Broncos Activate C Luke Wattenberg From IR; RB J.K. Dobbins Ruled Out
After losing him for the final couple weeks of the regular season and missing him in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, the Broncos have activated starting center Luke Wattenberg off their injured reserve in time for tomorrow’s Conference Championship. In a corresponding move, the team placed quarterback Bo Nix on IR following his season-ending ankle injury. 
After playing every snap of the season through 15 games for the Broncos, Wattenberg appeared on the injury report leading into Week 17 with a shoulder issue. Ultimately, it was determined that he would need to be placed on IR with the possibility that he may be able to make a return at about this point of the playoffs.
Denver turned to backup center Alex Forsyth, a third-year lineman taken out of the seventh round from Oregon, to take over in Wattenberg’s absence. Forsyth had previous subbed in as a starter for four games that Wattenberg missed in 2024, as well. In his role as the backup center, Forsyth ended up having some injury issues himself. In both his Week 18 and Divisional Round starts, third-string center Sam Mustipher was tasked with filling in for a couple snaps in place of Forsyth.
Now Wattenberg returns to close out the season for the Broncos, who are limping along at this point after the injury to Nix. The team is also without veteran running back J.K. Dobbins, who was officially ruled out yesterday and will remain on IR, per Chris Tomasson of The Denver Gazette. Additionally, second-leading wide receiver Troy Franklin seems to be trending in the wrong direction as he attempts to work through a hamstring injury.
As a result, the Broncos are utilizing their two standard gameday practice squad elevations to call up wide receivers Michael Bandy and Elijah Moore for Sunday’s game. Moore was called up last week, as well, but has still yet to make his Broncos debut. According to Tomasson, Moore was aware that he wouldn’t be playing last week and that the elevation was just a way of rewarding him with a full game check. Franklin’s hamstring issue opens the door, though, to some potential playing time for taxi squad pass catchers.
Though the offense isn’t at 100 percent, it’s the Broncos defense that’s gotten them this far. They’ll need that side of the ball to hold off the visiting Patriots enough to allow for backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham, rookie running back RJ Harvey, and the rest of the offense to find success at this most crucial point of the season.
Broncos Designate C Luke Wattenberg For Return From IR
Denver will go without starting quarterback Bo Nix when it hosts New England in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game, but one of the Broncos’ top offensive linemen could return. The Broncos have opened center Luke Wattenberg‘s 21-day practice window, per Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette.
A shoulder injury has kept Wattenberg out of three straight games. Under normal circumstances, a player on injured reserve is required to miss four contests. However, because the Broncos clinched a first-round bye in the playoffs, Wattenberg is now eligible to come off IR.
Wattenberg, a fifth-round pick in 2022, spent his first two seasons in Denver as a backup. He became the Broncos’ No. 1 center in 2024 and has since started in all 28 appearances, including 15 this season. Pro Football Focus ranked Wattenberg’s performance 10th among 38 qualifying centers in 2025. He earned solid grades as both a run and pass blocker.
With Wattenberg a few months from free agency, the Broncos awarded him a four-year, $48MM extension on Nov. 25. He now sits fifth at his position in contract value and AAV. Wattenberg’s $27MM in guarantees trails only the Chiefs’ Creed Humphrey ($35MM).
On Christmas Day, a month after the Broncos locked up Wattenberg for the long haul, he landed on IR. Alex Forsyth has filled in at center during Wattenberg’s IR stint, and that will likely continue if the latter is unavailable against the Patriots. Forsyth suffered an injury in a 33-30 divisional round win over the Bills, which led the Broncos to plug in Sam Mustipher for the rest of the game. However, Forsyth participated in practice Wednesday, Tomasson relays.
Despite their injuries at center, the Broncos escaped in overtime against the Bills in an instant classic. Nix sustained a season-ending ankle injury, though, leaving the Broncos as rare home underdogs in the AFC title game. Former Patriot Jarrett Stidham will fill in for Nix as the Broncos vie for their first conference championship in a decade.
While Stidham’s facing an uphill battle this week, the return of Wattenberg would help his cause. The Broncos could also welcome No. 1 RB J.K. Dobbins back after opening his practice window on Monday.
Broncos S Brandon Jones Undergoes Surgery; C Luke Wattenberg In Play To Return
While some injured Broncos are likely to return for the team’s divisional-round Bills matchup, two others will not. Brandon Jones and Luke Wattenberg are on IR. Wattenberg cannot come back until at least the AFC championship game. Jones is eligible to return now, but he is not expected to do so.
The Denver safety starter underwent pectoral surgery, according to 9News’ Mike Klis. Although Klis keeps the door open to a potential Super Bowl LX reemergence for Jones, Sean Payton said later (via the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson) the sixth-year veteran is unlikely to play again this season.
Jones suffered a pec injury during the Broncos’ Week 15 win over the Packers. Jones sat out the final three regular-season games, and with the Broncos booking the AFC’s bye, he would have been eligible to be activated from IR this week. But that will not happen.
The Broncos have used Jones as a starter since giving him a three-year, $20MM deal in free agency in 2024. The ex-Dolphin has played well in Denver, teaming with 2025 FA pickup Talanoa Hufanga. P.J. Locke, who teamed with Jones as a starter last season, is now working alongside Hufanga — whom the AP named a second-team All-Pro last week.
A better piece of Broncos injury news comes along their offensive line. Wattenberg is in play to return if the No. 1 seed reaches the AFC championship game, Klis adds. Wattenberg suffered a shoulder injury against the Jaguars in Week 16. Because of Denver booking a first-round bye, he would be allowed to return after only missing three games — as opposed to the usual four required with an IR placement.
Wattenberg has been the Broncos’ center starter for the past two seasons; the team gave the Lloyd Cushenberry successor a four-year, $48MM extension during its bye week. The Broncos have turned to 2023 seventh-round pick Alex Forsyth as their Wattenberg fill-in. Forsyth, who snapped to QB Bo Nix at Oregon during the 2022 season, is the only rookie contract along Denver’s O-line — which has veterans Garett Bolles, Ben Powers, Quinn Meinerz and Mike McGlinchey all signed through at least 2026. Wattenberg’s deal runs through 2029.
Payton called J.K. Dobbins “close” to returning, though the veteran running back — who is rehabbing a Lisfranc injury — did not see his practice window opened today. Previously, a Super Bowl appearance was viewed as the requirement for a Dobbins comeback timeline to make sense. Defenders Dre Greenlaw and John Franklin-Myers, however, returned to practice after missing time. Greenlaw, whose first Broncos season has been filled with various maladies, is returning from a hamstring issue. Franklin-Myers, who sits as the Broncos’ highest-profile 2026 free agent after not receiving an extension, is battling a strained hip sustained in Week 17, per Klis. Greenlaw was limited Tuesday, while Franklin-Myers practiced fully.
Broncos Place C Luke Wattenberg On IR
The Broncos placed center Luke Wattenberg on injured reserve on Thursday, per a team announcement.
Wattenberg, 28, played every offensive snap for the Broncos in their first 15 games. He popped up on the injury report with a shoulder issue this week and did not participate in practice.
Now, he will have to miss Denver’s next four games. The Broncos are currently the AFC’s No. 1 seed; if that holds, Wattenberg would not be eligible to return until a potential Super Bowl. If they drop to the second seed or below, he will be eligible to return in the AFC championship game.
That offers some hints about Wattenberg’s status. In all likelihood, he is done for the season. If he was going to be available in the conference championship round – or close to it – the Broncos would probably not make this move. Keeping Wattenberg on the 53-man roster would allow him to ramp-up in practice and test his ability to return; his IR placement delays any practicing until after the Broncos’ second playoff game ends.
Wattenberg was having a breakout year, or at least, as close to one as you can get for an offensive lineman. He has anchored an offensive line that has only allowed 19 sacks all year, the fewest in the league, while serving as an effective partner for quarterback Bo Nix on the line of scrimmage. His loss will be a blow to Denver’s offense, though perhaps not a fatal one.
The Broncos started Alex Forsyth against the Chiefs on Christmas and will likely rely on him for the rest of the season. The 2023 seventh-round pick and started four games as a rookie. He has been active every week but has only played nine snaps on offense on the year.
Broncos Sign C Luke Wattenberg To Extension
Less than a week after inking kicker Wil Lutz to an extension, the Broncos are committing to another player for the long haul. According to Mike Klis of 9News in Denver, the Broncos have agreed to a four-year extension with center Luke Wattenberg.
[RELATED: Broncos Had “Preliminary” Extension Talks With C Luke Wattenberg]
The pact is worth $48MM, including $27MM in guaranteed money, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. We heard yesterday that the team had “preliminary” talks with Wattenberg about a long-term deal, and the two sides must have made some significant progress during the team’s bye week.
Wattenberg’s contract vaults him towards the top of his position in both value and guarantees. The fourth-year player now ranks fifth at his position in both contract value and AAV, while the $27MM in guaranteed money only trails the whopping $35MM Creed Humphrey got from the Chiefs.
A 2022 fifth-round pick, Wattenberg only got into 128 offensive snaps through his first two seasons in the NFL. Since then, he’s started all 24 of his appearances for the Broncos, with an ankle injury keeping him sidelined for four games last season. Pro Football Focus currently ranks him 20th among 38 qualifying centers, although he finished 18th on the site in 2024.
Clearly, the Broncos believe in his upside, and the organization is intent on providing Bo Nix with some offensive continuity. The front office committed to both Garett Bolles and Quinn Meinerz in 2024, and with Mike McGlinchey and Ben Powers also attached to sizable pacts, Denver has seemingly locked in their offensive line for at least the next few years.
With Lutz and Watternberg having signed extensions over the past week, we’ll now see if the Broncos can pull off a deal with Malcolm Roach. We heard yesterday that the front office had initial extension talks with the defensive lineman, although the veteran surely wouldn’t command the same payday as his teammates.
Broncos Had “Preliminary” Extension Talks With C Luke Wattenberg, DL Malcolm Roach
The Broncos inked kicker Wil Lutz to an extension on Friday, but he wasn’t the only player the front office approached about a new contract. According to Mike Klis of 9News in Denver, the Broncos had “preliminary talks” with center Luke Wattenberg and defensive lineman Malcolm Roach. Both players are impending free agents.
[RELATED: Broncos, K Wil Lutz Agree To Extension]
Wattenberg, a fifth-round pick by the Broncos back in 2022, has emerged as a key starter for the Broncos in recent years. The Washington product has started all 24 of his appearances for Denver over the past two seasons, with a midseason ankle injury shelving him for four games in 2024.
After Pro Football Focus graded him 18th among 40 qualifying centers in 2024, Wattenberg is currently listed 20th among 38 qualifiers in 2025. That performance would still make him a relatively popular name on the free agent circuit, so it makes some sense that the Broncos are working to retain him now.
Roach reunited with former Saints coach Sean Payton in Denver last season via a two-year deal. He’s gotten into about half of his team’s defensive snaps over the past two years, collecting 4.5 sacks and 11 QB hits. A calf strain delayed the start of his 2025 season to mid-October. The veteran likely wouldn’t break the bank to keep around Denver, and the Broncos clearly value the player as a rotational piece on the defensive line.
Lutz inked a three-year extension with the Broncos late last week. While terms of the deal haven’t been reported, Klis writes that the contract elevates the kicker into the top-10 highest-paid players at his position. That would Lutz’s earnings around at least $4.7MM, which is a significant jump from the $4.5MM he’s earning this season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/9/24
Today’s minor moves, including standard gameday practice squad elevations:
Arizona Cardinals
- Elevated: CB Divaad Wilson
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: WR Chris Blair, OLB Khalid Kareem
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: WR Tyrell Shavers, WR K.J. Hamler
- Placed on IR: LB Baylon Spector
Chicago Bears
- Activated from IR: G Ryan Bates (story)
- Elevated: T Jake Curhan, LB Carl Jones Jr.
Dallas Cowboys
- Elevated: CB Josh Butler, WR Jalen Cropper
Denver Broncos
- Activated from IR: C Luke Wattenberg
- Elevated: FB Michael Burton, LB Zach Cunningham
Detroit Lions
- Signed to active roster: LB Abraham Beauplan, OLB Al-Quadin Muhammad, TE Shane Zylstra
- Elevated: T Jamarco Jones, LB Zeke Turner
- Placed on IR: LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin
- Waived: DE Isaiah Thomas
Houston Texans
- Elevated: DT Tommy Togiai
Indianapolis Colts
- Elevated: WR Laquon Treadwell
Kansas City Chiefs
- Elevated: LB Cole Christiansen, WR Justyn Ross
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed to active roster: TE Tucker Fisk
- Elevated: CB Eli Apple, OLB Caleb Murphy
Miami Dolphins
- Waived: DT Brandon Pili
Minnesota Vikings
- Elevated: LS Jake McQuaide
New England Patriots
- Elevated: LB Joe Giles-Harris, TE Mitchell Wilcox
New Orleans Saints
- Elevated: WR Kevin Austin, WR Dante Pettis
New York Giants
- Elevated: LB Curtis Bolton, WR Isaiah Hodgins
New York Jets
- Elevated: K Spencer Shrader
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: S Tashaun Gipson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from IR: LS Evan Deckers
- Elevated: WR Marquez Callaway, LB Vi Jones
- Waived: LS Zach Triner
Tennessee Titans
- Elevated: C Corey Levin, S Daryl Worley
Washington Commanders
- Signed to active roster: RB Chris Rodriguez Jr.
- Elevated: K Zane Gonzalez, DE Efe Obada
- Placed on IR: TE Colson Yankoff
Spector will miss at least the next four games as a result of the Bills’ move. He has remained a mainstay on special teams this year, having also done so in 2022 and ’23. The former seventh-rounder has made three starts on defense, however, so his absence will be felt moving forward. Linebacker has been a position hit hard by injuries this season, and Buffalo’s depth at the second level will now be tested even further.
Wattenberg had his 21-day practice window opened by the Broncos earlier this week, paving the way for today’s activation. The 27-year-old operated as the team’s starting center prior to going down after having won a summer competition for the gig with Alex Forsyth. Forsyth handled first-team duties over the past four games, drawing a superior PFF evaluation and therefore potentially playing his way into an extended look atop the depth chart. At a minimum, having Wattenberg back will give Denver – a team with three IR activations left – depth up front.
Broncos Designate C Luke Wattenberg, LB Drew Sanders For Return
The Broncos are 5-4 but did make a seller’s trade, unloading Baron Browning (to the Cardinals) for a sixth-round pick. This came shortly after the team extended fellow outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper.
Cooper and Nik Bonitto will continue to anchor Denver’s edge rush, while third-round rookie Jonah Elliss figures to see his snaps increase. But the Broncos also may have a boost coming from a 2023 third-rounder soon. Drew Sanders is now back at practice, returning to work months after suffering an Achilles tear.
While Sanders is in the PUP-return window, center Luke Wattenberg has received a return designation as well, 9News’ Mike Klis notes. Wattenberg spent the past four weeks on IR, but he is moving toward being one of the Broncos’ injury activations. Denver has used four and still has Josh Reynolds as a likely candidate to count for a spot. The free agent wide receiver pickup has not returned to practice. While he was in line to be back from the finger injury that landed him on IR, being wounded in an October shooting delayed the timetable.
Sanders will not count toward Denver’s eight activations, having resided on the PUP list all season. He went down soon after the Broncos started their offseason program in April, providing a runway toward a return this season. Last season, Sanders played in all 17 games and made four starts. At Arkansas in 2022, Sanders finished with 9.5 sacks and 103 tackles. His versatility could present options for his pro team as well.
An Alabama transfer, Sanders has spent time at OLB and in an off-ball linebacker spot. A role as a pass rusher would help the Broncos, who could effectively have him replace Browning, though the team also lost top tackler Alex Singleton for the season. Justin Strnad has worked as Singleton’s primary replacement alongside Cody Barton.
Wattenberg beat out Alex Forsyth for the center job following Lloyd Cushenberry‘s free agency defection. Pro Football Focus has viewed Forsyth as having been the better option this season, ranking the 2023 seventh-round pick — who snapped to Bo Nix at Oregon during the 2022 season — 11th compared to Wattenberg’s 28th-place ranking. It will be interesting to see how the Broncos proceed here. If nothing else, the player edged out of the starting lineup would represent important depth.
Broncos Place Josh Reynolds, Luke Wattenberg On IR, Activate Audric Estime
Josh Reynolds recently underwent finger surgery, and it will keep him sidelined for a notable period. The Broncos wideout was placed on injured reserve Saturday, per a team announcement. 
Reynolds had already been ruled out for Week 6, with further missed time being on the table. Today’s move confirms he will be sidelined for at least the next four games, something which will create a notable vacancy in Denver’s receiving corps. The free agent pickup’s 138 yards rank second on the team this season.
Finding production through the air will be a key goal moving forward for the 3-2 Broncos. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix has shown signs of improvement compared to his opening two contests, but without Reynolds in the fold Courtland Sutton will be leaned on even more in the passing game. The likes of Marvin Mims, Lil’Jordan Humphrey, DeVaughn Vele and fourth-round rookie Troy Franklin will be counted on to help fill the void created by the 29-year-old’s absence.
Lloyd Cushenberry departed the Broncos in free agency, landing a big-ticket deal with the Titans. His departure left an opening on a Denver offensive line which is otherwise spoken for in terms of first-team contributors. A competition amongst internal replacement options took place during the offseason, with Wattenberg edging out Alex Forsyth for the gig. Wattenberg, 27, hardly played during his first two seasons in Denver but he logged every snap to begin the 2024 campaign before going down in Week 5.
Forsyth took over at center last week, and he represents a logical candidate to start moving forward. Drafted in the seventh round last year (after playing with Nix at Oregon), Forsyth did not see any playing time as a rookie. The 25-year-old dressed for each of Denver’s first four contests but only logged special teams snaps before Wattenberg’s injury. That could change over the coming games.
In more positive injury news, rookie running back Audric Estime was activated from IR. The fifth-rounder was injured in Week 1, so Sunday’s contest marked the earliest point at which he could be brought back into the lineup. Estime practiced this week, suggesting he would indeed be activated today. With Tyler Badie on injured reserve, a depth role should await him right away behind Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin.
OL Notes: Broncos, Wattenberg, Raiders, Cowboys, Beebe, Patriots, Giants, Neal
The center position sticks out on Denver’s offensive line. Four eight-figure-per-year contracts populate the Broncos‘ front, giving Bo Nix a solid batch of blockers as he begins his career. But the team did not bring in a starter-caliber player to replace Lloyd Cushenberry, who signed a big-ticket deal with the Titans. A matchup of recent Day 3 picks in training camp is close to being resolved. Luke Wattenberg has started Denver’s two preseason games, and the coaching staff views the 2022 fifth-rounder as having made great strides ahead of his third season. Wattenberg should be considered the favorite to start over 2023 seventh-rounder Alex Forsyth (despite the latter having been Nix’s 2022 center at Oregon), per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson.
A Washington alum already going into his age-27 season, Wattenberg has two seasons left on his rookie contract. He has played 128 career snaps. This will be an adjustment for the Broncos, who used Cushenberry as a starter for four seasons. But Wattenberg’s fifth-round contract will mesh well on a line with Garett Bolles, Ben Powers, Mike McGlinchey and now Quinn Meinerz on pricey deals.
Here is the latest from the O-line ranks:
- The Patriots will of course look into additions on the waiver wire, when hundreds of cut players will be available come Wednesday, but de facto GM Eliot Wolf said (via MassLive.com’s Karen Guregian) the team is content with its current mix up front. In addition to being without left guard Cole Strange, the Pats have not named their starting tackles. It appears to be trending toward 2023 late-August trade pickup Vederian Lowe at LT and street FA addition Chukwuma Okorafor at RT, the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed writes. Jerod Mayo both said he had wanted an O-line settled before the third preseason game and that Drake Maye‘s short outing in the preseason opener came from an uneasiness about the front five. This does not paint a picture of stability entering the season, which would make it rather interesting if Mayo and Wolf opted to open the year with Maye starting.
- Cooper Beebe had been mentioned as a strong candidate to replace Tyler Biadasz as the Cowboys‘ center, but Brock Hoffman — a 2022 UDFA who started two games last season — had worked exclusively in that spot during most of training camp. Beebe, however, has received first-team work recently, Saad Youself of The Athletic notes (subscription required). Since that insertion, Beebe looks to be moving toward landing the gig. The third-round rookie appears the more likely starter, Yousef adds, with Hoffman — despite his weeks-long run with the first unit — seemingly ticketed for a backup role.
- After a shoulder injury kept Jackson Powers-Johnson out of OTAs, and a concussion sustained at minicamp sidelined the second-round pick for months. Powers-Johnson only returned to Raiders practice recently. The team had hoped the Oregon center would win its LG job from the jump, but the time off will likely delay his start to the season. Antonio Pierce said (via The Athletic’s Tashan Reed) Powers-Johnson is unlikely for Week 1. Free agent signing Cody Whitehair has worked as Las Vegas’ starting LG and is poised to keep that role to open the season. The Bears demoted the longtime starter midway through last season, making his Raiders fit — with ex-Bears OC Luke Getsy calling the shots — interesting. But the 32-year-old blocker looks like a Week 1 starter.
- Last year’s Raiders RG starter, Greg Van Roten is reprising his right-side tandem with Jermaine Eluemunor in New York. If Giants center John Michael Schmitz misses time, however, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan expects the recently added guard to slide to center. Free agent pickup Aaron Stinnie would replace Van Roten, 34, at guard in this scenario.
- Duggan drops another concerning nugget about Evan Neal‘s status as well, indicating the displaced RT starter is not a lock to be active on gamedays due to only taking reps at right tackle since coming back from ankle surgery. Joshua Ezeudu, who has worked at both left and right tackle spots during camp, would be the Giants’ swing tackle if Neal’s transition from top-10 pick to healthy scratch actually happens.