DeMarcus Ware Injury: Broncos Star Placed on IR with Injured Back

Denver Broncos linebacker DeMarcus Ware was placed on injured reserve with an injured back Wednesday, the team announced.

ESPN's Adam Schefter and Jeff Legwold first reported the news. 

Ware would send out a tweet after the news was released: 

On Thursday, head coach Gary Kubiak said Ware ruptured a disc in his back and will have surgery on Friday, per Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post.

This is yet another setback for Ware after he suffered a fractured forearm in a Week 2 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. He needed surgery for the ailment and didn't return until the Oct. 30 game against the San Diego Chargers.

He finished the season with 15 tackles and four sacks, both representing career lows. He has missed a total of 11 games over the last two seasons after missing three during his first decade in the league. 

The 2005 first-round pick is one of the most established pass-rushers in the league and had eight different seasons with double-digit sack totals coming into the 2016 campaign. Included in that number is his head-turning 2008 season when he notched 20 sacks for the Dallas Cowboys.

Ware brings explosiveness off the edge and is versatile enough to drop back into coverage if needed with three interceptions coming into the year. He is a nine-time Pro Bowler and one of the reasons Denver's defense is so formidable.

The silver lining for the Broncos with this injury is the fact they have plenty of other options to help fill the void.

Super Bowl MVP Von Miller provides a daunting presence as a defensive leader and will likely be asked to shoulder even more of the load until Ware returns. The Broncos also have Shane Ray as a blossoming force in the front seven who notched four sacks last year as a rookie. He will likely have the opportunity to pick up even more valuable experience while Ware heals.

Now the real question is whether Ware has played his last NFL game.