Broncos will be without a key starter into the postseason

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Broncos will have to play at least the first two rounds of the postseason without Luke Wattenberg.

The team placed its starting center on injured reserve Thursday with a shoulder injury, dealing a blow to an offensive line that only last Sunday returned to its original composition when Ben Powers played 23 snaps in a reserve role in his first game back after missing 10 games due to a torn biceps muscle suffered in Week 5 at Philadelphia.

Third-year veteran Alex Forsyth, who started four games last season, is expected to take Wattenberg’s place in the lineup.

Wattenberg had played every game for the Broncos and handled all but four snaps. only missing four plays against Dallas. Per Pro Football Focus data, his pressure rate allowed of one pressure every 49.3 pass-block snaps was fourth-best among 38 centers with at least 200 pass-block snaps this season.

BRONCOS MAKE A FLURRY OF PERSONNEL MOVES

The Broncos also promoted tight end Marcedes Lewis and interior offensive lineman Calvin Throckmorton to the 53-player roster. Denver needed Lewis for Thursday night’s game after tight end Nate Adkins suffered a knee injury last Sunday. He was listed as not practicing on the estimated injury report issued by the Broncos over the three days leading into Thursday night’s game.

Denver exhausted its limit of three regular-season elevations on Lewis in Weeks 9-11 when Adkins was sidelined with a previous knee injury.

Throckmorton is needed as a backup center in the wake of Wattenberg’s injury. He can also provide depth at both guard spots.

The Broncos also used game-day practice-squad elevations on linebacker Levelle Bailey and wide receiver Michael Bandy. Bailey’s presence is needed due to Dre Greenlaw’s hamstring injury; Bandy will take the place of Pat Bryant, who is out due to a concussion.

With Lewis and Throckmorton elevated to the 53-player roster and Wattenberg moved to injured reserve, the Broncos needed to move one other player off the primary roster; that proved to be running back Cody Schrader, who was claimed off waivers from the Houston Texans only last week.

BRONCOS PRACTICE-SQUAD ELEVATIONS:

2025:

• Week 1: LB Levelle Bailey, FB Adam Prentice
• Week 2: FB Adam Prentice (2), LB Garret Wallow
• Week 3: FB Adam Prentice (3), LB Garret Wallow (2)
• Week 4: LB Garret Wallow (3)
• Week 5: None
• Week 6: OL Calvin Throckmorton
• Week 7: None
• Week 8: LB Jordan Turner
• Week 9: WR Michael Bandy, TE Marcedes Lewis
• Week 10: TE Marcedes Lewis (2), CB Reese Taylor
• Week 11: TE Marcedes Lewis (3), LB Jordan Turner (2)
• Week 13: None
• Week 14: LB Jordan Turner (3)
• Week 15: WR Michael Bandy (2), QB Sam Ehlinger
• Week 16: QB Sam Ehlinger (2), S Delarrin Turner-Yell
• Week 17: LB Levelle Bailey (2), WR Michael Bandy (3)

2024:

• Week 1: FB Michael Burton, WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey
• Week 2: RB Tyler Badie, WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey (2)
• Week 3: RB Tyler Badie (2), DB Tanner McCalister
• Week 4: LB Levelle Bailey, DB Tanner McCalister (2)
• Week 5: LB Levelle Bailey (2)
• Week 6: OT Cam Fleming, IOL Calvin Throckmorton
• Week 7: ILB Kwon Alexander, IOL Calvin Throckmorton (2)
• Week 8: ILB Kwon Alexander (2), IOL Calvin Throckmorton (3)
• Week 9: ILB Kwon Alexander (3), FB Michael Burton (2)
• Week 10: FB Michael Burton (3), ILB Zach Cunningham (1)
• Week 11: ILB Zach Cunningham (2), S Keidron Smith (1)
• Week 12: ILB Zach Cunningham (3), OL Nick Gargiulo (1)
• Week 13: OL Nick Gargiulo (2)
• Week 15: OL Nick Gargiulo (3), CB Reese Taylor (1)
• Week 16: DL Matt Henningsen (1), RB Blake Watson (1)
• Week 17: DL Matt Henningsen (2), WR David Sills  (1)
• Week 18: DL Matt Henningsen (3)

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