Broncos' Champ Bailey diagnosed with foot sprain

An ugly Saturday night for the Denver Broncos has been softened by a dash of encouraging news on the injury front.

NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported Sunday that Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey is dealing with a serious foot sprain, according to a source informed of his injury. That's not ideal, but Bailey avoided a fracture or tear, as some feared. He faces a recovery time of several weeks, according to the source.

The Broncos later confirmed the injury as a left foot sprain.

The three-time All-Pro donned crutches and a walking boot on his left foot after Denver's 40-10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Bailey, 35, told The Denver Post he was injured late in the first half when aSeahawks player pushed his foot off of Bailey's.

The less-disastrous timeframe still leaves Denver's best player in the secondary as a question mark for the season opener against the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 5.

Bailey struggled in last year's playoff loss to the Ravens, but still ranked as the NFL's 10th best corner in 2012 by ProFootballFocus.com. For a team that might be without pass-rusher Von Miller out of the gate, Bailey's presence on the field is critical for a team with Super Bowl expectations.