NFL teams
Jeff Legwold, ESPN Senior Writer 9y

Danny Trevathan dislocated kneecap

NFL, Denver Broncos

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- For a few snaps the Denver Broncos had the defensive lineup they've been waiting for Sunday, but both Danny Trevathan and Brandon Marshall suffered injuries during the 22-10 victory over the San Diego Chargers.

Trevathan's star-crossed season is over after he suffered a dislocated left kneecap in the fourth quarter of Sunday's win. Trevathan has suffered two separate fractures in the same leg already this season.

As a result of the previous injuries, Sunday's game was just Trevathan's third of the season.

"This game is though ... Danny has had a rough season with his knee issues,'' said Broncos head coach John Fox Monday. "Sometimes setbacks are set-ups for better things to come, that will be his mindset as he gets ready for surgery and pretty strenuous rehab to come back. We feel like he'll do a great job.''

Marshall suffered a left foot sprain in the second quarter of the game and left Qualcomm Stadium with a walking boot on the injured foot. Marshall is the team's leading tackler and has been the every-down linebacker since Trevathan suffered his first leg fracture, at the top of his tibia, in training camp.

Fox called Marshall "day-to-day,'' but he also called running back Ronnie Hillman "day to day'' following Hillman's sprained foot in the Broncos' Nov. 9 win in Oakland and Hillman has still yet to go through a full practice and has not played since the injury.

So, it remains to be seen how quickly Marshall will return to the field.

It all means a defense that has rarely been able to use its planned lineup at linebacker is again making adjustments. Steven Johnson will likely play the middle linebacker spot in the base defense and Todd Davis, who the Broncos claimed off waivers from the New Orleans Saints last month, would play in the weak-side spot in the base defense.

After Marshall and Trevathan left the game Sunday, it was Davis who stayed in the lineup as an every-down linebacker, playing in all of the personnel groupings to close out the game. The Broncos spent most of the remainder of the game, after Trevathan's injury, in their specialty packages as the Chargers were in a pass-first mode.

When the Broncos were in some of their six defensive back looks, Davis was the only linebacker in the formation.

"I just wanted to bring something to the team any way I could,'' Davis said. " ... I like to stay in my playbook a lot, I got a lot of help from my coaches trying to get me ready, trying to get me prepared.''

The Broncos have used rookies Corey Nelson and Lamin Barrow in the defense as well this season and will be in the mix now as well as the Broncos adjust the depth chart. Trevathan is expected to be moved to injured reserve this week.

The Broncos have one linebacker on their current practice squad in Shaquil Barrett, an undrafted rookie from Colorado State who was in training camp with the team.

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