (No. 126) and their 2026 first-round pick to Cleveland to draft him. This week, the Jags promised to make him the focus of the passing game. So if there is any good news, it is this: When Hunter returns, either this season or next, the Jaguars might actually have a plan for him. Imagine that.
Shohei-Wemby comp: Shohei Ohtani is already a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Those of us lucky enough to stay up for the Dodgers’ 18-inning Game 3 win will never forget his 4-for-4, two-homer, five-walk performance. But as soon as baseball ends, we are blessed with another unicorn. With apologies to Nikola Jokic, that is Victor Wembanyama. He is the future, a 7-foot-5 pterodactyl who is averaging 30.2 points, 14.6 rebounds, 4.8 blocks and 3.4 assists, while shooting 31.2% from the 3-point line. As with Ohtani, no one has ever seen anything like this.
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Troy Renck
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