Denver Broncos linebacker Drew Sanders will miss at least a significant portion of the 2024 NFL season after sustaining an offseason injury.

Sanders suffered a torn Achilles tendon while working in the Broncos’ offseason program last month, KUSA-TV in Denver, the Denver Post and ESPN reported on Monday, and has had surgery to repair the injury.

Denver coach Sean Payton does not discuss injuries during the offseason.

Sanders is expected to be sidelined for six to nine months, ESPN reported.

Sanders played at Alabama in the 2020 and 2021 seasons before transferring to Arkansas.

The Broncos picked Sanders at No. 67 in the 2023 NFL Draft.

As a rookie, Sanders played in all 17 of Denver’s games, with four starts. He was on the field for 258 defensive snaps (23 percent of the Broncos’ total) and 297 special-teams plays. Sanders made 24 tackles, recorded one tackle for loss and recovered one fumble.

Sanders began his first NFL season playing inside linebacker but was working at outside linebacker by the season’s end.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.