Broncos place DT DeShawn Williams on IR

DeShawn Williams is out for the season as the Broncos have placed their starting defensive tackle on injured reserve. Williams’ elbow injury will knock him out of the lineup for Denver’s final two games of the season.

Williams was an undrafted free agent out of Clemson in 2015, but he’s found a home in Denver over the past two years. After starting 11 games for the Broncos in 2020, he’s started eight of his 15 contests in 2021. The 28-year-old has compiled 39 tackles, one sack, five QB hits, and one tackle for loss. Williams saw a season-high 35 defensive snaps during Denver’s loss to the Raiders on Sunday.

To help fill the void (and for extra insurance in case of COVID protocols for Mike Purcell), the Broncos signed Justin Hamilton off the Cowboys practice squad. The defensive tackle has spent most of the past two seasons with the Cowboys, getting into 19 games. He’s appeared in nine games this season, collecting 10 tackles and two QB hits.

The Broncos made a handful of additional moves today, signing guard Tristen Hoge, defensive end Deyon Sizer, and defensive tackle Akeem Spence to the practice squad.