Denver Broncos: Breaking Down Their Current Situation at Safety

When someone plays about 99 percent of a team's snaps and goes down by injury, it isn't good.

Unfortunately, the Denver Broncos have been thrust into that uncomfortable situation.

Rahim Moore, Denver's free safety, suffered a freak leg injury on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs. Before that, he was doing a great job playing "center field" in the team's defense. According to The Denver Post, he led the defense by playing in 98.8 percent of their snaps.

Because of that, Denver will have trouble replacing him.

Moore will miss six weeks, and he won't be eligible to play games for eight weeks. That means he won't be able to play until the AFC Championship Game, if the Broncos get there. In other words, Denver will need to win at least one playoff game without Moore.

Due to Moore's absence, Duke Ihenacho and Mike Adams will likely start. David Bruton will be the primary backup, and Michael Huff and Omar Bolden will provide depth. Adams is a 10-year veteran who started alongside Moore last year, and he has a plethora of experience at both free safety and strong safety.

Last season, he forced two fumbles and made 80 tackles. He is a safe, solid option, and while he isn't perfect by any means, he is a decent replacement.

However, he isn't going to completely replace Moore. He is older and slower, and he hasn't been great lately. When filling in for Duke Ihenacho against San Diego, he missed some tackles. Cecil Lammey of Bleacher Report detailed Adams' struggles in the Week 10 game.

If Adams' struggles continue, Denver has other options. One of those is the speedy Bruton, who is arguably the league's best special teams player. According to The Denver Post, he has a 4.41 40-yard dash. He flies around the field, and he could certainly spark Denver's defense.

However, he doesn't have lots of experience at safety, and he might give up big plays or struggle with his ball skills. In a Cover 1, which Denver might have to run against teams with good tight ends, Bruton can race around the field. Unfortunately for him, his lack of experience could hurt him there.

Luckily for the Broncos, they have another speedster who might be better suited in that department.

That person is the newly signed, motivated Huff, who could see some playing time and hold his own if he learns Denver's defense quickly. Huff was signed by the Broncos Tuesday to add depth, even though he is 30 and was recently released. Huff started for the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1, and Broncos tight end Julius Thomas burned him.

After that, rookie safety Matt Elam assumed a starting role, leaving Huff on the bench. Huff played sparingly after that and ended up being cut, even though he had a cheap salary and a great track record. Now, however, he has an opportunity to help avenge the loss of Moore.

While his last stint wasn't good, he actually could contribute in this one. He brings versatility, playmaking ability and sound tackling to the defense. According to the Baltimore Ravens' official website, Huff had a mere 18 missed tackles from 2010-2012. With his tackling, speed and cover skills, he could do a great job at free safety.

He could also play cornerback or strong safety. He defended 13 passes and intercepted two at corner last year, in his first year at corner. Huff might not be able to put up those kinds of numbers in Denver, but he could play some coverage if he finds the field.

Or, he could simply sit back as a safety and make plays using his speed. According to The Baltimore Sun, Huff has a 4.35 40-yard dash. If he needs to play in the middle, he can do so.

He has the speed to make plays on defense, the ball skills to make plays and the tackling skills to be competent as the last line of defense.

But even if he ends up flaming out, which definitely could happen, Denver has a reliable safety valve. Adams is a veteran, like Huff and Bruton, but he isn't fast or good at tackling. In Cover 1 or simply against the run, Adams might struggle.

Bruton, on the other hand, can wrap up very well, and Huff can make plays on the ball.

Both Bruton and Huff offer big-play potential, and while Adams is steady, the other two could step up and make a huge impact. Denver is going to have to beat New England and Kansas City without Moore, and steady might not be enough.

In other words, Denver might have to roll the dice on Huff or Bruton and hope someone can answer the bell.

Luckily, it's a safe bet that roll will turn out positive. With the options, the versatility, the experience and the personalities in the secondary, Denver should overcome the issue without much difficulty. Moore is a valuable player, but he is replaceable. Plus, he would play in the AFC Championship and the Super Bowl if the Broncos get there.

Even without him, Denver can ride its quality, veteran depth and record-setting offense to wins. The Broncos pride themselves on being laden with depth, and that will get them by without a huge problem.