Luke Wattenberg activated from injured reserve

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Luke Wattenberg is good to go.

The Denver Broncos’ season-opening starting center was elevated from injured reserve Saturday in time for the Broncos’ Week 10 showdown with the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. He missed the last four weeks with an ankle injury suffered in the Broncos’ Week 5 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.

Wattenberg had been listed as questionable on the Friday injury report after seeing two days of full practice following limited repetitions Wednesday. The on-field work was his first since going on injured reserve.

The third-year University of Washington product is the fifth player activated from injured reserve this season by the Broncos. He joins edge rusher Baron Browning, running back Audric Estimé, cornerback Damarri Mathis and right tackle Mike McGlinchey.

Teams can activate eight players from injured reserve in a regular season, and the Broncos could push their tally to seven soon if they activate running back Tyler Badie and wide receiver Josh Reynolds.

Wattenberg earned the starting job in training camp and did well in his first five games anchoring the offensive line this season. In those five games, he allowed one pressure every 49.75 pass-block snaps, per the data compiled by Pro Football Focus. That ranks seventh among 41 centers with at least 150 pass-protection snaps.

“I think Luke’s done a great job. I think he’s so prideful about being on task, communicating the calls to everybody,” right tackle Mike McGlinchey said this week.

“… Obviously, a huge part of the center’s role is very demonstrative, very clear, very confident and very prepared. And Luke’s a talented football player, and he’s shown that time and time again since I got here.

“He’s a great mover. He’s gifted in how he can go out and play in the game, and I’m happy he’s had the opportunity he’s had this year. He’s definitely earned it.”

 

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Alex Forsyth started four games in Wattenberg’s absence.

“I don’t think we missed a beat with Alex in the lineup,” McGlinchey said. “Again, another guy that’s so wired to be right and so wired to be prideful in what he does and get us all on the same page. And he did that great.

“… I think offensive-line wise, those two guys have held us together, and really thankful that those two guys are playing center for us.”

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