The Denver Broncos have been battered by injuries to core players throughout the year. The injuries continue to pile up as Denver will be without their best interior pass rusher for the remainder of the season.

Dre’Mont Jones will miss rest of the season for the Denver Broncos

Denver Broncos defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones will miss the remainder of the season with a hip injury. After spending this week in Vail meeting with various hip specialists, Jones’ injury will sideline him up to four to six weeks as first reported by 9News Mike Klis. However, Jones will not require surgery to recover from the injury he sustained last Sunday in the Broncos’ loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Jones has been a force for the Broncos this season, consistently disrupting the opposing offense’s ability to maintain a clean pocket. Periodically throughout the year, the Broncos’ stout defensive lineman has battled through several injuries but has powered through to play.

In 13 games this season, Jones has been consistently disruptive. He’s gotten after quarterbacks for 6.5 sacks, four hurries, five quarterback knockdowns, and an impressive 16 pressures. With Jones set to miss an anticipated four to six weeks, the Broncos’ defense will have to find ways to generate pressure without one of their most effective players.

How does Dre’Mont Jones injury impact his future with the team?

DeShawn Williams, Jonathan Harris, Matt Henningsen, Eyioma Uwazurike, and Elijah Garcia are all expected to see an increase in on-field reps with his absence as the Broncos prepare for an all-hands-on-deck approach with four games remaining, including today’s matchup against the Arizona Cardinals.

Jones is set to become a free agent this off-season, which makes things interesting for general manager George Paton who faces several tough decisions amidst a disastrous season. The Broncos’ defensive lineman becomes the top name on the Broncos’ list of free agents who is most likely to be a franchise tag candidate. However, so much will be contingent upon the direction Paton feels the Broncos need to head toward. If franchise-tagged, Dre’Mont is projected to make $20.1M on the tag according to Over The Cap.

Jones production has been deserving of a contract extension, but another losing season in Denver could change how they approach NFL free agency.