What happened to KJ Hamler? Russell Wilson’s Broncos face another health scare ahead of 2023 season

Denver Broncos wide receiver K. J. Hamler is set to miss the upcoming weeks of training camp - and perhaps the start of the regular season - as he received a diagnosis of pericarditis, a mild heart irritation.

The wide receiver revealed the news through his Instagram, stating that he's set to go under a great treatment plan with medicine and plans to return soon.

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This is the second wide receiver that the Broncos have lost in a matter of hours. Earlier on Monday, Tim Patrick was carted off the field after a non-contact injury that is believed to be an Achilles. If confirmed, it means that he's going to miss his second straight season with an injury, after an ACL tear in 2022.

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The Broncos have waived Hamler with an non-football illness designation. The expectation is that he'll be back with the team as soon as his treatment finishes and he's allowed to return. There's no need for heart surgery in his treatment.

K. J. Hamler's injury problems stack up once again

The unfortunate situation obviously isn't his fault, but there's no denying he has missed an absurd amount of games since being a second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

He was placed on injured reserve in 2020 due to a hamstring injury. A year later, a torn ACL ended his season prematurely in Week 3, and in 2022, he again returned to the injured reserve following a hamstring injury.

His 2023 status was already in doubt after he suffered a torn pec while working out on his own. His comeback will be delayed even more now.

Broncos wide receiver depth chart: Who's expected to play with Russell Wilson in 2023?

Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy and Marvin Mims will now be the primary receiving options. Sutton has developed into a No. 1 receiver. Jeudy has established himself as the No. 2, while Mims is a rookie that should see his role grow with Patrick and Hamler's injuries.

To this day, the KJ Hamler pick clearly did not work out the way the Broncos hoped for. It's unclear what his role will be once he's cleared to play again.

Marquez Callaway also should make the 53-man roster in August, giving a great core for Wilson.

About the author

Henrique Bulio is an NFL and College Football journalist at Sportskeeda and the Editor-in-Chief of Pro Football Brasil. He has a total 13 years of experience working in American Football, and playing quarterback at an amateur level in Brazil has given him a unique perspective of the game.

Henrique follows the Philadelphia Eagles closely due to Michael Vick's historic performance on MNF against the Washington Commanders in 2010. His all-time favorite player is Ed Reed; he believes that Reed is the greatest safety to ever play the game. Bill Belichick gets the nod as Henrique's favorite coach for coaching the Patriots to glory over two decades.

If Henrique were to be able to go back in time and watch one game, it would be Super Bowl XLIX, where the Patriots and the Seahawks played a complete, back-and-forth game that concluded with one of the biggest talking points in NFL history.

Technical deep dives are Henrique’s specialty, and he ensures never to use misleading words in his articles, since he himself consumes a lot of information off the web. He has had the privilege of interviewing Cairo Santos, Lamar Jackson, Jim Harbaugh, Sean McDermott, Bruce Arians, Matt LaFleur, among others.

Aside from football, Henrique likes to play poker and Counter-Strike.

Know More

Denver Broncos Fans! Check out the latest Denver Broncos Schedule and dive into the Broncos Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

Edited by Henrique Bulio