INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The waiting game on Dre Greenlaw has gotten longer.

The Broncos on Saturday placed the linebacker on short-term injured reserve, meaning he must miss at least the next four games. He has had continued problems with a quad injury since signing as a free agent in March.

Greenlaw sat out spring drills with a quad injury suffered while working out and then suffered an injury in practice July 31 in which head coach Sean Payton said was in a different part of his quad. He did not play in the preseason and has not had a full practice or played in a game since the start of the regular season two weeks ago.

Greenlaw was said to be close to returning and was a limited participant in practice Sept. 12. However, a source said he then had a setback, which resulted in him not practicing all of last week. He was ruled out Friday for Sunday’s game in Week 3 against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium.

The Broncos elected to not immediately fill their vacant spot on the 53-man roster, and will look to sort out matters in the coming week. Denver on Saturday also elevated linebacker Garret Wallow and fullback Adam Prentice from the practice squad to face the Chargers.

Greenlaw signed a three-year, $31.5 million contract with the Broncos in March after playing the past six years with San Francisco. He now will miss at least the first six games of the season, and is not eligible to play until Oct. 19 against the New York Giants at the earliest.

Greenlaw suffered a torn ACL with the 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII against Kansas City in February 2024 and has had several additional injuries since then. He returned to play in two games for the 49ers last December but then missed the final two games of the season with a calf injury.

Greenlaw was replaced in the lineup for the first two games this season by veteran Justin Strnad, who has played well. He leads the team with two sacks, one in each of Denver’s games.

Wallow, in his first season with the Broncos, will provide depth at linebacker while also playing on special teams. In his Denver debut in last Sunday’s 29-28 loss at Indianapolis, he got in for 15 plays on special teams and had a tackle on a punt return. With three being the limit, he now has one elevation left for the Broncos this season.

Prentice was elevated for the third straight game, so he is now out of elevations. The Broncos will need to decide whether or sign him to the 53-man roster or to perhaps use tight end Nate Adkins in the fullback role.

Adkins will make his season debut against the Chargers after missing the first two games following ankle surgery in August. With starting tight end Evan Engram out Sunday due to a back injury, Adkins will be active along with tight ends Adam Trautman and Lucas Krull.